Artist: Jessica Foster
May 12 – June 27, 2020
Mars is a primordial, life-giving force: fiery warrior of the stars, ruler of the body and all its carnal urges. With Mars in Aquarius for the last month, it has certainly been difficult to concentrate. Mars and Saturn flew into Aquarius at lightspeed and upended our entire society. Any semblance of a normal rhythm or routine is now long gone. I know we are all so ready to GET OUT and see our loved ones again.
Mars in Pisces is a new chapter, but it’s also the final chapter: sweet surrender before the rebirth. I’m not sure if it will be a relief or a burden considering our current situation. Mars governs Aries, the first constellation in the zodiac, so he feels a bit out of his element, to say the least, in water sign Pisces at the end of the zodiac. Usually Mars is an active, competitive agent. With Mars in Pisces, the pace of life slows and flows in ephemeral spirals leading to nowhere. Pisces has no direction. Sometimes it just feels like we are writhing in a long, strange dream. In this subconscious dreamland, Pisces asks us to confront our addictions, denials, and spiritual blocks.
I know we’ve been doing a lot of resting lately, but guess what? The cosmos say our bodies need more rest. This is the essence of Pisces: deep sleep, regeneration, and reawakening (when Mars enters Aries in late June). Paradoxically, insomnia will keep us up at night, wondering about the state of the galaxy. When we do sleep, we will have exceptionally vivid dreams. Pay close attention to these and keep a dream journal.
Mars in Pisces revitalizes our intuition and emotional/spiritual foundation. Progress during this cycle looks like softer, more sensitive interactions with the world. But be careful – Pisces lets all kinds of energies come in. Mars in Pisces will derail us with sudden mood swings, boredom, apathy, or fatigue. Everyone will experience higher emotional fluctuation at this time. The key is spending lots of time alone – this is especially important for natives with this position. Every level of the mind and body needs extra fortification. From Susan Sontag’s As Consciousness is Harnessed to Flesh: Journals and Notebooks, 1964-1980: “Regenerative experiences: Plunge into the sea. The sun. An old city. Silence.”
With Mars in Pisces, life feels vague and nebulous. Our efforts will be thwarted by self-delusion and other mysterious, subterranean forces. It is more difficult to separate imagination from reality at this time. The head is cloudy, inner voices muffled. Regressive, addictive behaviors may resurface, or we may act recklessly or impulsively as the spirit wrestles with mighty, incurable restlessness. You may have an explosive confrontation with someone that seems to come “out of nowhere.” Negative outcomes include settling for something we don’t actually want; internalizing strong feelings rather than voicing them; and incorrect assumptions based on emotions/beliefs rather than logic/observation.
It is always wise to avoid alcohol during Pisces transits. Remaining immobile will weaken us to vices and circular thought patterns, so get out for lots of walks and bike rides. Drink plenty of water, eat lightly, and prepare for changes in your sleep schedule.
On June 2, Mars squares Venus Retrograde. This signals major insomnia and emotional restlessness. A good day to lay low and avoid people – just like we’ve been doing!
On June 6, Mars squares the Gemini Sun. These Pisces-Gemini squares are here to unite our spiritual beliefs (Pisces) with our logical-intellectual-analytical brain (Gemini). The twins deliver precious cerebral insights as we travel through the murky waters of Pisces. When mutable constellations get together, the mind and spirit race through the clouds. Insomnia is common because these squares are so invigorating. The good news is that we’ll have so much energy that it honestly won’t matter if we don’t sleep much. Gemini is alert and discerning, emitting a scintillating, happy feeling which makes us want to laugh and smile and share with others.
On June 13, Mars will be conjunct Neptune at home in Pisces. This aspect is beautiful yet stressful in the sense that we are merging two very different energies here: Aries/martial fire with Pisces/Neptune water.
The next Mercury Retrograde begins June 17 – ugh. Summer Solstice + New Moon Solar Eclipse on June 20! Venus Retrograde finally ends on June 24, three days before Mars enters Aries and prepares for his own retrograde. This summer looks absolutely insane, but is this really surprising? My cat’s little fuzzy paw is on the trackpad of my laptop now, which makes it hard to write. I think it’s time to go and start studying for my school exams…love you guys.
Celebrate the first day of Mars in Pisces with restorative Pisces Yoga. If you were born with Mars in Pisces, this transit is your Mars return. To find your personal Mars sign, click here.
Affirmation: stillness is the move
Thank you for this! I love your writing style and the way you approach astrology. I also work in Montessori (I’m a teacher assistant), so just dropping by to say that finding a blog by someone who is into both Montessori and astrology inspires me. Have a nice day!
Hi Sorana, thanks for stopping by, and how wonderful that you teach Montessori too! Early childhood education is, in my opinion, the most important, impactful career on the planet, and Montessori is the best education we can possibly give our children. Take care and be well <3