The basics: A retrograde occurs when a planet appears to be moving backward from our view here on Earth. It isn’t actually moving backward, it just appears that way because of the way the planets move in relation to one another. Mars retrograde once every 2 years or so for about 2 ½ months at a time. The last Mars retrograde we had was in early 2014. And so Mars madness begins!!! And Mars madness, unlike Mercury madness (aka Mercury retrograde) has the capability to *really* make us mad. Scalding hot, fiery balls of flames, rip the world to shreds MAD! Mars rules assertiveness, on the positive side, which on the negative side means aggression, and we tend to get a LOT of that during Mars retrograde. Everyone is on edge and ready to snap if you just look at them funny. Or just look at them period. Or just exist. We usually see an increase in violence when Mars is retrograde, and we all need to work on getting a grip on our anger. The more locked up anger, rage, hatred, hostility, and frustrations you have, the more likely you are to snap during Mars retrograde. The solution? Don’t bottle things up! That’s rarely a good thing, and Mars retrograde serves to uncork us when we’ve refused to uncork ourselves. (an aside, when you see or hear the word “cork”, how many of you think of that SNL skit with Janet Jackson from back in the day?) Anywho, Mars retrograde begins on April 17th at 8:14AM ET in Sagittarius, so Sagittarius-related stuff gets the brunt of the madness at the start of the retrograde. Sagittarius is a travel sign, so we can see more accidents, especially involving planes (Sagittarius rules air travel). We can also see things disrupting travel (like weather events), or some sort of scandal involving the travel industry. Sagittarius is one of the communication signs, so we can have a harder time with communication, especially when it comes to big ideas, big promises, big talk. Talking the talk, but not walking the walk? That seems quite big right now, especially in the U.S. (not naming names, just pointing fingers, since you can’t see my fingers). Sagittarius is a fire sign, which ain’t so good with Mars, the fiery planet, so we’re extra fiery. Sagittarius tries to look at the bright side, but we may be unrealistic about it, and when things don’t turn out roses, we can lose it in a big way. We may find that we’re constantly at odds over our beliefs as well, since Sagittarius is a ruler of beliefs (Taurus rules our values, Pisces rules our spiritual beliefs, Sagittarius rules religious beliefs). Soo this probably won’t be so great of a time for terrorism. Though since the world has stunk bad at fighting terrorism, maybe that’ll reverse and it’ll go better? Let’s do that Sagittarius looking-at-the-bright-side thing! Honesty is ruled by Sagittarius, and while it’s usually the best policy, it may cause a lot of fighting during Mars retrograde. Conversely, we can finally see the truth revealed while Mars is retrograde in Sagittarius with some things we’ve felt we haven’t been told the truth about. But will we be happy with the truth when it’s out? And Sagittarius rules the law, so we can also see some big legal developments at this time. I’ve been worried about the Supreme Court getting by missing one justice, and I wonder how this retrograde may impact the nominee, Merrick Garland (who officially has one of my new favorite names, it sounds like he‘s a wizard). It all falls apart, or comes together? Mars in Sagittarius will play right into the mutable t-square we have going on right now with Jupiter in mutable sign Virgo opposite Neptune in mutable sign Pisces and both square (hard aspect, 3 signs away) Saturn in mutable sign Sagittarius. Mars will be joining Saturn in Sagittarius, who is the squared planet and gets all of the energy funneled to it in a t-square. Add in Mars retrograde, and that energy is going to be so riled up! We all need to be more mindful, more careful, more considerate, more measured, more practical. This energy will be strongest at the onset of the retrograde since it begins square Neptune (and we’re extra delusional at the onset too). Mars does not spend his entire retrograde in Sagittarius. On