What happens to Mars during its retrograde transit?

What happens to Mars during retrograde? Mars Retrograde 2022- 2023

Take a deep look at your personal motivations and change them to align with your authentic self and goals- evolve or dissolve. Redirecting your powers of motivation and desire so they can be used more effectively 

Taking a deep look at your personal goals, making plans to complete, refine or let go of them

Mars is retrograde from October 30, 2022, to January 12, 2023, in the signs of Taurus and Gemini.

“Mars started its pre-shadow phase on September 4th and will enter its post-shadow phase. From January 12th until March 16th.”

How long does Mars stay in retrograde?

Mars retrogrades typically last from 55 to 85 days. Mars goes retrograde every 18 months to two years.

But whereas typically, mars moves, between 4-6 zodiac signs within a 7–8-month period, it will only move between two signs, Taurus and Gemini, during this time.

 

This year’s mars retrograde period starts on October 30th 2022, and ends on January 14th 2023. 

But this retrograde period will have a substantial effect lasting 190 days until March 16th 2022.

Mars is the closest it gets to the Earth during the retrograde phases as it forms its opposition to the Sun.

The battle between what we need to do (willpower) and our desires (what we want to do) will play out.

Giving the opportunity to clearly see what we need to do, including habits and relationships we may need to give up to move forward.

All retrograde periods ask us to reflect, revaluate and redirect our personal energy, and mars retrograde is no different. 

It wants you to turn inward, to find solutions for your problems, or at the very least, take more control of your life.

MAYS ENERGY MAIN WORDS ARE ACHIEVEMENT, AGGRESSION, TEMPER, RESOURCEFULNESS, ENTERPRISES AND ENERGY

Mars’s energy deals with our animal nature, raw, primal desires, and sexual and physical motivations.

Mars significantly influences how we go after what or who we want, assert or force ourselves on others, and compete with others. 

Your ability to work and handle obstacles is also shown by your mars placement.

Read more about mars here

How the transit mars affect you personally depends on:

  • The house(houses) mars transit in your natal chart when in retrograde, you can check your current transits here
  • And the placement and aspects mars make to other planets in your natal chart 
  • Look at the things you have been doing too much or too little of. And change- finding a balance between the needs of your mind, body and soul.
  •  Usually, these things you do excessively are the things controlled by the houses mars is currently transiting in
  • Mars retrograde wants you to tie up loose ends and finish the things that need to be completed, especially personal, educational or career projects.
  • Mars retrograde is asking you to look at how your actions or words or lack of, plus your passions and sense of power or lack of, affect specific or all areas of your life
  • Now is the time to stop doing the things that waste your energy and slow down so you can create a plan, step by step, that will get you where you want to go. 
  • Are you really going where you want to go? Or wasting time trying to prove a point or living up to other’s expectations
  • Are you scared of your own power? Is this why you don’t use it? Why is that?

If you are clueless after thinking about how you misuse your mars energy.

Then pay attention to the reoccurring themes that are happening in your life right now.

Because these will offer clues on how you have misused, successfully directed or abused your desire and assertion energies.

Remembering that the same power used to build up can also be used to destroy.

Mars retrograde 2022, October 30th to march 2023 key facts

The period from October 30th until January 12th 2023, is best used to reflect on your problems.

Finish up things that you have already started, and plan for the new things without starting them. 

Preparing your mind for the new changes and doing as much research as possible, so your new or refined goals get complete in the long run.

This period of mars retrograde is perfect for personal reflection – introspection rather than pushing ahead.

The 1st to 14th of December are critical dates in this year’s mars retrograde period.

Because mars makes its strongest opposition to the Sun from December 7th 2022, 12:32 PM to December 8th 2022, 10:51, which is strongest around December 8th 2022, 5:41.

 

When Mars enters the second phase of its retrograde period is when you should take action to continue or start making changes.

 

Your thought and behaviour patterns so you can reach your goals and be more productive in your daily life.

 

The 2nd phase of mars retrograde is to start making progress in your plans to use your creative-motivational- sexual- desire energies more effectively and open yourself up to things you never experienced before.

