The planet Mars is going retrograde on June 26th and will last until August 27th. This is something that occurs every two years, with the last one occurring in 2016 from mid-April until late June. This energy started building up when the pre-shadow began in mid-May as Mars started slowing down. Some of the themes of this retrograde may have begun sometime since then.

Retrograde periods are when a planet appears to be moving backwards in the sky due to its position around the Sun relative to Earth’s position. It is a period of re-working how we orientate ourselves with the themes and energies of that specific planet. The most significant retrogrades are those of Mercury, Venus, and Mars.

Mars: Assertion, Willpower, Courage, Desires, Sex, Aggression, and Anger

Mars is a yang/male planet that is associated with how we apply action in our lives. When retrograde, its energies get amplified as it ends up being opposite the Sun and appears at its brightest when looking at the night sky. This is like the ‘Full Moon’ for Mars as it receives the most light from the Sun.

During this retrograde, Mars themes will be highlighted very strongly which ultimately help to facilitate some sort of adjustment. This could influence where to best apply our efforts, how we use our willpower, our motivations, our desires, a shift in our sex lives, and how we deal with aggression and anger. When a planet goes retrograde, the circumstances that manifest help us to ultimately express the energies of this planet in a new way.

Due to its energies being amped in retrograde motion, this can also be a time where many people can get more easily angered or irritated. This can be potentially the most negative manifestation of this period. People who have strong Mars energy or many of those who are dominant Aries or Scorpio may notice these effects the most.

There can be a build-up of inner tension which eventually can be expressed outwardly, sometimes in a passive-aggressive way.  If this applies to you, it would be wise to find a healthy way to release anger and ease tension in a way that is not harmful to you or the people in your life.

Any frustrations that occur at this time could be as a result of things not flowing smoothly and wasted efforts. If this occurs to you, it would be good to consider that something needs to change with the way you are applying yourself and pay attention to signs from the Universe.

Usually, this occurs when taking new initiatives, but not in every case. If so, it may be better to revisit old tasks, projects, and efforts and you may find that doing this can be more productive. However, this will not make you immune to all of its effects which ultimately should help you in your personal development.

As Mars is also associated with sex, sometimes what happens is that a shift in our sex lives could occur. In some cases, there can be a change in a relationship or even a friendship. For example, some people may begin a sexual relationship with someone who they are already acquainted or friends with. In other cases, the opposite may occur. However, this won’t apply to everybody and everyone will experience this retrograde in different ways in which many are expressed throughout this article.

Mars Retrograde In Aquarius and Capricorn

The majority of this retrograde will occur in Aquarius with it ending in Capricorn where it will move forward again. Its themes may be oriented around the collective, groups, colleagues, friends, as well as humanitarian and social issues. It may even be connected to how we assert ourselves with our intellect or how we apply our innovative selves.

Mars will then return to Capricorn on August 12th/13th where Pluto and Saturn are currently located. This can bring in themes of re-orientation connected to our goals, ambitions, careers, responsibilities, and perhaps apply ourselves with better structure, resourcefulness, and in a more solid way.

Mars Conjunct South Node and Out Of Bounds

In the weeks leading up to this period, Mars has been travelling near the South Node of the Moon and will also pass over it again during the retrograde. The South Node is associated with the past and could be connected to what can be holding us back. It is even considered to be a place where energy can dissipate. This could be about letting go of old approaches of how we use our Mars energy, but in this process, themes connected to the past may resurface during this time to help us make the changes.

On July 7th/8th, Mars will be going ‘out of bounds’ and will stay like that until September 24th which is almost a month after the retrograde ends. At that time, we will still be in the post-retrograde shadow period (until October 8th) which is when things related to Mars begin to move forward more smoothly.

A planet is ‘out of bounds’ when it travels beyond the limits in which the Sun travels in from our vantage point on Earth. This is generally a time when that planet expresses itself in unusual, unique, independent, unconventional, innovative, and even creative ways. It is sort of like it is exploring new territory beyond the normal constructs of society or how it usually expresses itself.

Mars Square Uranus, Eclipses, and Mercury Retrograde

A major factor of this Mars retrograde is that it will be in a square with Uranus which will be strongest during the last week of July and the first week of August. Uranus has similar energy to a planet being ‘out of bounds’ so therefore this aspect emphasizes what was mentioned above. This configuration can also trigger rebelliousness, impulsive actions, disruptions, sudden changes, and perhaps a need to break free out of inhibiting situations.

Circumstances that can come up can make it even harder to focus and direct our energy, and therefore it is best to be adaptable and to surrender that what isn’t working. However, it would be wise to be cautious about taking impulsive action in case you may do something you may regret. It would be wise to think things over and reflect when triggered. Mercury will also be going retrograde at that time so we may easily not see things clearly.

This entire Mars retrograde period will also be occurring while three eclipses take place. We will have partial Solar Eclipses taking place on July 12th/13th in Cancer and on August 11th/12th in Leo. However, the most potent one, which is also strongly connected to Mars retrograde, will be a Total Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius on July 27th/28th.

The Lunar Eclipse will be aligned with Mars while it is in a square with Uranus which can carry some of the Mars/Uranus themes mentioned above over the following months even after the retrograde is over. Eclipses in general trigger changes which ultimately depends on how it is interacting with your natal astrology chart (personal astrological blueprint) based on your exact birth time. These themes of change are strongest in the month of each eclipse, however, they still can unfold over the following 3-6 months.

Due to the fact that the eclipse in late July is a Total Lunar Eclipse near the South Node, combined with the Mars/Uranus configuration, this really emphasizes the fact that this is a period of really letting go of certain aspects of our lives that are not serving us. Perhaps any wasted or challenging efforts we experience as a result of Mars retrograde may help to show us this. This Lunar Eclipse, also referred to as a ‘Blood Moon’, will be the longest Lunar Eclipse of the 21st century, lasting just over four hours.

I will be releasing more content about these Eclipses and Mercury retrograde as we get closer to those dates. You can join my mailing list here to ensure that you are notified when I release my latest content.

What To Reflect On During This Mars Retrograde?

Are you asserting yourself appropriately in your life? What are you being shown by the Universe? How is the outside world responding to the way you take action? How do you feel inside? What adjustments do you need to make in order to proceed more effectively with your goals and aspirations? Which of your past decisions, ideas, or initiatives should you revisit and experiment with? What do you need to bring to an end? How can you express yourself in ways that are unique, creative, and unconventional? What are your true inner desires?

These are some examples of what to reflect on during this time. The retrograde ends on August 27th. From that point on until early October, many of the challenges of this summer will dissipate and most (or all) of the areas that were triggered during this period should move forward more smoothly with increased clarity. Any changes that have occurred will help to facilitate a better way for us to express ourselves.