If you want to know what Mars Retrograde (RX) is all about, just take a look at the reversed Tower in the Tarot.

A picture says a thousand words, and in the current climate it rings eerily true.

Mars RX occurs just once a year or even every two years, but when it does, we can all feel that planetary kick in the bum somehow.

Mars is linked to the Tower in the Tarot, but it also rules Aries, the Emperor, and this year, Mars stations retrograde in Aries on the 9th September until 13th November.

So, we can also envision the Emperor reversed, a ruthless, destructive and despotic male figure with an inflated ego, lack of empathy and not a care in the world how much damage is caused while pursuing his dubious goals.

It’s funny, how Mars RX timing coincides with this year’s US election. But we don’t want to dive too deeply into those events. We all know how divisive, tense and even violent the situation is.

Let’s take a look at what we can expect in our own little individual worlds.

Reversed aspects of the Tower include suppressed anger, power struggles, an impending destruction, revelation, epiphany or even revolution.

Mars RX is about acknowledging what is really going on and facing facts, even though it’s more comfortable sticking your head in the sand.

But ignorance isn’t bliss, and sooner or later it all comes to a head. Boom!

But there are also positive Martian energies bubbling amongst the mayhem:

a fighting spirit, more ambition, standing up for what you believe in, courage to tear down restrictions and start again from scratch, purging outdated beliefs, making space for a breakthrough, a re-structure of your life, acknowledging misplaced anger…

When you reverse the image of the Tower, the figures seem to rise rather than fall, which reminds me of the Osho quote Don’t fall in love, rise in love.

A radical change of perspective.

Whatever upheaval or destruction you are facing, it may push you into a new way of thinking and acting, or you will realise that you don’t have a choice if you want to survive this storm.

Retrogrades tend to focus on activities starting with the preposition re-:

• re-visit
• re-purpose
• re-evaluate
• re-vive

…and so on.

Re-tro. Blast from the past. Re-surrecting the past (and maybe not in a good way…)

The old world order is breaking down and shaken up, but new possibilities and opportunities are emerging from the wreckage. Mars RX intensifies the emotional upheaval.

Here’s a tarot spread you can use to explore how to make the most of the Mars RX energies:

1. Something I am angry about, and I need to acknowledge it:
2. How to use my anger in a more creative and constructive way:
3. What aspect of my life do I need to be more ambitious about? Where am I aiming too low?
4. What is worth fighting for?
5. What do I need to be radical about?
6. A sudden realisation:
7. A limiting belief I need to discard:
8. What I am trying too hard to control:
9. What needs rebuilding:
10. My new world order:

Here is a layout suggestion, which is inspired by the Tower:

Have fun exploring this spread. If you found it useful, please do let me know and share this page with your tarot friends.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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