Forecast Nov 2-8, 2020: The Expedition

In a year that has seen any number of obstacles thrown at a lot of people, forward movement is a blessing. Typically lightening-fast Mercury has been stuck in slow motion since mid October. In 2020, the annoying delays associated with Mercury retrogrades have been compounded by the frustrations of a simultaneous Mars retrograde. On Tuesday, the fleet-footed ruler of technology, commerce and communication will station direct. On the 13th, Mars will also station direct, ending its retrograde which began all the way back on September 9th. Mercury and Mars are personal planets. As such, their impact is much more obvious to us than that of the outer planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Outer planets are said to represent the transpersonal spheres, and their connections to other planets are weeks, if not months, in the making. But Mercury and Mars are another story.

Mars, for instance, takes two years to travel through the entire zodiac. If you’ve reared children, you are especially familiar with the concept of the terrible two’s. At age two, we have each completed our first experience of Mars in each of astrology’s twelve signs. About that time, Mars returns to the spot it was in at our birth, and we begin the next two-year journey through the signs. Mars is the impulse that takes action. It is also the planet ruling conflict and combat. If we put those struggles into the context of fighting the battles that are important to our development, such as beginning to individuate and form our own identity, then Mars is better understood. As adults, we can consciously and healthfully apply our Martian power. Since late June Mars has been in Aries. The cardinal fire sign is another burst of raw energy. it represents spontaneity, effervescence and exploration. Paired with Mars, we possess a nearly inexhaustible energy supply. Aries is also the first sign of the zodiac, thus it represents the blazing of new trails.

In this regard, since late June we’ve been receiving prompts to forge into unknown territory. On the other hand, the Mars and Mercury retrogrades may have shown up as inertia or setbacks. Now the firepower of Mars on its own turf is about to be reignited. As I wrote last week, to the ancients Mars co-ruled Aries and Scorpio. Mercury spent most of this retrograde in Scorpio, and it will return to the sign, for a full passage, on the 10th. The Sun, our will, is also presently in the emotionally honest, fixed water sign. That means that Mercury has been poking around in the deeper realms of the psyche. As the energies of Mercury and Mars come back online, we can examine what has been pushing our buttons, moreover what lies at the heart our reactions, and most importantly, what we intend to change. Scorpio is the sign of transformation. What do we want next? Mars in Aries spurs us to take those precious first steps. This homecoming will conclude on January 6th, making now a great time for the expedition.