Mars in Pisces is approaching an exact square to Saturn in Sagittarius. Chiron is also involved. This Mars square Saturn will not be exact until January 19th. However, Mars is a fast planet in the sense that its approach and effect can be felt way ahead of its exact configuration.
From the annals of history, dutiful astrological researchers, translators, and life-givers to the dead have processed ancient astrological texts that give us terms like “malefic” and “benefic”.
The malefic planets are Mars and Saturn, and they are called so for a number of reasons. For one, they are both planets of extremes. Mars is an extremely hot planet. Saturn is an extremely cold planet. It’s understood that humans typically prefer for things to be somewhere in between, so these are outlier, uncomfortable experiences.
Generally the word malefic flurries up a cloud of ideas of badness, harm, even evil, demonic forces. Something that is not conducive to light, happiness, joy – the sweeter sides of life.
Astrologer Robert Hand — great, terrific, tremendous astrologer, great great astrologer — has said that the malefics are not inherently bad, it’s just that humans don’t know how to use them, or if I may paraphrase further, that humans on the whole don’t know how to handle energy that is XTREME.
So what would properly handling planets like Mars and Saturn look like, to minimize potential damaging effects or unpleasant experiences? I contend that:
1) First it requires knowing that the influence is emerging in the energy field of earth, or in your personal life in particular. In other words, you have to know Mars is gonna be Marsing and/or Saturn’s gonna be Saturning in your life or in general.
2) It requires having a pre-determined approach to handling the extreme energy. So in the case of Mars, Mars wants you to act fast, conquer, be strong, domineering and reckless, and to act on impulse. When these feelings of impulse, anger, righteous indignation and reckless behavior arise you can practice having the wherewithal to say “Oh, hm, I really want to fire the f off right now, maybe I could direct /discharge of this energy, that obviously exists and isn’t going anywhere, in a way that’s healthy and not harmful to myself or others, like pouring it into a creative pursuit, exercising passionately, making love passionately, tackling a project that requires more (figurative or literal) muscle work than detail work.” That’s Mars… with a touch of Saturn. Planning ahead is Saturn.
In the case of Saturn, the effects are often objectively slowing, heavy-ing, weighty, serious, cold and devoid of emotion, sapping vitality, warmth and freshness, generating feelings of feeling old. Having a pre-determined approach to handling the feelings of Saturn could be like oh I’m starting to feel really old, really serious, dissatisfied with parts of my life and dwelling on them, experiencing consequences of past actions, getting lots of no’s when I want to blaze forward, forced to think deeply about what I’m actually doing with some part of my life SO IT’S TIME TO consciously (meaning with awareness) go with it, sink into the parts of my life that are being raised to the surface of my perceptions, take responsibility for creating my own outcomes, exercise (XTREME) patience, infuse joy and play into my life at regular intervals, reach out for professional help, reach out for professional help if I’m feeling depressed and lost and like I’m nothing and I want to give up on life.
3) Then it requires a firm commitment to handling the energy using the pre-determined approaches.
4) Eventually, if you just know what Mars generally feels like, and what Saturn generally feels like, and followed the steps outlined above, you will have developed the wherewithal of consciousness to say “I Prepared for Malefics so When This Feeling Comes Up in My Life, I am going to acknowledge it and This Is How I’m Going To Handle It.”
Et voila, malefic no more! Malefic with consciousness! Changing the experience of supposed malefic planets, one conscious attempt at a time!
Except when you’re a human living in the world and having to live with other people’s choices, where other people might not choose to create or enact a carefully detailed Extra Wonderful Plan For Handling Malefics.
Well, then, the response to that covers a broader scope of philosophy of action than I’m going to endeavor in this article.
Enter the astrology of the current Mars Saturn square!
What planets and signs are involved: Mars in Pisces square Saturn in Sagittarius
When is the aspect exact: January 19th
What degrees: 23 degrees Pisces square to 23 degrees Sagittarius
From when can it be felt: Now
When does the effect begin to fade: Right after it is exact, so later in the day January 19th, and more so with each passing day as Mars begins to move away.
Two malefics with a bad reputation coming together, what to expect?:
Mars in Pisces square Saturn in Sagittarius at its simplest spells, friction. In this case this is friction between actions based on emotional motivations and a commitment, adherence, or championing of a broader philosophy. This is prime astrology for a block in action, OR a detail oriented, thoroughly vetted and thought out and effective action. That also happens to be emotionally cued in. On another positive note there is great ability with this particular aspect to give form to animated fantasies.
Is there potential for jarring events with this transit? Absolutely. It is the astrological combination of relentless pursuit, single pointed conquering ego drive, not stopping for nothing, where ego pride or defense is on the line. It is the astrology of making physical reality conform to your will, and of course the applications span from the horrendous to the masterly.
But there is also the potential for great focus and great productivity. There is also the potential to define your actions based on meeting a standard of excellence. There is also the potential to draw a boundary where one is needed, where emotions would normally be watery and seep all over the place.
All this potential requires is just some of what I’ve outlined above.
Yours truly,
Ichrak
