A natal chart captures a specific, unchangeable event, but influences from the transiting planets to your natal chart occur throughout life. A planet’s transit means the passage of any planet as it moves through a designated sign. The effect of specific transits that a planet makes to a native’s personal planets or progressed chart—or even a planet’s passage through a particular house—is defined by the aspects the transiting planet forms to a person’s personal planets, progressed chart, house cusps, and other important points in the chart. In the same way that you feel differently when spending time with different people, planetary motion affects you in varied ways. Studying the planetary movements and their effects upon your chart is perhaps the most fascinating part of astrology. Have you noticed that certain times of the year are productive and buoyant for you and other times are difficult? If you look at the positions of the personal planets during these times, you might begin to see a pattern. You will know which activities are the most beneficial during these times. If it is a low period for you, this is not the time to launch a job search, build a new house, or plan a vacation.
Although the Internet can be a good source for daily astrological transits, it may be more convenient to have an ephemeris or astrological calendar. An ephemeris is a book that tells you the position of all the planets on a daily basis. As we are now in the twenty-first century, you’ll need two books: an ephemeris for the twentieth century, which covers the years 1900–2000, and an ephemeris for the twenty-first century, for 2000–2050. You will find some good suggestions for ephemerides in the resources section at the back of the book.
Another tool that is crucial for looking at daily planetary motions is a calendar that tracks the monthly lunar cycle. This can be found in the ephemeris, but, because ephemerides are calculated for Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and the Moon moves rapidly, you would be a step behind if you took the Moon’s position without calculating the difference between GMT and your time zone. A simpler solution is to purchase an astrological calendar for your time zone. For instance, the Daily Planetary Guide (published annually by Llewellyn Publications) clearly shows the daily lunar aspects as well as the Moon void periods. (You can also find this information on the web at https://lunarium.co.) Both an ephemeris and an astrological calendar keep daily track of the Moon’s motion as well as the major aspects between all the planets. With these tools, you can follow the daily motions of the personal planets and determine their effects on you. In this chapter, you are going to learn how the planets’ motion and aspects affect a personal chart and how planetary motion affects everyone. All people are governed by the planetary transits. When there is an eclipse, for example, everyone will feel the event even if they are not conscious of it. However, an eclipse will be more powerful for some people if it falls on a planet or position in an individual’s chart that corresponds to the degree and sign of the eclipse. Always keep in mind that in astrology, you are examining the small world of a personal chart, or a nation’s chart, with the larger world of cosmic planetary motion. As the ancient seer Hermes Trismegistus said, “As above, so below.”
You have already learned the twelve Sun signs, their elements, and their basic meanings. When you consider the Sun’s motion, you are intimately connected with the seasons. If you note which seasons are your favorites, they are usually synchronized with harmonious aspects between your natal Sun and the transiting Sun. The simplest way to consider how the Sun affects your daily life is to look at which house the transiting Sun falls in and focus on the areas of that house. When the Sun is in the Eleventh House, it is a good time to make new friends or get in touch with friends you may have forgotten for a while. When the Sun is in the Twelfth House, pay attention to your unconscious currents, meditate, or turn your attention toward any kind of service with less fortunate people. When the Sun crosses your ascendant and moves into the First House, you may find you are physically energized and able to project your wants and needs more clearly. When you plan for the upcoming year, see if you can maximize your efforts by paying attention to the house through which the Sun is traveling. This can be particularly useful in family situations. For example, let’s say the Sun is passing through your Sixth House and you are busy with work, but that month is also the time when the Sun is passing through your partner’s Seventh House, and they want your time and attention. Knowing about the different transits of the Sun offers the opportunity to work out a compromise between your needs and their needs. If you consider that the planets motivate both people’s expectations, you can eliminate personal blame and avoid countless arguments. The Sun is simply shining in different areas.
