Working Through Mars in the Natal Chart

Mars is named after the Roman god of war. This planet is responsible for decisiveness, willpower, energy levels, and the body’s resilience. Without its power, it is impossible to achieve success in business or sports, confidently claim one’s right to happiness and financial well-being, or, even more so, to enjoy a harmonious intimate life in partnership. Mars is considered a malefic planet, but few realize that even a difficult Mars can be balanced and appeased through conscious compensatory actions in astrology.

A strong Mars also indicates healthy sexuality in both men and women, while a weak or afflicted Mars can give rise to criminal tendencies, awaken aggression and anger. If a person is constantly humiliated, offended, beaten, has problems with money or personal life, not to mention experiences of sexual violence or attacks, it means the red planet urgently needs working through and integration.

The Strength and Weakness of Mars in the Horoscope

Without Martian power, the uniqueness of the Sun and the secret desires of the Moon cannot be fulfilled. However, even an initially strong Mars position in the natal chart can quickly become a source of energetic imbalance in events if its influence is misused. In such cases, the native will still achieve their goals, even if by questionable means, and can easily avoid responsibility.

Signs of Mars free from past karmic burdens, endowing the native with confidence and courage:

• placement in the signs of Aries, Scorpio, or Capricorn;
• positive aspects with benefic planets.

The position of Mars reveals how the native expresses negative emotions, especially when the urge arises to destroy or obliterate, using the tools of the Houses where Mars is located.

An initially weak position of Mars:

• in the signs of Libra, Cancer, or Taurus;
• with challenging aspects to Saturn, Neptune, Pluto, the Moon, or Venus (all considered individually);
• close to the Sun, as this gives a strong imbalance in consciousness and leads to inadequate behavior and destructive egocentrism;
• retrograde motion—aggression and anger are directed inward, making it frightening to express feelings and open up to the world.

In other signs, the position of the red planet is neutral, and its activity is expressed more in creative pursuits, sports, love affairs, and practical actions—of course, as long as there are no tense aspects.

Mars in Intimate Relationships

In a woman’s horoscope, Mars symbolizes the desired type of life partner, while in a man’s chart, it reflects the level of sexual energy. If the planet is weak, it may indicate fear of men, avoidance of intimacy, and, with challenging aspects, perverse preferences, inability to express oneself, or problematic partners. The native may become vengeful and cunning precisely out of a sense of powerlessness. Even years later, they may take calculated revenge if abandoned or rejected.

If Mars is too strong and not realized in social life—career, sports, public recognition—then the excess anger spills over into tendencies for violence and dominance in sex, or even physical abuse of a partner. In an extreme state, such a person could kill in a fit of passion.

Signs of a Challenging Mars in Men and Women

A strong Mars does not guarantee the absence of problems. On the contrary, it is necessary to strictly maintain a balance of forces in order not to cross the line from active winner to aggressor and despot.

The main mistake of those with either a strong or weak Mars—the antipode of Venus—is inadequacy in a given social role. At work, the native may be a confident boss, but at home, a pushover; or, conversely, a woman who is compliant at the office with her superiors may vent her accumulated irritation on her children and husband.

Mars is a symbol of masculine energy. Its excess in women can lead to masculine features and behaviors, and, combined with Uranus aspects, may indicate non-traditional orientation. Such women often feel aversion toward family life, do not want to become mothers, focus only on career, and subconsciously compete with male colleagues. Women with an unintegrated strong Mars and a problematic Venus may even look masculine, have a lack of female hormones, suppressed libido, or, on the contrary, engage in casual sex.

A man with a strong Mars is a warrior-protector, athlete, decisive and goal-oriented businessman, but if the line is crossed, he becomes a despot with fists at the ready, an inveterate arguer, domestic tyrant, lover of crime, extreme sports, and violence.

Manifestations of a Challenging Mars in Life

Mars traditionally patronizes soldiers, cooks, athletes, and gardeners. It is strongly expressed in people who create something useful with their hands: woodcarvers, mechanics, plumbers. Without Mars’s influence, it is impossible even to do a simple repair, grow seedlings, and even a visit to the housing office becomes a nightmare.

Signs of a Challenging Planet:

• inappropriate outbursts of anger—tantrums, violence against others, or suppression of emotions;
• timidity, indecisiveness, tearfulness, phobias;
• inability to cook (for women), fear of weapons and the military (for men);
• resentment, envy, greed, and vindictiveness;
• skin redness, brittle nails, obesity, gallstones and liver stones, acne;
• sexual perversions or anorgasmia;
• addiction to meat, sausages, alcoholism, smoking;
• a desire to argue and devalue the opinions of others, use profanity, humiliate others, or suffer from such behavior in those around them;
• constant unpleasant encounters with men of Mars-type appearance—rough and brutish.

A weak Mars can also manifest as aggression, but it will do so covertly. A modest worker at the office may turn into an abuser at home—this is common with an afflicted Mars. A lack of male hormones, obesity, laziness, effeminacy also threaten the native, along with timidity, indecision, and an inability to assert oneself in any field.

On the physical level, this may result in injuries, cuts, burns, fights, and verbal altercations.

General Methods for Working Through Mars

It is very difficult to harmonize the fiery planet with simple actions, as it is easy to disrupt the energy balance. The simplest way is to follow Vedic recommendations:

• show respect to men, soldiers, husband, father;
• wear red on Tuesdays (or regularly, if Mars is not afflicted in the horoscope, like Roman legionaries and empresses), as well as metal jewelry with hematite, almandine, ruby, carnelian, or red coral;
• prepare delicious meals on Tuesdays—if, for example, a woman is career-focused and usually doesn’t cook, or for a man to take up cooking when his wife usually does it;
• work through sexual complexes with a psychologist and open up in relationships with a partner;
• do daily exercise, choose a favorite sport, and practice it regularly;
• occasionally give gifts to men simply from the heart, and actively communicate with them;
• take responsibility, solve problems as soon as they arise, and be the first to start difficult conversations;
• openly resolve conflicts with adversaries, and stop interacting with energy vampires and envious people who pretend to be friends;
• protect the weak and support children;
• maintain a daily routine and lead an active lifestyle.

Mars traditionally governs the blood and muscles. If there are problems in these areas, Martian energy simply has nowhere to come from. The most important method for mastery of Mars is sports. However, if the planet is severely afflicted, injuries are possible. In this case, choose lighter activities, avoid contact sports and overexertion in the gym. Even jogging in the morning and light exercise will gently harmonize Mars. For women, Slavic gymnastics, yoga, or Pilates are recommended. Swimming is also a good choice if Neptune is not afflicted.  ✓