by Robert Wilkinson
Mars enters Leo today where it will stay for many months, stimulating that sector of our lives. Mars is now on its way through its future retrograde zone in Leo, where it will stay through May 2010. What can we expect, besides more socializing, creativity, ego, pride, dramatic developments, and the need for long term committed actions?
First and foremost, it will go retrograde in December, so Mars will be slowing down for months before it picks back up. And it will be in the first 20 degrees of Leo the entire time. It only moves into the last decan of Leo the third week of May 2010, and finally enters Virgo June 7-8, 2010.
In all our inner and outer life areas, we can expect to see important Leo developments. All planets that receive "hard" aspects from Mars will show us things in our life related to either a new initiative, a critical emergence, a surfacing of an ideal, or a culmination. You can find out more how you're being affected right now in the articles linked at the bottom of this one. Of course I'll discuss future months in future articles.
For now, Mars is direct and crossing the span for the first time. We are told the first half of Leo is a zone of "Combustion," which should show as many things erupting, some dramatically. It is also the Span of Assurance. We'll definitely sense a change in the Aries and Scorpio areas of our life, moving from the Watery feelings of Cancer into the Fiery expressions of Leo!
This is the time to fix your heart's fiery expression in sustainable forms. Leo rules patterns. What is your heart's better expression, and how can you begin to act in that way? Explore how to express your heart's strength, integrity, shiningness, and Solar Fire in ways that show you and your world where your heart is at. And since it's Mars, you may be called upon to defend something your heart feels. This is where the Warrior-Guardian expresses the Fixed Heart energy of Leo.
Marc Jones has offered the first half of Leo as Manipulating (all Fire and Air signs are!), Ideal, Original, and Specializing. Mars takes initiative, so perhaps the next few weeks are good for efforting toward some specialized original ideal that will slow down for awhile before we pick it up anew next year. Explore "Mars in Leo" quality expressions through early December, then prepare to slow the process down to take care of other business. By late February you'll be back at square one, but with more experience and determination than you're feeling now.
Let's examine the process of what's to come in the next 4 months and beyond. First, what's actually happening in terms of mechanics.
Mars is still in direct motion through December 20, when it will go stationary retrograde at 20 Leo. It retrogrades back through Leo until March 10, 2010, 9:09 am PST (5:09 pm Greenwich), when it will go stationary direct at 1 Leo. Then it moves forward across its retrograde zone of degrees through mid-May 2010, finally leaving Leo in early June 2010.
(An important note here: Mars enters Virgo just one day after Jupiter enters Aries and joins a conjunction with Uranus also at 1 Aries, known as a "Critical Degree" from antiquity. Since this was the void of the past Critical Degree T-square, we'll definitely see events associated with whatever we set into motion, or furthered, or realized, in late August 2009. Since it's part of the on-going major T-squares and Grand Crosses happening and coming, I'll for sure be writing more about possible solutions to the challenges.)
The direct-retrograde-direct dance is a planetary phenomenon already discussed at length in prior Mercury retrograde articles, so if you want to know more, check the archives. In the case of the Mars transit upon us, I have found Mars retrograde to show similar process as other retrograde planets, but in all areas of life ruled by Mars.
I have observed Mars RX periods can be a momentum-killer, as though a giant brake is being put on certain things while other things get taken care of. These may be from the past or present, or something that prepares for a future. It is a time when the "fight or flight" principle is slowed down, so we can be more deliberate in what we do and how we do it.
It can be a time to un-do, re-do, or re-make something. It can be a time when that which was acted upon before can be picked back up and finished. It is a time when we can read all kinds of unconscious blockages, hinderances to action, impulsive, impatient, or passive-aggressive behavior in ourselves or others.
We can get behind inhibiting attitudes and behaviors, and see where our ability to assert ourselves productively got jammed at prior points in life. A Mars RX shows how we can be assertive without aggression, and see how to proceed in a measured way without trying to push the river. It definitely is a time when everything seems to slow down!
In the coming weeks, whatever we initiate (especially in the Leo areas of our chart) will move forward through late November and begin to slow down rapidly in December and well into January. By February we'll experience more of a sense of momentum, and by March know we are picking up the pace and moving forward once again.
So don't be surprised or confused if some areas are slowing down, forcing us to redirect our energies to other things. There may be old Mars issues come back between late December and February 2010 that require a re-affirmation of something, or an undoing of something.
Mars will be semi-square Saturn in Libra from mid-November through mid-January, so there will be quite a bit of tension in the air as we figure out Leo methods to move toward Saturn in Libra ideals. This stresses our mid-Leo and early Libra areas. Add the larger Saturn square Pluto energies, with Mars sesquisquare Pluto, and it's going to be a very stressed time!
Anyone with planets around 2-6 Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, as well as 18-22 Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius will be heavily affected by the Mars transit between mid-November and mid-January. More in the stress zones articles.
A brief note on the bigger picture during the November through January time span. The benefit of this period will be found in Jupiter conjunct Chiron and Neptune favorable to Uranus. This cements a larger Aquarian cycle in our charts for many years to come wherever it falls in our chart. This in turn prepares us for the equally powerful Jupiter conjunct Uranus period between May 2010 and February 2011 which will expand many things, some unique, some bizarre, as a result of Jupiter and Uranus opposing Saturn in Libra as both dance in square to Pluto in Capricorn. Heavy changes are upon all of us!
Enjoy this Mars in Leo, for it will show you where your heart is willing to assert your strength, love, courage, determination, and all other good Leo patterns. Undo any negative or unhelpful Leo traits and patterns you see coming to surface, or even those lurking beneath the surface of your personality. Recognize both the helpful and the unhelpful in self and others as you move through interactions, and do whatever you must to take care of what you love, whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual.
