Aries: This week we are exploring the effects of your ruler Mars going retrograde in Gemini from October 30 to January 12. Life’s pace is a little different in the following months as you re-examine what you want and how you get it. There may be unexpected obstacles between you and your goals and you may find that the more roundabout way of doing things is better than tackling things headlong in your usual Aries fashion. During Mars retrograde there can be a tendency to internalize emotions that are normally more outward in expression. Mars retrograde is about processing anger and not bottling it up; it’s about wielding your assertiveness in creative and constructive ways.
Taurus: Mars retrograde is with us until January 12 and there will be much to learn. Mars retrograde is a great time to try new approaches to achieving your goals and to realize that life is not a race and that we are all in different phases at different times. There is not one specific age or time in life to have certain kinds of success. It can be tempting to be competitive or to compare yourself to others during this transit. More unconventional approaches to achieving goals and building self esteem will better serve you at this time.
Gemini: Mars is retrograde in your sign until January 12. This transit is a time to address your impulse control and your inner decision making. You may see in hindsight where you put unnecessary pressure on yourself or pushed yourself too far. It is also a time to explore bottled up anger, sadness, and hidden resentments. It is a good time to find healthier channels for releasing, expressing, and reconciling these things with steady paced honesty.
Cancer: Mars is retrograde in Gemini until January 12. This is a time to explore our outward energies, what motivates us, what makes us feel impulsive, and what to do about it instead of going off the rails. During Mars retrograde it can be tempting to bottle up emotions or to become sneaky, paranoid, or resentful. It is an opportunity to slow down, gain greater self awareness, and act with more compassion and transparency. Find productive ways of channeling these feelings and truly listen to why they are showing up .
Leo: Mars in retrograde until January 12 can bring up many different themes. During this time it may be harder to be direct about your wants and needs; there can be hidden resentments and secret shame. It’s tough for sure, but it’s a good time to unbox where this shame is coming from and to slowly and intentionally bring it into the light. It may be harder to read the motives and energies of others at this time as well. It’s important to slow your roll and to have the hard conversations. Mars also influences our power to sense danger. During this time our intuition can be off regarding the reading of certain situations, so it’s important to be cautious and to take the time to properly assess risks.
Virgo: Mars is in retrograde in Gemini until January 12. This transit can bring up many different things. During this time it may be harder to be direct about your wants and needs, there can be hidden resentments, paranoia and secret shame. It’s tough for sure, but it’s a good time to unbox where this shame or fear is coming from and to slowly and intentionally bring it into the light. It may be harder to read the motives and energies of others at this time as well. It’s important not to put the expectations on yourself to be psychic and read people’s minds and instantaneously figure out what they are thinking and feeling. It’s also fair that you shouldn’t expect that others can anticipate your wants and needs. It’s all about transparency, and self-expression. Get in touch with your desires. Check your impulses.
Libra: Mars is in retrograde in Gemini until January 12. Mars rules our assertiveness, our drives and desires, our momentum, and our expression of anger. During Mars retrograde it can be hard to have a confrontation even if one is needed. You may think it is easier to bottle up your emotions and just harbor your secret resentments instead of having an uncomfortable conversation. It’s not! This transit can challenge us to find new ways to uphold our boundaries and to think things through instead of lashing out or holding back. It’s about working through the feelings.
Scorpio: This week and until January 12, Mars is in retrograde. This can seemingly slow down your progress on your long term goals. It can be frustrating because you have been working your butt off, but Mars retrograde is here to remind us not to give up and that sometimes all you can do is wait and see. You can only cross bridges when you get to them. Sometimes immediate action is not always the best nor is it always possible. During Mars retrograde one might ruminate on issues from the past wondering if there was “something you could have done better,” which does more harm than good. It is also key not to become overly competitive or to compare yourself to others at this time, it can lead to obsessive or circular thinking.
Sagittarius: This week Mars in retrograde is here and with us until January 12. During this cycle it is important to check in with yourself. Mars rules our outward and forward energy and can make us feel overly excitable or impulsive. It is a good time to practice more intentional decision making and to give yourself time to think. Mars also rules our ability to sense danger in situations, and during a Mars retrograde this sense may be turned up to high alert, which can make you overly cautious and anxious. Or it may be totally switched off, which can make you accident prone or overly trusting of people with bad intentions. It is important to find balance and to proceed with awareness, care, and discretion.
Capricorn: This week Mars is in retrograde until January 12. During this transit it may feel like things just aren’t happening or changing fast enough for you. Mars in retrograde is here to challenge you not to give up and not to give in to frustrations. With time there will be things even greater than your expectations. Mars in retrograde is a chance to develop a deep relationship with your goals and desires, to spend time with them, to understand and map out the meaning and the details. Beware of internalizing your frustrations. Shame and self-blame are things to watch out for during this time, as it can compel people to turn their aggressions in on themselves.
Aquarius: This week starts Mars retrograde until January 12. Mars rules our drives and desires, outward energy, and motivation. During a retrograde these things can get all turned around. Beware of being passive aggressive with others. If you have a problem, try to find a constructive way to address it. You may also feel stuck on a project or professional goal, as your progress seems to slow to a halt. It is important not to push too hard or rush through things at this time. Mars retrograde challenges you to be patient with yourself and with others. Comparing your journey to that of others can bring about a particular brand of misery. Show some self compassion.
Pisces: This week Jupiter returns to your first house where it will stay until December 20! Jupiter is a planet that deepens and expands understanding, abundance and optimism, and paired with the mystic and transcendent powers of Pisces it makes for quite an experience. During this time you feel most like yourself when you are loving others, creating art, caring for plants and animals, and generally being your unique self. Your objective and non-judgemental energy can be a welcome respite from the world for others, and you thrive when you are tapped into your compassion. During this transit you have an especially keen sense of the beauty of life and the world in all its strangeness. You enjoy your unique perceptions, and they may inspire others as well.