The new Mars cycle – March 14, 2013

By Dennis Sutton

In global affairs Mars – the greatest soldier of them all – displays himself as aggressive action and ruthless competition. He’s harsh, brutal, vicious, combative, energetic enterprising and courageous. As the fight impulse Mars views aggressive force as the best option. Personal rights must be fought for and the enemies of the new civilization must be exterminated. As the cosmic warlord Mars incites international strife – wars and disputes between countries; national strife – internal disputes between opposing factions; and domestic strife – violence in the home. The arrival of a new Mars cycle is a very important astrological event.

The chart data

The cycle commences when Mars moves from south to north declination and this occurs on March 14, 2013 at 10.50am Universal Time (UT). Planetary Phenomena by Neil Michelson and The Complete Ephemerides 2000-2050 give the same data. (They use the same planetary data.) The time has a AA-1 accuracy rating, but won’t be 100% precise. It’s been rounded off to the nearest minute. To calculate a chart for New Zealand convert UT to Auckland Standard Time and enter Auckland’s latitude and longitude coordinates and standard time zone

You need to know that ‘time’ rather than ‘place’ is the more important factor influencing the chart’s accuracy. The precise location is very important, but while a change in latitude of one angular minute equals 1.2 miles (1.8km) on the Earth’s surface the Earth rotates through one minute of longitude in 4 seconds of time. So the birth time, rather than the location, is the crucial factor influencing a chart’s precision.

The chart’s time-frame

This chart has a two year time-frame. It maps the influence of Mars inner-plane weather on the global agenda from March 14, 2013 to February 21, 2015.

The start of the cycle

The start of the cycle is a critical point and events at this time reveal how things will unfold during the life of the chart. They are signs of things to come.

To quote CC Zain from Course 13 – Mundane Astrology: ‘When a new Cycle Chart comes in it is found that the events signified by it may begin to happen somewhat before the Cycle actually starts. The changing of the planet, from south magnetic polarity to north magnetic polarity, brings into considerable prominence the affairs ruled by the planet. The time of the commencement of the Cycle, therefore, is commonly coincident with some of the matters foreshadowed in the Cycle Chart.

That which happens as the Cycle commences, and which comes under its influence, is seldom all that transpires….during the Cycle. More often it foreshadows other events of similar nature which come to pass as the time progressed aspects form in the Cycle Chart. And not infrequently these later events are a further development of less outstanding events that arrive with the Cycle.

Astrological influences tend to bring a response from the physical environment, not merely at the moment the phenomenon is perfect, but for a certain time before and a certain time afterwards. In its change of polarity, from south to north, the change begins to exert an influence when the planet is within one degree of crossing the celestial equator, and continues to exert some influence during the time it is within one degree of crossing.

The influence is more pronounced while the planet is close to the exact line between south and north declination. But because the physical environment, by its resistance or lack of it, may require accumulated planetary pressures to manifest as a given event, the condition indicated by the changing polarity may develop sometime before, or somewhat after, the exact moment of change in declination. There is an orb, therefore of one degree of movement by declination, within which events signified by the Cycle may take place before the Cycle actually starts.’

Mars enters 1º S 00' declination at 7.09am UT on March 11, 2013 and moves beyond 1º N 00' declination at 2.48pm UT on March 17, 2013.  And this 6 day time-frame represents the critical change-over period. The Mars events that occur at this time indicate a trend that can be used as a guide when judging future events.

The chart’s influence

A new Mars cycle chart injects a new supply of energy into the global agenda, but conscious attention determines where the energy flows and while there are people fighting poverty and disease it’s the violence, accident and disaster events that grab the headlines. The media and the public are energized by sensation. The chart shows what departments of life are affected, and how, by mechanics, manufacturing, war, soldiers, policemen, machines, fires, firemen, athletics, strife, violence, explosions, intoxicants, bandits, doctors, surgery and healing.

