"Mars has traditionally been considered a malefic planet in astrology, that is, more likely to produce evil than good. But this is not so, although as is the case with any planet, if the energies of Mars are allowed to operate to excess, its effects can be quite difficult. But usually there is nothing to fear from its transits, and in fact its energies are a vital part of life." -Robert Hand, Planets in Transit
Mars is a paradox of creation and destruction, embodying both the ferocious heat of conflict and the raw courage needed to forge new paths. Its nature evokes the primordial fires of Múspelheim in Norse cosmology, whose flames sparked the world's creation and will one day consume it in its destruction. As the celestial force of iron and fire, Mars rules over war, passion, and the unyielding will to act—his energy just as ready to destroy as to empower, bringing fever, inflammation, strife, and rebellion alongside mastery, endurance, defense, and command.
Mars-power is, as Hand suggests, neither intrinsically good nor definitively evil. Rather, Mars is the sharp blade, its purpose shaped by the hand of the wielder.
No planet creates a wider variety of subjective experience in my client practice, and it's not even close.
Whether the trumpets of victory or tumultuous upheaval is on the horizon for you during any given Mars transit depends most significantly on your specific relationship with the red planet. Is this energy anathema to your daily modes? Is it a dreaded recurrence? Or perhaps it's a space of heat and flame in which you thrive.
To help you navigate this fiery cosmic energy, I’ve created a Mars Retrograde Worksheet. This free tool, available in document and spreadsheet formats, lets you track Mars retrogrades back to 1960. With memory prompts, house-specific insights, and instructions for advanced use, it’s designed to help you untangle the patterns Mars weaves in your life.
Unravel the echoes of Mars through time and uncover the lessons forged in its flames. Should you have questions or wish to share your own insights from the battlefield of these transits, you can reach me at 9livesastrology@gmail.com—I’m always eager to hear how the red planet stirs your story.
Mars Retrograde dates to know
6 December 2024: Mars stations retrograde at 6° Leo
6 December 2024 - 6 January 2025: Mars is retrograde in Leo
6 January-23 February 2025: Mars is retrograde in Cancer
23 February 2025: Mars stations direct at 17° Cancer
23 February-18 April 2025: Mars is direct in Cancer