May 27th at 9:51AM ET, Mars will retrograde backward into water sign Scorpio. If you think we’re mad with Mars in Sagittarius, just wait until Mars in Scorpio! Scorpio used to be ruled by Mars before Pluto came along, and is a darker side of Mars. Scorpio rules rage, hatred, jealousy, revenge. Now, we won’t have to deal with Mars heating up the mutable t-square anymore, which is very good, but anger is still a big, big problem. This will likely especially be the case right around when Mars goes into Scorpio since he’ll be anaretic, at the very last degree of Scorpio, which is a highly charged position. Whenever a planet retrogrades over the anaretic degree, bad things tend to happen, so I would watch for a triggered event around then. A couple things Scorpio rules that can be impacted while Mars is retrograde in Scorpio: transformations (includes sex - a sex scandal? - and death - an important person dies? - and pregnancy), other people’s money (taxes, debts, loans, inheritances, joint finances, stocks - perhaps some sort of stock meltdown or financial crisis somewhere) Mars retrograde will end June 29th at 7:38PM in Scorpio. The end may be a bit wonky with Mars quincunx (hard aspect) Uranus in Aries, the sign naturally ruled by Mars. Quincunxes are erratic energy, Uranus is changeable, so it might seem like a lot of stuff is going haywire or is difficult to get a grip on. Mars retrograde starts at 8 degrees Sagittarius, which is close to the 9 degrees Sagittarius Saturn retrograde will end at in August, so if you have anything in your chart getting hit at the start of Mars retrograde, it’ll be hit again in August (and if it’s a mutable sign, it’ll also be hit by the solar eclipse September 1st). Mars retrograde ends at 23 degrees Scorpio, and the April/May Mercury retrograde starts at 23 degrees Taurus, the sign opposite, so these also stimulate the same parts of your chart. A lot of repetition going on! Check the house(s) Mars will retrograde in your chart and any aspects he’ll make so you can understand how the retrograde will impact you. If you have Mars retrograde in your natal or progressed chart, you may be exempt from the worst. This tends to protect you because the energy is more natural to you, and you can feel more comfortable with the retrograde energy, especially if you were born with it. You can still have problems though, because not everyone around you has this, so difficulties can be brought on by others. Suggested Reading: The Mercury, Venus, and Mars retrogrades page for general interpretations With Aries season underway, fresh starts and new growth are big themes. Assertion and willpower, among others, are what we need to kick off a new project, and pursue our ambitions – and they fall under the rulership of Mars, the planet that lords over Aries. Mars is the planet of action; he provides that initial, essential spark which ignites our motivation to do things. All of us have Mars somewhere, but not every one of us is able to channel it with the same efficacy; tense aspects between Mars and other planets tell us about the kind of blocks we might encounter when trying to get in touch with this energy. However, it’s often the social and outer planets on our Mars that create the most trouble, simply because the Ego is not always ready to embrace and integrate transpersonal energies, so we’re more inclined to meet them with resistance. The good news is that you’re not doomed, and that there are ways to work with these aspects in a way that promotes growth and even success! Here are some simple, practical tips on how to transform your Mars aspected by Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, into a force to be reckoned with: Mars/Saturn
Saturn being the cosmic sergeant of our Solar System, this is the ultimate “boot camp” aspect! The ringed planet symbolizes discipline, endurance and self-control – qualities that are unbeknownst to impulsive, headstrong Mars. The Saturnine energy of restraint and control can cause a huge deal of inhibition and fear, which easily turn into frustration when the individual can’t seem to get past the (inner and outer) stumbling blocks this aspect often indicates.