Next come the aspects between the transiting Sun and your natal personal planets. This will tell you how easily you will be able to express that particular solar energy or sign. The trines bring ease, the squares bring challenge, the sextiles bring opportunities, and the conjunctions bring intensity. If you have a chart that has planets concentrated in only a few signs, such as Chart 7, then you will find that from the time the Sun is in Scorpio until it enters Sagittarius, life will be particularly intense. The area of focus will be work and health because the concentration of planets in Scorpio in the Sixth House is so extreme.
The Moon spends approximately two and a half days in each zodiacal sign and takes approximately twenty-nine days to complete her journey through the zodiac. When considering the effects of the Moon, you’ll first want to know the aspect between the Moon’s sign in the heavens and your natal Moon. If you keep track of this motion, you will see that when the Moon is square or opposite your natal Moon, you feel more energized, but with the square, you are more easily frustrated when things do not go your way. When the Moon is trine or sextile your natal position, you may feel more at ease and harmonious. The conjunction is also an energetic aspect and magnifies the feelings of your natal lunar placement.
When you look at the sign the Moon is in and the aspects she is forming with the other planets, you can tell the emotional tenor of any day. For example, as I am writing this section, there was a total lunar eclipse at 16 degrees of Taurus. The night was clear and cold and the view of the Moon was spectacular. The entire day had a luminous, bouncy feeling. You can draw up a chart for the moment of the eclipse and see that the Moon was trine Jupiter at 13 degrees of Virgo, sextile Saturn at 13 degrees of Cancer, and forming a separating square from Neptune at 16 degrees of Aquarius. That makes two harmonious aspects and one challenging. All in all, it felt like a benign eclipse. Jupiter in Virgo helps to make plans concrete, Saturn in Cancer indicates structured nurturing, and Neptune in Aquarius urges idealism and peace for all people. Because the Moon in Taurus was square Neptune you could conclude that, on a larger scale, hopes for peace would be challenged. Can you see how you can blend the meanings of the signs, planets, and aspects to get the feel for any astrological event?
You can also outline the aspects of the Moon with the planets on an ordinary day. There may be many different aspects or only a few. Sometimes your brain can get too busy looking at all the planetary motions. To simplify the use of the Moon for planning, just note the sign the Moon is in, and concentrate on activities that are harmonious to the meaning of the sign. Plan a party when the Moon is in Libra. Consider volunteer work or dealing with your pets when the Moon is in Virgo or Pisces. The Moon in Taurus is a good time to look for a house, buy furniture, or cook a good meal.
In addition to the sign the Moon is in, it is very important to look at the Moon’s phases. The lunar cycle begins with the waxing phase; that is the time from the new moon until the full moon. The waning phase commences after the full moon and is called the third quarter moon, and concludes with the dark of the moon.
Noted on most calendars, the new moon is the time when energy is increasing, making it the time to initiate new projects. Each month’s new moon is in the same sign as that month’s Sun sign, and the full moon is in the opposite sign. There is a feeling of renewal with each new moon. This is the time to start looking for a new job, begin a new health or eating plan, start or continue exercising, or plan a trip. When you plan around the lunar phases, you are synchronized with your feelings and the flow of energy. If you begin a project during the new moon, work on it until the full moon. This is approximately two weeks. This is the sowing phase, and you are planting seeds for the future.
Astrologers are not the only people who note the full moon. Some people say hospital emergency rooms, police stations, and bars are more active at the full moon than at other times. Everyone feels intense energy at this time. Cancerians, in particular, may need to let off some steam and howl a bit. No matter where your Sun or Moon may be, you may feel more vibrant than usual, very moody, or excited. Contact with water is restorative during the full moon. It is also a good time to consider your feelings rather than your mind. Meditation groups sometimes meet at the full moon because it adds luminosity to their prayers and meditations. Some seeds that we have sown at the new moon may reach fulfillment at the full moon.
