The Red Planet
Mars is in Libra for the next six weeks or so, and whenever the warrior planet moves into the sign of the diplomat, we can expect more than the usual share of outraged egos, wounded pride, and passive-aggressive reactions. In this little article, I’d like to look at why Mars in Libra acts the way he does and what we can do to better our experience of this energy, which comes along every two years or so and lasts, on average, from six to eight weeks. I’d also like to look at the unique challenge (and opportunity) posed by Mars in Libra in the birth chart.
Like Living With Your Parents Again
Mars is the traditional ruler of Aries and Scorpio. Each of the traditional planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) rules at least one sign of the zodiac, and when a planet is in its own sign, it is said to be dignified. The old-timers compared this to a man living in his own home. When you’re in your own place, you tend to feel more secure, more empowered, able to do what you want to do without fear of being hindered by someone else’s needs, fears or desired.
A planet in its opposite sign, on the other hand, is said to be in detriment. When I was 25 years old, I was forced by economic circumstances (and a few dicey life choices) to move into my mom’s basement for a few weeks. This is how I think of a planet in detriment. When you’re living under someone else’s authority, you’re limited in your ability to act according to your own nature. Sometimes this can be good, but in astrology a planet in the sign of its detriment is more liable than not to show its worst side.
That said, nothing is inherently all good or all bad – in astrology as in life. Let’s look at how this plays out with Mars in Libra.
Mars is the warrior. Mars represents the ego drive, the heroic impulse, the desire/need to go out and hunt prey, slay dragons, conquer the enemy, impose one’s will on the environment. If you look at the two signs Mars rules, you can get an even better idea of how Mars prefers to operate. Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, embodies the fiery will to live. Aries natives learn about themselves by repeatedly impressing their will onto the raw material of their lives. They passionately follow an impulse that arises from within and in experiencing the outcome of that passionate act, they learn about who they are, what they love and what they hate. Aries isn’t generally big on follow-through, nor is it overly concerned with your problems. Aries just burns to act, to experiment, to see what’s out there, to see what happens if I…..?
Scorpio, Mars’ nocturnal sign, embodies the energies of emotional control. Scorpios are also extremely strong-willed, but they tend to be much more patient, crafty and well-thought-out than Aries. As a water sign, Scorpio operates in the realms of soul, emotion, and sexuality. Like Aries, Scorpio sees life as a battlefield, but rather than rush out of the tend, sword flailing wildly, Scorpio plots to find the opponent’s weakness. Using its powerful emotional sensing ability, Scorpio probes until it finds the enemy’s power spot. Magnetically, Scorpio maneuvers the opponent into showing his weak points – at this point, Scorpio’s victory is assured. Now all that rests is to savor the victim’s distress.
GI Joe at Barbie’s House
So what about Mars in Libra? Libra is the ultimate sign of relationship harmony. Symbolized by the scales of justice, Libra understands that Aries’ me-me-me orientation leads to frustration, loneliness and burn-out and Scorpio’s strike-first suspicion ends up creating isolation and depression. Libra instinctively looks for solutions in which both sides can get what they want. Ruled by Venus, Libra uses the Venutian arts of seduction, glamor, beauty, gentleness, harmony and honeyed speech to create this win-win outcome. Negatively, Libra gives its power away and gets caught up in passive-aggressive displays of vanity (I can’t directly ask you for what I need, so I’ll just retreat into my beautiful sadness) or loses its will to the Other, devolving into pleasure-seeking, sensuality, decadence, and other compensations for not living one’s own dream.
Putting Mars in Libra is like sticking GI Joe into Malibu Barbie’s little pink dollhouse. GI Joe wants to blow things up and beat up the bad guys. Barbie wants to look good and have everyone else recognize how beautiful is and how much great stuff she has. The outcome is that Mars in Libra tends toward frustrated speech and passive-aggressive displays that purport to have a righteous agenda but are really an attempt to draw sympathy and attention.
Remember that Libra is an air sign and Mars is fiery by nature. Air feeds fire, and Mars in Libra tends towards puffery, volubly opining about the injustices of the world (and/or the current situation) rather than taking direct action and resolving the problem. Mars in Libra natives are keenly aware of injustice and possess an instinctive ability to sniff out the evildoers, hypocrites, liars and other malfeasants who need to be punished.
