How can we interpret Mars retrograde in earth signs? Earth signs symbolize the consolidation and materialization processes: in Taurus, the matter is collected, in Virgo, the matter is allocated to its proper place, and in Capricorn, the construction begins.
Mars Retrograde in Taurus:
With Mars in Taurus, the soul wants to take root in absolute presence, basking in the joy of the organic beauty of the natural world and the sensual gratification of touching, smelling, and tasting life as it blooms with each breath.
The soul here longs to consolidate the ephemeral experience: how can one freeze-frame a kiss? Is there a way to mold a sigh? Can a memory leave a footprint? Mars in the sign of Venus functions much like a legionnaire entertaining himself at the Moulin Rouge, still carrying a sword, but unbuttoning his uniform and lowering his guard. Is it possible that the soul just wants to be present and enjoy what is there? This is probably the case with this placement of Mars in the birth chart.
It is important to note that Mars in Taurus is still a mighty warrior, but what motivates this energy is not victory at all costs, but a consolidation of the power of the soul, represented by the placement of Pluto in the natal chart. The phasal relationship between Mars and Pluto, as well as the aspects involving these two planets or their dispositors, will shed light on the nature of Plutonic demands and the logistics involved in the Martian process of fulfilling those demands.
With Mars retrograde in Taurus, the agent of the soul was probably in a state of inertia in past life cycles, showing a reluctance to carry out the soul’s commands when quick action was required at any point. Alternatively, the soul might have been delayed on the evolutionary path due to the sluggishness of the will to act in the absence of security or material resources.
It is also possible that Mars was over-involved in sensory processes in the life of an ancestral figure: imagine a perfumist or sommelier who had to compete against all other professionals in the field, so she became obsessed (Scorpio as the polarity point) with refining her sense of smell or taste. This obsession could lead to an impediment to the fulfillment of the soul’s mission, as it would divert all the libidinal resources to the realm of the senses. An evolutionary necessity would thus arise for recalibration and redistribution of libidinal forces in the direction of consolidation and fulfillment of the soul’s agenda. Therefore, the soul is reborn under Mars retrograde, which indicates the need to re-engage in the process of distributing energetic resources and working through any remnants of sensory fixations or physical complexes.
Another possibility is a miserly attitude in previous life cycles or the ancestral lineage: the soul might have been too focused on securing the material conditions of life at the expense of sensual pleasures. In this case, reincarnation under a Mars retrograde symbolizes the necessity of revisiting the concept of “prosperity” and adjusting one’s material attitude in the direction of fulfilling the soul’s mission.
A gradual opening up and blossoming in the arms of the mother Earth, feeling fully provided for and prosperous for the mere fact of having a functional body and mind, air to breathe, and food to eat, flowers to smell, and fruits to taste, is the gentlest path of evolution for this retrograde energy in the natal chart.
Mars Retrograde in Virgo:
With Mars in Virgo, the soul has a primal tendency towards incremental action and acute observation. As such, the soul evaluates her own actions with a critical eye and yearns to correct and complete what has not been done correctly or completely.
As Mars in Virgo symbolizes an inevitable investment of energy in concrete minutiae, the soul may naturally dismiss abstract, holistic systems (such as philosophy or psychology), thus curtailing her own ability to effectually “use” connections and relations that already exist between different systems and frameworks. A tendency to understate one’s own kinship with the whole universe may exist in the soul, which can, in turn, hint at a degree of existential loneliness carried over from prior life cycles or ancestral lineage.
There may be a rather long list of requirements to be met before one initiates sexual contact: as the soul carries a constant need to observe and correct, sexual union may be burdened with an awareness of too many details better left unseen or unspoken. Concentrating on pleasure alone can become a Herculean task in this case, as one may be preoccupied with mentally checking off certain boxes of requirements that have or have not been met. The technical aspect of sex (such as sexual positions to maximize the pleasure, etc.) may become quite important with this placement, and one may show interest in being properly trained by a lover in order to know exactly how to satisfy him or her.
With Mars retrograde in Virgo, the soul may have already been focused on too many details in prior life cycles or through ancestral lineage, yet there may also exist an evolutionary necessity for the soul to re-evaluate her engagement with that which is usually left unnoticed or unappreciated. Through a quiet recognition of the importance of subtle forces, the soul can hone her observational skills in order to gain mastery over these forces and use them for the benefit of all.