Mars house position

The house position of Mars is a crucial factor. It indicates the area of mundane life to be influenced by strife, violence, disputes, war, soldiers, mechanics, manufacturing, policemen, machines, fires, firemen, intoxicants, bandits, doctors and surgery. The agenda ruled by the house is energized. It’s where the explosive Mars energy flows. It indicates where the strife and violence is coming from – the mundane matters that ignite strife and dissension; and where the hazard is located – where the risk and danger lies. And information like this allows you to locate the human and environmental phenomena directly influenced by the energy and strife of Mars. The house position of Mars also indicates the starting point from which emanates the other important events that transpire during the life of the chart.

Mars rules Aries and is co-ruler of Scorpio so the mundane matters ruled by the houses where these signs are located are also influenced by energy, aggressive action and strife. And the forceful, combative Mars energy has direct access to the planets he aspects in the chart and the mundane matters ruled by the houses where they are located.

A brief assessment of the chart

In the chart Mars is conjunction Sun and Uranus. There are other weak aspects but these two unite the energy, aggression and strife of Mars with the political agenda and freedom-fighters in a way that is very pronounced and conspicuous. And there’s a high concentration of energy influencing the mundane matters ruled by the house where Sun-Mars and Uranus are located.

The last three Mars cycle charts – commencing May 19, 2007 – had Mars square Pluto so if you thought the world had become a very dangerous place, it had. (Uranus in this Mars cycle chart is square Pluto so the freedom-fighters are engaged in a fight to the death with the dictator.) But with the influence of Pluto greatly diminished and the influence of Sun and Uranus greatly enhanced the Mars agenda will influence, and be influenced by, political moves and sudden and unexpected developments.

The most important factor to consider when evaluating the chart is: ‘Even when harmonious the Mars energy tends to so much force and speed that strife of some kind will always be present in the events he brings to pass.’

Harmony and discord

Aggression is hard to manage so Mars is a discordant planet. His energy has a destructive or constructive potential. It can destroy, demolish, kill and torture and it can build, construct, heal and cure. As anger, hate, brute-force, cruelty and speed it does a lot of damage. As wild impulse and antagonism it easily erupts into fights, arguments, disputes and hostilities. As initiative, enterprise, enthusiasm and resilience it overcomes problems and builds a better world, but strife is always involved. In this new Mars cycle the (neutral) conjunction aspects Mars forms with Sun and Uranus are discordant. The discord converts into a hazard potential and is measured in discordynes. The general environmental conditions and the discord of Mars measure the degree of risk. And the discord potential can be reduced if the Mars energy expresses in a constructive way.

Mars in global astrology

The astral broadcast being transmitted by Mars is hot, impulsive, fired-up, aggressive, impatient and thoughtless. It causes strife – fights, rows, conflicts and disputes; violence – murders, assaults, robberies, shootings, bombings and explosions; and accidents. Mars rules the military, army and soldiers; police and firemen; the manufacturing sector; mechanics; surgeons and surgery; the liquor industry, alcohol culture, alcohol-fueled living and alcohol-fueled violence; the sex-industry and sex-workers; and gym culture, physical exercise, athletes, protein, steroids and muscles.

Mars is not sensitive, peaceful, frightened, conciliatory, considerate or patient. He’s tough, selfish, insensitive, inconsiderate, fearless and impatient. His worst behaviors are harshness and brutality. He is merciless, unfeeling, crude, coarse and inhumane. He has no remorse, never forgives and bears grudges. His best behaviors are initiative, enterprise and creative power. He’s assertive, daring, brave, energetic, bold, eager and enthusiastic. In the jungle he employs brute strength, size and speed, but in human life he relies more on guns, bombs, missiles and land mines.

