Astrological Mars is retrograde right now and moving much more slowly than it normally does (from our perspective on earth). Consequently, its impact is more intense with a heightened feeling of aggression and inspiration towards action. Mercury entered Mars’s own sign of Aries yesterday which adds additional fire to the mix and adding excitement and perhaps a few arguments to interpersonal communication everywhere.
Mars of course is instrumental in the upcoming Grand Cross of planets in the cardinal signs of Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn, so this barrage of intensity will not be letting up any time soon.
So it’s an interesting coincidence that Mars will be opposite the Sun in the sky Tuesday evening – an event that happens only once every two years or so. A week later, on April 14th, Mars will at its closest point to Earth, making both of these evenings an ideal time to observe Mars in the sky.
The color of Mars is red, and when Mars is near the earth it appears as a red ball in the sky. At the same time that Mars will be at perihelion, it’s closest proximity to earth, the Moon will be approaching fullness (the Full Moon actually occurs on April 15th but will be nearing fullness on the 14th). This Full Moon is likely to appear red as it is eclipsed by the Sun, prompting it to be called a Blood Moon, and Mars will appear adjacent to the Moon as a second fiery red body in the sky.
All of this occurring at the time of the Cardinal Grand Cross has lots of people fearing the worst, and the idea of the Blood Moon has sparked the imaginations of fundamentalist bible readers across the globe. I’ll be writing more about that tomorrow.
Personally, I am a big fan of Mars. Without Mars we would lack inspiration, drive and motivation. It’s Mars that encourages us to wake up every morning and create something in our day. When Mars is weak or ineffective – that’s when we start having problems. Here are a few steps to take to help you to navigate this very Marsy energy over the next week or two:
- Make sure you get plenty of exercise – do something active every day to the best of your ability.
- Practice expressing yourself to those around you. If you don’t want to do something, say no. Mars teaches us to set boundaries, but it often requires practice.
- Pay attention to your feelings. Breathe through them rather than avoid or submerge them.
- Make plans for changing situations in your life that create stress and rage.
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Uplifting and encouraging*
Excellent article and tips. I’ll add – lay off the alcohol!! It makes a world of difference when you can be clear headed and have a lesser chance of blurting out things you’ll regret later.
I’m really feeling it today – Mars conjunct my natal Saturn, square natal Uranus, with the Sun in a T-square in Aries. I want to do something, but I feel like a squirrel running nowhere really fast in a caged wheel. Ha ha!
Thanks for this article, Lynn. I like my Mars in Capricorn too. It gives me good grounded business sense, and combined with Chiron, much energy for personal growth and healing others.
Me too Greg. I am trying to follow my own advice and get plenty of exercise, because otherwise I do not sleep!!
I do a lot of walking in our rainy but nice spring weather here in Washington State, but I still have left over mental energy at night since early January. I’ve been reading and writing a lot, which is the same as last time for me when Mars retro’ d. :)
It just wears me out with the information overload lately, as I’m sure you are feeling as well. Best regards, Lynn.
Hi,
I have this grand cross building over my 11th (Uranus)- 5th house (Mars R) axis and 1/2nd house cusp (Jupiter) – 7th/8th house cusp (Pluto) axis.
I hope what I’m about to say serves as some inspiration, in this case I’ve certainly surprised myself. At the weekend, I had the most terrible cruel provocation from someone in my life I have been romantically entangled with (5th/8th). This person served up several shocks to me at the weekend, deliberately to provoke me I believe. This person has now showed their true colours and I can see them for who they really are, and their behaviour is particularly hurtful as I have been very compassionate and understanding towards them.
So what did I do in this situation? I WALKED AWAY.
Frankly incredible seeing as I also have Uranus coming to oppose both my natal Pluto at 17 Libra, and transiting Mars R which it is about to cruise over! I have a terrible temper, but this just goes to show that you do have a choice. You can walk away. It felt like I was a bull and life was waving a red cape in my face, I could have easily gone atomic in that situation – but then the other person would have won.
Peace Out.
Sometimes walking away is the ultimate empowering thing we can do, as long as we are not trying to bury or avoid something that will come up later. Thank you for sharing your experience Helen!
[…] Tuesday’s Full Moon eclipse is part of a relatively rare event known as a “Tetrad,” a series of four total lunar eclipses in a row. While eclipses are not uncommon (we typically see two pairs of eclipses each year although there is often deviation from that pattern), total eclipses are less common and a series of four total lunar eclipses in a row is even more rare. (For more about the eclipse see this earlier article.) […]
Lynn, you asked if we survived the eclipse and I replied “I’m still not sure.” This configuration sits directly on my midheaven/nadir, Moon and Pluto. I am so drained from the pressures of each day I’m astonished that I still keep functioning. Looking for release when the planets shift!
Hi Lynn . I spoke with you on the phone this am. Unfortunately I cannot make a post on the Saturn sq chrion page. But my question was how do you see it play out in synastry. Magi astrology sees it as very negative…not sure what to believe.
Hi Liz, sorry you weren’t able to post a comment at the original post. Was it the post about Saturn squaring MY Chiron? Because that behaves differently than Saturn in one person’s chart squaring Chiron in another person’s chart (synastry). In astrology you can never just take one aspect of the chart by itself – there is a combination of many different influences that have to be synthesized. When one person’s Saturn squares Chiron in another person’s chart, the Saturn person’s job is to ensure that the Chiron person works through their wounds. This can be painful and make the relationship difficult, but just like with any other growth process it can also help the healing process. How easy that process is depends on the rest of the chart.