Tag: Mars Retrograde in Scorpio

As Mars Turns Direct, A Million Dollar Question:

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ 2 Comments

What do you want???

Deep down inside, now – waaaaaay down. Right at this very second, as Mars turns direct.

I’ll say it again – “What do you want?”

Can you feel the relentless intensity of desire coursing through your blood?  What is it that spikes your mojo, imbues you with a sense of strength and empowerment, gets you off?

Even the only person you ever admit it to is yourself, and even if it flies in the face of what society might consider “taboo”, it’s important to have a pulse on your deepest, most instinctive, and I daresay perhaps even rawest passions now; if only to prevent yourself from acting out.  Ideally though, tapping into this vein infuses you with the courage and the drive to make a life-changing transformation somewhere in your life.

So I ask a third time: What do you want?

And more importantly, what are ya gonna do to get it?  Where there is a Will, there is a Way – go fetch, because nothing says Do or (let it) Die like Mars in Scorpio.

06/29/2016

Mars Stationary Direct In Scorpio

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ 3 Comments

I still think Al Pacino in The Devil’s Advocate has this vibe down perfectly – this line is quintessential Mars stationary direct in Scorpio:

“You sharpen the human appetite to the point where it can split atoms with its desire..”

But what if what you’ve got is an Appetite for (self?)Destruction?

With Mars stationing direct in Scorpio, desire is at its most potent.  All sorts of primal impulses may surface that can run the gamut from murderous, to carnal, to a strong urge for personal transformation where all the dross associated with our Lowest Self is burned off so we can be reborn.

When Mars turns direct in Scorpio, we find out just how much control (or lack thereof) we have over The Beast within. Our “demons” are apt to rear up on us. Vices can lead us down a proverbial trail to Sodom and Gomorrah.  Anger may boil over into a rage and explode disastrously.  We may become extremely impatient and libel to make premature moves that prove devastating – especially if we’re not clear about our possible subconscious motives.

Or, we conquer those demons and show ‘em who’s boss.  We wrestle with our vices and win.  We emerge victorious over destructive anger.  We become the master of our psyches, confronting and illuminating even our most hidden or dysfunctional motivations so we act from a place of integrity that is in alignment with our Highest Good.

If you’re wondering where the middle ground is in all these possible expressions, there really isn’t any – Scorpio is first and foremost a sign of extremes.  Remember this for the next several days as the Mars Mojo really rouses, and know that from today we have exactly 34 days to redirect this energy toward its most constructive potential as Mars will leave Scorpio on August 2nd.  So are you going to wield this power, or let it enslave you?  The choice is yours.

06/29/2016

Chiron Trine Mars: Healing Anger

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AngerIsNaturalMars retrograding in Scorpio sure has been bringing a lot of internal sludge up to the surface and putting it front-and-center for us all, serving it up raw-and-bleeding-style.  It gets pretty hard to ignore our character defects under this vibe, as Mars retrograde in Scorpio is all about facing down anything grotty lingering in dark corners of the psyche.  Now the Red Planet turns direct in fairly short order (June 29th), but its current slowed movement has put it in prolonged contact to both Uranus & healing asteroid Chiron.  We have certainly seen the Mars/Uranus end of things via the shocking outburst of rage that hit the news recently; a man said to be waging an internal war with his own sexuality who lashed out and perpetrated a horrific act of violence at a gay nightclub in Orlando. But rather than focus on this tragic facet of Martian energy, let’s direct our attention to the tremendous healing potential afforded to us by the current trine between Mars in Scorpio and Chiron in Pisces.

With Mars in Scorpio, what we are fundamentally looking at is the destructive side of anger and how it can implode on us from within if we don’t transform it. Before I go any further, let me just state that I strongly disagree with the general New Age mentality that entails automatically slapping a “negative” label on emotions such as anger – I don’t believe in judging any natural, organically-occurring emotion as being inherently “bad”.  All emotions serve a legitimate purpose, and our ire can also be a vastly effective motivational tool when channeled properly.  But for the purposes of this post, right now we’re going to be discussing the more pathological side of anger, as any planet found in Scorpio can easily corrupt if we’re not digging for the insight that allows us to turn it into a source of empowerment.  It is the nature of the beast, after all; Scorpio is either the Scorpion or the Phoenix as it is a sign of extremes.

