Mars Retrograde 2020 — September 9 to November 12
Mars stations retrograde today, September 9, 2020, at 6:22 PM EDT. It does so in the 28th degree of the sign of tropical Aries, though in the sky you will find Mars between the stars Alresha and Alpherg in the constellation of Pisces. Mars just barely touches the orb of Alresha, but will conjunct Alpherg on September 12.
Alresha, also known as Alpha Pisceum, is the star that represents the knot connecting the cords which bind the two fish of this constellation together. It is said to be of the nature of Mars and to have a unifying influence. Cicero called it Nodus Coelestis, which means the Knot of Heaven. It is the star which binds Pisces, the tail of the Zodiacal constellations to its head, Aries. This suggests the Ouroborus, the ancient symbol of the serpent eating its own tail. Because Mars stations retrograde just a degree and a half short of meeting this star, it will not conjunct Alresha until January 5, 2021.
Alpherg, also known as Eta Pisceum, is a star near the tail of the northern fish of Pisces. Alpherg is said to be of the nature of Saturn and Jupiter (dignified, pious, conservative, acquisitive, retentive). It gives preparedness, steadiness, determination, and success through determination. It is also said to be a harbinger of mysteries to be revealed. Mars will conjunct Alpherg on September 12, as Jupiter stations direct. I will cover this event in a separate article.
Mars will be traveling back to the 15th degree of Aries, retracing his steps to the position he last held on July 25. As he does so, his second adventure (after meeting Alpherg on September 12) will be to meet Black Moon Lilith in the dark of the night between September 22 and 23, around 10 PM for those on the Pacific coast and 1 AM for those on the East coast. Here our conscious will and desire meet our inner wild thing. Set against the 26th degree of Aries, the Sabian symbol of this degree suggest that the end result of this energetic contact may be that “Through Imagination A Lost Opportunity Is Regained.”
The next adventure of Mars will be a conflict with Saturn, a hard corner to be turned. This square with Saturn can bring difficulties in self-expression and obstacles in the way of reaching our goals. Constraints may arise in the forms of criticism, rejection, and even defeat. This is not the time for a direct attack against any obstacles that arise, but rather a time for patience, perseverance, and empathy. By exercising these qualities we may come to understand the karmic nature of these obstacles and by keeping still we may find that the obstacles naturally dissolve or move past us on their own. The rewards of this approach are indicated by the Sabian symbol of the 25th degree of Aries, “A Man Possessed Of More Gifts Than He Can Hold.”
The fourth adventure of Mars will be a conflict with Pluto on the morning of October 9. Pluto will be extremely powerful at this time, having just stationed direct on October 4. Some astrologers have referred to this aspect of Mars square Pluto as “The Annihilator.” Mars, representing the conscious will and desire, is simply outgunned by Pluto here. This likely represents that some long-held cherished goal has never been realistic and our tenacious hold on it has been preventing us from seeing our true path, causing us to forgo many opportunities which might have been better goals to pursue. Today is the day that the hope of attaining that illusory goal will die. And we’ll be better off for it. A potential battle may present itself as the last hope of attaining this goal. Do not fight this battle, as it is certain to end in defeat, even annihilation.
October 10 dawns with Mars sextile the North Node and trine the South Node of the Moon. Everything becomes clear. This is where the connection between one’s past karma and future potential are briefly visible and set us on a new course. Like the scene in V for Vendetta in which Inspector Finch describes his vision at Larkhill:
“I suddenly had this feeling that everything was connected. It was like I could see the whole thing, one long chain of events … I felt like I could see everything that had happened … and everything that was going to happen. It was like a perfect pattern, laid out in front of me, and I realized that we are all part of it …”
Following this, Mars quickly moves into the 21st degree of Aries, the Sabian symbol of which is “The Gate To The Garden Of All Fulfilled Desires.”
Make good use of this next period as Jupiter aligns with Mars, making a perfect square late on October 18 or early on October 19, depending on your location. The period from October 11 through this square is extremely auspicious for finding solutions to problems and ways around obstacles. Venus and Neptune are also in the mix via minor aspects: Venus beckons with an inconjunct glance while Neptune forms a semi-sextile to Mars. While these aspects describe a situation which is not yet ripe for the picking, it is likely to inspire higher aspiration in the midst of the great opening to success represented by this Jupiter-Mars alignment. This all occurs in the 19th degree of Aries, represented by the Sabian symbol “A Young Girl Feeding Birds In Winter.” Don’t forget to share your success with those less fortunate!
From here we can coast until Mars stations direct on November 12. Mars is not a major player on Election Day, something that many will find reassuring. I leave you with this quote from Ray Bradbury which can be found in the book Mars and the Mind of Man (1973):
“We are all … children of this universe. Not just Earth, or Mars, or this system, but the whole grand fireworks. And if we are interested in Mars at all, it is only because we wonder over our past and worry terribly about our possible future.”
© 2020 Skye Love Hill
