On March 6, Mars enters Aquarius. What does this mean for all of us?

It means that how we generally “attack the problems of life,” or how we “take the initiative” leaves the highly organized and disciplined practical Cardinal Earth of Capricorn and now expresses it through the cooperative vision of managed energy in Aquarius. The transit of Mars in Aquarius will re-activate all Mars/Saturn and Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions at 1 Aquarius, giving new impetus to the 20 year emerging Aquarian era.

Mars in Sagittarius took the remains of the “stripping down and purifying” energy of Scorpio and moved it up and out, freed of obsolete things and considerations. Mars in Capricorn organized the Sag initiatives into practical forms of power which can now be applied to a greater vision of a greater good for a greater number. This renews “visionary organized activity” directly related to the “expansive structures” which began with the Grand Mutation of Jupiter conjunct Saturn at 1 Aquarius in December 2020!

Mars is now at maximum cruising speed around 45 minutes of motion per day. We are in the middle of Mars’ cycle, in between the previous retrograde slowdown between 18-28 Aries from early September to mid-November 2020, and the next one coming between 9-26 Gemini from late October to mid-January 2023. While Mars direct helps us get a lot done, Mars retrograde requires us to slow down and undo, re-do, or re-plan our lives with an eye to making things more efficient during the direct motion periods.

Mars’ Path To Where We Are Now

Its last transit of Aquarius began on March 30, 2020. It immediately made a conjunction with Saturn at 1 Aquarius, thereby jumpstarting the new 20 year Aquarian era launched globally at the Grand Mutation conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn at 1 Aquarius at the December 2020 Solstice. During April and early May 2020, we saw the future, and ways to make a greater contribution to our greater good, as well as ways to cooperate through managing energy and things with an eye to the future.

Mars in Pisces from mid-May through late June 2020 helped us learn to flow, bless, and forgive much. As Pisces is the sign of seclusion, it’s no wonder that fiery and aggressive Mars inflamed many passions of those who were quarantined. The period when Mars squared Uranus in mid-April through the various Mutable squares in June featured the beginning of the anti-mask rebellion (Pisces rules veils) as a widespread policy of mask wearing was mandated.

Then Mars entered Aries at the end of June 2020, where it remained until it finally entered Taurus in early January 2021! Mars in Aries last year was a time of testing and trials, conflicts and turning points, wherever we have late Aries, late Cancer, late Libra, and late Capricorn in our charts. We were all tested to protect what we cared about while maintaining inner equilibrium and a balanced sense of perspective and proportion.

Mars in Aries brought a period of open aggression and conflict between entrenched authority (Capricorn) and a future oriented impulse to move humanity in new directions (Aries). That was a time when planets or angles we have in Aries or Scorpio moved out of a watery expression (Pisces) into a fiery expression (Aries).

We then saw Mars’ entry into Taurus in early January 2021, moving the natural fire of Mars in Aries into one of the signs of its “exile,” meaning it’s in a sign opposite one it rules. When it entered Taurus, it immediately made major squares to Jupiter and Saturn, and received squares from the Sun, Mercury, and Venus! These tested us to stay focused, see what we want and why we want it, and be more heartfelt in our lives.

Mars moved into Gemini in early March 2021, where its Aries side found productivity, and its Scorpio side found regeneration. March and April were about discovering and externalizing information which naturally led to the shifts in allegiance and direction while Mars was Cancer, as well as the need to integrate these new directives in our lives to make us more secure.

It then moved through Leo between mid-June and late July 2021. Fiery Leo is another element Mars is familiar with. Mars in Leo offered new initiatives wherever we have Leo in our charts, allowing us to know what our hearts were into. Mars in Leo is a time to show style in whatever we do, as well as playfulness.

As Water (Cancer) and Fire (Leo) are elements integral to Mars’ nature, Mars is comfortable in those signs, even if it doesn’t grow that much in Cancer. Mars does very well in the Fixed Fire of Leo, as the Aries part of Mars is Fiery, and the Scorpio part of Mars is Fixed. Mars in Virgo was also favorable, since the Earthy Virgo is related to its exaltation Earth sign of Capricorn.

This past Autumn we finished another transit through idealistic Cardinal Air sign of Libra which shifted the element quality of the ruler of the houses and planets we have in Aries and Scorpio from Virgo Earth to Libra Air. After that period of it not “being at home,” it then moved from the idealistic Air of Libra to its natural Water element in Scorpio. This affected planets and houses where we have Aries and Scorpio, shifting the emphasis from Air to Water.