So Mars’ retrograde back through Scorpio (since May 27th) has involved many of us getting face-to-face with our “demons”; anger being one of them.  But with The Red Planet now in harmonious contact with Chiron in Pisces, we start to heal this with things like compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness.  We come to an understanding that – underneath it all – anger is often just a reaction to pain, and we start confronting it instead of denying so it can be dissolved, released, and ultimately healed. Perhaps the source of this is frustration, or even deeply buried grief – if you’re into working with the metaphysical properties of stones and crystals at all, the energy of Apache Tears may be helpful to this end.  Regardless, the next month+ is a fabulous time to bravely face the REAL source of our rage: Our pain. The blessing inherent in Chiron/Mars contacts is they do tend to bestow motivation to “heal thyself”, where we are driven to seek wholeness rather than act from a place of woundedness. Along this vein, anger (especially the chronic variety) can take energy away from our individual healing process, so when we’re pissed off about something know the answer isn’t always the outward-based focus of having it out.  Sometimes it lies instead in retreating to look within so we can reflect upon the way(s) this emotion may not be truly serving us, and seeking to mend that which has been doing more harm than good.

06/22/2016

A Retrograde Mars Landmine

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DosEquisRage

…I go all Samuel L. Jackson with it, LOL!

“And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and FURIOUS anger…!”

A retrograde Mars doesn’t always blow its stack as it is rather prone to bottling, but when it does, look the hell out – especially when it’s in Scorpio! Nobody does “murderous rage” quite like a Hadean* Mars.

The moral of this story is it’s best not to let feelings of annoyance or anger stew and fester under this vibe, as it’s bound to only get ugly. When we find ourselves “triggered” by something, it’s best to confront the irritant while bearing in mind the very long shadow we ourselves cast rather than pathologizing others and/or blaming our own reactivity on them.  Remember, this is primarily a time of battling the darkness WITHIN rather than without, so rather than going all Ezekiel 25:17 on dat ass, use this energy to get face to face with your OWN demons as this energy will tend to flush them out via these primal, volcanic expressions of deep-seated, visceral rage.

Mars is retrograde until June 29th, however it remains in potentially corruptive Scorpio until August 2nd – be very aware of this possible landmine at least until then and conquer any anger issues that may be brought to the surface.

*For the purposes of this post, a Hadean Mars is construed to mean Mars in Scorpio, in aspect to Pluto, or located in the 8th House.

06/05/2016

How NOT To Do Mars’ Re-entry Into Scorpio!

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Ninja

Trying to sate a burning vengeance is a major no-no with Mars back in Ninja Warrior Mode now that it has re-entered Scorpio! Unless, that is, your “vengeance” involves pulling off an epic self re-vamp of some kind! Keeping this energy entirely self-focused and using it to fuel your own kickass transformation is a great way of giving whoever/whatever engendered that initial negativity the middle finger – there is no need to resort to below-the-belt tactics or covert sabotage maneuvers. Just do YOU and resolve not to waste a nano-molecule of your energy on things like bitterness or resentment, even if someone did you dirty. Instead, use any anger as a powerful motivational force to rise above whatever it was that landed you there – remember that Mars in Scorpio is an excellent time to confront our Lowest Self square in the face, to bravely drive out any psychological “demons” that may have been leasing space in our psyche, and to transform any disempowering reactivity to reach a place of supreme self-empowerment.

The muse for this energy is Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind – As God is my witness, as God is my witness they’re not going to lick me – I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over, I’ll never be hungry again.” – the utter determination to make it no matter what, even in the face of devastation. Because you can’t stage your comeback if you’re busy wasting energy on “what was *done* to you” – why lower yourself and let whoever screwed you over still get the best of you? Some people thrive on negative interactions; don’t be one of them – remember that the best revenge lies in living well! The Red Planet remains in this sign until August 2nd, which is plenty of time to rebirth yourself…

Firebird2

05/27/2016

Mars Rx, Literally

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MarsRxWith Mars turning retrograde (Rx) in comparatively short order, I thought now would be an ideal time to talk about some of the potential effects this phenomenon may have upon health. Why?  Do you know the astrological shorthand for a planet retrograding is the same as the medical symbol for “prescription”?   This has always gotten my gears turning!

