by Robert Wilkinson
Mars activates and accelerates the pace of events in our lives. People currently going through dynamic activity, a hectic fast-paced period, or having the hardest time the first half of September are Aries, Cancers, Libras, and Capricorns born the end of March and first week of April, the end of June and first week of July, the first 10 days of October, and the end of December and first week of January. The second half of the month this applies to the mentioned signs born between April 6-17, July 8-19, October 9-20, and January 7-16. If you were born in these zones, focus on what constitutes responsible action, given these birth periods show more highly agitated energy than usual.
Mars tests us to get a grip on our energy and shows us how well we are demonstrating self-control or not. Mars is our "fight or flight" principle, and symbolizes what aggravates us, so beware of hasty action, argumentativeness, or impulsiveness.
A way to use what I post here is that if you know your chart, examine the Mars effect in light of planets you have in the signs that are conjunct, square, or opposed to/by Mars. Because this month it moves forward from 9 to 28 Libra, that span is specifically activated.
For instance, if you have Mercury between 9 and 28 degrees of a Cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), examine the challenges relative to your mind, interpretations, or thinking patterns, as well as other planets influenced by Mercury. If you have Venus in those degrees of Cardinal signs, examine what is said in light of your likes and dislikes and other Venus-influenced areas in your chart.
If you have a Cardinal sign Mars between those degrees, regard what is stated in the context of Mars-ruled affairs and activities. This shows an important shift in your Mars cycle, so heads up! You can also apply what follows regarding this month if you have an Ascendant (Rising sign) between 9 and 28 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn.
The first half of the month, Cancers born the end of June and first week of July are seeing the first emergence of something begun between mid-October and mid-November 2007 that got put on hold or slowed down to a backwards crawl until the last week of March or the first half of April 2008. This month shows a new life direction or the beginnings of new ways of expressing yourself, so get grounded, and remember that "as the roots, so the flowers." This applies the second half of September to Cancer people born July 8-19.
Effort now affects future success. Don't allow hassles or aggravations around the home or with family to put you off, and be a good communicator. You'll get new insights into how you view your early life and family situation. Just try not to get aggravated by neighbors and expect intense activity around the home.
Cancers need to be less abrupt in communicating, less aggressive or hassled by neighbors, being more balanced, fair, diplomatic and sincere. Avoid impulsive or blunt responses. Be mature and realistic in your assessments, see things as they really are rather than wishful thinking, and be organized, direct, honest, and responsible in owning your part of any interaction. This affects Cancer's way of viewing their public persona, professional self-representation, creativity, children, and natural self-expression.
In the first half of September, Libras born the first 10 days of October confront the end of a 2-year cycle, so begin anew with an eye to what culminated in late March or early April 2008 of the cycle that began September-October 2006. This month speeds things up, so apply new skills and strengths, and face a future that's already underway. Quickly finish what you need to, realize an old way of life is over, and there is a need for new effort and directions.
After mid-September, this applies to Libras born the October 9-20, and they finish a cycle they also began October 2006. Since it continues to be a time of endings and beginnings, embrace the new, get ready for the pace to quicken, and try not to be too blunt, impulsive, abrasive, or leap before you look. (I know these are not Libra traits, but with Mars in your sign.....) Above all, stay balanced in your actions, and find the right rhythm to do whatever you have to.
This primarily affects all Libras in the areas of partnerships (business and personal), opportunities, values, resources, and how you use what you have. These are ending somehow, and a new two year pulse is opening up. Take the initiative in ways that are fair, just, balanced, responsible, and mature. Let go of people and things that are imbalanced, cold, passive or active-aggressive, or not your responsibility any more.
The first half of September fulfills an old cycle for Capricorns born the end of December and first week of January. This period is one of following through on what's culminating in your public or professional affairs in the cycle that began late January or early February 2007. Learn as much as you can, prepare, then be willing to take responsibility, since this is a very high profile time for you. This occurs the last half of September for Capricorns born January 7-16. For all Capricorns, it begins a phase of harvesting past labors preparing them for a new beginning in January 2009.
All Capricorns should follow through on what is culminating in their public and professional sector, take responsibility, do their duties, and remember others are observing them. Capricorns should learn how to be more direct, quick, economical, and precise, as well as caring, sensitive, nurturing, and close to others. This will primarily affect Capricorn in the areas of home, family, early life memories, friends, ambitions, group work, and their sense of larger worldly service.
During the first half of September, Aries born the end of March and early April are tested not to get aggravated, sidestep oppositional people, and decrease agitation or impulsiveness while correcting things that began late may and early June 2007. The last half of September this applies to Aries born the April 6-17.
