Mars in the 1st House

Courageous, impatient, and sometimes pushy, you don't always take the time to understand other people's points of view. So although your leadership abilities are good, you may drive your followers, employees, et cetera, a bit too hard. Sometimes this gives red hair. Or there may be a scar on the face. Stress aspects to this Mars tend to bring high fevers when ill.

Mars here says being on the move turns you on. Being kept waiting for an answer turns you off. This is a sign of a high level of motivation, so undoubtedly there'll be a great deal of activity in your life. You're particularly good at fighting for your rights; in that sense, you make your own luck. Your physical energy level is liable to be quite high, enabling you to take action when opportunities come your way. However, if Mars is in Cancer, Libra, or Pisces, your energy may be more mental than physical, and you may have to push yourself a bit in order to avoid the tendency to let circumstances decide for you.

Any planet in the first house symbolizes someone (or something, or some action) that's to be extremely important in your life, for better or worse. Planets here encourage you to reach out, to seek experience. The more planets here, the more you'll want to experience in life. If Mars is here, it's a favorable omen, as it says you've learned to approach life with a positive attitude. Your self-confidence is apt to be strong - or at the very least can be strengthened. The purpose of Mars here seems to be to give the energy and health necessary for you to attain your goals.

Mars in 1st House: The person with Mars in the first is a fighter who approaches life as though it were a battle. These people tend to see other people as blocking them and preventing them from doing what they want, so they often attack first and think afterwards. Or sometimes their behavior provokes others into attacking them. With the Mars energy up front like this, it is hard to ignore.

These people exude a strong sexual energy, which they may not be consciously aware of; and this can lead to conflict and difficulty in their relationships. They may get angry if they feel that others are seeing them primarily as a sex object, but they may unconsciously be using their sexuality to get what they want. As with all first house placements, there is a tendency to project the energy of the planet and see it in others. With Mars here, they will be likely to see others as being too aggressive and forceful and as sexually exploitative.

It is important for people with Mars in the first to take the initiative and go after what they want in a direct and courageous manner. It is vital to their well-being that they take charge of their own lives and act on their own decisions. If they are afraid of their own strength, they will tend to act in an over-conciliatory way which will sap their energy and cause anger and resentment to build up. This will lead to periodic explosions which result in sudden irrational attacks on those close to them, which can cause havoc in their lives.

With Mars in the first, there is often a strong feeling of insecurity. These people feel threatened, and react by constantly setting out to prove their strength and independence. They will tend to be rather touchy about anything that threatens their autonomy, and so can be quite prickly to get close to. Their relationships therefore tend to be volatile - full of quarrels, partings, and reunions.

People with Mars in the first are looking for someone equally strong to spark them off. They enjoy the challenge of pitting themselves against someone strong and decisive, so they are attracted to independent individuals with a sharply defined personality. They derive strength from fighting for what they want, and find the battle energizing and stimulating.

These people are very open and direct in their approach; and in order for them to feel desired, their partner will need to be equally honest and straightforward. They will not be convinced by vague hints, but need to be shown directly that they are wanted. Although they enjoy battling against their partner, they do need to feel that he or she is fundamentally on their side, fighting with them against a hostile world.

Basically uncomplicated in their desires, these people usually have a very clear idea of who and what they want, and will not be afraid to express this. They do not hold back, and usually jump impulsively into sexual relationships. Full of warmth and passion, they are prepared to fight for the person they want, and will not easily be discouraged. They invest a great deal of themselves in everything they do, so they are able to maintain relationships at a high level of emotional vitality.

Mars in 1st House: Mars rising gives tremendous vitality, drive and will. It is impossible to keep anyone with this placement down. If one thing doesn't work, these people will figure out something else. If other factors testify to a career, this will give impetus, competitive spirit, and follow-through. These people will go crazy from boredom if they haven't got something to keep them busy at all times.

Women with Mars rising can have a somewhat hard or unprepossessing appearance if there is no aspect from the Moon, Venus, or Jupiter to soften it. If there is, Mars adds fire and intensity, and gives a compelling force to their appearance that commands attention. Women with Mars rising have a tough row to hoe, but if they are honest with themselves they know that they wouldn't have it any other way.

Mars in this location adds great physicality to the nature. It adds fight to the nature, the will to never say die. Unless its fire is greatly diminished by sign or aspect, there will probably be at least one knock-down-drag-out physical fight at some time, usually in youth. It's an especially good position for soldiers, athletes, and dancers, but it also is good for any career as it gives great stamina, staying power, and courage.

These people seek thrills and challenges. They may either die young from taking risks, or live long and hearty lives. There is great gusto here, a lust for life. They are extremely competitive, and need regular physical competition so their competitive nature won't cause problems within their friendships and love relationships.

They are not inclined to be deep thinkers unless other aspects show it. Even if there are thought aspects, these people will rely mainly on instinct and inspiration. Action is a passion for them. They love to be in motion.

They have big appetites, and can be lustful, willful, and gluttonous, unless other aspects hold them back. They tend to get into positions of authority through their energetic efforts, and also because they don't like taking orders themselves. If they do acquire authority, they tend to be somewhat insensitive toward those beneath them, and to use power to satisfy personal desires. Many kings and emperors have Mars rising or conjunct the Sun; not only those who win their own glory, but also those who inherit it and go on to use it effectively.

With good aspects, they become like smooth-running machines in middle life, once past their early lustful rebellious years. By middle life, they tend to become serious, dedicated, and able to command respect.

They are inclined to be accident-prone, depending on the aspects to Mars, and must watch out that they don't go too fast and lose control. They often have a scar on the face or head, or on that part of the body ruled by the sign Mars is in. Unless aspects are really bad, they lose their tendency towards accidents in middle life. With good aspects, they are agile and deft with their hands, bodies, and minds from youth until death. If there are oppositions or inconjuncts to Mars, and no trine or sextile to relieve them, there will be great stress, an unresolved physical tension, a rigidity, an inability to move or act, that may end in illness or accident.

They are usually slender in youth from activity. If Mars is in a Water or Earth sign, they may gain weight in later years from overindulgence in food and drink, though some stay trim throughout life due to self-control.

If Mars is square Mercury, they are witty, but may overwork themselves. A rising Mars square the Sun tends to overwork to the point where there may be a breakdown.

Mars in 1st House: Self-expression: With Mars in the 1st, there is an urgency to the spontaneous expression of personality. You have a cutting edge, a sharp thrust to the radiance of self; and this thrust is natural rather than intentional. Desire is paramount, even when it is not fully conscious. You 'come on' strong, and your personality has a voracious feel, a natural hunger. The pitfall involves confronting life too combatively, while the challenge is to act as spontaneously and directly as you can.

Natural persona: The natural face you show the world is pointed, focused on the next crisis just around the corner. You tend to be assertive, razor-sharp, and sometimes downright pushy, although you rarely see it that way. You lead with the cutting edge of personal desire.

Your name-tag, almost more challenge than statement, says simply 'Hot'.

Self-awareness: 'Maleness' is the key to dawning self-awareness. The more spontaneously assertive you are, the more natural radiance is formed around the desire, and the greater will be the awareness of your central, core self. You must reach out of yourself, beyond yourself, in order to become aware of yourself. When you want something, you open the doorway to your inner self. When you go after it, you become who you really are.

Boundaries: Competition, confrontation, and direct urgency of expression function as the bridge between inner and outer realities. Non-action or passivity damages the bridge between the two environments; but heated aggression or brash pushiness provoke misinterpretation and embarrassing errors of judgment as the 'arrow and the bull's-eye' forfeit their mutual perspectives. The challenge is to spontaneously fire yourself outward, but without overkill. Remember: your high energy is a bridge with which to connect, not a missile used to destroy. If you forget this, others may launch their missiles in response.

Vitality: Your vitality is naturally high, and your recuperative powers excellent in any crisis, but there may be susceptibility to fevers and an exaggerated tendency toward sudden injuries, such as cuts, abrasions, or broken bones that could require surgery. There's a marked tendency here to 'lead with the head'; and you may eventually have the facial scars to prove it. The main culprit is stress and the artificial but intense feeling of crisis it provokes. You must learn techniques of relaxation; but this does not mean inactivity. Rather, it implies relaxed action. Be sure to give yourself enough physical outlets for the high energy of your personality.

Mars in 1st House: You have a driving ambition to make an impression on the world. When stimulated, you energetically accept any challenge that will demonstrate your courage and ability. You thoroughly enjoy competition and the thrill of meeting problems head on; and when you succeed, you literally glow. But don't neglect the formal training you need for greater polish and savoir-faire. You can accomplish far more by finesse than by brute force. If you can learn the art of friendly persuasion, you will achieve the same results without wasting energy in unnecessary conflicts. Education will teach you how to deal with people and win their co-operation. You have high hopes that your children will reach out to their destiny with the same enthusiasm you show. You have little difficulty attracting lovers, but your attention tends to wander once you've achieved your victory. You need a partner with wisdom and patience to cope with your competitiveness and to help you to be more objective and realistic in your goals.

You know you should plan ahead, but you are too busy worrying about your current interests to take the time. You have no doubt that you will succeed. With your active mind and physical daring, you can implement your ideas and get whatever you want. Living for the moment, however, only satisfies the moment. You consider the future too abstract to focus on; but if you don't plan for your future security, you can't expect to get it. Your friends might have some helpful suggestions. Although you are well paid for your professional skills, you will not be financially independent in your later years unless you start saving.

You will achieve greater harmony in your dealings when you learn to concede to authority and face reality. You must restrain yourself to avoid displeasing those in authority over you. True, you must take the initiative in order to accomplish anything worthwhile; but be very sure that the situation warrants your response. You cannot afford to antagonize people in important positions by being impertinent or insensitive to their feelings. If you do, you will meet adversaries at every turn. Try to compromise and listen to good advice, especially from those who really care for you. It will cost you very little, and may pay handsome dividends.

Because you can provide services that people need and will pay for, you will always have opportunities for employment. Refusing to help will undermine your chances for success and earn you contempt. Probably you will use the opportunity to show what you can do. Be careful not to overreact to what you think is expected of you. You are eager to win public approval in order to prove yourself. Some people may avoid you, thinking that you will try to take advantage of them. Your ability to detect human weaknesses gives you an advantage over your competitors.

When you intimidate people in order to get what you want, you are the eventual loser. If you fail to build solid human values that people can relate to, they will lose respect for you and quickly forget your accomplishments, no matter how spectacular.

On the other hand, if you accept responsibility for your actions, you will be rewarded by the everlasting appreciation of those whom you have helped. You can help people become more self-reliant by teaching them to take advantage of their own resources and to capitalize on their natural talents.

Mars in 1st House: According to the myth, Ares (Mars) sprang forth fully grown from the body of the outraged Hera. Similarly, those with Mars here may find that their anger, fury or actions 'leap out' before anything can be done to stop them. At worst, they can be impatient and furious with the slightest obstacle blocking their way, and exhibit a constant need to prove their power. Rather than turning their own bodies into a battlefield or taking out their aggression on whoever comes along, they will benefit from some sort of regular physical exercise or competitive sport. The disciplines of tai-chi, yoga, karate or the various body-therapies (which allow, and work creatively with, the cathartic discharge of anger and tension) are also recommended.

At best, those with Mars in the 1st are authentic, spontaneous and refreshing. Without appearing too blunt or rude, they can be honest and self-directing, possessing the courage to respect their own priorities rather than playing a role for somebody else. They are meant to meet life 'head on'. Rather than waiting for something to happen, people with this placement should take the first step.

Mars in the 1st is most noticeable in a Fire sign; but even if placed in watery Cancer or Pisces, they will still evince a strong presence whether they speak up or not. If those with Mars in this house appear shy and withdrawn, then other aspects in the chart are impinging on its expression, and these should be examined. In some cases, they may need to be reminded that it is permissible to ask for what they want in life, rather than covertly manipulating others into giving it to them. The urge to be the masters of their own destiny is usually strong, and they will grapple against all odds to satisfy their desires.

Mars in the 1st often calls for a fair degree of stamina, strength, fight and independence even very early in life.

See also: Mars in the 1st House;

Mars in the 1st House: William Blake, Bill Clinton, Johnny Depp, Queen Elizabeth II, Jane Fonda, Ernest Hemingway, Henry Kissinger, Timothy Leary, Carl Lewis, Terence McKenna, Willie Nelson, Vaslav Nijinsky, George Orwell, Arnold Palmer, Ramakrishna, Ronald Reagan, Peter Sellers, Patti Smith, Sting, Jesse Ventura, Robert Anton Wilson, Arine, Cynthia, Dheeraj, Dipesh, Jane, JBLight, Jean, Medwick, Mick, Pankaj, Prabhuta, Sarik, Seligma, Shiloh, Travis, Zeno

Mars in the 2nd House

You're efficient, acquisitive, and fairly possessive. But you're not tight with your money. You spend freely, and can at times be very extravagant. You could have a loud voice. If this Mars is under heavy stress - such as in a Grand Cross or T-square - there can be losses resulting from fire or theft.

Mars here says you want stability and want a mate / lover who wants to be possessed or wants to defer to you.

You're motivated to be somebody special in some way and to own nice things. This can be good or bad, depending on whether you equate luck solely with money and prestige or whether you're willing to settle for less tangible sorts of luck. You're willing to work to establish yourself so that opportunity doesn't overlook you in any case, which is good. However, if money is your only goal, you may pass up some potentially worthwhile activities and thus short-change yourself.

Planets in the second house tell you what you need to possess and what you need to lose. They tell you both how you can make money and what you should do with it. If Mars is here, it may or may not imply involvement with a Mars-ruled profession. Mainly it gives you the ability to apply yourself to your work and do whatever is necessary in order to earn enough to live on. However, Mars here under stress from an outer planet would suggest that you'll have to be on the go a lot in order to satisfy your material needs and may have a harder time than other people in 2nd house matters due to certain karmic debts or irresponsible past-life actions.

Mars in 2nd House: A person with Mars in the second is going to have very strong physical desires. These people are very sensual and get great pleasure from using their bodies, so they have a natural talent for giving pleasure. They are in tune with the physical and are comfortable with their sexuality.

They have a strong desire for material security. To be without money feels like a threat to their survival, so they direct a great deal of energy into obtaining it. In fact, they may subvert their sexual energy into the pursuit of wealth. Money and sex are likely to be bound together for them, so they tend to be attracted to wealthy partners. On the other hand, they may find themselves on the receiving end of other people's projections, so that they become sexually involved with people who want them to earn money for them. In this way, money can become a big issue in their relationships, with both partners wanting to take control and many battles being fought over who spent what.

