Pages

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Mars retrograde in Libra March 1, 2014

Mars is retrograde in Libra March 1 to May 19, 2014

This is a time to practice our relationship skills

Every couple of years, planet Mars goes through a retrograde cycle.  Mars usually spends about six weeks traveling through one of the zodiac signs.  When it does its retrograde cycle, planet Mars spends up to seven months in one of the signs.  This year Mars visits the sign of Libra for seven months. That’s a long time!  Mars is the planet of action and survival.  Libra is the sign of justice, diplomacy and harmony in relationships.  There will be a lot of attention to relationships.  Some will survive and some won’t.  We have seven months to practice our relationship skills.  We are in relationship with each other, and we are in relationship with our environment. We are in relationship with life.

Mars is desire, energy and action

Mars entered Libra on December 7, 2013.  It will begin its retrograde cycle at 28 degrees of Libra on March 1st. Mars is associated with survival, fighting, competition, assertion, aggression, anger and war. In the sign of Libra we try to talk our assertion rather than use our fists.  Libra encourages us to be diplomatic.  Will diplomacy light up Washington DC?  One can only hope, but war and violence are still on the world stage.  

Mars in Libra tends to be too accommodating and passive

The down side of Mars in Libra is uncertainty and weak decision-making.  We might feel ambivalent about a situation and just ride through for a while without taking a stand.  This could be good or not so good!  If you normally have trouble with decision-making, maybe this Mars retrograde period will challenge you to make up your mind!  Trying to please everyone is the biggest trap of Mars in Libra.  Being too nice or being too accommodating can make things worse.  

Finding a balance

Mars in Libra teaches us how to express ourselves in a thoughtful manner.  This Libra Mars is less reactive and more sensitive to the big picture.  Mars in Libra can promote a win-win attitude instead of me-me.  Remember though that Aries is the polarity of Libra. We will swing between “ME” and “WE”!  This is natural and part of the tense process of learning how to balance the self with everyone else on the planet! 

What is Mars retrograde good for?  Make your thoughts and words matter.

When Mercury, Venus or Mars are in retrograde their energy is intensified.  The bottom line meaning of Mars is the desire to survive.  Am I surviving okay? How will I survive in the future?  Will I win out over the other guy so I can have more suvival?  The issue of survival is intensely exploding around the world.  Uprisings, religious wars, and rebellions all stem from the issue of who is going to survive.  Who will own the land and the water? Whose religious beliefs will control the laws and culture of the land?

 In the United States unemployed people will strive harder to find work and ensure their survival.  While Mars is retrograde we can sit down and quietly give thanks if we are surviving well.  It we are living in a peaceful community (no bloodshed), let’s give thanks.  If we are in harmony with our loved ones… again I am giving big thanks. Can you go to the store and buy what you need?  Give thanks you are surviving.  These weeks with Mars retrograde are good for sending loving energy to those who are suffering.  Maybe I can’t step into a religious war zone and stop the violence, but I can feel compassion for all of them.  Maybe I cannot hire a person who needs a job, but perhaps I can help an unemployed friend network and find a job.

We can also expect lots of word wars in Washington and other political centers.  Those people are trying to survive as well. From their hateful talk I can learn to be more conscious of what I think and pay attention to what I say.  Mars in Libra does not teach us to shut up and be passive.  Mars in Libra teaches us to find intelligent ways to express important beliefs and convictions that promote harmony, balance and justice on our planet.  We are in relationship with other human beings and we are in relationship with all of Gaia’s creations—animals, trees, oceans and more!

“May all I say and all I think
be in harmony with thee.
God within me, God beyond me,
Maker of the trees.”

Chinook Psalter


Linda Sprague
March 1, 2014

www.lindasprague.com