Mars opposes the Sun during the retrograde phase

Mars’s opposing Sun can make people more aggressive than usual, so watch out for this behaviour in yourself. People may be feeling the pressure of the previous phase of mars retrograde. 

 

And want to rush ahead in achieving their newfound goals, but it’s important to give others the freedom you want for yourself and not force your views on others. 

This aspect can make people more forcefully and bring out bully-type behaviour. 

There can be an increase in violent words and, actions, mistakes due to impulsiveness or absentmindedness.

Those who object to your plans can get in your way, or new enemies can be made because of your or others’ need to bring changes into your lives can cause disharmony and disappointment in relationships.

Mars retrograde dates 2022-2023, other critical dates

The influence of the Mars Retrograde period will last until March 15th 2023. However, it could still have some effect on events in your life until it moves into cancer.

Because Mars will go direct first in Taurus on January 14th, then move to Gemini on March 13th, staying there until May 10th 2023, when it moves into cancer. 

Finally, leaving the two signs (Taurus and Gemini) that were dominant in the mars pre-shadow, retrograde, stationed and direct phases.

Mars retrograde key dates summary

  1. Mars retrogrades from October 30th until January 15th 2023
  2. Mars enters the retrograde zone on September 4th 2022, in the 14th degree of Taurus (13:57 degrees)
  3. Mars goes into retrograde on October 31st at 1:26 PM in the 2nd degree of Gemini (1:26 degrees)
  4. Mars goes direct on January 13th at 8:56 PM in the 14th degree of Taurus (13:57 degrees)
  5. Mars leaves the retrograde zone entirely on March 16th at 3:49 AM when it enters the 2nd degree of Gemini (1:26 degrees)



Why does Mars go into retrograde?

Mars Retrograde is a time in astrology when Mars looks like it is moving backwards in the sky. “Looks like” is the keyword in the last sentence because, technically speaking, no planet actually moves backwards in their orbits around the Sun. In fact, the planets don’t even slow down. So why the big deal when mars or any other planet about retrogrades? 

 

Well, because esoterically, the planets have a direct effect on Earth and the people on it, then, when they are moving in what we call in astrology direct.

Retrogrades are somewhat, then, a mirage illusion because planets only appear to be going backwards because of the viewpoint we have of the planets from Earth.

The Earth orbits the Sun at a different speed than the other planets, creating the retrograde effect.

Mars retrograde key themes

  • Tests of your self-control, motivation drives and willpower
  • Becoming less impulsive and more cautious 
  • Intensity unleashes powerful desires that are repressed
  • Fear of asserting yourself 
  • Not expressing your truth can have drastic consequences
  • Best to find a way to let out your force, passion and motivation in safe and consensual ways
  • Feeling more vulnerable, and this can scare you, Pluto influence as mars co-rules Scorpio and the 8th house after all. It calls for you to make the necessary changes in your life, especially those related to your personal expression and lack of or too much ego and ambition.
  • Although we have to consider other people’s needs, this is true it’s also important not to suppress your true feelings, even if they are wretched. It is essential to find a healthy outlet for all your emotions, even your dark ones, that does not harm you or others.
  • Mars retrograde is a time to appreciate your uniqueness and desires, even if they need to be controlled; continuing to reject them is not the way
  • Making more mistakes, creating or engaging in more physical or verbal arguments
  • Not being able to hind in our usual defence mechanisms can be unnerving and daunting 
  • You may be forced to listen to your gut feelings-intuition no matter how hard you try to numb yourself to them, increase in dreams or nightmares that have meaning
  • Watch out for manipulative and sly behaviour
  • Slow down rather than trying to rush forward to avoid defeat
  • Pace yourself, create a plan and take time to relax
  • Sexual and sensual feelings can be really intense, but you may repress them, which may be the best thing at first
  • It is best first to explore any thoughts about your sexual desires before you try to act on them with an open mind. Try to understand these urges and how you can meet them in healthy and consensual ways
  • To avoid guilt, shame and resentment
  • There is nothing wrong with having urges, but how we let them out counts. We must respect other’s boundaries 
  • Try not to start new projects until mars transiting in retrograde, enters its second phases
  •  Deal with your emotions and motivation drives in healthy ways before they deal with you, in a nutshell
  • The retrograde mars period can bring warmer weather even in countries experiencing autumn and winter

Intense aggression MARS RETROGRADE IN TAURUS IN DEPTH OCTOBER 30TH, 2022

This mars retrograde period will be intense because Venus is conjunct with the Sun, which is also called Venus combust Sun; most of the time, mars is in retrograde.