Right after the full moon, you may notice that things become a little slower and you feel as if nothing is happening. This is a time to keep up your actions and finish up the projects begun at the previous new moon. Some projects, of course, take a good deal longer than a single lunar cycle. When the Moon is waning, give yourself some downtime and don’t go full tilt. A little relaxation and fun is the best medicine during the waning moon.
The last three days of the lunar cycle can feel dull and you may be more tired than usual. This is a time to rest. I don’t necessarily mean stay in bed, but relax, and if you do need sleep, try to get as much as you can. Pay attention to your dreams and be as inwardly oriented as your nature allows. After all, what you are doing is preparing for the next new moon, which comes soon enough.
Another term that is important to learn when considering the Moon’s motion is void-of-course. This is also written as the v/c or VoC Moon. The term void-of-course relates to a period of time when the Moon is changing from one sign to the next, and is not connected in a major applying aspect to any other planet. It is important to note the times when the Moon is void-of-course, because it usually has an influence on everyday events and affairs. If you recall that the Moon outlines or pertains to our feelings and moods, then it is not an imaginative leap to see that when the Moon is unconnected to other planets, a person can feel unmoored or confused.
The v/c Moon period is a time to take a break and connect with your center. This is a time to postpone decisions and wait until the Moon connects to the other planets again before you sign contracts or enter into a serious commitment of any kind. Marriages finalized in a void-of-course Moon usually do not last. There are other reasons a marriage may break up, but I have never seen a marriage of long-lasting significance that began during a void-of-course Moon. Businesses that open during a void-of-course Moon usually struggle to find their niche and do not easily prosper.
The void-of-course Moon can bring unexpected results. Usually I counsel clients to avoid making purchases during a v/c Moon. The Moon doesn’t make something defective—usually it’s your judgment that might be off, so please do not conclude that a v/c Moon means a negative time. Keeping track of the Moon’s motion is an opportunity to keep in contact with feelings, and you know that sometimes you might not feel in touch with your own feelings. When you want unity between your feelings and whatever activity you are pursuing, you should pay attention to the v/c Moon.
The major don’ts for a v/c Moon include elective surgery (except in case of an emergency), beginning a plane flight or a long journey, entering marriage, buying stock, signing a rental lease, closing on a home, or signing any other contract. Don’t make important appointments while the Moon is void-of-course, as you probably will find that they are canceled, you are unable to make the deadlines, or you are unable to complete the appropriate work or business. Meetings or court cases held during a v/c Moon have unpredictable outcomes that frequently change at a later date. If a project has already begun, the phase of the Moon is not as significant. The v/c Moon pertains more to the beginning of an event or project.
The major dos for the void period are scaling down your activities, relaxing, reviewing your plans for the immediate future, and keeping steady in your pace. If you don’t feel comfortable doing something when the Moon is v/c, do it later. Sometimes you might not have the luxury of doing what you feel like doing, but knowing that you may be swimming upstream helps you have patience with yourself and fosters a certain benign detachment from the multitude of events and influences swirling around you.
The last feature of the Moon worth noting is the passage of the Moon through the houses. When the Moon is in a particular house, you will feel keenly about the matters governed by that house. If you keep a copy of your chart handy, you can see which house the Moon is in and plan your activities accordingly. This does not mean that if you need or feel like doing something, and the Moon is passing through a house that has nothing to do with the activity, you will have difficulties. As events occur, it is always interesting to note if the Moon reflects the meaning of the event. Now that you understand the two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, as they move through your chart, let’s look at the planet of communication: Mercury.
Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun and the smallest in the solar system. Mercury can never be farther than 48 degrees before or after the Sun. Therefore, the only possible aspects with the Sun are the conjunction or semisextile. When you interpret Mercury in a chart, look to see whether it is in the same sign as the Sun or in a different sign. When there is a conjunction between the Sun and Mercury, the person lacks objectivity in his or her thinking. The personality, signified by the Sun, and the thought processes, signified by Mercury, are so closely connected that it is difficult for people with this conjunction to entertain other people’s viewpoints. When you examine the signs that Mercury and the Sun are in, regardless of the aspect, you will also have a good idea of the way a person thinks.
