Peak Mars

...On the Sun/Mars opposition

“twins reunited under Midnight Mars” by me, not DALL-E

“If we are to thrive rather than merely survive, then we have to court the wild twin. We have to coax it back from the woods.”

-Martin Shaw

Coursing through the depths of fairy tales and myth, we will always come across a story—or two— about Twins. Whether it be Castor and Pollux (Gemini), Romulus and Remus (founders of Rome), or the curious tales like the LIndworm, which offer a unique glimpse into the complexity of this polar dynamic, revealing the estranged part of ourselves that must be found, the paradox of duality is at the center of all of them. Castor and Pollux show it with mortality vs. immortality; the wolf-milk brothers reveal the tension between our wild vs. civilized impulses; and tales such as the Lindworm suggest there is a ‘wild twin’ who is born with us but escapes into the chaos of the uncivilized world at birth. I make this point because I think it pertains a lot to Mars—especially to the upcoming opposition to the Sun.

As you can see, there are a lot of aspects to this Mars “midnight star.” Naturally, it is opposite the Sun. It is at this moment of the Mars cycle that the planet is closest to Earth. Thus, he’s the brightest, biggest, and most felt at any other point of the cycle. It’s the peak of the Mars synodic cycle. Pluto is also a few degrees away from the Sun, influencing the light illuminating the iron-planet. It’s a stage set for both catharsis and renewed strength. It’s a recognition of the primary battle we are currently in, realizing we could use all the allies we can get (ie. a ‘wild twin’).

The opposition also creates two squares: 1. to Black Moon Lilith (♎); 2. to Chiron/Hygia (♈). Though not exact, nor are they primary considerations, they do insert layers into the story. With Lilith, there’s always the consideration of our relationship to the erotic. The square brings up questions about how well we are managing that lusty side of our lives and how much energy we are spending there. And from the Chiron/Hygia side of this Cardinal Cross, we see the invitation for healing. Being Mars rules Aries, it’s tethered directly to these two, and feels like a profound opportunity to solve a riddle within our shadows—perhaps with the ‘wild twin’ by our sides.

The Chandra Symbol for this peak Mars moment reveals why I’ve been talking about the Twins so much:

CANCER 27

A woman giving birth to twins.

…I’ve always felt the word ‘ma’ to be interesting etymologically. Not only is it one of the first sounds we make, it’s also cross-culturally a sound that means mother. From Old English to Sanskrit, Chinese to Greek, ‘ma’ is near universal. So, when we hear it in words like karMA, we may wonder about the connection here. It’s in MAn and woMAn, though phonetically different, it still points to the huMAn draMA the two create—and the MAgic too! MAha means great (it also has another meaning these days) and MAgha is a nakshatra associated with the Red King’s MArs—go figure. MAngala is also a name for MArs in Vedic Astrology. And in so many initiatory ordeals, it is the separation from the mother that is critical in the ritual. Being this MArs cycle peaks in Cancer, there is a clue there. What did we inherit from Ma that has either run its course or is going to be helpful in this battle? We don’t need a MAgician to win this one, but we do enough MAnna to make it through. To ensure we don’t go MAd in the process, we must go searching for our ‘wild twin,’ and finally, fully, MAture.

It’s important to remember that this synodic cycle began back in November of 23’ in Scorpio (read more HERE). It creates more context for what is happening now. By locating the two houses where it began and now where it is peaking is important. If you are using Whole Sign Houses, that would be your Scorpio house and Cancer one. This watery combo is also helpful in constellating some deeper insight into what is happening. What swims just beneath the surface we are afraid of? How can we go there and be assured we will return? Where are the threads between us and our mothers that need tending to?

For the world, in a mundane sense, this Rx from pre-shadow to present has brought us the election, the back shooter/hero-to-some Luigi, the fall of Assad, strange drones over Jersey, the current LA fires, and, of course, new all-time-highs for Bitcoin. And it’s hardly over. The station won’t occur until the end of Feb, and we still have the post-shadow to trudge through. The best approach is to get excited for the challenge. It’s not easy. It won’t be easy. Yet, the reward is to have more vitality and purpose by the end of it. By facing our battles and not ducking away from them is the first step. And if it is something specific with Ma, don’t turn from her either. Mars, as a midnight star, is MAjestic.

To sum it up: This week moves into peak Mars. He’s close, he’s bright, and he will be felt. The way to face it is to praise iron, draw clear boundaries, and pursue this idea of the ‘wild twin.’ Victory tales will be told at the end of this. May it be true for all of you…

Key Dates:

Oct 4th. Pre-shadow begins. 17º Cancer

Dec 6th. Rx begins. 6º Leo

Jan 15th/16th. Sun/Mars opposition. 26º Cancer

Feb 23rd. Station direct. 17º Cancer

May 2nd. Post-shadow end. 6º Leo

…if you’d like to do a reading focused on this subject, I do offer Mars-specific readings….

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