posted January 01, 2008 01:09 PM            

Don't Let That Retrograde Mars Fool You
12.30.07

As Mars retrograde rages on, we mustn't be surprised to experience major discomfort within these flesh-comprised cartons we call our bodies.

I write this having just awakened from another night of strange, not-exactly-fitful-but-not-exactly-restful sleep, during which my extremities repeatedly go numb, regardless of which position—left side, right side, stomach, back, I try them all—I find myself in.

Sure, maybe it's a simple circulation problem… certainly not unrelated to the fact that I've only been to the gym two or three times total in the past six or eight weeks, leaving my poor metabolism to fester in its natural sluggishness (my natal Mars is in Taurus)… nor to the other fact that I haven't really stopped eating and eating and eating during this same time period. This has been a physical rollercoaster. I do not exaggerate in reporting: Over these past four months, I first lost 20-something pounds and then regained them all.

This is not to say the exact symptoms I've described neatly align with the Mars-retrograde experience. I recall two Mars-retrogrades ago, in 2003, when I couldn't get enough of gym-going. I felt pulsing waves of crude forceful juice coursing through my body, making it hard to even sit still. These were also accompanied by a grumbling tummy. The only similarities between then and now were (1) the actual physical sensations came rather as a surprise and (2) they represented a 'flip of the switch' in how I'd been feeling up until the retrograde took over.

Ordinarily, Mars is all about how we confront the external world… how we mold or press it to our desires, how we individuate by identifying with or against its various elements, and how we fight its irritating obstructions. And as I've said before, the retrograde phase of a planet turns its focus inward. Thus, at its essence, a Mars retrograde can feel like we are fighting against ourselves —or if it's not an all-out fight, it's at least a confrontation or a contending-with.

No wonder it can often feel like a battle is being waged within our skins. The solace? That this is a periodic process, necessary to our continuing individuation and development of healthy self-assertion, of fighting our own internal obstructions. Of course, that we may not understand the terms and tactics of this battle (for Mars is neither thinker nor meaning-maker) only further frustrates us.

There's a certain irony inherent in this particular Mars retrograde, due to oppositions to both Jupiter (Dec 26) and Pluto (Jan 2 08) during its course. Jupiter and Pluto recently conjoined in the late degrees of Sagittarius, ushering in a dramatic start to a forthcoming period of turbulent evolution lasting through the middle of the next decade. Yet, for every life that was turned upside down in these past few weeks (and surely, if by nothing else than statistical likelihood, some indeed were), I'm sure many more continued along some seemingly unaltered trajectory, rattled far more by small odd physical inconveniences (Mars retrograde) than any supposedly life-transforming 'line in the sand' moment (Jupiter/Pluto). We must excuse the skeptics for wondering, Was this all there was? Will life really 'never be the same'?

If the kids are safe and the house is still standing, we might suspect the threatened funnel cloud has bypassed us altogether. The storm must've hit some other town, right? Following upon a Jupiter-Pluto conjunction hyped by this astrologer with a subtitle 'No Going Back from Here' [ http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/015528-3.html ], we may instead have found little to no fanfare at all. No life-altering job offers, health crises, or relationship catastrophes. Not much of anything of any external-life significance, in fact. It's enough to make one stop and think… and maybe that's the point?

I stand by my remarks about the Jupiter-Pluto union, for as these two planetary lords (but especially Pluto) move into Capricorn this month and next, we will begin to witness some major heavy-duty transitions in our lives, amping up by the end of '08 and only getting more intense into '09 and '10. Just because this astro-event may not have shown up in garb that reflects the monumentality of what's going on, that doesn't mean it isn't still happening. There really is no going back from here.

The irony comes in when we totally miss which zone in our astro-charts—and thus in our lives—is due for the total Jupiter/Pluto makeover over the coming year and decade, simply because the immediacy of Mars retrograde's agitations and annoyances are more obvious. But yet, thanks to the Mars-Jupiter and Mars-Pluto oppositions, these are actually two sides of the same coin.

When planets oppose one another in a chart, they face off from opposing houses… and opposing houses always frame two complementary areas of life-experience that beg for integration and balance. So while we may become, for instance, overly irked by the day-to-day turmoil in our relationship life (e.g., Mars retrograde in one's natal 7th house), the larger overarching lesson is about coming to our own personal power as an individual (Jupiter/Pluto in the 1st). Though we may confront emotional disquiet at home, as we contend with our own variable need for self-nurturance and inner peace (Mars retrograde in the 4th), we may be fumbling with this private challenge ultimately so we'll have a securer foundation upon which to build our next great professional success (Jupiter/Pluto in the 10th).

And should we find ourselves at major odds with another person, we better face the root of whatever excess or extreme we cannot stand in them… for that is the quality we're being called on to reconcile in ourselves.

posted January 01, 2008 01:29 PM            

This is tough for me to interpret,
with Mars in my 6th, Jupiter/Pluto in my 12th.

Any insights welcome.

posted January 01, 2008 03:42 PM            

Great info, as always.

HSC...maybe some spiritual transformation within the day to day, where you least expect it.

posted January 01, 2008 04:00 PM            

Me too with the weird symptoms...I do at least feel better knowing their astrologically based and will pass. My arms and legs (and hands and feet) have been falling asleep constantly. I even wondered if it was something to do with a transit. Glad to know it's not just me.

