Mars

Mars in Astrology: The Planet of Desire, Power, and Conflict

General Characteristics

Mars is a hot, dry, traditionally nocturnal planet. In astrology, it embodies activity, desire, aggression, willpower, struggle, and destruction. It's one of the two "malefic" planets (alongside Saturn), yet its influence isn't always negative. Mars provides the energy to act, the motivation to win, the ability to defend oneself, and the drive to achieve goals.

Mars is a driving force in a natal chart. It shows where and how you express energy, will, and combativeness. If Mars is strong, you're brave, decisive, and energetic. If it's weak or afflicted, problems with aggression, impulsiveness, and self-destruction may arise. Its influence is always felt intensely—Mars doesn't acknowledge shades of grey.

Astronomical Facts

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, reddish in color, earning it the moniker "The Red Planet." It hosts the Solar System's highest mountain, Olympus Mons, and largest canyon, Valles Marineris. In Roman mythology, Mars is the god of war, analogous to the Greek Ares.

Symbolism and Meaning in a Natal Chart

In a natal chart, Mars indicates how a person:

• Manifests their physical and sexual energy
• Reacts to threat or conflict
• Defends their boundaries
• Demonstrates initiative, courage, aggression
• Acts, fights, achieves, conquers

Mars' key word is "Desire."

• In signs: shows the style of action and methods of combat.
• In houses: points to the area of life where one shows the most activity.
• In aspects: reveals the quality of energy and interaction with other personality forces.

Positive and Negative Manifestations of Mars

Light:

• Courage, determination
• Initiative, entrepreneurial spirit
• Strength of spirit, endurance
• Protection, loyalty

Shadow:

• Aggression, anger, impulsiveness
• Explosiveness, egoism
• Violence, cruelty
• Destruction, outright hostility

Rulership and Placement

• Rulership signs: Aries and Scorpio
• Exaltation sign: Capricorn
• Detriment signs: Libra (exile), Taurus (fall)
• Orb: 8° before and after the aspect
• Firdaria: 7 years
• Cardinal direction: West
• Day of the week: Tuesday
• Night: Saturday
• Hours: first and eighth hours of the mentioned days
• Symbol: ♂ (glyph—a circle with an arrow, symbolizing weapon and action)

Mars in Appearance

Physical signs depending on its placement:

• Before the Sun: tall body, white skin with reddish tint, very hairy
• After the Sun: short stature, lean build, round face, light brown hair, small eyes
• General features: cat-like eyes, birthmarks, a pockmarked face, sometimes—a wild or crazy look

Human Qualities and Behavior

Mars symbolizes:

• Arguments, fights, destruction
• Lawsuits, accusations
• Military personnel, thieves, surgeons, butchers
• Those who break the law or act without conscience
• Haste, shamelessness, violence, promiscuity
• Humiliation, revelation of secrets, sieges, crimes

When Mars is the ruler of the horoscope and in a strong position, it bestows strength, resilience, and courage. In a weak or afflicted state, it exhibits all its destructive sides.

Correspondences in Nature

• Animals: dogs, leopards
• Birds: hawks
• Reptiles: basilisks, scorpions
• Plants: thorny bushes, pear, pepper, basil, mustard, radish, garlic, rue, leek, saffron, bindweed scammony
• Minerals: sulfur, copper, red stones, glass products, weapons
• Colors: red, purple
• Clothing: made of rabbit fur, purple colored

Anatomy and Physiology

In the human body, Mars governs:

• Veins
• Kidneys
• Genitals
• Blood heat, boils
• Fear of illness and fires

Mars also corresponds to youthful age.

Esoteric Correspondences

• Letters: Tsadi, Kaph, Yod
• Climatic zone: third (Cairo, Alexandria)
• Peoples: Magog, English, fire-worshippers
• Activities: those who work with animals, military personnel, those who "shed blood"

Mars Cycles

• Minor years: 15
• Medium: 40.5
• Major: 66
• Great cycle: 284

Mars in Transits

Mars transits activate the areas it touches:

• Can bring energy, power, drive
• Or—conflicts, ruptures, aggression
• Often associated with operations, surgery, injuries, anger, wars

Periods of its transit through personal points of the horoscope demand caution or decisive action.

Mars – feminine, hot and dry. This fiery, harmful and dangerous planet signifies destruction, famine, accidental fires, battles, lawsuits, disputes and departures. In general, all that is unfair and wrong, and even – fits of rage.

In astrology, Mars is the planet of outward activity and animal passion, including our sexual desire, aggression, and anger. Mars rules Aries and is exalted in Capricorn. This fiery planet is masculine in action, in contrast to the softer, more receptive, and romantic Venus. When strong in a chart, it can indicate a changeable nature, as well as great courage. Its placement indicates how your personality will manifest, and what activities will stimulate your physical energy or your anger. By house, Mars represents where you will assert yourself, and where you will act in the most positive sense.

Of the seven climatic zones, the third is subject to Mars: Cairo and Alexandria. It rules the peoples of the so-called Magog; the English; fire worshipers; military personnel, thieves; those who bleed others; and also those who deal with animals.

Of metals, copper and sulfur correspond to it; any glass products, any weapons, and also red stones.

Among animals, it rules dogs and leopards; among birds - hawks; among crawling creatures – especially those that cause harm – basilisks and scorpions.

Of plants and trees, thorny bushes, pear, pepper, basil, mustard, radish, leek, garlic, rue, the medicinal plant "convol-vulus scammonia" and saffron correspond to it.

As for clothing, Mars is associated with rabbit fur and any purple garments.

It governs surgery and operations, weapons, war, misfortunes, fires, wounds and cuts, burns, violence, instruments, iron, and steel.

In human manifestations, Mars signifies haste, force, battles, disputes, thefts, insults, destruction, humiliation, lies, accusations, debauchery, shamelessness, false oaths, and those people who adhere neither to rules nor laws; ruthless actions, tiresome journeys, dangers, suffering of the people, theft, captivity, siege of buildings, undermining for theft, breaking down doors, and revealing any secrets.

When Mars is the ruler of the native and not mixed with another planet, it transmits its positive qualities, but only if it is in a strong position. Otherwise, it bestows all the bad ones. If Mars is associated with other planets, the benevolent ones will add positive qualities, and the malevolent ones will add harm.

If Mars is situated before the Sun, the native will have an elongated body, be very hairy, and have white, slightly red skin. If Mars is situated after the Sun – the native will be short in stature, lean, light-haired and round-faced, with small eyes and straight, light-brown hair.

It governs your animal instincts, desire, and sexual energy. It indicates ambition, strength, power, constructiveness, work, aspirations, competitive spirit, and death.

From a person's age, it corresponds to that when a person is called a youth.

Mars rules the western part of the world. Of the days of the week, Tuesday belongs to it; of nights – Saturday, the first and eighth hours of these day and night, respectively.

In ancient times, Mars was considered feminine, as it is nocturnal, besides, it was believed that there were nocturnal and diurnal luminaries; nocturnal and diurnal fortune, two types of unfavorable influence, Mars and Saturn had to follow precisely in this order.

Its great cycle is 284, major – 66, medium – 40 and a half, and minor – 15.

Its firdaria lasts 7 years.

Its orb: 8 degrees before and 8 after.