The other significant position of Mercury to consider is whether he is rising before or after the Sun; this simply means whether he is positioned before or after the Sun. If Mercury is located before the Sun, a person is cautious and thinks before they act. Such people also tend to be self-taught. If Mercury is located after the Sun, a person can feel “in the dark” about their thoughts and communications and be correspondingly pessimistic.
Lastly, consider whether Mercury was direct or retrograde when a person was born. If you see 
next to any planet in a natal chart, except for the Sun or Moon, it means that planet was retrograde when that person was born. If this does not show up, the planet was moving in direct motion.
People born with a retrograde Mercury have a unique thought pattern and way of communicating. Since Mercury retrogrades three times a year, the pattern is not uncommon. A person with a retrograde Mercury is a close observer of the facts, but they can become overly fussy with details. In Chapter 6: Assessing Compatibility Between Charts, you will learn how to communicate with a retrograde Mercury person. Mercury direct people are sure of their thinking and move directly toward their goals. Mercury direct allows the person to isolate the important points in an argument without getting bogged down in details. They may, however, be easily persuaded and lack mental discernment.
Noting which house Mercury is transiting through in a chart can give you some good information about where your thoughts and communication energy is focused. For example, when Mercury transits the Second House, you may be particularly involved with organizing finances and dealing with money matters. As you learned about the Sun and Moon, you can now examine the sign that transiting Mercury is in, noting where he is located in charts, and gear mental, communicative, and writing activities according to the meaning of the sign and house. You might pay more attention to your dreams when Mercury is in Pisces or communicate more directly when Mercury is in Aries. If a person is a writer, he or she will find writing easier when transiting Mercury is in a harmonious aspect to natal Mercury. Most people, however, are not that aware of Mercury’s passage through their charts because thoughts move so quickly. You become aware of Mercury only because of the famous—or infamous—Mercury retrograde.
Mercury spends about fifteen days to two months in each sign and takes a year to go through all the signs of the zodiac. When Mercury spends two months in a sign, it is because Mercury is in retrograde motion. A retrograde planet does not physically move backward through the zodiac. When the motion of Mercury is retrograde, it is because Mercury slows in its orbit. The Earth maintains its speed and seems to be overtaking the slower-moving planet. Most planets have longer orbits than Mercury, and you will not notice their motions as often. Mercury, however, retrogrades three times a year, and you can be aware of this transit because it causes so much confusion.
This is the time when people roll their eyes because they get error messages on their computer that don’t make sense and apps that worked just yesterday seem to have developed strange glitches. People sign contracts and then realize that the small print has some information or clause that is the opposite to what they expected. Appointments seem haphazard; people have a tendency to be late. In general, communications, thoughts, and electronics go askew. There is a reason for this planetary event, and, of course, there is a way to handle it. The message of Mercury retrograde is to practice your nonlinear, intuitive radar rather than logical, linear thought processes. Mercury retrograde is the time to suspend thoughts and, instead, operate on your feelings and hunches. Get the feel of the day’s rhythm and stay centered as those around you fume and fret; you might be amazed at how many touchy situations you can glide through.
Specifically, you can expect to redo, rearrange, recommit to, rework, and review plans and activities during this retrograde time. You may go back to a project that you had abandoned. You may want to review plans. One client had definitely decided to leave her husband. She had her boxes packed and had purchased the plane tickets to Florida to stay with a friend. She had been married a long time and even knew that Mercury retrograde tends to confuse thoughts, but she was angry and planned to go anyway. Right before Mercury straightened out, she got intestinal flu and had to cancel her plans. In between trips to the bathroom, she had plenty of time to pay attention to her feelings. She recovered from the flu, Mercury went direct, and she and her husband came to a new understanding. No one knows what would have happened if she had gone to Florida, but certainly the hurt feelings on both sides would have added more stress to their relationship.
