Tuesday (MARS-day) 12/3/2024: Mars Retrograde Survival Guide

PLUS: Late Sneak Peek at the Week; Neptune Direct & Much, Much More!

In my next life, I will not have Moon on the cusp of the 6th house (of worker bees and service obligations), pushed to extremes by a square to Pluto. I will have household help, administrative assistants, editors, and maybe even an agent or two for book deals and speaking engagements. Until that next life arrives, my coping strategy is to channel the service needs of the 6th house Moon through my North Node in Cancer, in the 7th house. That explains why I spent all of Thanksgiving Day in the kitchen, whipping up a feast of saffron butternut squash soup, lemon-thyme roasted chicken, chestnut stuffing made from scratch, carrot-radicchio salad with fig dressing, steamed broccoli, homemade cranberry sauce, and a pumpkin mousse. Learning to cook and thus nourish (Cancer) others (7th house) has become a great joy, and I only wish I entertained more often.

How was your Thanksgiving, for those who celebrate?

Planetary patterns this week may feel intense, heavy and/or surreal, liking ending on a grand note:

• Venus trines Uranus on Monday

• Mercury Rx opposes Jupiter Rx for the second time on Wednesday

• Saturn squares Sun on Wednesday

• Venus sextiles Neptune on Wednesday

• Mercury conjunct Sun on Thursday

• Mars turns retrograde (Rx) in Leo on Friday

• Mercury squares Saturn on Friday -- watching for heavy news!!

• Venus conjunct Pluto on Saturday -- intensity and power plays involving women, love,money, arts

• Sun opposes Jupiter on Saturday -- more bigness -maybe a jackpot for someone

• Venus enters Aquarius on Saturday

• Neptune turns direct on Saturday

It goes like this:

• MONDAY: Done and over by now, but driven by the energy of the New Moon in pie-in-the-sky Sagittarius, lifting spirits and pushing boundaries of righteous opinion. At 9:43 AM ET Venus (women, money, values, art) trined technogeek Uranus, under the dreamy spell of Moon's square to Neptune at 10:47 AM ET. Hmm...money in harmony with technology...and sales for merchants offering Cyber Monday deals apparently broke records today -- what a coincidence. I wonder how many of those deals will not deliver as hoped, given that Mercury was retrograde and the Moon was void between 10:47 AM ET and 4:08 PM ET. Moon voids (if you're not familiar with this phenomenon, here's a primer) are apt for sticking to routine concerns and rolling with any twists and flakes that may disrupt efforts to move forward in a straight line. Impulse and/or major purchases are not advised. Avoid making a mountain out of a molehill, as crises that crop up during voids often turn out to be much ado about nothing.

• MONDAY: Today that "nothing" could be the flood of 0p-Eds published in the mainstream media howling over the transit of Mars to Hunter Biden's Jupiter (suggesting the activation of reward potential IRL), combined with transiting Venus (love) on his achievement-oriented Capricorn Moon. That reward showed up on Sunday, when Joe Biden had a Mercury Rx REthink about his vow that he would not pardon his son, given that the president-elect (a.k.a. the OMG) would like the Hunter-obsessed conspiracy theorist Kash Patel to lead the FBI, as historian Heather Cox Richardson explains. Meanwhile, Washington Post alone published six Moon-Mercury in Sagittarius points of view on their home page, as if there was nothing else going on in the world meriting our attention. And they wonder why readers are canceling subscriptions.

• TUESDAY: Moon entered Capricorn at 4:08 PM ET on Monday, driving the rest of the day with a need to deploy resources and Make Things Happen. That need is beautifully supported by structures and authority, reflected by Moon's sextile with Saturn at 4:16 PM ET. Arise, go forth, and take care of business, but....keep in mind that Mercury is still retrograde, soon to be followed by Mars, and this suggests an apt time to sloooooooow down and review, rather than push forward.

• WEDNESDAY: Big news about the news is on the agenda, reflecting Mercury's opposition to Jupiter, exact at 5:15 AM ET. Mercury refers to how we need to think and communicate; Jupiter refers to expansion, legal dogma, foreign affairs, travel, and broadcasting. Mercury is in Sagittarius, which is ruled by Jupiter; Jupiter is in Gemini, which is ruled by Mercury. Neither functions at its best in those signs, but boy, do they find each other attractive. Given that the two are drawn together by opposition, there is a higher probability of attractions that are later regretted. This is the second Mercury-Jupiter opposition of this Mercury Rx season; the last one was on November 18; the last one happens on December 26. You're affected by this one if you have planets around 16 degrees of Gemini, Pisces, Virgo, and Sagittarius -- which includes the OMG (Old Miserable Guy) and his pick to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, whose horoscope is here.

