We are approaching the Libra New Moon on Monday. But before the waning Moon gets to that sweet spot of cosmic balance and beauty, we experience an aspect that tends to be one of the trickier ones to handle in a natal chart: Mars square Chiron. One way it can manifest includes how people tend to deal with blocks.
Officially, Mars in Sagittarius will square Chiron in Pisces on Sunday at 2:47 pm EDT. But it’s in effect now, and Mars aspects tend to be quite palpable as they build. Part of this has to do with the assertive/aggressive nature of Mars. When we bring in the spiritual breakthrough/healing influence of Chiron, the sacred warrior archetype becomes available to us.
Mars-Chiron is incredibly powerful in most aspect patterns, but in the case of the square, the internal tension involved complicates matters. In fact, Barbara Hand Clow describes it as feeling “like the way most of us feel about going to the dentist.”
If that makes you want to hide under the covers until the weekend is over, consider why she describes Mars square Chiron in that way: “Chiron square Mars creates a tendency to try to avoid transmutation [in a natal chart]. The natives are very aware of the power of Chiron because of the square, and they develop all kinds of strategies for avoiding Uranian energy until they experience their Uranian opposition.”
In other words, if you insist on hiding under the covers, or holding back in some way in your life right now, you’re only shortchanging yourself out of the opportunity for a breakthrough of some sort. Feeling blocked — or actively blocking something in your life — is not the same as having integrity. Integrity can involve saying “no,” but if you fall in love with ‘holding it in,’ at some point you’ll begin to realize life has actually become pretty empty. And as you realize that the ‘it’ you’ve been holding in is not actually feeding any kind of creative exchange with anyone, things can start to get pretty ugly — and it may not be obvious to you why.
“A significant issue would be being a bully, or being bullied,” noted Dale O’Brien in an archived Planet Waves article. “Psychologists have done these studies in which the abused tends to become the abuser. So whenever I see Mars-Chiron in any aspect, I look for that as a potential issue.”
That is a dynamic to keep watch for, both personally and in the news as we head into the weekend, but bullying and abuse are not necessarily going to pop up for you. How a transiting aspect behaves will differ some from how it plays out in a natal chart.
On a more global scale, we’re seeing this ugliness in the form of borderline war and rumors of war. For one, the latest development with the Syrian conflict may drag Turkey into the fighting, and the presence of U.S. ground troops and talk of NATO troops indicates leaders are preparing for it. War is one of the hallmarks of what Clow calls the “low warrior energy” of Mars-Chiron aspects — as opposed to the “sacred warrior” archetype of a higher-consciousness use of this energy. Said another way, it’s the difference between using our power to bully versus using our inner strength to protect.
Think of it this way: Chiron’s lower half was his animal half. Get the more primitive urges and lack of consciousness cavorting with the god of war, and things can get mean. Chiron’s upper half was a wise, skilled physician and teacher. Apply that wisdom and skill to Mars’ drive and libido, and you can really start going places. As mentioned already, however, these aspects in a square can feel overwhelming to a mere mortal, and avoiding the energy can turn it toxic.
As luck would have it, that Uranian energy Clow mentions is available to us as a way out. Uranus, retrograde in Aries, is being trined by Mars at the same time as the square with Chiron. You have the option to be adventurous and productive if you’re willing to open yourself up to a little transmutation. It can be scary, but it may be worth it.
