Planets-In-Aspect Series: Mars

I look at squares as energizing, too. They are the drive factor in your chart. That doesn't mean they are necessarily easy. When you accomplish something, it's not suppose to be easy, so squares have the potential to make you a great success.

Dave, thank you so much for such a detailed answer ....... am going to print all of these threads out and study them, thank you

x Huredriel

Thanks for starting this thread. It is only recently I have decided to tackle Mars in my chart.

Mars in the 12th House which is in Aquarius Rx.
This is apparently a very difficult aspect?
My North Node is not too far away in the 11th house, also Aquarius Rx.
Actually I just realised the North Node is conjunct my Mars.
"Bing" light bulb just went on!!
Mercury in Leo (6th House) is in opposition to Mars.

Edited to add: This is from my natal, I have not had a chance to look at transits currently. And I will be late for work if I don't get off here!!!

For TemperanceAngel

Mars in the 12th and Retrograde is a tough one. Mars so often finds this a difficult area of the chart to work from, its energy seems to be more easily frustrated, not effectively applied, or expressed in unusual and not-physical ways. With the retrograde, this might be amplified -- although I can't recall any charts that I've done with this situation.

With an opposition to Mercury in the 6th, there would seem to be a link to the development of skills -- not in the usuall "do I beat his head in or do I just talk louder at him" considertion, but something else. Symbols tend to express themselves in many ways and in unusual ways. May I inquire (and you can ignore this if it is too personal to share) if there was a conflict between the use of motor skills and speech when you were younger? Or perhaps an emphasis on phystical abilities or challenges versus speech, communication, perception issues in which one was emphasized and the other ignored as part of the developmental process?

One would expect that Mars opp. Mercury would bring mental acuity, restlessness, arguing, curiousity. With the retrograde there is a possibility that you might be, or were when younger, timid about your views -- resulting in frustration about holding back, perhaps even stuttering. There are so many possibilities in this seemingly simple but actually complex pattern. I can see why it took some time to getting around to figure this little puzzle out. Dave

Edited to add: The opposition doesn't have to be a me-versus-them puzzle. I had a student with a 12th house Mars (direct) who used her Mars as if it was a Venus-power, she was able to help others in very tender ways. It was the strangest Mars I had ever seen.

This is fascinating. I have been following along from the start, but am hesitant to post in this because aspects seem to throw me. Going over my chart, I think these are all of my mars aspects;

Mars in 1st House, 19 degrees Aries (7' 34")
trines my Moon in 5th House, 16 degrees leo (6' 4")
trines my MC which is at 24 degrees Sag
(this one I am not sure about, it is the symbol "Q") regarding my Mercury in 11th House at 8 degrees AQU (39' 47")

Although I do not think mine is conj my asc, like Isthmus Nekoi's, but have suffered head injury as a child. (hit by car at age 13)

I can be very very impatient, and look to different things to soothe me while I am for example stuck in traffic, or in line at a post office. (i.e. music in the car, reggae helps, and usually in line I can just zone out and be in another place mentally, just to escape the mind numbing boredom of waiting...).

I enjoy some adrenaline producing activites, and did very much so as a child. Actually would purposely upset bees to get them to chase me,and did the same with certain neighborhood bullies. The thrill of the chase was intoxicating and made me laugh so hard it hurt my stomach.

I work at not being overly aggressive, which is a tendency of mine in certain situations, and usually leads to very strong feelings of guilt and embarrassment in me. (which is why I work on being less aggressive).

I have a lot of energy, and can surprise myself sometimes at the amount of pain and or physical activity that I can endure, even after long periods of inactivity which would have me thinking that I was too out of shape to complete a particular hike or whatever.

Not sure if I have covered eveything, and I don't understand how to do the orbs.

Thanks for this, it is great to read all of the members' experiences with their mars aspects etc. Your posts have been most helpful.

Astrid! Glad to read your post. I also have a fire moon (Sag) and your post reminds me of some things we have in common:

I used to pick fights with other kids frequently when I was young. Very decidedly unfeminine and un-stereotypical-Asian. I'd pick physical fights with boys although in hindsight, they were probably gentler w/me, given that I'm female and very small. And like you, I didn't find it very serious.

These days I have to tone done my natural inclination to interact with people in a very physical (not angry aggressive, but what is often misterpreted as sexually aggressive) way. It doesn't embarass me, but it has gotten me into a bit of trouble. Venus in Sag afterall

Finally, there's a vague army connection. Instead of wearing red (typical for the Mars conj ASC), I love wearing army green and military style clothing. Not very many military types in university so I've never dated an actual soldier - only intellectual ones (i.e. philosophers lol). [edit] You know what I just realized - your Aries Mars really bespeaks to relations w/a military man, while my Aquarian Mars skews more to the intellectual end.....

Hi Isthmus1

Thanks for this, I too see lots of similarities in behavior. Yes, I too used to fight with boys but was a tomboy so, it seemed natural.

The military connection; My dad was in the Air Force until I was about 6 or 7. My husband was in the Coast Guard when I met him, has since left but is still in a uniform again (firefighter/paramedic)...And I must admit to a weakness for a man in uniform, they have always caught my eye. Which generally speaking, usually goes against the grain of my political leanings.

