MARS RETROGRADE AND THE STATIONARY EFFECT

Mars, the planet of action, motivation, and energy, often plays a major role in both our personal lives and global events when it enters its retrograde phase or becomes stationary. Whether Mars is retrograde or stationary in a natal chart or during a specific event, it brings about unique challenges and opportunities for growth. This article aims to provide a timeless explanation of Mars retrograde and stationary phases, helping you understand their significance and impact on life, both on a personal level and within broader societal contexts.

Mars retrograde and its stationary phases occur approximately every two years, with the retrograde period lasting about 80 days. However, the effects of this phase are felt both before and after the retrograde itself, particularly during the stationary periods, when Mars pauses in the sky before changing direction. These stationary periods can intensify Mars's energy, leading to significant developments or delays in action.

During Mars retrograde, themes such as action, aggression, motivation, power, and ambition may face delays or challenges. This period often requires us to slow down, reassess our goals, and rethink how we approach conflicts and desires. Mars retrograde can be more problematic than other planetary retrogrades because it directly affects our drive and ability to act.

What Happens During Mars Retrograde?

When Mars is retrograde, issues related to action, conflict, motivation, and even physical vitality can become more complicated. Mars retrograde is linked to:

• Military conflicts

• Explosions, fires, and accidents

• Arguments, violence, and aggression

• Delays in justice, struggles for power, and leadership disputes

• Internal conflicts, depression, and frustrations

  
  

To understand Mars retrograde, it can be helpful to invert Mars’s glyph. When you flip it upside down, it resembles the glyph of Venus, representing values like diplomacy, cooperation, and balance. Inverting Mars reminds us that during retrograde, its energy is not aggressive or forward-moving but instead calls for reflection, compromise, and cautious action.

Mars’s retrograde motion often brings up unresolved issues from the past. For example, situations that we thought we had moved past might resurface during this time, forcing us to confront them again. It's a time for reconsideration, and often, events that occur during this period are connected to past actions or decisions.

Historical Views on Mars Retrograde

In classical astrology, retrograde planets are considered malefic or "unfortunate." William Lilly, one of the most influential astrologers in the 17th century, assigned a -5 score to retrograde planets in terms of essential dignity, implying that a retrograde planet acts unpredictably or harshly. Bonatti, another classical astrologer, explained that retrograde planets tend to cause confusion and inconsistent behavior. Ibn Ezra referred to retrograde planets as signaling “bad advice,” predicting difficulties and destruction.

Modern astrologers, however, take a more nuanced view of retrograde planets. Martin Schulman described retrograde planets as having a three-fold effect: either pulling us into past mistakes, forcing us to confront those mistakes in the present, or limiting our future potential because of unresolved past issues. Similarly, Erin Sullivan, in her book Retrograde Planets, wrote that planets in retrograde seem "protected" or "hidden in a shell" until the right moment comes for them to be expressed, often when the Sun makes a positive aspect to the retrograde planet.

Mars and its Declination

During some retrograde periods, Mars moves out of its usual declination, behaving erratically and beyond its normal boundaries. When Mars goes beyond declination, it can act in extreme ways, leading to heightened aggression, frustration, or unexpected developments.

Mars's relationship with the Sun during retrograde is also significant. For example, Mars might be in an oriental (rising before the Sun) or occidental (setting after the Sun) position. When Mars is occidental, especially when it forms a hard aspect to the Sun, like an opposition, we may experience intensified challenges, as was the case in past Mars retrograde periods.

Famous People Born with Mars Retrograde

Mars retrograde in a natal chart doesn’t mean a person is destined for failure or weakness. Many well-known figures were born with Mars retrograde and went on to achieve significant success:

• Sezen Aksu (Turkish singer-songwriter), Sakıp Sabancı ((Turkish bussinessman), Mark Zuckerberg, Jamie Lee Curtis, Beethoven, Louise Hay, James Dean, Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Vladimir Zelensky, Sandro Botticelli, Henry Fonda

These individuals reflect how Mars retrograde can be a source of inner strength, perseverance, and eventual success despite early struggles.

How to Navigate Mars Retrograde

During Mars retrograde or stationary phases, it's important to take a step back and avoid impulsive decisions. Here are some tips:

• Don’t rush into new ventures or conflicts. Use this time to reflect on past actions.

• Focus on resolving unfinished projects rather than starting new ones.

• Avoid jumping to conclusions or making quick judgments.

• Reassess your goals and motivations, and make adjustments where necessary.

CAPTURING SYMBOLS FROM THE SKY

These specific times give us significant opportunities to understand how astrological symbols work. When everything in life seems smooth, it becomes difficult to fully grasp the meanings behind these symbols. However, unusual or challenging events, especially those that occur repeatedly, provide us with insightful lessons. This is particularly true for Mars symbols, which are easier to understand during Mars retrograde or its stationary periods.

Although the retrograde motion of Mars lasts approximately 80 days, it is during the transitions into retrograde and back into direct motion—lasting around two days—that the planet becomes stationary.

I’ve compiled research on world events that have occurred during Mars’s stationary phases since 2000, showing how Mars symbolism is reflected in real-life events.

Mars is often associated with iron and the working class. During its stationary phase, many events related to labor strikes, train accidents, and damages to infrastructure have taken place. Let’s explore some examples:

• November 14, 2007 (Mars in Cancer, stationary-retrograde): German train drivers initiated a 62-hour strike against Deutsche Bahn, demanding a 31% wage increase (BBC).

• On the same day in France, transportation and energy workers expanded their strike against President Sarkozy's pension reform, heavily affecting railway services (BBC).