Let me begin by saying that Aries and Scorpio should take note of this event in particular – as this is YOUR ruling planet that is backtracking, it’s likely to have especially physical manifestations you may need to be aware of.  Mars is our metaphorical “get up and go” – it represents drive, desire, motivation, physical energy, our muscles, blood, testosterone, and libido just for starters. Being that Mars is also the symbol for masculinity, it’s worth noting that men in general tend to be more affected by Mars retro from a health standpoint – sorry guys, this is just how the cookie crumbles! We ladies have our own challenges during Venus retrogrades, which happens about every 18 months vs. the 22 month reprieve you fellas get until the next Mars retro swings around again!

We do need to be aware that Mars retrogrades may tend to bring out more “men’s health”–related issues on the whole….or perhaps more accurately, things that we tend to *think* of as being more related to men’s health. Along this vein, the first thing that comes to mind – especially with a big chunk of this retro phase taking place in sex-sign Scorpio from late May until early August – are sexual or libidinal issues. We may have difficulty from a sexual standpoint getting in touch with what truly “turns us on” during the Rx, or experience some kind of quote-unquote sexual dysfunction which can mean anything from arousal issues, to blood flow problems, to testosterone deficiency…if we are attempting to procreate (which, by the way, can be made more challenging during Mars Rx) it’s extra important that we also take a look at things like sperm count and/or motility now.

Now none of this is cause to freak out, nor is it a guarantee that you will personally experience any of these sorts of challenges. But for those that happen to, it may be helpful to have some astrological insight into what might be going on, because when Mars backtracks we do have to be wary of taking things purely at face value. Therefore, in this kind of scenario it’s important to look for any potential underlying root cause(s) rather than just look purely at the physical symptom(s). For example, instead of writing something off as “just a blood flow problem” and treating with little blue pills, maybe it’s worth pursuing this in true Scorpion fashion via getting a few needle sticks for the sake of *really* getting to the bottom of things. The blood may indeed prove an invaluable investigational resource in more ways than one during this period, and this doesn’t have to be limited to the confines of of a purely sexual or reproductive context, either.

When I see Mars retrograding in Scorpio, something else this cues to mind for me is there may possibly be some kind of toxicity going on within the bloodstream below the surface – for instance, perhaps something like heavy metal poisoning could be underpinning a physical issue. I’m neither a doctor nor a medical professional, so none of written here is meant to be construed as medical advice, but if you’re looking for places to start an investigation, absolutely do your own research and consider talking to your doctor or other healthcare practitioner.

In other areas, I also tend to associate Mars with iron and ferritin levels, and this planet backtracking does to me trigger a potential “anemic” feeling. If your physical energy levels are low and you have other possible markers of anemia, this may be another area worth investigating; especially for women experiencing heavy menses. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the regular and frequent consumption of high-quality bone broth is thought of as a mainstay in addressing such issues, so definitely don’t be afraid to also attack physical ailments from the kinds of philosophical and energetic points of view provided by things such as TCM or Ayurveda, for example, as this aligns rather nicely with Mars retrograding in cultural Sagittarius and energetically-oriented Scorpio. Mars in Scorpio especially has a very “what’s old is new again” feel to me, so there may be a resurgent interest in looking at physical ailments from the energetic or symbolic perspectives of more ancient “primitive” healing methods.

Speaking of energy levels, Mars holds an association with the adrenal glands as well, so perhaps if anemia isn’t part of the picture it may be worth investigating the possibility of adrenal dysfunction.   With the outset of the retro happening in Sagittarius, my feeling is there is a possibility of initial OVERactivity that can subsequently crash and lead to UNDERactivity, so uncovering what our cortisol levels may have to say could prove revealing.

Mars also holds an association with the surgeon’s knife, and because of this Mars Retrograde is not generally considered a favorable time for scheduling ELECTIVE surgeries.  Note that I stress the word “elective” there – common sense dictates that if it’s an emergency situation and we don’t have any kind of say in the matter, this becomes a moot point so please don’t worry about it!  But if it isn’t critical that one be operated upon immediately and there is the ability to plan a procedure, generally avoiding the period from circa April 17th – June 29th may be a good idea.

