Mars, the planet of action, has been slowing down its pace, getting ready to go in reverse from 24th January and will go direct again on 14th April.
On the surface, 'Mars' and 'retrograde' may not seem to go hand in hand. Traditional astrology claims that when this fiery and aggressive planet goes backwards, all actions should be put on hold. However, that may not be practical, with the current retrograde period lasting up to 3 weeks. Personally, I found that any actions executed during a Mars retrograde, which have been carefully researched and thoroughly planned out, can bring positive results. The 'retrograde' is not referring to 'no action', but 'no rushed actions'. Just like James H. Boren's quote, 'When in doubt, mumble; when in trouble delegate; when in charge, ponder'.
Mars can be impulsive but in Virgo, the brash energy is being filtered and dampened. Virgo demands meticulous order and critical analysis. Superimpose the retrograde on top, we are encouraged to be even more scrupulous with our actions. There's no need to be scared into a state of inertia. In retrograde, Mars needs to direct its energy inward. So in essence, we are still 'doing' something, i.e. researching, fine-tuning, just that it's not an overt action, so to the public, you appear to be idling.
Let's crunch some numbers. Mars will begin its retrograde motion at 23 degrees 5.5 minutes on 24th January and will halt at 3 degrees 41 minutes on 13th April. These degrees were already covered from 18th November 2011 to 23rd January 2012. Any planets within these degrees will receive a transit from Mars, requiring them to slow down and reconsider. Then from 14th April to 19th June, Mars will yet again traverse over these degrees, so going over old ground again. What happened between 18th November 2011 to 23rd January 2012? Between 24th January to 13th April, those issues will get a second chance to be scanned over. Then from 14th April to 19th June, the same ground will be traipsed on again, so whatever you have missed out on the previous two occasions, you have a third chance to triple check before Mars leaves Virgo on 3rd July 2012.
What natal planets/angles does Mars aspect? Which house(s) is Mars transiting in? Where's your natal Mars? Since this Mars is ruled by Mercury, take a look at your natal Mercury too. Also check out the house with Aries on its cusp.
It is better to read a little and ponder a lot than to read a lot and ponder a little. Denis Parsons Burkitt
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Mars will sextile my natal Mercury and its transiting my 6th house for the entire retro period.
ReplyDeleteMy natal Mars is in the 1st house and the 1st house has Aries on its cusp. Any thoughts on that?
ReplyDeleteInteresting. It all fits in with what you've been experiencing. Mars transiting in your 6th house of workplace and service to others, sextile your Mercury (4th or 8th house?), so this Mars retrograde is a time for you to think about your plans concerning your work - no impulsive actions. With natal Mars in 1st (relationship axis with 7th), it's probably associated with how you relate to others and to control your temper where appropriate.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...interesting. Mercury is actually in my 5th (maybe creativity?)
ReplyDeleteOr self-expression, being able to do what you're passionate about without upsetting other people....sextile from transiting Mars may bring you opportunities to iron out differences in concepts/ideas with other people. Is your Mercury in Leo?
ReplyDeleteNo, Cancer 23 degrees.
ReplyDeleteYour 1st house cusp is Aries but is your natal 1st house Mars also in Aries?
ReplyDeleteLittle confused... my rising is 26 Pisces. I have a large first house. Mars is in Aries in my First house. My first house ends at 8 degrees Taurus. Hope that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to work out what your chart looks like with Aries on the 1st house cusp but Pisces rising. I think you have Aries intercepted in the first house?
ReplyDeleteyes, I think that's what its called. So, is the 1st house cusp someone's rising sign? And if so, is Pisces on my 1st house cusp?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind, you could post your birthchart here? But yes, the first house cusp is your Ascendant, so sounds like you have Pisces Ascendant, then Aries is intercepted (or 'locked up') in the first house and Taurus is on the 2nd house cusp at 8 degrees. If that's the case, then I take back what I said about controlling your temper, because although you have Mars in Aries (natural rulership), it's 'locked up', so far, I find people with intercepted signs/planets tend to find it difficult to access that energy. You probably control your temper too much? The Martian energy goes within...
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'm afraid that may be the case. I always thought that bottled up feeling came from my Moon in Capricorn.
ReplyDeletePersonality traits normally manifest in reality from a combination of astrological factors, so your tendency to bottle up feelings is likely to be a combo of Moon in Capricorn and Mars in Aries intercepted in 1st. Do they form an aspect? There might even be other astro combos that are contributing in keeping your temper at bay......
