Mars, Finally in Scorpio, and Mighty Once Again!

7.26.14


At long last, Mars is really on the move… and as the planet of physical initiative and forward propulsion, he's pretty damn glad to be moving on after nearly eight months in the same sign!

It's only been a few days, actually, since Mars took his first new post-retrograde-shadow steps, a significant part of why we're currently in the midst of the biggest energetic shift of the year.

And now, as of yesterday (Fri Jul 25), Mars has completed his longtime occupation of Libra and heads happily into Scorpio, where he will remain for the next seven weeks (through Sep 13). I say 'happily' because not only was Mars particularly uncomfortable during his stay in Libra, a sign where he's in detriment (and thus functions with a somewhat out-of-sorts flavor), but also because Scorpio is one of the signs Mars rules (the other being Aries). At home in Scorpio, he'll be more in sync with his natural qualities.

Mars, our driving weapon of self-assertion, is far from coy or deferent when in Scorpio. Mars in Scorpio will go all the way with fulfilling his desires, even if others are hesitant to 'go there' with him or grow uncomfortable or anguished in the process. Though he's not necessarily cruel or domineering in his actions (but, admittedly, can be), he doesn't shy away from conflict or controversy on his road to satisfaction. Mars in Scorpio knows we often can't get to the point of true desire-fulfillment without causing some upset in the process. Hell, the 'upset' often represents the pivotal moment of catharsis in our efforts to triumph.

In refusing to accept one simple 'no' as a reason to back down, Mars in Scorpio sniffs out the sacred-cows and drives them from their hiding-places within our psyches… helping us clean out the deadwood, in a sometimes-painful purge, so we might use the cleared-out territory to its fuller potential.

Mars does not typically discharge his immense strength in some dazzling show of firepower when in Scorpio, however. That's more the tone of a fiery Mars. Scorpio is a water sign, we mustn't forget. Mars-in-Scorpio's is an emotional power… an intuitive capacity to pick up on that which lurks beneath the surface, what isn't being said or fully acknowledged, those psychological hindrances and hesitations which keep us frozen in fear or self-protection. Mars in Scorpio pierces through the surface-tension of safe politeness, probing deeper, pushing farther in, aiming for the less-dignified and more down-and-dirty level of reality where nothing is off-limits. He's so effective in asserting his will because of this thoroughness; no stone left unturned.

During all those months of Mars being in detriment in Libra, retrograde for 2½ months, and in constant style-cramping discourse with Uranus, Pluto, and Jupiter, our ability to confidently progress was frustrated (to say the least). Extenuating circumstances demanded a less-direct approach, coupled with sporadic fits of starting and stopping and starting again, all while navigating the minefield of everything else which would be affected by us trying to take even a single critical step. (No wonder so many of us are so wearied from the efforts.)

Mars's arrival in Scorpio, then, is a welcome relief: He's ready to help us decisively resolve any unfinished acts-of-will still not yet clear or complete (to finally get the job done right!)… as well as to keep us pushing ahead to the next logical step or two, while our momentum's flowing and the iron's hot, in order to resolutely establish how we are continuing down this path, fuck anyone who tries to stop us.

Yes, Mars in Scorpio will get the job done all right… by instinctively leading us straight to the flashing red button that, once pressed, triggers the cathartic release and reshapes our reality in powerful ways. But because of the depth at which such a release occurs, and the thoroughness with which it reshapes reality, Mars-in-Scorpio's assertive acts are essentially irreversible. Our stands are almost impossible to retreat from, our shots enduring and unforgettable. Under such an influence, there's basically no going back. This is a godsend for those of us angling to leave the past behind, to make our lasting mark, and/or to intensify our means of relating. It's less supportive to those who recklessly throw around their assertive energies, unaware of the deep lasting impact their foolhardy pissing-matches might inflict on their life-circumstances.

Mars also represents the manner in which we fight our battles, and in Scorpio, he fights to win (or at least surreptitiously control)—by all means necessary, and no matter the cost. Mars in Scorpio knows just where to hit 'em so it really hurts, maximizing the brunt of the punch by aiming it at a foe's most psychologically sensitive spot. Watch out if that scorpion-stinger's coming at you! Mega-ouch!

As wielders of Mars-in-Scorpio's deadly spikes, then, we must stay exceedingly conscious of just how powerful our barbs, blows, and beatings indeed are. How 'innocent' a spanking is it, really, if it leaves big red welts or breaks the skin in bloody rips? Just because clawing at their jugular will probably ensure victory, that doesn't mean we ought to go in for the kill… not unless we intend to alter the dynamic with that certain someone forevermore by gambling with their trust, and/or to spend a lot of time cleaning up the carnage afterward.

Alternatively, this same unflinching Mars-in-Scorpio force can increase intimacy and deepen relationships as effectively as it can destroy trust and wound deeply. Conflicts don't have to end in bloodshed, after all. They can also lead to a more profoundly honest peace if, when we do identify another party's 'flashing red button', we press it with patient compassion: Not to establish dominance over, but to lovingly empower. Not in a daring split-second attack, but with diligent willingness to continue the sensitive exchange as long as it takes to regain emotional solidarity. Not to prove one's self, but simply to present that self in its fullness, to determine whether there's sincere ground for connection or to earnestly accept the irresolvable lack-of-alignment. Mars in Scorpio is as transformational a reality-healer as he is deadly a weapon.

Mars's conflict-stirring potential runs high early in his trip through Scorpio, as he builds toward double-squares with a conjoined Mercury and Jupiter (Aug 1-2), both newly in Leo. Mercury-Mars squares typically bring an irritable, short-tempered edge to our communications (which sometimes we're unaware of) as it is… and adding Jupiter's 'make things bigger' influence to the mix only further increases that potential. Plus, Mercury conjoining Jupiter in Leo amplifies the possibility that our mental perspective on a situation will be excessively one-sided (i.e., self-focused), and/or that our communicative tone will ring melodramatic or self-important. Not surprisingly, Mars in Scorpio doesn't take too kindly to having parts of the story conveniently left out in the telling, while others are exaggerated to make the teller seem more gallant or glorified. The result? We're liable to call each other out on the flattering spins, glaring blind-spots, and whitewashed retellings—and it could get nasty, if we're not careful. Remember: We are all guilty of interpreting situations through a self-serving lens; others' infractions are just more obvious to us than our own.

And just in case we refuse to take Mars-in-Scorpio's impact seriously enough, we'll face a progress-report moment a few weeks now (Aug 25-27), when Mars conjoins Saturn… at the same time as both square off against Venus. We'll talk more about this later. For the time being, suffice it to say, any carelessness in how we brandish our assertive edge now may well come back to haunt us once Saturn, our illustrious 'lord of karma', gets his say. To avoid suffering his worst consequences, we must strive to be wholeheartedly sincere and true—without the needlessly vengeful, malicious, or manipulative flourishes that Mars in Scorpio sometimes inspires.