I have this configuration too:
Mars in Sagittarius (1st) – Chiron/Saturn in Pisces (3rd), in a tee square with Mars in Sagittarius – Pluto/Uranus in Virgo (9th)
The recent Uranus-Uranus really helped me to address the over zealous energy of Mars in Sagittarius
Hi As Aires 11 Moon at 11 and Aries 12 Sun and 7 aquarius rising, I hold little in, although sometimes I think should because I can be like a nuke bomb at times, however your article only encourages me to do what is natural. Mars is at Sag Galactic Center point. What is that? 24 to 26 Sag? Chiron 28 Cap in 12th. Chemical exposure poisoning is shown in some Neptune configurations. Recently, a doctor who orders lab tests like a detective, called and questioned me about some irregularities found in blood that are typical of chemical poisoning. Been in open battle with Corrupt Philadelphia politics which dug up contaminated site next to my house and released vapors. I have 7th house PLuto conj Athena. This marriage of Athena and Pluto in house of open enemy is my friend and my refusal to allow these creeps get away with murder. Concern about blood finding and deteriorating health. Dead cat and other cat dying from exposure as well. People constantly tell me to give up without realizing I’m literally fighting for my life and intend to win. Thanks for opening the gate of confidence to keep on bringing this to light and going for the medical care I need. I think I found the right doctor, finally. So pissed at those who tried to push anti-depressants because they don’t know medicine or anything about chemical poisoning. Thanks Eric ! Your da bomb, as they say in Philly- which I have left as they are surely plotting murder. They keep sending the psyche truck to put me in deep chemical lobotomy freeze to get rid of me, but I always get away before they can catch me.
Thank you, carecare7, for your instructions. 🙂
Oh, in addition, I went to the dentist on Monday and talked about a slight slight closure problem keeping my jaw always just out of alignment. My dentist knowing how sensitive I am didn’t want to do the slight correction so that my jaw would close evenly. He was afraid it might throw everything else off alignment too.
So, last night, I broke off a piece of a perfectly healthy back tooth on a chicken bone. And guess what, my jaw now closes in alignment.
I still have to get it repaired though. Just maybe with not such a high ridge.
I find it so interesting how sychronicities and parallels appear.
Thanks for the illuminating article, Amanda.
“Mars-Chiron is incredibly powerful in most aspect patterns, but in the case of the square, the internal tension involved complicates matters. In fact, Barbara Hand Clow describes it as feeling “like the way most of us feel about going to the dentist.”
Well, all I can say is that I broke a tooth last night. Ha!
Happy Birthday Alayne!
Thank you Amanda!
I feel awkward asking this but I would love any feedback from you or anyone:
I have Chiron Rx Aries at 17 and Mars Rx Aries at 27 (a loose conjunction) in my 7th. Would that change the characterization of the aspect you describe? Mars is also exactly opposite my Uranus in Libra. But I am not sure what to make of it.
I do know that I’ve always been good in helping/healing others one on one, and I have a keen sense for finding the root of a problem very quickly, perhaps thanks to my Pluto 2 degrees prior to my Libra Rising degree. With the Chiron/Aries being Rx, helping others has sometimes been an absorbing of their material instead of a self assertion of boundaries and knowing when to walk away to let them find their own answers – something I’ve become very good at correcting in my life.
Would this be a good assessment?
And thank you, Amanda, for prose that fairly sparkles and perception that turns the wheel to help keep us on the road.
Alayne: Congratulations on your solar return. Regret not and welcome to Planet Waves.
Oops, I meant to say hold down the Cntrl button, not the Shift one. Sorry.
:::sheepish look::::
Ah, the ever awesome Len. Thank you, sir.
Yes, we’ll be talking tomorrow. 🙂
Maeve, you can go to astro.com and create an account for free, plug in your birthdate, time and place, sve that info and then go to extended charts and choose natal with transits and that will show the chart with most of the major planets. For asteroids, you have to scroll down (before clicking the button that creates the chart) and in that little window on the left, hold down your shift key while clicking on the various asteroids, Centaurs and other objects that you want. When done (the little window scrolls down so don’t miss that) then click the create chart button and you will find your chart with all those Centaur and asteroids and planets and transits. I hope that helps!
Maeve: Aspects to your natal Chiron are as follows (within 10 degree orb): Conjunct your Sun, semi-sextile your Mars, square your Saturn, opposed your Uranus, sesquiquadrate your Neptune, sextile your Nessus, conjunct your Sedna, conjunct your ascendant, square your mid heaven. We will be talking, right?
I tried to figure out how to get the charts on Serennu to work for me, but didn’t manage it. I pulled up a new chart on cafeastrology.com and I know where Chiron is in my chart, but I can’t seem to find any aspects. Can someone give me a hand? Websites, directions…?
