Mars Remediation

This post was originally published October 6, 2020 in my now defunct website (yolandasastrology).

I've been dreading the current Mars in Aries transit because Mars is square my natal Moon.  Mars/Moon transits can be challenging and the square is characterized by emotional upheaval and increased intensity (aka Drama) as well as fevers and inflammation. I’m also currently in an Aries profection year which means Mars is my Time Lord (a Time Lord is a planet that is activated for a specific time).  

The last time Mars was my Time Lord, I accomplished one of my top 5 life goals (thanks to Mars’ drive!) but I also lost friends and I was maligned by a jealous person who viewed me as her competitor. So yes, I am cautiously optimistic about the year ahead.

Mars tends to behave in less than rational ways and always in an individualistic manner, which is why he is most powerful and “at home” in Aries which is the sign of “I”, “The Ego”, The Individual and Impulse. His vitality is checked in Taurus and Libra because in Taurus he has to slow down in order to approach things deliberately and methodically and in Libra he is forced to consider aesthetics and appearances. In Cancer he is in fall because there he is hampered by emotions. Practical considerations, personal values and feelings slow him down.

Mars will retrograde from September 9 to November 13 and in that time you can expect Mars to kick up a fuss and pick at scabs. In a square to Pluto, Mars, the younger god, will flex his muscles and show his ninja moves. Pressure is building up. Someone may be pushing your buttons at this time or you may be feeling the pressure to act in some way to achieve dominance.  You or people around you may be coming across as confrontational and/or unreasonable. You may find yourself living - quite suddenly and unexpectedly - one or several drama-filled episodes of Real Housewives Of (insert city).

Mars squaring Saturn warns us that patience is in short supply. We may find ourselves pushing for instant gratification but Saturn says “No, you have to earn this.”  
The current energy favours slow, steady progress towards achieving a goal. This is good energy to work with if you’re an apprentice or student. This is the writer/illustrator/artist practising their art kind of energy.

Now let’s talk about remediation.
If you find yourself wrestling with anger and frustration there is a good chance that Mars’ transit through Aries has activated your chart by forming a challenging aspect with your natal placements.
Any of the following physiological symptoms also point to Mars’ transit in Aries:

• Headaches, migraines
• Inflammation and eruptions
• Blood disorders
• Redness
• Fever
• Eye trouble
• Cuts
  

What to do?
Begin and maintain a Mars remediation practice.

What is astrological remediation?

Astrological remediation is the practice of healing and soothing problems indicated by the natal chart.  Now a quick word about astrological remediation: gods - just like people - tend to favour those of us who endeavour to build relationships. If you're new to this, you're going to want to maintain this practice.

Ok so now let’s talk about practice.

Mars rules Tuesdays and his colour is red. William Lilly (Christian Astrology) also mentions that Mars likes yellow. You can wear a red t-shirt for example or even a red hat for this ritual which must be repeated for a minimum 5 Tuesdays in a row.  

Steps:

• Light a red or yellow candle during Mars hour which is the first hour after sunrise and the eighth hour on Tuesdays (You can download an app like Time Nomad for exact hour of Mars in your time zone). It's a good idea to engrave the Mars symbol ♂️with a pin on your candle.
• You can also burn incense (highly recommended). Mars prefers woodsy scents like Myrrh and Dragon’s Blood. Other scents include cardamom and basil.
• Read the Orphic Hymn for Mars. My personal favorite translation of the Orphic Hymns is by Apostolos N. Athanassakis.
• If reading the Orphic hymn does not appeal to you, you can repeat a mantra. Please be aware that there are many names for Mars in Hindu texts and I am sharing here the one I prefer to use: Om Mangalaya Namaha. The root word "mang" in Sanskrit means happiness, welfare and bliss and the word mangala refers to anything auspicious. In the Rig Veda, Mars is referred to as Angaraka which means "the flaming one".
• If you do not want to recite this mantra every day you can write out the mantra. This is known as Likhita Japa (writing mantras). Write it out the following number of times (9, 27, 54 or 108).
• Add the bija (or seed) word "SHREEM" which represents the Goddess Lakshmi and brings in abundance and personal power to your mantra so that you either say or write out OM SHREEM MANGALAYA NAMAHA.
• Please repeat this mantra 108x.
• Then lastly within Mars hour, donate $5 or $25 to any organization that supports refugees, veterans or soldiers suffering from PTSD. Do this for 5 Tuesdays in a row.
  *A quick word on making donations. If you absolutely do not have the funds available to donate to worthy causes do not let this stop you from building a relationship with Mars. Show up anyway every Tuesday with an offering of flame and fragrance (incense).
  
  

Daily Practice

Mars is hot and dry which means you should begin “cooling off” practices as soon as possible. Here are some ideas:

• Drink water regularly.
• Drink green tea.
• Meditate by a river/stream.
• Practice meditation, yoga or Tai Chi.
• Spend time in nature. Take your shoes off as often as possible and actually walk on the grass or earth.
  

Who is your current Time Lord? Read this article to discover your Time Lord or book a reading with me!

Is your Time Lord well placed in your birth chart and therefore strong? Does your Time Lord require proper attention and care this year?