Mars In Aries - Bring It On!

Transiting Mars will enter the sign of Aries on 28th June 2020 for an unusually long period, lasting until 6th January 2021. Aries is the sign ruled by Mars, so this means that the influence of this planet will be very strong throughout the next six months. It will act as a trigger to the Saturn-Pluto conjunction which took place in January 2020. Interestingly, Mars was conjunct Pluto on 23rd March - the day that the UK officially went into lockdown and this will be the first major hard aspect between those planets since then.

Mars represents determination and the battle for survival - a very real concept in 2020 which we can now all identify with. It also symbolises the positive qualities which enhance our self-image and bring out the best in us, both as individuals and humanity as a whole  - initiative, courage, physical strength and stamina. These positive traits have been in evidence throughout 2020 in those who have served the public, not just in a professional capacity but also on a personal level. We have also witnessed these through the people who survived COVID-19 and the families of those who did not. 

So what can we expect from Mars in Aries during the next six months? Throughout most of this year, particularly during lockdown, we have been in a state of imposed passiveness, feeling powerless towards what is happening to us. This, in turn, whether we want to admit to it or not, has brought fear. Fear brings frustration and frustration incites rage. That became obvious recently with people rebelling against the lockdown rules. It has now evolved into mass protests and riots. Mars in Aries will enable us to focus our energy on action. What form this action takes will remain to be seen, but Mars is a trigger, a call to arms, and in any of the Fire Signs it is a very militaristic influence, prone to confrontation, and even war. Mars in its own sign of Aries will be particularly potent.

One of the major players at the start of the coronavirus pandemic is on its way back to the exact position it held in December 2019 when the existence of COVID-19 was announced. Pluto was at 22° Capricorn and will return to this degree from 18th August - 20th November 2020. During that time, it will be squared by Mars, particularly in August and October, and again in December. This will create an atmosphere of suppressed anger, resentment, and tension. Some other possible scenarios include:

1. A resurgence of the virus - the so-called 'Second Wave'.

2. An acceleration in the fight to control COVID-19 with an important announcement of a breakthrough. 

3. Social unrest. The energy of Mars in Aries is raw, impulsive and dives into situations head first. 

When I wrote my COVID-19 article, I said that most astrologers had not foreseen the pandemic, and instead, predicted economic, political upheaval and possibly a war. The Saturn-Pluto conjunction represents crises that come about as the normal established structures in society are challenged by the need for deep and fundamental changes in the system. Saturn-Pluto aspects tend to impose some kind of restriction on our freedom of movement. They bring hard times and harsh reality. We have already experienced this in the form of a global plague. The next six months, with Mars in Aries added to the mix, won't be easy, but we will make progress. We now know what we're up against and that will give us the courage to focus on a new future.

On a personal level, we will all feel the effects of transiting Mars through Aries. If you know your natal chart, you'll be able to see how this planetary influence will energise your life. However, for those of you who were born during the Aries period (21st March - 21st April) transiting Mars will be conjunct your natal Sun at some time from July 2020 to January 2021. 

Mars will sweep right through Aries from 28th June to 10th September but then will turn retrograde and move slowly back again. This means that all Aries Suns will be activated by Mars for a few days, but for some, the effect will last longer and make a bigger impact. This is especially true for anyone born in April on the dates below:

If your birthday is on 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th April, transiting Mars will be conjunct your natal Sun from 24th August until 28th September.

For birthdays on 11th, 12th, 13th or 14th April, Mars will conjunct your natal Sun from 4th to 15th October.

If you were born on 4th, 5th or 6th April, Mars will be in conjunction to your natal Sun from 4th to 25th November

Then, as Mars resumes direct motion throughout December 2020 there will be one final hit before it leaves Aries on 6th January 2021.