And herein lies the imbalance, because by putting the emphasis on punishment rather than on constructive change, unevolved Mars in Libra doesn’t actually make the world a better place. It just feeds the so-called bad guys, by giving them attention and energy.
These People Need A Crusade
The challenge for Mars in Libra natives is to channel this awareness of imbalance – this need to promote fairness and right the wrongs of the world – into meaningful creative action, as opposed to just outraged thought and speech. In order to consistently express the high side of Mars in Libra, these natives must cultivate shadow awareness: the recognition that whenever they are upset, angry or outraged by someone else’s actions, they are in fact reacting to their own unexpressed anger or repressed aggression.
Because these people need a crusade. They’re here to put right the wrongs of the world. The trick is, they can’t do this effectively until they realize that the wrong they see in the world is actually due to their inability to channel their own Mars energy (result of being born with Mars in detriment). The more they consciously work to get in touch with their own anger and to find constructive ways of expressing it – which often starts with the simple ability to verbalize what they are angry about or where they feel disempowered – the more good they can do in the world.
Rather than railing against the wrongdoings of the bad guys, they start to put their energy into creating alternatives. Rather than being outraged by so-and-so’s willful behavior, they recognize their anger as a sign that they are not allowing themselves to go after what they really want. Reclaiming their own disowned power, they begin to create enterprises, art, relationships and group experiences that enable other disenfranchised people to come together and be empowered.
Mars in Libra Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton is a fascinating example of a natal Mars in Libra. Clinton’s Mars is further emphasized by being right on the Ascendant (personality) of the chart. Indeed, can you think of another U.S. President who fought so explicitly and identified so openly with the victims of injustice in our society? Clinton was outspoken in his support of equality for African-Americans, women and other segments of the populace that have historically been denied equal rights.
Yet, Clinton also was a prime example of that Mars in Libra bluster that hides a deep wound in using one’s anger/aggression energy correctly. No matter how often or how embarrassingly he was caught with his pants down or otherwise acting inappropriately, Clinton seemed pathologically unable to accept responsibility. You remember those iconic TV images: face turning crimson, cheeks puffed, eyes flashing, the image of the tragic victim, the crusader who has given his life’s blood to fight for the poor and yet this is his reward…
Still, imagine if Clinton had not possessed the drive to become a famous politician. The same passive-aggressive quality, the inability to own his inner woundedness and powerlessness, would still have been there, but imagine if he had not been able to develop a suitable platform in which to play the role of crusader for justice.
And this is why I tell all of my Mars in Libra clients, “You need to have a cause.” Even though the deeper soul challenge with this natal placement is to recognize one’s own wounds over anger and will and to heal the world by healing the world inside, these natives are fighters. Whether it’s fighting to bring food to the starving children or fighting a Wal-Mart that’s about to wipe out the wetlands and the local businesses in their hometown or going to battle on behalf of battered women, Mars in Libra people need a channel in the outer world for this crusading energy to flow through.
Transiting Mars in Libra
Since Mars spends only about two months every two years in Libra, most of us don’t have this placement in our birth charts. But we will experience it in relationships with other people who do, and we’ll also experience it every couple years when Mars passes through the sign of the scales. Perhaps the biggest key to dealing with this energy is learning to draw it out in a conscious way. Remember that Mars in its detriment still wants to act in a Mars-like way – that is, aggressive, active, assertive, slashing, decisive, impulsive. But Mars in Libra feels trapped and tends to lash out verbally. Even worse, Mars in Libra may be so disempowered he only thrashes about inside the mind, manifesting as a simmering resentment which, when it is finally released, can really do some damage.
So when Mars is in Libra, remember that this energy needs a good battle; it has just forgotten how to get up/stand up/stand up for your right. Rather than allowing Mars in Libra to sit back and rail at the evildoers or bicker about the injustices in the world, call it out. Challenge it to do something worthwhile and creative, rather than poisoning the well for everyone. Libra is one of the most creative signs of the zodiac and once Mars in Libra gets out of his pity-party and gets to work, together these energies can create amazing opportunities that really do something about the injustice and imbalance in the world.
