by Robert Wilkinson
It’s said that retrogrades are good for getting at things we don’t ordinarily think about or deal with when the planets ruling those departments of life are in direct motion. And we know oppositions are good for bringing things to the surface of life to get a comprehensive view of how they fit into our larger cycles of existence. So what can we do with this opposition from the Sun at 17 Sagittarius to Mars retrograde at 17 Gemini?
Remember that this opposition has been building since mid-November when Mercury and Venus entered Sagittarius on the way to their oppositions going on right now! Mars entered its shadow zone in early September, and then went stationary retrograde at 26 Gemini at the end of October. Whatever was in motion in September and October has been slowed down in some way, or been put on hold while other things are being taken care of.
What has shifted in your focus? What are you aware of now that you weren’t even just a few weeks ago? Are you in touch with frustration, whether at the pace of something, the lack of momentum in an effort, or even the inability to get something done because of an inner blockage? This opposition marks a point of illuminated focus on Mars in Gemini. We are also benefited by the opposition being exact just after the Full Moon a few hours earlier in the same degree axis.
The opposition happens to be beneficially aspected with Saturn in Aquarius, showing productivity and stabilization can be found through Saturn’s positive strengths and qualities. The opposition is also squared by Neptune, making for a Mutable T-square throwing the void into Virgo. As we’ve already experienced these T-squares when Mercury and Venus opposed Mars, sextiled Saturn, and squared Neptune, we now can take what we’ve rehearsed and make it real.
The Sun in Sagittarius shows the Light of truth, vision, and adventure, and it is on a degree of renewal in a collective setup. The Moon, expressive of the form of the Light of the Full Moon, is exactly conjunct Mars on a degree of transmuting physical strength into mind power. As a result of the oppositional awarenesses set into motion at this time, it seems we will be a) transmuting old ideas to give them renewed vitality, b) finding a new way of seeing or expressing old ideas or ideas buried in the subconscious mind, or c) opening to a new way of expressing our mind, our discoveries, and how we believe we should act on them.
When Sun opposes Mars, we can see how we’re manifesting our Mars, as well as an entirely new way to express our Light coming to surface. This is about seeing a longer view of the dance of interactivity between the higher and lower mind, the abstract and concrete ways of approaching any given thing. The ideal is to find a cooperation, and Mars retrograde can help us get a internal resistances and find ways around them. A door to renewal opens at this opposition, which represents a turning point how we visualize the future, and what that future might look like.
Of major importance will be the time after Mars goes direct that it transits this opposition point between February 20-23, which primes the pump for these realizations to be “made real” when Venus transits the Mars shadow zone and opposition points in late April, when the Sun transits this oppositional zone in the second week of June, and when Mercury transits the same span in during the three days before the June Solstice.
Anyway, after the opposition Mars begins to speed up! Take heart, since Mars makes favorable aspects to Jupiter from December to March, and makes favorable aspects to Saturn through early January. After the inner planets make their quincunxes to Mars from Capricorn, then the early 2023 trines from Aquarius will help launch the new Mars direct period. Remember too that Mars is still retrograde through mid-January, and Mercury’s about to slow rapidly as it goes retrograde at the end of December.
See the vision, rework whatever needs to be reworked, find a new view and new ways to externalize that vision, and show strength and resilience if you find yourself in a disappointing situation, or conversely, see the strength and resilience you found in the past when struggles seemed to go off the rails for no particular reason. There are revelations and important changes coming in the near future. This is a time when the future can be glimpsed and blessings received which help us “escape from an old destiny.”
© Copyright 2022 Robert Wilkinson
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