Transiting Mars aligning with your natal Aries Sun will make you feel very assertive, determined and full of confidence. Yes, more than usual! You will need to express yourself in some way by doing something. As a Sun Sign Aries, relaxation never comes easy to you at the best of times, so be particularly careful under this planetary influence because you will be more accident prone than usual due to extra energy and a tendency to take risks. You'll be keen to promote your own agenda and may initiate a new project that would otherwise seem too ambitious. Physical energy will be high and you’ll enjoy activities that are daring and adventurous. Being more impulsive than usual, you'll need to take more precautions when driving, using machinery, or participating in sport.

Your ego will be in overdrive during the next six months with a strong urge to get what you want regardless of what other people may think. This me-first attitude could cause arguments or conflict with others, so try to channel this energy surge constructively. Winning in any area of life and achieving your goals should go well so long as you remember not to trample over others in order to get what you want. 

Sit tight, it's going to be a wild ride.....

108 - At One With The Universe?

In yoga, the number 108 refers to spiritual completion. This is also the case in numerology, although not specifically 108, but any number whose digits add up to nine which is the end of each number cycle. This sacred number appears over and over again throughout history. At Stonehenge, the Sarsen Circle is 108 feet in diameter. During the era of the Mayans, the High Temple of Lamanai was erected at 108 feet tall - the same height as the Tikal temple in Guatemala. These temples, built to worship the gods and to entomb the souls of great leaders may have used this number to connect humanity to the Sun as a giver of life, which in ancient times would have been viewed not as a star but as a deity. 

In astrology, the number 108 also appears frequently. The distance from Earth to the Sun is approximately 108 times the diameter of the Sun itself. The distance between the Earth and the Moon is also about 108 times the diameter of the Moon. The Earth is said to have an astrological cycle of 2160 years (20 x 108) known as an Age. See my previous post 'The Age Of Aquarius'. In astrology, an angle of 108 degrees is called a Tridecile. When a circle (the zodiac) is divided equally by 10, each resulting angle is 36 degrees. A tridecile is 36 x 3 = 108 degrees. The 108° aspect is classed a minor aspect, not because it lacks power, but because these aspects - as well as other minor aspects - require extra calculation by the astrologer when analysing a chart. Unlike the major aspects, they are not immediately obvious, so do not have the at-a-glance impact. Therefore, unless specifically asked for, they are unlikely to be included in most chart analyses, being far too time-consuming. I have to admit, I have only recently started paying more attention to minor aspects but did use them in the past.

As an astrology student I remember being instructed on the mantra 'as above, so below'. The meaning is that we are all part of the universe and that whatever happens 'above' in the sky is reflected 'below' on Earth. Astrology puts us at the centre of this giant cosmic computer, and the modern interpretation of how astrology works is based on the symbiotic relationship between planet Earth and the Universe. Together, we move synchronistically like cogs and wheels inside a clock - always in motion, always connected. Just as the ocean tides ebb and flow to the rhythm and gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon, everything on Earth is tied in to the movement and relative positions of the planets. Often described as the Macrocosm and the Microcosm - the large universe and the small universe - we now know that, there is no above or below. The universe surrounds the Earth and influences everything upon it, just as the atmosphere controls the weather, only on a much larger scale. We are components in the same mechanism, life on Earth is life in the Universe.

So, what does it mean to have the Tridecile (108°) in your chart? Apparently, it indicates special gifts, superior intellect, a special talent for music, psychic ability, etc. This is a highly specialised aspect which possesses a very unique energy. When activated, it becomes involved with current circumstances or in situations that require interaction to bring awareness or expression. In other words, this aspect manifests in a very practical and tangible way, often leading to the person advancing in life through an event or experience by 'being in the right place at the right time' or meeting the right person. It truly has a serendipitous effect.

Throughout spiritual teachings this mystical number occurs time after time. Hindu deities have 108 names, and India is said to have 108 sacred sites. In China, some forms of Tai Chi have 108 moves. Many Buddhist temples have 108 steps representing the 108 steps to enlightenment, and in Japan, at Zen Buddhist temples, a bell chimes 108 times at the end of the year. The secrets of the Universe have yet to be revealed but through our spiritual understanding of 108, we just might be a little closer to finding the truth.