And above all, in these periods where Mars is in Libra for all of us, let’s be aware of our own attitudes and actions involving justice and fairness. If we’re ranting and raving about the unfairness of something or someone, why don’t we shut up and do something good instead. If we find ourselves stewing over someone else’s attitude, what part of our own aggressive faculty have we disowned? Wanting peace in our time doesn’t mean being a wussy.
The Red Planet
Like Living With Your Parents Again
Mars is the traditional ruler of Aries and Scorpio. Each of the traditional planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) rules at least one sign of the zodiac, and when a planet is in its own sign, it is said to be dignified. The old-timers compared this to a man living in his own home. When you’re in your own place, you tend to feel more secure, more empowered, able to do what you want to do without fear of being hindered by someone else’s needs, fears or desired.
A planet in its opposite sign, on the other hand, is said to be in detriment. When I was 25 years old, I was forced by economic circumstances (and a few dicey life choices) to move into my mom’s basement for a few weeks. This is how I think of a planet in detriment. When you’re living under someone else’s authority, you’re limited in your ability to act according to your own nature. Sometimes this can be good, but in astrology a planet in the sign of its detriment is more liable than not to show its worst side.
That said, nothing is inherently all good or all bad – in astrology as in life. Let’s look at how this plays out with Mars in Libra.
Mars is the warrior. Mars represents the ego drive, the heroic impulse, the desire/need to go out and hunt prey, slay dragons, conquer the enemy, impose one’s will on the environment. If you look at the two signs Mars rules, you can get an even better idea of how Mars prefers to operate. Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, embodies the fiery will to live. Aries natives learn about themselves by repeatedly impressing their will onto the raw material of their lives. They passionately follow an impulse that arises from within and in experiencing the outcome of that passionate act, they learn about who they are, what they love and what they hate. Aries isn’t generally big on follow-through, nor is it overly concerned with your problems. Aries just burns to act, to experiment, to see what’s out there, to see what happens if I…..?
Scorpio, Mars’ nocturnal sign, embodies the energies of emotional control. Scorpios are also extremely strong-willed, but they tend to be much more patient, crafty and well-thought-out than Aries. As a water sign, Scorpio operates in the realms of soul, emotion, and sexuality. Like Aries, Scorpio sees life as a battlefield, but rather than rush out of the tend, sword flailing wildly, Scorpio plots to find the opponent’s weakness. Using its powerful emotional sensing ability, Scorpio probes until it finds the enemy’s power spot. Magnetically, Scorpio maneuvers the opponent into showing his weak points – at this point, Scorpio’s victory is assured. Now all that rests is to savor the victim’s distress.
GI Joe at Barbie’s House
So what about Mars in Libra? Libra is the ultimate sign of relationship harmony. Symbolized by the scales of justice, Libra understands that Aries’ me-me-me orientation leads to frustration, loneliness and burn-out and Scorpio’s strike-first suspicion ends up creating isolation and depression. Libra instinctively looks for solutions in which both sides can get what they want. Ruled by Venus, Libra uses the Venutian arts of seduction, glamor, beauty, gentleness, harmony and honeyed speech to create this win-win outcome. Negatively, Libra gives its power away and gets caught up in passive-aggressive displays of vanity (I can’t directly ask you for what I need, so I’ll just retreat into my beautiful sadness) or loses its will to the Other, devolving into pleasure-seeking, sensuality, decadence, and other compensations for not living one’s own dream.
Putting Mars in Libra is like sticking GI Joe into Malibu Barbie’s little pink dollhouse. GI Joe wants to blow things up and beat up the bad guys. Barbie wants to look good and have everyone else recognize how beautiful is and how much great stuff she has. The outcome is that Mars in Libra tends toward frustrated speech and passive-aggressive displays that purport to have a righteous agenda but are really an attempt to draw sympathy and attention.
Remember that Libra is an air sign and Mars is fiery by nature. Air feeds fire, and Mars in Libra tends towards puffery, volubly opining about the injustices of the world (and/or the current situation) rather than taking direct action and resolving the problem. Mars in Libra natives are keenly aware of injustice and possess an instinctive ability to sniff out the evildoers, hypocrites, liars and other malfeasants who need to be punished.
And herein lies the imbalance, because by putting the emphasis on punishment rather than on constructive change, unevolved Mars in Libra doesn’t actually make the world a better place. It just feeds the so-called bad guys, by giving them attention and energy.
