Oh, Child of Mars! Ever needing freedom to leap into action as a protector or advocate, even if it puts your life, limb or reputation at risk. It’s exhilarating! And dangerous.
The past nine years have given your inner superhero ample opportunity to shine. Between all the topsy-turvy maneuvers and end runs you’ve had to contend with, it’s been difficult to know which side to be on. You’re drawn to leadership roles, but you operate more confidently as a lieutenant. In the absence of principled leadership, however, you have lately felt the strain of needing to lead during chaotic situations, especially during the latter half of 2018.
As the year 2019 opens, it feels like a fresh start for you as your Ruling Planet, Mars, has come home to roost. With Mars in the sign of Aries, your ability to make decisions and act quickly is unimpeded. You are energized and ready to face all comers.
You also have a promising trine from Jupiter, the planet of higher purpose, that’s opening doors to foreign travel, higher education and fortunate legal proceedings. For most of 2019, Jupiter will move through the fire sign of Sagittarius, a complementary energy to Aries, giving you a boost of confidence and good fortune as you seek more meaning in your life.
On Jan. 5, a solar eclipse in Capricorn signals a surge in your career status or possibly a change in your home setting. There is something you need to show up for or commit to – a goal or ideal that you must stand for. It’s not all on your shoulders, however, as you’ll be assisted by a Jupiter trine that illuminates your higher purpose through travel and education opportunities.
Beware of little bumps in the road on Jan. 13 and June 16, and Sept. 21 when Neptune and Jupiter square each other. For an Aries, this might show up as a loss in direction: Landmarks that were supposed to be there disappear. Lost you may be, but Aries tends to view disorientation as an opportunity to dust off their compass and sniff the air to track back to familiar territory.
There’s excitement in the air through much of January and February as you attempt to land the gig or the big career break. On Feb. 13, the final Mars/Uranus conjunction in Aries might usher in explosive, unexpected changes in the way your express yourself or in how you are seen by others. Such a shakeup could free you up and/or force you to take another path.
Assuming you’re successful, by March, you’re faced with following through on your commitment or proposal. You may even be nervous about what you got yourself into. But you’ve committed to a certain course of action this year, and you’re bound to see it through.
You’d best get all your ducks in a row before April 10, because that’s when Jupiter, the planet of lucky breaks, goes retrograde in the fire sign of Sagittarius. Even though you still have enthusiasm for what you’ve taken on, you can’t help but ask: “Where’s my luck gone?” Promises may be broken, and you’ll be wondering if you should move forward with your plans or not.
It’s not surprising that your natural desire to go where angels fear to tread is tamped down this year. The Bat-signal requesting your superhero skills no longer lights up the sky. Those who previously needed your rescue are somehow getting by without you swooping down from tall buildings to catch them mid-air. A change has indeed taken place, and the rescue business ain’t what it once was.
That’s because more and more wounded souls are finding the courage to speak their truth and confront their abusers. In 2018, Chiron, an asteroid associated with healing, entered your sign of Aries, coinciding with the “MeToo” movement. As people carrying secret wounds for much of their lives come forward to confront their abusers, a healing revolution is taking place, where Aries no longer need to defend embattled souls, but rather to offer courage and stand in support.
Overall, for Aries, you could almost say it’s quieting down out there. This could be explained by the fact that Uranus, the planet of revolution and change – which was riding roughshod through your sign of Aries for the past nine long years – dipped its toes into earthy Taurus in May 2018 for six months before retrograding back into Aries on Nov. 7, 2018, for one last hurrah of twists and turns in your sign. This is where Uranus happens to be as your new year begins, but it will stay in your sign only until March 7, 2019, when it returns to Taurus for the long haul, until April 2026.
You endured many upsets since 2010, when Uranus first entered Aries. Yet, it was, in so many ways, electrifying – for both you and the planet. The past nine years have been marked not only by agitation and protest but by anger and outrage, as governments have imploded, regimes have changed, and coups have taken place. Your inner hero may have been activated in response to these epic upheavals, but now it has returned home from battle, bruised, and ready for “normalcy.”
After those years of freedom and liberation with Uranus in Aries, you’ve been longing for a predictable pattern and a semblance of leadership. Your love/hate relationship with authority means you need a boss you can admire and believe in. If you have that person in your life right now, you are most likely happy that the “big cheese” is in charge. If not, finding a leader you can stand behind could be the magic ingredient in your career or relationship path.
That’s what Saturn, the planet of tests and challenges, may be offering, as it recently moved from Sagittarius into its own sign of Capricorn, where it is strong and unfettered, challenging you to “get real.”
As such, in 2018, you may have found yourself coming to terms with a demanding employer or a situation at work where much responsibility was heaped upon you. There’s a level of seriousness to your work, a deeper commitment. You’re no longer the free agent you once were.
So, what does all this “earth” mean? The first place to look should be your wallet. Previously, with Saturn and Uranus both in fire signs, when you had money to burn, it likely incinerated a hole in your pocket. Some Children of Mars now might find new ways to earn, use and manage their finances, even though a wild ride might be required. You could be compensated in a different manner, or perhaps choose to work as a contractor instead of as a full-time employee. Or you may take your payment in alternative methods such as in trade, stock or cryptocurrency. Between Saturn in Capricorn challenging you to focus on a financially rewarding career and Uranus reminding you to be ready for a rainy day, this may be a year when you consider building a more solid financial security.
Your strongest times of the year include Jan. 1 through Feb. 14, when Mars is in Aries, then from March 21 through April 20, when the Sun travels through Aries and trines Jupiter. Having your ruler or the Sun in your sign gives you added energy to accomplish your goals.
The period of July 1 through mid-August will offer you chances to shine and take center stage when first Mars, then the Sun transits the fire sign of Leo.
Beware of two summer eclipses that may have you asking who pulled the rug out from under you. On July 2, a solar eclipse may trigger a sudden change in either your home life or with your parents, the effects of which will reverberate for the following year. On July 16, a lunar eclipse will have you asking what you did six months previously that potentially is causing a shakeup in your home or professional life.
A more challenging time frame is from Oct. 4 through Nov. 18, when your Ruling Planet moves through Libra, a relationship-oriented sign opposite your sign of Aries. Mars in Libra is somewhat hamstrung as you don’t like being forced to play nice and wait for consensus. But this may be the time when your partner places such a demand upon you. We all know you can take only so much stage direction from your partner before you bolt or buck.
After Nov. 18, Mars will enter Scorpio, where Mars will feel right at home. You can now strategize and come up with ingenious solutions as Jupiter moves into Capricorn on Dec. 3. That’s right, more earth! More getting real. More professional opportunity and responsibility. Since you can’t get out of your agreement, just accept your fate. By making yourself keep your pledge, you find that you have become more resolute and resourceful at problem-solving. Which is good, because a Christmas Day solar eclipse is on the books, one that can potentially bring a swift change to your home and/or professional life.
By the end of the year, after an arduous journey where you moved from inspiration and daydreams to now giving your desires concrete form, you can proudly say: “I found my way.”
By Jerre Wroble