Saturn is the voice of our inner authority, our Super Ego: our actions and urges (Mars) might feel constantly thwarted and even sabotaged by its strict, at times despotic judgments. But Saturn also bestows the gift of standards of excellence achieved through time and constant work: believe it or not, the Warrior and the Sergeant can actually get along once they manage to come up with a joint plan (planning and organizing are both Saturnine specialties – take note). In order to prevent Saturn from thwarting the flow of our life force, we must befriend him: developing patience and persistence, incorporating a sense of structure in our endeavors, taking time to make plans and assuming responsibility for our actions can go a long way toward reconciling us with our own willpower. The support of experienced authorities of any kind can also benefit people with this aspect – learning from those who derived their confidence and expertise from regular effort sustained through time can prompt Mars/Saturn to express the same potential. Look for mentors, teachers, institutions who can help you with your goals and ambitions. Mars/Uranus
. . . And now for something completely different – this could easily be Uranus’ motto. Uranian energy is sizzling, electric and inconstant, and the Mars/Uranus aspect is an especially disruptive, unpredictable match, even more so when the aspect is tense. Erratic drive, pronounced reactivity and a proneness to accidents are some of the obstacles one might face in dealing with such combo, but you can subtract power from the dysfunctional Mars/Uranus expression if you pour it into action geared towards innovation and cultivation of our own independence instead.
Uranus is the rebel who needs a cause – one that should be suited to our character, and grant us as much free-range and personal space as possible. This energy doesn’t respond well to expectations and regimens - hierarchies and normality tend to elicit pointless confrontations and trigger Uranus’ volatile temper. The right dose of Uranian detachment, combined with unwavering focus on our autonomy, on our unique methods, and on our idiosyncratic path is the recipe for success when it comes to Mars/Uranus: instead of getting distracted with useless battles against rules and authorities, we should give ourselves permission to look ahead and do things our way, being as clear and outspoken about our intentions as possible. Mars/Neptune
As strong-willed and forceful as he is, poor Mars can easily find himself helpless in Neptune’s la-la-land. Neptune is the planet of mysticism, inspiration, transcendence and – sometimes – delusion, and those are nebulous concepts for the cosmic warrior . . . unless he becomes a spiritual warrior, of course. The most common word associated with Neptune is ‘sacrifice’, and indeed this aspect might ask us to sacrifice part of our Martian drive for instant gratification and results in favor of a more fluid, flexible MO.
Mars/Neptune works best when action is attuned to inner timing and idealistic purposes; fluctuating energy levels and inconstant motivation can actually help us attain our goals by teaching us how to flow around obstacles. Unlike Saturn, who demands discipline at all costs, with Neptune we’re much better off riding the waves of inspiration without forcing ourselves to be productive at all times. This might mean working in short spurts, one step at a time, preferably toward goals that involve some kind of artistic, transcendental, humanitarian purpose; allowing ourselves to be creative in our approach, and to factor in our intuition and feelings. It goes without saying that I’m not advocating flakiness and denial of responsibility here, but rather a conscious, commonsense approach to adaptability and spiritually motivated action. After all, why wouldn’t a warrior want the Universe on his side? Mars/Pluto
When Mars finds himself locked away into Hades, it’s hard for him to emerge. Pluto lords over the dark underworld of the subconscious, where the most unacknowledged, but also most creative and transformative parts of ourselves dwell, and a tense aspect between Pluto and Mars is frequently the astrological marker of the struggle between embracing and repressing our drive.
