AstroMissive #424 “Mars Retrograde Shadow”

AstroMissive #424 “Mars Retrograde Shadow”

2April2025 9:50 am MDT

Greetings All!

Mars has been Direct after its Retrograde cycle for over a month at this point, however, it remains in the “Shadow”, therefore the effects of the retrograde are still evident.

2025 has been a very unique year so far as last year ended and this year began with all three of the personal planets; Mercury, Venus and Mars having a retrograde cycle. Retrograde is the illusionary appearance of a planet going backwards. Nothing in space turns and goes backwards, what is happening is we are measuring the perspective from a planetary body (the Earth) that is also moving. The effect of the cycle is to slow down time, to make things, ideas or event memories go back; back to five minutes ago, back to yesterday, back to a decade ago, back to Y2K, back to childhood.

Mars is our intentions, excitement, energy and assertiveness. Mars wants to get a move on and go! It is an action verb. The energy of Mars placement of the back and forth is between Cancer and Leo. The dynamic shifts from our family, home, comfort and nurturance towards community to an overt, confident, dynamic display with strength of character and a bit of drama included.

The shadow period occurs in the overlap. The pre shadow is when the planet initially crosses the point that it will retrograde back to and the post shadow is when it climbs back to where it had been at the start of the cycle.

4Sep2024 Mars enters the sign of Cancer

5Oct2024–6Dec2024 Pre-retrograde shadow

3Nov2024 Mars enters the sign of Leo

6Dec2024 Mars turns retrograde

6Jan2025 Mars retrogrades back to the sign of Cancer

24Feb2025 Mars turns Direct

17Apr2025 Mars re-enters the sign of Leo for the second time

24Feb25–2May25 Post-retrograde shadow

Currently, today, Mars continues to climb back through the sign of Cancer. Home and Family dynamic and drama may ensue. Mars transits back into Leo again on 17April24, however won’t actually cover new ground until May, whereupon it continues through the sign of Leo until 17Jun25.

Therefore, from September of last year through June of this year, the entanglement of these energies can cause conflict leading to new understanding and resolve, especially in overt family matters.

Know where the cusp of Cancer/Leo is within your natal chart to learn more.

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See AstroMissive # 417 for the current Mercury Retrograde essay.

See AstroMissive # 418 for the current Venus Retrograde essay.

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