Today: May 25th, 2022, Mars enters Aries, which is its domicile. Last time Mars came home, it was 2020 mid-pandemic. I watched a neighbour’s apartment burn down, during an oppressively hot season, a friend lost her sister and I went to comfort her (unknowingly with COVID,) kickstarting a group of people all having to socially isolate while I had to be on the phone with contact tracers, and everyone else, explaining and talking and comforting while I had a splitting headache and no sense of taste. Even though I have a stellium in Aries and should be quite aquainted with this energy, Mars in Aries gives me a bit of twinge. I don’t want to go through that kind of fire again.
So first: Mars. The god of war and aggression, but also the warrior, the distributed energy of taking responsibility and getting things done. The ancients saw Mars as a malefic, but I don’t play that way. Mars is an initiatory energy that creates change. Change– for many of us– is scary and uncomfortable. Aggression and war are absolutely terrible traits. But so are complacency and no-action. There are two sides of a spectrum and those aren’t the only choices. Mars in Aries can be a beautiful energy to work with. But it could cause a few arguments, make you act before you think, or cause you to do something irrational. A key word to Mars energy is: MOVEMENT. Move your Mars and you'll distribute the energy.
Secondly: we’re still in Mercury retrograde. Mercury is now in earthy, stubborn, and abundant Taurus. We’ve backtracked into the territory we were in back to April 25th and early May— communication-wise. The placement of Taurus in your chart will indicate how or what part of your life this may affect you in. We’re in a state of review after Mercury disappeared into the sun a few days ago, rebirthing us into our upcoming projects, purposes, and relationships. Now, we still have a few things left to do, or figure out, until June 3rd when it turns direct.
Thirdly: Jupiter is in Aries, which is a lovely place for it to be. It’s filled with hope and optimism, rebirth and inspiration. Our beliefs are hitting a place of renewal. We feel a bit more expanded and action oriented in our individual ways. The lovely part of Jupiter in Aries is that it's unapologetic and trailblazing, bold and confident.
Where do these signs hit you in your chart? Do you have any planets in this territory? This might make for some more extreme moments. For me– yesterday– I was called to cut ties with a person and community that was once so incredibly important to me that I thought they were intertwined with my future. The need to bring things to a close was overwhelming to me. Mercury (planet of communication) was backtracking over my natal Jupiter (planet of beliefs and dreams and placement in society) in my 11th house (house of community, the group, society.)
I had been thinking about this move– to finally break ties– for months, but yesterday became the fated day. I didn’t notice the precision of the way it looked in my chart until I checked– as an afterthought, as one does. This is astrology. The inspiration was definitely kissed by Jupiter in Aries, and the action and oomf through Mars’ impending ingress into Aries. Yesterday Mars was still in Pisces, sign of endings. The energy yesterday was dense and thick, and today a clarifying lightening bolt.
The planets worked together to bring me to my next move, clearing away this energy, which needed to go. If I had cleared it away earlier, perhaps this retrograde would have different lessons for me. I’ll never know. I’m a mere mortal interpreting the moves of the gods.
This deep sadness and hurt that I feel, breaking the ties and giving up on someone and something that had been a source of joy and inspiration in and of itself– that’s part of the retrograde too. Ultimately, this was all about me, as I don’t think my departure will be noticed by anyone. But my ideas, my thoughts (mercury) needed a review in my house of community. Mercury backtracked to point it out, so that moving forward I have cleared out that which no longer serves. No person or community gets hurt in the process. I have done an Irish goodbye, and it will be months before anyone notices, if they do at all.
But in my heart and soul, I’m ready to put this all to bed. And that’s the real beauty of the astrological weather.
Did you feel something ending yesterday? Do you feel ready and inspired to start something, even if it’s not clear in your mind? Is there a part of you that wants to play, shake off the heaviness of winter with a little internal spring cleaning?
Don’t worry if you feel a little bit angry or frustrated about something. That’s good information, if channelled in healthy and productive ways. My advice as an astrologer is to sit with that for a few days. Let the Mars actions you take be more about burning up energy than decisive moves. Save project based/ strategic moves for after June 3rd.
I’ve been going on a lot of walks lately. Alone. With my music. It’s helping me sort out my feelings and do no harm in the process. That's what my Mars likes. How can you take action without making a chess move? How can you begin something without committing fully to a path? How do you direct energy and stay open? Chew on that for a few days, and I'll be back!