ReplyDeletehttp://homepage.mac.com/msudell/pics/my_chart.png
ReplyDeleteThey don't aspect. I posted my chart. I hope it shows up.
Thanks for sharing your chart Mark.
ReplyDeleteYour Mars is the focal planet in a T-square with your Sun and Moon. It also receives a square from your Mercury, but trine from Saturn and Uranus. Get the balance right, and your Mars will do wonders. Think of the positive side to Mars in Aries...
Okay, thanks!
ReplyDeleteLeo Rising, Sun Merc Mars all in Aries having a tough time thus far with Mars Retrograde. A lot of stops and goes and a budding relationship totally turned into mixed messages and confusion...feeling gun shy
ReplyDeleteWelcome Cassie. Sounds like a challenging time for you but there's likely to be something you need to focus on at a slower pace - not something a Leo Asc plus Sun-Mer-Mars Aries person would find it easy to do...
ReplyDeleteI have been having a hard time dealing with strong feelings of anger, trust issues, power plays etc in both work and SO. I'm just tired of all the BS from both arenas. I have Pluto 24 degree virgo in 10th square mars/venus 18/16 degrees in Genmini in the 7th and mercury/sun/saturn in the 6th (Taurus)this back and forth with mars sounds tough, any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteWelcome Anonymous. Sorry to hear about your situation. Mars in retrograde isn't as bad as it sounds. Just see it as an opportunity to slow down so you can see how things are progressing and where you're heading, i.e. the Martian energy goes inward, with it in Virgo, it's linked to communication/thinking/planning.
ReplyDeleteBy the latter half of February, transiting Mars will conjunct your Mars-Venus conjunction in Gemini in 7th house, flagging up any conflicts/struggles at work or in your relationships/partnerships. Luckily, you also have transiting Jupiter in your 6th house (or even 5th depending on the degree of your cusps), Jupiter brings luck and a sense of contentment. If it's in your 6th house of work, even if your workload increases, there's likely to be a positive feeling associated with it somehow.
I can't offer you a magical formula but is there anyone one in the workplace/in your daily life (6th house) where you can share your thoughts (Mercury) with? Someone older/with a mature outlook (Saturn in 6th)? You could also use this time to keep a cool head and analyse the situation - can you identify the root of the problem?
Hello There! Your post made me feel a lot better about this whole Mars Retrograde. I was pretty nervous but your points make a lot of sense. I would love some insight! (Just in case ;)). My sun is Virgo (3 degrees), Mars is 12 degrees Capricorn/11th house, and Mercury is 23 degrees Leo/7th House. I have noticed I've been more irritated lately but I'm hoping that's all the problems I'll have!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Salina!
ReplyDeleteWe can analyse the kind of energy each planet gives us with their transit, but how it actually manifest in real life can often take us by surprise.
Your Sun and Mercury are in mutual reception so they are quite closely linked to each other. I wonder if your transiting Uranus quincunx your Sun was the aspect influencing your irritability because transiting Mars trine your natal Mars in the first half of Dec 11 and then the first half of March. Perhaps your friends helped you get over the anger? Your Mars in Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, so that can give you extra clue as to how Mars can be expressed.
Think back to what happened back in mid November 2011 when transiting Mars conjunct your natal Sun, because the same aspect will occur again around mid April. Transiting Mars is semi-square your Mercury now and again in the second half of June (Mars going direct by then), so that could also explain the annoyance that other people can bring you. I would just use this retrograde period to slow down and research on whatever you're planning to do (especially that you're a Virgo).
I am a Virgo and mars appears in my 8th house, what would that signify? I also have Virgo on the cusp of this house.
ReplyDeleteI have mars in my 8th house and Virgo is also on the cusp of my 8th house. And I am a Virgo, any thing to be concerned about?
ReplyDeleteWelcome Anonymous!
ReplyDeleteBasically, the way I experience Mars retrograde is like this - internally, I feel less motivated to act but externally, I'm loaded with work. Some people may even get sick from the work overload, forcing them to think about ways to allocate their energy more effectively. So applying this to your personal chart, this may occur in your 8th house (depending on the exact degree, could be your 7th house too) of shared resources, other people's money, investment, studying the occults, or anything which you do to gain emotional security.
