Mars retrograde: Time for shadow work.
Hi, Everyone, Mars, the warrior planet, officially retrogrades on September 9, 2020 at 28 degrees of the Cardinal fire sign of Aries at 6:22 pm EDT and is retrograde until November 13, 2020 when he stations direct at 15 degrees of Aries. I have to be perfectly honest and say that I have been dreading this transit all year. In writing this, I realize that I need to reframe my outlook on Mars retrograde in Aries and work with the rest of you to do shadow work, face the uncomfortable, feel the anger and pain, and make peace with the limits that are in front of me.
The year of 2020 has been a year of Cardinal proportions. For the majority of the year, we have had several planets transiting in Cardinal signs, and that really gets you going! Cardinal signs are the signs that launch seasons and events: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. This year had a historical lineup of planets in the Cardinal earth sign of Capricorn: The South Node of Fate, that which we must release; Jupiter, the planet of expansion, exaggerating this tale of restoration; Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn, and planet of limits, lessons, and karma; and Pluto, the planet of death, rebirth, and transformation.
On January 12, 2020, Saturn and Pluto met up at 22 degrees of Capricorn and changed the world. Whenever planets meet up at the world axis, big world events occur, people on the world stage have big stories, and it hits each and every one of us. Think back to what happened in Notre Dame on April 15, 2020 when Saturn, Pluto, and the South Node were very close in the sky. Restructuring of old paradigms, structures and institutions. Nothing will be the same, but many things will rebuild.
Ultimately, we are exiting the epoch of Capricorn and approaching the real Age of Aquarius, where many new industries with be created, existing businesses will find new ways to build capital, and communities will form to heal the world. There will be a technological revolution that will help each of us morph into a world of infinite possibility with connection, brilliance, and job opportunities. However, we currently struggle to get there.
Some things will pivot temporarily, and some will pivot permanently. The world is in a massive Pluto transit of mourning, loss, anger, and rebirth. The Eclipses in the Capricorn/Cancer axis emphasized this story even further and insisted that each of us takes accountability both in the individual and in the collective around issues that need focus, working within restrictions, letting go, and committing to that which you can build.
I have been dreading this particular period because Mars, the god of war, has been starting to take over this show since it entered the Cardinal Fire sign of Aries on June 27, 2020. Usually, Mars transits in a sign for approximately two months. However, in this case, Mars exits Aries on January 6, 2020 and will have been in the same sign for a little over six months. Mars is at home in Aries and is most effective and potent; but, it is also very impatient, fiery, gruff, and aggressive.
Mars starting fighting with all of the planets in Capricorn in the beginning of August, and the combative element of Mars became more and more obvious both in our own lives and in the world. Capricorn represents constraints, and Mars wants to charge ahead without a second thought. That’s not going to happen! My father used to quote Lao Tzu to me over and over when I was an impatient kid and say, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Get ready for taking 999 steps this fall!
When Mars slows down, we feel the energy immensely. Mars stations retrograde on September 9, 2020 at 28 degrees of the Cardinal Fire sign of Aries and is currently in combat with Saturn, which is slowing down to station direct on September 30, 2020 at 25 degrees of Capricorn. They are no longer exactly square as they were on August 24, 2020; but, they are still in combat until the beginning of October.
Saturn blocking Mars causes more frustration and a lack of confidence in believing that you can get things done. Use this energy to recharge and reconsider all that you have done in 2020. Revel in the the fact that each of us has accomplished so much with so little. The salt in the wounds is now burning within each of us, and tempers will likely flare. This is an excellent time for doing shadow work, meditating, EFT tapping, smudging, working with healing crystals, exercising, chanting, and singing.
Mars is the planet of ego, identity, energy, and sexual desire. It is what infuses us with passion to go for our dreams, and it is what drives us to succeed. In modern astrology, Mars rules the Cardinal Fire sign of Aries. In ancient astrology, it ruled the Fixed Water sign of Scorpio. Mars retrogrades every two years for approximately two months. The last two times it retrograded in Aries was in the fall of 1988 and in the fall of 1941.
Mars is at its best in Aries. It is fearless, courageous, pioneering, and highly energetic. With Mars retrograde, it is not an ideal time to launch something new or to become incorporated. It is a better use of the time to return to projects that you have already started. Mars stationing at 28 degrees of a Cardinal sign is setting off where Saturn was at 28 degrees of Capricorn from February 29 until March 8th of this year and again from July 16th through July 29th when Saturn was once again at 28 degrees of Capricorn.
Think back to those time frames in the world and in your own life. More information will surface about how you can build on these theme. It can seem like the harder you try to achieve your goals, the more challenges and resistance you seem to face. Keep going. Surrender to the fact that there will be delays and frustration. At times, it will feel very difficult to summon the energy and passion to keep going. You may waiver between screaming and crying, and it does not mean something is wrong with you. It means you are human. You will move ahead. There are many steps.
Poco a poco. This is a time to reevaluate all of your choices, decisions, and things you have had to do since the late winter. What can you improve, where do you refine your skills, and how do you re-calibrate your energy, focus, and self belief in this time of great testing.
Mars is going to trigger the Saturn/Pluto conjunction that occurred at 22 degrees of Capricorn.. We can all expect big news events and more information on what we have been reconciling in our lives during this unforgettable Epoch of Capricorn. Mars squared Pluto, one of the major players of the year, initially on August 13, 2020. Pluto is the higher octave of Mars, and this is an aspect of hostility and power struggles.
Mars returns to 22 degrees of Aries in early October. It reaches that degree on October 8, 2020 and officially clashes with Pluto, the planet of power, at 22 degrees of the Aries and Capricorn, on October 9, 2020. Pluto, the planet of power, money, and departure, stations direct right at the world axis on October 4 2020. That is a huge shift that we will all feel intensely. This is the degree where Pluto was on January 12th when it met up with Saturn in Capricorn for the first time in over five hundred years. Mass karma around greed, misuse of power, mistreatment of the earth, and disconnection that is also propelling us towards the age of Aquarius where community is far more important than a selfie of you or me.
We can expect this fall to be intense. There will be a lot of anger that surfaces, and that is very emphasized now, as Mars retrogrades. We feel the energy of the Mars station five days before and five days after. The more you do things to do release this anger, take care of your vitality, and recommit to what you can do going forward, the happier you will be. You cannot control the anger around you. You can try to control your own impulses. It will be remiss to say that you can just raise the vibration, and everything will be fine outside. This is going to be a very tough fall for all of us. Find your tools to raise your own vibration, protect yourself, rest, and be as productive as you can within the limitations. The more you commit while these planets are still in Capricorn, the more results you will yield.
Jupiter, the grand benefic, stations direct at 17 degrees of Capricorn on September 12, 2020. We feel that five days before and five days after. This brings us back to middle of February when Jupiter was last at 17 degrees of the Cardinal earth sign of Capricorn. This is good news because Jupiter is how we expand. Realistically, it is still expanding this reconstruction story for all, but it is a step ahead. Saturn, the ring leader of the year, stations direct on September 29, 2020 at 25 degrees of Capricorn. Both Saturn and Jupiter exit Capricorn in December on the 17th and 20th respectively. The two convene on the Winter Solstice at 0 degrees of Aquarius and mark the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. A whole new energetic shift for all of us as we heal years of karma and innovate a new future.
“No, I won’t back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won’t back down No, I’ll stand my ground
Won’t be turned around And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down Gonna stand my ground And I won’t back down”
— Tom Petty, “I won’t back down”