Mars
This post is accompanied by a chart of Mars qualities and some turns of the spiral.

Before that, we will explore The Fool of the Tarot.

We are the Fool and Mars well represents the journey of the Fool through the Tarot. The Fool embodies human evolution through the stages of the spiritual Path and, thereby, the levels of Mars’ rulerships.

In the Tarot, the Fool represents the child. Mars does too, whereas the Moon represents childhood. A child is innocent, inquisitive, adventurous, and playful. These are qualities of purity within Mars and should be pondered in order to access more of the range of Mars, and certainly if Mars is amplified in one’s chart. Accessing the child-like qualities of Mars assists the soul-infusion processes, rendering them more effective.

These qualities are mentioned because Mars is often thought of primarily through its relation to force. The child-like Fool begins on a journey through all manner of experiences, ultimately gaining sagacity and supreme accomplishment. In other words, Mars, like the Fool, has much to unfold.

Exoterically, Mars rules Aries and Scorpio. Therefore it rules the 1st and 8th houses.

Mars ruling Aries initially demonstrates as strength. Mars represents the primary forces used in the life. Force can originate from the body, the passions, convictions, or the mind. With respect to the mind, this includes the forcefulness of opinions and bias, bigotry, prejudice, and fanaticism. Mars can also express as awkwardness – an inability to coordinate the form (of body, or passions/emotions, or mind). It’s as if the force is too much or not concordant with the form. The remedy of this lies in further use of Mars and a concerted effort of embodiment. If Mars rules the chart exoterically (Aries rising) or if Mars is amplified in the chart, one should examine:

• force and forcefulness: how do these express through the native and his/her life? through what apparatus(s)? how cognizant is the native of the force(s) that he or she expresses?
• innocence, naiveté, gullibility: acceptance and trust are at the core of these three child-like qualities. These are expressions of youth just as much as curiosity or adventure are. Look to Mars in the chart for the way that innocence seeks to express as well as the conditioning factors that support Mars innocent ease or jade Mars’ trust and naiveté.
• non-thinking: Mars infers a gut reaction or a non-thinking response. Unto itself, this is not negative, especially when engaged through innocence.* Reflect on Mars by the element of its sign in this regard.
• skill in action, skill through action: how does this express in your life? The cross that Mars is on will provide insight as to effectiveness in/with action or not and why.

Planets in the 1st house
Planets in the 1st house directly impact and color the sense the self. Generally speaking, the 1st house is how one sees oneself, but, not everyone has planets in the 1st house. Everyone does, however, have an ascendant. The ASC and its ruling planet(s) condition how one sees life and the energy with which one engages life.

Therefore, understand that there are two factors to consider with the 1st house: a) inhabited: those planets condition how one sees oneself; b) everyone’s life is engaged by the sign of the ASC as well as its ruling planets. Regarding the levels of ruler: exoteric ruler: in an obvious way, esoteric ruler is the energetic that one is cultivating through the life, hierarchical ruler infers the method or quality that will bring achievement of the purpose of the incarnation.

Mars ruling Scorpio uses the incisive, sword, quality of Mars as well as the animal magnetism or charisma. Incisive can be sharp witted or can simply cut. The sword cleaves, which means it can be used to separate for reasons of clarification or to divide and conquer. Potentially here is the sting of the Scorpion. Charisma can be lived as like-ability or suave but also as a way to entrance one toward that which disempowers. This is the Svengali side of Mars and Scorpio.

Transiting Mars is currently in Aries and spending about 5 weeks moving through each sign. It does not retrograde this year.

* The movie Meet Joe Black with Brad Pitt is an excellent example of Mars innocence as well as Pluto power and control.

Esoterically, Mars rules Scorpio and the 8th house.
Now, the sword becomes the Flaming Sword of Insight. Its use is to demand clarity of every aspect of the incarnation. Mars now is a tool of precision, a demeanor of uprightness and integrity, and a core of fearlessness necessary to engage the falsity of the self and the transformations of the Path. In this role, Mars conquers the lesser appetites and passions of the self through taming and training. This level of Mars is why Scorpio is considered the sign of the disciple and is said by the Master DK to “rule” the Path.

The strength of Mars becomes a conviction for what is right, or to be undaunted in the face of adversity. Precision, correctness, to be upstanding and authentic are represented by this turn of Mars. Planets in the 8th house are to be lived in this way for the purpose of the Soul.

Mars strength also has to do with healing or the capacity for wholeness and wellness. On the esoteric turn of the spiral, this might have little do with the body. Instead, the focus is the overall relation between the Soul and personality, as well as Soul accomplishing the work intended for the life. Both express wholeness. The planet(s) in the 8th house infers the expression of wholeness when lived with integrity and the aspiration to conquer that which is antithetical to one’s Path and Soul purpose. The Tarot card Strength applies here.

Hierarchically, Mars rules Sagittarius and the 9th house.
On this level, the quality of being undaunted matures into being unstoppable – whether used wisely and for good or not. If being lived with the highest light, this person is achieving the intention of the Life (9th house). If not being lived with radiant clarity, this person will constantly be attending fires that he or she has set with rash words or actions. This placement can also suggest a position of mania in the chart.

On the spiritual Path, Sagittarius is the path up the mountain of achievement. Through life’s experiences, the native surmounts the lesser desire nature or lesser personal agendas and strives for greater goals. Those goals include the taming of the personal self and the training of the mind. The arrow of Sagittarius now has a rope attached to it, and Mars is the capacity to climb this rope to the goal, no matter how long or high.

Planets in the 9th house can take on a mystical quality or express in a metaphysical way. The 9th house is about cultures, wide views, big subjects, unlimited exploration. Therefore, planets in the 9th are used for these purposes. Language (in any of its forms) might be easy for the native with planets in the 9th, or the planets will be used in communication. This includes communication of the Soul (or spiritual dimensions) with the native. The planets in the 9th house will be used as such unless afflicted by aspect. This is the Hierophant in the Tarot.

Mars_tabulation