While this is definitely a combination that benefits from strategy, patience and tactical thinking, it also requires a great deal of self-honesty about the actual intentions and aims that lurk behind our acts, in order to avoid potential tendencies towards covert action, manipulation or repression that might backfire. There is nothing wrong with probing the depths – in fact, it can be a rich and rewarding experience, proven that we are aware and in control of ourselves, and not simply at the mercy of our own undifferentiated impulses! Developing the courage to check our motivations, re-thinking and re-working our expression of the Mars principle as often as needed, making the most of Pluto’s laser-beam focus and learning how to conserve and sublimate our power (by dropping dead weight when necessary) is sure to provide our inner warrior with enough strength and stamina to successfully conquer the underworld and beyond. Suggested Reading: Hack Your Venus/Neptune: 4 Tricks to Make Dating & Romance Easier About the Guest Author:
When you’re dealing with a lot of people and a lot of personalities, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. You want everyone to be happy, but you’re not sure how to make that happen. Enter the Moon. In astrology, the Moon represents what we need to feel emotionally secure, stable, and content, so if you can target someone’s Moon, you can help them to feel at ease, and your life gets a whole lot easier. Read on to see how you can help put people at ease through their Moon sign and house. How to manage people by their Moon sign:
Aries Moon: Let them lead
An Aries Moon wants to take the lead, so try not to force them to lead you. They’ll get tired of that fast and start to act like children or pick a fight, which is the last thing you want. An Aries Moon can have a bit of an ego, so you want to pay them compliments as well. This Moon sign is less serious and more playful, so keep things light and fun with them. They enjoy competition and sport, but may not be the best losers, so try to let them win. Taurus Moon: Indulge them A Taurus Moon feels better when their senses are engaged, so indulge them with food, drink, sex, whatever it takes to keep them satisfied. A Taurus Moon can respond well to physical touch, so offer them a massage or spa day. This Moon sign also loves to be showered with gifts, so giving them a little something each day can help to calm them. They also don’t care much for drama or emotion, so leave that out. Gemini Moon: Talk to them A Gemini Moon has a lot that they want to say and share, and wants to express themselves openly, so let them. Listen to what they have to say, nod a lot, and respond when appropriate. A Gemini Moon has varied interests, so try not to keep things repetitive or they’ll tune right out. Challenge their mind with something they haven’t heard or seen before, and they’ll remain interested long enough to give you a break. Cancer Moon: Comfort them A Cancer Moon is in touch with their feelings since Cancer is the sign the Moon naturally rules, and they need to feel supported, comforted, and nurtured as a result. Make them feel at home and comfortable. Get them in the kitchen, whether to cook or to eat, whichever they prefer, and be understanding if they get emotional about something. Acknowledge their feelings and let them vent to help them cool down. Leo Moon: Give them attention A Leo Moon loves attention, so give it to them. The more attention they get, the better they feel. They thrive on praise as well, and want you to say nice things about them to their face. A Leo Moon can have a flair for the dramatic when emotional, so try not to object when they do that. Instead, direct their energy to something creative to let it out. They also enjoy letting out their inner child, so give them some toys (even if they’re way past the age!). Virgo Moon: Let them make the schedule A Virgo Moon needs a certain amount of structure and order, routine and organization, so try to let them have a say with (or outright create) the schedule. Let them make lists, get everything organized, and find the perfect place for everything (even if it’s not really the perfect place). A Virgo Moon can suffer from nervous energy at times, so keep them as busy as you can. When they’re focused on something, they can be easy to manage. Libra Moon: Make their decisions A Libra Moon can have difficulty with making decisions, so if that’s the case, make the decisions for them in advance so they don’t have to worry about it. But when you tell them, make sure they know you weighed the pros and cons of your choices, just as they would, so they can understand for themselves. A Libra Moon requires a certain amount of peace, so try to help everyone else get along. Scorpio Moon: Let them obsess A Scorpio Moon needs to have something to obsess over, so give them something. A big project or plan that has to be worked on and needs some research done on would be perfect. The more they can dive in, the better. They also enjoy transforming things, so if there’s anything you’d like revamped, renovated, or restored, give it to them. When all else fails, there is always one thing that always calms a Scorpio Moon: sex! Sagittarius Moon: Give them an adventure A Sagittarius Moon wants to live life to the fullest. They don’t always, sometimes just fantasizing about adventures, but would greatly appreciate if you would give them an actual adventure that they can recount in grand stories for years to come. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, just something they’ve never experienced before and that gets their heart pumping. Be optimistic and not too serious too. Capricorn Moon: Make them the boss A Capricorn Moon feels that they can be in charge better than anyone, and feels good when they are in charge, so let them be (even if it’s only pretend). They like to delegate and act as an authority figure. They don’t want to be bothered with things that don’t really matter, so don’t bore them with things like chores. Stick them around older people or people of status that they respect and they’ll pipe right down. Aquarius Moon: Keep it different An Aquarius Moon doesn’t want things to be the same as everyone else. They enjoy trying out things that are new and different, even weird (maybe they’re weird). Break from tradition and go against the norm with them. An Aquarius Moon can enjoy being in big groups, so surround them with a crowd of folks. This Moon sign also enjoys being charitable, so put them in charge of the charity work. Pisces Moon: Use their imagination A Pisces Moon has an active imagination that can get them lost in another Universe at times, so give them an outlet for it. Pick up their favorite movies, give them a new book, or have them do something creative or artistic. They also respond well to music and water, so play some of their favorite music or have a water feature around to calm them. They can get very emotional quickly, so use kid gloves. How to manage people by their Moon house:
1st House Moon
They want to be able to express their feelings openly, so don’t stand in the way. They have strong emotions and need to be comforted and nurtured. This house position is like an Aries and Cancer Moon combined. Any Moon sign in this house is amplified. 2nd House Moon They want to be shown affection physically and materialistically. They want things to be calm and stable, and don’t want to be rushed into anything. This house position is like a Taurus Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will be more grounded. 3rd House Moon They want to talk things over, communicate openly, and share everything with everyone. Don’t tell them any secrets you want kept! This house position is like a Gemini Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will be more expressive. 4th House Moon They want you to comfort and nurture them. They need to feel at home wherever they are, and feel better around the people they think of as family. This house position is like a Cancer Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will be more emotional. 5th House Moon They want attention, warmth, and to be creative. Let them focus on their hobbies and they’ll be fine. This house position is like a Leo Moon. Any Moon sign in this house is more dramatic and attention-seeking. 6th House Moon They want to work on something, so give them something to work on. They’re excellent with the details, so make it something detailed. This house position is like a Virgo Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will require more structure. 7th House Moon They want to be around someone at all times, and do best with a partner that they trust. Don’t leave them alone too much, and keep the peace. This house position is like a Libra Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will be more focused on others. 8th House Moon They want to have everything serious, and can’t stand anything superficial. Keep it serious and don’t have them deal with anything that has no depth. This house position is like a Scorpio Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will be more serious. 9th House Moon They want to expand their minds and lives in new ways, so give them a new experience. This house position is like a Sagittarius Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will be more gregarious and optimistic. 10th House Moon They want a goal to focus on, so make a goal and let them work on it. They’ll succeed in no time, and expect recognition for doing so. This house position is like a Capricorn Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will be more mature. 11th House Moon They want to be around like-minded people, in a group of interesting people, or doing something different or futuristic. This house position is like an Aquarius Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will be more eccentric. 12th House Moon They want to be left alone with their thoughts, feelings, and fantasies, so give them time to themselves. They’re easily drained, so don’t demand too much of them. This house position is like a Pisces Moon. Any Moon sign in this house will hide their emotions. Suggested Reading: The Natal Moon page for general interpretations General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries April 2016 Monthly Horoscope Venus enters your sign, Aries, on April 5th, and you can be more charming and attractive, and people can seem more drawn to you than usual. You can take more pleasure in getting attention and being in the spotlight. You can be easier to get along with, more pleasant and compromising, and you can try to focus on the good around you and how you can make things better. Which you’ll need this month! General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries: The new moon on the 7th occurs in your sign, and this can be an excellent time to start a new project, venture, or journey that you can work on for the next year or so. Pick something you’re enthusiastic about and can’t wait to begin. Make sure you take advantage of the energy earlier in the month and don’t delay waiting. Your ruler, Mars, turns retrograde midmonth and can make you feel off, and Mercury turns retrograde at the end of April in your money sector and you have to make adjustments. General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries: You can be more charming and affectionate with Venus in your sign for most of April, and you can be in the mood for some romance. If single, you can see what’s out there and let others come to you. If in a relationship, you can drop hints to your partner that you want to be wined-and-dined. The full moon on the 22nd occurs in your intimacy sector, and this can be a good time to evaluate the emotional bonds you have with your loved ones and make sure they’re as strong as they can be. |
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