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This is the seventh article in this series, working with astrology to help others, to assist the Meta-helper who may not know astrology well to "see" things without an astrological chart, armed only with an Ephemeris and special deductions guidelines presented in these articles.
We've covered an enormous amount in seven months: how psychology's need theory drives us into development, father concerns and mother concerns en route, emotional dissatisfactions, even getting a "fix" on the Ascendant without using a computer -and all of these techniques and explanations are in the Archives of this website. One more layer of know-how can be added this month: spotting how energies can get detoured in development, how expression can become oblique rather than direct, and how that can suggest indecision, even weakness, at least multi-themed.
In truth, we find that the Mars-retrograde (Rx) position has energies going in before they go out. There is a phase, a moment, a programmed screening of energy expression that is used for editing the energy, censoring it perhaps, redirecting it, making it serve two callings. Almost always, the energy ends up serving a second agenda as well as a primal thrust, and that "way about someone" is groomed throughout early development and becomes routined into personality.
You spot Mars-retrograde by looking into the Ephemeris on the date the person was born, finding the Mars column, tracing your finger down the column to the date of birth. If you encounter the notation that Mars is retrograde, i.e., if you spot "Rx", Mars is retrograde; the numbers are descending. [Please refer in the Archives to the Saturn-retrograde article, "Our father … who should be there", for a full explanation of the phenomenon of apparent backward motion of the planets.]
For our first example, look at the birth date line for Pope John Paul II, May 18, 1920. Mars is retrograde in Libra (Rx). You know about Libra: fairness, balance, wanting to be pleasing to all. Well, when the symbol for applied energy is in the sign of Libra, one expects moderation in everything; any belligerence can play hide-and-seek with peacefulness; there are endless checks and balances to keep things just right. When the retrogradation dimension is brought into consideration, all of this is circuitously routed, indecision evolves. In John Paul's case it is probably related to the great difficulty serving two, even three "masters", so to speak: God, the Church political bodies, and the public. The resolution becomes inaction so as not to alienate other factions while serving one. The Pope's lack of action on many matters pressuring the Church is well known; the celibacy prescription for the clergy being foremost perhaps, and most problematic.
Evangelist Jimmy Swaggert (March 15, 1935) also has Mars in Libra, also retrograde! Which two masters, if you will, was he trying to serve at the same time: his religion and himself. Interestingly, while the Pope's Mars was wandering, as we say in astrology, Swaggart's is tied tightly to Pluto and Venus, and that explains the intense, wayward, other agenda of things sexual. The Mars-Rx would be the tip off to inquire about the complications of getting things done, what filters are being deployed, how direct is he stating things.
Fascinatingly, you would expect a magician to benefit from this kind of energy: now you see it, now you don't!, and indeed, grand stage-magician David Copperfield (September 16, 1956) has Mars-Rx in the Sign of Pisces (Rx) , the soft, mystical, poetical, amorphous energy backdrop. Copperfield shows that gentleness as a major part of his persona, certainly, and he weaves it in and out of our sensibilities to accomplish mystery after mystery with a deception that is extraordinary. -Just think: what would that energy be doing, where would it be going, if he weren't a magician?! The magic industry gives him a way to explore that maze-like energy.
Judy Garland (June 10, 1922) had her Mars in Sagittarius (Rx) , retrograde. You know the Sagittarian energy: forthright, opinionated, enthusiastic, etc. But with her energies turned in somehow -no one listening to her, subjugated by her mother, frustrated, at war always with those around her, feeling out-group and unloved (even in the face of public adoration)-the energies began to eat away at her in many forms of anxiety.
With a little experience, you can "see" Mars-Rx in a person's way of doing things, in the way they carry themselves. There is ever the slightest diffidence, as if everything is getting a second or a third thought.
Troubled actor Robert Downey, Jr. has Mars in Virgo-retrograde. In Virgo (Rx), the energy is colored by perfectionism, over analysis, probably in Downey's case to a comparison with his famous actor father. That is where the detour comes in: there's a short circuit of self-devaluation in Downey. His energy is nervously imploded in insecurity in the face of his family image. His anxiety comes out in the wrong ways (his Mars is sharply configured with Uranus, Pluto and Saturn) and is disruptive and deleterious to himself.
Basketball great, Michael Jordan, has Mars-Ñ, and we know of his battle off the court with gambling, constantly working against odds to prove himself with his enormous theatrical Mars in Leo (Rx) ! The risk-taker defines the detour, the retrogradation of the Martian energy, the energy going in and gathering up different purpose before going out again.
--The Meta-helper has a lot of avenues of insight with which to begin an appreciative discussion with someone under tension. Checking the reigning need of the personality (article #2 in this Series), the Saturn retrograde phenomenology, perhaps Venus retrograde, and/or Mars retrograde, one gathers insights into developmental challenges in the life. Creative, caring discussion helps us help others, filling in the loops with wisdom we learn in our studies. Two people following along this path are often better -certainly less lonely-than one.
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