Mercury goes direct (Phew! I hear you say) on Friday, 28th February; Mars goes retrograde on Saturday, 1st March; and Saturn goes retrograde on Sunday 2nd March. This is a busy shift and changeover period for us all – we may even experience a bit of an upheaval both in our personal lives or even on the national level.
For new readers, please look at my article of 2 weeks ago, where I describe how direct and retrograde changes of direction occur to all the planets at some point in the year.
I’m thinking particularly of Ukraine, which is already in flux and uncertainty, after so many weeks of street fighting, protesting and violent deaths. We look on with horror and wonder where it will all lead over the next few months. Decisions have already been made about leadership, and yet while Mercury is still retrograde, minds are likely to be changed and the whole thing could start up again when he starts to move forward, no matter how slowly he does that through next week.
On a lighter note, at least with Mercury going direct, we will be able to open our computers and have them work efficiently once more; the Internet will speed up again; and lost things and people could come back to us. As well as lots of “foot in mouth” disease from our rulers and politicians. Something to look forward to, then.
By the way, did you spot that only 4 Olympic Rings lit up during the Opening Ceremony? That’s Mercury retrograde, I thought, with a smile.
Mars Retrograde
Mars was traditionally regarded as the “Lesser Malefic” – meaning smaller bad-guy; Saturn being the “Greater Malefic” or bigger bad-guy. Now, while we may no longer think in those terms, Mars does tend to cause trouble on our birth charts one way or another. Depending on where he falls for you natally, you will somehow experience his energy as bringing circumstances in childhood that seem somehow “fated” or Karmic. Alongside that i.e. during the same time, he will emphasise and energise the other aspects of the house in which he sits. For example, with Mars in the area of siblings, it is likely that the person will be an only child. However, as that Astrological House is also associated with communication, teaching, writing, etc, the owner of such a chart is likely to be gifted here – maybe because they only had adults to talk to, which developed the mental side of life for them. If this is so, they will tend to be active, fiery and feisty communicators, thanks to Mars’ combative and direct nature.
Now, with Mars almost at the end of Libra, he goes backwards for the next 3 months, making a station at 9 degrees of Libra for 5 weeks, before moving forward again in June.
Mars usually goes retrograde to pick a fight. So we have to see who he is going to stir up trouble with. As he goes backwards through end of April until he goes forward again in June, he glares across the Solar System at Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto, creating the famous Grand Cross that I wrote about last week. I say no more on this as I don’t wish to bore you with something you can easily read for yourself
Saturn Retrograde
Saturn goes retrograde on 2nd March and remains so until end of July. Right now he is sitting at 23 degrees of Scorpio and will go back to station at 16/17 degrees Scorpio through June, July and August. This takes in birthdays around 16th November back through to the 9th November meaning that those people will have natal Sun aspected heavily by Saturn. This particular phase started in mid-November, 2013, thus it is a 9 month transit that will offer the chance of transformation and rebirth.
The above dates can also apply to Taurus by opposition, thus working in your life through the action and challenges by others close to you. The same dates in Leo and Aquarius will give 90 degree aspects i.e. squares, which are more challenging to deal with as everything seems to be conspiring against you, until you “get real”. In other words, until you face your demons, your resistance to change, etc; even if you have to admit that you got it wrong before you can be clear about creating more realistic goals.
When Saturn goes retrograde, the issues, struggles and hopes that have seemed to be slowing down and becoming difficult to grasp, will deepen during this backwards phase. You will begin to gain a certainty about what is really important to you – career, people, relationships, and maybe even country. Decisions will not be made lightly – nobody ever suggested that Scorpio is a “light” sign nor Saturn a “bubbly” planet. However, this is a key phase without which nothing will ever get put into form – no books written, movies made, new careers embarked upon, nor even families started – for these things Saturn is your go-to guy. This is essentially about your relationship to everything and everyone that’s important to you in your life.
Also those who are undergoing their 1st or 2nd Saturn Returns – those born at the end of 1984 through to end 1985; and end 1954 through end of 1955 – will be drawn into this pattern.
That’s on the practical level, emotionally it is a period of letting go of defences around our hearts; of allowing intimacy – I know, scary! – of beginning to trust others, maybe for the first time. Saturn in Scorpio can make us look with a cool eye at how our lives are panning out and will give us the courage to say “I’m out of here!” if the personal cost of staying is too great. We can also say, somewhat tentatively, “I’m in!” and make important and long lasting relationships, career and maybe even life style choices.
While I do not wish to appear to be making the Saturn transit sound tough, I have to confess that through this summer I, too, will have Saturn sitting on my natal Sun – maybe we can swap notes! Watch this space……..