Lastly, I will point out that Mars is indeed Ye Olde (lesser) Malefic from an astrological point of view – what this means in a nutshell is this planet’s penchant for rash, impulsive action tends to get us into trouble. When I think of this planet’s lustful nature in particular, this quite simply says to me “wrap it up” – especially when it spends months amped by a stay in sexy Scorpio! This is a general “no”, then, to any hot-but-risky liaisons and definitely a cue to slow it down if we should find ourselves in a rush to initiate a new level of intimacy…physical OR otherwise. Slow it down, because particularly once Mars re-enters Scorpio in late May there can be a certain compulsiveness underpinning things where we act without necessarily knowing why. In such cases, it’s critical to look at subconscious psychological motivations…especially if they incline toward self-destructive at all.

03/07/2016

Mars Mojo Risin’!

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Well, THIS is certainly going to be interesting with Mars more or less remaining in Scorpio through August due its impending April retrograde! Mars typically spends circa 2 months in a sign, but when it retrogrades (which is about every 2 years) its tour of duty in a given area of the zodiac is extended.

For reference, The Red Planet first entered Scorpio back in early January…perhaps you felt this energy shift; the relentless intensity driving things below the surface. Something is brewing, and although we may sense all the action being pushed to the back burner for the time being with Mars making ready to backtrack in fairly short order, we might think of it instead as simply pausing for just the right opportunity to strike. It’s all very “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” to me….So how do we know when to act – when to pull the trigger on something – when we have a pre-retrograde Mars lingering in Scorpio? It’s easy – you wait for The Sign.  The one that hits you in the face. Nobody loves an omen quite like Scorpio, so rest assured that when it is indeed “go time”, there will most definitely be a sign that only YOUR eyes can see!

There is an undercurrent of restlessness for the next few months with Mars traveling back and forth between Scorpio and Sagittarius – the Will may be aligned and the intention may be set regarding a given course of action, but the execution may be prematurely put on hold once this planet enters Sagittarius and then subsequently finds itself parked at its retrograde station before it has to throw it into reverse. While Mars is indeed powerful in Scorpio precisely because it has a sense that things truly are “do or die”, it exits this sign at reduced speed and then finds itself in proximity to Saturn as it grinds to a halt on April 17th, so it doesn’t get to leave the gate quite the way it should and we may have to hold our horses for the time being.

What might the esoteric reason for this be, though? I will tell you a little secret – when Mars is in Scorpio, desire trumps all but it is secretive; hidden from view. An all-consuming passion may percolate within, perhaps one that can even manifest “Seven Deadly Sins” style if left unchecked. Mars in Scorpio is compulsive; but this becomes exacerbated by the fact that when it leaves this sign and halts motion in Sagittarius, it will do so on Antares, the Heart of the Scorpion. There exists the capacity for some kind of powerful, detrimental modus operandi underpinning our actions with Mars on this star…this is also a very rash “going where angels fear to tread” sort of energy, and for this reason I say we may be held back because there could well be some psychological confrontation that must be done; some kind of inner demon(s) to be illuminated and vanquished.

Mars is the Hero archetype – because it spends such a long time in Scorpio, this is prime time for taking that brave energy and applying it to our own psyche; to be pushing our skeletons out of the closet and confronting any of our own “shadow” behavior square in the face.

Sounds fun, right?   😛

A surefire marker that we are indeed doing the Hi-Fi side of this energy is squirming uncomfortably from time to time during this undertaking. But this won’t stop us from emerging victorious and thus relishing a tremendous sense of personal empowerment when it’s all said and done. For this reason,  I think our specific “weapon of choice” during this time may well be the therapeutic process…it might be an ideal time to start (or re-start) counseling; perhaps even going so far as to proactively frontload in preparation some major life transition we sense ahead on the horizon. It could involve facing themes of loss/devastation/trauma; especially if there is anything preventing us from going into a “dark” place in our subconscious. It could also certainly entail combating some sort of vice or character defect that we may have previously recoiled from because we thought it too “ugly” to meet head-on. It’s also worth noting that with Scorpio energy, it is not uncommon to feel as if we might be gazing into some kind of Abyss that could threaten to swallow us whole; where we become afraid to turn on the flashlight on the chance that it may reveal something horrifying. But what if that menacing shadow isn’t quite what we think it is and it is only our wiliness to continue to allow this darkness to fester in secret that turns whatever it is into the Big Bad Boogeyman?  It is time to stop hiding under the covers; time to address anything that would leave us psychologically castrated and powerless….it is time to take our mojo back!

02/19/2016