Full Speed — Backwards! Mars Retrograde 

On September 9th, Mars begins a two-month retrograde period. Yes, for two months that initiating, full steam, no-stop planet goes backward (seemingly) through the cosmos and we will all feel the effects.

While a Mercury retrograde only lasts around three weeks, keep in mind that Mercury does its backward dance three times a year, Mars only goes retrograde once every two years.

So that’s not too bad. Or is it?

It really depends, of course, on what Mars represents in your birth chart, but we can say that for everyone Mars retrograde (September 9-November 13) will bring some interesting times — as the Chinese saying goes.

If Mars is favorable, it can bring courage, valor, success in spiritual sadhanas, victory in competition, increased vitality, and even gains in landed property. 

Unfavorable, a retrograde Mars produces aggression, impulsive bad decisions, legal battles, accidents, arson, and war.

Fortunately, Mars is in its own sign of Aries when the retrograde begins so it should at least be acting in character, and maybe even more so, since it is Mars to the max. But in general, a retrograde Mars in Aries can bring some good results. This is probably particularly true in this case since Mars will be enjoying a benefic aspect from Jupiter – until October 4th.

At that point, Mars enters the sign of Pisces (backwards, remember) and it loses its Aires good luck charm and even more to the point, it becomes under the aspect of Bad Boy Saturn. Not the best thing.

While it is possible that this effect may be relatively minor, there are times when a retrograde planet becomes the strongest in its impact. And that is on the days during, before and after the planet begins or ends its retrograde period.

The first tricky time is September 8-10 but remember, at least Mars in its own sign of Aries and enjoying a hug from Jupiter. It may simply feel as if our forward progress of the last few weeks gets a detour. The slow-down may feel only temporary as Jupiter ends its retrograde on September 14.

In fact, the best time of the Mars retrograde will likely be from mid-September to October 4th when it then leaves Aries and rolls back into Pisces and becomes aspected by Saturn.

The most difficult part of the retrograde likely occurs November 12-14, around 10 days after the US national election. Let’s all be both good winners and losers then and maintain full alertness and a studied peaceful neutrality.

Finally, Mars re-enters Aries on December 23rd and hopefully brings us a good re-entry into the holiday season.

For individuals who are strongly influenced astrologically by the Martian signs of Scorpio and Aries, this is a good time to be on your best behavior and encourage the rest of us to do the same.

Want to know about Mars in your life?

Or gain clarity of the changes that are coming? Time for a new or perhaps follow-up astrology consultation.

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