By Amy Elliott
Aries
Your ruling planet Mars stations retrograde this week in Aquarius: the sign of groups, collective thought and the human mind in general. Particularly for you, this likely relates to your place within your community, whatever you consider that to be, and the influence of your friendships. Amid the roar of the crowd, however, you are learning to embrace more fully what it means to be unique. Mars retrograde will probably help you reflect on precisely where it is that you end and your social world begins, and whether or not it would be helpful to shift or strengthen that line.
Taurus
Uranus in your sign has begun to work its magic, as if opening up a bunch of formerly hidden doors. Over the summer, Mars retrograde will add its own flavor to this process, causing you to look again at specific ambitions or plans for the future. In the same way that you plant seeds with enough space around them so the roots and branches can spread, you need to consider whether your current path offers you sufficient room to develop and spread your wings. By the end of August, you may have an altogether different idea of what sufficient room actually means.
Gemini
Belief can be a useful part of how we make sense of the world, because there are necessarily many things we don’t know. However, reviewing one’s beliefs should be an ongoing task, especially when confronted with any information that seems to cause discomfort. Mars is now inviting you to re-examine your beliefs at the most fundamental level. This is particularly true at the point where such ideas tend to become dogmas, which in turn can hold back your evolution. Consider this open season on everything that is not an established or verified fact. Curiosity can set you free.
Cancer
In your continual process of becoming, sometimes it’s necessary to review your commitments. You’ll probably be doing just that over the next couple months, as you take a fresh look at your relationship with the rest of the world, and the people within it. What might have seemed essential to your life previously may no longer be so today; a change in career trajectory, location or friendships might be coming due. This is unlikely to be a decision for today, or this week, so don’t rush it; simply observe what happens as time passes, and you may well reach a natural conclusion eventually.
Leo
Mars stationing retrograde in your opposite sign is likely to give you some pause for thought concerning your intimate relationships, including to yourself and your desires. Just at present, you may be particularly aware of the kinds of fantasies that usually reside in the back of your mind. For a moment, take the view that anything is possible, and that partners are both able and willing to hold space for your feelings. What could you then discuss with them? What might you ask for? Once you contemplate these ideas, you may realize that they are not so terribly far from what is real and possible.
Virgo
You are probably very much aware that the business of constructing a better world isn’t usually accomplished within a few days, or even a few months. It’s something people do every day; not merely in the voting booths, but in town halls, on the streets and (which can sometimes be overlooked) within themselves. So long as you are serving a cause you can truly get behind, it’s important also that you feel stimulated and inspired. This can come down simply to the arrangement of your daily work. In the coming weeks, you’ll be able to review and, if necessary, overhaul all these routines.
Libra
The forthcoming Mars retrograde will on some level have you reconsidering what it is you ultimately desire. You may already have experienced surprises on this score, especially if what you thought you wanted turned out to have been influenced by former authority figures. Now you’re much more comfortable in your own skin, and can really take the reins. Start by recognizing what brings you pleasure and makes you feel good about yourself; how you can best exercise your creative gifts; how you can do a job that doesn’t feel like work. Patterns and ideas will likely follow.
Scorpio
Your classical ruler Mars is about to change direction in the region that for you relates to home, safety and security, among other things. This signals that you’re likely to be pondering the question of what precisely makes you feel safe and, perhaps, what really constitutes risk. The way things are going, we’ll eventually all end up in self-contained rooms surrounded by antibacterial agents and Virtual Reality, so that we don’t have to go outside and do icky stuff like interacting with real people. As the next few weeks progress, grant yourself permission to go forth and seek fun and adventure.
Sagittarius
As a society, we have yet to master assertive communication, which is really another way of saying adult communication. Many people involved in conversations are either trying to push their own agenda, or are so involved on an emotional level that they struggle to apply reason. You have a knack for speaking the truth, and for being open-minded enough to listen effectively. What this coming Mars retrograde is likely to teach you is how to get your message across better. In those areas where your understanding might need an injection of fresh ideas, you could well receive that, too.
Capricorn
This summer, your self-esteem is due to undergo a reconstruction of sorts. You’ll have the chance to dissolve, once and for all, a lingering issue of self-doubt that originates in some past event, and to which you really need not pay one iota of attention. You have plenty of resources, and plenty of personal gifts. I would make a special effort to banish any thought of needing to rely on, or compare yourself to, someone else. Instead, focus on the unique beauty of your mind, and the various ways you express it. If need be, display your accomplishments where you can see them.
Aquarius
Mars is about to station retrograde in your sign for the first time in over four decades. Its rarity alone makes this an event of some importance, and an opportunity for you to bring about considerable changes in terms of your personal identity, and the way you view yourself and your place in the world. The only thing that can hinder you is if you allow self-doubt to prevail. Banish the idea that there is any goal you cannot accomplish. You’re about to discover that any boundaries in your mind regarding how far you can grow, however solid they seem, can be swept aside like a curtain.
Pisces
You likely expend a good deal of your energy taking care of other people (and probably critters). Sometimes that can feel like a never-ending task, however fulfilling you generally find it. Mars retrograde in the most sensitive place in your chart will probably call attention to your need for rest, and your need to receive care as well as offering it. Take as much time and space as possible to recharge, and allow the kindness of your closest friends to nourish your body and soul. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative and state your needs. Those who love you are more than willing to answer the call.
