Marielle Croft at astrologyguild

Mars Retrograde in Taurus 2005

It is good to prepare ahead of time when critical times are likely to show up. This way we minimize their potential inconveniences.

When we have important decisions or commitments to make in a near future, what is helpful is to check two things:

See if Mercury is in pre-retrograde, retrograde, post retrograde or if all is clear. Listed below
See if Moon will be Void of Course during the hours when you plan to take action (www.croftastrologer.com)

Every planet will be retrograde every now and then, except of course for the Sun and the Moon. Mars turns retrograde every two years or so.

Right at the beginning of Mars pre-retrograde (August 12th, 2005) we’ll notice more or less subtle signs of what to expect when it is in full retrograde. Let’s remember that everything is energy. Without falling into superstition and reading a sign in everything, one can develop a natural sense of observation. With a certain degree of detachment, we can become quite skilled at the art of moving in harmony with nature. This allows manifesting a life basically problem-free. “To everything there is a season.” One can’t plant a garden when there is a meter of snow in the field! This would be misplaced stubbornness if persisting in doing it anyways. The pain and suffering resulting from lack of success are often due to one’s resistance to adapt to (or even use) natural laws – which are visible by subtle signs of their energy in action. If we pay attention, we’ll be guided toward the prudent and efficient attitude to choose. As a rule of thumb, one wants to keep the rhythm and avoid pushing the river.

We want to be particularly attentive and careful as Mercury Retrograde will already be in full swing when Mars enters its pre-retrograde phase. In fact, the duration of Mars retrograde cycle will last long enough to include twice Mercury Retrograde.

Here are the dates for Mars and Mercury retrograde (for your planning ahead):

Mars Retrograde

Pre-Retrograde : August 12th to October 1st 2005/8°Taurus to 23°Taurus
Retrograde : October 1st to December 10th 2005/23°Taurus to 8°Taurus
Post-Retrograde : December 10 to 2005 to February 4th 2006/8°Taurus to 23°Taurus

Mercury Retrograde

Mercury :

Pre-Retrograde : March 6th to 20th 2005/1°Aries to 14°Aries
Retrograde : March 20th to April 12th 2005/14°Aries to 1°Aries
Post-Retrograde : April 12th to May 2nd 2005/1°Aries to 14°Aries

Mercury :

Pre-Retrograde : July 4th to 23rd 2005/8°Leo to 20°Leo
Retrograde : July 23rd to August 16th 2005/20°Leo to 8°Leo
Post-Retrograde : August 16th to 30th 2005/8°Leo to 20°Leo

Mercury :

Pre-Retrograde : October 26th to November 14th 2005/24°Scorpio to 10°Sagittarius
Retrograde : November 14th to December 4th 2005/10°Sagittarius to 23°Scorpio
Post-Retrograde : December 4th to 21st 2005/24°Scorpio to 10°Sagittarius

Mercury :

Pre-Retrograde : February 16th to March 1st 2006/13°Pisces to 26°Pisces
Retrograde : March 1st to 25th 2006/26°Pisces to 13°Pisces
Post-Retrograde : March 25th to April 14th 2006/13°Pisces to 26°Pisces

Mars represents action, motors, mechanical engines, masculine energy, courage, daringness, adventure, egoism, violence, aggressiveness, fire, muscles, sexuality, sports, competition, war, physical strength, fever, iron, weapons, cutting utensils, tools.

Taurus represents money, woodwork, carpentry, making furniture, urban and rural development, farmers, agriculture, farm animals, physical work, fertility, sustained efforts, perseverance and resistance, luxury, comfort, abundance, stability, sensuality, physical body of any living creature, planet Earth and all what is called “nature”.

Retrograde Mars cycle (including pre and post) can cause delays and frustrations which, unfortunately, could carry undesirable results for a long time, if one tries to force a break through instead of co-creating with the energies. Mars is always ready to forge ahead. Mars activates everything it touches regardless of consequences. The impatient Mars style combined with the profound and slow motion quality of Taurus suggest that a certain degree of congestion might occur at the global level.

The agricultural domain (Taurus) has suffered dramatically in the past few years with the mad cow disease, foot and mouth disease, SARS, draught in Canadian prairies, name it. What sort of precursor signs should we expect when Mars begins its pre-retrograde phase? Perhaps, as certain regular food products become suddenly a rarity, we’ll become more aware than ever of the need to change our consumer habits, for instance. How do the global weather patterns changes affect agriculture? We might suddenly realize the urgent need to reduce pollution and find that we must seriously get involved now if we want to eat tomorrow. Can we seriously consider changing our lifestyle? For instance, how would it feel to minimize the use of our car and, instead, use a bicycle or public transportation?

On the very day Mars actually turns Retrograde (October 1st, 2005), Venus in Scorpio will be in exact opposition to it, both at 23°. Here we have an inversion phenomenon called “mutual reception”. Indeed, Mars rules Scorpio where Venus is; Venus rules Taurus where Mars is. One is in the sign of the other. When in a “mutual reception” placement, planets need a bit of time to get accustomed to the sign where they are, so they know how to operate best. Once adapted to their location they’ll behave as if they travel freely, back and forth, for instance here between Taurus and Scorpio. Venus in Taurus softens angles, cultivates beauty in nature and in all material aspects of one’s life. Mars in Scorpio is very deliberate and builds with intuition and perseverance. Here Mars natural impulsivity is metamorphosed into patience and efficiency. This atmosphere of “mutual reception” may be felt at first as a resistance to the necessary changes pushing against our habits, as individuals as well as a group. As this reality maintains its pressure, we gradually become accustomed to it and more open to taking responsibility toward a dramatic improvement of planetary conditions. Resisting at first… then adjusting as in a mutual reception effect. Once awakened to the urgency of the situation we might very well see a rapid snowball effect if a sufficient number of people take a stand toward the protection of Earth and her creatures.

One of Mars Retrograde effects could be that we’ll need to choose between reducing our consumer habits now to have more tomorrow OR to go on as if nothing is happening and have dramatically less later. So… what is it going to be?

Venus and Taurus represent money. Venus also rules Libra where Jupiter is. Jupiter represents the law, governments and institutions. Jupiter rules Sagittarius where Pluto is. Governments will need the support and collaboration of individuals to create realistic and accurate international agreements about pollution, to at least stop if not reversing the degradation of natural conditions, let alone the need to also provide food and shelter to all the people of the world. Farm lands known for their great agricultural productivity could suddenly face the evidence that they can’t produce anymore. Our survival depends upon a strong, abundant and reliable agriculture. What about GMO contamination of organic seeds? Are we headed into an agricultural war? Will wealthy countries be able to create funding to remedy the inevitable changes emerging globally? Government budget cuts, or the need to redirect moneys toward unpredictable problematic conditions (such as forest fires or epidemics) or natural cataclysms, this can affect our lifestyles remarkably. Are we ready as individuals to accept the responsibility to reduce or sacrifice certain aspects of our daily comfort, to assist the return of more favourable planetary conditions? The quality of life (or the lack of) for our children and the societies of tomorrow depends on it.

Everyone will feel the effects of Mars Retrograde as if the world was moving in slow motion. The zodiacal signs most directly affected are those with Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in Taurus, Libra, Scorpio, and Aries. To effectively move through this period of reassessment one needs to remember to choose the line of least resistance. Patience and grace favour long term success. Persevere without obstinacy. Remain flexible and adaptable. Make the effort of acting responsibly as a person. Revive the human value of helping and supporting one another.

February 25, 2005