Mercury retrograde is a time to expect delays in traveling. Practical precautions include labeling luggage so it does not go astray, or packing lightly and keeping your bags with you. Don’t schedule a meeting immediately after you arrive; leave a margin of time for any retrograde shenanigans such as a massive traffic jam or a computer foul-up with your reservations. Do not buy smartphones, cars, or major electronic equipment. Expect delays with construction and wait until Mercury is moving forward to begin construction projects.
The two signs most personally affected by a retrograde Mercury are Gemini and Virgo, because Mercury is their ruling planet. During the retrograde periods, these signs may feel more discombobulated than other signs. These retrograde periods offer other pathways for these signs to think and express themselves, which will help them in every area of their lives. Gemini and Virgo have such active minds that it may be all they can do to keep their thoughts from overwhelming them. For Gemini, this is the time to experiment with playing with one thought; for Virgo, it is the time to allow free association rather than the need to put things in order. Virgos might imagine that three times a year, they will be entertained by the unpredictability of their thoughts and communications. This will help them breeze through the retrograde Mercury periods.
Geminis may find the retrograde period a time during which they can focus their minds more easily, because trying to be clear and organized takes more effort than their usual scattered mental energies. You certainly don’t have to sit and twiddle your thumbs while Mercury is retrograde. The best approach is to use these periods to explore a fluid, intuitive approach to communication and scheduling. So take a mental holiday three times a year.
By using the planet’s motions, you will be able to allow yourself to work with the planets rather than against them. Some people hate the feeling of not being in control, but knowing the rhythms of life and the planets actually gives you more control because you can be more attuned to these rhythms.
Venus is the next personal planet that we consider when planning daily life and gathering information about our pleasures and enjoyment. Venus takes 255 days to orbit the Sun and spends approximately one month in each sign. Venus retrogrades every eighteen months, and there are special considerations to make when she is moving backward. Venus is visible twinkling on the horizon as the evening star in much of the Northern Hemisphere, and she was worshiped in ancient cultures even before the advent of astrology. The Mayan culture used Venus’s orbits and retrogrades for agricultural planning. Venus is always considered a fortuitous, lucky planet.
When interpreting Venus, you first must look at the sign and house she occupies in a natal chart. The element that Venus is in will give you good information about what kinds of social and pleasurable activities that person enjoys. Then, as you have done with the Moon and Mercury, note the sign that Venus is in at the present time or for the time period you are interested in examining. What are the aspects between Venus and your other personal planets? Venus aspects enhance life. They are not usually connected with major events, and watching Venus in your chart will clue you in to different ways of enjoying yourself. Venus is also the key planet to consider when buying gifts for someone or for yourself. If you know what sign a person’s Venus is in, you will immediately have an idea of what sort of gift to buy them. For more details on this, take a look at my book The Astrology Gift Guide, which includes lists of gift suggestions for each sign.
Venus transits will show you where to plan social activities and will give you some good insight into what kinds of pleasurable pursuits would be particularly inviting. If transiting Venus is squaring your personal Venus, don’t expect a social whirl. The oppositions can bring short-lived romance or a fad that you enjoy for a while. In general, Venus transits do not bring about major events.
Venus can also indicate personal luck in all matters of gambling. When she is passing through the Fifth House and in good aspects to your Sun and Moon, then you might have luck with the lottery or games of chance. Venus and Uranus are both involved in extraordinary luck, but as far as I know, no one has ever become a winner solely through astrology. Venus rules speculative sports as well as pleasure sports, and there are some indications that Venus aspects help in breeding racehorses and winning races, although this is a specialized area.
