Why Taking Note of Your Mars Retrograde Lessons Is Important This Week

The week ahead comes in hot with Venus in Leo, making a harmonious angle to Mars in Aries, which invites a connection to our heart. At the same time, though, Mars in retrograde squares Saturn, which requires be able to tap into conscientiousness and purpose. Those simultaneous experiences will inform the week, and paying attention to your Mars retrograde lessons is key.

To handle these events in stride, first think back to July 25th, when Mars entered his retrograde shadow. What story was beginning to emerge? What choices did you make and situations did you encounter that are a part of the storyline emerging now? Retrogrades ask us to re-do, revise, and re-envision. Mars’s retrograde brings us on an internal journey to find where our passion has been hijacked, repressed, denied, or ignored. It asks us to recover our energy. With Mars squaring Saturn now, the focus is on our “work”—not just our professional work, but our soul work, too.

So if you feel tired and fatigued, know that your soul work is to rest. Pushing through and blowing past your body’s warning signals won’t help. Mars is retrograde, the seasons have shifted, and your body needs sleep. Rest is soul-work, remember that!

Mars’s retrograde brings us on an internal journey to find where our passion has been hijacked, repressed, denied, or ignored. The focus now is on our “work”—not just our professional work, but our soul work, too.

Since the full moon on Thursday, October 1, is in Aries and ruled by Mars, the week ahead will animate the heart of Mars retrograde lessons. So, pay keen attention.

This full moon is both locomotive and disruptive: Venus’s trine to Mars and the south node in Sagittarius may feel romantic and passionate but also exhausting. At the same time, Mars’s square to Pluto and Saturn might feel frustrating, sort of like having one foot on the gas and the other on the breaks. The sun also forms an inconjunct to Uranus, indicating that we need to eliminate something we didn’t expect.

On Friday, Venus leaves Leo for Virgo, where it will remain until October 27. Venus in Virgo brings the priestess archetype into full force. To that point, it’s essential to remember the power of prayer, ritual, meditation, and connection with the divine. Until Venus leaves Virgo, keep your eyes on the details and work with our experience of our indwelling divinity.

On Sunday, October 4, Pluto awakens from his retrograde journey, which he has been on since April 25. He stations direct at 22 degrees of Capricorn in a square to Mars. So, understanding your Mars retrograde lessons earlier in the week ensures that by the time we get to Sunday you’ll be a bit ahead of the game. That’s because knowing the central theme of this Mars retrograde journey will help you better manage the upcoming Pluto-Mars square as Pluto stations direct.

This isn’t a week to cut corners, deny responsibilities, blame, or escape. Instead, the time ahead calls us into honesty and attention to our goals with commitment and integrity. But it does ask us to rest, sleep, and be certain to nurture ourselves with ample down time.

And speaking of retrograde shadows, Mercury is now in his and goes retrograde on October 13. Between now and then, continue to pay keen attention to the themes emerging. Mars will be retrograde for Mercury’s entire retrograde journey, making it a particularly important one.

You’ll be receiving lots of messages this week—intuitive messages as well as direct signs from people in your life about what needs to shift, change, and adjust. Pay close attention to what comes through, especially the messages from your body.

Jennifer Racioppi is the creator of Lunar Logic—a philosophy that integrates the deep wisdom of both science and spirituality, and blends her expertise in astrology, positive psychology, and women’s health—which she uses to coach high-achieving female entrepreneurs to reach their next level of success. Pre-order her book, Cosmic Health (January 2021), here.