Aside from the intensity provided by the 3 eclipses this summer, we also
have Mars going retrograde in 09 Aquarius on June 26th. It'll remain slow
(relative to the Sun) until August 27th when it will turn direct in 28
Capricorn. If either of these degrees are especially important in your
chart, you may want to remember the Mars emphasis.
This is a reminder to review how you delineate a retrograde Mars for
clients. What do you say about it? How do you treat it that's different
than a direct Mars?
The fact that it's retrograde tells you that you can't just treat it like
any other Mars. This is a Mars that has "a Mars family history." There
were Mars people and behavior during the chilldhood that stamped a negative
example of how a person should "do" Mars. Maybe that person was too angry;
maybe that person seemed to get p_ssed at the drop of a hat; maybe that
person just seemed or felt angry a lot of the time. Picture a child staring,
wide-eyed at (and maybe a little afraid) of an adult whose angry or having a
temper tantrum.
Of course the zodiacal sign of the Mars is important. What was the manner
or style of Mars that the child saw? A "showy" (Fire Sign) Mars was a
different learning than a Scorpio Mars!
Then you want to address whether the retrograde Mars is in aspect with a
personal point. You're asking the chart to tell you how greatly the Mars
lessons affected a child.
And you want to incorporate aspects in your interpretation. Was the flurry
of Mars shown in connection with (Saturn) rules and discipline and through
the father? Was there a (Hades) nastiness to the expression of Mars? Do
aspecting energies show what was "under attack"? Ie., with an aspect to
Poseidon, were there derogatory comments about a person's intelligence or
how they did in school. Were they made fun of because of things they
believed as a child?
A retrograde Mars has a well-earned reputation for passive-aggressive
behavior. This means that:
1. The Mars is not always "out front or obvious." It can resort to subtle
insults or comments.
2. It can, on purpose, not do the exact things it knows it should do.
3. Despite being obviously (even smoothly) provocative, it can deny even
being angry! It has some lovely reason for "poking" at another.
4. Likely it will usually withdraw from confrontation--that would be too
direct! So it makes these "end around" runs to push at others.
5. But where confrontation results, there's an obvious "too much" quality:
the anger or defiance is greater than necessary and louder or more pushy
than is appropriate for the situation. You can feel that the situation has
a history and an Agenda.
6. There can be an outwardly nice or compromising quality in the verbal
area-- but the behavior and actions don't fall in line with that.
7. Compliments can be indirect, back-handed, covert or have a less than
noble purpose (which will not be acknowledged.)
8. Mixed messages with an angry or challenging subtext are likely: "I don't
want to sound critical, BUT...."
9. A retrograde Mars can have difficulty being independent. It doesn't feel
comfortable acting alone; it needs a compatriot! It needs to muster
support-- and this too is a reason for the exaggerated and complicated inner
reaction.
The TRANSITING retrograde Mars will showcase some of those behaviors. It's
a great time to sit back and think about the things that make you angry and
how you are responding to that. You'll see plenty of examples of defensive
displays-- and you'll recognize that some of that drama has motives other
than the self-protection and self-assertion of Mars. It's especially
interesting to consider Mars moving from the electric, unpredictable quality
of Aquarius back into the more considered, cautionary aura of Capricorn.
Yes?
(P.S. You might use these ideas about a retrograde Mars for a retrograde
Toro with some adjustment.)