Mars Retrograde 2020 — How to Cope

The 2020s seem to be about how to cope with uncertainty and upheaval. I definitely have had my fair share.

So, it took I don’t know how many weeks to come here and write this post that I wanted to write even before Mars retrograde started.

Mars went retrograde in Aries in three weeks ago, and I am just finding the energy and headspace to write about it, even though I have Mars retrograde natally (in Leo).

I made a joke about writing this post on Twitter here.

Mars Retrograde in Summer 2018

In astrology, the planet Mars, representing drive and energy, goes retrograde about every couple of years. In the summer of 2018, Mars went retrograde in Aquarius and its exalted sign of Capricorn. If you remember the summer of 2018, in the U.S. we had some protests about federal immigration policies.

And this makes sense Aquarius is concerned about the collective in a more egalitarian worldview and going against the status quo, a status quo that Capricorn typically likes to uphold.

If you want to know more about how Mars retrograde affects you personally, I have an astrological reading sale — $40! Go to my services page and follow the same instructions for the natal chart reading.

Mars Retrograde in 2020

It is unusual to have Mars be in a sign for this long as it transits. So one theme that may be coming up, especially during Libra season, is how much you’re giving and how much you’re receiving. Aries embodies that “I AM” energy (it’s the sign the Sun is exalted in).

When Mars is retrograde in Aries, then you can see martial themes come up, not just individually, but around literal armies, wars, and the police. The police in the U.S., and its bloody history of the extrajudicial murders of Black people, has been a focal point of protests since the murder of George Floyd on Memorial Day.

We’ve also seen some historic fires on the West Coast that looked like Earth had been transformed to the planet Mars.

How You May Be Feeling

With Mars battling three planets in Capricorn while also giving Mercury in Scorpio less oomph (Mars traditionally rules both Aries and Scorpio), you yourself may feel embattled and weary from the battle.

Or, you may find rage and anger bubbling up that you haven’t felt safe to express, especially if you’ve been socialized to not express your anger.  That may feel scary or wrong. Especially if you’re like me, Mars retrograde may feel enlivening, that you’re able to be in touch with your anger in ways that you’re normally unable to access.

You may also have found that this month, you’ve hit a wall with your energy and drive. That’s partially Mars, but it’s also partially that we’ve hit this six-month mark of physical distancing with the COVID pandemic.

It’s a wall that you can climb over.

Transits for 2020

And it’s the same for Mars retrograde. It is temporary, even though we have been dealing with the driving energy of Mars in Aries since June 27, 2020 and Mars will enter sleeping bull Taurus on January 6, 2021! So six months of this go go go vibe, and about a few weeks of it feeling stalled and frustrated.

On top of that Mars has to contend with some planets in Capricorn that can make it either more frustrated or volatile. Yesterday, Mars squared a newly direct Saturn in Capricorn. Did you feel like you were spinning your wheels yesterday?

Mars will square Pluto in Capricorn on October 9, 2020 and December 23, 2020, and then Jupiter on October 19, 2020. During those days you may find things get more explosive or expansive in ways that may not be all that productive.

How to Cope

Here are some tips on how to deal with this relentless energy drain and the possible flare-ups of anger that may arise for the next few weeks until Mars goes direct on November 13th.

The goal is to get this energy out of your body. Of course, please use common sense physical distancing with any of these techniques.

1. Journal. Get yourself a burn book and just write all the things that are pissing you off. Be unfiltered. And then tear up what you’ve written and flush it, or burn it.
2. Go to a rage room. Rage rooms, where you can just break shit up with bats, are becoming popular. It’s way better than beating someone else or yourself up! Take friends and family and go to town.
3. Exercise. Go for a walk or a run by yourself or with a loved one. Sex applies, too. Get a punching bag or dummy and pummel your way to salvation.
4. Scream. Into a pillow, into the ocean, into the woods. Let that primal rage out.
5. Listen to angry music. Rage Against the Machine became more popular during this spring for a reason. I highly recommend their music.
6. Create. We need art that speak to these times. Express your personal I AM energy into song, into writing, into knitting, into a sculpture.
7. Nap. After all this processing of your energy, you’ll need to rest. If you’re feeling tired, don’t fight the feeling. Go to sleepyti.me and see when you should wake up from your nap or sleep so you don’t become a zombie when you wake up.
8. Mobilize. A lot has been politically activated lately, and if you are pissed about how the world is, use this frustration to effect change. Find local orgs and mutual aid groups to start making a difference. Aries can be that champion and gladiator. Find your cause and fight.
9. Be patient, but not complacent. Along with Mercury retrograde coming along soon, on October 13th, things will get more confusing and sluggish. Wires will be crossed and it will be a lot easier to get angry and annoyed at others and yourself. Exercising grace and patience will go far. Use that Scorpio energy to dig deeper into issues that arise and when Mercury falls back into Libra, be diplomatic and fair. Where do you need to dig in your heels and where do you need to be more gracious and allowing? Give yourself time to discern the differences.
10. Be strategic. If your plans are starting to stall out, use this time to review where your energy should be going. Maybe it is a time to rest, or maybe it is time to focus on an outstanding issue. Or both! See yourself as a slingshot being pulled back. Where will you aim all this energy building up? When Mars goes direct, where do you see yourself in mid-November? Mercury retrograde can help you with reviewing the details, too.

There is a lot uncertain both here in the U.S. and everywhere else, and you may be feeling disempowered and helpless. So I’ll leave you with this song from Sia, “Courage to Change.”

From the YouTube video description:

“The only thing that remains constant is change.” Now more than ever we need to pull together to fight for humanity, social justice, equality & so much more. It’s time for real change.

Let Mars retrograde help you find the right fights to fight — for yourself and for the greater good.

If you want to know more about how Mars retrograde affects you personally, I have an astrological reading sale — $40! Go to my services page and follow the same instructions for the natal chart reading.