Mars and the world in 2013

Every human soul possesses a weapon of destruction. It’s called the aggressive urge and in 2013 hate, anger, harshness and brutality are deadly weapons. Social progress takes place through strife and conflict and the strife, violence and accident events are reported in blood. Some people fight disease, some fight poverty, but the guy with a gun gets all the publicity. Hairy-chested, stone-age, aggression is socially admired. It’s tough, strong and hard – never soft, sensitive and considerate. In a dangerous environment a trigger-happy aggressive urge is intent on shooting first. In 2013 Mars and his warriors have taken center stage.

The world is a hazardous place, but some places are more hazardous than others. People live in harms way. A hazard is some event or object that is a potential source of harm to human life, health, income or possessions. A gun is a hazard. A dangerous person is a hazard. War is a hazard. A suicide bomber is a hazard. A landmine is a hazard. A dictator is a hazard. Terror is a hazard to human welfare. Fires, diseases, epidemics, car accidents, explosions, poisons and toxic gases are hazards. Some countries are a hazard to economic growth, higher profits, peace and security.

The media loves a disaster. It’s exciting and antidotes the dull monotony of daily life. Disasters affect between 250 and 300 million people every year. The loss of one human life is a disaster. A disaster is a calamity that befalls some person as a result of a hazardous event. The collapse of a building or bridge is a disaster. Disasters are an every day occurrence, but their news value is measured by their immediate impact, not their long-term effects. It takes a long time to recover from a disaster. The pictures on your television screen can be followed by years of suffering. A life-time of watching disasters can result in disaster fatigue and it’s easy to become insensitive to the misfortune and suffering of others.

The global agenda involves strife and conflict. Difference is a sure recipe for conflict. Different philosophies, ideologies and beliefs stir up dissension and hostility. People have strong beliefs that they’re prepared to fight for, so disputes are common. There are minor disputes and feuds that last for years. In extreme circumstances the conflict escalates into war. Disaster journalism loves war. In a conflict situation both combatants are fired up by a forceful, aggressive impulse and they’re both brave, thoughtless, obedient and short-sighted. Both are intent on winning and they’re both insensitive to the loser’s misfortune. The loser wants revenge and pay-back.

People are fighting for their political, economic and religious beliefs. On 9/11 the world changed – and it wasn’t for the better. Terrorism represents an extreme reaction to conflict and fear, terror and insidious violence are enemies of the altruistic Aquarian ideal. Identifying its root causes and instigating a conflict resolution strategy is another matter. History reveals that humanity is not very good at solving conflicts. The ‘I win-you lose’ attitude is a sure recipe for resentment and failure. When the losers choose to fight back the winners cry foul.

The strife agenda is a two-way street where the perpetrators of violence and those enforced to defend it clash head-on. In some instances those with a grievance resort to violence. Their unlawful violence is then confronted by lawful violence. Usually the solution of a grievance, (where the aggrieved resort to violence), is far more complex than the Mars option. Yet, when it comes to solving a grievance the Mars option is the one that is most often chosen.

The current global environment is ripe for violence due to antagonisms caused by globalization, nationalism, self-interest opposing the common good, cultural bullying, racial hatred, religious intolerance, dictatorial corporations, corrupt governments and financial inequalities – greed and selfishness by the ‘haves’, and feelings of being left out and side-lined by the ‘have-nots’. In 2013 there’s very little trust and a crisis of fair-play, honesty and good-will simply because Mars and his ruthless competitive impulse are prepared to break all the rules in their pursuit of money, profits and wealth. In 2013 Mars is dumber than ever. He’s acting on impulse, is addicted to excitement and sensation, is guided by precedent and is self-interest motivated. He’s an adrenalin junkie and when the adrenalin flows your brain flies out your ear and the reasoning part of your mind flies out with it. His impatience wants instant gratification, but his hopeless sense of consequence means that things rarely go as he expects.

In 2013 the media and Mars are having a wild love affair so you’re going hear about the latest mass shooting or celebrity murder. Mars provides sensational headlines and it’s easy to get addicted to sensation. And the human soul is easily desensitized by the constant reporting of death, killing, harshness and brutality.