Mars was in Sag from mid-December through late January, and was in Capricorn from then to the present time. We now begin a new experience of Mars in Capricorn, the sign of its exaltation. So whatever we have in Aries or Scorpio now moves from the Earth of Capricorn to the Air of Aquarius. This also impacts the houses where we have Aries and Scorpio, and puts a huge focus of activity in the house where we have the first 10 degrees of Aquarius between now and March 19. From March 19-31 the focus of activity will be in the house where we have the second 10 degrees of Aquarius, with the focus on the last 10 degrees of Aquarius between April 1-15.

The Mars Challenge For All Signs

When Mars was in Aries, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aries, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Capricorn. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Libra, and fulfillment to those with Sun or Ascendant in Cancer. (This last happened between July 2020 and January 2021.)

While Mars was in Taurus, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Taurus, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aquarius. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Leo. (This last happened January and February 2021.)

While Mars was in Gemini, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Gemini, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Pisces. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Sagittarius, and fulfillment to those with Sun or Ascendant in Virgo. (This happened between early March and late April 2021.)

While Mars was in Cancer, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Cancer, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aries. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Capricorn, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Libra. (This cycle was re-set between late April and mid-June 2021.)

While Mars is in Leo, it brings new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Leo, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Taurus. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aquarius, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio. (This cycle was re-set between mid-June and late July.)

While Mars is in Virgo, it brings new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Virgo, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Gemini. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Pisces, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Sagittarius. This cycle was re-set between late July and mid-September 2021.)

While Mars is in Libra, it brings new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Libra, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Cancer. It put the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aries, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Capricorn. (This cycle was re-set between mid-September and late October.)

While Mars is in Scorpio, it brings new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Leo. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Taurus, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aquarius. (This cycle was re-set from November through mid-December 2021.)

While Mars was in Sagittarius, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Sagittarius, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Virgo. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Gemini, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Pisces. (This cycle was re-set from December through late January.)

While Mars was in Capricorn, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Capricorn, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Libra. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Cancer, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aries.

While Mars is in Aquarius, it will bring new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aquarius, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Leo, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Taurus.

Obviously within these transit spans there are other “phase relationships” between transiting Mars and all the planets in our charts, but to go into all of them would make this article a book. For example, Mars makes aspects to your other planets which are different than aspects to your Sun and Ascendant. All aspects, waxing and waning, fall within “The Whole Cycle” of each planet to every other planets and our Ascendant. You can find out more about the Whole Cycle in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend. where I explain the various phases in the planetary cycles in terms of the Whole Cycle for various generations.

Mars Set the Pattern of the New Age in 2020

Mars conjunction with Saturn at 1 Aquarius in March 2020 launched a totally future oriented period of human existence which began to take shape in a new 20 year Aquarian Era with Jupiter’s conjunction with Saturn on that same degree in December 2020. And here it’s important to note that this is the last transit of Saturn through Aquarius before we “slip across the edge of the Age” after 2050.

I explained how various Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto transits over the past 3 centuries each strengthened the advent of the Age of Aquarius in the article Uranus Awakened the Age of Aquarius, Neptune Dreamed It Into Collective Consciousness, and Pluto Will Sprout It Into Life, as well as why we are not yet fully into the Age of Aquarius yet, but will be in the third quarter of this century. Of course, living on the cusp of a Great Age means we will be dealing with the dying echoes of the Age of Pisces for some time to come, since many who were born under those dying assumptions will try to perpetuate them as long as they can.

Just remember that the Capricorn cycles set into motion by Mars in March 2020 will have far reaching implications, some of which won’t be completed until 2053! We won’t have another Saturn conjunct Pluto for over 30 years, nor another Jupiter conjunct Pluto for 11 years. These Capricorn cycles will play out until the next transit of the outer planets over the conjunction points as a finish to what just began, and as prelude to the next cycles beginning then. (There will be an exact Sun conjunct Jupiter as both conjunct Pluto in Feb 2033 at the Angel Point at 15 Aquarius. That promises to be a much happier cycle than the current one!)