People with Mars in the second can be extremely possessive. They cannot tolerate infidelity, which feels much too threatening to their security. The person they desire is thought of as a prized possession and is not to be shared. These people may lavish expensive gifts on their partners in order to bind them, and they may then feel that they are 'owed' sex.

Sex can be a huge issue to these people, as their value as a person is bound up with their sexuality. Because of this, there can be an overemphasis on performance and technique - there is too much at stake to leave things to chance. To them, sexual prowess means security, and order to feel secure they need to have an active and successful sex life. Because sex is so important to them, they do not enter into sexual relationships lightly. Their sexuality is of great value to them, and they do not give it away easily. There is also a tendency to use sex as a bargaining counter.

Loyalty and commitment are very important to people with a second-house Mars; and they are not comfortable with promiscuity. These people have a solidity and depth which feels reassuring to others. They offer security and stability, and do not change their desires easily. There is a tendency for them to be very cautious about becoming involved - sex is a serious and long-term proposition to them, and they like to build solid foundations, to know a person well before they embark on a sexual relationship. They will want to know that they are going to get a good return on their investment!

People with Mars in the second need a lot of physical contact, and will enjoy being caressed and massaged by their lover. They will need to be touched a lot in order to feel desired, and will, in turn, show their own desire in a very physical way. Because they are so tactile, they get great pleasure from sensuous luxuries like silk sheets; and it will be important to them that their surroundings are comfortable and pleasing.

Mars in 2nd House: These people don't want to deny themselves any sexual experiences if Mars is in Fire or Water. They are more likely to accept restraint in Air or Earth. This makes for a hectic emotional life. Out of forty-seven celebrity charts with this Mars, only four were those of women (and one of them took a man's name). Women with this Mars usually have too exciting or time-consuming an emotional life to have anything to spare for a career.

In other ways, it can be a conservative position, reinforcing basic values: home, family, mother, mate, church, and so on, although the drive for sex experience can act as an undertow. If there isn't frequent sex, there is the desire for it; or, in Air, a great deal of thought about it. These people usually have an aura of sexual power, machismo, or seductive femininity. With other factors that indicate the same thing, it can testify to homosexuality, or at least to some homosexual or bisexual experiences. With very severe bad aspects, there can be serious sex deviations and problems.

There is a lot of drive and energy in this location; but, unless there are strong humanitarian testimonies, it will be primarily motivated by a desire for self-gratification. They are usually well aware of what side their bread is buttered on, and will rarely act so as to endanger income, property, or social status. If social determinants prevent them from gratifying their sexual desires, it will set up a terrific conflict within them, and they will try hard to find a way to have it both ways.

They are apt to be rather cynical and not terribly idealistic, unless other aspects show that strongly. They are also apt to be loners, and to stand apart from the rest of society in some way. They may feel somewhat misunderstood or isolated. With bad aspects, this can become paranoia, wife-beating, bar-brawling, or such; even (with other testimony) the total isolation of madness.

There is the danger of an early removal from the action; exile, loss of power in a coup, or something of the sort that keeps them on the sidelines for a long period. This position of Mars requires good supportive aspects and the utmost patience to bearing anything to fruition.

Mars in 2nd House: Self-worth: With Mars in the 2nd house, self-judgment is both a desire and a struggle. You must assert yourself to gain personal value. You must push for it, and often fight for it. There can be inner arguments, pitched battles surrounding the issue. Inverted anger directed at yourself is the pitfall; and the challenge is to aggressively destroy negative feelings you may discover yourself to believe, to consume them in the flame of desire for good feeling and the kinetic movement of productive action.

Possession: You exert considerable energy around the issue of ownership. There are territorial battles; you must fight for what belongs to you. Conquest is emphasized in the desire to prove your mettle through territorial expansion. The focus is usually on acquisition rather than preservation or maintenance. The challenge is to keep moving forward, moving through possessions, not looking back, and to regard the issue of ownership as a field of honor.

Money: Both the acquisition and the use of monetary resources are experienced as issues of considerable heat within your personality. At times this is felt and expressed as passionate interest, at other times as angry aggression. Money is often a battleground for proving the courage and assertiveness of the self. There is great desire for personal resources and the power they provide, for wealth is symbolic of victory, and it is occasionally used as a weapon in the struggle for personal success, although its primary use is acceleration - to enable you to move with speed. The challenge is to compete with full power, but by the rules. Be sure that competition is primarily with yourself rather than against others.

Self-exertion: You are like a racehorse that loves to run. Long, complicated work rituals are not your forte; you are more sprinter than long-distance runner. The natural orientation is to race flat-out for a clearly visible finish-line. Nor are you a craftsman, for precision, polishing, and detail work are uninteresting. Mistakes are inevitable, and often overlooked, necessitating that some jobs be done over. Physical effort with a strong emotional component is ideal for this placement; and there is a strong crisis orientation, a 'rising to the occasion'. Don't go around obstacles; push through them instead, tackling each problem one at a time. The challenge is to keep your motivation high, and confront problems directly.

Sensuality: Sensation and desire come together. There is not nearly the emphasis on pleasure that Venus experiences, but instead a passionate fire aroused through touch. This fire builds from a spark into a flame, and can explode into a conflagration of activity and kinetic urgency. Similarly, desire and emotional heat are experienced more in the body than in the psyche, for physicality is the natural area of aggression. The pitfall is that such explosive energies can sometimes be disrespectful to your body when touch is made into a field of combat rather than a source of pleasure. The challenge is to use sensuality in an assertive way, as the cutting edge of the psyche, but to remember also that full sexuality involves a great deal more than simple physicality. It can begin with the body, but it must end with the soul.

Mars in 2nd House: You capitalize on all your resources to get what you want when you want it. A free spender, you will always need a good income to maintain stability, but sometimes you are careless in handling money. You are wary about forming close ties until you know the other person's motives, and you are cautious about contacts that might prove costly in the long run. You should be equally cautious in the way you handle your assets. You are quite clever in cultivating good relationships with your superiors, who are impressed with your ability to help them achieve their job objectives. Your skill in winning support in your profession will pay dividends when you are considered for promotion. In addition to knowing how to put your best foot forward, you also have some insight into your competitors' weaknesses, which gives you an advantage over them. Because you are reasonably ambitious, you could use this information to make substantial gains in your career.

In general, you understand your feelings, but you also are aware of other people's failings. You know how to be helpful to those who genuinely need assistance; but when you provide professional services, you expect to be well paid. You don't want to be obligated to others, for fear that this will indicate weakness on your part. You consider yourself quite self-sufficient. Your early environment gave you ample opportunities to learn to make your own way and earn security and independence. You are grateful for your parents' foresight in stimulating you to be self-reliant; and you know that they wanted you to realize your goals.

You are intimidated when you observe others, especially competitors, making gains from endeavors that you could have been involved in. You judge others by their professional accomplishments and resultant assets. It might be better to develop your own attributes. Others will admire you for your accomplishments if you put forth the energy to exploit your creative talents and if you are willing to forego some of life's pleasures while you pursue that goal. This is the only way you can achieve the stability in your affairs that will give you greater financial independence in your later years. Perhaps your children will provide the stimulus you need to succeed for yourself and to give them opportunities you might have missed.

In your search for ways to increase your earnings, you might overlook getting an education, which could simplify your problems. You must be willing to extend yourself, no matter how difficult it seems, to improve your skills through suitable training, either in formal, academic schooling or as an apprentice. It will be exciting when people seek your services, because they trust your ability to handle their affairs as though they were your own. This course will involve sacrifices, but the eventual dividends will make the sacrifices seem unimportant.

If you take enough time to plan your moves carefully, you will be abundantly rewarded for your efforts. Learn all you can about a situation before expressing your opinion. This will win people's respect and admiration for your rational attitude and incline them to request your services. Your drive and ambition attract notice, but you will have to control your easy-come, easy-go temperament, which might make some people apprehensive about putting their trust in you.

Mars in 2nd House: If we understand a planet in a house to define the way in which a person can best approach that area of life to unfold the potentiality, then Mars in the 2nd calls for aggressive, assertive and daring action in the pursuit of money and possessions. They may have to take risks and chances to attain what they so desperately want. Unfortunately, this 'go out and get it' quality may prove counter-productive if their manner is too rash, impatient and abrupt.

More generally, this placement describes a strong desire nature, with an urgency to enjoy the material world and the realm of the senses. While Venus in the 2nd turns on her seductive charms to allure and entice others to give her what she wants, Mars in this position operates more on the premise that 'I want what I want and I want it now'. If those with Mars in the 2nd don't take the initiative to go after what they want themselves, then they reach in the cupboard for their favorite whine: 'Give me, bring me, buy me, take me!' They also might take out their aggression on objects, smashing a prized vase to underline a point during an argument.

On a more positive note, their innate inner resources are characterized by courage and initiative, and they could excel at any work which required these qualities. They will defend and fight for what they value, although they could also force what they value onto others.

For them, money and possessions are concrete symbols of their power and strength. In fact, we can understand these people better if we realize that they are basically trying to assert and affirm their individual existence, 'alive-ness' and vitality (Mars) by showing the world just how effectively they can go out and get what they want (2nd). (Even so, I would still keep my distance from them on the first day of the Harrods sale.)

See also: Mars in the 2nd House;

Mars in the 2nd House: Alan Arkin, Marlon Brando, G.W. Bush, Cher, Ty Cobb, Robert Downey, Jr., Bob Dylan, Thomas Edison, Sally Field, Mahatma Gandhi, Uri Geller, J.Paul Getty, William Randolph Hearst, L.Ron Hubbard, Michael Jackson, Martin Luther King, Jr., John Malkovich, Bob Marley, Groucho Marx, Brad Pitt, David Rockefeller, Albert Schweitzer, Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Joanne Woodward, Eva (end), Fergus, Ivy, JJ, LucSr, Marcy, Nirvesh, Raga, River, VinCar

Mars in the 3rd House

When you're talking with people, be sure to keep your impulsive streak under control; otherwise, you may find yourself having to eat your words fairly often. You're frank, determined, and sometimes pushy. You're also a risk-taker. If Mars makes any aspect to Uranus, fear isn't in your vocabulary. You'll fight for yourself and your beliefs. You'll also fight on behalf of your neighborhood and family. But if neighbors, siblings, cousins and the like disagree with you, you can just as easily fight with them instead of for them. Mars here as part of a Yod indicates dealings with extremely excitable, possibly unstable people on a daily basis.

Mars here might say you want a well-read lover, but probably it's also saying you want a sexually experienced lover. You probably have quite definite opinions about what you do and don't enjoy and quite specific requirements about your mate / lover's attitudes, sense of humor, interests, and so on. More about these can be told by looking at your Mars sign and aspects.

Your motivational level is good. The tempo of activity in your life is apt to be fairly brisk. You sometimes make your own bad luck by trying to coerce others into believing as you do or doing what you say. This generally happens when you're feeling insecure for some reason; it's a form of over-compensation. It can result in you having doors slammed in your face even though your skills or ideas are worthy of consideration, so watch this tendency. Your best opportunities are often connected with writing and other sorts of mental work - the harder, the better. For that reason, a good education would be a great asset.

The third house has to do with mental interests to be furthered and communications skills to be developed. If Mars is here in the solar 3rd house, I take it as an indicator of mental maturity. In times of stress, there will be a tendency to act without thinking because in the past communication has been more physical than mental. Otherwise, there will be an abundance of mental energy that can be used to further your goals in whatever manner you choose. Actions will involve learning right thinking, learning the consequences of too-impulsive thinking, and / or learning to compromise.

Mars in 3rd House: To the person with Mars in the third, verbal communication is of vital importance. These people get a buzz from verbal sparring and arguing with their partner, and indeed often sharply attack those to whom they are attracted. They tend to use words as weapons; and the stronger the attraction, the more fiercely they attack!

These people need to be able to express their anger verbally, and it is important for them to speak up and ask for what they want. If these things are suppressed, then energy levels in general and sexual desire in particular will suffer.

There is a need to talk about what interests them and excites them with their partner, and to be active with them - being out and about, doing lots of things. They will also want to talk about everything they do; and they become very animated when discussing the things that interest them.

These people get very excited about ideas and words, and this feeds into their sexual energy, so there is a strong need for verbal exchanges and debates to keep desire alive. They are attracted to people who are mentally stimulating and exciting, and need this mental excitement to stay interested. If their mind is not stimulated, they will soon lose interest physically as well.

Constant contact and communication with their lover is important, and they will be writing, phoning and sending cards to keep in touch when they are not together. They like to express how they feel verbally, using words like caresses. They will also need to receive these in order to feel desired, and will need to be talked to and listened to a lot by their partner. They will feel unwanted if their lover does not show interest by asking questions and telling them about what he / she has been doing.

People with Mars in the third tend to think about sex a lot, and can be sustained by sex in the mind, which may sometimes seem more satisfactory to them than the real thing. For them, sex is like a conversation between two people, and they like to be learning about the other person through it and communicating something about themselves. Making love is seen as talking to their partner in a deeper non-verbal way. Like conversation, sex can vary from a superficial chat to a deep communication; and the needs of people with Mars in the third vary too. Sometimes they will be happy with something light and playful, while at others they will need soul-to-soul communication. A satisfactory dialogue of touch will be more important to them than physical satisfaction. It is what the other person is saying that counts, not physical technique. For these people, the desire for sex is closely bound up with the need to express their feelings in a way that is more profound than words can ever be.

Mars in 3rd House: Those with a third house Mars are fearless about exploring anything that is new and untried. Eternally youthful, they are forever in search of new and better methods, better places and ways to live, deeper and more fundamental truths. It is a good location for inventors and scientists, although anyone with this Mars will be inventive and have the true scientific spirit. There is an experimental attitude towards life; if one thing does not work out, they'll try another. Once something has been tried, though, they tend to lose interest; so this isn't a particularly good aspect for business or career, unless other factors show it, such as Mars in Capricorn or Virgo. Unless they have the Sun, Moon, Venus, Neptune or Jupiter in a Water sign, they will be likely to experiment with their emotional life as well.

Their energy level fluctuates at this angle; they must learn how to work hard and then relax completely, or they will slow to a crawl. They need to keep going several projects that require different energy levels, so that when one kind of energy is used up they can switch to another.

They are good communicators, able to convey and understand ideas without confusion, unless there is much contact with Neptune or the Moon, in which case they learn by doing and may have hard time expressing themselves verbally. They are inclined to speak too rapidly, and sometimes too forcefully. If there are bad aspects from Uranus and / or Mercury, they may suffer from a speech impediment of some sort.

