MARS RETROGRADE IN AQUARIUS
It’s sure to be a wild few months ahead with Mars in the sign of the water bearer, the bringer of knowledge. First the technical info: On June 26th Mars stations retrograde at 9° Aquarius. Mars will remain in Aquarius until August 12th when it will return to Capricorn then on August 27th, it will station direct at 28° Capricorn. Mars will move back into Aquarius on September 10th and remain there until November 15th.
What does it all mean? Well, Mars is assertive, aggressive, the warrior, the fighter, where we step forward to get what we want, where we have confidence. It is the blood coursing through our veins. In Aquarius it’s fighting for an ideal, detached and having pride in one’s independence, a creative imagination, the reformer who breaks conventional rules. It can be very stubborn in fixed Aquarius, as with any fixed sign. Never, never tell a Mars in Aquarius person what to do – they will do the opposite. But Mars in Aquarius will want to learn as much as possible about something they are studying, especially if it is unconventional, innovative and completely unheard of. And they are very good about letting others have their freedom and independence, so they give their partners plenty of space.
A retrograde Mars is a Mars that will appear to be traveling backwards from where we are. It’s not a Mars that overtly takes action, it is more acting behind the scenes and it involves contemplation. It’s certainly a period of going within and finding your own unique sense of confidence. Aquarius is rather unpredictable, so when you begin to learn new things about yourself, you may be quite surprised at the epiphanies you have.
This is a very unusual retrograde, indeed, as Mars has not done its back and forth dance in Aquarius since 1971! Since this is the case, I would recommend paying close attention to the Aquarius area of your chart where this is happening. If you were living your life back then, what was going on? Is anything there similar to now? In these months ahead, there is much information there that will be reconsidered, because along the way there will be connections Mars makes to other planets.
First, Mars is traveling with the South Node of destiny. This is a time for release, letting go, detaching and not allowing yourself to get sucked in to an old story. But it definitely causes us to review the story. Not to overthink it, though because Aquarius is an analytical sign and we need to focus on the passion and and fire of Leo, which is where the North Node of destiny is. So, certainly think before you act, but not too much.
Then there is the eclipse that is happening on July 27th. This is the second of three eclipses. I mention this one in particular now because it is the one that involves Mars. This is a total Lunar Eclipse, with the Moon at the South Node. Yes, the same South Node where Mars is, which means this is a very powerful eclipse, with the Sun on the North Node in Leo. Our ideologies will be challenged. Remember Aquarius is the humanitarian sign and perhaps our human ideals may be disappointed by the collective in some way – such as world events, politics, what cultural experiences we have with our country’s collective unconscious. Remember on an unconscious level we all create together – it can be your family’s collective, the workplace collective, the group of friends collective. You may think you have not participated in the current ideological state of any of these groups, but on some unconscious level you have indeed. Decisions you have made in your past are related to these groups and where we have previously found comfort in these groups, may no longer be comfortable. As we shift and change and grow, we outgrow old ways of thinking and where people once reflected our views, they no longer do so. Consequently, you may choose to leave these groups behind. This can also indicate hiding within a group, when the need is to make ones own individual talents known and stand out among the crowd – governed by the Leo North Node. This eclipse shows us where we need to have the courage to follow our hearts and allow a profound expression of self. It also indicates where we may feel safer staying friends with people instead of taking the risk and allowing ourselves to fall in love.
Social media is a really great example of this type of collective, as Aquarius rules technology and it is the sign of groups and communities. In a case like this, we may find the way we socialize through technology needs some revisions. We may no longer enjoy these outlets as we once did or we find new places that are more in tune with our new views.
The eclipse forms a T-square pattern in the heavens. The North Node/Sun in Leo on one end opposite the South Node/Moon/Mars in Aquarius on the other and at the apex is Uranus in Taurus. So, Mars is also making a challenging aspect to Uranus. Depending upon where these fall in our astrological chart, we can expect the unexpected that may give us some insight into the new direction we need to go. The empty space of the T-square is in Scorpio, so the energy shoots out in to that area of the zodiac. We want to pay attention to that part of our chart as well to see the flow of energy in that area of our lives. The most important thought to remember through this time is to always follow your heart. The Leo North Node and Sun show us that this is an absolute requirement to get through this time period in July.
And as always, there’s the typical cautions of Mars retrograde: don’t buy a new car or any new machine for that matter – lawnmower, computer, etc. Try to get the old one fixed until Mars goes direct. It’s not a great time to start a brand new relationship with a person you’ve just met. It can be a great time to review what you have in your relationship with anyone and how you want to move forward together. Most importantly, this is not a time to initiate a war with anyone. That goes if you are an individual or a country. So, if you’re going to start a lawsuit, wait until September!
There are a lot of factors in this Mars retrograde season, as we have seen above. The best course is to review all of your important actions you have taken recently, look at your motives and your ideals – what needs revising? Where would you like to change it up? Where do you need to take more risks? And most of all, sit with the energy and listen to your heart, it will always give you the best advice.
