Retrograde Mars- what to do!

Today Mars turns retrograde, which means from the perspective of Earth it appears to be going backwards.

Retrogradation can get a bad rap, but it's really just a time to review and go within.

Mars, as the red planet and the warrior in the zodiac, represents our energy and drive. As the ruler of Aries, the first sign of the zodiac Mars represents how and where we expend our energy, what drives us forward and how. It is also the ancient ruler, and modern co-ruler of Scorpio. With this in mind Mars also represents our sexual energy.

So what happens when this planet turns on it's heels and retraces it's steps. As I have said in other blogs, I like Joanna Wickenburg's technique of reversing the ruling signs.

So when Mars is direct it will go from Aries to Scorpio (with a few signs in between of course). If Aries represents the Self and Scorpio our passions, fears and where we transform, for a direct Mars (going forwards) first we would focus on ourselves and the direct motion of the planet would favour the energy of ourselves being outwardly expressed. And with that strong sense of Self we could progress to Scorpio and find our passions, face our fears and let go of what does not serve us. When Mars turns around and goes back, we have to do it the other way round. We need to start with the emotional clearing of Scorpio, facing our fears, realising what we love fiercely, and through that we transform and a more true and less encumbered Self can emerge.

Something similar happens when Pluto turns retrograde, but as Pluto is further away we are less conscious of it.

This retrograde period is in Gemini, Mars turns direct again in January (still in Gemini). It is worth giving some thought to Gemini and how Mars operates in Gemini. Gemini is an air sign so represents intellect. It is the sign of communication and thought. The air signs are also the relationship signs, with Gemini representing siblings, classmates, and when we are adults,neighbours. When Mars is transiting Gemini, as a collective this is where the energy is going, into what we think and what we say. Mars in Gemini can give a thirst for knowledge and learning. It can also make us a bit blunt, mouth open before brain in gear. The extent to which this affects individuals will depend on where Mars is in the natal chart, and if there are planets in Gemini.

For all of us, the approach to this period of going within to let go of what is holding us back so that a stronger Self can emerge is likely to be done using logic rather than intuition. A way of doing this might be to ask ourselves the difficult questions. Mars gives us the energy to go for what we want, and put ourselves out there. We could ask why do we want something, why is a particular thing important, why are we pursuing a particular goal? The answers we get might be quite insightful. Sometimes we might realise that where we were expending our energy wasn't what we truly wanted at all. It wasn't our authentic Self, but maybe an expectation placed on us by others, or a product of our own limited thinking. Once we realise that, we can redirect ourselves and our energy to something that is more true to our Self.

For those with personal planets, the Sun or the Moon in Gemini, Mars is going to be going back over those planets, asking you to review that area of your life. In the case of the Sun, that is your consciousness and what you are about in this life, for the Moon it is your intuition and instincts, Mercury, what you think and Venus, what you value.

At present we also have Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune all retrograde. The further out the planet, the longer the period of retrogradation, and the less conscious we are of it.

This is a good time to go within, particularly as the year draws to the close, and think about what really matters to us.