This is an excellent position for athletes such as swimmers, tennis players, golfers, or equestrians, where the accent is more on form and style and less on sheer power. It is excellent for entertainers of all kinds, especially dancers. It contributes to the ability to blend several talents, such as dancing, singing, comedy, mime, and acting, or writing, performing, directing, and producing. Whatever they choose to do, they are usually graceful at all the social arts, able to speak well and amusingly, and able to do the latest dances and to dress stylishly.

They are quick to learn in school, though they may get in trouble for being too restless or too outspoken in class. They don't like to sit still for too long, and always need plenty of exercise or they will be nervous and jumpy, or will rely on substances like coffee, cigarettes, pills, etc., to keep them going. Jogging, walking, and riding bicycles are much healthier ways for them to use, stimulate, and regulate their energies.

They are apt to have a highly competitive relationship with at least one sibling, and, at least once in their lives, a physical or verbal battle with a neighbor. If there are squares to Mars, there may be many such battles.

They love to be on the move, and will drop everything and take off at a moment's notice. They are good drivers, though they tend to go too fast and, with squares or oppositions, may be accident-prone. They love to drive everything from a tractor to an airplane, and make excellent race drivers and pilots. They love to explore, take dares, set records, and do things no one has ever done before.

Mars in 3rd House: Outreach: Mars in the 3rd indicates that the focus of assertive energies is directed into daily activity through the immediate environment. You 'shoot' yourself into the world. Depending on the sign quality of Mars, this can be reflected in a pointed, almost laser-like approach, somewhat on the order of a 'self-arrow', or it can be more spread, more shotgun-like, a splay pattern of 'self-pellets' covering a broad range of activity. Regardless of the bore and the gauge, Mars here indicates an urgency toward real action, revealing a person who must push into external surroundings. A self-starter, you are almost always busy, relentlessly confronting some obstacle or problem in the environment. Objectives are usually short-term, and results must be immediate. The challenge here is to keep emotionally steady in personal centeredness, to regulate the energies of desire so they're competitive but fair and even-tempered. Master the physical release of aggression; conquer the environment, but do not destroy it, and remember that people are more than objects in a force field.

Concrete mind: You are a mental warrior, passionately involved in the mission to seek out and capture the essence of information. The mind becomes keen, even combative in the desire to prove points by cutting through irrelevance to the very heart of the matter, and vanquishing opponents by the superior use of mental weapons - the 'sword' of acute perception and the 'shield' of logic. Sometimes, however, the game of mental victory becomes more important than life or truth, and the pitfall of mental vanity can lead to dishonor: bending the facts to support your own bias. The challenge is to use reason as a surgical instrument cutting away façades of deception to reveal deeper truths, and finally the wisdom hidden within.

Curiosity: Curiosity here is razor-sharp, a siren sounding a red alert that mobilizes the entire being. It is a very basic itch, and you're not likely to hesitate in scratching it. The relation between subject and object is interesting: initially, it is what catches your attention that galvanizes you; but once aware of your desire, it becomes the drive to know that's your focus of attention. The object changes from a curiosity into a target.

Basic education: Physical skills often develop early; and all games and sports are excellent vehicles for learning. Getting along with others is not likely to be one of the easier facets of this placement, however, for aggression and territoriality are quite strong in ordinary socialization. Early education tends to be an arena for conflict; but curiously, this is often quite positive, for it can lead later in life to an incisive and inquiring mentality.

Communication: The speaking voice is direct, urgent, and often sharp. Speed and power rather than beauty and form are the emphasized qualities. The words themselves as well as the style of delivery are chosen for maximum impact; and they often seem to explode out to the listener. You make your points with certainty, leaving no margin for doubt or interpretation. Confrontation replaces tact, and volume replaces grace, for mental competition is the keynote, mental victory the ambition. Others should not engage you in conversation unless they are prepared for at least subtle combat.

Mars in 3rd House: You are a master at debate, and no one who has provoked you will ever forget the verbal attack you unleashed. While you may not be physically violent, you lack tact and self-discipline when challenged. This same lack of control also causes some problems in getting your ideas into shape so you can more effectively achieve your ambitions. No-one questions your honesty. (They wouldn't dare.) But your methods leave much to be desired. Still, your friends usually support you in your endeavors, for which you should be grateful. Your competitors are impressed by your exciting display of aggression and fascinated by how successful your suggestions are in stimulating an active response from others. You apply the same leverage in your more personal and intimate relationships; and few people can resist you when you dramatize your feelings about them.

In your eagerness to be in on the activity around you, you skillfully maneuver yourself into positions where others must turn to you for stimulus. Though your antics often get you into hot water, some people may thank you for urging them to seize an opportunity that they might otherwise have missed. In your romantic escapades, you rarely accept 'no' for an answer, and you usually have a sizable list of partners to choose from to satisfy your needs. You are something of a gambler at heart, but you take risks only when there is a high probability of success.

Even when gainfully employed, you constantly seek to improve your position through additional training and education. You want to be ready when a challenging opportunity for which you must compete comes along. Your greatest liability is not knowing when to be silent. Your arrogant self-confidence masks the fact that you can't stand to be upstaged; but becoming better informed will make this dodge completely unnecessary. You can then put all your energy into finding the best way to apply your talents.

Most people are envious of how much work you accomplish; and of course your superiors are delighted. Your driving ambition to succeed and gain the recognition you deserve may bring on some problems with the people you work for, if your efforts remind them of their inadequate performance. You have the necessary drive to succeed in advising others about their financial affairs. Not only do you appear concerned about their best interests, you truly are. You know how people are motivated by their desires, and you have little difficulty making the right contacts, whether in your work or to satisfy your own physical needs.

Your aggressive nature might have caused you some anxious moments while you were growing up, when you had to confine yourself to the limits imposed by your parents. They may have considered you too big for your britches then, or simply reckless and immature. Your need to demonstrate your independence might have alienated you from them. Your subsequent development made you realize that you had to act when you felt that it was appropriate, knowing that 'he who hesitates is lost'. Even now, you aren't easily dissuaded by people who say that your plans won't work, and you always manage to prove them wrong.

Mars in 3rd House: By asserting themselves on the environment (usually through their words, opinions, knowledge or points of view), people with Mars in the 3rd affirm their power, vitality and existence. Although many of us are afraid to say what we really think, this is precisely what those with Mars in the 3rd must do - if possible, of course, with tact, the universal antidote to a bad case of Mars.

Some may be afraid that being clear and direct is too rude or blunt. As a result, instead of saying what they really want to say, they resort to dropping large hints and heaving great sighs. Unfortunately, in any house containing Mars there appears to be a kind of storage tank which can accommodate only a certain amount of unexpressed thought, feeling or action before it blows up and makes a huge mess. Ultimately, with Mars in the 3rd, it is better to say what one is feeling or thinking rather than suppressing anything for too long.

There is usually an active, eager mind with quick repartee. A piercing intellect, a strong vocabulary or sharp verbal ability may be stockpiled as the necessary weapons with which to mount any advance. Although sometimes those with a 3rd house Mars may 'ram' their thoughts down another person's throat, their words also have the capacity to arouse others to action. Then again, they may spend as much time fighting their own thoughts as challenging those of other people. They can attack any subject of interest with zeal; and there is a natural desire to talk or write about whatever excites them. Some may 'blow off steam' through writing down their thoughts and feelings. A good form of self-therapy might be composing an angry letter to someone with whom they are furious, and then ripping it up.

Those with Mars in the 3rd find their own initiative and learn how to assert themselves by constellating power games with others in the early environment. Therefore, this is one of the prime placements for conflicts with siblings, teachers and neighbors. However, when caught for something they shouldn't be doing, rather than owning responsibility, they may exclaim that it was their brother or sister, something they read, or a video nasty which put them up to it.

Because of a restless and highly strung nervous system, these people should strive to develop some degree of control and caution, especially on any form of journey or travel. Mars in the 3rd may also need to 'siphon off' excess energy through sport and exercise. Some may find tinkering with the car or other mechanical things relaxing.

It is an old adage that 'thoughts have wings'. Mars in the 3rd is powerful on the mental plane; and any strongly felt thought could affect the environment whether or not it is directly spoken or acted upon. In a sense, the mind is like a sharp instrument or tool, which if handled in the right fashion can be highly effective in cutting through anything, but if employed incorrectly can be dangerous and destructive, both to the self and to others. Regardless of the aspects to Mars, it is ultimately this person's choice which way the implement is used.

See also: Mars in the 3rd House;

Mars in the 3rd House: Warren Beatty, Shirley Temple Black, Helena Blavatsky, Jim Carrey, John Dillinger, George Harrison, Bill Hicks, Alfred Hitchcock, Elton John, U.G. Krishnamurti, Paul Newman, Nisargadatta, Bruce Springsteen, Brian Wilson, Mark Zuckerberg, Dewitt, Elijah, Eva (cusp), Flossie, JerGar, JRosh, Judin, Jyothi, Leigh, Pete, Ricardo

Mars in the 4th House

You may have sudden, inexplicably touchy spells. You're a hard worker in your home and / or for your loved ones, and are normally energetic (although if Mars is in a Water sign your energy may be more emotional than physical). Possibly you lost a parent in childhood or came from a home where fighting was common. Early on in your life, strong desires for independence and security came to the fore. These are what motivate you; and no doubt what you gain in these areas will be retained well into old age and perhaps throughout your life. Sometimes people with this aspect prefer not to marry; but they nearly always want their own home. Mars here under stress can be a troublemaker, a disturber of the status quo. Watch that!

Mars here says your wants are pretty basic - love, loyalty, a home, an even temper. One thing you want is a sense of shared past or similar background. You may insist on knowing your mate / lover's romantic history before committing yourself.

You're often motivated by hidden or subconscious factors that are triggered by environmental stimuli and stir your instinctive defense mechanisms. Lucky breaks are apt to be connected with your home and / or birthplace; at least a great deal of your activity may be connected with these (sometimes it's getting away from them which leads to lucky breaks!) To a lesser extent, lucky breaks may be connected with some sort of serious involvement with community recreation or promoting local businesses. Career activities tend not to offer too many opportunities as a rule, either because you're a rather private person or sometimes because of a militant or egotistical approach that turns people off.

The fourth house has to do with your home environment as well as your emotional and metaphysical development. If Mars is here, it suggests quite a strong emphasis on creative and / or psychic energy, which has developed over several lifetimes, but hasn't been used constructively. In the past, impatience has gotten the better of you, and caused you to leave many things uncompleted or badly done. This tendency is still with you and will have to be watched closely. Your actions will involve finding a constructive outlet for your creativity and / or psychic ability, learning to develop thoroughness in your chosen field, and learning to tone down strong emotions that interfere with your ability to follow your chosen path.

Mars in 4th House: A person with Mars in the fourth needs deep emotional connections and puts a lot of energy into close relationships. Sex tends to stir up lots of buried feelings and anger from early life, and carries the weight of past hurts, which makes intimate relationships very volatile. This person may have come from a family background where there were big issues around sexuality with a lot of unspoken undercurrents around at home.

These people's need to feel emotionally secure in order to enjoy sex means that they feel uncomfortable with casual sex. They will feel most at ease with a live-in lover, which gives them both the security they need and plenty of time simply to be with that person.

People with Mars in the fourth often have periods when they feel the need to withdraw from relationships altogether. They are affected at a deep level, and therefore need time alone to restore themselves after a relationship has ended. This allows feelings and memories to surface so that they can digest and reassess them.

For these people, a strong, secure emotional relationship gives them a solid base from which they can operate. They feel freer and more able to go out into the world and fight for what they want if they have this.

A secure home is also a vital necessity for their security. They need to feel in control of where they live, and will fight fiercely to keep it. Obtaining and maintaining their own living space is a powerful motivating factor; and they will focus a great deal of energy on this. A lot of effort is put into getting their home exactly as they want it; and they tend to be frequently reorganizing and redecorating it. Doing things around the home is restoring and energizing to them.

Their strong feelings about their home may create conflict with whose they live with, especially if they do not have the same values and attitude. However, with someone who shares their tastes and objectives, getting a home together and working on it will bring deep satisfaction, strengthening the bond between them and fostering sexual desire. Because of this, actually living together can seem vitally important to the fourth house Mars people. To them it feels essential to the survival of the relationship. They are strongly territorial both about their home and about their partner, and want the security of knowing that they belong to him / her alone.

Mars in 4th House: Microcosm: With Mars in the 4th, your inner sanctum is constructed around the imagery and feeling of desire. What you want becomes almost sacredly personal. Your inner focus is honed to a razor's edge. But you may experience caution around overtly going after what you want. The pitfall involves this tendency to postpone action and thus inadvertently delay fulfillment; too often, you want to be sure you're safe before you act. The challenge is to express desire with all the depth it deserves.

Personal security: Security is much desired, but difficult to achieve, in large part because you are by nature polarized toward those closest to you. You want so much with them and from them that ordinary fulfillment is sometimes not enough. You tend to be extremely sentimental and protective; but remember that even softness can be smothering. As an adult, you're concerned with the scars of the past. You want to clear the air with your family, to get one clean shot at making your points, so you can finally connect with them on your own terms. The pitfalls are continual restlessness and a lack of true relaxation, while the challenge is to learn the difference between passion and aggression.

Emotional imprints: Your imprints were probably more event-oriented than would be the case with most of the other planets. Peak experiences were more significant than subtler conditioning; and the classical assumptions of childhood trauma, especially separations, have greater relevance if they occurred. The sheer weight of territoriality was a profound influence: fighting for what was 'mine'. You felt you were being judged according to male standards: desire, assertiveness, and willful action.

'Inner-link' parent: Here we see a contradiction, a masculine symbol in the mother's area. It can indicate a number of distinctly different possibility. If your mother was feminine on the surface, you still felt her masculinity assert itself often. She might have been a woman of high energies, the natural ruler of the roost, someone who could easily have mover her talents into the external world of cultural power.

On the other hand, your father may have taken over some of the classical duties of motherhood. Or you could have imprinted on the urgency of your relationship for him, with desire spilling over into interaction. This placement sometimes indicates long-standing disputes or bitterness with parents, often resulting from a conflict in the parent-child roles. However, even when that is the case, there is a sense of strength that pervades the imprints.

