The Revolution Is Here
Power-Packed Transformative Mars Retrograde in Leo/Cancer
Image: Original photo - Oja copyright ~
The revolution has been building for a long time. Now it’s in gear and ready to shock us all, hopefully into action. The revolution is all around us – it’s in what we eat, what we consume mentally, emotionally, physically, technologically and spiritually. We’ve all contributed to the revolution, and we’re all responsible for the collective soup we’ve created. Transformation is upon us. The thing is, revolutions can be extreme. In the process of intense desire for change, inevitably things break. Sure, we want change, but we also want to keep the structures that are integral and valuable for our safety, security and overall wellbeing.
As I complete this article, we’ve experienced two of the three Mars/Pluto oppositions and the impact has been indelible. The first opposition happened on 11/3/24 when days later, we the people elected the first convicted felon to lead our country and become President of the United States (again). The second Mars/Pluto opposition happened on 1/3/25 and we are in the throes of apocalyptic fires in California, the scope of which has never transpired previously. The third and final Mars/Pluto opposition takes place on 4/26/25. We’ll have to wait and see what that brings. We can be sure it will be impactful.
These three oppositions are part of the overall Mars Retrograde in Leo/Cancer and the revolution of ideas and ideologies and challenges to our democracy as we know it. This cycle is important for Trump as he was born with Mars at 29 Leo, and he has three planets in Cancer. Essentially, he is in the midst of a complex Mars return cycle (happens to everyone every 2 years – an energy renewal, a kind of rebirth, reset. Each cycle is different.) Trump is already chafing at the bit, to initiate his policies, many of which will not sit well with the general public.
Mars turns retrograde in motion every 2 years and 2 months approximately. Of course, each cycle is unique, occurring in a different sign, different mathematical degree and communicating with the other planets in a different way.
Our current Mars retrograde is a hybrid, meaning it spans two signs. Although it began at 6 Leo (on 12/6/24), it spends most of its retrograde time retracing (going back over) degrees in Cancer. Leo is ruled by the Sun and Cancer by the Moon. We might say the energies of assertiveness, leadership, boldness/courage and the energies of nourishing, caring and protecting family and community are seeking common ground, at best. This is the ideal we strive for. Life is not always ideal and this retrograde represents struggle. Struggles for power or empowerment. How far to push one’s agenda before there is pushback or a response from the people, the public. What will be accepted and what will be rejected? The pendulum swings and there are times when we must learn the hard way. We don’t always know what we’ve got until we lose it – paraphrased, but you know what I mean.
This Mars retrograde is a foreshadowing of Pluto/Aquarius moving toward the degree, 6 Aquarius, important because both will conjunct the Nodal Axis of the USA birthchart, 6 Leo/Aquarius. Although not a planet, the Nodes pertain to what one strives to achieve, the soul or destiny factor. They work together and trade energies. The North Node pointing to where one’s forward focus is meant to be in combination with what one knows or has learned about the past, the South Node position. With Leo as the North Node, our goal is to express love, heart, brilliance, individual expression and creativity and we come from invention, future vision, revolution and various breakdowns/breakthroughs at the South Node Aquarius. The Nodes oscillate back and forth, and we experience revolution and breakdowns in order to find our center, our heart our freedom to live life on our own terms, once again.
The Mars Retrograde Station conjoined the USA North Node exactly! Pluto will reach the same point in February 2027. Mars returns to 6 degrees Leo, the point at which it turned Retrograde (12/6/24) between 5/1-5/25. This is surely a time to be watchful. Initiatives that were promoted or pushed around the Retrograde Station will reach some sort of conclusion, culmination or high point of expression then.
Our current time period is indicative of a crisis and resonates with the years of the 1780’s in American history when Pluto was last in the early degrees of Aquarius. Mars, as always, leads the way with bold action or provocation. We’ll want to pay close attention to the actions taken during this Mars Retrograde cycle because they will be reinforced or challenged as Pluto moves ever closer to the same degree and conjuncts the USA North Node in House 8. This can also indicate a financial crisis, huge expenditures, taxes, other uses/abuses of resources in many categories.
An excerpt from Digital history: “Historians characterized the 1780’s as the ‘critical period’ in American history when the new nation suffered economic, political, foreign policy problems that threatened its independence.” “This was also a time when the young nation nearly went bankrupt due to the debt incurred over the course of the Revolutionary war.” Our nation’s debt skyrocketed during the first Trump presidency mostly from tax breaks granted to the very wealthy. It was reduced during the Biden presidency. We’ll see what happens with spending and other activities during the second Trump Presidency.
Although we are only examining the position of Pluto during that past time in the history of the country, we can gain insight for current times. Pluto is the collective transformative force that sweeps through society and culture, created by collective needs, desires and pressures inherent in society and culture. Life will speed up with Pluto in an air sign, the wild wind of a Uranian/Saturnian ruled sign, Aquarius, and the battle of ideas and ideologies will reach a high pitch.
Getting back to the current cycle of Mars Retrograde in Leo/Cancer. The technical portion of the retrograde cycle spans 12/6/24 – 2/23/25. This is the time band that could be the most frustrating wherein we feel that what we want to pursue is being somehow thwarted or delayed. Mars, when direct in motion, stays in a sign for 6 weeks. Due to our current retrograde we experience Mars in Cancer or Leo for over 9 months.
The stats: Mars entered Cancer on 9/4/24. It entered Leo on 11/3/24. It turned retrograde on 12/6/24 in Leo. It re-entered Cancer on 1/6/25. Mars turns Station Direct @ 17 Cancer on 2/23/25. It re-enters Leo on 4/17/25. It reaches 6 Leo, degree of its Retrograde on 5/1/25. It leaves Leo for Virgo on 6/17/25. At that point we are fully relieved of the Mars Leo/Cancer cycle.
I’m describing the potential mundane effects of the Mars Leo/Cancer Retrograde cycle and for the US, however, we will each feel this cycle personally, depending on the contact it makes to our birth charts. Individually, we have enormous opportunity for great personal transformation and creative advancement. I’m sure many of us are feeling it. I’ll publish another article later discussing the chart of Mars Retrograde and we’re sure to gain further insight into this powerful cycle.
Dorothy Oja is a professional astrologer with over 4 decades of experience. She offers individual & couples consultations and children’s charts. Specialties: Elections for surgery/key life events and Davison Relationship work. DOja07@gmail.com
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