Mars is lastlystationing direct – hallelujah! – on February twenty fourth, at 17° Most cancers.
However tillthenlet’s take a while to assessmentwhat this transit has meant for us – let’s do a Mars RETROgrade RETROspective.
Retrograde and retrospectiveeach share the basis retro – which comes from the Latinretrothat means “backward.”
So when a planet strikes backward (is retrograde) within the sky, it revisits the identical space of our chart that it initially handed via whereas direct. In a means, lets say it replays or reenacts the previous.
This course of invitations a retrospective –an opportunity to revisit or re-live previous occasions and mirroron what they’ve taught us.
Everyone knows that retrogrades are instances to assessmentand reassess – andwow, what a assessment that was!
Mars went retrograde on December seventh, 2025,so we’re now nearly 10 weeks within the cycle.Here is the preliminary write-up about what to anticipate from this Mars retrograde cycle.
If in case you have planets or angles between 17° Most cancers and 6° Leo, you had been much more affected – however all of us skilled this transit’s vitality ultimately, as Mars revisited a selected sector (home) of our chart, bringing its themes into focus.
The spotlight of the Mars retrograde cycle in Leo-Most cancers was itsongoing opposition to Plutowhich remained lively for just about the entire length of the retrograde interval.
Mars-Pluto oppositionsare catalysts for deep transformation.
They break our resistance to the previous – to what can now not maintain progress. And this doesn’t occurwith out a wrestle. It’svia the very act of preventing that we expertise revelations, breakthroughs, and, in the end, progress.
The Mars Cycle And The Hero’s Journey
The Mars cycle mirrors the hero’s journey. The hero embarks on an journey, and the primary a part of this journey (the primary half of the cycle) builds momentum, testing braveness, power, and dedication.
Then, on the opposition (the turning level within the cycle), the hero faces their final problem – an encounter with the villain or a pressure that appears insurmountable.
That is the toughest process and the defining second of the journey.
To use the hero’s journey framework to our present Mars cycle – the Mars-Solar opposition was precise on January fifteenth, 2025.
Nonetheless, all the Mars retrograde cycle carried this theme, given its opposition to Pluto.
The villain encounter is a metaphor for the unacknowledged aspect of ourselves – the aspect of us that’s labeled, for no matter cause, as undesirable and due to this fact stays buried in our unconscious.
As a result of it isn’t built-in into the wholeness of our being, it will get projected onto others. The deeper the projection, the extra intense the emotions of frustration or resentment.
Put merely, the extra one thing or somebody bothers you, the deeper the wound or disowned trait inside you.
We’re mainly bothered as a result of we now have these self-labeled ‘undesirable’ traits ourselves – and since we are able to’t settle for them, the best way our psyche finds a workaround is to externalize themreacting strongly after we see them in others.
On this means, we get an opportunity to dip our toes into these shadow features and discover them not directly – with out having to face thefull weight of acknowledging that it’s us, not them.
It is a protecting mechanism of the psyche, permitting our progress and self-awareness to unfold steadily, via interactions with others and the world.
To simply accept one’s ‘darkish’ aspect is the best interior problem to beat – similar to within the hero’s journey, preventing the villain is essentially the most troublesome process. But, it’s the battle we should face in our strategy of individuation to realize our best potential and dwell a lifetime of achievement.
Mars Reverse Pluto – Management Points
Mars reverse Pluto brings up management points. All of us have management points, and up to some extent,that’s not a foul factor. They permit us to take care of ourselves and our family members – to decorate warmly when it’s chilly so we don’t get hypothermia. To supervise our toddlers so that they don’t get into hassle.
Astrology itself may be seen as one of the subtle makes an attempt to achieve management – we wish to find out about transits to “put together.” We analyze somebody’s chart to “know” how that individual is.
All good with that – to some extent.However there comes a time when these makes an attempt, whether or not aware or unconscious, to manage our personal and others’ lives, do extra hurt than good.
They hold us in a continuing state of fear. They forestall us from rising and seeing the larger image. They make it troublesome to let go, to give up, and to easily belief, acknowledge, and align with the move of life.
Struggles come up when the 2 ‘realities’ – our actuality and the overarching actuality – conflict, when they don’t seem to be in alignment.
Our actuality is symbolized bythe planet Mars. The overarching actuality is symbolized by Pluto.
If Mars is our private will, Pluto, as the upper octave of Mars, is the collective will – the sum of all particular person wills that type a shared actuality.
We may consider a lion or a hyena as particular person Mars wills and the legislation of nature as Pluto. Lions hunt hyenas, hyenas hunt smaller animals, and so forth. Lions themselves are ultimately taken down by youthful lions, and thru this course of, equilibrium is maintained.
