We’re in the build up to Tuesday’s opposition between Mars and Neptune. What does surrender mean to you? What does it mean to accept that we can’t control everything? That there are forces greater than us, like a tidal wave? What does it mean to have compassion for those who are suffering? To choose forgiveness over aggression?
Mars is a personal planet; it deals with experiences relational to the self. Mars is action, will, motivation, drive. We need Mars to get up and go and in its highest expression is determination and courage. But in its shadow is aggression, violence, and rage.
Neptune, on the other hand, is a transpersonal planet; it deals with experiences greater than the ego, greater than the self. Neptune is the planet that reminds us that we’re here on this planet to give back in some way, to be of service, and to sacrifice — not negative sacrifice. No, the type of sacrifice reserved for those of great compassion and an innate understanding that we are all one.
I pick apart these two planets to show you the two themes that we’re we’re working through and where there’s a building tension. We may be feeling overly sensitive, tapping into a deep vein of humanity’s suffering. We may feel called, perhaps even divinely so, to be in action for something higher than ourselves. We may be feeling overwhelmed and trying to numb out instead of feel. Be careful of escapism and substance abuse over the next few days; that’s Neptune in its lower expression. (Thankfully we have Jupiter in Virgo to help us put our spiritual longings into practical service and to sober up.)
Neptune is also a great purifier, the sort of cleansing that happens on a soul level. Use the Mars/Neptune opposition to seek out compassion, to ask for forgiveness where there has been war in your life, and to be redeemed.