What happens when our planet named after the God of War goes Direct? Only one thing is sure. It won’t be boring.

Mars entered relationship focused Libra for an extra long transit on December 7th 2013 where it will continue to transit until July 25th 2014. It has been in Retrograde in motion since March 1st 2014 and will go Direct this month of May on the 19th, just four days after the Full Moon in Scorpio. At its stationing Retrograde early March it was conjunct the North Node in Libra and fixed Epsilon star Izar, in a tense square with Venus in Capricorn. Izar is noted for its motivational qualities, particularly relative to work and contributions to society. With this combined influence many people were not only fussing and fidgeting within their close relationships but figuring out what was working and what wasn’t regarding livelihood, career, community and how their life purpose fit within the framework of these things. It may have seemed like everything was going wrong, and just needed a change of direction.

On the 19th Mars will go Direct on the fixed star Vindemiatrix, also known as the Gatherer of Grapes. This star has been known to host a malevolent or serious influence, bringing worry, despair and widowhood…how’s that for depressing? More plausible or at least a nice counter-balance to that possibility in my opinion is what Bernadette Brady has described as this star’s prominence being an indication of harvest and gathering. What we are harvesting and gathering depends on our previous actions and what is available to harvest, and with Mars here what is quite likely is that there will be some incredible force to the effects. There is also a deep, even if buried knowing in this position, whether due to grief of loss or to the gathering process that time and space are but illusions that we are currently entertaining. We seem to be living externally most of the time, but the more we advance, our focus goes inward where outer manifestations begin.

Some people believe that Mars being Retrograde subdues its energy, but this is not exactly so. Due to being rerouted, the energy it generates does play out differently than when Direct, and it can actually exacerbate any existing anger, bringing up a plethora of unresolved issues that relate to the planet and sign it occupies. In Libra, there has been a heightening of relational, marital, business and legal issues. Since Mars is a planet representing initiation, action, and passion, trying to initiate new projects during its Retrograde phases is generally not conducive because obstacles are all too common with this influence. It can be fine to work on existing projects, but patience will be required in the process, as there will be a lot of review happening. Toward the beginning of this phase there was a surge of energy that could be described as implosive; that is volatile emotion, rage, passion and aggression seeming go down and collapse or combust within the collective self, sort of forcing it down. For example, anger could have been intensely felt but for whatever reason people may have been forced to swallow it, along with their pride. As it gets toward the end of Retrogradation this next couple of weeks the Martian energy is becoming explosive, rising up and moving outward in expression.

I must emphasize that none of these energies being described are bad or negative – unless they are. This means that what comes up for each individual is based mostly on their own level of awareness and development, and self awareness is a critical part of what Mars can potentially bring to us if we do not fear the “monsters under the bed”. In bravely facing our problems with responsibility rather than blame, we come to truly make some of the best use of what Mars reflects and means to us, as individuals gradually affecting mass consciousness. We’re not only looking at problems and flaws rearing their ugly heads but what really gets us going, makes us tick, and fuels our souls. So, depending on our inclinations the intensity of our focus with Mars could either be very physical, spiritually elevated, or somewhere in between.

Themes that arise at this can may seem similar to those of a Mercury Retrograde period, in that automobiles and other mechanical objects break down or crash more easily. The issues at hand are less about communication and more about the energy, intention, drive, and passion behind it. When it comes to moods and bodily functions, rather than nerve impulses losing or confusing signals (such as occurs with Mercury Retrograde), in some cases people plainly seem to be losing control of their emotions and especially tempers at the worst of times. Rather than giving much attention to the full scope of their mental abilities, Mars seems to trigger peoples motives, base desires and aggressions on an egoic level. Recklessness should be avoided, and all extremes of mannerisms and reactions to stress we would do well to examine with less egotistical attachments a genuine sense of self appraisal, for best results.

Another theme relative to Mars is sexuality, typically in its raw, animalistic modes of existence. It’s not about the candles, roses, and incense right now but how pheromones, contours, and certain types of interaction and affection stimulate people on sexual levels, regardless of gender. This is ironic and itchy business for Libra, the sign in love with love itself, often craving romance more intensely than the physical union it may bring. However here is where Mars is making both its fears and desires so powerfully felt , and for all this area has been involved in the recent Grand Squares particularly during April of this year. We must honestly look at what drives us and how we drive others, what pushes our buttons and how we push others’, what gets us going and how we get others going, what turns us on or off – as honesty and integrity are essential to the Scales of Justice. Measure for measure, we reap what we sow.

As we exit the shadow phase of Mars stationing back into Direct motion we will enter Mercury’s pre-shadow, to turn Retrograde on June 7th. The intensity of issues and struggles will have lifted considerably by that time but July, August and September are some of the most progressive months of the year 2014 that will allow for moving forward after so much redoing, releasing, and reviewing. As of now, it would behoove us to choose our battles wisely (most current battles are bound for losing on both sides), avoid rash decisions, make amends when appropriate, pay existing dues if possible, and know when it is time to let go and move on.