Five Tips for Navigating the Mars Retrograde

On Friday December 06 Mars retrograde begins at 6 degrees of Leo. Mars retrogrades are not as common as Mercury retrogrades, which happen 3 times a year. A Mars retrograde occurs every 26 months, and this one lasts until February 23 2025, where he will retrograde back to 17 degrees of Cancer. Mars is the planet of war, fighting, desire and action, and when he moves backward, it can cause frustration and a slow down in the forward momentum in our lives. Mars retrogrades ask us to slow down and to reflect on past actions. This is not a time to rush forward or to initiate action. 

 

Astro Codes Oracle

This retrograde starts in the sign of Leo, but moves backwards into Cancer on January 06 2025. Mars in Leo is leadership and charisma but also can be forceful and bullying. When in retrograde, trying to force your point of view on to others or to strong arm them to get your way will end up backfiring. It is more likely that you will look like you are overreacting and being a bully and you won’t get your way. When Mars moves into Cancer, we become more protective of who and what we love. We can also use emotions or guilt to try to passive aggressively control others. During the retrograde these efforts are more likely to backfire on us and be ineffective. We are also more likely to withdraw in an effort to protect ourselves now. 

The Mars retrograde, just like the Mercury retrograde, is challenging, but offers us an opportunity to reflect on past actions and to slow down and rest before moving forward again. If we can work with the energies of the retrograde we can benefit from these retrograde seasons. Below are 5 themes of Mars retrograde to help you navigate the next three months.

 

1. Slow down. Mars is about forward motion and action, and during his retrograde cycle, we want to act but feel stopped by outside forces or lack motivation from within. This will be even more powerful during the first two weeks of December, as we have a Mercury retrograde going on now too. Expect an increase in delays along with transportation issues, as Mercury rules travel, and Mars rules action and movement. This is also a time when we are more likely to have accidents or injuries if we are rushing. Mars retrogrades are a reminder to slow down. Things will go better if we go with the flow rather than trying to push against things.

 

2. Don’t Start a Fight. Traditional advice for a Mars retrograde is to not start a war as the aggressor will lose. This isn’t just good advice for armies, but in our own lives, don’t start a fight now as it is more likely that you will lose. It’s okay to defend yourself if attacked, but make sure to take considered action. We may feel annoyed, frustrated, or even downright angry with others, but knee jerk reactions will not serve you now. Remember that it is best to think things through before jumping into action.

 

3. Underdogs are more likely to win. Another common theme of Mars retrograde periods is that underdogs tend to win during these times. If someone is a favourite  and looks like they will easily win, whether in battle or a sports competition, they are more likely to lose to a less favoured opponent now. These time periods have seen champions emerge out of seemingly nowhere, and turn arounds in what we may have thought was certain victory. Don’t take it for granted that those who have always been on top will continue to be so. This can be good news or bad, depending on what side of a competition you are on.

 

4. Enemies and rivals return. A Mercury retrograde can bring back an old friend and a Venus retrograde and old lover, but Mars is a fighting planet, so brings back enemies and rivals. While not always pleasant, sometimes it brings them back to us in order to resolve and heal issues or at least to come to terms with what happened in the past. Sometimes it is not an enemy, but rather a fellow competitor or colleague, especially if we are involved in sports, gaming or the military or police force. 

 

5. Review past actions. Part of the lessons of the Mars retrograde is to slow down and look at how we acted in the past so that we can learn from our successes and failures before we move forward again. A Mars retrograde shows us where we get frustrated and where we are overconfident in our abilities. If we have been avoiding conflict it will force us to confront the issues we have been ignoring. Conversely, if we have been too pushy, it will blow up in our face now. Mars is not subtle and he is showing us now how we can take action more effectively. 

 

All in all a Mars retrograde can de disruptive and frustrating, but can also be an opportunity for us to slow down and reflect on things before we rush forward again. If you would like more astrology, you can sign up for my free newsletter on my website. I also have detailed weekly astrology reports on my Patreon and you can book a personal reading on my Etsy shop

Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius - Time to Re-evaluate

 On November 25 Mercury starts his retrograde journey, going backwards from 22 degrees of Sagittarius, until December 15, when he will stop at 6 degrees of Sagittarius before moving forward again. Mercury retrograde is notorious for miscommunication and travel delays and breakdowns, however this is a very simplified interpretation of this transit. Mercury retrogrades occur about three times a year, for roughly three weeks each so is not an unusual astrological event. Mercury rules travel and communication, and when he goes into retrograde it can cause misinformation, misunderstandings, along with travel disruptions. However, Mercury retrograde can bring benefits to. It is a chance to slow down and reassess things. Mercury asks us to stop and review things before moving forward again. Is there something we need to edit? Do our plans need adjusting? Sometimes mercury retrograde can bring people and events from the past to us for reevaluation and to help us process or resolve things.