The house that Venus is transiting, regardless of the aspects she makes to your chart, will tell you what pleasurable activities would be most successful. When she is in the First House, spend time and money on your physical being. This is a good month to get a massage or begin a new exercise program. When she is in the Second House, you will feel like spending a lot of money. If you have it, indulge; if you don’t, watch out because Venus can beguile you into spending more than you have. The Fifth House would be the time to look around for a new romantic interest or flirt with the one you have. As you acquire a good working knowledge of all the houses, you can apply that knowledge to Venus transits. One particular note regarding Venus and sweets: They tend to go together, and if you have Venus in Taurus or Libra, you may be prone to having a sweet tooth. Other Venus placements, especially in the water signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, may also have this problem. If you have this inclination and notice too many harmonious aspects coming up where you can easily polish off an extra glass of wine or devour a few too many chocolates, try to be moderate. Alas, Venus does not care for moderation and you may not be able to pay heed to this suggestion, but at least you will know what is prompting you. If you wait until Venus is in a less indulgent sign, you can undo the damage.
When purchasing furniture, art, jewelry, or expensive clothing, look at the sign occupied by Venus. If she is compatible with your natal Venus when you’re shopping, then your taste will be on the mark and you will feel comfortable with your purchase. When you are considering buying something that is very expensive, you need some backup planetary assistance. Venus will help you choose and ensure good taste in your choice, but for reinforcement, remember to make sure the Moon is in a sign that harmonizes with Venus.
The retrograde for Venus comes every year and a half and lasts approximately six weeks. The two major areas affected by a retrograde Venus are romantic relationships and shopping. It is never harmful, but it can lead you into some peculiar desires that usually do not work out.
During a retrograde Venus, don’t spend large sums of money on any luxury products. You will find after Venus turns direct that you do not like what you purchased. This sometimes takes a little discipline, but it’s worth the effort.
Venus retrograde is the time to frequent flea markets and garage sales for real finds. You will be pleased with your purchases; because most other shoppers don’t know about the retrograde, they will be busy spending a lot of money and leaving the good deals for you.
The other traditional don’t with Venus retrograde is planning a wedding and marrying while Venus is retrograde. There are other factors to consider when marrying, which will be discussed later, but it is easy to see whether Venus is direct or not as soon as you set a date for marriage. Love affairs begun under a retrograde Venus may be very bumpy. It doesn’t necessarily indicate the end of a relationship, but you will notice that things change when Venus turns direct. For long-standing relationships, Venus retrograde can indicate a reevaluation of the romance and partnership. Romance is usually dampened and intimate relationships do not feel cordial. In and of itself, though, Venus retrograde does not indicate separation or divorce.
Mars is the last of the personal planets and perhaps the most influential and challenging. Mars stands for passion, energy, assertiveness, and anger. Learning the difference between assertiveness and anger is a challenge for everyone, and Mars’s position tells us exactly how to attempt this. Mars also tells a lot about sexual relations and feelings. When you look at compatibility charts, the position of Mars between two people describes how they relate as sexual partners. Since antiquity, Mars has been called the “red planet” and is visible to the naked eye. It stays in a sign for six to eight weeks and retrogrades approximately every two and a half years.
Before we consider Mars transiting through the chart houses, there are a few Mars aspects you should examine. If you have Mars in a challenging aspect to Saturn or Uranus in your natal chart, your difficulty with anger and passion is particularly acute. The aspect is a karmic indicator and will be a focal point for life. Specifically, Mars square Saturn and Mars conjunct Uranus are difficult. With Mars conjunct Uranus there is tremendous energy present, but it may take a person awhile to stabilize his or her erratic energies and master the tendency to explode.