This pure equilibriumis Pluto. Pluto is the unquestionable actuality – the results of numerous micro-actions from all residing beings. Pluto is actuality – whether or not we like this actuality, or not.
Due to this fact, the objective of the Mars reverse Pluto transit isto align our private will (Mars) with this bigger, collective will (Pluto) by exploring the mechanism of projection (opposition).
Once we fail to align these 2 realities, we undergo, as a result of the collective willis at all times stronger – a mouse trying to struggle a lion is a dropping recreation from the beginning.
But, this doesn’t imply we must always do nothing or surrender on life both. The hyena won’t be capable to struggle the lion – however it could possiblyadapt, outmaneuver, and discover power in its pack.
So, what can we do? We don’t at all times must agree withPluto, the collective will. But, we are able to settle for it and discover our place inside it.
We will take a look atthe place our energy lies, what’s the greatest function we are able to play, whereas remaining true to ourselves on this collective actuality. Play to our strengths reasonably than resist the inevitable. Transfer with the tide, reasonably than towards it.
It is a very troublesome course of as a result of we don’t naturally settle for the issues in life that don’t align with our interior Mars.
That’s why Mars reverse Pluto is likely one of the most troublesome transits on the market. It’s the form of transit that may drive us mad, make our blood boil, and even put us in harmful conditions, just because it triggers us a lot.
Nonetheless, if we perceive the upper function of this transit – which, like all transit, is in the end to assist us develop and enhance our lives – then we are able touse it as a catalyst for progress as an alternative of getting into circles and repeating the identical struggles with out decision.
The final days of the Mars retrograde cycle are a wonderful alternative to just do that.
Now it’s time to look again on the previous 10 weeksand mirror on what we’ve discovered, what we’ve resisted, and the way we are able to combine these classes transferring ahead.
Mars Retrograde Retrospective Workouts
To mirroron this transitlisted here are 3 workouts.
Train #1: Exploring Projection
First, record 3 individuals who you strongly dislike. These should not essentially individuals whose views don’t align with yours or individuals you discover uninteresting. You wish to discover individuals who provoke a visceral response – those that actually get your blood boiling. That’s what we search for after wewish to discover projection.
Subsequent, record the qualities you discover most despicable in them. Then, ask your self: Why do these qualities set off me so intensely? What’s the core cause behind my response?
After which consider how these qualities would possibly, ultimately, exist inside you.
Are you able to consider circumstances once you displayed the identical or comparable qualities or behaviors – maybe in amuch less overt means, but nonethelessstemming from the identical dynamic? Or maybe you’ll be able to evenacknowledge a hidden want to be the form of one that’s in a position to show these qualities or behaviors – even for those who hate them.
What’s the increased function right here? What does it reveal about your journey of individuation?
Train #2: Reviewing Mars Retrograde
Replicate on the previous 10 weeks of Mars retrograde and write down particular struggles, obstacles, occasions, interactions, orconditions you discovered significantly troublesome.
What precisely made them so troublesome? Are you able to hint againmoments the place you place up an unequal struggle? Once you resisted an excessive amount of as an alternative of surrendering to the apparent?
Or maybe once you held again and did nothing, regardless that stepping barely exterior your consolation zone may have made a distinction?
What’s the increased function of those obstacles and occasions, and what might be the following greatest plan of action transferring ahead?
Train #3: The Sailboat Retrospective
The sailboat retrospective is an train utilized in teaching and private growth; we’ll adapt it to the Mars retrograde journey.
Think about your self as a sailboat navigating via the final 10 weeks of Mars retrograde. Your vacation spot represents the place you wish to be, however alongside the best way, you’ve encountered each useful forces and obstacles.
There are 5 components to contemplate:
Boat: Represents you in your Mars retrograde journey
Objective (Island): Your imaginative and prescient or goal
Wind (Forces Serving to You): The strengths, motivations, and components propelling you ahead
Rocks (Dangers & Challenges): The obstacles and risks which may trigger setbacks
Anchor (Issues Holding You Again): Inner or exterior limitations slowing progress
Now with Mars making ready to show direct:
- Wow are you able to harness the wind (your strengths) and navigate across the rocks (your challenges)?
- What one key motion will you’re taking now that Mars is transferring ahead once more?
- How are you going toreduce the anchor of what’s holding you again?
When Mars (direct) ultimately opposes Pluto once more on April twenty seventh, 2025, you’ll then be geared up toacknowledge the increased function of this transit and use the friction of the opposition topropel your self one step nearer on the trail of your progress and function.
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