By Margarita Celeste
2020 is not over yet. Not by a long shot. We have to keep our armour on and keep fighting the good fight as Mars, the planet of War, goes Retrograde from September 9th until November 13th. You’re probably already feeling it right?
Right.
The anger in the air, the tension. The feeling as if, no matter what wed, we just can’t get ahead. So instead, we might sit here in some frustration, stewing over inaction – when we could be using this time proactively.
Mars – Not Called The Warrior Planet For Nothing!
Look, let’s get real here. Mars is the Warrior God, in ancient times called Ares. Like Aries, get it? Mars is a brute planet, and he’s all brawn but not much brains. At his best, he’s assertive, driven, sexy, passionate and gets things done.
At his worst, he’s conflict-driven, argumentative, angry, frustrated and even scared. Because underneath all our bluster often lies a different feeling – fear.
Ares’ chariot back in the day was pulled by two horses - Phobos (phobia, or fear) and Deimos (panic). In astronomy, these are the names of the two Moons that circle around the red planet itself. These two were also his sons with Aphrodite, and used to ride with him into battle spreading, well, fear and panic.
This mythology should give us a pretty clear indication of what Mars Retrograde is all about. These few months can bring about intense feelings and it’s very easy to get caught up in anger, turmoil, chaos and dread.
However, Retrogrades are a natural occurrence of the universe, and are here for a reason : they come to help is stop and reflect on certain things in our lives, in order to make changes where we need to.
Have we been assertive enough? Have we gotten our desires met? Where are we allowing fear, panic and dread to rule our lives? Where are we collecting tension, and are we dealing with it properly? These are just some of the questions we face over Mars Retrograde.
What Will Mars Retrograde Bring?
Because Mars, in modern and ancient astrology, signifies the concept of work, this Mars Retrograde should be most noticed in this area of life. Conflicts in the workplace are common with Mars Retrograde, and it’s not unusual to see people walking out of a job, for example.
Of course, that’s harder now, given the world situation with lockdown, and many of us might feel stuck and frustrated, even overpowered or used. This can reflect all kinds of frustrated reactions, such as snapping at every moment, or outright losing control of a situation.
Even though Mars is in his home sign of Aries, showing some strength, it’s as if the warrior is ready to go but held back by restrictions.
See, it’s not only Retrograde that holds him back, but also his various squares to Saturn and Pluto throughout the year until February 2021. Saturn and Pluto will, sadly for Mars, overpower the situation and he’s going to have t toe the line and listen to the boss, whoever that may be in your life. You may want to “go solo”, but the universe is holding too back until early next year, when the restrictions lift and a breath of relief is let go!
For now, we have to bide our time, whether in love, work, family or money (depending on where Aries is in your astrology chart). We have to, instead, reflect on what we really want in our lives, notice where we are contributing to the toxicity, and who is a part of that. We have to bid out time now, work with our limits and find a way to endure.
Warning, Warning! Avoid This:
What can we avoid during Mars Retrograde? Well, if it’s not already obvious, here’ s a handy list :- Walking out or away from something too hastily
- Allowing fear and panic to take over
- Losing our tempers and regretting it
- Taking our anger out on a beloved person
- Over-reacting to the intense frustration in the atmosphere
- Fight with your partner friend, family or workmates. Sometimes it’s healthy to fight, but remember that Mars Retrograde periods often don’t help you find a good solution to your problems. Yet, anyway.
And Do This Rather:
There’s always a way through any Retrograde. Remedies and solutions, so to speak. These are a few of the things we can do over Mars Retrograde to empower ourselves and learn from the experience :- Attend an anger management workshop. Even if you think you’re not angry, it’s an emotion common to everyone, and most people don’t know how to healthily turn anger into assertiveness.
- Take up a fighting sport – solo. Boxing, kickboxing, martial arts are just a few options and will help you let off some steam!
- Sing or dance to some angry music – turn it way, way up! This is a great way to blow off a little bit of pressure
- Write a bunch of angry emails or letters - and burn them. This will also help to let go of some of your feelings, as well as clarify what it is you’re actually desiring
- Get sexy! If you’re with someone you love an trust, or even f you’re in the mood to play, get physical with that person. Mars rules sexuality, after all, and this is a great way to de-stress!
- Remember that the fights you have now, will usually get resolved by the end of Mars Retrograde. You’ll have gathered enough material to make some good decision by then!
What Can We Learn From Mars Retrograde?
There’s always something to learn from Retrograde periods! With Mars, we can learn to make our anger, fear and panic better and learn that beneath anger is usually hurt. We can learn to assert ourselves better and know the afference between aggression and standing up for ourselves.
We’ll also learn how to proactively work with resections and limits even though they are frustrating for us. This will help us to grow, mature and understand our own limitations, too. Sometimes, we have to just listen to the rules!