• January 30, 2008 (Mars stationary-direct in Gemini): Severe snowstorms in China disrupted train travel during the Chinese New Year, stranding millions of passengers. Premier Wen Jiabao personally apologized at the Changsha train station (CNN).

  
  

Mars is symbolic of workers and their rights. When Mars is stationary, we often observe labor strikes and halts in various industries.

For example, in Ireland, taxi drivers staged a national strike that caused major disruptions, blocking roads and even halting work at three major airports (RTÉ, The Irish Times). Likewise, during freezing conditions, the Channel Tunnel between England and France experienced power failures, leaving 2,000 passengers trapped on five trains. This situation, coupled with delays at London Heathrow Airport and icy roads in southern England, created a widespread crisis (BBC, Sky News, Financial Times).

In Georgia, during the demolition of a Soviet war memorial, flying debris killed two people and injured four others (BBC, Washington Post).

As seen, issues related to worker rights and safety are commonly reported during Mars’s stationary periods. We see moments when actions stop, leading to further problems. And when actions don't stop, they sometimes result in fatal accidents, as evidenced by the explosion of a statue being demolished while Mars was stationary.

A particularly striking example occurred on January 31, 2008 during Mars’s stationary period:

A fireworks workshop in Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, exploded, killing 23 people and injuring 120. The explosion was caused by illegal materials stored in an unauthorized building, resulting in a catastrophic gas explosion. From 2008 to 2016, at least 10,930 workers in Turkey died in similar work-related accidents (Hafıza Kaydı).

During Mars’s stationary periods, we often see such tragic work-related incidents involving explosives, violence, and destruction. In another case, we see the disappearance of an iconic symbol linked to Mars symbolism.

At Auschwitz, the infamous “Arbeit macht frei” sign was stolen during a Mars stationary period. The sign, meaning "Work sets you free," was a notorious symbol of labor from Nazi concentration camps. The disappearance prompted a search by authorities across Israel, Poland, and the European Union, using police dogs and detectives to recover the stolen sign (BBC, The Times).

The sign is stationary and represents work—a perfect Mars symbol. Its disappearance, coupled with the use of police dogs (another Mars symbol), occurred precisely during the stationary phase of Mars.

Mars’s influence on business and economic activity is also evident. During its stationary periods, we see companies pausing operations or facing significant challenges:

• African international airline Fastjet saw its stock drop by 72% as negotiations among shareholders reached a deadlock. The company warned of potential liquidation if a resolution wasn’t found (BBC).

• Toyota issued a global recall of 1.43 million hybrid cars, citing a potential fuel evaporation problem. This recall was issued as Mars was stationary (BBC).

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These events highlight how Mars, when stationary, can disrupt the flow of business and delay actions. Mars is also associated with violence and military action, and in Turkey, we experienced frightening times during Mars’s stationary and retrograde transits.

On June 28, 2016, an attack at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport resulted in the deaths of 45 people, with over 230 injured. Armed assailants attacked the international terminal with automatic weapons and explosives (BBC).

When we analyze the chart of this event, we notice a 150-degree aspect between Mars and Uranus. This aspect is typically associated with accidents, sudden violence, and fatalities. Uranus, representing unpredictability, highlights how the attack came as a surprise, with Mars symbolizing the aggression. The day after the attack, Mars returned to its stationary position before moving direct again, reinforcing the chaotic energy of this period.

Around the same time, an interesting legal case emerged in Michigan, USA. The prosecutor in Michigan temporarily paused a legal investigation involving a murder where the key witness was a parrot. The parrot had repeatedly mimicked the words “shoot,” suggesting it may have witnessed the crime. The prosecutor debated whether the bird’s testimony could be used in court (BBC).

Once again, we see Mars’s stationary phase influencing strange, unpredictable events. The parrot, symbolized by Mercury (associated with speech and mimicry), reflects the unusual circumstances surrounding this murder case. In astrology, Mercury represents communication, and here, we see the parrot repeating the victim’s final words. The aspect between Mars and Uranus reinforces the theme of unpredictable outcomes during this period.

If you examine the chart, you'll notice Jupiter in Virgo, directly related to legal matters, with its dispositor Mercury positioned at 29 degrees Gemini. Mercury, the symbol of parrots and communication, is in Gemini, representing speech and mimicry. The parallel aspect between Mercury and the Sun (representing the prosecutor) shows how this unique case involving the parrot was evaluated. The trine between Jupiter and Pluto, which governs criminal matters, further illustrates how this bizarre case unfolded under Mars's stationary influence.

Unusual Events During Mars Stationary-Direct Periods

One example is from May 20, 2014, when a truck carrying 20 million bees overturned on a U.S. highway during Mars’s stationary period, releasing the bees into the environment. This accident is a classic Mars symbol: unexpected, chaotic, and related to animals (CBS Philly, NBC10.com).

Another example is from May 2014 when a seemingly stillborn elephant calf was miraculously born alive at a zoo in Australia. Veterinarians believed the calf had died in the womb, but it was delivered healthy during Mars’s stationary period, surprising the entire team (Taronga Zoo).

Mars’s stationary periods often coincide with sudden or unusual events that seem to defy expectations. These examples illustrate how Mars influences accidents, unpredictable situations, and even moments of new life emerging after apparent stillness.

Conclusion

This article provides a detailed exploration of how Mars’s retrograde and stationary periods influence global events and personal experiences. Whether looking at strikes, accidents, or bizarre legal cases, Mars’s symbolism is clear in each instance. Understanding these patterns allows us to navigate Mars’s energy more effectively in our own lives.

I hope that this deep dive into Mars retrograde and stationary events has given you a clearer understanding of how this powerful planet works in both astrology and real life.

Blessings to all,

Kenan Yasin BÖLÜKBAŞI

#deneyselastrolog#deneyselastroloji

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