These People Need A Crusade
The challenge for Mars in Libra natives is to channel this awareness of imbalance – this need to promote fairness and right the wrongs of the world – into meaningful creative action, as opposed to just outraged thought and speech. In order to consistently express the high side of Mars in Libra, these natives must cultivate shadow awareness: the recognition that whenever they are upset, angry or outraged by someone else’s actions, they are in fact reacting to their own unexpressed anger or repressed aggression.
Because these people need a crusade. They’re here to put right the wrongs of the world. The trick is, they can’t do this effectively until they realize that the wrong they see in the world is actually due to their inability to channel their own Mars energy (result of being born with Mars in detriment). The more they consciously work to get in touch with their own anger and to find constructive ways of expressing it – which often starts with the simple ability to verbalize what they are angry about or where they feel disempowered – the more good they can do in the world.
Rather than railing against the wrongdoings of the bad guys, they start to put their energy into creating alternatives. Rather than being outraged by so-and-so’s willful behavior, they recognize their anger as a sign that they are not allowing themselves to go after what they really want. Reclaiming their own disowned power, they begin to create enterprises, art, relationships and group experiences that enable other disenfranchised people to come together and be empowered.
Mars in Libra Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton is a fascinating example of a natal Mars in Libra. Clinton’s Mars is further emphasized by being right on the Ascendant (personality) of the chart. Indeed, can you think of another U.S. President who fought so explicitly and identified so openly with the victims of injustice in our society? Clinton was outspoken in his support of equality for African-Americans, women and other segments of the populace that have historically been denied equal rights.
Yet, Clinton also was a prime example of that Mars in Libra bluster that hides a deep wound in using one’s anger/aggression energy correctly. No matter how often or how embarrassingly he was caught with his pants down or otherwise acting inappropriately, Clinton seemed pathologically unable to accept responsibility. You remember those iconic TV images: face turning crimson, cheeks puffed, eyes flashing, the image of the tragic victim, the crusader who has given his life’s blood to fight for the poor and yet this is his reward…
Still, imagine if Clinton had not possessed the drive to become a famous politician. The same passive-aggressive quality, the inability to own his inner woundedness and powerlessness, would still have been there, but imagine if he had not been able to develop a suitable platform in which to play the role of crusader for justice.
And this is why I tell all of my Mars in Libra clients, “You need to have a cause.” Even though the deeper soul challenge with this natal placement is to recognize one’s own wounds over anger and will and to heal the world by healing the world inside, these natives are fighters. Whether it’s fighting to bring food to the starving children or fighting a Wal-Mart that’s about to wipe out the wetlands and the local businesses in their hometown or going to battle on behalf of battered women, Mars in Libra people need a channel in the outer world for this crusading energy to flow through.
Transiting Mars in Libra
Since Mars spends only about two months every two years in Libra, most of us don’t have this placement in our birth charts. But we will experience it in relationships with other people who do, and we’ll also experience it every couple years when Mars passes through the sign of the scales. Perhaps the biggest key to dealing with this energy is learning to draw it out in a conscious way. Remember that Mars in its detriment still wants to act in a Mars-like way – that is, aggressive, active, assertive, slashing, decisive, impulsive. But Mars in Libra feels trapped and tends to lash out verbally. Even worse, Mars in Libra may be so disempowered he only thrashes about inside the mind, manifesting as a simmering resentment which, when it is finally released, can really do some damage.
So when Mars is in Libra, remember that this energy needs a good battle; it has just forgotten how to get up/stand up/stand up for your right. Rather than allowing Mars in Libra to sit back and rail at the evildoers or bicker about the injustices in the world, call it out. Challenge it to do something worthwhile and creative, rather than poisoning the well for everyone. Libra is one of the most creative signs of the zodiac and once Mars in Libra gets out of his pity-party and gets to work, together these energies can create amazing opportunities that really do something about the injustice and imbalance in the world.
And above all, in these periods where Mars is in Libra for all of us, let’s be aware of our own attitudes and actions involving justice and fairness. If we’re ranting and raving about the unfairness of something or someone, why don’t we shut up and do something good instead. If we find ourselves stewing over someone else’s attitude, what part of our own aggressive faculty have we disowned? Wanting peace in our time doesn’t mean being a wussy.