There exists a taboo on going for what you really want. Because we live in a society that’s all about ‘freedom of choice’ it’s not easy to see this, especially to someone who gets lost in the choice between Arby’s and Wendy’s, or between Cialis and Viagra.

There is a rumor that desire gets a person into trouble. This one has been viral in religious and spiritual philosophies going back millennia — whether it’s the Christians’ ban on sexual desire or the reportedly Buddhist idea that desire only forms attachments and therefore leads to misery.

The flaming arrow, Planet Waves symbol of Chiron, today lending itself to Mars in Sagittarius.

And it soaks into Western culture in the form of, ‘Don’t want what you really want; be a good boy/girl and want the shitty substitute we’re trying to sell you’. There is the notion that curiosity killed the cat. There is the ruse of not allowing oneself to want because if you want you might be tempted.

In astrology Mars is the planet of drive and desire, and it’s now in the sign of single-pointed focus — Sagittarius. As described Monday, Mars is going to be on quite an adventure, making 18 conjunctions and many other aspects during the next six or seven weeks. Each one of those aspects represents a twist on desire. Each comes with a different flavor, approach and result.

Some of these experiences could be used to demonstrate that desire is a bad thing. Yet in every situation there is another factor involved — that is how an aspect pattern works. In every situation, something will be influencing or modifying the nature of Mars, even as Mars wants to fly straight through the air to its destination.

The first of these influences is Heracles (what you might think of as wanting too much, or at the expense of all else), and the next is Tantalus (wanting what you cannot have, or think you cannot have — a dynamic where what you want eludes you, and desire gets the blame).

Then there is the extended square to Neptune, which is exact on Sept. 21, however, the orb if Neptune is so wide, it’s usually taken effect before anyone knows it’s an influence. Under the current influence of Neptune, I suggest you stick to what you’ve wanted for a while and not let any factor dissuade you from thinking that your desire is not valid. With Neptune you must remember how to swim rather than acting like you’re standing on solid ground.

I will offer again that in our society it’s OK to want, but there is a taboo on wanting what you really want — which is why there are so many distractions, and why they are so popular.

Mars entered Sagittarius Saturday, where it will be until Oct. 26. This is the second sign change of Mars since the retrograde ended back in May. There is plenty happening in Sagittarius right now, and Mars is about to experience many meetings with many other planets, most of then discovered in recent years.

Objects in Sagittarius.

To the left is a list of objects in Sagittarius at the time of this writing. Mars is the fastest one of the lot, so over the next six weeks or so, it will make conjunctions to each and every one of these points. This does not even include other aspects Mars will make, such as a square to Neptune on Sept. 21 or a square to Chiron on Oct. 4.

Speaking of Mars square Neptune, that is the aspect to watch, while it’s developing and even after it’s passed. Mars in a fire sign can ignite Neptune like a volatile gas, or it can have its power sapped by Neptune. Mars in Sagittarius is moving with some determination, so the key will be to remain on course and put honesty with yourself above all else.

Mars square Neptune can be deceptive in a self-destructive way. People who possess this aspect in their natal charts need to keep an eye on that quality, and take both Mars and Neptune to the level of integrity, which begins and ends with sincerity.

In the mix is a hero complex emerging (Mars conjunct Heracles, obscured in the fog of Neptune, which could be alcohol) and the tease of fantasy (Mars conjunct Tantalus square Neptune — torture yourself with unattainable desire only if it’s truly pleasant, or of it helps motivate you in some way).

All of these meetings will come with a different flavor, and there are about to be many, as you can see. We don’t need to get too far ahead of ourselves, though Mars begins to encounter slower and more potent planets and points as it moves along — with a culmination when it reaches the Great Attractor, a deep space point, on Oct. 4 (at the same time Mars squares Chiron).

If Mars square Neptune would benefit from a little more integrity, Mars square Chiron would benefit from relaxing a little and not worrying so much about integrity. Mars square Chiron wants to be so perfect that neither Mars nor Chiron can function optimally, Mars as an agent of desire and Chiron as an agent of awareness.

So as you go through these adventures, remember that perfection is not a value. If you have any regrets, reach out and make amends. If someone is not interested, that is their choice. If you have been less than honest, reach out and be truthful. If you have transgressed boundaries, consider how that happened.

The deeper theme of this whole journey seems to be making contact with past injury so that you can heal it, so that you can be free from what has troubled you in the past. Particularly in late Sagittarius, Mars will encounter several of the more profound points in this alignment (Ixion, Pholus, Hylonome, Quaoar and also the Galactic Core) and this is a good time to remember that ‘spiritual’ translates to being aware, forgiving and in alignment with your purpose.