Hang in there, Girl!

Thanks again for the info, Z.

posted January 01, 2008 04:32 PM            

You have just described the last few weeks. Hectic, to say the least!

I have:

tMars(r) in 9th house, conjunct my NN and losely conjunct my MC and Moon (Cancer). And tJupiter/tPluto in my 3rd house (Capricorn)... amongst other things...

Hmmm... I think that the law must allow transits to be used as evidence in court because... LOL... well, because I have seen myself strangling a few people... in my mind's eye and it felt good, and that just wasn't me. LOL...

Yesterday I was imagining myself as the Grim Reaper, after someone "disrespected me" but instead of a scythe I had a samurai sword.

I laugh because I seem to have lost my mind! I don't remember ever being like this. I also laugh because this entire period is too bizarre to cry about. This whole thing seems like a big prank, and I'm being punk'd.

posted January 01, 2008 04:43 PM            

Retrograde Mars in my 7th house made whole mess in my effort to have peace with my Ex.
We had a war last 2 months and now we can't talk at all. Well, I tried to make a peace before entering 2008, but she won't.
Tragic for human beings...

Well, I think it story over, but some catches my eyes...21th January.
My natal Mars is in Sagg 25:15, at that day Venus will be there and oppose tr. Mars + Jupiter making 2 sextiles (Uranus and Moon)and 2 squares (MC/IC) at 9:00 deegree Cap.
1 week later Solar ecplise +2 deegree from my Natal Venus.
SHould I prepare for "attack" on me or more romantic situations?

posted January 01, 2008 04:48 PM            

OMG...Last night I found a weird lump on my neck too. It's so tiny and obscure I can't believe I found it in the first place!

I'll wait til the transit passes to see if any of these things go away first!

This is too weird!

posted January 01, 2008 08:20 PM            

quote:

---

Yesterday I was imagining myself as the Grim Reaper,
after someone "disrespected me"
but instead of a scythe I had a samurai sword.

---

posted January 01, 2008 08:22 PM            

quote:

---

HSC...maybe some spiritual transformation within the day to day, where you least expect it.

---

Cool... I think.

I'm sure my Virgo NNode will love that.

posted January 03, 2008 12:49 AM              

I ask because I saw a doctor about the lump in my neck today and he said I have to wait for at least a few weeks to see if it goes away or not. I'm not exactly happy about that, because I wanted an answer before I go on holiday to Australia. He said it seems to be a swollen gland, but he can find no obvious reason for it (ie no infection that he can see).

posted January 03, 2008 04:08 AM            

quote:

---

To give a person one's opinion and correct his faults is an important thing. It is compassionate and comes first in matters of service. But the way of doing this is extremely difficult.

To discover the good and bad points of a person is an easy thing, and to give an opinion concerning them is easy, too. For the most part, people think that they are being kind by saying the things that others find distasteful or difficult to say. But if it is not received well, they think that there is nothing more to be done. This is completely worthless. It is the same as brining shame to a person by slandering him. It is nothing more than getting it off one's chest.

To give a person an opinion one must first judge well whether that person is of the disposition to receive it or not. One must become close with him and make sure that he continually trusts one's word. Approaching subjects that are dear to him, seek the best way to speak and to be well understood. Judge the occasion, and determine whether it is better by letter or at the time of leave-taking.

Praise his good points and use every device to encourage him, perhaps by talking about one's own faults without touching on his, but so that they will occur to him. Have him receive this in the way that a man would drink water when his throat is dry, and it will be an opinion that will correct faults.

This is extremely difficult. If a person s fault is a habit of some years prior, by and large it won't be remedied. I have had this experience myself. To be intimate with alt one's comrades, correcting each other's faults, and being of one mind to be of use to the master is the great compassion of a retainer. By bringing shame to a person, how could one expect to make him a better man?

---

posted January 03, 2008 06:56 AM            

quote:

---

it won't pass back over the point it originally started retrograding at until 4/6/08.

---

posted January 03, 2008 09:15 AM            

"Post-Retrograde Shadow: This is the third and final pass, when the planet is going forwards again after the direct station. During this phase you apply what you've learned during the retrograde period. In your exploration of new approaches to your issues and goals, it helps to reflect on what worked well and what didn't.

What do you know now that you didn't know before? How has this knowledge changed your perception of how to proceed? How can you change your direction (or your attitude) to take this new information into account? Or do you even need to change direction at all? Maybe you can resume the same course but with new knowledge and perceptions.

If you've been struggling with "inner demons" (uncomfortable feelings, impulses, fears, etc.), this phase is a good time to try out new ways to deal with them and express them. You often have opportunities to try out a new strategy to deal with the situations that trigger those feelings in you.

Sometimes those opportunities can seem more like you're "back at square one" and you're getting nowhere. But that doesn't mean you're backsliding or that you've failed! It IS a chance to try responding differently this time, based on what you've learned during the retrograde cycle.

You might still fall into the same "hole in the sidewalk," but you will have taken another step toward finding a way to avoid it. And you might actually change the outcome, or perhaps change your position within the situation.

posted January 07, 2008 06:10 AM              

Blech. April can't get here fast enough.

posted January 07, 2008 06:12 AM            

GL...mine is gone! Weird. Hope yours disappears soon too. When are you going to Australia?

The only power that anyone has to give you some kind of curse is what power you give them in your own mind...