Mars is currently moving slowly in the early degrees of Leo, preparing for its retrograde station in early December. When a planet is retrograde, it moves backward from our point of view. Mars will be retracing its steps over the next several months. Mars is the planet of energy, aggression, and impulse. Mars is what motivates you, and on the other hand, it can also be what annoys you. While Mars is retrograde, we will be rethinking and editing the topics that Mars impacts during its shadow periods and retrograde.
The upcoming Mars retrograde will occur in Leo and Cancer; it begins on December 6, 2024, at 6° Leo and ends on February 23, 2025, at 17° Cancer. Mars’ pre-shadow period began on October 6, 2024. Its post-shadow period will end on May 2, 2025. Topics that have been amplified in your life from October 6 - December 6 have the likelihood of coming back up again when Mars is retrograde. Pay attention to what has been unfolding in your life and how something isn’t quite finished yet.
The photo below shows the area of the chart that's impacted by this Mars retrograde.
Mars retrogrades have a larger impact on people because Mars only stations retrograde every ~2 years, compared to a Mercury retrograde that happens 3-4 times per year. In many cases, Mars acts like a trigger in predictive astrology. If transit Mars makes a major aspect to one of your planets or angles, especially a conjunction or opposition, it will be noticeable and often will manifest as a discernable event. This is especially true if Mars retrograde aspects a planet or angle; the aspect will be exact 3 times instead of 1.
The shadow periods surrounding retrogrades are when the planet is speeding up after stationing direct or slowing down for a retrograde. The time before a retrograde is the pre-shadow period and the post-shadow period is the time after a retrograde, when a planet is retracing its steps for the last time. Topics that came up during Mars’ pre-shadow period have the likelihood to come up again when Mars is retrograde.
How Mars Retrograde will Impact your Personal Life
Generally, you might feel more defensive or self-protective when Mars is retrograde, especially when Mars makes its way back into Cancer at the beginning of January. Mars is in its fall in Cancer. When a planet is in its fall, it isn’t the most productive because the sign and planet don’t align. Mars topics don’t easily align with Cancer’s traits. Due to this, Mars topics tend to struggle when Mars is in Cancer - focusing on and finishing things can be difficult, anger isn’t used in productive ways, and passive-aggressiveness is more likely. On the other hand, Mars is Cancer provides the opportunity for people to confront others with their feelings. They will have a harder time keeping their feelings to themselves, especially when they are passionate about whatever it is. People are fiercely protective and prioritize loyalty when Mars is in Cancer.
This Mars retrograde will trigger both the Leo and Cancer houses in your chart. Mars will spend much more time in both of these signs than it usually does. A Mars transit through one sign/house on average takes ~6 weeks when it isn’t near stationing retrograde. Because of the Mars retrograde though, Mars will spend months in both signs. Mars will spend a particularly long time in Cancer - it will be there from January 6th until April 18th, 2025.
To get insight into what topics will come up for you during the Mars retrograde, reflect on what house topics are represented by the Leo and Cancer houses in your chart. For example, as a Libra rising I have a Cancer 10th house and Leo 11th house. The 10th house represents your career, reputation, and authority figures. The 11th house represents your friendships, the groups you’re a part of, and your hopes and dreams. All of these topics have a likelihood of being brought up during the retrograde, especially Cancer 10th house topics since Mars will be there for months.
Cardinal rising signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) will be more impacted by the upcoming Mars retrograde. This is because Mars will spend the majority of its time in Cancer which is one of their angular (1H, 4H, 7H, 10H) houses. The angular houses represent some of the most fundamental parts of life - you, your family or home, your one-on-one relationships, and what you are known for in this lifetime (which may or may not be connected to your career). Mars retrogrades in the angular houses can mark major times for some individuals, especially if other predictive astrology is triggering their chart simultaneously. Because Mars will be in Leo for some time while retrograde, fixed rising signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) will also be more impacted.
Mars will be retrograde between the degrees of 17° Cancer - 6° Leo. People with angles or planets between these degrees will experience the energy of this Mars retrograde the most. Mars will be moving over this area of your chart 3 times. If you have planets or angles right around 17° Cancer or 6° Leo, Mars will be stationing retrograde or direct while conjunct (right on top of) your placement. People who are experiencing this will arguably feel this Mars retrograde the most. Also, pay attention to any aspects that this Mars retrograde will be making to your natal placements - this will highlight what other house and planet topics will be impacted by this Mars retrograde.
