Waters of March

If you're starting to see red, just calm down. And welcome to March. Named after Mars (Greek: Ares), the God of War.

According to Astrologycom :

"In general, Mars, the god of warriors, rules physical energy and efforts. His placement in your chart expresses the strength and direction of the physical force that drives your ego, your will to achieve. Mars fires your emotions and energizes your passions, but also powers your mental endeavours and communicative skills.

Mars describes male relationships and associations, risk-taking inclinations, and the physical challenges you are likely to encounter. Well-placed, Mars endows powerful energy and an indomitable will to succeed, but when poorly placed can mean accidents, injuries, fits of anger, rage, warfare or other forms of violence, according to the inclinations of the sign and house concerned.

Mars retrograde gives rise to irrational action; introspection; depression and self-assessment; sexual issues and relationship conflicts. Major rethinks and reorientation of current projects are also often required."

Ah, the retrograde. This site says that from December 20, 2009 through March 10, 2010, the planet Mars will be in retrograde motion:

"When Mars is retrograde, it depletes the vitality so that it is never a time to initiate. Whoever initiates loses— a new project, a great love, an argument, a lawsuit, or an international war. With a new project, it will fizzle out and never really go anywhere. With a hot romance, it too fizzles and it rarely gets to the altar. With an argument, the hostility will come back to haunt you later. In legal matters, stoke your opponent into initiating the lawsuit first. It will be etched in granite that they will lose. In an international war, whoever fires first will automatically lose or ultimately withdraw. Matters commenced while Mars is retrograde will be frustrated and plagued with disruptions until they finally fizzle out. At this time, people become irritated when activities do not run smoothly. The anger may disrupt indirectly and inappropriately – like getting a traffic ticket when you feel annoyed with your job."

Infinitynow  has a refreshingly direct take on what happens when Mars is in retrograde:

Mars is all about action. It’s the male libido, the life force, energy. Mars rules the motor nerves, ladder and adrenal glands, the head and face, red blood corpuscles. 

Mars is the energy that helps you go for it, win that race, it’s all out there, extraverted, aggressive, competitive, anger, war like, defensive. 

Every 2 years Mars decide he needs an R & R period, and he goes retrograde...So what happens when Mars goes Retrograde?   

Mars Retrograde makes a perfect compliment as the Martial energy is held back, instead of impulsively jumping into the fray, we weigh out our options in a more clarified well thought out way. Its more Taoist Art of War, never wasting any energy, conserving, balancing, harmonizing. Instead of haste making waste, pausing makes growth. 

Loss of recent gains, or rehashing of plans will happen during the retro mars phase...Your energy will be lower. You will be entertaining thought so why bother to try so hard? Questioning what that EGO thing is that drives you so hard, and for what?    

Everything will slow down, its as if the world will be feeling a large Intermission on the collective world stage of Life, and all the actors and actresses are sitting in their dressing rooms, rethinking their roles, their whys, with the ability to question and detach from the play itself and see it for what it is. 

Mars Retro gives you time, a very precious commodity. Slow down and breathe, appreciate the now, no need to go faster.  Complete old projects. Enjoy the now. The wheels of progress grind to a slow halt. Life becomes simpler, less rushed, simpler. Leo types may be grump and out of their element trying to stir up the old drama games, but not many takers."

And, as Lynn Koiner echoes:

"...using passive-aggressive techniques, manipulation, arbitration or subtle power plays may be more appropriate at this time. 'If you are normally non-assertive, you have be forced to defend yourself. Whatever your tactics, you must give thought to what you are doing. If your tactics do not work or they are inappropriate to the situation, your anger will continue to build while Mars is retrograde. You can expect the anger to manifest full-blown by the time Mars turns direct. If you have seriously wronged or angered another with…acts of aggression, you can expect the backlash as Mars turns direct.' ”

Mars returns full-throttle after March 10, but won't be redlining until May 17th. The Fixed Signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Scorpio is likely to be particularly hard hit, Mars being the traditional planetary ruler of Scorpio.

Till then, though they may be deep, let the waters of March lie still.