Aspects in Play

We’re now going to experience a renewed Aquarian experience in the house(s) where we have that sign in our charts. Mars enters Aquarius conjunct Venus, semisquare the Sun and Jupiter, and novile Neptune. Mars then noviles Jupiter by mind-March, and squares Uranus around the Equinox. It ends the month with a septile from the Sun and Mercury, marking a fork in the road wherever this falls in our map

April brings Mercury sextile Mars, Mars conjunct Saturn and Mars binovile Uranus in the first week, and Mercury quintile Mars (which has already entered Pisces) by the third week. All in all, an important time , especially in mid-April when Mars transits the Transfiguration Zone of the last two degrees of Aquarius, again facilitating our “graduation into a new realm of being.)

What Do Mars Oppositions Teach Us?

At this point in time, Mars makes oppositions to the outer planets when transiting Cancer, Leo, Virgo, and Scorpio. It last made oppositions between June and November 2021, and now has re-entered its time in the outer planet occupied zone between Capricorn and Taurus. This ends the old cycles and begins new ones.

This year, because Mars goes RX in Gemini toward the end of the year, we won’t have another Mars opposition until November and December when Mercury, Venus, and the Sun oppose Mars. It won’t oppose an outer planet until May 2023. Different Mars oppositions require different skills, since the “Tension of Opposites” between the planetary expressions in the signs they’re in entirely determines the spiritual tests to learn and demonstrate.

As I noted in Chapter 2 in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend,

Mars' duality is Grace/Sin. This is the aspect of consciousness that shows whether our responses are manifesting error or truth, maladjustment or beauty. By our Martian function we force things before their time or confront abrasive, aggressive, or hostile energies in ourselves and others, and thus we learn how to sever what must be severed, and further what must be furthered, quickly and directly. (As an aside, the original meaning of “sin” had nothing to do with moral failure. It was an archery term meaning “to miss the mark,” or not hitting the center of a target. I use it here in that sense.)

So from June through November 2021, we all went through “tests of skill” in expressing the realizations which surface at Mars oppositions. June gave realizations about Pluto. July gave us realizations about Saturn and Jupiter. September and November gave us realizations about Neptune and Uranus.

Into The Future

During this time of Mars in Aquarius, be open to seeing the bigger picture of a greater “civilizing” energy in motions. This can help you renew your Aquarian dedication, discipline, and vision opened since December 2020, and will help us focus on a fixed larger vision of a greater good, a greater contribution, and a greater way to manage collective energies synergistically so that all parts cooperate together for a greater achievement than any could have done separately.

In the past 7 weeks we’ve learned to accept and/or execute our “disciplines of Self-realization,” organizing our energies so we can excel over the long haul. Mars in Capricorn is the chessmaster, who calculates every move with an eye to 8 moves out, and where there is no wasted time, energy, or money. Now Mars initiates Aquarian energy. Mars in that sign can seem to be cold and efficient, but it’s also humanitarian and understands the principles of synergy, knowing that the Whole is always greater than the sum of the parts.

What We Experience When Mars is in Each Sign

Mars in Aries teaches us how to act on our own initiative, not defer so much to others, and “working half-heartedly is not the way to accomplish much.” Mars in Taurus teaches us to “take pleasure in our work” as we learned to keep it simple and steady despite crosswinds, and Mars in Gemini teaches us adaptability because “there are many ways to get things done.” Mars in Cancer teaches us to “be watchful as we work,” acting with sensitivity, care, and caution.

Mars in Leo teaches us to “work with flair and style,” putting on the show as we accomplish things in inspired ways. This is a time to show our power and style when opportunities present themselves, and see how our command of energy can be expressed in creative ways.

Mars in Virgo taught us “All play and no work make for an ungrounded life.” Mars in Libra taught us “All work with no socializing makes for an unsustainable life.” Mars in Scorpio taught us “doing the wrong thing in the wrong way with the wrong people will never make us happy, so do the right thing and be happy!” Mars in Sagittarius taught us how to be a “stylish and bold Archer riding our Sacred Arrows to our dream,” as well as “scattered effort leaves us frustrated.”

Mars in Capricorn teaches us “Work for the now, work for the future, work for all time.” Mars in Aquarius teaches us “As you strive for greater things, you make manifest a future ideal which will outlive you.” Mars in Pisces teaches us “to witness our common humanity as we struggle for clarity in a murky collective environment.”

We got a sense of the promise of things to come when Mars transited Sagittarius, got a new look at what we are to do and how we are to do it during Mar in Capricorn, and now Mars in Aquarius will lead to a renewal of multiple long wave Aquarian cycles.

Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with written permission from Robert Wilkinson. Copying this article to other blogs is strictly prohibited. It is copyright protected. 

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