How does Mars Retrograde come into play?

With Mars turning retrograde in Cancer on November 15th, you might be wondering what impact this is going to have on your life.

As I pointed out in my link about Mercury retrograde, all planets experience a retrograde period that is particular to the qualities of each individual planet. So, let’s remind ourselves of what Mars stands for in the Horoscope. It is a masculine energy and in fact its astrological symbol is sometimes used simply to represent men. We all have Mars somewhere in our chart and in tandem with the Sun it is the planetary energy that drives us on to choose and attain our goals.

Mars is associated with anger, assertion and aggression and also passion. This planet provides the ‘get up and go’ you need to play sport, go dancing or dig your garden. And along with its feminine counterpart, Venus, Mars stimulates and fuels the dance of love!

Traditionally Mars rules Aries and Scorpio, both signs associated with determination and will power. The impulse to decide what you want from life and the way that you go about getting it is down to how Mars operates in your own personal Horoscope.

The word retrograde suggests ‘going back’ and this is a good way to approach any retrograde period. Rather than start up new projects this is the time to refine your ideas and do any important research. It is highly likely that you find yourself going over old ground and tying up loose ends from earlier projects. Try not to see this as a chore but an opportunity to improve on your original efforts.

While Mars retrograde might not be accompanied by the kind of crossed wires that you have come to expect from Mercury Retrograde, it does bring with it an element of frustration. You may feel stuck in a rut or held up by events and circumstance beyond your control. As you can imagine this is perfect for generating anger. Maddeningly, it may be very difficult for you to discharge this anger appropriately perhaps because you are unable to confront the person or situation in the way that you would like to.

So you can see that there is a great deal of potential to push feelings of anger and rage back down or express them inappropriately at whoever happens to get in the way. Neither of these options is likely to make you popular! Now anger can actually be a very healthy but the trick is to express it in a positive way. But these challenges do offer you an opportunity to gain a new perspective on what makes you angry and how you express it.

So what about this current period? Well first off, Mars isn’t very happy in Cancer. Cancer is an emotional and somewhat ‘moody’ sign and, as it is ruled by the Moon, it operates in subtle and indirect ways. So, feisty Mars, programmed to simply stride purposefully towards any objective, can become slightly distorted in its approach. Add backwards motion into the equation and there could be a lot of action behind the scenes but nothing on the stage.

The actual retrograde period lasts for two and a half months from November 15th to January 30th 2008 but for a further two months Mars will be in what is known as its ‘shadow’. This means that while it has returned to regular motion, it isn’t really free until it passes the point where it appeared to change direction all those months ago. So think about this cycle really coming to a conclusion around the first week of April 2008!

You may be more introspective than usual and concerned with ‘Cancerian’ issues – family, finances and the home. Your feelings might be very close to the surface and quite hard to handle. If you find yourself feeling angry or bursting into tears for no obvious reason, be kind to yourself. Try and take some time out to be on your own and just allow yourself to ‘feel’ your feelings without trying to analyze them. You can do that at a later date, probably after Mars exits its ‘shadow’ and to this end I suggest keeping an ‘Emotional Journal’ where you can note down your feelings every day.

The very best way to handle Mars retrograde without coming to blows with friends and colleagues is to be physically active. If you already play sport or visit the gym, you will know just how good you feel when you work up a sweat. If you hate the idea of lifting weights or ‘feeling the burn’ there are plenty of other options.

To me Mars in Cancer screams ‘Martial Arts’ where the objective is to develop strength and at the same time control and channel aggression. If you prefer to go your own way, you can always simply walk a lot – try upping your pace and invest in a pedometer to give you something to aim for.

Now, don’t run away with the idea that Mars retrograde is all bad. It’s true that there could be a few sticky moments – remember it is retrograde for everyone so we are all in this together! Don’t let anger or frustration build up or paradoxically it could be an obstacle to getting things done.

Be aware of how you assert yourself and get your needs met. If you feel that you are always overlooked, use this period to figure out how to change this. But if you are unusually accident prone or find yourself constantly at loggerheads with others, perhaps it is time to try the indirect ‘Cancerian’ approach for a change.

Channel your physical energy into something to work off frustration and you will be amazed at how it opens up the flow of creativity. This could be an incredible period of positive emotional growth for you and by next spring I believe that you will find yourself inspired by a brand new set of goals and objectives.

To me Mars in Cancer screams 'Martial Arts' where the objective is to develop strength and at the same time control and channel aggression. If you prefer to go your own way, you can always simply walk a lot - try upping your pace and invest in a pedometer to give you something to aim for.

Now, don't run away with the idea that Mars retrograde is all bad. It's true that there could be a few sticky moments - remember it is retrograde for everyone so we are all in this together! Don't let anger or frustration build up or paradoxically it could be an obstacle to getting things done.

Be aware of how you assert yourself and get your needs met. If you feel that you are always overlooked, use this period to figure out how to change this. But if you are unusually accident prone or find yourself constantly at loggerheads with others, perhaps it is time to try the indirect 'Cancerian' approach for a change.

Channel your physical energy into something to work off frustration and you will be amazed at how it opens up the flow of creativity. This could be an incredible period of positive emotional growth for you and by next spring I believe that you will find yourself inspired by a brand new set of goals and objectives.