Private intuition: your relationship to inner guidance moves through heated and volatile exchanges. You go within to energize yourself, to charge your batteries, to light the flames of desire. Again and again, you momentarily withdraw from the world during times of difficulty, only to emerge soon after with an entirely new direction or fresh approach, almost like a slingshot. Your guides often remind you of what you truly want. They are not, however, always friendly. Often they confront you, pushing you to get up once more, to live your life adventurously and with real passion.

Mars in 4th House: Anything in the 4th house may be hidden from view. But, sooner or later, the drive to express the self latent in a 4th house Mars can no longer remain underground. And like anything which has been locked away for any length of time in the basement, it is not likely to be very pretty when you finally let it out. This placement suggests a hidden aggressiveness and anger that needs to be brought to the surface, analyzed, re-integrated into the personality, and consciously directed to constructive ends. At first Mars may appear as intense fury and rage, erupting volcanically all over the place, surprising both those who spew it and anybody within close range. Once the Mars is 'freed', however, those with this placement eventually grow more adept and graceful at expressing and honoring everything that is going on inside them - the nasty bits as well as the good. Reconnecting to a 4th house Mars, like drinking a well-known beer, enlivens the parts other planets can't reach. A kind of juicy vitality which wasn't there before pervades much more of the life.

When most people come home to roost after a hard day's work, they just want to take off their shoes, mix a drink, put their feet up and watch television. But for those with Mars in the 4th, it is after they've 'clocked off' that their day begins. It is within the home sphere and personal life that they are likely to evince their greatest drive and enterprise, not to mention their domineering and aggressive streaks. In this respect, they are not unlike a certain type of creature called a cichlid fish. These war-like fish need other fish on whom they can vent their aggression. If a pair of them is isolated from a tank containing other fish, then the male will turn his aggression towards his spouse and offspring. Similarly, those with Mars in the 4th may displaces the anger they feel but don't express to other people onto those innocently waiting for them back at home. Well-mannered and docile at work, they may come home spoiling for a fight. Aggression can be displaced in other ways however: digging in the garden, building an extension on the house, provoking someone to get angry at them, or falling down the stairs, etc..

The father (or hidden parent) may be experienced as powerful and masterly, or as pushy, argumentative, sexual and potentially violent. Those with this placement may have to do battle with the father in order to reclaim their own sense of autonomy and freedom of expression. They may not succeed in this until they establish a home of their own; and there is usually a strong urge to do so. Often they are descended from a background of 'survivors'; and they, too, possess a mighty resilience - they can only be held down for so long before they bounce back fighting.

Mars in 4th House: You are annoyed when conditions force you to submit to other people's demands. As you grew up, you felt resentful when you had to fulfill family obligations or take on other people's responsibilities. You wanted to be independent as soon as possible, even though it caused some bitterness at home. You especially want to make your own way and make your own mistakes, which is part of the maturing process. There will be hazards to face; and you must accept full responsibility for your actions. Your best path for development would be through some broad social program where your efforts can have the best results. You will have to be discriminating in choosing who to associate with in your endeavors. Because you encourage people to trust you and believe that you understand their problems, it is important not to violate their confidence.

You believe that actions speak louder than words as you strive to acquire the necessary financial resources to fulfill your ambitions. You find it especially upsetting to be without funds, and you make a point of knowing as much as possible about money and devising schemes to earn it. You equate freedom with financial independence, but you should develop human qualities to offset any lean periods. People tend to help those who demonstrate admirable qualities and shun those who are totally preoccupied with money. You must work hard to develop friendships that will benefit you when you are in need, and learn to make concessions to others, for their priorities are as important to them as yours are to you.

Your greatest difficulties will come when you face reversals or rejection in your career. Establishing goals within reasonably safe limits will allow you to gain experience and proficiency in your field. Don't try to fulfill your parents' expectations, for the only potentials you must live up to are your own. Once you are independent, you are accountable only to yourself. Take advantage of opportunities offered by your associates, and learn why your competitors sometimes fail. Your partner could be a valuable source of creative imagination if you listen to his or her ideas. You are stimulated when your mate admires your successes, and comforted by support when things go wrong.

Be very careful of friends who are always asking favors. See to it that you help only those who deserve it. Work out a program of action designed to give you the security you need for your later years. You will be guided by the sound ethical standards you learned in your formative years. Getting an education will extend the limits of your goals and give you the necessary leverage to successfully meet any challenge without having to resort to questionable practices.

You have to learn the hard way, but you never forget what you learn. Your greatest asset is your ability to put your ideas into action, if you can learn not to act until you have fully explored the consequences. Probably you want to make substantial gains in your career before considering marriage; and that is the course you should take. You cannot afford the responsibilities and limitations of a family while you are trying to establish a place in your career. You need as much mobility as possible during this period of your life.

Mars in 4th House: This is a difficult spot for Mars: square to the Ascendant, opposed to the Midheaven, and submerged in the lowest sector of the chart. However, these very difficulties often stimulate it to great effort, so that although it doesn't always show forth as great external accomplishment, it almost always shows a life of great growth and inner development.

This placement almost always indicates a heavy relationship with the mother that marks the entire life. The mother is apt to be domineering, though if aspects are supportive, this may simply show as strength and support without her will being imposed to too great a degree. In any case, the mother outshines the father, who may die or leave the home during childhood. If the Moon is here, or Neptune, or if Mars is in Cancer or Pisces, there is sorrow added - the mother suffers, is ill, or is unhappy or hysterical. Or, she may die, leaving them with lifelong emotional pain and guilt. This can result in alcoholism and, possibly (with enough other testimony), suicide.

In a man's chart, Mars in the fourth is apt to make him strong-willed, sometimes even harsh or cruel toward his wife and children, perhaps to compensate for having to endure his mother's problems. Having children of his own may appear to him to be a burden and a sorrow rather than a joy. In a woman's chart, it makes it hard for her to be receptive toward other women, particularly older women; and she may be unresponsive to her own children, due to pent-up anger or grief.

A fourth-house Mars with squares, inconjuncts and oppositions almost always points to a hectic, disorderly home in childhood, with the possibility of physical or emotional violence. This difficult home atmosphere may be reproduced in the adult home as well. People with these chart conditions would benefit from therapy.

This may not be the easiest location for Mars, but it can act as a goad, prodding them toward self-mastery and accomplishment, if only to escape or rise above the early home environment. It forces them to consider basic values, to decide what is real versus what isn't, to set priorities, and to act upon them. It is the sign of those who must pull themselves up by their bootstraps. It is a sort of 'make or break' factor; they will either succumb and allow life to turn them into something they themselves cannot respect, or they will fight to improve themselves and their lot. In the one case, they will be self-pitying, filled with anger and blame and inclined to take out their feelings on those weaker; in the other, they will be philosophical, feel pity for those who mistreated or neglected them, and be kind and tender to those weaker than themselves.

It gives a good deal of strength to understand the ups and downs of fortune in either case, and generally gives a firm grip on life. It can testify to a long, productive life, or to an early, usually violent death, depending on various other factors. It can also be partial testimony to death by accident. In any case, there will probably be a close call early in life that shocks them into caution and awareness.

Mars at this angle doesn't have the power that it has on the other angles to bring things about rapidly; but it does have stick-to-it-iveness, follow-through and bounce back, and it can accomplish a lot over a life-time. It does give the power to start something new, a new way of doing things, new ideas, that take a lifetime of dedication to instill, and often bring more renown to those who come after than to those whose vision it was in the first place. Sometimes it means that they have a greater effect on later generations than on their own.

Often, it means that they leave home and live the rest of their lives far from native roots. If Mars is in Gemini or Sagittarius, they may never stay anywhere long enough to put down roots of their own. If it is in Earth or Water signs, they may build their own home, or sacrifice much to acquire land and property or a home of their own. With bad aspects, there is danger to the home, particularly from fire. It is a good location for construction workers, builders, and architects.

See also: Mars in the 4th House;

Mars in the 4th House: George Carlin, Wilt Chamberlain, Dick Cheney, John Dee, Walt Disney, Isadora Duncan, Bill Gates, Melanie Griffith, Georges Gurdjieff, Tenzin Gyatso, Michael Jordan, Donovan Leitch, George Patton, Ayn Rand, JerryGr, Kyle, Mark, Marybeth, Michael, Ralph, ScottS, Tom

Mars in the 5th House

Creative and passionate, when you meet someone you like, you probably won't take 'no' for an answer! There'll probably be lots of romances in your life for that reason. You should be able to work well with children; you may also have aptitudes for acting or dancing. If you have children of your own, they'll probably be a lively bunch, and there's a good chance the first-born will be a male. One of your children is apt to be extremely stubborn, and may cause some unhappiness in your life.

Mars here says you want to be entertained. You therefore may have a greater than otherwise desire for sexual pleasure. But more than this, you want a mate with a zest for living.

A need to be yourself is what motivates your actions more than anything else. If you have children, or work with children, they can be a source of lucky breaks. Interests in theatre, fitness, sports, or alternative lifestyles might also be good sources. If opportunities aren't coming your way, it may be because you lack discipline, since if you don't want to do something, your tendency is to procrastinate in the hopes that the need to do it will just go away. Unfortunately, it won't; and if you procrastinate for too long, you'll only wind up being unprepared when opportunity knocks.

The fifth house is that of creativity and self-expression. Like all of the fixed houses ¬the second, fifth, eighth, and eleventh - this is a regenerative house. Planets here push you to do something with what you have. 'What you have' can be material or strictly potential. In any case, when you find planets in this house (or any of the other fixed houses) you're being told 'use it or lose it'. Of course, you can use it constructively or destructively, as you choose. If Mars is here, you're due for a lesson in self-control. There's a tendency to put all your energies into one area to the detriment of the rest of your life. Most often, sex is the focal point; but less frequently it's a child or a business of your own that dominates your life. Selfishness has been a stumbling block for you in past lives; it can be again if you're not careful. Or you may pay your debts by experiencing a less-than-delightful relationship with a self-centered lover, bringing up a self-centered and difficult child, or finding obstacles in the career area, perhaps because those in a position to help you see you as a threat. There tends to be a perceived lack of freedom when Mars is here. My guess is that you abused or refused freedom in the past and are now paying the piper. Not fun, but unless there's a slow-moving planet here, you chose this path of your own volition and undoubtedly you're capable of gaining from it.

Mars in 5th House: People with Mars in the fifth put a lot of energy into pleasure and play. The arts, entertainment and sport all increase their sense of aliveness and vitality. Pursuing these pleasures with their partner keeps their relationship alive and stimulates their sexuality, so it is vital to them that their lovers share their enthusiasm for these things. They tend to be attracted to those who are artistic, creative and entertaining. They want to have fun in their relationships, and will become restless and dissatisfied if too much time is spent on boring domestic activities.

Children are very important to these people, and they will give a lot of time and energy to them, especially playing with them and entertaining them. If things are not going well in their relationships, they may tend to sublimate their sexual energy into their children, gaining vicarious satisfaction from their successes and wanting them to live out their Mars energy for them. They may tend to be like a suitor with their children, especially an opposite sex child, taking them out to dinner and treating them to things, enjoying doing things on their own together.

Sex may tend to be like a sport to them; and they enjoy taking risks and gambling with it. Having an affair, while it puts their main relationship at risk, will be a thrill which adds to the excitement of both; but they will be devastated if their partner is unfaithful. It will be a terrible blow to their pride, implying that they are not good enough. This can make them rather possessive, expecting absolute loyalty of their partner while feeling that they have the right to do as they please themselves.

People with Mars in the fifth tend to see themselves as rather romantic figures, courting those they desire by wining and dining them, taking them out on holiday ¬winning them with gifts and being lavish with both money and attention. They want to impress, and may splash money around in order to do this. Strained finances can make them feel very depressed, lowering their libido and hurting their pride. If they cannot be generous and make big gestures, they feel less potent and alive.

Sex is very important to these people, as it is a means of self-expression for them, increasing their sense of identity and pride in themselves. For these people, sex can be rather like a performance - they want appreciation for their sexual prowess. They have to prove themselves the best and be suitably rewarded.

In order to feel desired, they need a lot of attention and appreciation; and in return they give a tremendous amount, and are able to make those they desire feel really special. They are generous and fun; and relationships with them are warm, romantic and rewarding. Nothing gives them greater pleasure than to make someone else happy.

Mars in 5th House: This location of Mars gives a powerful will. It is a partial testimony to the self-made man or woman. It is a very strong testimony to career success. Mars at the 120 degree (trine) angle to both the Ascendant and the Midheaven gives a powerful drive that can be applied to any chosen end.

These people exert a magnetic fascination for others, but as performers they have a hard time because they find it so difficult to take direction, except from those few they truly respect. They may have a hard time in childhood because they hate to be told what to do. They were eager to grow up and form their lives for themselves. They can't work for others for long, but must control their own destiny, and will do so, as soon as possible. Sometimes, they launch out into business for themselves at an astonishingly early age.

They are very sexual, and, if there is other testimony to homosexuality, this will strengthen it. Bisexuality is possible with both sexes. The sex drive is intense and, with oppositions and squares and no trines or sextiles, it can be a problem, as ungratified desire can lead to violence of some sort. They are passionate and generous in love, and seek to gratify their partner as well as themselves. They are often too rapid in their responses for others, and must learn to go slowly. Their intense competitiveness can harm love relationships until they learn to use it in appropriate ways.

They are inclined to have children - possibly lots of them, with more males than females, all rambunctious and hard to control, but healthy, strong, and eager to learn. With bad aspects, there may be danger to the life of a child through fire, fever, or accident.

They are very creative, and generally have several hobbies that have a way of turning into income-producers. They usually like knives and metal tools, and will try to become proficient in their use. They may also like guns, even though they may not totally approve of their use, appreciating them for their workmanship, power, etc., rather than their killing potential. They enjoy using their bodies, and find it easy to stay in shape through regular exercise. This is an excellent position for a professional athlete or dancer. They are highly competitive, and enjoy sports and games where their competitiveness and combativeness can find a safe and enjoyable outlet.

They are gamblers, and are usually lucky. They like horse racing, card games, and all forms of wagering. They like taking risks of all sorts. If forced to stick too close to the straight and narrow, they get bored and become bad company, irritable and prone to temper. Parents of children with a fifth-house Mars must learn to let them discover their own limits earlier than most children do, because an overreaction against authority can bring on accidents or illness. They require training, but the child should set the pace, the parent acting only as watchdog. They rebel if forced, but, if given their own lead, will forge ahead with confidence.

People with Mars in the fifth are excellent natural leaders, and will pull others with them wherever they go. Their charisma is usually nonverbal; they will have an intimate circle who know them, while few outsiders will have any knowledge of what they are really like. Sometimes that circle is very small; but they don't care. It can be a placement of narcissism, too much self-interest, yet they continue to attract others who do not know them and who never will.