Predicting events by the Mars cycle chart

Scientific astrology does not claim to make precise predictions. It cannot predict that a suicide bomber will strike at a certain place, at a certain time, on a certain day, killing a certain number of people. What it does claim is that during a definite time-frame a specific amount of Mars energy, possessing a definite amount of harmony or discord will impact on the Earth affecting a particular sector of a country’s mundane agenda.

An accurate picture of what to expect must consider the astrological conditions mapped in the chart and the physical conditions in which the chart operates. They represent two environments that are in a constant state of change. Keeping up to date with what’s going on is difficult and relying on the astrological picture to reveal the whole story is expecting astrology to do something that it can’t. The physical environment at any point in time facilitates some events and negates others. Bushfires (ruled by Mars) are more inclined to occur during the hot summer months – not during wet winter months – so the physical environment can move an astrologically predicted bushfire (or any event) to a time that facilitates its occurrence.

When assessing future events and developments the house position of Mars in the chart acts as the starting point from which emanates all the other important (Mars) events that occur during the life of the cycle. This means that in the Paris chart Mars in house 10 is the critical factor; in the Beijing chart it’s Mars in house 7 and in the US chart it’s Mars in house 1. Mars represents the aggressive solution and over the next two years energetic effort, aggressive action and forceful political enterprise can solve major problems. But with Mars conjunction Sun the politicians will be feeling more combative so there won’t be less confrontation or more conciliation. 

And when Mars forms a transit progressed aspect in his cycle chart look for Mars events. The aspect indicates when an event mapped in the chart, that’s facilitated by the environment, can occur. It’s when the news headlines will focus on strife, violence and accident events, but don’t expect to precisely predict the event and where it will occur. This is too big an ask, but with a clear understanding of both the astrological and mundane environments you can get pretty close. 

Consider that the most important events mapped by the chart will occur when transiting Mars forms a conjunction, opposition, square or trine aspect with any planet in the chart – especially Sun and Uranus. The event must bear the characteristics of Mars and the planet he aspects and pertain to the mundane matters ruled by the houses that Mars and the other planet rule. Mars regularly forms aspects in his cycle chart so the strife and violence events – the shootings, murders, robberies, fights, accidents and fires – regularly make the headlines. If it bleeds it leads.

The Mars cycle charts for France, China and America

Most of Europe – from London to Athens – has Mars and the Sun-Mars-Uranus conjunction in house 10. (London has Uranus in house 11.) So the Mars energy is expressing through and energizing the ruling authorities and administrative forces. And they’re not in a conciliatory mood. Prime Ministers, Presidents and Chancellors squabble and fight; and there are violent attacks on political and other leaders. Much administrative strife can be anticipated. (Libya also has Mars in house 10.)

Mars cycle chart Paris, France – March 14, 2013 at 10.50am UT – 2E20; 48N52

The Mars cycle charts for Israel, Russia, Syria, Egypt and South Africa have Mars in house 9 (shipping, trade and court cases.) India, Pakistan and Afghanistan have Mars in house 8 (death and taxes). And Indonesia and China have Mars in house 7 (international relations, the other country and war.) Mars in house 7 indicates disputes with foreign powers, strife on the international stage and a very aggressive foreign policy.

Mars cycle chart Beijing, China – March 14, 2013 at 6.50pm ST – 116E25; 39N55

Japan and South and North Korea have Mars in house 6 (work, labor and sickness.) Australia has Mars in house 5 (children, sport, gambling and share market.) And Chile and the US have Mars in house 1 (domestic issues and internal bickering.) In the Washington chart Mars in house 1 will focus on gun violence and the gun debate. Mars marks for shootings, robberies, accidents and fires. The people are in a very angry mood and ready to take aggressive action.

Mars cycle Washington, USA – March 14, 1013 at 5.50 am EST – 77W01; 38N53

---Published February 14,2013

For more articles on Global Astrology, click here.