• WEDNESDAY: At 11:18 AM ET, we’ll have an exact challenge — a square — between the Sun in Sagittarius and Saturn in Pisces. Here are news items from a Sun-Saturn square in 2014. Such a square can be seriously sobering. For some it is an opportunity for advance. For others, it may be an encounter with a brick wall. Watch for stories of cuts and losses, likely involving elders and other authoritative types, i.e., CEOs and heads of state. Here's one that hit on Tuesday morning: "South Korean president declares martial law over threat from 'anti-state forces'". Wow. You’ll feel the push or block more personally if you have a planet or angle at 13 degrees (about halfway through) Pisces, Sagittarius, Virgo and Gemini. Off the top of my head that includes the aforementioned Hegseth. Saturn also refers to reality checks and accountability, and here is Stephen Colbert summing up most of the dirt dug up by investigative reporters about Hegseth in recent days.

• WEDNESDAY: Countering the gravitas of this week's Sun-Saturn square is a sextile between Venus and Neptune, exact at 1:51 PM ET. This pattern generally calls for rose-colored glasses and other idealized ways of seeing the world. Ideals involving women, art, money, and social expression are likely to be making news. For the rest of us not in the headlines, this pattern may inspire simple acts of random kindness and senseless beauty, supported by the Moon as it harmonizes with Uranus and Neptune (at 1:24 PM ET and 6:09 PM ET), finally meeting up with Venus at 6:34 PM ET. Chill for the rest of the night, as the Moon will be void until 11:21 PM ET, when it enters Aquarius. The Aquarius Moon's need for unique social significance may be pushed to extremes by a meet-up with Pluto at 11:56 PM ET, and those extremes may spark a confrontation around 10:27 AM ET on...

• THURSDAY: ...as Moon opposes regal Mars in "get away with murder" Leo. Whatever happens, more fiery idealism may be at play, reflecting Mercury's meet-up with the Sun at 9:17 PM ET. News -- real or imagined -- could spread like wildfire overnight, perhaps involving networks and other cooperative ventures. Moon sextiles Mercury at 12:56 AM ET on...

• FRIDAY:..then sextiles Sun and Jupiter at 1:38 AM ET and 4:52 AM ET, respectively. There are no exact aspects involving the Moon for the next fourteen hours, but a disruptive buzz may be building to a disruptive outburst around 7:01 PM ET, as Moon squares rebel Uranus. Whatever it may be, note that the Moon will be void for the next ten hours. Your coping strategy is to CHILL. Meanwhile, let's talk about four other patterns driving this day, starting at 6:33 PM ET as...

MARS…MARS…MARS…MARS…

…which has been slowing to a virtual standstill from our perspective on Earth all week -- turns retrograde. What does this mean? First, the slowing of Mars to a virtual standstill suggests that Mars-related matters -- e.g., martial law, insufferably macho men, etc., will be blaring like a car horn all week. Second, Mars is in Leo, suggesting that the energy of action needs to be expressed with creative and dramatic flair, in ways that are show-stopping and/or are regally entitled. Third, the fact that Mars is turning retrograde suggests that from now until February 23 (when Mars turns direct), the desire for forward action is more likely to be thwarted by delays. Another manifestation of Mars retrograde would be an assertive action that is rammed through with no consideration for anyone or any norms of behavior. Exhibit A: Mars was retrograde in Aries in the fall of 2020, when then-SCOTUS nominee Amy Coney Barrett was rammed through a Senate confirmation hearing and vote just days before the November election, etc., etc., etc.

We experience Mars retrogrades “every two years or so,” according to an official NASA site — which also offers a nifty animation explaining why planets seem to be move backwards in the sky from our point of view — even though they really don’t.

Mars is the planet of desire, action, anger and assertion. Moving backwards is not comfortable for Mars! Thus, many people find themselves more irritated, impatient and frustrated than usual. Why aren’t things moving forward fast enough? It feels like a truck spinning its wheels in the mud. Frustration built up can lead to an urge to leap into action — rashly. Resist this urge!

A more appropriate use of Mars retrograde is to treat it as an opportunity to plan strategy. Think of a coach calling a time out on the playing field. Mars retrograde is a good time to huddle — to turn inward — and reflect upon or talk about a strategy for…oh…an appropriate and fulfilling application of creativity and willpower, given that Mars starts its retrograde in LEO, which is born to shine, shine, shine!

On January 7th, Mars retrogrades back into Cancer, where it refocuses our strategic planning to matters of defending the home, family and homeland. Mars returns to Leo on April 19th...and finally starts covering new ground after May 2nd. Until then, it may feel like hurry up and wait...but waiting is a more prudent course of action...UNLESS...life simply demands otherwise. Gawd forbid someone is in a car accident, is rushed to the ER, and then tells the surgeon, "Wait! Don't operate! Mars is retrograde!" That would be ridiculous.

This Mars retrograde features three hits of an especially brutal pattern: Mars opposing Pluto. We had the first one on November 3rd; the second one happens on January 3rd (the first day of the new U.S. Congress); the third one happens on April 26th.

