Fighting for flow

Mars Retrograde in Cancer: Fighting for flow

Earlier in the week I heard someone say the phrase fighting for flow and I thought those words were an accurate depiction of this moment in time. On February 23rd, Mars ended its retrograde in the sign of Cancer which it began on December 6th. (Astronomically, retrograde is when a planet appears to be moving backward from its normal orbit from the vantage point of Earth). Although the retrograde period has ended, Mars is sitting in the same point of the sky for a few weeks before it begins to move forward again on March 9th. This has marked a prolonged period of reflection about protecting what’s ours and is encouraging us to redirect our energy to act on our desires.

Mars in our natal charts represents our drive and how we translate it into action. Through our own willpower, we can drive progress to achieve our goals and uphold our convictions. Our Mars energy is the internal push from within that propels us onto a certain path and we often experience it the most when we’re confronted with our fears. Not all humans confront fear the same — some tackle it head on through action, some may need to process and analyze a situation before making a move, and others may retreat from it altogether. Mars’ location in your natal chart shows where you may experience this energy the most and how to work with it. During a Mars retrograde transit, we’ll be asked to heed the call of reflection about own drives and motivations. What is and isn’t working that I need to change and what are the steps I need to take? What do I need to cut ties with in order to gain forward momentum?

The sign of Cancer speaks to our sense of belonging, nurturance, and safety. It’s a feminine sign and is ruled by the Moon, so the ways in which we were parented and the bonds with our mothers can often illuminate the ways we feel safe or unsafe. To achieve safety we must be protective, so Cancer can take on the quality of strength through a tough exterior — just like its symbol of the crab. As we grow and separate from the family, we develop a sense of belonging elsewhere in the world. This can be found in any number of situations such as a belief system, a creative practice, or through outlets like food or substances.

The Mars retrograde in Cancer we just experienced left no one unscathed. Mars, a firey planet, doesn’t like being in Cancer, a watery sign. Mars in Cancer may bring up thoughts, feelings, and situations that wreak havoc on the very things that bring us a sense of safety. In some of us, the action may have been sparked from within — an intuitive feeling. A simple example of this intuition could be the voice in your head telling you that your diet needs to change so that your body can be stronger and healthier. The key here is about why you need to change your diet — it’s not about appearance, it’s about protecting your aging vessel. In others, this call for change may show up as an outside force that happens to you. You just got fired from your job, now what? Everything that brings you security is now up for review and you’re forced into the situation without a choice. On a grander scale, we’re seeing this in the United States as thousands of federal workers are being fired by a technocratic lunatic.

Because Mars feels sticky in Cancer (as opposed to a fire sign like Aries), the last few months may have felt like trying to light a match in the rain — you know what needs to be done to start the fire, but the flame keeps going out. Although you may have a strong sense of what needs to change in your life, taking the steps to bring those changes into reality may be met with roadblocks, disruptions, or simply a lack of energy to do the thing. Or perhaps something was uprooted outside of your control and now you need to take action to replant those roots.

What do you need to push through in order to find a little more ease in your movement? How are you being asked to fight for your flow? Although the past few months may have left you feeling a bit confused, it’s important to understand that you’re laying the groundwork for the next few months — even if it’s just been a mental map. Since February 23rd, you may have felt a subtle shift, like something seems doable again. Mars ended its retrograde, but the reviewing process isn’t necessarily over, it’s just gaining speed toward action. Perhaps a mental block has been dissolved or something clicked into place. In about one more week, the pace of things is really going to start picking up.

A moment to reflect

For me, this Mars transit has been happening in the part of my life related to my health and daily routines. Not only did I start training for a half marathon in December (which happens next week!), I also started regular acupuncture sessions (shoutout to Nicole), and tried my first Kundalini class. At first I was actually quite hesitant to sign up for the half marathon, but I knew if I took advantage of this transit it could be very transformative for me. Training for this race has taken a lot of physical energy — a very Martial quality, where we exert our energy — but I’ve also had to be very slow moving with it. I’ve had to train carefully to protect my knees, where I tend to feel a lot of soreness. Fueling for the runs and how I nourish my body has also come into major focus. You can see that I’ve had to approach this intensity with a level of care and nurturing so that I can protect my body against injury. It’s a very Cancerian way of meeting this moment.

On a worldly, biological level, I’m training so that I can finish the race in one piece. But what’s the spiritual goal? I can see how this form of action stitches itself to the greater fabric of my life. When I commit to transforming the strength and endurance of my physical body, where else in life am I also gaining strength and endurance? It’s my confidence. During this particular moment, Mars wanted me to find my confidence again and it manifested through the act of running long distances. I believe that through this fight, I’ve been able to achieve a certain level of flow that I haven’t been able to access for a while. Now I can take this flow and apply it to my creativity, my relationships, and anything else I desire.

Where has this shown up for you?

Throughout your week, think about the following questions and see what patterns you begin to notice:

• What has felt like it’s been under review since December?

• Does it feel like you’ve been fighting for something new and different?

• Have you been removing things that are no longer serving you?

• Where in life are you being met with frustration or difficult emotions? What is underlying those feelings?

• Have you been trying to establish a renewed sense of safety and comfort in your body, mind, personal identity, children, relationships, habits, career, etc?

I’d love to know how this transit has unfolded in your life. If you feel inclined, please hit reply and share your thoughts and experiences.

Take care and see you next Sunday,
~Ry