Which can cause issues in intimate and other relationships Jupiter and Uranus, and Neptune are also retrograde.

 

Adding to the delusion, erratic behaviour, sudden events, and conflicts over beliefs can happen naturally when Mars is retrograde.

Another good use of mars in retrograde is to look at how you use your physical, intellectual, psychological, financial, spiritual and emotional energy.

Do you waste your time, money and energy, and how can you make a plan to use your life force and willpower more effectively?

Mars will spend most of its time retrograde in Taurus, so people are more likely to make decisions depending on practical concerns.

Such as financial instability or instability, beauty, inner values or what they believe is true or should be the truth; physical energy can be low.

So people may avoid conflict or stubbornly enjoy being involved in it; psychological, emotional and intellectual activity can be high.

Going overbroad

There can be a risk of overspending and indulging in food, luxury goods and services when Mars retrograde in Taurus. 

Sensuality and the pursuit of comfort, affection and “lust/love “can dominate decisions.

Mars in retrograde can cause confusion, problems, bad timing and choices that can bring significant losses or gains.

 

On the global level, we can see prices still go up in goods and services, especially precious metals and gems such as gold, diamonds and silver.

The stock markets can become highly volatile; there can be an increase in natural disasters because of mars in primal energy.

There can also be increased personal attacks, such as theft, anti-social behaviour, and accidents in general. 

So, pay attention and do not rush; it’s better to get where you are going safe rather than never. 

MARS IN TAURUS – MARS IS GEMINI RETROGRADE 2022. KEY THEMES

Mars influence – issues with inner values, financial, spiritual or psychological security, become stubborn and unwilling to listen or take positive action. Struggles in relationships over possessiveness, sensual or intimacy issues, overindulging in intoxicating people, food or substances.

  • Being to focus on sexual and instant gratification
  • Being too attached to money, goods or services
  • Jealously can get in the way of being grateful or having productive experiences staying or entering your life
  • Violence because of sexual jealousy 
  • Problems with control before expressing anger or other emotion
  • Finding competition hard to handle



GEMINI’S INFLUENCE -issues in all forms of relationships, not being able to make or keep bonds, problems with the ability to communicate and learn new things

 

  • Overthinking can cause stress and arguments in relationships, replaying what was said or what wasn’t said, who did this or who didn’t do that; such thoughts can be maddening 
  • Although its best not to overthink past events, some level of reflection can help you identify patterns of behaviour that need changing 
  • Distracting yourself with facts and figures and ignoring the real issues 
  • Increase in gossip and all forms of passive-aggressive communication
  • Changing your mind, starting things and not finishing them, moving from one thing or person to the next
  • Not being empathetic towards your own or others’ problems
  • Intellectual pride, thinking education makes you superior, or someone treating you this way
  • Health issues with lungs, hands or arms due to over-usage, smoking or other reasons, look after your overall health on all levels, mind, body and soul
  • Mediation, tai chi, yoga and other calming activities can help
  • Taking an interest in your old friends, lovers, and old hobbies, such as you may continue to learn another language or anything else you use to study
  • Some of you may turn on an old phone, log in to an old forum or any other club you belong to and reach out to old contacts, this can be good or bad, yet it will all lead to potential growth
  • Problems with taking in the information you are used to understanding can cause frustration and feelings of inadequacy, be patient with yourself and develop new strategies to retain information
  • Masking criticism as praise
  • Check facts, as not all you hear will be factual
  • Try and understand delays and work with them rather than allow them to make you heated and angry

Mars transit in retrograde in summary

Now is the time to reclaim your power or stop abusing it, taking ownership of your life and what happens in it.

So that you can become a wholistic individual while respecting the needs of others.

Although mars retrograde wants you to stand up for yourself and your beliefs and work towards your goals.

 

Most of this process may be directed inwardly at first.