Although they love freedom, they also know that nothing happens without discipline. They are usually orderly at bottom, even if the surface sometimes looks a little confused, and demand that subordinates be the same. They are good teachers, inspiring but demanding. They do their best as leader of a team, a small, flexible unit that reports to a respected superiors (if to anyone) but functions apart. They don't like bosses looking over their shoulder, and they don't enjoy managing large groups. If they can, they will turn such a job over to someone else. It is a good position for an independent worker, someone who generates his or her own business or ideas.

With Mars in Water, they are extremely passionate, may be unreasonable or moody at times, may fantasize a lot, and may be in danger of going off the deep end over love or artistic projects. They may also be inclined to drink too much. With Mars in Air, they are usually very thoughtful of co-workers, lovers, friends and students, and are forceful and independent thinkers. With Mars in Fire, they may be too quick and too hot, self-willed and over-competitive, at least in youth. In Earth, they will be quite self-controlled and more likely to work steadily at a lifelong career than if Mars is in one of the other elements.

If Mars is in a cardinal sign, these individuals have strong, irresistible, but flexible wills. If it is in a fixed sign, they will be strong-willed, but inclined to be stubborn and inflexible. In a mutable sign, their own self-development may be more important to them than maintaining a career thrust.

Conscious persona: Mars in the 5th reveals that your conscious persona is spontaneous, direct, and very male in tone. Self-projection is autonomous and assertive, so much so that impact on others (the audience) can often become the main motivation. You're like a heat-seeking missile, hurling yourself onstage into the limelight. Desires for personal recognition and an ability to improvise in an immediate crisis are hallmarks. Your ego loves rising to the occasion. The pitfall involves overbearing penetration, while the challenge is to develop a razor-sharp, hawk like focus for brilliant activity.

Romance, giving love: You live on the passionate side of romance. There is tremendous urgency, a sense of conscious desire. That sense is competitive, almost challenging, just short of aggressive. You are the arrow streaking toward the bull's eye. The performance of love in courtship is more direct here than with any other placement, more physical, more immediate, and hair-triggered. You often won't take 'no' for an answer; and that is a serious pitfall. You can be fooled into believing receptivity exists where, in truth, it may not; but your special challenge is to create successful romance out of the sheer adrenaline of personal fire. Desire is everything.

Sexual performance: Mars is the complement to Venus, and in the 5th provides the male aspect of sexuality. This 'maleness' in sexual expression is appropriate regardless of your biological sex. It indicates a pressing drive in lovemaking, a sense of the warrior plunging into the breach, charging up the mountain. To say that this placement indicates a passionate nature is to revel in understatement. Sex is expressed in the most physical terms possible as bodies are made molten by the heat. The pitfall involves losing yourself too quickly in the push toward fulfillment and release, while the challenge is to reveal the desire inherent in a give relationship, allowing it to emerge fully.

Personal creativity: Creativity is not merely an event for you. Rather, it is the cutting edge of your aliveness. When you create, you do more than simply express yourself. You birth yourself in each creative event. As a result, your ego is much more involved in creativity, and you are more vulnerable to the onus of failure. Happily though, even when you are crushed by rejection, you come back as soon as a new adventure is envisioned. The challenge is to use creativity for self-renewal.

Competition: You are a fierce competitor and an honorable adversary. This placement indicates adolescent bravado, where all challenges - 'cross that line if you dare' - are both personal and territorial. You love to hurl yourself into new arenas, for every time a risk is undertaken, you can prove not only your mastery, but, more primarily, the validity of your very existence. A gamble is often an irresistible lure, like a red flag waved in front of a bull. Just prior to action, however, you may experience overpowering fear. The military metaphor works especially well here: they don't give medals for accomplishing what's easy; they give medals for courage - action in the presence of fear. The higher the mountain, the more you want to climb it.

Mars in 5th House: The 5th house is the house of play. And when Mars plays, there is no doubt who is boss of the sandbox. The competitive spirit is very great; and if you build a bigger or better castle than your friend with Mars in the 5th, watch out - you may end up with sand in your eyes. Who said it's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game, that counts? Not likely to have been somebody with Mars in Leo's natural house.

And the same applies to life, love and creativity. It's not good enough just to do something - it must be done dramatically and with all the heart. On the plus side, there is a natural vitality and enthusiasm which stamps the individuality on everything those with Mars in the 5th undertake. They may not be another Picasso, but the picture they paint is very special - at least to them. And who's to deny it, if even for just a few days or moments the act of creating from inside themselves has given them a greater feeling for who they are or enhanced their sense of power, identity and vitality?

Often there is a love of competitive sport or feats involving some degree of daring, risk or strenuous physical exertion. And with the same zestful and impulsive spirit, they pursue the greatest sport of them all, the game of love and romance. Nor are they just looking to make a match; nothing short of a whole forest fire will do. Provided those with Mars in the 5th don't frighten others off with their intensity, how soon the flames of love are extinguished or whether the fire quickly spreads somewhere else will depend, to a large degree, on the aspects and sign placement of Mars.

Children will catch something of the Mars projection. The initial enthusiasm to produce a family will probably be very strong; but the daily drudgery and sacrifices involved may be much less appealing. How can they paint pictures, take tennis lessons, make love, go to the opera, and have the time to raise children as well? It's not surprising that people with this placement bear offspring with strong independent streaks. The children would need to learn to stand on their own fairly quickly and develop strong enough wills to combat and compete with the demands of the parent's fifth house Mars.

Mars in 5th House: Although you do everything enthusiastically, you sometimes lack the self-discipline required to get the most from your efforts. Your impatience makes you less efficient, but your aggressiveness is useful when the time comes for action. You have the courage and daring to take advantage of your creative potentials. When your plans go awry, you may make excuses, since it is painful to realize you've made a foolish mistake. You are well-informed but often unrealistic in your impulsive outbursts. Your friendliness is endearing to others. You have a strong desire nature; and when your mind is made up, you won't take 'no' for an answer. However, some people won't let you have your way. You can get away with doing things that others would be severely criticized for; but sometimes you take chances that you regret later. You let unpleasantness roll off your back, because you don't take yourself too seriously. Yet you insist on the right to assert yourself; and you don't feel you have to explain your actions. You would gain an even greater advantage over your adversaries if you developed your mental assets. You enjoy participating in sports, stimulating young people to take part in activities, and indulging in speculative enterprises.

You are creative enough to find many dramatic ways to put your ideas to work. You are really an actor; and you easily win over opponents to your point of view. The freshness of your actions wins support from competitors and associates. You are ambitious, and you know how to get important people to share your enthusiasm for your endeavors. In your personal life, you want a partner who will share in your excitement as you strive for your goals, someone who will also be enthusiastic in meeting your physical demands. You want your mate to consider you the most important person in the world.

Think about the goals you hope to reach, and remember that achieving them should be your most important priority. When you work on them, you may realize that you are not investing sufficient mental energy for the greatest returns later. You should make long-range plans for using your natural assets efficiently and using your energy to preserve your physical well-being. You tend to spend money carelessly and to get into situations for which you are not adequately prepared. High on your list of priorities must be establishing realistic values and being willing to make some contribution to others. You cannot go forth with empty hands and expect to succeed.

It may not be easy, but you will have to forego some of your indulgences if you hope to realize substantial returns on your investments in later years. You enjoy public exposure; and your public position will be better if you take the time to develop your hidden talent. Inside, you are really a 'softie' and more sympathetic than it seems toward people in need.

Your early environment may have given you the idea that your freedom is of paramount importance. Obviously you were given the opportunity to show what you could do on your own, and it is imperative that you take the time and self-discipline to cultivate your creative potentials. You may not see immediate evidence of its value, but this investment will be of inestimable value as you become stabilized in your career.

See also: Mars the 5th House;

Mars in the 5th House: Woody Allen, Al Capone, Prince Charles, George Clooney, James Dean, Robert Hand, Hugh Hefner, J. Krishnamurti, Charles Manson, Karl Marx, Paul McCartney, Jack Nicholson, Jack Nicklaus, Cathy O’Brien, Robert Redford, Gloria Steinem, Wilhelm Reich, Evelyn Robert de Rothschild, Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Elizabeth Taylor, H.G. Wells, Paramahansa Yogananda, Andrew, AndySc, Farmer, Maureen, PapayaJ, Roberto, RoyO, Tara. Zoë

Mars in the 6th House

When working with others, you're inclined to be bossy; but as you're a hard worker, you'll be respected if not always liked. If you employ others, you'd tend to attract energetic workers. You have a tremendous amount of vitality if Mars is in a Fire or Earth sign; and even in Air and Water signs this placing can increase physical energy a bit. You may suffer from headaches as a result of this Mars, especially if it's under stress. And if Mars is part of a Grand Cross, you may overwork to the point where your health is adversely affected.

Mars here says you have quite specific requirements; notably you want a mate who is discriminating, enjoys going into details and is sexually cautious without being hung up and inhibited.

You're reasonably energetic, a hard worker, and are motivated by praise. There can be a problem with this placing: since Mars here says the primary use of your energy is to serve others, these others can keep you from getting the breaks you deserve if you don't choose your 'masters' wisely. Co-workers, relatives, your mate - all can enslave you or conspire against you (consciously or otherwise) if they feel your progress wouldn't be to their advantage. You have to be aware of this, and should refuse to let anyone become too dependent on you in any capacity. Opportunities tend to come in the areas of health, writing, and / or service or support staff positions.

The sixth house is that of health and improvement. Planets in the 6th house symbolize things we haven't done well - misguided efforts. The chances are your intentions were good but your ideas were flawed. Or perhaps you chose to attempt things that were for one reason or another beyond your capabilities. If Mars is here, there'd be a tendency to try to push your way through life, to try to make up for lost time in the past. This could also mean that your karma involves a great deal of physical work or work involving machinery. There would be a tendency to run high fevers when ill. Illnesses may or may not be of karmic origin, depending on your overall chart.

Mars in 6th House: With Mars in the sixth, energy is directed largely towards work, and this person may be something of a workaholic. Hence, these people often meet their sexual partners through work. Being of service to others is of great importance to them; and they like to do practical things for those they desire, and enjoy looking after them. They, need their partner to show, in turn, that he or she wants them in practical ways; and they enjoy working alongside their lover, doing things together. It is hard for these people to relax and just enjoy life. It is vital for them that their work is stimulating and physically active. If they are doing dull sedentary work, they are likely to become apathetic, losing their vitality and sexual desire.

They can be very self-denying, putting work and duty before pleasure. They will want to feel that everything is in order and well-organized before they can enjoy a relationship, and will put things off if there is something they need to accomplish first, deferring gratification until things are right.

These people can be very anxious, and tend to worry a lot, which can interfere with their sexuality. Problems at work are often translated into sexual difficulties as the two are closely bound up for them. Overwork and stress can cause ill-health too, and they may suffer from a lot of minor illnesses. This is often the only way that they can allow themselves to let up from their punishing work schedules and give themselves a rest.

People with Mars in the sixth can be very analytical about sex, seeing it as a skill that has to be learned properly, so that they become obsessed by techniques and lose sight of pleasure and passion.

Sometimes they see sex as a duty, and relationships may develop out of obligation rather than desire. They become involved with people they work with or who are useful to them, and find it difficult to extricate themselves because they are so conscientious. They also tend to fall into comfortable routines with people; and this too can make it hard to break away.

These people can be fitness fanatics, channeling their sexual energy into sports or exercise. They find these things a turn-on, and get sensual pleasure from them. If they are in a relationship, they will find it stimulating to share these activities with their partner. They will also enjoy things like massage, which they may use as a lead-in to sex.

They may use sex like some kind of physical therapy to relax and restore themselves; and sex with them can be a very healing experience for their partner. They can be extremely considerate lovers who give a lot of time and energy to those they desire, helping them in every way possible and showing genuine concern for their welfare.

Mars in 6th House: This is a placement of obedience. Mars in the sixth house gives these people the ability to work diligently; but they must find a field they like, or they'll suffer from psychosomatic ills, accidents in the workplace, or fights with co-workers. Mars here is more or less trine the Midheaven, but inconjunct the Ascendant, so the energy moves more easily from the ninth and tenth houses, the houses of bosses and 'superiors', than it does from the first, that of the self, with the result that this is inclined to be somewhat of a self-sacrificing position. These people will often work themselves into the ground for the good of the company. With tenth-house planets, this is a good placement for a team athlete or coach, a member of a ballet corps, or a ballet teacher. Most men with this Mars location spend some time in military service. Some make it a career.

These people are slow and hard to train as children; but, once trained, they become good, dependable workers at whatever they do. This Mars is good in any field where daily practice is necessary. They may take a long time learning to practice; but once the habit is developed, they will adhere to it religiously from then on.

As children, they are the opposite of those with Mars in the fifth; they must be pushed. They need early training and discipline, as the older they get, the more ingrained bad habits will become. They may seek to avoid work if Mars is in Leo, Sagittarius, Libra, or Pisces, or if it is conjunct or opposite Saturn, the Moon, or Neptune. There can be trouble with relatives and bosses over lack of work effort until they find their true field. Those with Mars in Aries, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, or Capricorn can work hard at anything, if they must.

A sixth-house Mars needs a square or other hard aspect to give it a kick from time to time, or these people may fall into a rut, working for too long at the same job and living a life that leads nowhere. One way out is to develop a hobby by constant practice. Eventually, this will lead to a freer and more satisfying existence.

Mars in 6th House: Disease and healing: Disease is linked with the sharp edges of reality. Fevers, rashes, cuts, and other sudden or dramatic conditions are more likely here; and the relation of infection to deeper disorders is more pronounced than with other planets. Excess or misdirected heat is a relevant pitfall. Psychologically, desire and maleness are possible areas of misunderstanding or oversensitivity.

This is true with both your own desires and those expressed by others. The particular pattern of vulnerability depends on other factors in Mars's condition (sign placement, aspects, and the overall planetary pattern), but we presume that you'll struggle with 'wanting'. The challenge is to cleanse the pathways of desire. Both the causes of and treatments for disease involve vital self-expression.

Unequal relationships: You fight over inequality, and struggle with others over authority. Otherwise normal exchanges can result in affront to personal dignity. This occurs in both directions: in your feelings, or in the feelings of others who are relating to you. It's as if there's a chip on your shoulder where power is concerned, a built-in red flag waving in front of a bull. Your challenge is to learn to judge which rituals of submission are appropriate and which represent abuses. Opposing abuse is imperative. However, to fight simply because two individuals are not equal is a waste of precious life-energy.

