Here are some thoughts on the Mars approach.
It will be beautiful in the sky
and has the potential to speak to us if we are willing to listen.
Lately I have been receiving lots of emails about the closeness of 'the red
planet' to our blue planet, the earth.
I wanted to share some astrological ideas about what's going on in the sky and
how it might have a relationship to events here on earth.
Astrology doesn't directly address the question of the closeness of planets
to the earth. Partly this is because astrology does not see proximity as
having anything to do with the power of the planet to reflect patterns of
events. Pluto, for example is so tiny there is debate over whether it is
indeed a planet and, is the farthest discovered planet in the solar system.
Yet, despite distance and size, most astrologers would attest to Pluto's
significance in our charts. And, since the classic chart pattern does not
include a glyph for the position of the earth, we do not have a way of 'seeing'
distance in the symbolism of astrology.
Having said that, most astrologers love to watch the sky and are deeply
interested in the events 'out there.' On August 27 of this year Mars will be
will closer to the earth than it has been for 60, 000 years, an
impressive moment in time. A few hours after this moment of closeness, a
pattern between the Sun, Uranus and Mars will come into tight aspect
(relationship). Last year and extending into the next year, Mars who has a
two-year cycle around the Sun has been making various angles with the Sun and
Uranus. Uranus is a planet beyond Saturn discovered during the French
revolution and seems to symbolize many of the developments of that period in
Europe and America. The speed of scientific development and the revolution in
social structure are connected to Uranian energies. Uranus also presents us
with the potential to discover and express authenticity, our unique purpose and
the expression of that purpose. Where Uranus sits in our chart suggests where
we will brook no interference and areas of our life where we are most apt to
behave in a way peculiar to ourselves. The placement and aspects of Uranus mark
where sudden and unplanned events take place. When Uranus is in in relationship
to Mars, they seem to crank up excitement, accidents, and violence.
The energies, which are symbolized here in these astrological terms, have a
variety of ways they can be expressed and felt by each of us. Mars is not only
the planet of war, but also the planet of desire from which all
manifestation begins. Uranus is not only the planet of unpredictable change,
but also the opportunity to see things from a new point of view. To become
aware of the potential when these energies combine allows us to extend our
understanding and ability to act with rather than be acted upon.
On August 28th just after Mars makes momentous astronomical history in its
closeness to the earth, it also will be observed by astrologers who see it in
conjunction with Uranus and in opposition to the Sun, Jupiter and
Venus. A year ago this 'astrological' drama began on August 24, 2002 when Sun
and Mars were conjunct and opposed to Uranus. If this took place in a
significant part of your chart you may well have felt its explosive energy.
During the last year the relationship between the Sun Uranus and Mars has
continued to unfold. We know what this last year has contained on the world
stage. If we see the Sun as being our essential Self, Mars as
representing the energy of war, desire, and outward moving energy in general and
Uranus as a force for unpredictable, sometimes violent, always shocking
revelation, we may get a picture of what is going on.
Mars goes retrograde (appears to travel backward) on July 29, the day of a
new Moon. The push that went out from Mars will now turn around and come back
towards its source. Maybe this is where the expression 'what goes around comes
around' began. Whether we express our love or hate it takes the energy of Mars
to project it outwards and that same energy has the power to return toits
origins.
Last year this Sun Mars Uranus action took place on the Leo Aquarius axis.
This suggests the tension between 'me' and the group. It feels as if much of
the political action in this country has brought tension between the needs of
society-Aquarius- (health care, education, environmental issues) vs. the desires
of the very wealthy and powerful elite (Leo) for tax breaks, oil exploration,
and a war in Iraq which benefits the corporations and interests of a select
few. We could also see the conflict between the wishes of the UN (the larger
group) vs. those leaders who pushed for the Iraqi invasion in the U.S.
This next Mars Sun opposition will take place
August 28 and we have very tight aspects. Mars will be conjunct (next to)
Uranus. Sun and Mars (combined with Uranus) will be in opposition to each
other. Opposition makes it hard to understand whatever is ‘over there’, and we
often project whatever we don’t wish to own. There will be a Jupiter Uranus
opposition on August 28th and a Venus and Mars opposition, and Saturn
Chiron opposition. The opportunity to see things in black and white and to
continue the ‘with us or against us’ model is contained here. On this same
day, Pluto makes a square to the Moon and a fearful approach to security may be
the road we take, or we could discover the importance of security and home to
all and understand that the road to peace lies in respecting the right of all
people to be‘secure.’
All this takes place on the day after Mars comes closer to the earth than
it has for 60, 000 years. If we don’t like what is suggested here, we need to
take these same energies and use them in a creative way to evolve our
relationship to each other.
This time the focus of all this activity is on the Virgo Pisces axis, which
suggests big issues around health and compassion. We are also struggling with
issues of worldwide epidemics of AIDS and SARS. Is this the only way we can
grasp the fact that political boundaries mean very little on this small planet?
I am hoping all this energy and excitement will be expressed in and
increased focus on concern for our planet and all the life forms that
share it with us. However, the energies of the Mars Uranus combination do not
bode well for peaceful solutions. So the people who want peace must provide
Uranian (new and revolutionary) responses.
Bright Mars in the night sky can help us understand strength as a
source of health and joyful protection. The energy of Mars can fill us with
the passion to love and to work on our dreams.
Here are some web sites where you can read other opinions about all of
this:
www.billherbst.com, or
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/mars_preview_021108.html or
http://www.lunarplanner.com/HCpages/Mars2003html. or
http://www.skyscript.co.uk/mars.html or
http:://www.astralis.it/marte_re.htm
or
http://www.timeof globalshift.com/Science/curdance.html.
Venus was an amazing sight at dawn all winter long.
On November 8-9 there will be an amazing astrological pattern which
some are calling the Harmonic Concordance. I hope we can gather at that time to
meditate and celebrate its potential for peace.
| Sarah Fuhro combines her training as an Astrologer and Flower Essence Practitioner in a healing art which she calls Star-Flower Alchemy. You can reach her at 508-652-9881 or through her web site at http://members.aol.com/sarahbeagl |