posted February 25, 2006 11:25 AM            

This article is an excerpt from the publication "Reclaiming the Warrior" by Linda Reid

THE MARS RETURN

The Mars return chart indicates where and how we are energised; where the ACTION is for the following two years and so can be used in a predictive manner but more importantly it also indicates where the psychological drive and ego urges we associate with Mars can be best applied. In other words what personal passion is motivating us and can be used in making decisions that satisfy our need for activity. Drive and initiative comes from within - but if suppressed, it becomes internalised, withheld from the conscious/ ego/ yang world in which we live. Then it can manifest outwardly as frustration, irritation, discontent, anger, and lack of energy, fatigue or plain boredom. We all have a need to be active, to pursue goals, take initiatives in different areas of our lives and Mars features as part of the decision making process as to how we are to activate and use the fuel that comes from the Mars part of us.

The Mars return chart is used as a TOOL to help in the process of making decisions - to determine whether decisions made on urges for action are likely to be valid ones and to establish the best possible use of the motivating force. Knowing where our energy might be best applied allows us to make informed decisions, act on them and adjust and modify our expectations through understanding the clues given in the chart.

Mars is inseminating ENERGY - it is about initiative, performance, will power, and personal self-expression. Because it is proactive and dynamic the Return chart indicates how and where we can use the impetus that drives us into active participation in life. It will also indicate where we might make foolhardy decision and come unstuck because parallel with positive Mars is the urge to take risks, express aggression rather than assertion and act in an egotistical and careless way simply to discharge the build up of force. When Mars returns to its birth position, it is a bit like a refuelling stop - we get an infusion of high-octane energy and need to use it fruitfully to gain the best out of it. Nevertheless, we often do not use it fruitfully but squander it in ill-advised ventures that leave us exhausted and unrewarded.

The chart is also useful to determine whether we need to ' back off ' in certain respects. Where anger, frustration might lie, and might emerge and the chart will tell us how to handle it by recognising symptoms by the aspects Mars makes to other planets. Mars is often the trigger for other transits.

Psychologically Mars is assertiveness and the capacity for self-determination that instinctively prompts survival. It allows us to express our desire natures - desires come in many forms not just sexual. Desire is longing, aspiring, yearning and hoping. We may desire to reach the top in a profession or desire to serve humanity. Mars gives us the energy to achieve those goals and fulfil those ambitions. Mars always acts as the catalyst for other archetypal energies. Without it, life is meaningless, moribund and static. It urges us to strive for outward experience and conscious rewarding activity. It also describes the way in which we apply effort and it is by the effort that we put in, using Mars that we can achieve those conscious and unconscious goals. It is our own psychic TOOL. It allows us to be assertive without aggression, be forthright without being offensive and relate to others by being able to express our point of view without clouding the right of another to express theirs.

Avoiding using the 'burning desire' to achieve will frustrate Mars and make it manifest in negative ways. If we are using the drive in the right way, in the right context, then we simply will not have time to get frustrated because we will be achieving of desires. When we are frustrated in life we become angry with ourselves because some part of our desire, some part of our drive, some part of our consciousness and life experience is unfulfilled. In other words, we get a build up of heat and energy and have no useful way to express it. Mars does not make value judgements - it simply is. Mars is just as happy working for good as evil! It does not discriminate - it acts. By making informed choices, taking right directions, we are less likely to feel frustration and this is where the Mars return chart is so useful. It allows us to make informed choices. I believe the natal chart gives us a framework in which to experience life but embedded in that are all the planets that give us control over our own ships.

Planets are drives on one level but are tools on the other - we just have to know how to use them. I believe in a practical approach to astrology and tools come in a wide variety - shovels and picks for planting, scalpels for healing, swords for achieving justice. If we are able to recognise and embrace the negative side of Mars then we should have no problem embracing its positive side! We can admit that we have the capacity to make wrong choices and often castigate ourselves for doing so. We need to be able to reward and applaud ourselves too. We can use the Mars principles of clarity to clean up the results of wrong choices and avoid making them again by understanding that ego energy will not go away just because we think it is 'not nice' to assert ourselves.

Mars empowers us to openly express identity - our Sun selves. The primary creative urge of the Sun to express identity or self in the word can only occur with the collusion of Mars. Until Mars is properly activated, the Solar self is only in the potential. Mars is a primeval urge to get into the mainstream of life and make something of it. To experience and *thrive* in a bright conscious life, to journey on, fighting demons, overcoming defeat to reach goals that at different times in life will vary.

THE MARS CYCLE

The sidereal Mars cycle means that Mars returns to its natal position every 23˝ months. Every now and then, you might get a short return. This is because there has been no retrograde phase during the time from one return to the next. Sometimes the time is extended because the return might have occurred close to a retrograde phase and will complete that phase before moving direct. However, as a rule of thumb 23˝ months is the time for a return.

At some point in the return period, Mars will turn retrograde. This occurs when it is heading for opposition with the Sun, and can be trine, quincunx in opposition but never square or conjunct. Symbolically ego challenges occur and the retrograde nature of Mars at this time tends more towards the unconscious, instinctive expression. We need to look at the conscious or unconscious decisions we made around the time of the return to understand what we might deal with during a Retrograde Mars. It is important when you are working with Mars's return to always check this out.

Whatever decisions are made, whatever action is initiated during the Mars return is at risk during the Rx phase. This is the time of greatest peril and treachery as the shadow side of Mars can emerge. It can also be a really good time to get a handle on the ego's urge; to become more purposeful; define purpose and become more dynamic. If we have not even started in the race, the irritant qualities of Mars Retrograde might force us to do so and bring those urges or matters that require action to our attention. Even with good decisions, when Mars is Rx we get a period when we might need to review and make adjustments.
http://www.panplanet.com/articles/marsreturn.html

More Return articles: http://www.nrg.com.au/~d-falcon/Returns.htm

posted February 25, 2006 03:58 PM              

just wanted to letcha know that's the way i do my returns at this point -- i go to the ephemeris on astrodienst, and i check for the day that whatever planet is returning to the natal degree.

then i set up a chart for the day, using my location, and i guess at a time, usually use noon. then i fuss with it until i get the degree, minute and second -- that's important! it can be a second off or so. but you should definitely try to get it as close as you can. it takes about 15 minutes or so. totally worth it however, because transits to the house cusps (which will be perfect if you get it to degree, minute, and second) are very important to watch for!

you can also progress the moon in a return chart, just find out the number of months the return period lasts (for a MR it's about 2 years i think, so 24 months), note the speed of the moon in the return (astrodienst offers this info in the PDF file) and just divide the speed by the number of months the return is valid. then progress the moon by that amount each month and see if it makes any contact to angles of the return chart. when it does, a significant event might occur.

i have tons of info on returns, got mary f. shea's book on solars and it is excellent. i will try to check back with this thread on monday to share some of the info i have but dont have time to right now.

hope this helps!