Our Highest Ideals - Mars Square Neptune

When we find ourselves befuddled by the state of the world, remember that there is far more that connects us than divides us…

With Mars retrograde in Gemini for the next several months, we may find it a challenge to remember that, but I invite all of us to call upon our "better angels!"

Democracy is a relatively new concept in our modern world. While it originated with the Greeks, it has only flourished in our modern day due to its implementation here in the United States and then its adoption throughout the rest of the world.

It’s times like these, which we’ve been through over the past several years, when I like to refer back to our idealistic origins. While not perfect, our founding fathers and many of our past political leaders upheld certain ideals.

The Shining City on a hill… What a beautiful ideal to aspire to!

“[I]n my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.”

~ Ronald Reagan, during his Farewell Address to the Nation

Photo by Samuel Schroth on Unsplash

I spoke to this in my Aquarius New Moon ~ “A Republic, If You Can Keep It!” Blog.

In the United States, not only are we having our Pluto return, but also our Mars return.

This means that both Mars and Pluto are in the same area of the sky that they were in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed!

Mars was at 21°23’ Gemini in the U.S.’s chart. In addition to this, Mars was square Neptune in Virgo at 22°25’ when our country was born, and currently, Neptune in Pisces has been opposing the U.S.’s Neptune since last year, bringing up issues around the ideals that our country holds dear.

It is extremely fitting that Mars square Neptune is a very idealistic aspect…we’re always striving for that better union, only to have our lower natures cause us to come up short!

Transiting Mars is now retrograde in Gemini and is crossing over the sensitive degree that will “kick up” that natal Mars/Neptune square, while aggravating transiting Neptune in Pisces.

• The Mars return will perfect on November 23, 2022, at 21°23’ (℞) and then again on March 6, 2023.

• Transiting Mars retrograde will perfect his square against the U.S.’s Neptune on November 20th, when he reaches 22°25’ Gemini.

• He’ll continue to move backwards until January 12, 2023, when he reaches 8°07’ Gemini and then he’ll progress forward to exit his shadow when he reaches 25°36’ Gemini on March 15, 2023.

*SPECIAL NOTE: The U.S.’s progressed Neptune is now at 25°57’ Virgo and Transiting Neptune will be 25°06’ Pisces when Mars leaves his shadow on March 15th at 25°36’ Gemini. We can expect to be feeling the effects of this until March 25, 2023, when Mars moves into Cancer. That said, Transiting Neptune will be opposing the U.S.’s progressed Neptune until March of 2024, so there’s that.

With Mars spending so much time in Gemini this year and into next, we may have all been a bit overwhelmed with the desire to do “all the things!” I keep reminding myself to pause and be grounded, as Mars in Gemini tends to invite launching in multiple directions. With so many Mars/Neptune squares, confusion abounds, along with our aspirations.

The following are key dates for transiting Mars which is square transiting Neptune three times:

• October 11th, first square, before Mars went retrograde

• November 19th, retrograde

• March 14, 2023, final pass

Mars square the U.S.’s Neptune (22°25’ Virgo) happens 3 times:

• October 8th, first square, before Mars went retrograde

• November 20th, retrograde

• March 8th, final square.

*NOTE: I realize that a lot of this gets pretty “Astro-nerdy,” but I am listing it here for the aficionados among you!

If you have any planets between 19° - 28° of the mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces, then you have likely been feeling this and your world may have gotten a good dose of confusion since Mars entered his retrograde shadow on September 3rd.

Retrogrades are great opportunities to reassess the area of our lives that is being affected. Check below to see where Mars is traveling in your chart.

• Aries Rising – 3rd House: Communication, letters, emails…, siblings, neighbors, immediate surroundings, close travel, primary schooling

• Taurus Rising – 2nd House: Belongings, finances, earning power, values, resources, self-worth

• Gemini Rising – 1st House: One of the most important points in a chart; I or me, personality, body, health, physical appearance, how one is seen, how one sees the world

• Cancer Rising – 12th House: Seclusion, suffering, sorrow, confinement, limitation, that which is hidden from sight, hidden strengths or weaknesses, secrets, self-undoing, subconscious mind, selfless service to others, charity

• Leo Rising – 11th House: Goals, wishes, friends, money obtained through one’s profession, groups & associations which are related to career

• Virgo Rising – 10th House: Profession, career, standing in community, status, fame, influence one has within one’s sphere

• Libra Rising – 9th House: Higher mind, philosophy, religion, higher learning, psychology, distant travel, foreigners, big business, law

• Scorpio Rising – 8th House: Others’ belongings, support received from others, inheritance, legacies, insurance, taxes, trusts, secrets, sex, transformation, metaphysics, occult

• Sagittarius Rising – 7th House: Others, partners, marriage, divorce, lawsuits, contracts, open enemies

• Capricorn Rising – 6th House: Health, diet, work, job, employment, employees, dependents, mundane duties, hygiene, personal habits, pets

• Aquarius Rising – 5th House: Creativity, children (both human & artistic) drama, vacations, parties, fun, love affairs, romance, gambling, speculation, hobbies

• Pisces Rising – 4th House: Home, real estate, private life, parents, roots, ancestry, foundation

If you don’t have your birth chart, then feel free to send me an email with your birth date, time, and place and I will send you your chart. Remember that 4 minutes makes a difference, so please double check the time on your birth certificate. I can help you to rectify it if you don’t know your time of birth: astrologyasabovesobelow@gmail.com

We are each co-creating our reality. May we all envision the world we want to live in!

If you would like some clarity and guidance during these unprecedented times, then consider my charts, reports, and other services HERE

May you live the life of your dreams!

Elise