Picture Cancer as a home full of food, comforts and hugs, a safe space that encourages emotional support and guidance. The Moon rules here like a loving mother over times of bright, abundant companionship and dark, peaceful rest just as she rules the night sky as both a Full and New Moon. Here in the place of Cardinal Water we find psychological leadership, intuitive initiative and fertile creation.

Now imagine that home with the mighty warrior, Mars, taking up residence. Will he defend the home against all attacks or will he pick a fight within the family? Will he hustle to remodel and improve the comforts offered bringing only temporary disruptions in service of better accommodations or will he initiate chaotic change with wild and abrupt abandon? With a knowledge of psychology will the warrior protect vulnerable emotional wounds or attack them?

Mars challenges everyone to answer those questions while the warrior planet resides in the nurturing sign of Cancer, usually for 40 some days at full speed. We’re heading for a quadruple dose of Mars in Cancer. Only the first month has the warrior planet at full speed before the upcoming Mars Retrograde slows things down. The second month finds the warrior planet sulking over delays. Instead of being done, Mars comes back for another long and slow 90 days at the beginning of 2025. The line between defending and defensive grows thinner the longer the warrior planet lingers in Cancer.

Mars spends most of September at full speed in Cancer followed by a frustrating October when he is forced to slow down before he moves out. The warrior planet slowly enters dramatic Leo in November leaving home in search of a bigger audience. Mars turns retrograde in December and retraces a slow path through Leo’s spotlight. Early on January 6th, the warrior planet’s heat returns to the home demanding we revisit those questions about past behaviors until late February when Mars turns direct. With frustrating slowness the warrior planet moves through the emotional mess in March picking up speed. By mid-April when he, once again, moves out in search of the spotlight in Leo the warrior still has 2 more weeks before he regains his full forward momentum.

Mars struggles in the sign of Cancer, yet those struggles can bring powerful results. People with Mars in Cancer, like Coretta Scott King whose home served as a center of activity for the Civil Rights Movement, often nurture world changing fights. Others, like Robin Williams, harness intense energy (Mars) into creative pursuits (Cancer.) During this Mars Rx in Cancer take inspiration from those who were born with this energy like Susan B. Anthony whose willingness to fight a long, slow battle eventually won women the right to vote and Dolly Parton whose creative energy shines through her enduring music as well as nurturing charitable causes.

Sept 4 ~ Mars enters Cancer
Oct 5 ~ Mars enters pre-shadow in Cancer
Nov 3 ~ Mars enters Leo
Dec 6 ~ Mars turns Retrograde in Leo
Jan 6 ~ Mars Rx returns to Cancer
Feb 23 ~ Mars turns Direct in Cancer
April 18 ~ Mars returns to Leo
May 2 ~ Mars leaves post-shadow in Leo
June 17 ~ Mars enters Virgo

This Mars Retrograde story will be continued with Mars in Leo. I’ll be teaching at GVST on this topic in November and you can register here. Or you can make an appointment on Zoom or in person to explore these transits with me personally.