Duty and service: There is an urgency to helping others. It has the feel of surgery: you want to penetrate and cut away obstructions with the sharp edge of your own desire. You're compelled to seek out blockage or resistance, to break through those walls, however hard you have to push. However, keep in mind that others are people, not problems to be solved, not walls to be smashed. You'll want to perform miracles; don't bite off more than you can chew. Service is a basic desire, so you'd be well-advised to consider a helping profession as a full-time career. This enables you to spread your heat over many interactions with numerous individuals, allowing you to hone your scalpel into a fine tool, while insuring that you don't overwhelm any single individual by too many repeated 'operations'.

Technical mind: Thinking is passionate and direct. The speed of your mind is impressive; you learn voraciously if you can get a foothold in basic understanding of an issue or idea or process. But be aware that the very desire that drives you mentally can also trip you up. You push so hard to reach the end of a logical sequence that you're prone to error, sometimes glossing over an important step. Remember, the program won't run unless every bug is isolated and replaced by the correct instruction. Your mind is best suited to basic and direct problem-solving; it's where you shine. If the situation is too inverted or laced with complexity, frustration may override desire, and you'll lose interest before a solution is found. The challenge is to keep your mind focused in the present.

Discipline and routines: Routines are often experienced as a continuing series of confrontations. You stay with one issue until it is solved or exhausted, then turn your attention to the next urgency. With Mars, lifestyle is not so much regular as it is imperative. You could be downright irregular, always backed up, having more to accomplish than you can possibly achieve; but as long as your days are full and your ratio of victories is high enough, you're happy.

Mars in 6th House: Your willingness to really apply yourself in your chosen field of activity helps assure your success. You work hard to develop your creative potentials, for you believe that your skills will be appreciated. You are able to effectively capitalize on your basic resources to increase earnings. You have confidence in the value of your creative abilities, so you don't hesitate to take a chance when you know there are material benefits to be gained. But you can significantly reduce the risks you take by getting a formal education. Being better informed increases your options and gives you more leverage in dealing with competitors on your terms rather than theirs. It is especially satisfying to know that you can succeed honestly and gain the respect you deserve for a job well done.

You are grateful for your early parental conditioning, which taught you to be self-reliant in making your own way in life. You've accepted the responsibility for your actions, and you understand that you must apply yourself with determination in order to succeed. With this belief, you respond to people's needs and give them the services they require, for which they will pay you well. This is how your future security will be achieved. Your partner gives you the co-operation you need, which makes the effort worthwhile.

Until you have greater self-confidence in your ability to succeed, you may have to work without getting recognition from those you hope to impress. But if you are patient, recognition will come as your capabilities grow and you take on more responsibilities. You don't have to accept obscurity if you are geared to take advantage of your creative resources. Most of the people you deal with know how competent you are to assist them with their needs, and they appreciate your efforts in their behalf. Your skills are especially valuable in helping those who can't help themselves. As your talents are recognized, your services will be increasingly in demand. People know that they can trust you to do your very best, and that you take responsibility for your actions. The sincerity and dedication you bring to your career endears you to everyone; and they know they can depend on you.

Take care not to make a nuisance of yourself by trying to do tasks for others that they can do for themselves. It's fine to be helpful; but some people resent the inference that they can't succeed without you. Find people who have real deficiencies, and let them ask for your help. You can get yourself into a lot of trouble by taking on more work than you should, which may lower your physical vitality. You only have to prove yourself to you. You will win your partner's respect and admiration for your accomplishments when you compensate for his or her inadequacies. The bond between you will be strengthened when you know your mate considers you indispensable.

Always strive to improve your skills, for this will assure your future security, increase your self-worth and improve your image. You hope to win the affection of your loved one by showing that you expend a great deal of energy to earn a comfortable living and that you are sufficiently motivated to get ahead. You hope that your children will take advantage of the benefits you've provided and that they will succeed in achieving their goals. If they appreciate your efforts, you will feel amply rewarded.

Mars in 6th House: The possible manifestations of Mars in the 6th house become clearer if we compare and contrast the ways in which the Greek Ares and the Roman Mars would approach the affairs of this house.

First, picture Ares mounting an attack on the housework. Within ten minutes, he would have whizzed through every room and nearly all the corners as quickly as possible, it is to be hoped not knocking over too many things in the process. His motto might be 'A job worth doing is a job worth doing in a hurry'. Or, after losing yet another battle with his sister Athena, he might immediately take out his rage 6th-house-fashion by furiously scrubbing the kitchen floor, yelling at a servant, or kicking the dog. Ares would push his body hard. Besides exhausting himself continually chasing around from one thing to another, he could attract accidents due to recklessness and inner discord.

Although it is not like Ares, if he did hold in his anger, he would probably suffer regularly from headaches or more generally turn his aggression against the body. (With the planet Mars in the 6th, feelings and impulses register very strongly in the body and must find some sort of expression if it is not going to short-circuit and blow a fuse.)

Of course, Ares would be a big hit at the office. Unlikely to tolerate someone lording over him, and probably exhibiting a tendency to run roughshod over co-workers, it's fortunate that he prefers to attend to his job independently.

In striking contrast, the Roman God Mars handles the affairs of the 6th house very differently. Seeing every little thing he does as a reflection of who he is, he would take fastidious pride in his work down to the last detail. Concerned with achieving independence and self-sufficiency in the running of everyday affairs, he would welcome the opportunity to learn new skills, and gain great satisfaction mastering tasks which challenged him.

Although he could be obsessive at times about the body's smooth functioning, much energy would be directed into caring for and maintaining the body. He recognizes the body as the vehicle through which he can express himself and prove his power, and naturally he wants to keep it in good shape.

Somewhat reminiscent of his Greek counterpart, and due to a strong belief about how something should be done, the Roman Mars (in the 6th) may experience difficulty and impatience with co-workers, although in the right situations a joint effort could prove stimulating. But usually Mars in the 6th wants to run the show himself. He might, however, fight battles for workers' rights or stand up for a colleague whom he believes is being mistreated. Mars in the 6th might equally support an animal rights group.

In general, a well-aspected Mars in the 6th tends to act like the Roman Mars. But difficult aspects to Mars in this house (hard angles to it from the Sun, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto especially) are more likely to manifest, initially at least, as the Greek Ares.

See also: Mars in the 6th House;

Mars in the 6th House: George Bush, Sr., Sean Connery, Aleister Crowley, Clint Eastwood, Judy Garland, Howard Hughes, John Lennon, Jack Parsons, Ezra Pound, John D. Rockefeller, Nikola Tesla, Abbe, David, Gina, Jamie, Joze, Lori, Marie, Paulo, PaulS, Prabhukar, Robert, Shakura, Silas

Mars in the 7th House

This suggests that you have some lessons to learn about partnerships in general and romantic commitments in particular. Public opinion will also somehow play a role in your life. Highly independent and courageous yourself, you're apt to attract an energetic, assertive mate. There may be a bit more competition than is healthy between you, particularly if you both work. Enemies would tend to be aggressive, selfish, highly competitive people.

If Mars is here, you want a monogamous relationship, and you want a mate or love who can be depended on to be there when you need him or her. But at the same time, you need a social life, so woe be unto the mate / lover who tries to make it just the two of you forever more.

Tension motivates you. This can be good or bad, depending on whether you use your energy to resolve problems or to get back at those whom you feel are causing your bad luck. Harmonious relationships can be good sources of opportunities for you. Discordant relationships can also lead to positive opportunities if they help you determine your priorities and understand what motivates you. Be careful of childish 'tit for tat' behavior, though. That's counterproductive.

The theme of the seventh house is 'we vs. me'. It's most specifically involved with marriage; but business partnerships and relationships with clients are also a part of this house. If you're an astrologer, counselor, beautician, et cetera, pay special attention to this house; it will tell you a lot about why you're doing what you're doing. If Mars is here, there's been impulsiveness in the area of marriage in the past. This tendency would have to be curbed now; and any past damage done would have to be rectified. Karma might be worked out through experiencing a marriage to an argumentative person; and in extreme cases, your mate might even be physically or mentally cruel.

Mars in 7th House: To people with Mars in the seventh, relationships are the driving force of life, even though they are fraught with difficulty and the source of much conflict. Being close to someone brings up a lot of anger and insecurity, and these people may tend to use their partner as a punch bag on whom they vent all their frustration and rage. But even though close relationships are so difficult, the urge to be involved is so strong that they are seldom on their own for long.

Desire and anger are closely linked for them, so sex tends to stir up hostility, and they can be very critical and aggressive toward their sexual partners. Easily hurt and oversensitive, they tend to see criticism as rejection and overreact, retaliating viciously when hurt. They can be very abusive; and the desire to hurt their partner can sometimes destroy the relationship. At times they will end a relationship themselves because they feel insecure and resent the power the other person has over them. They attack in order to defend themselves, and this can be very destructive. There is also an -often unconscious - urge to provoke anger in others; and they may needle a less volatile partner until he or she explodes. To them, anger is part of love, and they find it hard to accept that they are loved if the other person remains calm.

There can be a tendency to project their Mars energy and look for a partner to be strong and make their decisions for them. They try to live through their partner, and get very angry when the partner does not live up to expectation. But if they do find someone that fits the projection, they will feel powerless and resentful and will eventually want to break free and regain their power.

These people tend to see others as a challenge against whom they must constantly test themselves, so relationships tend to be a battleground in which they fight for survival. Mars is not comfortable in the house of sharing and co-operation, where it feels its autonomy to be under threat, so freedom of action is going to be a big issue for these people. There will be a lot of quarrels and fighting for space; and they may feel that they have to fight to be themselves.

Although relationships are seldom comfortable for the person with Mars in the seventh, they are full of passion and warmth. They put a tremendous amount of dynamic energy into love, which is one of the reasons that their partnerships are so tense. They cannot be cool or neutral towards their partner, so they tend to be either passionately loving or fiercely angry, without much in between! They find all the ups and downs stimulating, and the battles a constant source of excitement. They need the friction to feel alive; and the amount of passion that goes into the quarrels tends to reflect their desire for the other person!

On a more ordinary level, these people get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from doing things with their partner. The more activities they participate in together, the happier they will be. They will get a lot of pleasure from things like getting a home together and planning exactly what they are going to do with it. They gain satisfaction, too, from fighting alongside the partner - for example in political campaigning.

Mars in 7th House: This Mars gives a combative nature; they won't take anything lying down. They are argumentative, and it seems as though no matter whatever it is, they're against it.

They have trouble getting along with people, so those with Sun or Mars in Fire or Earth signs will get a reputation for being touchy and hard to deal with, while those with Sun or Mars in Air or Water will mask their irritation in order to avoid confrontation. They are compelled by their strong sex drive to find a partner, but have a hard time staying with anyone. Part of the reason for this is that they tend to choose other combative types, so the fur will fly from time to time (or all the time). At least one relationship will end in anger and total misunderstanding. It takes them years to learn how to live with others.

First, they must learn to live with themselves. Often mistreated in some way, neglected or ignored by one or both parents in childhood, they take out their anger on everyone else until they begin to see what they are doing and learn to release the energy in other, less destructive ways. With Mars in Cancer or Pisces, the combativeness is modified. It may show as passive / aggressive behavior, or it may be turned inward, leading to illness. These people should always involve themselves in competitive sports so as to absorb their combative energies and keep other areas free from it.

If the Moon is on an angle, this Mars can be dangerous; violence may be done to them or by them. Yet if they can learn to harness their energies, and to live with themselves and others, much can be achieved with the seventh-house Mars, as the energy, properly applied, is endless.

These people are often lonely, and feel misunderstood by others. Something has hardened them to the outside world, diminishing their natural sensitivity to others. They feel misunderstood; but it is really they who misunderstand others and misinterpret their motives. It is hard for others to break through this tough shell. In fact, it is impossible, until they are willing to come out from behind their defenses.

They will often have a relationship with an athlete, someone athletic in nature, or who enjoys sports as a pastime, possibly someone in the police or the military. With bad aspects to Mars, they may have a relationship with someone violent, or someone who has suffered from violence, or who has dangerous occupation or lifestyle.

They are tough opponents, and do well in anything where fight is required. Although oppositions or conjunctions to the Moon or Saturn may make them fearful, once the fat is in the fire, watch out!

Good aspects, particularly trines to planets in the eleventh house, will modify the difficulties of his position, giving these people the power to control themselves and diminishing the touchiness. However, the basic stress of opposition from the Ascendant and square from the Midheaven to this most energetic and forceful of planets is hard to modify.

Mars in 7th House: Mirrored awareness: Others may seek you out as an attractive object of desire. You might find yourself 'courted' or praised, and you could develop high confidence and charisma as a result. However, it can also seem that people are overly combative with you, that they are often overly aggressive or sometimes downright disagreeable with you. But look within yourself and you'll discover some of that same energy. Find out what it's about. Don't let it lurk beneath your awareness. Mirroring is also positive. The challenge is to discover your own natural sharpness through relating, and then to use it to cut away any obstacles to the fulfillment of your natural desires.

Equal partnerships: Your partnerships tend to be energetic and focused with a clear sense of purpose. Although you are capable of sustaining long-term relationships, the emphasis is on the immediate crisis, the momentary confrontation, today's problem rather than yesterday's or tomorrow's. Equality is a struggle. You may feel that your partner is trying to conquer you, but you're just as likely to use the same strategy. In either direction, a win / lose battleground is really no partnership at all. Avoid both surrender and victory, for it is imperative that humiliation and revenge be kept out of your relationships. You are likely to be oversensitive to your partner's desires, so keep the focus on your own male qualities. Assert yourself with the intention of reaching rather than conquering your partner. Penetrate the partner's heart with your sincere desire.

Contracts, commitments: When you find a relationship you want, you immediately commit yourself to having it. It's not thought-out or chosen after considered contemplation. You jump right in, urgent, propelled by desire. The only commitment you know how to make is total - forever. What gives this the flavor of paradox, however, is the fact that Mars doesn't measure forever in terms of literal time. Rather, 'forever' means until the desire no longer exists. One pitfall involves seeing your partner as an object rather than as a person, a screen upon which you project desires. The challenge is to learn to make promises rather than commitments, for they are more suited to your warrior nature's appreciation of honor.

