Mars retrograde in Aries; Power and Powerlessness
On September 9th, late in the evening here in the UK, warrior planet Mars turns retrograde in his home sign of Aries. When Mars is direct in Aries, we are free to act, to move towards our goals simply by doing what we need to do, without any overthinking, drama or struggle. Mars in Aries takes the lead, the direct approach, the just get on with it and get it done approach. Mars energy is all about asserting ourselves, claiming our identity and externalising our ego's need to achieve something tangible in the world. Usually Mars in Aries is a great time to start new projects, to make decisions and act on them, to move forwards and reach for our goals.
But with Mars retrograde, it's not so simple. Our ability to act and to assert ourselves is compromised, slowed down, turned inwards. There may be tension as our energy is contained, unable to move freely or even at all. We may be more aware than usual of self imposed restrictions, repressed desires and this in itself can be useful, showing where we might be holding ourselves back or where we are afraid to express our fullest selves. Retrograde energy asks us to review, to re-consider, to take some time. We may be reining in our enthusiasm, reassessing our actions and our plans. So much this year has been about power, how we express our power, how we respond to the power of others, in some cases how we cling desperately to power to the extent of rendering others powerless. It may be that we have been rendered powerless, by circumstances around us or by our own inner conditioning. With Mars retrograde, past experiences around power and identity may re-surface, bringing an opportunity to change the pattern, to release the energy. This might mean confronting our hidden resentments or jealousy, especially early in October when Mars makes tense square aspects with both Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn. All of those power dynamics will be brought to the surface, our personal issues around power and authority as well as collective issues. We might find ourselves on the defensive, we might find those who hold the power on the defensive. Natural impulses which have been buried or thwarted come to the surface, demanding expression.
Ultimately, Mars retrograde in Aries is about taking back our personal power, our power to make changes even, or especially, where we feel powerless. We've seen plenty of power being taken back this year already and that's likely to continue, although the battle might be turned inwards for a while. We are asked to consider how and where we are suppressing our power and how we can express it more honestly? Our energy levels might be lower than usual or we might find ourselves channeling our energy in a different direction or focusing it in a different way. Later in October, Mars squares Jupiter, helping us to reflect and find meaning in our actions. 
We live in a world where Mars in Aries style power, extrovert and proactive, is seen as the "right" way to be, even the only valid way to be. Mars retrograde in Aries, along with everything else we are experiencing this year, might show up the limits of that power, reminding us that energy moves in cycles, spiralling in and out rather than carrying us endlessly forwards. Mars symbolises the will to live, the passion which drives us forward. The events of this year may have polarised that drive, shutting us down through fear and anxiety or driving us to create change and right the many wrongs which can no longer be ignored. Mars retrograde in Aries asks us to pull back from these extremes, to mine the unconscious for the primal power of Aries, re-discovering the power we have available as well as the passion to use it well. We may be re-considering what we are fighting for and why, using this retrograde phase to pull back from that which drains our power. Our inner flames are banked to embers, allowing us to re-fuel, ready to flare up again in mid-November when Mars turns direct again.