When a person has Mars and Uranus conjunctions, they explode as a matter of course, and frequently spend a good deal of their life picking up the resulting debris and trying to stabilize themselves. Mars conjunct Saturn is a different kind of challenge. Saturn limits and binds Martian energy and it puts too many strictures on him. It can depress the spirit until the person learns that Mars needs due attention. Rules, regulations, and caution only serve life in certain areas, while at other times we need a bit of recklessness. What is Mars good for? Mars can be a planet of thrills and joy. It is a masculine exuberant energy, and when you are using this planet well, you will feel challenged and alive. Look at the sign Mars occupies in your chart and note the aspects he forms with transiting Mars in the sky. When Mars is trine and sextile, expect an even flow of energy. The conjunction will bring you face-to-face with your potential for joy and assertiveness or, if you are feeling pent up, for anger. If you feel self-possessed during the conjunction, this is the time to ask for a raise. If you are spilling over with Martian resentment, wait until a trine or sextile comes up. The opposition is usually a good time for sports and physical activity. Bedroom activity can be particularly satisfying during a Mars opposition. The square aspect, as you might guess, is a time to tread carefully. Because the challenge of handling a Mars square means compression of energy, this is a time to avoid any kind of reckless behavior, particularly concerning cars and thrill-seeking sports. If you have a motorcycle, be extra careful when Mars is squaring your natal Mars.
Mars also rules surgery because he rules metal, knives, and scalpels. Pay attention to Mars aspects when planning an elective surgery. In your chart, if the aspects are challenging, ask your doctor if you can wait until Mars moves into an easier relationship. It is best to consult a professional astrologer when planning any nonemergency surgery. There are a few basic rules, but serious surgery needs a lot of experience to maximize success and a good recovery.
As we have done with the other personal planets, examine the house that Mars is passing through in your chart. This is where you can concentrate your yang energy for the time that Mars is a tenant in that house. Also look at the house opposite to your Martian placement; this is where you may feel frustration. If Mars is passing through your Second House and you are working overtime trying to make money, while your partner (represented by the Eighth House) is totally unconcerned with any moneymaking efforts, Mars’s energy will make you feel frustrated and angry. It could be challenging to resolve this situation. It is worth your while to examine Mars transits through your chart in terms of how you are relating to the people around you. If you feel angry with your friends, see if Mars is passing through your Eleventh House; if you are having a difficult time when you are around your children, Mars might be passing through your Fifth House. Mars, as the last of the personal planets, stays in a sign longer than Mercury, Venus, and the Sun do. You can concentrate on his effect on the chart for a longer period of time.
Mars transits are great times to get a lot of physical work done. Exercising regularly is always a good idea, but when Mars is directly affecting your chart, you are supercharged and need to work off energy in more ways than your usual stint at the gym. If you are moving furniture, clearing out brush from your backyard, or toting things from one place to another, Mars is your friend. He will give you stamina, and the physical exercise will be enjoyable. Because Mars does have destructive potential, it is worthwhile to regularly examine the aspects between Mars and other planets in the current sky. Most astrology software programs have a helpful feature called an astrology clock. This is a chart wheel giving you the positions of all the planets and how they move. The clock can register changes every 10 seconds. You can look up the position of the planets daily on www.astro.com to see if Mars is aspecting any of your personal planets.
On the clock, you can watch the Moon change signs and see the house cusps adjust accordingly. When outer planets move from one sign to another, the astro clock tells you exactly when a new planetary phase begins. Of course, you can also find this information in your ephemeris. When you notice that transiting Mars is conjunct, square, or opposite Uranus, you can expect strained nerves on a global scale. Mars in a hard aspect to Pluto magnifies anger. In both cases, accidents can occur and conflicts will increase. Tracking astrological transits for nations and global events is a specialized branch of astrology that will be discussed in Chapter 8. The value of noting the relationship between Mars and the outer planets is that it will tell you when you will want to exercise caution. Examine your astro clock and see if the planetary picture indicates dicey Mars, Saturn, and Uranus aspects. It is not superstitious to take the planets’ positions into consideration when planning activities; it is wise. Mars, in particular, gives you a good indication of the temper and violence quotient that is present in the atmosphere. If Mars is conjunct Uranus, I would suggest staying off the road or, at least, driving very carefully. It is a very meditative activity to look at the astro clock first thing in the morning and connect with the heavens. It can give you patience and compassion for the day ahead.
