EYE ON MARS COMBUSTION AND MARS OUT OF BALANCE: Sept 11-Jan. 16th.
Mars officially combusts within 17 degrees of the Sun and that impact is there until Jan 16, 2024. The exact conjunction is actually auspicious is Nov. 18th near midnight. Mars combustion may not be a huge problem until it is within 5 degrees of the Sun which starts around Oct. 31st until Dec. 6th. From an astronomical point of view, Mars’s combustion means that Mars cannot be seen in the night sky until January and it begins an inner journey.
Combustion can bring out the darker qualities of Mars but it can also spiritualize Mars and transform the ego. The spiritualization will occur most Nov. 15-20th when Mars is within 1 degree of the Sun. Western astrologers call this Cazimi or being in the heart of the Sun or the Divine and I often find this can be a powerful spiritual transformation time for Aries and Scorpio rising.
The dark side of Mars will come out first. Fire energy, passion, and confidence will emerge as some leadership but it can also inflate egos and create selfish behaviors, competitive energies, and egos connected to physical prowess. This can lead to entitlement behaviors, more fights, and arguments. Aggressive countries like China and Russia may be emboldened to move forward with more zeal and gusto. We have to watch the China/Taiwan situation which may also be irritated by Rahu transiting from Aries into Pisces.
When Mars is weak and too close to the Sun can make one obstinate, domineering, poor at closing, wanting to change jobs, impatient, rough, overbearing, wanting instant gratification, being impulsive. Mars is also moving toward Ketu into the Oct. 4-5th conjunction increasing fire energy but also pushing ego to extremes of low self-esteem that might be compensated by false bravado. The total Solar Eclipse at 28 Virgo on Oct. 14th is also very close to Mars which will be at 6 degrees of Libra just as Mars goes into Swati Nakshatra ruled by Rahu on Oct. 13th – Nov. 1st. All of these influences will bring out the dark side of Mars as discussed above. Jupiter will come to the rescue to support Mars after Nov. 1st as Mars moves into Vishakha (Libra 20-Scorpio 3) Nov. 1-20th and a Jupiter opposition from Aries onto Mars will be felt strongly into late October. This will support Mars but hurt Jupiter and usually poor financial planning and thinking happen with Mars/Jupiter oppositions.
It’s important not to repress anger as it can explode. We wrote about this a few weeks back on dealing with anger. Scream in an empty house or car. A few years back we had race riots in St. Louis when Mars was very afflicted and combusted by the Sun.
Anger and social outrage can be a good thing but have to be expressed peacefully. Do not get bottled up. Express your feelings, let them out, and then drop them. Write letters, do posts on Facebook, or call your Congressperson. In the extreme, this aspect can lead to accidents, fires, and explosions if the energy is not released. Be careful around your home and driving and stay alert and not lost in your mind and emotions. The warrior poses in yoga can help focus Mars better to be alert. The frog pose can help you with fatigue and support the adrenals. Get to bed earlier and know your limits.
The solar eclipse on Oct 14th is likely to be a huge trigger. Ultimately terrorism war events and craziness will fire the flames of irrational fears and the media will use the energy to whip us up into a frenzy so that our leaders can take away more human rights and try to control us through fear. Turn off your TV and seek out the truth in reliable internet blogs.
On a personal level, use the transits to transform your deep unconscious fears, which is what is coming up to heal. What are you afraid of? What are you avoiding dealing with? What can you do to get unstuck? Usually yoga and exercise are good to get things moving but be gentle on yourself as too much will increase the air element or vata and create more anxiety. Also just use the Nike slogan, “Just do it,” to get moving.
Scorpio and Aries will be most impacted by Mars’s combustion and will have to watch their egos and energy levels and not get burned out. Libra will also feel it with Mars moving toward the debilitated Sun and anger could get out of control. Mars is a good planet for Cancer and Leo Rising and Leo may do a bit better than Cancer.
Go deep into your soul and do the transformational work and it will be very transformation. For afflicted Mars, from an Ayurvedic point of you, stay away from hot spicy foods and drink coconut water and milk to calm pitta. Bananas and milk with their kalpha influence can also calm pitta. Take up meditation and that can lift a lot of karmic stress.
So stay cool and calm and find a way to deal with too much fire energy as we move out of the summer.
