Mars Retrograde
Restraint and Reconsideration
These will be the keywords for this Mars retrograde. Why? Well, all retrogrades ask us to reconsider something - personal planets tend to ask us to reconsider personal issues and functions, while outer planets tend to ask us to reconsider transpersonal, cultural and generational issues and functions. However, with the retrograde of Mars basically being in square to Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto throughout the shadow period, the retrograde itself and the post-retrograde shadow, that will make this retrograde cycle deal with issues both personal and transpersonal. More importantly, while Mars, in the Tropical zodiac, is in the sign it rules and so is very strong, the three outer planets are in the superior square, and are ten signs away, being 'upon the tenth' (epidekatasis), and so are overpowering Mars. Further, in the Tropical zodiac, Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn are all in Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, and so Saturn is the ruler of this whole passion play, both by sign placement/rulership and through the Superior square. This is why I titled this blog 'Restraint (Saturn) and Reconsideration (the retrograde)'. In the True Constellation Sidereal (TCS) zodiac, the superior square still holds, but the signs are different, with Mars being in Pisces and the three outer planets all being in Sagittarius. So the TCS placement actually gives the rulership to Jupiter, and that is a saving grace that is subtle, but not small, though Saturn is still extremely powerful through its co-presence in the same sign as Jupiter. You may want to read over my previous article Mars 2020 for a more in depth discussion of the entire Mars cycle for this year.
In doing interpretation by layering both Tropical and TCS zodiacs together, I am looking for a synthesis of the influences of both. So what are the themes that are the same in both zodiacs? Well, the square is the same between Mars and Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn, and the nature of the square is the same, with the three outer planets being in superior square (and upon the tenth) in both zodiacal systems. This then gives us the key, and then we just need to consider how you layer the sign meanings of the two zodiacs, Tropical and True Constellation Sidereal.
In the Tropical zodiac we are dealing with the cardinal signs Capricorn and Aries, ruled by Saturn and Mars, while in the TCS zodiac we are dealing with the mutable signs Sagittarius and Pisces, ruled by Jupiter. Starting to see a pattern? Note that the four signs involved are ruled by the three major planets involved in the square. Pluto is the odd man out, and it is the catalyst for the whole grouping. Mars rules actions of all kinds, and so in Aries it wants to act, and in the retrograde it will reconsider how it acts, reacts and uses its energy. Saturn is restraint, patience, restriction and authority, and in the superior square it will not only seek to impose its energies on Mars, it will succeed. Jupiter rules belief, ideologies, expansion and good fortune, and in the superior square will bring good fortune, and with the co-presence with Saturn that benefit derives through patient reconsideration of how we act, react and apply our energy and how we seek expansion and benefit. Pluto rules power, the hidden, the shadow and transformation, in the sense of the death/rebirth cycle. In the Superior square to Mars, Pluto will force Mars to transform, and by being aligned with Jupiter and Saturn, it will do so through restraint and will bring benefit through applying the energies of Saturn.
Now, to take this a bit further, in the Tropical zodiac, the placements give Saturn rulership over Jupiter and Pluto by being placed in its own sign Capricorn with them, and this puts Jupiter in fall causing it to be disempowered, and the Tropical zodiac is typically the more obvious, surface level that will be most visible and obvious in its effects in the world (as all of 2020 to date attests...) In the TCS zodiac, Jupiter is placed in its own home sign of Sagittarius and Saturn and Pluto are with it in its sign, and so Jupiter rules both Saturn and Pluto. The TCS zodiac effects are more subtle, often less obvious and tend to create effects that unfold over time. While the Tropical zodiac sign placements indicate restrictions and the need for restraint, the TCS zodiacal placement indicates benefit and expansion, good luck and benefit that derives through the application of the Saturnian principles of patience, restraint and restriction, combined with a transformation of power and ideologies. Where you can accept and implement those Saturnian modes without complaint or freaking out (Mars), you will derive benefit in the long run and transform in positive ways, and you will find the places where you can expand, but they probably won't be obvious. So that is the planets of the Superior end of the square, but let's consider the inferior end of the square - Mars.
Mars, in Tropical Aries is action-oriented, while in TCS Pisces it is ideal-oriented. So the synthesis of the two zodiacal systems is that Mars is wanting to take action on ideals. This can involve illusion and delusion, as well as inspiration, and the action can range from enthusiastic to aggressive. The Tropical placement is volatile, and it is the most obvious and visible part of this Mars transit. The TCS Pisces placement may be a saving grace though, as its Jupiter rulership can more easily moderate Mars, with ruler Jupiter in conjunction with Saturn. Further, the influence of Pluto, and its transformative action, may well flow a slight bit more smoothly with Pisces, ruled by Jupiter in TCS Sagittarius, as both are mutable and both are Jupiter-ruled. While the TCS placements are more subtle, they are still available and have influence on events. For those who can access the deeper realm of the TCS zodiac, and apply the formative and transformative restraint that the conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto imply with the mutable nature and Jupiterian rulership of Pisces and Sagittarius, they will probably find the ability to move their action into a more fluid and dreamy state through Pisces. One potential pitfall is allowing the combination of the Tropical Aries Mars and its desire to move and act with the moody, emotional nature of Mars in TCS Pisces, which can lead to depression and despondence. Be very careful to not fall into negative emotions and beliefs and try not to believe everything you think during this retrograde, because thinking is inevitably going to be clouded by emotion. Because this cycle involves three planets considered malefics, there is the danger of getting too caught up in emotions and frustrations, turning that to anger, and either focusing it inward or outward as self-harm or violence, physical or emotional.
