For an astrologer, social media is a powerful tool.   On any given day you can open up your internet browser and scan for empirical information about any active planetary alignment.   For example, this past week Mars went retrograde in the sign of Virgo, and my co-host of Keep It Magic – Jacki Smith – posted this on her Facebook page:

“WARNING!!!! If you are feeling crabby, confrontational and ready to punch the next person you see right in the throat then you are experiencing the Mars Retrograde that started 2 days ago. Sometimes just knowing that there is an astrological influence helps me to release myself from it.”

Of course, Jacki’s Facebook post caused an avalanche of comments which led me to think about the planet Mars and how we incorporate the “God of War” into our lives and into our businesses.

In astrology, Mars is the action planet.  He goes out into the world and gets what we want and he serves the Sun in our horoscope.  This works for business in the same way – the location of Mars in your business horoscope is how your business goes out and becomes accomplished in order to fulfill the needs of the Sun.

I am convinced that within the planetary pantheon, Mars is the planet we are comfortable with the least.  We know that life can sometimes be frustrating (Saturn), is often unfair (Chiron), can change quickly in surprising ways (Uranus), filled with idealization and delusions (Neptune), and at times we must let go of circumstances that are no longer working for our own better good (Pluto).  However, the aggressive; competitive; self-serving world of Mars is viewed as politically incorrect, and in certain settings (often spiritual) anathema.  We then wonder why depression and obesity (both represent repressed and somatized Martial problems) are at staggering levels in Western culture. 

In many ways, the planet in Mars in exile and unfortunately he only comes out of the basement when he seethes enough and bursts out of his confinement to take over our lives.  We see this daily in the latest drama eruption(s) from our social circles, and then are shocked that people have the audacity to act in such an abhorrent manner.   In many ways technology, social networking, and globalization have gone the way of religion and submerged the value and importance of the individual to a nonexistent level.  As a collective we have bought into the belief that to be angry (Mars), to be self-assertive (Mars), and to have personal desires (Mars) is wrong and we should be ashamed of having such inclinations. 
The only acceptable form of martial energy is our ability to refuse things, which is far from potent and hardly changes the world around us.

This month we are granted an enormous opportunity to get in touch with Mars.   As mentioned earlier, Mars is the henchman for the Sun.   He describes our ability to know what we want, and do what is necessary to get it.  He gives us the ability to express our individuality and define our own goals and values in a way that honors our true inner being.   

Mars gives us the same opportunity in business, and allows us to create powerful changes in our lives that can bring us the achievement and success that we desire.   Mars is the planet of potency, and self-respect often comes from our achievements and ability to proceed forward despite the obstacles we encounter.  Often, our first step is creating a new relationship with the god of war, and put away our fears of stepping on someone’s toes or upsetting others. 

Four Ways to Work with Mars:

Go After What You Want: Since we all have Mars in our personal horoscopes (and every planet also exists in our business horoscope), on some level we all are seeking out our personal destinies.  In some cases, we have silenced our personal destiny in order to accommodate or appease others.  Often, we are afraid that if we go after what we truly want we will be viewed as selfish or self-focused.  However, we all need something to aspire to and something to achieve, otherwise life becomes bland and boring and we begin to suffer from the darker sides of a repressed or castrated Mars who tends to manifest through illness and pathologies when he is ignored.  Take some time to get in touch with your personal desires and your business ambitions – and then take the steps to go out and get them.  

Develop Goals:  Many people do not think of Mars as a discipline planet, but he truly is.   He is the exalted ruler of the sign of Capricorn, and in order to mobilize on the battle field one must have a plan.  We can use the energy of Mars to take a good look at what we truly want in our business.  Do we want to expand our markets?   Do we want to create new products?  Do we want to have more of a marketing presence?  Mars is the planet of action, yet in order to act sometimes we have to have a noble goal to fight for.

Don’t Be Afraid of Competition:  Every business has competition on one level or another.  In many ways, we are afraid of people usurping our market share.  This can be a debilitating and paralyzing experience – however it need not be.   Mars is a natural competitive planet and he likes to win.  Our ability to rise up above our competitors and achieve success is an affirmation of our personal and individuals efforts. 

Of late, I have noticed a wellspring of blog posts that discuss the issue of competition, which has become synonymous in many circles with the word copying.  This creates deep fears and often passive aggressive behaviors towards competition.   Those that are trapped in their fear of competition do so because they are often afraid of losing or terrified of the envy that being successful might cause them.  However, just passively allowing others to take over our business and our market share makes us feel frustrated, angry and envious ourselves.

Use competition as a powerful tool to up your personal game.   Be several steps ahead of your competition, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Anger IS a Catalyst for Great Change:  At some point in recent history, someone made the decision that “anger” is bad and it picked up steam in the collective and created docile people afraid of any feeling that might not be politically correct.  However, in many ways, anger is powerful state of self-value.  In fact, anger is often an indicator that something is not going right in our lives and gives us the ability to seek inward and discover what is not working properly.  Anger can initiate positive shifts that you need to change your life.

In ancient Rome, Mars was a beloved god.  He reflects the human fighting spirit; our ability to overcome difficulties and troubles and achieve what our inner soul truly desires.  Isn’t it time you join fight club?

See You All Next Month!

Storm Cestavani

Read more: http://www.keepitmagic.com/index.php/en/media/articles/astrology/63-cosmic-forcast/218-the-planet-mars-and-the-transformative-power-of-fight-club.html