Mars Retrogrades back into Scorpio – Death of Philosophy

Mars coming back to Scorpio can represent the piercing gaze of dominance and the calm that comes through the undeniable inner confidence in the possession of strength.

This is an outward form of strength and dominance that can come from an inner weakness. Yet this can also be the outer form of more deeply embedded inner strength.

That deeper strength could be the indication of knowing the ultimate strength which is an acceptance of the assurance handed out at every birth — death. This acceptance can be the ultimate liberation. Deep acceptance of death brings the boon of perspective.

The more deeply embedded inner strength can also be a sign of an alliance with power, whether that is esoteric of whatever color, deeply spiritual and from the light, an alliance with love, or allying one’s self with the knowledge of God.

An alliance with material forms of power is another possible root of inner strength: the alliance with powerful people, an abundance of resources, and the ability to execute one’s will without hindrance.

Mars in Scorpio invites a revisitation of an evaluation of relating to power. It is an invitation to consider power dynamics across domains – in relationship to the self and mastery over the self, in personal relationships, professional relationships, all the way through to social hierarchies and entire economic systems – the pervasiveness of these and how the systems are so entrenched into day to day life that the dynamics are very often invisible.

Mars in Scorpio symbolism draws on water’s formlessness and on Scorpio’s focus and Mars’ relentlessness there. The message here is about extracting power from what is perceived to have it by withdrawing energy from it and re-directing that into a more desirable container. This is done either individually or more powerfully, collectively. Some things – people, relationships, problems, social constructs, are perceived to have power, but do have that power only by virtue of the energy they are fed from sources external to them. If the energy source is removed, the system flounders and a vacuum is created.

Mars’ return to Scorpio is also an invitation to consider how one conceives of one’s own power. Which, again, is defined as a feeling of strength that comes from the ability to affect one’s world according to one’s desires. That power shows up differently across different relational dynamics, personal or environmental.

Scorpio can sting itself or others, sometimes intentionally and sometimes despite itself. This may be a manifestation of something so tender as the parts of life the water element represents, the emotions and feelings, in the domain of a sign that is ruled by a planet as extreme as Mars.

In the context of Mars Retrograde more broadly, this may be about re-evaluating our approach to desire, and the change that happens within us when one allows oneself to experience the awareness of desire. The question then turns into one that is infused with spiritual or moral concerns about desire. Apart from spiritual or moral, these concerns can also be “broad”, as in big picture. How does a desire fit into the horizon of a far off dream or goal. Within the realm of spiritual or moral, how does the pursuit of a desire honor one’s moral code or spiritual code. How does the consideration of what is possible play into what one is allowed to want, or allows oneself to want. How does one’s relationship to one’s own power in the context of God, or a guiding spiritual force or system, influence one’s personal desires.

Mars’ return to Scorpio can also be about how others’ energies help, restore, supplement, or influence our will to act. This can be life giving or it can be tainted with the dynamics of borrowed power.

The implications are for thinking about the complexity, desirability, or undesirability of being enmeshed with others. This is an inevitable part of life that then returns the question to humanity and endows it with a responsibility to elevate the dynamic perhaps through an alliance with a spiritual code. In other words, it is easy to resent someone forever, its is harder to dissolve resentment into forgiveness.

Considering Scorpio’s themes of genetic inheritance,  Mars return here asks the question of what to do with that inheritance. There is the possibility of living it out, transmuting it, disowning it, overriding it, building on its best parts, enhancing it.

Considering Scorpio’s singleminded focus, Mars return here asks the question of how that is used to execute will power to create change.

But for something to change there must the awareness of Mars in Scorpio’s invitation to use the will to transmute experiences of perceived weakness, as opposed to using them as an excuse for not changing something that needs to be changed.

While it can be very easy to go low with Scorpio Mars, it is good to remember that when dealing with others who may not be as reflective, who are more temperamental and impulsive, what is always under your control is your own behavior and your own relationship to yourself. The care and keeping of your inner space as a priority serves as a good base to return to for navigating Mars in Scorpio, which will remain in the sign through August 2.

Warmly,
Ichrak