Mars

Mars has been at the final degree of Scorpio since Sunday, so be on the look out for venomous emotions that may arise in you as a signal of imbalance or as a marker for any remaining pain points that have yet to be addressed; especially if he is activating your personal chart.

If you’re feeling impatient, angry, resentful, frustrated, restless, scattered, bored, stuck, low in vitality, lacking in enthusiasm, exhausted or insensitive then you may be connecting with this energy.

Issues of low self-esteem could also be magnified now with the current Leo energy in play so watch for a tendency to berate yourself over any perceived failures or tricky challenges.

Toxic emotions; such as resentment, guilt, jealousy and suspicion could come up along with a tendency to self-destruction, obsession and controlling behaviour.

Any final nudges that he’s sending your way are a last call to clear any deep emotions around unacknowledged anger that you may have been hanging onto since he began this particular retrograde cycle back in late February*.

Mars will be hanging out here until he enters Sagittarius just before this week’s New Moon, which will take place tomorrow morning.

Mars also rules cuts and burns; both of which I have experienced this week so pay attention if you are encountering the same.

Do you need to slow down?

I have also connected with a need to take greater care of myself, which became apparent during a litter pick?** on my walk to the shops where I found myself uttering the sentence “Why should I always have to do this!”.

Remember – we cannot happily pour from an empty cup without seriously depleting ourselves.

So questions like these may be important for you to consider over the next few hours:

• Are you taking correct care of yourself?
• Do you need to slow down?
• Are you doing too much?
• Are you saying ‘yes’ a little too often?
• Are you going after what you want in life?
• Are you expressing your anger effectively?
• Do you exercise often?
• Are you asking for support or running on empty?

…and what can you do about it?

Saturn

Saturn also reached the next point in his current retrograde cycle today – marked by his trine with The Sun.

This tells us that he has now slowed right down ready to turn direct next week.

Hold that celebrating for now, however, as there is not yet a clear path out of the woods with him set to stay put at the same 9 degrees of Sagittarius until the end of August.

You may feel like you’re walking in slow motion for the remainder of this month and a rise in tension and frustration could result. Especially so for those (like me) with planets at 9 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces).

Impatience can increase the desire to get things done so be wary of a tendency to rush.

Mark November 19th on your calendar, as that is the date when Saturn will reach the point at which he first turned retrograde and, therefore, the date when a conclusion of all your hard work should be forthcoming.

*Although Mars didn’t officially turn retrograde until April 2016, he first triggered 23 degrees of Scorpio during February 2016, which was the point at which he turned retrograde-direct (where his backwards journey finally terminated). This point marks the beginning of this particular Mars retrograde cycle. Such a lead up a planet turning retrograde is important, as the energy can be keenly felt as the planet first triggers the point to which he will later return in his retrograde cycle; a point, which will usually highlight an important theme of the cycle.

**I often collect litter on my way to and from the shops and have taught my children to do the same. I believe that this is all part of taking responsibility for the environment around us; helping to mitigate a build up of rubbish and looking after our animals. Looking back at the cleared street can bring a feeling of connection that we can all play our part.