Mars leaves the Shadow
Mars now leaves the Retrograde Shadow – the span of the Zodiac where it was retrograde up until about 2 months ago. Mars goes through 3 phases in its retrograde cycle. The pre-retrograde phase is where Mars enters the Shadow – the area of the Zodiac where it will go retrograde – and lasts for 6-9 weeks. The retrograde phase is where Mars appears to go backwards in the sky (retrograde motion), which lasts for about 8-12 weeks. The post-retrograde phase is when Mars makes his final pass through the Shadow, again lasting about 6-9 weeks.
If you think back to these time periods, you may notice a pattern involving Mars-related areas of your life. This includes physical and mental energy, anger and assertiveness, conflict and challenge, aggression and hostility, courage and risk-taking, motivation and enthusiasm, ambition and obsession, disruptive change and putting things into action. You might have experienced either an increase or decrease in some of these areas over the last 6 months, especially during the retrograde period.
Now, Mars is leaving the post-retrograde Shadow phase, which finishes this long retrograde cycle. If Mars-related areas became stronger and more noticeable, or if they seemed to fade into the background or dropped in strength for a while, they are likely returning to their "normal" state (whatever that is for you). We will not see another Mars Retrograde Shadow again for another 1. 5 years.
Mars is a more straightforward, regular Mars now, instead of being Mars with an especially pointed axe to grind (over and over... ).
Mars makes the following aspects during this retrograde cycle (all dates in North American Eastern Time):
- Mars trine Saturn ~ Sep. 30, 2024, Feb. 9, 2025, April 4
- Mars trine Venus ~ Oct. 8, 2024, Jan. 25, 2025, April 6
- Mars square Chiron ~ Oct. 13, 2024, Feb. 3, 2025, March 26
- Mars sextile Uranus ~ Oct. 24, 2024, Jan. 23, 2025, April 4
- Mars trine Neptune ~ Oct. 28, 2024, Jan. 12, 2025, April 19
- Mars opposite Pluto ~ Nov. 3, 2024, Jan. 3, 2025, April 26
- Mars trine North Node ~ Nov. 23, 2024, Jan. 5, 2025, April 11
Here are the key dates of this Mars cycle (for North American Eastern Time):
- Mars enters the Shadow: Oct. 5, 2024 ~ 17:00 Cancer
- Mars stationary Retrograde: Dec. 6, 2024 ~ 06:10 Leo
- Mars Rx oppsite the Sun: March 22, 2025 ~ 02:39 Aries
- Mars stationary Direct: Feb 2, 2025 ~ 17:00 Cancer
- Mars leaves the Shadow: May 2, 2025 ~ 06:10 Leo