Mars entering Aquarius Urges Reform, Innovation, and Radical Change

Mars enters Aquarius on March 30, where it will discover Saturn waiting. Mars is an outsider in Aquarius, as its red-hot nature becomes cooled down by being in the airy home of Saturn. The unique atmosphere of Aquarius brings out qualities of Mars that cannot be found anywhere else in the zodiac, as Mars in Aquarius is willing to separate from mainstream thought and utilize unorthodox methods. Mars in Aquarius is driven to action over intellectual ideas, humanitarian concerns, and social movements, and is furthermore willing to fight over its philosophical worldview. Yet when necessary, Mars in Aquarius can detach from overheated conflict in order to determine the most useful direction to follow for potential growth. Due to Aquarius being a fixed sign, Mars in Aquarius can also stubbornly sustain effort in enduring obstacles, resiliently persevering through ordeals in pursuit of its target.
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Right after entering Aquarius, Mars will form a conjunction with Saturn in the first degree of Aquarius on March 31, to then move into forming a disruptive square aspect with Uranus at five and a half degrees of Taurus on April 7. As a result, April will have a dramatic beginning filled with the adversity of Mars and Saturn combined with the edgy volatility of Uranus. In classical astrology, Mars and Saturn are classified as malefic planets, as they signify difficult experiences that cause separation and force us to labor and toil to address hardships. The global outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic that is causing widespread illness, social isolation, and fear is an extreme example of the kinds of grim and awful collective events that feel devastating when Mars and Saturn unite. Indeed, this year’s conjunction between Mars and Saturn is especially distressing since Mars is moving from a union with Pluto into its union with Saturn, re-forging the Saturn-Pluto conjunction that began the year and which signified intense division and constraint in collective events.

There are constructive ways to work with Mars and Saturn, such as welding the passionate, burning energy of Mars to the disciplined, determined focus of Saturn. The inflamed passion and aggressiveness of Mars become tempered by the restraint of Saturn, making it possible to direct the fiery boldness of Mars with a serious focus. It will be helpful to have a meaningful personal project to invest energy into, as Mars and Saturn in Aquarius can catalyze the ambition and initiative required to create innovative work and build supportive life structures. Mars and Saturn can also be used defensively, sealing oneself away from outside toxicity in order to contain and guide their building pressure to incite growth within protected space.

Keep up with this year’s rare planetary retrogrades

While Mars and Saturn correlate with working hard and persisting with commitment, as Mars engages in its square aspect with Uranus during the first week of April, there will be unexpected and rapid changes shifting storylines into new directions. Due to widespread closures in schools, workplaces, and community gatherings around the world as a result of COVID 19, it will be essential to release pent up energy through creative outlets and utilize technology to meet social needs. The discord and strife brought by Mars will demand quick and inventive responses that will bring the innovative counsel of Uranus down to address the crisis. The square between Mars and Uranus will provoke a confrontation between humanitarian values and cultural institutions that will necessitate finding new ways to live and support one another.

Indeed, the movement of Mars in Aquarius from Saturn into Uranus will also trigger the waning square aspect between Saturn in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus that will become a dominant astrological theme in 2021. Saturn forming a square with Uranus will constellate sudden collapses of societal structures that will set off a conflict between those who represent mainstream authority and those seeking reform and radical change. As a result, the global power struggles that erupt in reaction to the events of April will be precursors of larger ideological changes that will be taking shape in the years ahead.

Art by The Our Deep Space