Mars in Aries begins to move past Pluto and some of its intensity begins to subside. We may be still be examining deep themes around power and control as well as the courage to take action. That said, we’re revisiting these themes into the end of the year.
Normally Mars spends six weeks in a zodiac sign but in 2020 it spends six months in Aries. Why? Because Mars turns retrograde on September 9 and doesn’t turn direct until November 13.
Any time a planet turns retrograde — pro tip: all the planets turn retrograde except the Sun and the Moon — it’s a time when we need to take a second look at how we use that planet’s energy. A retrograde is a reflection, a time when we work out the tangles of how we used that planet, and hopefully bring your consciousness to that planet’s archetype.
Mars is action and power. It’s drive and forward and movement. But it can also reveal how we move forward impatiently or without thinking about how our actions are effecting others as well as the world around us. This is what we’re taking conscious of.
Mars Retrograde from September to November is a look at the karma of our actions, both personal and collective. It’s a time when we can’t move forward or be in control the way we would normally like to be. Instead, we may have to pull back, stop, and revisit the path we’ve taken since the end of June when Mars first entered Aries.
So, whatever is coming up around today’s square of Mars and Pluto may wind its way through our experiences on or around October 9 and December 23 when Mars makes its final squares not just to Pluto in this series, but Saturn and Jupiter, too.
In the meantime, we still have a Gemini Moon today. It’s still all about communication, information, learning, and choices. The spotlight is also on friends and community as we round out the lunar month and get ready for a Leo New Moon on August 18.