You might have heard the hype about Mars retrograde. Is it as bad as everyone says?
That depends of course.
With Mars retrograde, vital life force energy is depleted, so it’s not a good time to initiate new things. This period is considered inappropriate for activities requiring a normal start-up flow. It’s said that whoever initiates during this time—be it a new project, a love interest, an argument, a lawsuit, an international war—will lose. It’s best to try to avoid making large purchases (especially of a mechanical nature) unless you have full insurance coverage. Office machinery, computers and cars, for example, can easily break down. Matters started during this time will likely be plagued by disruptions until they finally stop.
On a personal level, our energy is essentially turned inward—internalized, intensified and perhaps pressurized. We can be hesitant about taking action and second guess ourselves. Anger no longer has a direct outlet, so it can disrupt indirectly and inappropriately. Tension, resentment, impatience, frustrations and even depression could occur. The goal of a Mars retrograde is to better understand our impulses, survival instincts, anger, sexuality and the ways we go about getting what we want from life. The universe is asking us to look before we leap—just for the next couple of months.
How to use this time positively:
Go back over situations (either in your mind or in reality), doing things again and again while making corrections in the way you handle events. While Mars is retrograde, you should review the way you handle anger, conflict, self-motivation and sexual relationships. You must give thought to what you are doing. If confronted angrily by others, remain patient, calm and composed. If you don’t respond initially as well as you could have, revisit the situation again (either in your mind or in reality) until you get it right, and then let it go. If your tactics do not work, your anger will continue to build while Mars is retrograde, and it will manifest full-blown by the time Mars is direct. Often non-aggressive types become intolerant of others who waste their time when Mars turns retrograde, so this can be a more difficult task than you realize.
Don’t be surprised if your energy is a bit depleted and you require more rest than usual. This is an important time for regrouping both on a physical and emotional level. Health issues and accidents are a possibility throughout this time. Avoid pushing yourself too much.
There’s no reason to suspend work on an existing project during a Mars retrograde. Reworking and redefining current projects are an excellent use of this energy; just remember that this is a period of review where there could be some backtracking in areas, and perhaps even some losses.
On the world stage, violence, oustings, referendums, resignations of political leaders can occur during this time. I have long found that usually just before, during or after a Mars retrograde, we see the tragic loss of at least one athlete or performer who has very prominent Mars or Aries placements. Athletes or people in very physical occupations, in particular, can be especially troubled by this energy since Mars rules the physical body and everything action-oriented.
So, take time over the next few months to reassess your current projects, your approach to getting what you want and what you desire. Practice patience and calmness especially in heated situations. Expect delays and frustrations in things that normally proceed quite smoothly. And, try to avoid starting any major new projects until Mars goes direct.
Leave a Reply