By Amanda Painter

You know that feeling when you’ve been incredibly busy, or very focused on a project, and then those activities wind down but you feel momentarily adrift, or not sure where to channel your energy next? But then, almost as soon as you’ve thought that, the next thing comes along to keep your energy level up and engaged?

Photo by Amanda Painter.

That might be one way to think of Mars entering Sagittarius tomorrow, just six days after centaur planet Pholus left that sign. Mars leaves Scorpio, a sign it rules, and brings its fiery energy to fiery Sagittarius at 7:56 am EST on Friday (12:56 UTC).

The influence of Pholus in Sagg was something we kind of got used to for many years. In terms of the ‘runaway reaction’ Pholus signifies, we’ve witnessed it in the way the world seems to be spinning out of control. Long before Trump as president, before Uranus made its signature aspects to Pluto and Eris, we had Pholus adding some rocket fuel to life — in a segment of the zodiac that can already feel a little ‘out there’.

Mars will only be moving through Sagittarius for a couple of months. Mars also tends to be felt as a much more personal and internally palpable energy compared to Pholus. So you might be more aware of the ways you desire physical activity, some sort of freedom or adventure, or to improve the social order.

In that way, even though the energy of Mars might be more noticeable than Pholus was in Sagittarius, you may also feel better able to channel it. Rather than feeling driven, you get to do some driving.

If you feel a need to get your body moving or to spend time in a new location come Friday (such as working from a café or taking a recreational day trip) honoring that urge will likely be effective. As Mars also represents libido, notice whether your sexual desires take on a more adventurous or ‘exotic’ flavor.

Mars in Sagittarius tends to be optimistic, impulsive, talkative, potentially very blunt and self-righteous, but also philosophical. It’s generally a very open and direct energy. And while Mars is the god of war, at least in Sagittarius it tends to fight fairly — if it does not get carried away and stray into religious fanaticism or ultra-patriotism.

Most of all, working with Mars in Sagittarius calls for a reminder that in your quest for adventure, you need to be careful not to scatter your energy or overlook your immediate environment. It would be easy to get so engaged with the big picture — or things taking place far away — that the details you’re responsible for fall through the cracks, or you fail to notice ways you can be of service in your local community.

Be realistic about how many projects, investments of energy or social-justice crusades you can legitimately sustain all at once. There’s a difference between riding the next wave of energy and getting rolled under it as it crests and crashes.

That said, there seems to be enough planetary influence in Capricorn (including Mercury and the mighty Saturn) to lend sufficient structure and attention to details. The Sun and Venus in Aquarius appear to offer the necessary detachment and humanitarian perspective to balance the fanatical side of Mars in Sagittarius, without dampening the heart of the flame.

This blend of elements and energies could be especially helpful as Mercury makes square aspects to Eris and Uranus in Aries, and a sextile to Chiron in Pisces, through the weekend. You might ask yourself: can you be a ‘thought leader’ rather than simply a ‘chaos-stirrer’, especially on social media?

And what’s the difference, anyway? Don’t all so-called thought leaders tend to stir things up? (Confession: I find that term to be insufferably pretentious, but it seems useful in this context.) Yes, but there may be differences in methods and intent. It’s one thing to outline radical ideas and openly offer unique perspectives and solutions, knowing that some people will disagree. It’s another thing to bait people you disagree with — by being antagonistic, sarcastic, insulting or intentionally dishonest — simply for the sake of arguing.

On a more practical or ‘mundane’ level, Mercury square Uranus (exact on Jan. 28) is a reminder to listen to your intuition, and to seek new experiences (and to be flexible when new experiences unexpectedly come your way). Perhaps most importantly: record or write down your sudden ideas before you have a chance to forget them.

One other note about this weekend’s astrology: Venus in Aquarius is opposite Ceres in Leo, exact on Saturday. If it feels at all like you’re having to choose between socializing and self-care — or perhaps between being a ‘friend’ to a loved one or ‘mothering’ them — how do you negotiate between those opposites?

Remember, ‘negotiation’ is not an all-or-nothing proposition; it’s about finding a way for both parties to offer something and still benefit overall. With the goddess of love (Venus) and the sign that represents the heart (Leo) both involved — and with Neptune in Pisces in aspect to both sides of the opposition — we have an interesting image. Sometimes we need to remember that offering others compassion feeds our own hearts; sometimes we need to take time to nourish ourselves first before it’s healthy to share ourselves with others.

It might take a series of small adjustments to get the balance right — and to align your idealism with your reality. Giving Mars a clear purpose could help.

Eric is busily working on The Art of Becoming, the 2018 Planet Waves Annual; and it’s shaping up to be an exciting, information-packed edition. You can pre-order all 12 chapter-length signs here, or you may choose your individual signs here.