By Amanda Painter
As Mars makes its way through Cancer — and thus through a series of potent aspects to many of the planets defining much of current life — it reaches a key marker today: its exact square to Chiron in Aries. This event would have a personal feel to it no matter what. But with Mars in emotional, protective Cancer, and with Chiron in a sign Mars rules (one related to the concepts of self and identity), there’s a picture of taking things very personally indeed — perhaps in ways that could feel challenging.
Photo by Amanda Painter
As has been mentioned elsewhere on Planet Waves recently, western society (particularly the U.S.) has Mars issues. There’s a tendency to default to aggression when fear is encountered, and most people seem to be afraid of a lot these days; for sure, there are a great deal of scary things in the world, and mainstream media often appears crafted specifically to emphasize that fact.
Yet, in addition to all the things ‘out there’ to be afraid of, many people harbor tremendous doubts about what’s inside of them: their desires and sexuality, emotions, needs, dreams, gifts; many doubt whether there’s really anything at all inside that’s deserving of love and acceptance.
In the last year or two I’ve witnessed a few situations in which someone received the affirmation that they are enough, just as they are. Their response to that affirmation has generally been emotional: an outflowing of relief at being seen fully, mixed with grief over the years of feeling disconnected from a sense of wholeness, mixed with disbelief that the affirmation could possibly be true, given how long it has not felt true.
Those emotions could also come out as aggression if someone is too far from a place of being able to hear, feel or even glimpse the message. Anyone who does not feel free to express deep emotion has the potential to lash out in defense of those vulnerable, terrifying parts of themselves.