On the more challenging side of the Mars retrograde, you could be put through a test of some sort. Your patience may be tested and emotions are more likely to be unpredictable. You may have to work on a long-term problem that doesn’t come to a full close until Mars stations direct. Mars, even when retrograde, can heighten hostility and cause generally tense energy. Conflict will unfold at some point, especially for those who have planets or angles being aspected by the Mars retrograde.
On the positive side, this retrograde will provide you with the opportunity to work on something long-term. Cancer as a cardinal sign struggles to finish things out - your Cancer house inherits this energy. Because Mars will be in Cancer for so long, there will be plenty of time to work on something pertaining to those Cancer house topics that you usually might struggle with. Mars will be in the Cancer house in your chart for months - what house topics have you been wanting to work on or edit? How can you rethink those house topics? The same goes for the Leo house in your chart.
If you’ve been waiting for something to change but haven’t had the will to make the changes, this Mars retrograde will likely trigger you to make them. Mars will be transiting the same house for a long time, allowing you to reflect on what needs to change and pushing you to make decisions. The Cancer Full Moon that occurs on January 13th will make this Mars retrograde even more noticeable in your life; the Moon will be making an applying conjunction to the Mars retrograde. I expect that decisions will be triggered by this Full Moon - whether or not you should move forward with what you're doing.
On my Patreon, there will be a list of all 12 rising signs and how the Mars retrograde will most impact them. For as low as $3.33/month, you can have access to more astrology content like this, and support me in the process!
How this Mars Retrograde will Impact Society
Mars in someone’s personal life can represent motivation, anger, confrontation, and cuts/scars in extreme circumstances. On a societal level though, Mars represents things like wars, the military, and the breaking down of things. Mars entered its shadow period on October 6th. We can reflect on what’s been unfolding leading up to the retrograde, from October 6th - December 6th, to get insight into what might come up again during the retrograde.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of events worldwide that have unfolded during Mars’ pre-shadow period. They have the opportunity to be continued or brought up again by the Mars retrograde and post-shadow period:
Continued violence between Israel and Lebanon, humanitarian crisis
Continued violence between Israel and Palestine, humanitarian crisis
2024 hurricane season, tornadoes/storms, and the hardships that followed
Sudanese War/Sudan Humanitarian Crisis
Ukraine/Russia War
SpaceX launches NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft
Somali Civil War
2024 Pacific typhoon season
Flash flooding in Spain
McDonald's E. coli outbreak
Many general elections all over the world
Donald Trump rally at Madison Square Garden - comedian makes racist jokes
The U.S. Presidential Election - Donald Trump wins
Tensions between U.S. citizens following election
I instantly noticed that while Mars was in Cancer, a water sign, the 2024 hurricane and Pacific typhoon season was amplified. There have been thousands, if not millions, of people left with nothing following these storms. On the most basic level, when Mars is in a water sign, there is a higher likelihood of dangerous water events. With Mars being in its pre-shadow period in Cancer, storm season was amplified. Saturn being in Pisces, another water sign, is also something to note.
Because I live in the United States, I am most informed about the events that have unfolded here in the past month or so. I’m interested to see how this Mars retrograde impacts the U.S. because I assume it will be a major influence on the country; the U.S. is in a 9th house profection year which is their Leo house. With Mars stationing retrograde in Leo, in their profected house, the U.S. will be more impacted. The 9th house represents the law, religious and philosophical beliefs, higher learning, immigrants, foreign places, and government. It’s very fitting that the U.S.'s election occurred during a 9th house profection year; on election day specifically (November 5th), Mars was at 0° of Leo, just making it into the U.S.’s profected house.
We can also reflect on how Mars topics have been combined with 9th house topics in the United States since election day when Mars entered the U.S.’s 9th house. Mars triggers things and can bring more hostility. Mars in Leo has brought more animosity to the election.
Like with any retrograde, don’t put your life on pause or be scared to do something because of the retrograde. Because Mars in its most extreme represents wounds, be careful doing anything dangerous, but I would always tell you to do that (lol). I hope you received some insight into the upcoming Mars retrograde and how you can best use its energy! Mars can give you the power to get things done and this Mars retrograde allows you to work long-term on something.
Head to my Patreon to learn how the Mars retrograde will impact your rising sign!
Thank you for your support as always,
-Jasmine
Kommentare