Mars Leaves Cancer and Enters Leo
When the planet of passion meets the sign of passion, there is certainly a recipe for fireworks – not necessarily as pretty lights in the sky! In esoteric astrology, Mars rules the solar plexus centre, seat of the astral body.
The transit of the God of War through the previous emotionally sensitive sign of Cancer was challenging, in terms of stirring up very deep feelings; it is the place of Mars’ ‘fall’ – hence it can be characterised by angry frustration, intense moodiness, domestic disputes, devotion to loved ones etc. But also in the world in general, as Cancer is a sign of mass consciousness, for example feelings stirred up over a possible Western-led invasion of Syria.
Mars is a ‘non-sacred’ planet and therefore its transit in any sign highlights the unresolved dualities that we all harbour. In Leo, Mars tends to be forceful and aggressive, highly egotistical, competitive, energetic and creative; it gives leadership and confidence as well as strong sexual urges, jealousy, possessiveness, argumentativeness and a forceful, dominating lower ego. Mars in Leo can be the drama queen par excellence, riveted firmly at the centre of their little universe.
Many of these descriptions are indicative of Mars’ dominance of the solar plexus centre, the home of the ‘animal brain’ and kama-manas or ‘desire-mind’.
Indeed, emotional attachments to ways of thinking may become starkly revealed during this time. Hence, for those cultivating awareness and consciousness in their lives, beware the tendency to fall in thrall of the beast of personality during this Mars in Leo transit (until Oct 15).
Whether that is getting steamed up in traffic or on the supermarket queue, the key is vigilance and the cultivation of the Aquarian polarity, where lies a sense of greater needs beyond the little self. The tendency for a me-first, ‘I have entitlement’ attitude is marked with Mars in Leo.
The evolutionary journey demands that we shift from polarisation in the lower centres, to functioning in the higher centres; from the blinded personality to the illumined soul; individual soul purpose working and functioning through an integrated personality.
Mars creates an acute awareness of what is unresolved within the three-fold personality, particularly in the biggest battleground for most, the astral body. Mars transiting through Leo offers an opportunity because the transfer of energy involves the solar plexus (Mars) to the heart (Leo). From fear to love, conditionality to unconditionality, self-centredness to selflessness, Leo to Aquarius.
The point of least resistance for most of humanity however, is to stay in the solar plexus because that is the status quo, it is known, it is the home of the concrete mind, impatience and reactivity and personal selfishness, not the clarity of higher thought or the patience of a loving heart. A good visualisation to employ during this period (that can be done anywhere), is to see the angst and conflict in the solar plexus rising up to meet the purifying fires within the heart’s chalice. Resist the temptation to immediately react or force situations and defend the little ego; give pause for reflective thought and use the devotional forces of warrior Mars on behalf of the Higher Self.
