We are in the shadow period of an upcoming Mars retrograde, so it’s time to talk about coping strategies and remediation.
First off, let’s talk about what a retrograde is. Retrogrades are periods when a planet appears to move backwards in the sky. They don’t actually move backwards, of course, but appear to do so based on the position of the planet relative to our position here on Earth.
Retrogrades are broken down into a few different parts:
Retrograde station
- When a planet “stations” retrograde, that’s the moment when the planet comes to a standstill and appears to be stationary – this is where the term “station” comes from.
Retrograde period
- This is the period where the planet appears to be moving backwards through the sky.
Direct station
- This is the end of the retrograde period, where the planet again comes to a standstill and hangs motionless in the sky before slowly beginning to move forward again.
Shadow periods
- These are the periods before and after a retrograde cycle where the planet is moving through the degrees of the zodiac that it passes through during its upcoming/previous retrograde.
- The shadow period before a retrograde cycle begins when the planet reaches the degree of the upcoming direct station and ends when it stations retrograde.
- The shadow period after a retrograde cycle begins when it stations direct and ends when it reaches the degree where it stationed retrograde.
Here’s an example of the different parts of the retrograde cycle, for the upcoming Mars retrograde in Cancer & Leo:
Shadow period begins – October 14, 2024
- Mars at 17 Cancer
Retrograde station – December 6, 2024
- Mars at 6 Leo
Retrograde period – December 6, 2024 to February 23, 2025
- Mars moves backwards from 6 Leo to 17 Cancer
Direct station – February 23, 2025
- Mars at 17 Cancer
Shadow period ends – May 1, 2025
- Mars at 6 Leo
You’re probably most familiar with Mercury retrogrades, as these have become the most well-known type of retrograde in pop culture, even for non-astrology folks. But all the planets (except the Moon and Sun) go retrograde, so it’s something we all experience many times over, in various forms.
Mercury and Venus have very regular retrograde cycles. Mercury stations retrograde about three times a year. Venus stations retrograde every 18 months in a very regular pattern.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto station retrograde every year. They spend a lot more time retrograde than the inner planets.
Mars stations retrograde every 26 months. This makes it the rarest retrograde, and contributes to the sense of disruption that tends to occur during Mars retrogrades.
Mars’ retrograde period lasts for two to three months. Mars takes a long time to decelerate when approaching a retrograde and accelerate when coming out of one. When you factor in these lengthy shadow periods, Mars spends an extended time – six or seven months – in only one or two signs.
Mars has an irregular, asymmetrical pattern of which signs it stations retrograde in, unlike Venus which has a very regular pattern. Mars stations retrograde in certain signs more often than others. Mars stations retrograde in Cancer, Leo and Virgo the most frequently, every 15 to 17 years each. But it only stations retrograde in Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces every 32 to 47 years each.
In astrology, retrogrades are periods where forward momentum becomes more difficult, or even impossible, and you end up spending time doing “re” activities: revising, revisiting, reviewing, rearranging, etc. The particular flavour of these activities will depend on which planet is retrograde.
For Mars, that means things associated with Mars topics, activities and people, such as: anger, conflict, war, violence, bloodshed, action, courage, soldiers, police officers, cooks, firemen. At its most basic, Mars is an energy that divides and separates.
The retrograde period will also be related to the house(s) and sign(s) that Mars passes through during the retrograde period. Even if you have a fairly uncomplicated Mars in your natal chart, these retrograde periods usually cause some kind of tension or strife related to those house topics.
But they can also be periods where you get “fired up” about those topics, so the trick is to try to find a more productive way for those Mars energies to land.
The sign(s) of the Mars retrograde also influences how it will feel and what will happen. The topics and energies associated with that sign may come into focus in a bigger way. Also, Mars’ dignity in that sign will matter. For the upcoming Mars retrograde period, Mars has no essential dignity in Leo and is debilitated in Cancer (except for some dignity by triplicity). So, that’s likely to make this retrograde period more challenging.
The first step in remediating Mars retrograde is looking at the sign(s) it occurs in and then comparing that to you own chart. What house(s) is that for you and do you have any natal planets there? Then, look at your own natal Mars and how it interacts with the rest of your chart, how you tend to experience and express your Mars side. If Mars is your profected ruler during the retrograde period, that will make it more impactful.
If you’re not familiar enough with astrology to sort this out for yourself, you can book a reading with me.
It’s always great to do some remediation activities that are specific to your own chart. For example, if a Mars retrograde will be in your first house, cut your hair. Mars rules sharp things, steel, and the act of cutting, so that’s a really simple and literal way to channel Mars energy.
There are also some general things you can do during a Mars retrograde to try to give Mars a more productive way to express himself and hopefully minimize his more negative traits:
Exercise (gently)
I’m a sedentary person by nature, so I have to make extra effort to get off my ass at the best of times. But it really helps. Really.
However, don’t push yourself too hard during these times. You may feel bursts of manic energy and exercising is a great way to get that out, but these are also times where it can be easier to accidentally hurt yourself – especially if the Mars retrograde is in your first house, passes over your Moon, or hits another sensitive part of your chart. Hold off on increasing the weight of your deadlifts until after the retrograde is over.
Don’t get into fights
Easier said than done, right? When Mars is retrograde it’s easier to get into arguments and other conflicts, so try to avoid activities that tend to result in unnecessary debates, disagreements or outright fights.
This might mean cutting back on social media/engaging in online flame wars, not bringing up certain topics with family/friends, or finding ways to defuse/de-escalate situations where tempers flare.
Have sex
We often think of Venus as the planet of love and sexy times, but Mars likes to get in on the action too. Having a good romp with a willing partner (or yourself) can be a good way to get the Mars juices flowing (literally) and give the warrior planet a place to burn some energy/relieve tension.
Don’t throw knives or spin fire
Mars cuts and Mars burns, and when Mars is retrograde there’s a heightened chance that you accidentally wound yourself when dealing with Mars things.
Cooking is probably the most common Martial activity that the average 21st-century person does, so be extra careful when you’re in the kitchen. If you work in a Mars-type of occupation and/or you work with sharp or hot things regularly, be extra cautious.
Conserve energy
Energy levels tend to fluctuate wildly during Mars retrogrades. Overall, it’s common to feel more sluggish. Mars wants to move forward fast, so when he’s moving backwards, he gets surly and sullen.
The risk of burn out also gets much higher during Mars retrograde, where everything seems like it takes more effort. Try to give yourself space – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually – and not push yourself too hard.
Do planetary charity
Read this article for a primer on how you can use planetary charity to remediate Mars. Some specific examples could include donating to organizations that support veterans or victims of domestic violence (the latter is especially pertinent for this particular upcoming retrograde through Cancer). You could also donate cooking utensils, men’s clothing/toiletries or first aid supplies.