Instead of looking outside for guidance, you will be directed within. Still, eventually, you will need to find a way to channel your motivational energy.

Not being direct, confused and not expressing your mars drive outwardly can increase the number of arguments because of passive-aggressive behaviours.

Because people may speak or react indirectly instead of confronting their issues head-on, this behaviour can bring its own problems.

Because repressing them forever will bring their own consequences.

When mars enter the retrograde phases, it asks us to examine- reflect on how we use our life force, ego, and physical – sexual- creative energy.

The main aim of this transit is to get you to slow down and look at your pent-up frustrations, inner suffering, trauma and anxiety and how these interfere with your quality of life and control your behaviour.

Getting to the root cause of any discontent or excessiveness, now is the time to face your problems, especially those that deal with anger and hate.

Which are all natural parts of the human experience; it is what you do with these emotions counts.

What matters is whether you try to uncover how you numb yourself to your emotions, hoping they will go away. Or do you abuse your power- maybe using emotional manipulations to gain it?

Now is the time to face whatever comes up rather than run from it, taking control of your aggression energy and stopping it from coming out in impulsive ways.

That typically causes more destruction and tension in yourself, your environment and your relationships.

New ideas

Thinking of new ways and developing a strategic plan to use your sexual-creative-aggression energy in more balanced and self-productive ways.

Finding ways you can deal with your anxiety and trauma in healthy and safe ways, past mistakes may surface to the front of your awareness now.

 

But this serves to get you to reflect on how you can stop these events from happening or having such a strong effect on your life.

It is crucial that you try and look at your issues objectively – using logic to allow you to take a detached look at your own behaviour.

This can be hard to do; seek help to do so, if need be, from someone with experience dealing with the issues you are affected by. 

The main questions are, are you in control of your life? If not, who is? How can you take more control? Do you dominate others, and why?

Are you making the best of your life? If not, how can you become more productive in expressing your passions and urges? 

Giving up on blaming other humans or other instincts for your issues, thinking before acting or reacting, and making changes where they are necessary.

Making rational and conscious choices, even if you are using metaphysical concepts

Mars wants you to stop making decisions for the sake of it or drive my passion. Mars retrograde wants you to become conscious of how you use your masculine energy.

Also, watch out for vulnerability when mar’s is in retrograde, as you may not be able to spot unsafe situations or people as quickly as you could have when mar’s is direct.

It is important to be alert, but also essential to not become too vigilant and avoid risk altogether.

Calculated risks are your best bet after consideration, background checks, and planning.

Some of you will find it hard to find pleasure. Even things you once gained happiness from may now bring you depression and boredom, but this may be happening to get you to question.

Whether these things really did bring you gratification after all, or had they just become life force draining habits?

What is mars retrograde and all other retrograde periods about?

Retrograde periods are all about reaping what we have sowed if you have already been working on your goals and making good progress in obtaining them.

And if you have been doing the work to understand yourself and your passion.

Finding ways to channel them constructively, then mars retrograde can be a more relaxed period for you.

This current retrograde period starts when Mars enters its pre-shadow retrograde period in the sign of Taurus on September 4th.

It stays there until Mars moves into Gemini on October 16th. Mars will retrograde in Gemini on October 30th. 

And then move back into Taurus for the remainder of the retrograde period on November 13th, 2022.

What happens to Mars during retrograde? Mars Stationary Retrograde 2022- 2023, continued

The Mars retrograde transit can bring internal or external struggle; there can be a clash between your different personality traits with your fierier ones taking dominance.

Especially if you have strong mars, Pluto, Scorpio, Sun, Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, 1st,8th, 9th, and 5th house energy in your birth chart. 

There can be a lot of inner turmoil, suffering, pressure and passive aggression within yourself when mars is transiting in retrograde, although you may think it’s best to keep your frustrations in.

And you are right. It is better to release your anger in healthy ways instead of explosive ones, such as screaming, punching the air, using a pillow or anything that safely lets out your inner pain and rage.

To stop it from becoming uncontrollable hatred or venom that you cannot control, which spills out unexpectedly and can cause trouble in your professional or personal life.