People with these birthdays are moving through a period of tensions in relationships, and have had to shift in how they regard their health, work, or how to serve your world. If this applies to you, detach from relationship dramas that scatter you. Avoid unnecessary confrontations and don’t get hassled by impulsive, abrasive, aggressive or argumentative people.
For Aries in a relationship, it's an intense time for your partner. This is opening new doors of perceiving and acting with others where you are an equal rather than a follower or reactor to them. For Aries, areas coming to surface include new ways of relating to the self-image, physical body, and personal way of regarding how they are different from others, as well as their desires, magnetism, what need eliminating because it's obsolete or blocking their fulfillment, and shared or collective values.
Aries should embrace new ways of relating to others, since this time is a breakthrough in your way of being in relationships, and allow others to take the initiative in new ways of expressing themselves. You need discipline, sensitivity, and need to demonstrate forms of caring and tenderness in ways that show your willingness to take responsibility for what is surfacing that will fulfill itself in January 2009.
The quincunx effect significantly influences 9-12 degrees of Pisces and Taurus the first week of September, 12-17 degrees of Pisces and Taurus the second week of September, 17-22 degrees of of Pisces and Taurus the third week of September, and 22-28 degrees of Pisces and Taurus the last 10 days of the month. Quincunxes are associated with physical, emotional, or mental health issues requiring sacrifices and adjustments.
Thus the first two weeks of the month most impacts Pisces born the end of February and first week of March, and Taurus born the end of April and first week of May. The last half of September most impacts Pisces born March 7-18 and Taurus born May 7-18.
Through the quincunxes, Pisces will have sacrifices and adjustments in the areas of loss, regeneration, shared values and wealth that will help them learn balanced adjustment, multiple ways of viewing what is and is not fair, and a new view of how society views ideals. They will learn how to get their magnetism and desires straightened out and eliminate that which cannot be carried into a future already taking shape.
Taurus will also have sacrifices and adjustments in the areas of work, health, and those they do service for or who do service for them. This will prepare them to deal with those who serve them, or those they serve in the realm of what needs to be done, from a balanced perspective. A new work rhythm is indicated.
The first half of September, Scorpios born the third week of November and Sagittarians born the fourth week of that month, as well as Leos born the third week of August and Virgos born the fourth week of that month are extraordinarily affected by the Mars semisquare to their Suns. The last half of September primarily affects Sagittarians born the last week of November and first 5 days of December, as well as Virgos born the last week of August and first week of September.
The semisquare is a 45 degree aspect indicating internal crises of direction, or a sense that something is beginning to open (or close) with decisions to be made. They show important factors regarding things that are emerging or ending, and offer information about hidden or unconscious influences at work.
For Leo and Virgo birthdays mentioned above, new developments and challenges in the cycle that began June through early July 2008 don't have to be a problem if you become more balanced, just, adaptable, idealistic, and future oriented, organized and mature in your values and relationship to things and money.
Scorpio and Sagittarian people with birthdays mentioned above need to end some things they began between late November and late December 2006, so capture the harvest and close out what you need to without getting aggravated at friends or the goals that you couldn't fulfill.
Scorpio and Sagittarius people born late November and early December are entering a fallow period where you'll need to do closure rituals, preparing for a new cycle to come starting mid-November through early December 2008. This period is directly related to the process of ending some activities and seeing them in the broader context of your life story as a "hero's journey."
For Scorpios, it concerns your self image, way of relating to your physical body and sense of distinctiveness, as well as ways of dealing with loss, regeneration, magnetism, and shared values. You can turn defeats into new power. For Sagittarians, it deals with your children, creativity, self expression, motives, and old behaviors that brought you sorrow in the past.
For Leos, it deals with your higher truths, philosophy, ways of viewing potential futures, and home and family. For Virgos, it will deal with your communications, siblings, environment, and (like Scorpios) your ways of dealing with loss, regeneration, magnetism, and shared values, as well as an ability to turn old defeats into new power.
As I've explained for quite a few months, sometimes Mars' influence extends far beyond whatever is going on in the sky. Notably, the Mars article from November 2006 offers an insight into why things have changed as they have these past 22 months. Mars played a major part in the eclipses of 2006-2007, and triggered many events leading us all to opportunities where we "escaped from a narrow destiny" and are STILL going through experiences related to that. It recently completed an entire cycle set into motion since then. As I wrote a while ago:
Since the Mars degree of the recent September 2006 Lunar Eclipse is highly active and was also the exact degree of the Solar Eclipse take note of what is liberating you from a previously "narrow destiny" and hear the call that can help you joyously rise to some larger occasion. Here's an article about the September 2006 Solar Eclipse in terms of its general meaning and effect, while in this article you can find out what it means for each sign specifically. December 2006 and January 2007 mark turning points in the liberation process.