The last time Mars was retrograde in Leo was between the Winter Solstice of 2009 through early March 2010. Early March 2010 is when Mars was retrograde in early Leo, as it will be this week. Mars was last retrograde in Cancer during the last six weeks of 2007. Where were you at during those time periods?

Conventional astrological wisdom suggests caution when contemplating launching certain initiatives when Mars is retrograde:

A marriage contract
A sexual relationship
Filing for divorce
Surgery
Taking title to property
Buying a car
Hiring a new employee (unless it’s a temp)
Quitting your job in a frustrated huff
Starting a lawsuit
Starting a war

Notice that the operative word here is caution. Sometimes life has other plans, and this bears repeating.

Mars turns retrograde at 6 degrees of Leo. The Sabian Symbol is “the constellations in the sky.” We are advised to watch for themes involving recurring patterns and connecting the dots. But here's the thing about the constellations: human beings projected these patterns onto the stars and gave them meaning. So it is with your life, too. How much of it do you recognize as your own creation, and how does it fulfill your heart's desire?

That's a deep topic of conversation, and patron subscribers of Why Now News may wish to entertain that conversation at the next Zoom Q & A at 7:30 PM ET on Monday, December 23rd. You are more personally affected by this Mars retrograde if you are Liz Cheney, who has Sun at 5 Leo and a 6 Taurus Ascendant. Keep an eye on her this month...and again in early May.

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If you would like several paragraphs of personal insights on managing expectations for this months-long spell of Mars retrograde, including dates to mark in your calendar through April 2025, toss $83 into my Cosmic Tip Jar. An Avid Reader asked for this offer, and I’m happy to oblige.

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Part of the Cardiff Castle clock tower in Cardiff, Wales

• FRIDAY: After the shock of whatever Moon's square to Uranus at 7:10 PM ET brings, comes added gravitas courtesy of Mercury's square to Saturn at 8:53 PM ET. Sobering news may involve the status of women, money, art and/or social expression, reflecting Venus at the verrrrrrrry end of patriarchal Capricorn.

• SATURDAY: At 1:13 AM ET, Venus enters Aquarius, seeking to be friends with everybody, perhaps with a sledgehammer, given that Venus meets up with Pluto at 9:08 AM ET. Resistance is futile, and once the Moon enters Pisces at 4:48 AM ET, it drives the weekend with a need to accommodate, perhaps out of a grand sense of empathy. The grandness reflects the Sun's annual opposition to Jupiter, and if you have planets around 16 Gemini, Sagittarius, Pisces and Virgo, you are more personally affected by the bounty and/or wretched excess. And once again, that includes the OMG and Pete Hegseth, I kid you not. Depths of emotion and grandiosity may be magical or surreal, reflecting yet another planet making a major move this week, that being Neptune...

• SATURDAY: which turns direct at 6:42 PM ET ending a five-month period of subtle focus on tuning in to your own dreams and intuition for guidance. When a planet is retrograde, the advice is to turn inward on issues involving that planet, as opposed to projecting those needs onto others. You’ll feel the effects of Neptune’s change of station more personally if you were born at the very end of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini, and Sagittarius, or if you have a planet or angle at the very end of those signs. You are more personally affected by Neptune's change of direction if you are....ay caramba!...Pete Hegseth, yet again. In the news, watch for an uptick in stories of music, drugs, oil, deception, oceans and spirits of all kinds. etc. Here’s what was happening in the news on a past Neptune turning direct.

• SUNDAY: Confusion and conflict about a message sent may arise around 12:57 AM ET, when Moon squares Mercury. A sober focus kicks in around 3:43 AM ET, as Moon meets up with Saturn. An emotional overload as a result of boundary-pushing mental gyrations, perhaps, as Moon squares Jupiter at 8:55 AM ET, followed by the First Quarter Moon at 10:25 AM ET. You are more personally affected by these two moody lunar tensions if you are...wait for it -- the OMG or Pete Hegseth. A gathering of unconventional alliances is supported by Moon's sextile to Uranus at 11 PM ET.

All of the above patterns for this week are beautifully reflected in Wicked, if you ask me. Author Gregory Maguire's novel has been exquisitely adapted for the big screen in a spellbinding, gravity-defying adventure, as advertised.

Here is Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week.

THANK YOU, dear Avid Readers for liking, sharing, restacking, and commenting on my effort to keep you up-to-date on the astro-logic of these all-too interesting times. Special thanks to Avid Readers who have upgraded their free subscriptions. Your support makes it possible for me to keeping on writing...and oh! — almost forgot -- Here’s the 411 on scheduling personal consultations -- with gift certificates available for everyone on your holiday shopping list.

Coming up next: news, news and more news — all in sync with planetary patterns — stay tuned!