Depending on other modifiers affecting retrograde Mars in the birth chart, libidinal urges may have been excessively analyzed or simply dismissed as “inferior.” Sex could have been regarded as a technical endeavor rather than spontaneous pleasure. Sexual contact may have been withheld because the beloved would not meet all the necessary standards or because of possible “defects” in him or her.
Alternatively, the soul may have chosen to reincarnate under this placement in order to practice paying attention to what is missing rather than what is present as a reaction to the absolute lack of discernment in prior life cycles. The soul may carry traces of misplaced forgiveness or an irrational expectation to be loved without making any progress. As such, the soul seeks to improve her functions through practicing discrimination, or by constantly evaluating her performance in order to be able to enhance it over time.
In some cases, retrograde Mars in Virgo may imply that the soul has perceived herself as “imperfect,” and thus in this lifetime one will be offered a chance to practice forgiveness towards oneself and others. The ultimate purpose of this evolutionary shift will be for the soul to fully embrace herself, “warts and all” by understanding that all her shortcomings have been correctly put in place as part of the evolutionary path that is meant to generate in her a dynamic desire to help herself and thus learn how to help others.
Mars Retrograde in Capricorn:
With Mars in Capricorn, the soul’s primary mode of action is control. As such, the soul tends to strategize the process of execution, rather than spontaneously follow an impulse to act.
Since Mars in Capricorn symbolizes a fundamentally pragmatic approach to the expenditure of energy, concrete reasons may be essential to initiate an action. On a higher level, this placement can also signal that the soul is more interested in the process rather than the conclusion; therefore, much of the available energy is invested in materializing ideas or assembling structures (i.e., formulas) to adequately define and systematically expand one’s experience of life.
By instinctively controlling one’s primal impulses, the soul can tread upon the unpredictable path of life with care and caution. Existence is perceived as a hierarchical structure, and the process of life is inscribed in the soul as a rational continuity rather than abrupt quantum leaps. The soul may carry an intrinsic knowledge of “karma,” which is naturally understood as the exponential accumulation of the consequences of one’s actions over time, and as such, the soul is reluctant to act too hastily in any direction.
With Mars retrograde in Capricorn, the soul has probably been in control of her own impulses in prior life cycles or through ancestral lineage, yet there may also exist an evolutionary necessity for the soul to re-gauge the intensity of her own impulses and thus adjust the amount of control necessary to exert upon such impulses. Through applying new standards, the soul may be able to increase her efficiency in utilizing new opportunities for action.
Depending on other modifiers affecting retrograde Mars in the birth chart, the libido may have been overly controlled to enable the individual to achieve concrete results in a particular area of activity. Sex may have been seen as an obligation rather than an option. Sexual contact may have been used as a means to higher ends (social or otherwise), or the sexual union may have been formed solely for the concrete purpose of procreation.
Alternatively, the soul may have chosen to reincarnate under this configuration in order to practice controlling her impulses as a reaction to the absolute lack of control in prior life cycles. The soul may carry traces of inappropriate spontaneity, an excessive use of the intuitive function, or extreme practice of unconditional love. As such, the soul seeks to improve her functions through exercising control and discipline, as well as structuring a solid foundation based on rational deliberation rather than emotive action.
In some cases, retrograde Mars in Capricorn may imply that the soul has been stuck in a strict pattern of utilitarian action or excessive control, and thus she will be offered the chance in this lifetime to practice non-utilitarian actions or to encounter unpredictable and irrational “truths” that would inevitably shatter the tight definitions and structures she is relying on. The ultimate purpose of this evolutionary trajectory will be for the soul to be elevated to a more “useful” plane of action, where the most efficient form of control is to let go of control and let God (or some other symbol of compassionate, irrational truth) take over. Laughter is the quickest route to evolution in this case:
As the multi-talented, passionate artist Frida Kahlo, who had this placement in her natal chart, aptly stated,
“Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is a strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light. Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing.”
- In the next article, I will address Mars retrograde in Air signs.
- For a thorough analysis of retrograde planets in your natal chart, you can consider booking a consultation session.