Well, how nice of you to send wishes. Up until a few minutes ago, the only telephone call was a robot call that would not speak to me. The natural world offers much joy when it cannot be found elsewhere. — I need stronger teeth for those tethers. Just another human after all.
Happy Birthday, Alayne!
I *think* I see in your words, what can often happen when a person’s Attention to the World’s misgivings, inadequacies and wrong doings squashes Joy. Once you let the burden of knowledge diminish your Joy and Passion for Life, your Spirit is being denied.
“yet without the grit that is blocking – who knows what – other than my guts and heart and the sense of pleasure in all things that I used to have before becoming so (blank) “aware.””
Awareness need not negate Joy. We can, we Must, enjoy life whilst being advocates for positive change. There’s something about the Joy energy which brings good things to Life.
Happy Birthday, Alayne.
You’ll chew your way through those tethers. Keep goin’! Aaaaaaalmost there!!
All best,
Mysti
Birthday today. My sense of my integrity is not 90% of all that is me? Talk about being out of balance At this late stage of the game, when “integrity,” just as you say, has become far too much of my definition of “self,” I know I’m not having much fun. On the other hand, (what would you expect?!), the integrity has so much to do with seeing what the balance would be, and, here’s the problem: not accepting that others cannot, or, to phrase that less egotistically, that they are not — nope – there’s no way to phrase that without sounding as if I can see more balanced points of view and others cannot.
I consider that a failure on my part, as, should not a being born on this day be able to persuade? (Eleanor Roosevelt managed. Then again, she didn’t have much fun either).
I see no difference between something happening locally that is not for the common good, and graver issues, like the global need for food and shelter. To me, the mindset has to be the same. Can I participate in local doings with glee when the backstory to them is poor? To me, that is pretending that I do not know what I know, much as people have happy holidays amidst an otherwise deprived population. (It is not me who names them so). I so admire the people who can be in a situation that has so much wrong with it, yet are there because they believe that what they are doing makes a difference.
Forgive me, but today is very much “all about me,” as I, thankful to have another chance, look toward making my next year on this planet vital, yet without the grit that is blocking – who knows what – other than my guts and heart and the sense of pleasure in all things that I used to have before becoming so (blank) “aware.” I take that back. I was born “aware,” and think that, perhaps all people born today, no matter what their full charts look like, should start a club — one whose members will have enough “integrity” to kick each other in the arse when needed – which would probably be frequently. Then again – wherever we met – the decor, if you will, would be sure to have soulful aesthetics.
(There needs to be a delete/edit function here, as I’m sure I’ll regret posting this as-is, the very moment I do so).
A natal Mars-Chiron square here too. Hoo boy, got to be on the lookout, and remain aware.
“Chiron’s upper half was a wise, skilled physician and teacher. Apply that wisdom and skill to Mars’ drive and libido, and you can really start going places. As mentioned already, however, these aspects in a square can feel overwhelming to a mere mortal, and avoiding the energy can turn it toxic.”
My natal Chiron is in Aquarius – ruled by Saturn and Uranus, if I’ve got that right? Full of Mars energy w/my Aries Sun.
As it feels right now – not overwhelming, not scary, it feels Alive! As if I’ve stepped into my Power.
I am trying to be/bring forth my inner wisdom, healer and teacher, not just for myself, but for also my daughter. *This* feeling I’d like to hold onto forever!
Fantastic article, Amanda. So helpful!
Bells were ringing for me, when I read Mars/Chiron square. Sure enough, my natal chart has Chiron square Mars.
I promise, I am diving into this surf to see what’s there, create something, and move forward. Not going back to bed to wait it out. I may well have been doing that all my life already. Holding it in. Holy crap that explains a lot.
This is not a natal square for me, but is strong now by transit–Chiron is 2 Pisces. But I always wonder what to do with this kind of thing during long moon voids like today on east coast–when everything says to me, “shhhhhhh. Duck and cover.”
Thanks so much for this, dear Amanda! My natal Chiron is in Pisces, and right now I’m feel pretty ghastly, like I’m in a tumble dryer. But you’ve given me the tools to work with.