 

Astro Codes oracle & Oracle of the Radiant Sun

This retrograde period is entirely in the sign of Sagittarius. This is a fiery sign, that likes to have fun and go on adventures, however this is not a great time to do something risky or take chances, as they are more likely to go sideways now. Mercury in Sagittarius is also infamous for putting ones foot in ones mouth, by being too blunt or by blurting things out without thinking it through. This tendency will become more pronounced now, and can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Watch what you say to others and if someone says something to you that seems rude or hurtful, ask for clarification, as they may not have meant it. 

 

Sagittarius is associated with big picture thinking. It rules politics, philosophy, religion and higher learning, along with the law and foreign travel. During this Mercury Retrograde I anticipate that there may be travel disruptions and issues with supply chains and shipping. If you are traveling overseas at this time, double check your plans and paperwork, and be prepared for delays. There also may be increasing misinformation around political or religious issues now. This is a time when we will be collectively re-examining recent political shifts, so watch for changes and adjustments to recent decisions. We may also be examining these areas in our own lives to see what needs to be adjusted, particularly any plans we have for the new year. Has our priorities shifted and changed since last year? This is a good time for reassessment.

 

All in all Mercury Retrograde brings both challenges and benefits. If you have a lot of Sagittarius placements or planets between 6 and 22 degrees of other fire or mutable signs, you may feel this one more than others. While the delays and misunderstandings may cause some frustration, this can be a fruitful time if we use the energy to reassess and review thing before moving forward again. 

 

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Full Moon in Taurus - Coming together in Times of Darkness

On Friday November 15 we have a Full Moon at 24 degrees of Taurus. Full Moons are a time of heightened energy as the Moon, which represents the subconscious and our emotions is at her apex. With any Full Moon, the Sun is in the opposite sign, so this can mean that one is faced with a choice or to try to balance between the two opposing energies. The Sun in Scorpio asks us to look within, to focus on our inner worlds, including the psychological, the sexual and the spiritual. We are asked to go deeper and to examine the darker or hidden areas of our lives. The Moon in Taurus brings in earthy energy that reminds us to look at the beauty of the outside world and the physical realm. It reminds us to eat good food, to go out in nature, and to balance out the internal reflection, with being in the material realm and enjoying physical pleasures. 

 

Astro Codes Oracle and Moonology Oracle

 

 This Full Moon in closely conjunct Uranus, the planet of chaos, change, and inspiration. This Full Moon will bring some surprising events in the Taurus realms of money, nature, food and labour. These events could be disruptive and destructive, or they could inspire us. With Uranus, you never know what you are going to get, so expect the unexpected. To see how it will affect you, look to the Taurus house in your birth chart. Both this Full Moon and Uranus are conjunct the fixed star Algol, also known as the Head of Medusa or the Demon Star. This is a star that is associated with decapitation, falls from grace of the powerful and violence. This won’t affect most people on an individual level, but I am expecting to see some dramatic events on the world stage. 

 

Also on November 14, Saturn, the planet of rules, boundaries and order, goes direct after several months in retrograde. While we often don’t notice Saturn retrogrades on a personal level, we may notice it more on the days he turns retrograde or direct. Saturn is in Pisces currently, which can make people more melancholy, sensitive and somber. When he goes direct, we often find there are more restrictions, more rules and things slow down. Saturn in Pisces stationing direct or retrograde has also often coincided with disasters at sea.

 

There are positive aspects to this Full Moon with a supportive sextile to Neptune in Pisces. Whatever disruptive events may happen, Neptune asks us to dream a bigger dream and to look towards the future with optimism. He also asks us to remember our connections to others, that we are all one. As long as we don’t escape into fantasy or delusion, we can use these dreams to create positive change. Another supportive aspect is Pluto at the end of Capricorn. Pluto encourages us to let go of the past, to embrace the changes that are coming so that we can walk in to the new Pluto in Aquarius era (Pluto moves into Aquarius for the next 20 years starting on November 19, 2024) free of being encumbered. 

 

The Sabian symbol for this Full Moon is “A Public Park”. While this symbol may not seem to match the dramatic aspects of this Full Moon, it does give us a clue as to how we can approach any disruption we may face. A public park is a place of respite and relaxation that we all share. By coming together in a spirit of relaxation and harmony, and focusing on our shared values and humanity we can overcome obstacles. The park is also a place of recreation and fun, and a place to find contact with nature. By going out into nature, and having fun we find a way to de stress and get away from the noise and confusion. It reminds us to balance out the darkness and seriousness of the times we are in with the joy of being present and alive and connected to each other. 

 

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