Mars Retro June 26

Mars retrograde 

June 26

5:04pm EDT

On June 26 we will have Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto all retrograde and guess who is joining the party---- Mars!   Hey who invited the grumpy dude?     Mars will station retrograde at 9-10 degrees of Aquarius.  This is not a rare event since Mars retrogrades about every two years but it is not so run of the mill that it is lost on us either.   Mars the warrior planet thrives on moving forward and battle all issues that it finds inconsistent with its goals.   Great. We love Mars, it is what gets us up in the morning.   Unfortunately of all planets it can be argued that Mars dislikes retrograde motion more than the rest.  It is not comfortable going backwards to previous battle zones and fighting the fight again.   So there is grumpiness to a Mars retrograde.   On a personal note I recall in 2011 the Mars retrograde in Virgo that brings back its own case of PTSD.  The worst! Anyway this Mars retrograde cycle is focused on Aquarius & Capricorn energy. 

The Mars Retro window dates are: 

May 12:  Mars enters Shadow 28 Cap 37 

June 26: Mars stations retrograde 9 Aqu 13 

Aug 12: Mars re enters Capricorn 

Aug 27: Mars stations direct 28 Cap 37 

Sep 11:  Mars re-enters Aquarius 

Oct 8:  Mars exits shadow 9 Aqu 13.  

When Mars is retrograde, we slow down whether we want to or not since during this period it seems like something is always getting in our way.    How we respond to the obstacles or people or energy that is blocking us could be a myriad of expressions.   We could feel anxious or our energy dissipates, razor focus seems less sharp, actions could be misdirected, we encounter more passive aggressiveness, pettiness and we could just feel anger or ennui.     Mars retrograde supports a turn inward where we question our own actions.  We consider our motives and we consider how we tick.  What actions do we need to continue on a path that right now has a boulder in it?     

The bulk of this retro Mars takes place in Aquarius, which is our community of like-minded people.  It is our associations, clubs, our groups, our circles of friends.   Obviously we may get into tussles.   To be clear some of you will read about Mars retrograde and you will say, “Oh I better be careful and not get into fights with this person or that person.”   Maybe.  Or maybe not. Perhaps you are supposed to stand your ground.  Did it occur to you that by standing your ground you could be bringing something important to the group?   And sure a big blow up might not help anyone but the answer is not to be frozen in fear for four months.  Remember this Mars retrograde is being launched in the Gemini lunar cycle so adaptability is key and being frozen is not adaptable. 

Aquarius rules computers and technology, it is interesting that the absence of net neutrality is coming up during the Mars retrograde in Aquarius.  By the time we get to October we’ll probably have more opinions on that issue.    During the Mars retrograde there is one month where it goes back into the sign Capricorn where our focus is on our careers and our place in the world.   I won’t say much on this except to remind you that Mars the warrior is going back to the battle field not for sport but because something got neglected.  And in this case it is something involving our place in the world.   Watch your anger that will give you a pretty good idea what you need to fix that impacts your career and how you fit into the outer world.  How many people are leaders and don’t even know it.  Perhaps Mars retrograde in Capricorn between August 12 through September 11 will show them the importance of bringing out their inner warrior! 

One note, the last time Mars retrograded in Aquarius was the summer of 1971.   Pentagon papers, death of Jim Morrison, US abandons gold standard, British increases troops to Ireland.  First crew to board a Space station (Soyuz) & FedEx was incorporated.  Interesting.  And the US accepts an invitation to visit China which in a taped conversation with Kissinger Nixon said, “We’re doing the China thing to screw the Russians and help us in Vietnam.”   Ah, Mars retrograde.   If you were alive do you remember what you were doing in the Summer of 1971?      The time before that was summer of 1939.  Yeesh.