Meditation on Mars

At the dawn of astrology nearly 4000 years ago, the planets were worshiped as deities. Each god or goddess represented a living image of reality. Venus was beauty; Jupiter power; Saturn necessity -- and the reddish planet Mars was the god of war, passion, and courage.

Though we may no longer regard the planets as gods, they still operate as invisible energies in our outer and inner lives. Today, Mars can be seen in the muscular prowess of the athlete; the hero emboldened with courage and conviction; the ambitious, hard-driving CEO; or lovers stirred with passion for one another. Mars, in other words, represents the life energy -- what some call chi or eros - running through all our lives.

Astrology is the art of working with the lessons of time. And the two-month period when Mars is moving retrograde -- as it is now from July 29th through September 28 -- is a cosmically-appointed cycle to work on all Mars-related issues. Are we blindly aggressive, for instance, flying into a rage at the slightest provocation? Or, do we repress our anger, stifling our feelings of conviction? Have we become overly fearful, lacking in that energy needed to address the battles in our everyday lives? Have we lost the courage it takes to manifest our dreams and ideals? Now is the time to reflect on these issues.

One way to reconnect with the Mars principle is to contemplate its expression as a mythic archetype. The following visualizations can help awaken such Mars -- related qualities as physical strength, victory, courage, and passion for life. By working with Mars in a conscious way, we can avoid the negative manifestations of the god of passion as misdirected anger or depression.

Mars is a male god traditionally associated with masculine pursuits such as war and conquest. The natural ruler of Aries in the Zodiac, Mars is the sign of iniative, risk-taking, and adventure. A true pioneer, Mars takes us to the edges of all that is known and secure. He endows physical strength, athletic ability, and in-your-face boldness. His color is red; his element fire; his quality courage; his animal the ram. He is fierce, warrior energy - something that we must all call upon at one point or another in the course of our lives.

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