By looking at both zodiacs together, we can see that Jupiter is in its fall in the Tropical zodiac, while it is in its Domicile (sign rulership) in the TCS zodiac. This, of course, seems contradictory, but I don't think it is. It is paradoxical, but it makes sense, because it is one of those situations where events and experiences that seem negative will have a longterm benefit. Major themes that may be in for a great deal of transformation (throughout all of 2020, but especially from the squares through of Aug. 2020 - Jan. 2021) are ideologies and beliefs, especially our beliefs about power, power structures and the physical reality we inhabit, as well as the beliefs we hold about that which is beyond the physical. With the combination of Sagittarius and Capricorn, we see both the mental/spiritual and the physical at play. The entire emphasis of the TCS placements deals with Jupiterian themes, and Jupiter rules all four planets in the TCS zodiac. In the Tropical zodiac we have Capricorn and Aries, and so Saturn and Mars, with Saturn ruling over Mars/Aries from the superior square, and all the planets in Capricorn through sign-based co-presence and conjunction. One of those planets is Jupiter, of course, so Jupiter is playing a double role, being involved in the series of aspects in both zodiacs through its presence with Saturn and Pluto, and through its presence, and total sign rulership, in the TCS zodiac. The paradox is that Jupiter is both in fall (Tropical) and also in domicile (TCS), so on the surface it will look like there can be no expansion or good luck, but on more subtle levels, there will be tremendous benefit to be gained by submitting to the constraints of Saturn. Jupiter is then the lynchpin of what the themes are about. What will then be transformed are Jupiterian themes, and that transformation will have a direct effect on the physical (Saturn/Capricorn) and how we apply our energies (Mars/Aries). The period of the retrograde offers us an opportunity to reconsider all of these points and to find a new equilibrium moving forward. However, I must stress that with the planets involved, and all the signs involved, it isn't something you can opt out of. This is a do-it-or-else kind of configuration. You are not being invited to change, kinda maybe, if you want to. You are being told you are going to transform, whether you like it or not. The last thirty years have been building up to this.
So what is the transformation about for you? Well, what houses are directly effected in your natal chart? I would recommend that you consider this in both Placidus and Whole Sign house systems to get a broader view of the areas most involved. The house where Jupiter, Pluto, Saturn fall is where you need to look to find beliefs about the areas of life ruled by the house that need to change and come more in alignment with reality. If the house changes between Placidus and Whole sign, then the areas of life ruled by BOTH houses will be coming under review. The house that Mars falls in, both in Placidus and Whole Sign houses, will be the area(s) where you will need to re-evaluate how you use the energies of the house(s) involved (and again, this may be one or two houses, depending on the differences between the Placidus and Whole Sign house systems). Next, look to any conjunctions these planets make to any of your natal planets. Those planets will give you further meaning as to what beliefs need to meet reality, and how you use your energies. Next looks for squares between the transiting planets and your natal planets. These will show you the challenges and obstacles to the changes you need to make at this time. Look to trines between the transiting planets and your natal planets. These will show you the helpers that will facilitate the changes more easily and where you will have potential help and benefit. Finally, oppositions will tell you where you need to make compromises. Of course, you will want to consider more detailed points in regards to any planets being aspected by either Jupiter, Pluto, Saturn or Mars, such as sect, house rulerships, the chart ruler, etc. Any technique that you feel comfortable with will add further shades of meaning to help you in this process.
In closing, try to be calm, as hard as that might be to do. It will bring you great benefit to allow this period of the retrograde to happen, and then be guided by what you are presented with. This is an important time to reconsider how you use your energy, and what you use your energy on. Do you want to continue on as you have been using your energy, or do you want to make changes? This is the time to figure it out and make plans for moving forward, one way or the other, when Mars goes direct. Use the techniques I outlined above and find where you might need to change or adjust your energy usage. The Universe is giving you an opportunity right now. While this period may seem difficult, as the whole year has, and it may seem as if all is negative and nothing but destruction, but when such energies appear, they are actually the opening to move into a new way of being, a new you. The more intense the obstacles, the greater the potential rewards. Reach out and grasp that potential, be with it through the retrograde of Mars, and then move forward prepared for the next phase when the Universe lifts the obstacles. If you would like to read more about the Mars transits for this year, see my previous blog posts Mars 2020 and Mars Enters Shadow. For more information on the zodiacal systems that I use and how I layer the Tropical and True Constellational zodiacs, see my page on Zodiacal Systems for multiple articles detailing my approach.
Back
to