Co-operation: This is a paradoxical placement for Mars. The ordinary expectations would be that you are unwilling to co-operate with others. But characteristically, the reverse occurs. You are so willing, so eager to compromise that you give your power away, blunting the sharp edge of your own desires, so to speak. Also, as stated above, you tend to be drawn to very assertive, even aggressive partners. Remember, it is your job not to give others what they want, but rather to use your natural sensitivity to their desires to get in touch with your own. The challenge is to overcome all these obstacles to shared fulfillment, so you can reach full expression with your partner.

Natural partner or partnership: Your natural partner is a person whose masculine nature has impact on you, who knows what he or she want and goes for it without hesitation. This partner must not be too subtle, for that would dilute the desired effect of direct and spontaneous contact; and the more physical your partner is in approaching reality, the more you appreciate your mate. You want someone powerful, but, more importantly, ardent and passionate.

A natural partnership for you stimulates your contact with the energies of desire. It need not be overtly sexual, but there must be an animal quality present in the sharing. If it's not compelling, it's not real. The image is a wild stallion racing with the wind.

Mars in 7th House: By house, Mars shows the area of life in which we need to take action and assert ourselves. In the 7th, this gives rise to a strong urge to define the identity and gain a sense of power through relationships with other people. I have seen many instances of this placement in the charts of young men and women who rush haphazardly into marriage - often inspired by the first taste of sexual passion or partially motivated by the desire to escape from the restrictions of a difficult or oppressive family background. Through marriage, they believe they will find themselves in their own right. More often, what they do discover is that they have replaced one form of tyranny with another. The initial sexual attraction may die down, but the power games are still there.

Some people with this placement come on so strongly at first that they frighten others away. Conversely, they may be an attraction to someone with obvious Mars qualities - the bold, straightforward, dynamic hero or heroine who can relieve them of the burden of making their own decisions in life. After a while, they may become angry or resentful at the bossiness of the other person and attempt to take back the power they once so freely handed over. But it is unfair to condemn Mars in the 7th only to relationships filled with strife and contention, although some people seem to thrive very well on a diet of fireworks. There are many examples of Mars in this house which manifest in lively, stimulating relationships where the partners positively 'spark off' one another, while still allowing the mate to maintain personal freedom. However, there is still the danger of taking their aggression out on those closest and most dear to them, or not so subtly arousing other people to anger and thereby conjuring a justifiable excuse to vent their own. Those with Mars in the 7th also appear to need fairly constant reassurance of their worth in the eyes of other people. They are also likely to be the first to stand up and defend another person if they believe that he or she is being unjustly accused.

Mars in 7th House: An argumentative person, you must try not to get angry when people disagree with you. If you can be objective, you will understand that no-one is trying to threaten you - they are simply presenting an alternate point of view. This could be an opportunity to expand your knowledge and get the benefit of someone else's experience, so don't cut it off before you have a chance to evaluate the situation. People are impressed by your aggressiveness, but they are intimidated when you act impulsively without justification. You will get support for your programs if you learn to discipline yourself, because people won't take a chance with you unless you seem more self-controlled. You arouse people's interest by dramatizing your plans. Above all, get an education so that you can learn how to promote your ambitious plans without incurring the resentment of your intended supporters.

You devote a lot of time to thinking about the best way to realize your dreams. You should use an equal amount of energy to carry out your ideas, because talk is useless without action. Be wary of shady suggestions from friends, because it is imperative that you always operate within the limits of your conscience, guided by your sense of right and wrong. Freedom is so precious to you that it would be senseless to risk losing it though careless disregard for ethical behavior.

In spite of appearances, you doubt your ability to successfully meet competition. You overreact to threats, and use tactics that are more aggressive than necessary to win, or else you become quarrelsome when you suffer defeat. This probably results from the conditioning you received while you were growing up. Perhaps you weren't allowed to express yourself freely, or you were severely punished when you did. In that case, leaving home while you were young was the best action to take, although you felt somewhat guilty about it. You may be alienated from your parents, so you will have to rely on your own resources to make a life for yourself. A career that allows you to have authority over others will relieve some of your tension, but it has to be handled intelligently to be truly productive. With common sense and objectivity, you will acquire status for your accomplishments.

You thrive on competition as a chance to demonstrate your superior ability. Your aggressive nature will pay dividends when you have the opportunity to make money. Nothing will deter you from your goal of financial independence; and this vision sometimes drives you to excess. It may be useless to tell you to relax and get away from the pressure of your work now and then, but it needs saying. When people appreciate your help, it pleases you more than if they simply pay for it.

Your 'all or nothing' attitude demands that your partner be completely dedicated to your needs and ambitions. You find it painful to be rejected by anyone, especially the one you love. You don't demand complete submission, but you must be the most important person to your lover. For those who qualify, you will do anything to preserve your relationship. In your career, you must develop your skills to the utmost to increase your chances of winning in competition. You have the energy and imagination to use your skills to obtain any reasonable goal and win the public's respect.

See also: Mars in the 7th House;

Mars in the 7th House: Warren Buffett, Carlos Castaneda, Charlie Chaplin, Tom Cruise, Bette Davis, Albert Einstein, Bobby Fischer, Lady Gaga, Adolf Hitler, Maharaj Ji, Barack Obama, Osho, Ramana Maharshi, Bertrand Russell, Suzanne Somers, Jon Voight, Malcolm X, Ashira, Cheri, DavMcC, Duane, Ellen, GaryCl, Geoff, Jeff, JT, Tyler

Mars in the 8th House

Lusty, blunt, and an independent thinker, you do things with a great deal of intensity. You tend to live for today, and aren't especially good at saving, so it's possible that there'll be a great deal of fighting over joint finances in your life. You have strong sex drives, and will try to be the dominant sexual partner. In the career area, you may be attracted to surgery, psychology, or psychiatry. Your death is apt to be connected with some sort of accident. Although your psychic ability is good, if there are stress aspects between Mars and Neptune you should avoid involvement with psychic phenomena due to a tendency to become fanatical about it.

With Mars here, you want sexual activity. Without it, you become very tense and start to feel empty or lethargic. But casual sex isn't apt to be completely satisfying; you want understanding as well.

Your motivation can be very material or very metaphysical. Your lucky breaks can be either very big or very small, depending on how ambitious you are and what you choose to do with your life. Conflicts very often actually turn out to be opportunities in that they force you to reexamine your wants and bring them more in line with your needs and abilities.

The 8th house is sometimes called the house of death, sometimes called the house of transformation. It's another of the 'use it or lose it' houses. Planets here demonstrate the occult principle that thoughts are things. If you have planets here, be careful what you wish for. You might just get it, and if you do, it'll be might hard to get rid of it if it's not to your liking after all. If Mars is here in the Equal House system, it could be a sign that you've misused your psychic powers in a past life and are now having to pay the piper. This can mean there'll be almost an obsession with obtaining some sort of psychic information or becoming skilled in some metaphysical discipline, or it could mean there'll be a strong fear or dislike of the occult and its practitioners. Either way, there'll be a blockage of your psychic powers - you'll be able to go so far and no further. As a routine precaution, you should stay away from the more intense quasi-religious groups, avoid techniques that require you to go into trance, and take advice from non-traditional healers with a grain of salt. If Mars is here in the Koch system, you're at the 'use it' end of the spectrum, and therefore may well become active in metaphysical groups or involved in one or more occult disciplines. (Alchemy, magic, and esoteric astrology seem to hold particular appeal for those with this placing.) In either case, there's a good chance that others will seek you out for advice, and this is how you'll work out your debts.

Mars in 8th House: The people with Mars in the eighth crave intensity and depth in their sexual relationships. Direct and uncompromising, theirs is a primitive instinctual urge. They want sex for its own sake, and seek a death and rebirth experience. They want something so intense that they go right out of themselves and emerge transformed by the intensity of the experience. They tend to see potential partners only in terms of sexual desire, leaving their partner feeling used. They can be very ruthless in this respect. There is an urgency to their desires, and when they feel like sex they will just go out and look for it - sex will be a very strong motivator for them.

Because of the intensity of their desires, these people are extremely jealous and possessive, and will not tolerate infidelity. They can be quite brutal about cutting someone out of their life if they feel that this person is untrustworthy. On the other hand, they may find it quite unreasonable if their partner has the temerity to question their behavior or try to restrict them. So their sexual relationships tend to be filled with power struggles, with jealousy being a big issue. People with Mars in the eighth will know instinctively if their partner is even slightly attracted to someone else, and may attack him or her mercilessly, even if his or her behavior has been exemplary. This can lead to many crises in their relationships, but they thrive on this intensity, feeling more alive and drawing energy from it.

People with Mars in the eighth tend to be either on or off. They desire someone either intensely or not at all. They cannot be casual or light about sex, because it is so important to them and they are looking for such a powerful expression of feeling. Because of this, they tend to have obsessive attractions which make an enormous impact on them whether or not they actually have a relationship. They have a powerful sexual presence, although they may not be consciously aware of the impact they have on people, and can be surprised by the strong passions they arouse.

They have a deep interest in whatever is hidden, so they dig around to find out what people are hiding. They feel a need to know what people are feeling and what their underlying motivations are, and can be quite unrelenting in their determination to extract information. Natural detectives, they enjoy any form of investigation and throw themselves into uncovering every last detail. They tend to have obsessive interests and do everything with total effort, while the passion lasts. This applies to sexual relationships too, so that as long as the attraction lasts they will be totally committed but once it dies down they will leave.

With Mars in the eighth, there are a lot of unspoken undercurrents concerning sex. People with this placement may have grown up in a home where there was a powerful sexual energy which was not expressed openly. As a result of this, sex may be a taboo subject, and there can be a lot of fear attached to sexual feelings. Hence the eighth house Mars person may try to avoid close relationships altogether, fearing the power of sexual desire. These people have to come to terms with their own vulnerability before they can benefit from their deeply transforming sexual nature; and they may have to experience the intense pain of being rejected by the person they most desire before they can unearth the treasure that is buried deep within them.

Mars in 8th House: Still waters run deep - and strong. These people have a charisma that attracts others to them, but they are reserved and hard to know. There is a restlessness of the soul that will lead them far from the native soil and the native values on at least one far-flung excursion. Many venture so far from home that there is no return. They march to a different drummer from that of their community of origin. Their drive is towards different goals from those of family and early friends. Often misunderstood in youth, they seek a distant ideal that rarely or never materializes and, even if it does, often does so only briefly.

They are inclined to sacrifice too much in relationships at least once, which may cause them to become fearful of the emotional demands of relationships. Escape from a relationship can be the motivating force behind big changes in their lives, moving far from home, taking a job in a foreign country.

They are highly sexual, which brings problems. They may repress their sexuality, resulting in psychological problems of various kinds. With Mars in a fixed sign, there may be homosexual desires; other placements will show if these will be expressed, or denied and repressed. Frequently, in Air or mutable signs, homosexual experiences are brief and occur in youth as part of sexual development. Their sexual development is so important to them that it may rule their lives.

Even their death is often related to sex in some way, with links to the loss, failure, or frustration of a sexual relationship. They will often have a close brush with death at some point in their lives. Mars in the eighth is practical testimony to a sudden death.

Mars in 8th House: Union: You sense the value that resides in your beloved. It fills you with desire, and you are eager to push through the outer personality to reach the treasures stored in the queen's chamber of the inner pyramid. But you often ignore your partner's boundaries. In fact, the higher the boundaries, the more you may try storming them. This is a deadly pitfall, for the treasures of union are gained only when both individuals feel safe to surrender. If you insist on smashing people's walls, they will simply fortify their defenses against you. The result is constant warfare, argument rather than intimacy. Recognize the impact of your male force, the power of your thrust. Let the warmth of your desire arouse the other's receptivity. The challenge is to be ardent rather than combative, and thus gain entry to the inner sanctum.

Transformation: You can be a consummate spiritual warrior, a crusading knight who walks out alone to confront the dragon of ego-death. The pitfalls involve the convoluted meanings of victory and defeat. If you slay the dragon, but your ego survives, you've suffered a spiritual defeat. The question to be asked is this: what is the dragon? You're a heat-seeking missile looking for an external target. But often, the only heat is coming from you. As in Pogo's famous remark, 'We have met the enemy, and they is us'. Transformation comes not from conquest, but from interpenetration. The challenge is to keep it simple, to go after what you want, and to know that desire itself will change in the process.

Sexual merging: You are charged with sexual passion. The wish for union glows constantly in the lower chakras. When you are aroused, desire burns white-hot. You often blot out every other consideration. This can express itself as 'going for the goal line' of orgasm without sufficient concern for sharing, but it may also mean obsession with closeness. In either case, the pitfall lies in assuming that the obstacles to union reside somehow outside yourself, in your beloved. That leads to explosive conflagrations around the issue of sex. Remember that it is self-defeating to turn your lover into your enemy. The challenge is to learn correct penetration. Passion and heat are your arrows; desire is your bow.

Focused intuition: Never one to wait, you thrust yourself out of your body, pushing for intuitive contact with others. Anyone you desire becomes a target for the sharp edge of your radar. The pitfall involves trespassing. People's inner thoughts, feelings, and desires are often dangerous, often not an accurate reflection of their truest selves, and thus necessarily private. Learn to intuitively enter only those chambers that are open or unlocked. When you push towards someone's inner sanctum, you could tumble instead into the cesspool of their darker selves, and what you find there may not be pleasant. The challenge is to hone your psychic sensitivities to a razor's edge. Use these tools as a surgeon might, to cut away blockage, or as a lover would, to fill the beloved with goodness.

Shared assets: You are sensitive to money, and probably want more than you have. Rather than building your fortune through simple and direct effort, you're drawn toward those who already have money, or obviously desire wealth. But be careful: money, property, and possessions can easily become heated topics, both in your family, and later in your social or romantic relationship. Play down the conflicts, or you may destroy the love that exists. The challenge is to work with others to create shared goals your partnerships can achieve, and to extend your mutual fires into a single flame of togetherness.

Mars in 8th House: Those with Mars in the 8th come alive in joint enterprises where they can give and receive all they can. Usually there is a shade more subtlety to Mars in this house than in his other domains, although the clumsy Greek Ares may evince his characteristic impetuosity by rushing into hastily conceived financial deals. Some people with Mars in the 8th will gain a sense of honor and virtue by standing up for their deeply felt beliefs, and will try to challenge and convert others who don't share the same values. Others with Mars in the 8th find the prospect of appropriating the values and possessions of another person much more rewarding and enticing. A difficultly aspected Mars could indicate fights with the marriage partner over joint resources, battles over legacies and inheritances, trouble with a belligerent tax-inspector, and conflicts with get-rich-quick business partners, so some degree of caution is advised in these areas.