I am wondering... Mars retrograde conjunct Venus in 3rd house. At the same time, transit Venus trine Neptune and conjunct midheaven. Natal Sun conjunct Mars in Leo, 1st house. Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous. Just going by what you have shared, those transits could be:
ReplyDelete"Mars retrograde conjunct Venus in 3rd house." - something to learn from your (love)relationships, but 'Venus' could also be related to money and values because of your Venus transit to your MC.....
"At the same time, transit Venus trine Neptune and conjunct midheaven." - see above, also valuing your natural talents and use them in your career? With your
"Natal Sun conjunct Mars in Leo, 1st house." you probably seek recognition and want to stand under the spotlight.
Does it relate to your life at the moment?
Wow... I don't know.I have just started a relationship with someone who is totally outside my circle. I am not quite sure it is the right decision although I feel very well when with this person. Of course, my family does not approve it. However, I will do it. I am just wondering, if this is right or I should listen to them as "they are trying to protect me....."
ReplyDeleteUmmm, then the MC is more likely to be referring to your public status/reputation. With transiting Venus conjunct your MC, is that person from a totally different background from yours (I know you said someone outside your circle), e.g. socially, financially, and your family finds it hard to accept this person? The trine to Neptune may be referring to your acceptance of this person...and your natal Sun conjunct Mars in Leo wants to go your own way anyway. With Mars retrograding over your Venus, just take things slowly. The situation may become clearer by mid April when Mars moves direct again.
ReplyDeleteHi how are you I have gemini rising at 7 degrees also mercury, north node and neptune in sag at 9 degrees, mars in scorpio at 27 degrees and jupiter in pisces at 9 degrees and sextile saturn at 17 degrees cancer as well as conjunting my moon which is 20 degrees in virgo and its transiting my 5th house can you give me some feedback i would be so grateful thank you
ReplyDeleteOhhh I almost forgot with this transit also that my venus at 21 degrees sag squares mars as well and uranus at 0 degrees will sextile when it retro to 3 degrees in april according to your breakdown and what is it when you have intercepted houses in the 6th and 12th houses ( taurus and scorpio ) and duplicated houses in 2nd and 3rd ( cancer and capricorn ) sorry for bombarding im just confused with all these aspects and hope to have your guidance through this
ReplyDeleteWelcome Ghini Baby!
ReplyDeleteIt's easier if you post a link to your chart (you can remove your personal details).
Mars transiting your 5th house could bring increased activities to your 5th house issues, e.g. leisure pursuits, children, self-expression, creativity.
Intercepted signs may find it hard to express itself overtly. Again, it's easier to look at the chart...
Here's my chart and thank you I'm not sure if you got my wordpress linking you to my post but it is ghinibaby363 on wordpress
ReplyDeleteOK - In the middle of this Mars Retrograde, I met a man on February 17 while on his home turf in Canada. He is 12/5/59 I am 4/19/51. I'm in Western US. I looked up our charts and it looks good. But a woman who does charts told me he is not a good match because he is earth and I am wood. But I thought I was metal. I'm so confused!
ReplyDeleteIs it worth working through these distance issues or not? We really clicked...
Oh - I'm 3:58pm Northeast coast on 4/19/51. Virgo rising, Libra Moon, Venus in Gemini... If that helps with my question.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're referring to Chinese Astrology because in western astrology, there are only 4 elements - fire, earth, air and water. I personally have no problems with distance. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. Follow your heart. Even if it doesn't work out, I'm sure there's a valuable lesson embedded within. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHi I hope you can help I'm a bit confused! I was born 26.10.77 at 07.30 Glasgow. I've met someone I really like, we have been dating but not really said anything about the future just slowly going with the flow which is lovely. The problem is we started talking on line at new year, I asked him out just before the mars retrograde then we met the beginning of feb, things progressed more when Neptune changed signs. I'd like things to progress with this man eventually! But on line the literature formats retro starts in relationships are so negative, I'm worried! If mars isn't affecting love and relationship areas of my chart does it count?
ReplyDeleteYes, Mars isn't just about relationships but Venus is and it'll go retrograde in May. In fact, we have many personal planets going retrograde this year, so if we don't act during a retrograde, then we might as well go into hibernation this year:-) Instead, why not use the retrograde energy for introspection and to really think before we act? (This is my general advice for everyone, without looking at any individual charts.
ReplyDelete