The Ancient Warrior

We saw some of the positive potential of chaos in the last post and we're moving on to Mars. Here's part of Chapter 9 from my free-to-download book, Astrological Repair Manual:

"Rusty red, not a gas ball—Mars looms near. Place of pink skies and global sandstorms. Most likely candidate for extensive human settlement—in this solar system. Full cycle real close to two years. Mythological cloak, red with the blood of sex and war...

"Mars, the astrological cycle of
Motivation, Externalization, Drive, and Assertion.

"Yes, Mars the astrological cycle; not Mars the planet. As this book progresses, I’m attempting to talk in two languages while giving you the truth about only one of them. The first language is what most people use to refer to various aspects of astrology. The second language is something that can only be understood through experience. The second language uses most of the basic words from the first language but uses them in different and deeper ways. Like referring to Mars as a cycle. Yes, I know, I’ve called most of the previous cycles 'planets' before divulging their cycles. I think it’s time, since we're getting so close to Earth, to reveal more of the truth. Up until now, I’ve been sliding into the second language slowly. The prime reason is that I’m writing this book for those who know nothing about astrology as well as those with a competent working knowledge. Starting with one language and sliding into the other is a tricky venture, but absolutely necessary if we want to use astrology to truly help ourselves or others. The Instructions (in the free-to-download book) will definitely spell out all the basics in this second language. O.K. Enough disclaimer.

"Since the cycle of Motivation is close to two years, we have an opportunity to discover, and easily check, a concept that explains one of the most perplexing regular occurrences in our experience—the way that things can seem to be going along just fine, and, 'all of a sudden', they slow down or even stop and reverse their trend. In the traditional lexicon of astrology, this is called retrogradation. I personally don’t like the word. Retro may be fine in fashion, but when we need to get things done, it’s a potential bother. Potential only, though. If we can see that there is a natural reason for cycles to progress forward, then appear to retrograde and finally finish their course, we can turn bothers into blessings. Because of the view from Earth, all the planets but the Moon and Sun (I know the Moon is a moon and the Sun is a star but, again, we’re talking in two languages) have a period when they look like they’re going backwards (but they aren’t).

"In terms of cycles, this is a forward motion with a period of time when it’s naturally appropriate to slow down or even reverse our intentions or motivations, check ourselves, analyze plans, and then resume with a better plan, direction, or thrust. Imagine you’re on a train or trolley and you’re passed by another one. There’s a moment when it can seem you’re moving backward. It’s all about relative perceptions. This is one way to understand why the planets seem to retrograde. Now, maybe I can talk about this using only the second language. I’ll be talking about the cycle, Mars, but this phenomenon of retrogradation happens, in different time frames, with all but the Sun and Moon.

"So, at the beginning of the Mars cycle, we’re all full of the rebirth of a new motivation, drive, or period of assertion. We really cruise, plowing through obstacles, climbing mountains of resistance, and making good headway. When we reach the first quarter phase of the cycle, we make a point of reinforcing the strength of our intentions, sometimes shifting gear into a higher vibration of drive. Along we go, and, near the middle of the cycle, things get more uphill, or possibly we find our fuel running low. Maybe others are naysaying our progress. I’m happy to say that this is perfectly natural, even if it is 'against' some of the principles of our highly materialized culture. For a few months out of the two years of the cycle, just when we reach the time of bringing it to personal fulfillment, we should slow down. We’re getting ready for the transition to the second half of the cycle. At this time, it's appropriate to share our motivation and drive with others, even act for them or pick up their loads. We need the time of 'reversal' or slow-down to make sure that we don’t run off past others, that we can moderate the thrust in order to give it social value.

"This phase of the cycle, so necessary to proper growth, has a decided element of internalization about it. A certain reaching-in; finding what the rest of 'us' needs... Our culture often doesn’t like or doesn’t even permit this type of cycle. Hence, many of the frustrations of many of the people! If we were talking about the outer cycles, the internal phase it’s months. When we get to Venus and Mercury, it’s less. For all the functions, there's a time when we need to either slow down or go inside (even if we’re still acting outside) to gain a larger perspective. It happens in the middle, right when youth wants to forge ahead and age sits back and nods...

"Mars itself is usually perceived as all about going forward. But, if you consider the times when a prudent pause actually gave you more energy, this concept will seem more natural. If the Mars cycle only meant forging ahead, thrusting without let-up, it would really have a hard time getting along with the other cycles, causing steam leaks and explosions in our well-crafted psyche. What’s that you say? Oh...

"Another truth about astrology is that, even though it mirrors cycles we have inside, we have the free-will to warp and bend those cycles and energies. There have been times when I’ve thought the main reason to use astrology was to fix what’s broken. Sure, it can help a lot with this kind of healing, but imagine using it before the breakdown, imagine using it to educate children about the natural cycles within themselves, giving them a real head start in life!

"So, what about the Ancient Warrior? This was what folks used to think Mars meant. This is how people have misused this energy for centuries. This is the kind of thinking that this book is out to change. If you look far enough back in the history of the word 'war', you’ll find a meaning close to 'mix'. War is a particularly horrid way of mixing it up. I probably don't have to tell you that it will take many individuals committed to other ways of integrating differing opinions to wipe war off the face of the Earth. Impossible? Only if it’s impossible for people to get along. Impossible? Only if people don’t look for frames of reference that can include their views and others’ at the same time. Impossible? Only if people refuse to try..."

Next post will still be Mars but we'll start to look at the Houses of astrology...