The aggressive stuff really only comes out when there is some form of provocation. There is also the sense of injustice around these incidents. i.e. when I see a driver cut someone else off (it doesn't have to be me getting cut off), and usually quite dangerously, so that I see it as a "life and death" situation, caused by the bad driver. Or something small, like a deli line that someone tries to just jump to the front of, I will be the only person to speak up. (especially since moving to CA, people are pretty laid back and seem not to mind getting cut in line, they are usually silent when this type of thing happens. And imo, they do not use their car horns enough, even in dangerous situations that could be avoided by a toot on the horn....Coming from Masachusetts, and having lived for 2 years in Boston, this neglect of the car horn as a useful driving tool boggles my mind )

Sexually speaking I have no idea what role my Mars plays. I really need to get a good astro book, I have been so lazy in this respect. I do tend to flirt in a "picking on" kind of manner. Like I may poke fun at a guy I am attracted to, and yes, poor hubby being the guy I am attracted to, does suffer somewhat from this. I really need to stop it.

The_Star said:

You Mars 'problem' (opinion) is archetypal..... Mars in the second house seeks, works, collects and maintains material things (2nd house 'stuff'). Saturn in the 8th house (opposing Mars) will teach you how to 'manifest' (create - see also, The Magician) instead of remaining a 'slave' to materiality (survival issues).

Click to expand...

This is a real interesting insight TS... Never thought of this axis before but the way you put it struck me. The Magician is one of my karmic cards and I don't think I've arrived yet, creatively speaking, as I've wanted to... not yet.

The_Star said:

The avoidance of conflict that you mention is quite notable!
Mars is a BIG problem unless it is in dynamic service to higher principles.
Avoidance of conflict is one of those principles. Perhaps you may consider updating your 'reason' for not engaging yourself in those possible conflicts!

Click to expand...

I'll have to think about that...how to properly let out steam...usually it's like a volcano or completely surpress...need to find a healthier way to voice problems, concerns.
Thank you-Squeakmo9

dadsnook2000 said:

I had noted earlier a simple mental reminder: Mars = Go, Saturn = Stop. This doesn't begin to address the whole range of symbolic expression but it isn't a bad place to start. Now, put Mars and Saturn in cadent houses where stability and maintenance are key words, place active Mars in non-violent Libra and stodgy Saturn in agressive Aries and you have two mis-placed cats eying each other without knowing how to fight it out.

Click to expand...

Well said Dave! LOL!!

dadsnook2000 said:

I can see why your Mars "don't get no respect" to quote a famous comedian. But, place some of the blame on Saturn, too. I don't want to give you a hard time (I'm probably lying) but did you ever read that book, "You were born on a rotten day?" Just kidding.

Click to expand...

I had the biggest smile on my face last night while driving to yoga class Dave!

dadsnook2000 said:

Every chart has lots of good stuff in it. You just have to work a little harder to spot it and to use it. You have a nice grouping of Sun, Moon, Mercury near your MC -- how do you use this pattern? Dave

Click to expand...

You're right, I was a bit bitter when I made that remark regarding my Mars...feel better today...my Sun, Moon, Merc, whenever I've looked at that config, I can't help seeing that ugly red line straight down to Neptune...I'll stop now... so I guess I haven't found a way of expressing my creativity as well as I'd like. Perhaps I need to change my definition of "creative". Will keep thinking
Squeakmo9

dadsnook2000 said:

Mars in the 12th and Retrograde is a tough one. Mars so often finds this a difficult area of the chart to work from, its energy seems to be more easily frustrated, not effectively applied, or expressed in unusual and not-physical ways. With the retrograde, this might be amplified -- although I can't recall any charts that I've done with this situation.

Click to expand...

Well it seems perfect to me that I reply to you as this being a study which I have been happy to join to make sense out of it all for study purposes. And it so correlates to what I am working on in my chart at this time
It makes me wonder that anything in the 12th House is the last that you seem to be aware of being that the 12th House is the hidden one.

With an opposition to Mercury in the 6th, there would seem to be a link to the development of skills -- not in the usuall "do I beat his head in or do I just talk louder at him" considertion, but something else. Symbols tend to express themselves in many ways and in unusual ways. May I inquire (and you can ignore this if it is too personal to share) if there was a conflict between the use of motor skills and speech when you were younger? Or perhaps an emphasis on phystical abilities or challenges versus speech, communication, perception issues in which one was emphasized and the other ignored as part of the developmental process?

Click to expand...

Good call Dave, and not too personal to talk about. If it was I would have never joined in!! For myself, communication was easy as child due to being in situations that were comfortable and harmonious for me. It seems to only have manifested difficulty around 12 and really in my 20's. For me to now have it conjunct North Node makes sense to me why I have this urge to teach groups and part of the reason why it is so difficult for me to do this. In simple terms: I dread it. But this also has to do other chart aspects also.

If you would like to ask anymore questions, please feel free.
It has only been of recent (the past fortnight) that I have read about how difficult this Mars aspect is. And Aquarious is Rx.
An astrologer put it so elquolently:

"I won't tell you what to do, because you don't like that, do you darling?!"

One would expect that Mars opp. Mercury would bring mental acuity, restlessness, arguing, curiousity. With the retrograde there is a possibility that you might be, or were when younger, timid about your views -- resulting in frustration about holding back, perhaps even stuttering. There are so many possibilities in this seemingly simple but actually complex pattern. I can see why it took some time to getting around to figure this little puzzle out.

Click to expand...

I think what I said earlier explains or helps to tell you about what you have stated here.

I think I will get back to you as I await a response on what I have said and if it:

1. Needs any clarification
2. I need to elaborate

I also need to say that I am not shy about talking about my apparently difficult aspect!

Edited to add: I just re-read and said difficulties age 12 and we are talking about he 12th house. Coincidence or synchronicity?