Chronic procrastination, hesitancy and fear, lack of confidence and assertiveness, second guessing, doubt, ineffectiveness… Astrology is uniquely capable of speaking directly to an individual’s relationship to personal power. The planet Mars symbolizes our personal capacity to decide what we want and to take clear direct action on our goals, dreams, and desires. If taking action does not come easy to you, astrology can help you get in touch with your Mars function to reclaim the healthy benefits that this personal planet has to offer.
How to use astrology to get past fear and move into action:
Step one: Look at your natal chart (also called the horoscope or birth chart) to see what sign of the zodiac Mars is placed in. Consider the element of your Mars sign. Is your natal Mars in a fire, earth, air, or water sign? Understanding what element your Mars is expressing through gives the foundation to how you can best enter into and positively express your assertive (Mars) function-your capacity for personal power. Get to know your Mars sign. Each of the 12 signs represents one of twelve primary archetypal energies. Each sign, or archetype, has a specific theme, drive, need, psychology, and motivation to it. Each archetypal energy has its own deep history and mythology associated and connected to it. Get to know the mythological story line of your natal Mars, for it will give direct insight into how to awaken, enliven, heal, and empower that part of yourself.
Step two: What house of the natal chart is Mars placed in? The house position of Mars shows what life area you are being called to develop courage and strength in. Is Mars in a water , air, fire, or earth house? Planets placed in the first house are generally easy for us to access; they tend to be immediately available to us. We easily identify with those parts of ourselves (planets located in the 1st House). Effectively accessing planets in the later houses can require the development of greater self-awareness before we receive full access and benefit of that function, or part, of our Self. Mars placed in the watery 8th or 12th house can oftentimes be more challenging to access and employ than natal Mars placed in the fiery 1st, 5th, or 9th house. Consider the house placement of your natal Mars and examine what type of response you have been making in that area of your life. If you have Mars in the 7th House of Marriage & Partnership, then the people close to you in your life have some type of strong bearing on the development and effective use of your Mars function, possibly showing up as an unconscious pattern of projecting your Mars function onto others. Other people might be holding or carrying Mars for you, in a positive or negative expressive capacity. If partnership and relationship is shut down or isn’t functioning well in your life, it is probably negatively impacting your ability to access and assert your own personal strength, power, and determination.
Step three: What planets forming aspects to your natal Mars? Aspecting planets can help and support the part of the Self we are inquiring about, or they can test, challenge, block, or inhibit that part from finding clear and healthy expression. Hard aspects show where development is required, in regard for that part of ourselves and the life area it is connected to. Easy flowing aspects, such as trines and sextiles, show us where supportive dialog is taking place between the different parts of ourselves. It can be very helpful to know Mars’ relationship to the other parts of ourselves. Neptune square Mars in the chart is going to require more self-awareness than Mars trine the Sun, assuming your intention is to effectively focus and direct your individual power and drive upon taking action on achieving your personal goals, dreams, and desires.
Step four: Consciously engage the Mars part of your psyche. Get to know him. Enter into active imagination and develop his presence within yourself and your life. Bring him into form through visualization, music, expressive art, movement, sound, imagery, or storytelling. Allow his benefits to serve and support your purpose for being here, symbolized by the aims and objectives of your natal Sun.
Some peoples’ Mars function is in hiding. He (Mars) is locked away… dormant, hidden, and buried in deep emotional fear, pain, woundedness, or self-doubt. Looking at his placement in the natal chart will reveal his condition and the nature of his affliction. Fortunately, astrology can put you in touch with the core archetypal theme or dynamic he is experiencing. You can use that awareness to guide you into your subconscious in order to consciously integrate Mars (personal power) into yourself and your life.
Some people are natural go-getters. They clearly decide what they want and taking action comes easy and natural to them. Their Mars function is operating in a healthy, self-supportive, and Self-affirming way. Other people are overcome by crushing fear and doubt. They have difficulty deciding what they want, and the thought of taking any form of direct supportive action is terrifying to them. If you were to compare the difference astrologically by looking at these personality types, you would see a distinct difference in each persons’ Mars placement. This simple recognition alone immediately and rightfully clears the guilt and shame the fearful person has probably internalized and lived with their entire life. Instead of feeling weak and insecure about themselves when comparing their personal accomplishments and achievements to others, the supposed “weak” or fearful person is now in a position to more clearly honor the special and unique person they are. They can stop identifying themselves as an eternally fearful person who is afraid of asserting themselves and taking action in the world. They can bring their Mars part online and, using astrology as an energetic map of the landscape of their psyche, come to own, value, appreciate, honor, and express that part of themselves more fully.
Mark Bancroft, MA
Transpersonal Astrologer
Counseling, Readings, Forecasts, and more
Nevada City, CA
530.274.2020
www.AstrologyByMark.com