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When a planet stations, i.e. is about to change direction, it gets very strong. A\u00a0stationary planet can\u00a0show us our\u00a0weak areas or\u00a0blind spots related to that planet\u00a0—\u00a0areas that we could stand to work on during retrograde. Right now, you’re getting a sneak preview:\u00a0How are you relating to Mars\u00a0in your life?<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ve been coming face to face with how other people\u2019s energy effects me.\u00a0Last night, while attending\u00a0a class on using\u00a0feminine energy to heal, we did an exercise where we were instructed to feel into others\u2019 auras. I felt fear and paranoia (natal Mars-Pluto opposition)\u00a0and had the\u00a0profound awareness that I definitively did NOT want anyone to enter my energetic field. As people neared, I felt\u00a0like a fierce lioness, or perhaps a cornered wolf, baring its teeth. \u00a0I described this feeling of extreme vulnerability, and my classmates respectfully backed off. The instructor graciously said I have strong self-trust and warrior-ess energy, but suggested this defensive impulse is also keeping me from fully expressing my gifts. \u00a0Yep.<\/p>\n With Mars in Aries in my sixth house, it\u2019s vital that I learn how to use my energy in work, to work for me, not against me, but opposed by Pluto in the twelfth house, I can unconsciously absorb other people\u2019s energy – typically the \u201cgarbage bin\u201d feelings no one wants or likes. For instance, I was sitting with a friend and I was feeling fine. An hour later, after she left, I became overwhelmed by profound feelings of worthlessness that lasted hours. Luckily, I identified the energy as \u201cnot me\u201d and was able to release it using\u00a0EFT. But I can get confused; when others\u2019 energy blends with mine, I can mistake their feelings for my own, and that can result in\u00a0major\u00a0internal conflict.<\/p>\n Working on my spiritual boundaries, and healing my wounds to feeling safe, are my Mars retrograde marching orders. Like a good Mars in Aries, I’m taking action:\u00a0ordering books\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0have teachers, but it will be a process- because, well, Mars is about to go retrograde, and everything related to Mars will be a process. I don’t think Mars retrograde is a period about *not taking action*, but rather, taking deeply considered action, in which refinements to plans and approaches will likely need to be made. Yet it’s also a time when people can go into a freeze response, be ambivalent about taking action, spin out into self-doubt and decide, out of fear, to not do anything —\u00a0which is its own information.<\/p>\n Consider this week your pre-retrograde peep show of what\u2019s to come during Mars\u2019 extended stay retrograde in Sagittarius (9-0 degrees) and Scorpio (30-23 degrees) from April 17- June 29.\u00a0Mars will station-retrograde square Neptune in Pisces, a spiritual warrior-ship planetary type combination that speaks to invisible energies, the subtle, unconscious realms we\u00a0cannot see, but can sense and feel. Also, Pluto turns retrograde the same day.\u00a0This is a\u00a0“more than meets the eye”\u00a0Mars period.<\/p>\n Mars Retrograde, Generally<\/strong><\/p>\n Imagine your Mars as a furnace that creates steady heat in your life.<\/strong> As Mars goes retrograde, there\u2019s more of it. If not channeled into an appropriate physical activity or goal, it can create inflammation – in the ego, body, mind. Mars is ego-central. It\u2019s all about ME. Unfortunately, the ego likes pain because it feeds its innate sense of self-righteousness and desire for justice. That’s why so many people get addicted to rage and anger. It feels good to get fired up! Spiritual teacher Adyashanti says, \u201cThe ego is addicted to pain.\u201d That\u2019s a statement we might all meditate\u00a0upon\u00a0during this time. Adrenaline is, literally, an addictive drug, and one that gets fueled by our personal histories, built up resentments, and self-righteousness.<\/p>\n Mars holds our warrior energy, our anger, need to assert, protect our self, our approach to ambition and new projects\u00a0–as well as our lack of those same things, and resultant feelings of fear, defenselessness, discouragement, anxiety.\u00a0During Mars retrograde, we need to consciously work with our anger and energy in creative ways so that it doesn\u2019t implode or explode.\u00a0<\/strong>When Mars retrograded through Libra, my relationships showed me where I needed to hold stronger boundaries. We can see a need for, and acquire, new tools to work with our Mars issues. Constructively, I signed up for a course called Boundaries Bootcamp and bought the great book, Where to Draw the Line<\/em> by Anne Katherine.<\/p>\n Mars rules courage, and the flipside of courage is fear. Fear is something to work with, yet not given free rein. I love this analogy author Elizabeth Gilbert uses in her book Big Magic<\/em>. She says she allows fear to be in the car, the vehicle of her life, but only as a passenger – not supplying\u00a0the map, not controlling what\u2019s playing on the radio, and definitely not driving! Fear never dissipates through\u00a0avoidance\u00a0(which creates paralysis of will that keeps us stuck), but we can\u00a0find creative ways of facing and voicing our\u00a0fear during this period, thus diminishing its\u00a0influence.<\/p>\n Impatience is another theme during this time. We may want to get on with things, to make things happen, and discover\u00a0obstructors- both internal and external- to meeting our goals. If\u00a0our energy is being stymied, we may\u00a0feel stressed, like a shaken up bottle of soda.\u00a0Engaging the physical body,\u00a0blowing off steam by exercising, having sex, dancing, can help with the bottled up feeling. Relaxing activities, moving at a slower\u00a0pace,\u00a0can give us the\u00a0calm and sustained energy we seek.<\/p>\n In a nutshell, don’t let your fear, or your ego, drive the show. A friend of mine once said,\u00a0If you want the ego to stop making trouble, just give it something, anything\u00a0– a house to clean, car to fix –\u00a0to do.<\/p>\n Mars RX themes:<\/strong><\/p>\n Rethinking how we: use our energy, anger, sexuality, assertion, ambition, approach new things.<\/p>\n Redefining our boundaries in areas of work and relationship, especially.<\/p>\n Refining our goals, approaches and actions taken during this time.<\/p>\n Slowing down, reassessing an area of life (initially, the area Mars transits, also area it\u00a0rules\/natal house placement), identifying a need\u00a0to acquire new resources in these areas.<\/p>\n Expect projects related to the area Mars transits\/rules to go slower than planned.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n How does Mars work in your chart?<\/strong><\/p>\n We only experience a transit through our natal placement. That\u2019s a solid rule of thumb for every transit. If you are having a Pluto transit, a trigger will occur in the house\/sign it transits, but your relationship to your natal Pluto determines the theme. Likewise, with Mars, you\u2019ll want to look to the following:<\/p>\n -natal house holding 9 degrees Sagittarius – 24 degrees Scorpio<\/p>\n -the house(s) Mars rules (those with Aries and Scorpio on cusp)<\/p>\n -natal placement of your Mars (include its house and aspects)<\/p>\n As you examine your chart, think about how Mars shows up in your life. Is he\u00a0reactive or proactive? Fierce or fearful? What blockages can you identify that this Mars RX could help? Are there ways you could work with his energies\u00a0more constructively? Do you need new resources? As Mars loves strategies,\u00a0this period may require us to develop some healthier strategies around our Mars – and that’s a good thing.<\/p>\n\n
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