Signposts of future developments connected with 30 Virgo presented themselves in late March-early April 2007, with important points occurring the second and last weeks of May 2007 and September 2007. Even more definitive developments happened between December 2007 and early April 2008.
June through November 2008 shows Pluto exactly square the Mars eclipse degree, Saturn conjuncts the point April 2009 and April through July 2010 opposed by Uranus April 2010 through March 2011, setting up some fairly volatile developments. Escaping from a "narrow destiny" may be destabilizing, but it's also guaranteed to put you and your Dharma on track and remind you that life on Earth is one of endless change.
More from the 2006 Eclipse article:
In December, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter all conjuncted... Wherever we have Aries, Gemini, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Pisces energies, they were fused and renewed in whatever house we have early Sagittarius... a very important area of major focus and attention in the next two years for us. I hope you enjoyed December and January since the wild ride accelerated toward a more amazing vision, freedom, and group involvement than we've known in a long time. Welcome to February through June 2007, the edge of dynamic change!
Mars conjuncted Saturn in early Virgo in July 2008, setting into motion a whole new 2+ year cycle of responsibilities, duties, limitations, and Dharma related actions in our lives. We'll all get to learn discernment and precision in action, and now are challenged to practice a new ideal of expression. Over the next few months we'll find a new "perfect form" of self expression, with opportunities to move many things forward with grace, style, and balance preparing us to focus in mid-October when Mars enters Scorpio.
Of importance is that in late July, Mars entered the Virgo zone of The Grand Irrationality, setting that major configuration into action and bringing us all to another set of "forks in the road of destiny." This activated the lessons to be learned and responsibilities to be embraced when Saturn enters that same Virgo zone beginning late September for many months to come.
I'll be writing more about that in the near future, but if you want to know more about The Grand Irrationality, please go to Spiritual Astrology in July-August 2008 Pt. 2 - The Grand Irrationality Hot Zones and when they will be triggered. I'll be posting the September-October 2008 Spiritual Astrology articles when I have the time to compose them.
So in September, be clear about the new ideals appearing in your life, find a balanced way to view, relate, and do what you must, and refine the ideal preparing for the review and reworking of that ideal when Mercury goes retrograde in a few weeks. We're now launched into a new world. The trick will be to separate the appearance from the reality, and see how forms both conceal and reveal what is and what will be. And of course, monitor the coming Saturn opposition Uranus, and find a balanced point of view within which to maneuver into the greater possibilities promised by December to be implemented in January 2009.
Remember that Mars' transit in late July and early August anticipate the span Saturn will move through from now through next Summer, so whatever you were "practicing," that's directly related to the ongoing lessons for months to come. As I wrote in a prior article about that time,
Try to see that the challenges in July and early August prepare us for the lessons Saturn will bring through then. It's kinda-sorta a "dress rehearsal," but there's not much "dress" about it. More like a practice in the short term for long term practical tools we'll be implementing for many months to come. Discriminate, get educated, and remember that "to rule is to serve."
Keep enjoying the major Earth trine dominating this month, since we're now launched into a process of self-transcendence that will lead us into new responsibilities, new work, new service, and new long term standards we'll be upholding for those who follow. Remember also that where the Mars conjunct Saturn at 6 Virgo fell in your chart revealed where important parts of your life got fused by your willingness to take on a greater responsibility and maturity in taking care of needed business to fulfill your higher destiny.
© Copyright 2008 Robert Wilkinson
Hi Robert,
Thank you so much for this. I look forward to your updates. Just a quick question, did you forget Aquarius this time 'round?
Posted by: Sarah | September 04, 2008 at 06:43 AM
Hi Sarah - No. This month Gemini and Aquarius people should be doing fairly well, given the transits through Libra. They shouldn't be too stressed by Mars, though of course Geminis are still dealing with Saturn, Uranus and/or Pluto!
Posted by: Robert | September 04, 2008 at 07:09 AM
Robert -
I know you write for many, many people... but I can't help but feel how appropriate this article is for me as my Mars return is exact today. Keeping calm, patient and understanding seems to be key for me right now!
Thank you,
Matt
Posted by: Matt | September 04, 2008 at 07:49 AM
Hi Rachael - Robert here. Sorry, but you violated guidelines. That's why your "comment" (quoting me verbatim) has been edited and your link to that media site bombed. If you want to advertise that site here at the cantina, contact me via email but do NOT leave links to commercial sites unless we work something out. Namaste'.
