It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar
and seemingly secure ~ to embrace the new.
But there is no REAL security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting,
for in movement there is life,
and in change there is power.

Mars Retrograde

Mars Retrograde is a special occasion and can be full of surprises. The last time it happened was in December 2007 in the sign of Cancer. At that time, Mars asked the questions, "What feeds you?" ~ "What do you want to feel?" ~ and now in Leo, the question becomes, "Who/what do you want to BE?" Mars (what you deeply desire/what you are passionate about) is in Leo (creativity, Heart, courage, Light, Love) where it has initiated a 7+ month journey/process, including a Retrograde which only happens every 2 years. This is a Double-Fire combo, making it extremely potent, and as with any amount of Power, much responsibility and conscious thought is necessary to make it effective, rather than destructive. Using this Double Fire energy for creativity and purification is highly recommended.

 
As with all Retrogrades, the energy that is normally outwardly expressed becomes more inner directed. And Mars is the planet of desire, passion, action, sex, war, and desire. What do you desire at this time? What are you passionate about? Or have you been “passionate” about ANYTHING lately? What have you been actively pursuing in the world?

Right now is the time to do the INNER WORK - but with the power and passion of Mars behind it. You may feel the Retrograde in that whatever direction you WERE heading in (over the last 2 years) may now be slowed or even reversed (temporarily at least). Things that were easy may seem challenging and things that used to be challenging now become simple. Remember, all delays and detours are not necessarily “bad”. Pay attention to what aspect of your approach to acquiring what you desire, needs revision.

  
You may initially feel a drop in your drive and focus or perhaps just a shift in direction. This could happen for the entire Retrograde period, however, most of us have to continue forward regardless of what the Planets are up to. The best use of this energy is to understand that the purpose is to jolt you from the comfort zone you’ve been resting in for over two years and alert you to a cycle renewing. (What disruption did you experience during any point of September 2007 thru May 2008? Well, this is another time where the energy is shifting in a powerful way, it could also be a wake-up call regarding what you are or are not passionate enough about. There is likely some area of your life, most of us have something pushing us ever-forward but perhaps one area that you have not given enough open, direct, powerful energy to and it is demanding your attention now. Don’t fight it (like Mars energy is prone to do), resist the temptation to explode but rather, quietly observe, then take decisive action (Mars) which serves your Highest good. Remember, the best revenge is SUCCESS!!

 
Retrogrades are about adjustment - this is a second chance to get it “right”. Review, revise - go back there’s something you missed. In the current turbulent times, it is vital that we stay focused on what truly matters and use our powerful Martian energy to create an authentic life ... not one based on illusions and dis-ease. For naturally fiery natures, you may want to consciously direct this passionate and potent energy in to a cause or dear project. For those of you who are NOT naturally fiery, this energy lends strength and courage to step in to your authentic Self and create necessary energy to facilitate change. Either way, all should be tuned in for the upcoming Review (Dec 20 - Mar 10) when action in the world will slow ever-so slightly, nudging you to turn Mars activity toward internal concerns. "DO" You ... rather than "do" in the world. A brief 3-month cycle to review how you are really "loving self" ~ how passionate you are about certain issues which affect all life ~ how you support or suppress your own innate creativity ~ and ultimately, how well you keep your ego in check. Mars in Leo makes it mandatory to allow your Higher Self to lead, because if ego gets involved not only will you fail, but you will fail in front a large audience.

 
You may find an internal struggle between wanting to “do” and wanting to “be”. Both drives are useful - you just have to practice your timing of when you do which. Whatever you are more prone to on a regular basis, (“do” or “be”) during the Mars Retrograde, you will likely express the opposite drive. It’s good - it’s the Universe’s way of forcing you to touch base with that other aspect of your Self in order to regain equilibrium. Sometimes you must “do”. Sometimes you must “be”. Follow your instincts and practice both.

  
Often, Mars Retrograde brings whatever you’ve suppressed, ignored or avoided to the surface to be dealt with - it won’t be denied. Be prepared to dig deep because this will be challenging but it will feel like the cleansing of a really bad storm, which when passes leaves behind equal beauty and even a rainbow to remind you of the Higher energy which sustains you. You get about 3-months to review how you are actively "loving" Self (Leo), explore your own heart and connect with a renewed passion for life and Light. Mars will give you the energy and drive for the task ahead because when Mars once again goes forward, you should be healed, rested and ready to act boldly!

Mercury Retrograde

     The planet Mercury is mostly associated with all forms of communication and information transmission. When it appears to be going Direct, communications go as well as can be expected from the considered source. When it is Retrograde, there are some things that should be avoided if at all possible. Signing contracts, one or both parties may change their minds, some small, but pertinent, detail may be overlooked, there could be deceitfulness from one of the parties involved. Starting projects that rely on mechanical devices or communications. They tend to break down or not perform up to par during these periods. Communications and all things mechanical can go haywire.

      The positive side of a Mercury Retrograde, is it gives you a chance - well forces you to really - go within and re-examine various aspects of your life. This is a good time for almost anything beginning with "re" - re-evaluating, re-doing, re-arranging, re-building, re-covering, re-discovering, re-viewing, re-peating, re-newing, re-storing, re-pairing. It appears I could go on here, but you get the gist. Basically, it means two things: (1) you must communicate more internally, with the Self and (2) you must go over things with a fine-tooth comb, looking for anything you may have overlooked to begin with. That's the opportunity of Mercury Retrograde, you get re-check the details and correct things before they're too big to fix, hopefully.
      You get a chance a few times a year to check in with Mercury and see if YOUR systems are all communicating properly. This should be welcomed not resisted. This is a good time to review and revise your goals, go back over all that you've attempted and see if there is anything you missed initially. This is a good time to reflect on how you would LIKE to express your Highest Self; how you communicate with your Self and others; what you are a "voice" for. It is good to back up all computers and do regular maintenance on your car for good measure and consider the down-time, a "back up" of your internal computer.