Confrontations

During mars retrograde, you will become confronted with your own sense or lack of power, this can be made clear by external confrontation or an inner struggle.

Your first reaction may be to run from these powerful feelings or suppress them, but this won’t be the right choice.

For your emotional, spiritual- higher consciousness, financial, physical and psychological well-being, although your more assertive and aggressive side may scare you, it is best to find ways to understand and express it safely.

Or if you are overly egotistical or aggressive, this transit asks you how you can use your self-assertion energy more wisely.

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Some more questions to ask during this phase

What inspires you to be assertive? And does the way you go about using your personal power – confidence and achieving your goals serve you in the long run?

Do your life choices enhance or ruin your life? Are they constructive or destructive? Pluto’s influence here wants us all to destruct( let go of ineffectual behaviours), but only to reconstruct- build a better life for yourself.

Puto’s aim is never to leave you in stagnation, spending your whole life repeating the same mistakes. Its plan is to keep moving us forward into better awareness.

Some more questions to ask

Do you make balanced life choices that expand your skills, life choices, relationships and stability, or do your decisions destroy these?

Do your toxic or addictive thoughts or behaviours control your life, or can you use your willpower to control these self-destroying habits? How can you change these behaviours if you let your passions and desires dominate you?

Do you abuse your power or try and manipulate others to get what you want? Have you gone too far in this behaviour? Is it destroying your relationships, opportunities and sense of self? If so, how can you transform it? 

Do you live life to your own standards, or are you drowning in trying to live up to other people’s expectations? Is this the cause of your inner conflict?

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If so, how can you resolve it?

If you have been overdoing it, taking on too many commitments or hookups, watching too much porn, overdrinking, thinking, eating, and taking drugs. 

Whatever the flaws in your previous life choices were, they are bound to show their consequences during the transit mars retrograde phase, for better or worst.

Complications

Even if you are the type that usually stands up for yourself, you can hold back now because of fear; even if you don’t typically care about the consequences of your actions, you can now.

On the other hand, if you usually let others walk all over you, you may speak up now, not giving a **** about the consequences. 

It is good not to let others cross your boundaries, but make sure you do not put yourself in danger.

Mars transiting in retrograde wants you to understand your instincts, motivations and desires passions on a deep level; this is not to mess up your life or curb your enthusiasm for life and the things and people in it.

But to get you treating yourself and others in more balanced ways, any inner themes or external experiences of resentment, revenge, anger, hate, apathy, sexuality questioning, paranoia- obsession, boredom and excess that happen now.

 

They are calling you to use your survival, anger, sexual-creative, self-confidence and ego instincts more effectively, although the self-questioning and doubt can be maddening. That can happen when mars is in retrograde.

Serve to make you a better you. If you need help handling these intense emotions that can happen when Mars goes retrograde, I ask you to do so.

Although it may be best not to start new things when mars is in retrograde, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t, this is life, and you may have to create a new job or something else.

Don’t worry excessively just try and take it all in your stride, but pay attention as what you start now may not be for the long term. 

It may be best to have a plan B at this time, yet you should always have one anyway.

Although you may be forced to revisit your past, remember you cannot change it, but you can use it to develop a better future for yourself, which is its only value.

I am not ruling out going back to an ex-partner or job, but I would make sure you’re going backwards for the right reasons. If you are thinking of going back to an ex, take it slow don’t rush.

 

If they really want you, they will wait and watch their actions, not words, as actions always reveal the truth; eventually, words can always try to conceal the truth.

Retrograde mars can blind you to the truth, so although things may seem like a good idea to restart in this phase when mars goes direct, they may once again cause discontent.

All in all best to avoid making final decisions until after this period, but you can still welcome and accept them with an open mind and heart.

Put off firmly committing to them or beware that things may not go to plan and prepare for this happening, so if anything ends, it doesn’t come as a complete shock.

Try not to give in to instant emotions, especially anger; walk away and think to avoid unchangeable consequences. It may be an excellent time to research anger management techniques or professionals during this time.

If you try to move ahead but keep facing obstacles, this may be a signal from your higher self to slow down and enjoy the journey.

Rather than push ahead to reach your destination while mars retrograde is in transit.