The planet Mars was named for the God of War. So it makes sense that astrologically, the red orb is thought to rule anger, action, egos, and desire. So the fact that it's about to go retrograde in Aries — after being direct for the past two and a half years — is worth paying attention to. The sign of the ram is this planet's "home"; as Mars tracks backward through determined and passionate Aries, we can expect plenty of drama and fiery chaos. Oh, and the red planet will stay retrograde for two whole months, from September 9 until November 13.
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"Hold onto your seats, this is going to be a wild ride!" says Mysticalcraft Arriana, a Keen.com advisor and tarot card reader. "Try to take the next few months with an open mind, as it will be intense during this time as Mars comes in and shakes up our lives — Mars style." She says that when the planet of action leaves its retrograde, we'll all be staring at a new beginning. Keep your eye trained on that prize to help you get through the next couple of months.
Because Mars is so close to the Earth, when it goes retrograde, every single sign of the zodiac feels its wrath, says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for SunSigns.com. "Low energy, lack of sex drive, simmering anger, and stifling passions are some of the classic themes during a Mars retrograde," she tells Refinery29. "It doesn’t sound fun — and it’s not!"
During this time, our ambitions may be sidetracked as we work to redefine our goals, according to astrologer Lisa Stardust. "It’s time to dig deep within and embrace what makes us happy, which may result in finding solace in unexpected endeavors," she says. "On the flip side, we all will have mini temper tantrums here and there, due to the fact that Mars is slowing down." Beware of how you treat others, and try to avoid judging yourself too harshly during this transit — it's a rough time for everyone.
Worth mentioning: Mars will be retrograde during the 2020 U.S. election. Stardust says that there will be a lot of protests due to a challenging square between Mercury, Mars, and the Capricorn planets during this time. Judging by the transit, Stardust even says that there could be a recount of the ballots — which makes sense, given President Trump's current War On The Post Office and infatuation with voter fraud.
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Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer at Keen.com, agrees that this will be an aggressive transit. "Unfortunately, we will see a great deal of aggression and anger in the world during this cycle, and especially the latter part of September into October as Mars will bring some major clashes," she tells Refinery29. "Politics will play a big role and we will see political scandals and those who behave badly."
Once Mars turns direct, though, we should be set for smooth sailing, according to Mysticalcraft Arriana. "When this all settles down, you will find yourself able to thrive. Much of the unrest will conclude, with our eyes opened by the many truths that have been shown," she tells Refinery29. "The need for peace will be felt strongly as this ends. We're all tired from so much pent up energy being let go!"
Hale agrees. "After November 13, things will begin to ease up and return to normal. This will be the time to implement all of the plans we have thought about and re-considered over the past several months," she says.
"The truth is that it will take tons of self-care and anger management to deal with the impulsivity and fire coming from this retrograde," Montúfar says. "It’s also helpful to know that when facing obstacles, the more we push, the harder things will become."
So there is a light at the end of this chaotic retrograde tunnel. Until then, anything you can do to prepare for the chaos will help: Keep your to-do list organized, meditate more often than usual (might I suggest an aura cleanse?), and focus on finding your balance. My personal mantra for Mars retrograde? If I can get through this, I'll be able to get through anything.