Mars in Leo is the noble, courageous Spiritual Warrior, always loving, always fierce, always loyal, the defender of all that is good and true. This is the time for us to become this in all areas of life stimulated by this transit, and begins a great heart adventure!
© Copyright 2009 Robert Wilkinson
Interesting... Mars is going to be tickling my Moon at 19 Scorpio 16 (6th house), my Venus at 20 Scorpio 32 (6th house), my Varuna at 20 Taurus 47 (12th house), and my Ceres at 20 Leo 11 (3rd house).
That 6th house activity has me a bit concerned.
Is it correct to assume that the 12th house activity would be more in my subconscious?
Posted by: Siri | October 16, 2009 at 07:26 PM
Leo-Mars here :). Thank you for reminding me about why I'm awesome.
Love!
Posted by: Warriorlady | October 16, 2009 at 07:34 PM
Oh goody...
I have SNode 3 Aries-6th, Saturn 4 Cap-3rd, NNode 3 Libra 12th- Venus 5 Libra 12th....Sun 22 Scorp-2nd/Moon 21
Taurus 8th, Uranus 20 Leo (Mars rx station) 11th, Chiron 22 Aquarius 5th.....
The dreams of earthquakes, whirlpools, tornadoes....now make sense....
"Anyone with planets around 2-6 Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, as well as 18-22 Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius will be heavily affected by the Mars transit between mid-November and mid-January."
Posted by: wild horse running | October 17, 2009 at 07:33 AM
So happy about Mars' nearly 8-month stay in my natal 5th and nearly 9-month stay current Solar Return 10&11.
It'll be a nice counterpoint to Saturn's current opposition to my Mercury which is making every day feel like Mercury Rx.
Posted by: Matt | October 17, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Hi, Robert. I don't think this is a question--just a statement of frustration. Mars will turn retrograde in my 12th House in very tight aspect to my Moon-Saturn square. This transit evidently will trigger my natal fixed T-square of my Moon opposing Mars and both square Sun-Saturn. All of my natal planets are in fixed signs except Neptune. While my life is blessed in many ways, my relationships have not been, nor am I embracing being by myself since my retirement 3 years ago. Now this to look forward to...I am not a happy camper. Anne
Posted by: AnneTexas | October 17, 2009 at 02:27 PM
Hi Robert and thank you very much for this enlightened post. It means a lot to me as i have Mars in Leo, trapped in the top of a T-square, on my 1st house...
I checked the transits of Mars (returns of Mars) and surprisingly, i noticed that the rising of each Mars return is Taurus and Moon on the Mars's returns is in cancer...i think it can't be accidentally. I would appreciate if you would let me know if there is any opinion you have on these aspects.
Thank you.KaaLi
Posted by: kaali | October 18, 2009 at 08:31 AM
Dear Robert, I'm looking forward to this, in a way, as Mars will go through my 7th house, over Venus and Pluto. I'm not married... would like to be but nothing has happened in over twelve years since I was divorced. Any hope for me? I sound like a kid. I should know better than to ask. At the very least, I'm doing much more painting lately and am pretty psyched up for creative stuff... being this passive Cancer, I'm looking forward to a jump start in the creative energy dept. thanks for another good article. :)
Posted by: Valerie | October 18, 2009 at 03:49 PM
Hi Robert, Its nice to have Mars in my 10th house. However, it goes direct at 1 deg Leo (9th house), where I have my natal Saturn. Is it going to be just obstacles/delay/low energy for a long time ? I am already worried about by job search! Thank you.
Posted by: Starlook | October 18, 2009 at 05:00 PM
Hi Siri - No. 12th house can be that as well as 10,000 other things. Mars is in your 3rd, stimulating that sector. It will bring your old Moon/Venus function to completion by next Spring. I suspect you'll be learning a more impersonal way to relate to your feelings.
Hi Warriorlady - It's a re-set to how you "attack" life with gusto, creativity, and playfulness. I believe Mars is joyous in Leo.
Hi WHR - Prepare for a new way of expressing your individuality. Jupiter has already prepared you to do your thing over the next few months. If you can get focused, major things can be accomplished that will revolutionize yourllife forever.
Hi Matt - Time to play! A good antidote given that you need to be a good student, studying, reading, writing, keeping your mind on objective things rather than subjective concerns. Balancing these two is the trick.
Hi AnneTexas - Mars will help you come to completion around many things. This can dislodge any fixed patterns you no longer need, and help you see the movie of your life from a more noble perspective. This may be a "true retirement" from all that is left over that needs to be retired.
Hi kaali - This ends a 2 year cycle and begins a new one. I suspect that new calculations need to be made re: rising at Mars' return, since that will change each time depending on many other factors. Also, the Moon could only be in Cancer once every few Mars returns. It could not happen regularly, or even often.
Hi Valerie - Mars in the 7th can in fact bring new equal relationships, and its contact with Venus definitely will bring new pleasures and likes once the RX period is done. Perhaps you'll remember old 7th house things and resurrect some of that playful energy that got burned out somewhere. Should definitely be a jumpstart for the 7th house!
Hi Starlook - It should help you move into a higher awareness more appropriate to your evolved sense of self since the last time the conjunction happened. Remember that the 9th prepares us for the 10th, so if you're realistic, mature, disciplined, and all the other Saturn virtues, then it should produce results as it finally again moves forward through your 10th (remembering 10th is about profession and public standing, whereas work - or "jobs" - is actually more 6th house).
Posted by: Robert | October 20, 2009 at 06:07 PM