Posted by: Astrological Readings | September 04, 2008 at 01:17 PM
"For Scorpios, it concerns your self image, way of relating to your physical body and sense of distinctiveness, as well as ways of dealing with loss, regeneration, magnetism, and shared values. You can turn defeats into new power. For Sagittarians, it deals with your children, creativity, self expression, motives, and old behaviors that brought you sorrow in the past."
This seems to speak directly to two very important people in my life, born in the weeks of the signs described, one who recently lost his life, and one who is losing her way for a terrible addiction. It gives me much hope for them, thank you.
Posted by: jonquil | September 04, 2008 at 01:57 PM
i'm floundering in emotions that aren't REAL. i'm so lost. I'm ready to jump ship, on so many levels. So many emotions and thoughts are going through my head. DUDE - and all at the same time i'm facing the same feelings i had for so many years. The same wound - the same scenarios. I HAVEN'T LEARNED APPARENTLY.
UTTERLY WORTHLESS.
Posted by: robyn | September 04, 2008 at 08:21 PM
Hi robyn - It's not worthless. It's just the heart of the process. Sometimes all we can do is love and breathe and love and breathe and not actually do anything that would make it worse. You've learned enough to know that you're going through whatever you've allowed to come up.
Posted by: Robert | September 04, 2008 at 08:34 PM
Hello Robert. Nice article. Lately I've been researching and thinking about the greater change that will happen in the next 10 years. I've come to the following conclusions (probable scenarios): as the squares leading to the cardinal aspects of 2010 kick in around November 2008, I predict this to be the time when the most significant events will start.
Looking ahead for the early 2020s, I foresee that this will be a time of a greater social and human awakening and revolution, and a crisis in resources, economy and maybe climatic. We all know that Uranus will transit both Aries and Taurus as did during the thirties and forties, Pluto Capricorn and Aquarius during the time of French and American revolutions, Neptune in Pisces and Aries as did in mid 19th century. This all seems to breed first economy crisis and then social revolution.
There is also the less easy possibility of a greater war causing this or some sort of environmental event, like a climatic shift; the intensity of the cardinal aspects seem to point to something really important. And interesting, looking at the maps of different nations, we see the big crisis happening in 2009 in most Middle East countries and then in 2010 and 2011 more worldwide.
There seems to be also a big Neptune influence in the charts of many countries: confusion, spiritual or idealism, extremism, or flooding, any of these? I have write in these coming aspects in my blog www.astrotransits.blogspot.com
One positive side I have foreseen is also important scientific advances, during the next few years.
I wonder if any of you, also have dramatic transits happening in your natal charts, and if not, what are you doing and going in your life, that maybe causing you to avoid this worldwide instability. I realize that the only safe place in really inwards, in the realms of silence and love, the only secure way for safe decisions and acts.
Light, Peace and Harmonious thinking for everyone,
Posted by: Popplagid | September 05, 2008 at 02:26 AM
Thank you Robert! I was starting to think I was the only crazy person in this world. Things have been so unstable for me in the past year and a half. I would be interested to see what my natal chart says about me in specific. -D
Posted by: Dusty | September 05, 2008 at 05:25 AM
Hi Robert- great long article, and I can see how much time and thought goes into these things. You must be helping alot of people. Good for you! I am looking forward to the next installment...
Hi Robyn- please don't get discouraged. Mars and Saturn are probably squaring your Gemini planets. Ride the waves. Take deep breaths like Robert says, maybe do some yoga or meditation. Back away and take a look at the bigger picture. In a few weeks you will feel better and things will look different. You will see you have been learning and growing all along. Nothing is ever wasted (Edgar Cayce). Hang in there! :)
Posted by: Valerie | September 06, 2008 at 03:49 PM
Hi Popplagid - I can see how much that you've deduced could come true, in one form or another. And I for sure agree that revolution is in the air! As for safety and harmony, while I agree that the realm of Heaven is within us, there will also be havens created by conscious communities that ensure that culture, life, and creativity will continue into the 22nd century, despite the worst efforts of those powers who believe mass destruction is the answer to population control.
Hi Dusty - Well, I'll be posting on the Grand Irrationality in the near future, which is a convenient reference point for the mass insanity. I'm sure something in your chart has been stimulated by that configuration.
Hi Valerie - Stay tuned, since there's more to come. In the meantime, listen to Buddy Holly if you want to smile....
Posted by: Robert | September 09, 2008 at 06:44 PM