Planetary Fishing: Mars

 © 2013 by Joyce Mason
All Rights Reserved

Missing Mars Restored! Thanks to reader Maureen who noticed I had inadvertently omitted the Mars post from our Planetary Fishing trips. I must have figured, unconsciously, that he was already with as us as our fish hooks (Mars rulership over sharp objects). Apologies! Even if today’s post on Mars is out of order for replicating the sequential planetary line-up in the sky, here it is. Maybe this delay was no mistake, as you’ll go to Mars and then Pluto right behind each other. That’ll be interesting in light of their co-rulership of Scorpio, an opportunity to compare and contrast the original and modern ruler of that water sign as we leave shore one last time tomorrow for Pluto.

Mars is more than the God of War. This planet’s realms are energy, impulse, fire, drive, masculinity and sexuality. Also attributed to Mars are desire, courage, aggression, impatience and ego. Mars is an initiator, leader, innovator and extrovert.

The planet Mars has the distinction of ruling the first sign of the zodiac, Aries. Therefore, Mars is closely associated with the beginning of the Natural New Year, Spring Equinox. Spring is the time when tree sap rises and people’s fire does, too. It’s the best time of year to be that Martian initiator, to go out and do new things.

Mars has enjoyed a lot of interesting cultural associations over the years. Most of us are familiar with Dr. John Gray’s, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. Thanks to that book, many people with no interest or prior experience in astrology know that Mars is associated with the masculine archetype and Venus with the feminine. John Gray has done wonders in helping both genders understand their differences in communication styles, and I’m sure, to translate the unique languages “Mars” and “Venus” speak.

When I was growing up in the 1950s, we imagined that people from outer space were from Mars. The common image was a green guy with antennae, who landed in a flying saucer and talked a kind of weird, robotic-sounding gobbledygook. This image, spruced up with a little more sophistication, was brought home on our tiny black-and-white TV screens in the show, My Favorite Martian, starring Ray Walston. Few “mere mortals” realized then how far outer space really extends. For others, Mars was the name of a favorite candy bar.

Finally on this trip down my Martian Memory Lane (Mars in Cancer, can’t help myself): There’s a book that had a lot of personal significance for me that I’ve mentioned in other posts, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. This classic, 1961 science fiction odyssey tells about Valentine Michael Smith, a human who comes to Earth as a young adult after being born on the planet Mars and raised by Martians. It has bold themes, ahead of its time, and Smith as the Man from Mars evolves into a messiah as he explores Earth from an innocent’s eyes and beginner’s mind, not having been raised in these here parts. Morality, religion and psychic skills are just some of the fare in a work many people consider the best sci-fi novel ever published. It even brought a new word into our language, “grok.”

Grok  (Slang)

verb (used with object)
1. to understand thoroughly and intuitively.

verb (used without object)

2. to communicate sympathetically.

~Dictionary.com

It’s ironic, the elements of communication that seem to be connected with Mars in these cultural flashbacks. You’d think we were talking about Mercury, but my hunch is that the ego, impatience and extroversion of Mars often get in the way of one of the most important aspects and at least half of communication—listening. 

Now onto casting your line for Mars in the here and now.

Mars Fishing Instructions

1.   What do you make of our past cultural impressions of Mars, described above, especially compared to some of the current facts from our Mars space missions?

2.   Now explore your own Mars by describing one or more of these: your drive, your vitality or energy level, and your relationship to courage. What do these things tell you about Mars in your life and chart?

3.   Mars loves adventure! Jump on your keyboard steed and type in god Mars. What do you like about this god? Dislike?

4.   What words pop out to you as both affinities and antipathies as you’ve read about Mars in the post or in your Mars research above? For instance, I have much affinity to the vitality aspect of Mars, not so much to competition, and almost none to force. What are yours?

5.   About your Mars and its sign:

a.   Does your Mars sign, in your opinion, make the concepts Mars governs easy or more challenging to navigate? Why?

b.   Identify one aspect of Mars you need to work on.

c.    What’s the element of your Mars? (Earth, Air, Fire or Water) Is it simple or challenging to do Martian things with this element?

d.   How many planets make a major aspect to your Mars? [1]

e.   How many of the planets are in close aspect, within 3 degrees or less?

f.    Do these aspects make “doing Marsy things” easier or more challenging?

Extra Experience:  Today’s experiential suggestions involve a spontaneous Martian experience. Take an aspect of Mars and do it today. Something impetuous. Something innovative or pioneering. Something to do with your head, that Mars rules—like buying a new hat, getting a new hair-do or a new headache medication. Go on an adventure of some kind. As the Nike commercial says, one of the greatest Martian affirmations ever, Just do it!

One last launch to Pluto tomorrow …

~~~

Photo Credit: Mars wearing a breastplate, Ancient Roman bronze figurine, 1st–2nd centuries AD. © Marie-Lan Nguyen (2010) Wikimedia Commons.

Note

[1] This is often easiest to find and view in summary in a matrix on the chart wheel page or in one of the “reports” offered, if you have astrology software.

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