Mars retrogrades approximately every two and a half years, which means that whatever sign Mars occupies when the retrograde occurs, he will remain in that sign for almost four months. A retrograde motion of a planet causes the planet’s energy to be internalized. In the case of Mars, this usually means that people’s egos are bursting with desire to assert themselves, but there is a great tendency to do so without restraint. People get angry at the drop of a hat, engage in power struggles with those in authority, or step up warlike activity quickly. When Mars goes retrograde, it is as if the balance tips in favor of aggression and angry expression. I have also noticed that every time Mars retrogrades in New York City, the street in front of my apartment goes under repair with an annoyingly loud jackhammer that seems to last exactly until Mars straightens out.
Those people who are restraining their tempers will definitely feel a buildup of energy, which must be expressed in some way. You might consider two activities during a Mars retrograde, when your energy or frustration level builds up. The first would be to visit a boxing gym and take out your frustrations on a punching bag. The second involves trees, which are your friends during a Mars retrograde. Go and shout your frustration to them, or wrap your arms around a particularly sturdy oak and express your feelings. There is no use denying that everyone has these feelings. The key is to find ways to express your emotions without setting up a chain of additional problems.
If you do have to communicate sternly and assertively with anyone during a retrograde Mars, try as much as possible to give the other person his or her space. If you engage in “I am right” and “You are wrong” positions, the argument will escalate quickly. Retrograde Mars is a perfect opportunity to agree with the other person’s feelings, no matter how outrageous they are, and assert what you have to say. During these times, Mars may give you courage. Let it be effective courage. A more practical consideration for the retrograde Mars period is postponing any kind of surgical or dental procedures. Emergencies cannot be helped, but do not schedule anything that can wait. Court cases or issues involving fractious parties would also best be postponed. Be conservative with your driving because dealings with law enforcement officers will not be pleasant during this time. A retrograde Mars makes those who are involved in Martian activities, such as the police and the military, especially keen on doing their job well.
In conclusion, the major “dos” during a retrograde Mars are to find physical outlets for your energy that do not involve arguing with others; keep breathing; start an exercise program; and watch people’s ego demands. The major things to avoid are scheduling elective surgery, carelessly handling sharp instruments or knives, driving recklessly, and provoking conflict and unnecessary confrontation. This can be a challenging time, and luckily occurs only about every two years.
When looking at the daily transits of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars, you should be able to mentally calculate the aspects between these planets and your chart. If this is too abstract for you at first, then practice by keeping a copy of your chart handy and plotting each planet on the outside of the wheel with a pencil. Then, when the Moon changes, or Venus moves into a different house, you can erase the planet and place it in the current house. This exercise will also give you a good feel for the way the planets move.
Note the aspects each planet is making to your chart. You can use your aspectarian until you can identify all the aspects easily. Also consider which house each transiting planet is in. By minding the house position without even dealing with particular aspects, you can zero in on the areas of life that need your attention. With practice you will be able to think like this: The Sun is in Scorpio, Scorpio rules my midheaven (the Tenth House cusp), so now is the time to pay particular attention to all career matters and work with the public. Or perhaps I need to pay attention to one of my parents (also indicated by the Tenth House cusp)? Life will let you know which interpretation of the houses to use. When you note the aspects between all your personal planets and the transiting planets, you can see if you will have an easy or a challenging time. Your aspects with Mercury will tell you how you are communicating. Aspects with Venus will tell you about your social life and pleasure, and aspects with Mars will tell you about your physical energy, temper, passion, and assertiveness. The quickly changing aspects with the Moon will tell you how you feel about everything day by day. When the aspects are challenging, for relief look to other parts of your chart where the aspects are easier. Concentrate your energy on the free-flowing department and you will skate through any sticky wickets in other departments. There is always some positive planetary aspect occurring in a chart.