Mars retrograde (26 june – 26 august 2018)

The planet Mars is associated with the Greek mythological figure Ares. Therefore forward movement, action, drive, aggression, will, doing, will, ego, cuts, heat (all things red and hot) and the energy to get up out of bed, are all Marsian words. It has a 2 year cycle through the zodiac and goes retrograde once every two years for a period of two months but is felt at least a month before, till a few weeks after. When a planet goes retrograde, its action becomes introverted, accentuated and opposite to it’s natural functioning. Mars retrograde therefore puts a halt to forward movement and advancing and says “you’ve got to re-do (maybe do the same thing a few times?), clean-up and give this project due time in a calm manner to do it well, sort it out or complete it.  It is important and to your benefit to give this period good attention as it has consequences to the period following or future two year cycle. Anything ‘new’ in terms of action, doing and advancement occurs after the retrograde period. Therefore, depending on the circumstances, it may also be a good period for recuperation, away from the usual advancing and action direction. It is important to watch your energy levels (adrenals) and not force a matter, but simply ‘do’. It needn’t be experienced as negative. Certain things we may not want to be advancing (i.e. an illness). This period will give us the time to have it investigated. In the scenario of the Western Cape in South Africa, we have had had droughts for the past 3 years with extreme water restrictions for the past 2 years. This period could be a time where the dams get to fill up again (re-do or return to former state). However, similarly Mars retrograde also often brings heat waves or spark of unrest. This is because the heat and frustration element is accentuated.  This year Mars goes retrograde between 28 degrees Capricorn and 9 degrees Aquarius. Therefore, any planet or angle in your chart that falls within 5 degrees either side of this section in the zodiac will be acutely affected. Also affected are planets in latter degrees of the other cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer and Libra) and early degrees of the fixed signs  (Taurus, Leo and Scorpio). Even if your chart has no planets within these degrees the house (area of life) that Mars falls in during the retrograde will be highlighted. The best way of handling this period is to do exactly what it is good for! – manage your energy levels carefully, clean-up or re-do something so that life can move forward in September 2018. Handle the period with consciousness, knowing that it is but a short period of delay or return to something that impacts the bigger picture – best to be patient and rest before life starts trotting along again…