But it is in the most intimate arena of the bedroom that an 8th house Mars most clearly exposes itself. These people's passions are strong, but sexual expression may be more than just a means of relieving built-up physical tension: for many, sex is a contest and Mars is determined to be the victor. Again, we can understand these people better if we realize that in acting this way they are attempting to affirm and define their identity and power. The principle of the Sun distinguishes us from others, but we need Mars to prove our point; and whether, in the 8th house, the point is given or taken, Mars here likes to be in charge. With a little bit of thought, it's not hard to appreciate that there is more to a person's sexual taste than meets the eye; and fortunately or unfortunately for some, Mars in the 8th people may take out their aggression in the bedroom. Or due to guilt and ambivalence, Mars in the 8th people may resort to its second-favorite battle-cry: 'They made me do it', blaming others for forcing them into situations they somehow help to contrive.

By meeting them in others or through their own selves, those with Mars in the 8th often discover and have to grapple with the darker emotions of blind lust, envy, greed, jealousy, etc.. The need or ability to transmute these seething feelings into a more constructive expression depends, to a large degree, on the aspects to Mars. If Mars is difficultly aspected by the outer planets, it is usually most pressing that the raw, primordial side of Mars be rechanneled in other ways.

Sometimes there is a burning interest in the esoteric or the occult. Caution should be taken when exploring or experimenting in anything mediumistic in nature: there is the danger of projecting their own anger and aggression onto something 'out there' and then experiencing the disowned quantity as turning around and pursuing them. Although Mars can hardly be defined as covert, in the 8th he does have a kind of detective-like ability to probe subtly and persistently into what is hidden or secret. If those with this placement sense something wrong or askew in a relevant person or situation, they are not easily able to let it rest.

The Scorpio Dylan Thomas wrote, 'Do not go gentle into that good night'. In deaths and transformations of a physical or psychological nature, Mars in the 8th will usually follow that advice.

Mars in 8th House: You are demanding in your relationships, and you feel bitter if rejected. You may bide your time when your wishes are not granted immediately, as long as you know that eventually you will get what you want. You want to become self-sufficient, because you dislike being obligated to anyone, which limits your plans and ambitions. You aren't afraid to work hard to get what you want out of life, and you know that any investment of time and energy will be rewarded when you start getting results from your efforts. You are important to those for whom you provide necessary services, and you consider this part of your social obligation. When your efforts are appreciated, you are stimulated to take more responsibility and to make even greater achievements.

Probably you will choose a career that gives you an opportunity to grow and develop, because you are reasonably sure of yourself and of what you can accomplish with your talents. You believe you can demonstrate greater competence in your chosen field, so you don't hesitate to promote your skills whenever possible. People are convinced that you can serve them better than your competitors, so they turn to you and demand your services.

If maintaining a high income is your main motivation, your success may be limited and you may suffer some setbacks. It would be better to develop your skills to the highest level of competence and know that you give the best value for what you earn. This will gain you the patronage you need and assure you of consistently high earnings. Working with the public will allow you to serve a large number of people and be recognized for your efforts. The main stumbling block to success in your career will come from your inability to resist indulging in personal pleasures. You must determine your priorities and accept the need to make some sacrifices as an investment in your career and the status you hope to achieve in realizing your ambitions. Family obligations may temporarily frustrate your desires, or romantic entanglements may distract you from your main objectives. You will have to develop self-control and learn to manage your personal affairs more prudently.

Your wealth of ideas means little unless you act on them or cultivate them so they can be of some value to you. The best way to get people to notice your competence is to work at promoting your ideas and skills. Such an investment of time and energy is essential if you are to derive the most from your potentials. You owe it to yourself and to the public to make your skills available. Dedicating at least some of your talents to serve important needs of the public will enrich your later years with contentment in the knowledge that you were willing to get involved.

Your partner probably admires your driving ambition to succeed and to do whatever is required to sustain the relationship for the benefit of you both. What you accomplish is important, but even more significant is how you do it and the moral responsibility you take for your actions. If you are motivated by a desire to help people in need, then there is no problem. but if you take liberties with what is considered ethical behavior, then you will have to expect major losses in earnings and prestige. This is a decision you have to make; and the outcome is yours to determine.

See also: Mars in the 8th House;

Mars in the 8th House: Fred Astaire, Kim Basinger, Deepak Chopra, Princess Diana, Steve Jobs, John F. Kennedy, Shirley McLaine, Marilyn Monroe, Susanna Arundhati Roy, Paul Simon, Ludwig van Beethoven, Swami Vivekananda, AbbieJ, Andrea, BenSt, Cesar, Dunja, Kay, LaurieSw, Michelle, Phylissa, Q, Samp, Victoria

Mars in the 9th House

This says you're quite restless. Mars here increases your mental energy, but also broadens your interests - sometimes to the point where you become a dabbler rather than capitalizing on your best potentials. There may be fights with your in-laws. In rare cases, there are ethnic or racial prejudices. If Mars is in a Grand Cross or otherwise under severe stress, there can be bad timing in espousing causes, and poor choices in terms of leadership.

With Mars here, you might want a mate / lover who enjoys nature and the outdoors. Or you might want a partner who's a connoisseur of culture or has some sort of highly specialized knowledge. Or you might want someone with whom you can play the role of sexual mentor.

Your motivation is strongest when you're doing creative intellectual work - teaching, programming, devising games, etc.. You put almost all your energy into expanding your mind, so lucky breaks tend to take the form of finding information. Opportunities tend to be connected with law, metaphysics, and religion.

The ninth house is that of the higher mind. Planets here are given to increase your understanding of life in general. They also influence your personal code of ethics by expanding and / or refining it. If Mars is here in the Equal House system, you've had a very dogmatic philosophy of life in the past. You tended to see people whose beliefs differed from yours as bad - even dangerous - people. You could have participated in the Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, or some other nasty piece of history, or you could have been just a run-of-the-mill Archie Bunker-type bigot as a result of a combination of ignorance and self-satisfaction. If Mars is here in the Koch system, you're here to be a pioneer or ground-breaker for some school of thought that departs from tradition.

This may be in order to pay a debt caused by past close-mindedness, or it may have something to do with developing the courage of your convictions. The chief difference between the two Mars positions is that the Equal House position stresses that you open your own mind, while the Koch position involves opening other people's minds. (Of course, if Mars is in the 9th house in both systems, you're to do both!) Regardless of house system, this position tends to give a very restless mind, and, of course, learning to control this restlessness is one of your reasons for being here. There may also be a desire to work in a foreign country and / or teach and learn about a foreign country's people, customs, and philosophy. Doing one or all of these things may be instrumental in working out your karma.

Mars in 9th House: With Mars in the ninth, energy is directed towards expanding horizons and widening understanding. These people are always travelling, either physically or mentally. Increasing their knowledge is what makes them feel really vital and alive. Sex is invested with great meaning and seen as a path to self-knowledge and personal growth. The person with this placement feels spiritually enhanced by sex, and may be a crusader for sexual enlightenment and liberty. These people are likely to take a high moral stance on sex, with some seeing the sexual act as a religious experience, and others, fearing its power, seeing it as incompatible with their religious beliefs. Among this group, too, are those who feel driven to campaign against sexual freedom, seeing it as a threat to the moral order they would like to see imposed in society.

Another manifestation of Mars in the ninth is the intellectuals who sublimate their sexuality into their studies. They get their excitement from abstract needs, and tend to forget that they have physical needs. These people often choose to live alone, finding it difficult to fit in with other people's expectations of them.

Some people with Mars in this house see sex as a subject to be studied, and approach it in a very intellectual way, reading mountains of literature and constantly aiming to improve their performance and widen their repertoire. Because these people are seeking to broaden their knowledge, they like to experiment with many different partners and will need to feel free in order to do this. Indeed, their whole philosophy of life may be based on the concept of personal freedom of action.

Mars in the ninth needs to be on the move, and feels revitalized by travelling; and these people often meet sexual partners through their travels. They are attracted to those from different countries or cultures, finding additional stimulation in the challenge of different cultural patterns and even, perhaps, different languages. They feel they are gaining much more from a relationship with someone who has a widely different background from their own. To people with Mars in the ninth, getting to know someone is like going on a journey; and a challenging journey to a faraway place will be much more exciting than a trip to the neighboring town!

Shared travel will be an important part of any relationship to a ninth house Mars, and will help to keep it alive and vital. To those who prefer travels of a more intellectual nature, studying together and engaging in deep philosophical discussions will fulfill the same purpose. These people are often attracted to those they meet in the course of their studies.

People with Mars in the ninth need a tremendous amount of space and freedom, and will feel quite claustrophobic in a relationship that is too confining. They are natural 'bachelors' (of either sex), and may tend to go walkabout if they feel tied down. There is a restlessness that drives these people on to new horizons; and for a relationship to be successful, their partner must be a fellow traveler.

Mars in 9th House: Conceptual frameworks: In the 9th, Mars indicates a passionate interest in mental conquest - thinking makes you hot. You want to demonstrate the nobility of your mind. Every time you encounter a new question, you must discover an answer to move forward. At first, your attitude is mere bravado, and you can be slain by any trick question. As you gain experience, however, your confidence builds. You master the game of knowledge, learning to vanquish silly questions and confront more profoundly challenging ones. The pitfall is argument for its own sake. The challenge involves thinking clearly and logically, pushing through the often veiled and convoluted patterns of religion, philosophy, or morality. Simple and direct, that is your path.

Cultural perspective: Eager for adventure, you want to satisfy your wanderlust by conquering foreign territory, and are willing to drop everything and go at a moment's notice. As you move through a strange cultural setting, adrenaline surges through your system. Too much stimulation causes paranoia; you may at times feel like Custer, surrounded by hostile Indians. If that pitfall occurs, look for points of familiar human contact in your alien environment, for this can soothe the savage beast within. The challenge is to push beyond your cultural boundaries. Literal travel is more important than vicarious travel in the mind, so get up and get out as much as you can. You're happier with the rough-and-tumble of a Conestoga-covered wagon than the comfort of a plush, touristy Winnebago. Live by your wits, and make your adventures legend.

Higher education: The cutting edge of your life is the desire to know more, to see further. It's as if the lead dog on your sled has an incredible urge to chase rabbits into the forest. What you already know soon loses its luster, so study what is most vital for you. Traditional institutions are suitable arenas, for credentials are your medals. Once you set your sights on a certain type of knowledge, don't stop until you've mastered the subject, at least in basic terms. But at times the very urgency of your direct approach prevents you from appreciating the subtleties of a conceptual system. This naiveté spurs you to greater efforts to scale the educational heights.

The search for truth: Getting to the truth is no problem. If there's a wall, you knock it down. Never one for subtlety, you ignore the convolutions, exceptions, and paradoxes, searching for basic truth. You like seeing the mind in simple terms of truth and lies. This is fine as long as the situation is clear-cut. But human interaction does not always reflect such stereotypes, and you need to understand that your truth may indeed coexist with that of others. So before you batter your opponents into the ground, a serious pitfall, remember to ask yourself if there is a larger truth than you knew. Look before you leap, and don't shoot before you see the whites of their eyes ¬they may be friends rather than foes. The real challenge is to eradicate the hidden darkness within yourself. Fight for truth, but remember that warfare is not a philosophy, only an extreme means of establishing peace. Truth is a sword and a shield.

Ideal society: You idealize the clarity and simplicity of archetypal morality, where good and evil are clearly defined, where everyone knows the score, and the strongest buck leads the herd. You'd create a world where sexuality could be more openly expressed, one where desire would be acknowledged as the highest of emotions, the purest of drives. As Ruler of the World, you would be a proud samurai: strong, fierce, and noble.

Mars in 9th House: You are eager to prove yourself to even the most determined challenger. When you focus on an objective, your enthusiasm is nearly boundless, which almost always gains the attention of the important people you are trying to impress. You will certainly succeed in your endeavors because you believe in your ability. At times, your actions seem inspired with imagination. Not afraid of risks, you take on tasks that others would avoid, but you should be careful of speculative and hazardous risks. You should have a good relationship with your children, for they are delighted with you and your daring temperament. You indulge them and tell exaggerated stories of your adventures. You certainly encourage them to promote their own potentials, giving them opportunities to develop. You try to live up to your partner's expectations as a romantic lover, and you will probably always be a lover to your spouse.

Although you always seem to get the first and last word in a discussion, you aren't all that sure of yourself, and you use this intimidating method to put others on the defensive. If you take time to become thoroughly informed about matters that others find interesting, you will add to your long list of friends. Your partner must learn to live with your insistence on having the last word. You know how to take advantage of many people's offers of help when you need it, and you generally reciprocate. You pursue your many goals with creative enthusiasm.

Because you dislike taking orders from anyone, you would do well to be self-employed. You really should be on your own, so that your mistakes are yours alone to correct and only you know you made them. You should learn to listen when others have something important to say. Postpone taking action until you have all the facts at your disposal. There is not harm in asking for advice, and it may prove beneficial in the long run. If you keep your moral and ethical standards high, you will never feel the apprehension or guilt that can make life uncomfortable. You should strive to work in behalf of socially disadvantaged people, for you could be a champion who represents them in their predicaments.

It wasn't easy to gain the independence to do what you wanted. Family responsibilities may have forced you to be patient about your own desires, but you still yearned to prove that you could achieve on your own. The only way to make sure that this will happen is to get an education and training. This is the best investment you could make, with a yield that will continue for years. Don't borrow unless there is no other alternative; and stay within reasonable limits. You don't like being obligated to others, so why take on this kind of embarrassment deliberately?

When you are attracted to someone, you are not easily put off. You might even use your professional position to advantage in your romantic affairs, though that would hardly seem necessary. In your career, you should promote yourself so that people will use your services. But don't forget that you are important only as long as people need what you have to offer, which carries a great deal of responsibility. Don't ignore the people who helped you get started; and remember them when you fulfill your goals. Your position has built-in risks, in that you must fulfill your obligations to those who have given you the recognition you wanted.

Mars in 9th House: We might think that there is a chance to breathe some fresh air when we enter the realm of the 9th - the house of religion, philosophy, long journeys and higher education. But history has shown that in many respects this is the stickiest and bloodiest battlefield of them all.

With Mars in the 9th, God is not just sought after, but hunted. Those with this placement usually pursue and stand by strong philosophical or religious beliefs. Believing that their version of the truth is the only one, they might promote and defend it with crusader-like zeal. And some might say why shouldn't they, since it is probably formulated in such a fashion as to support and justify their deepest desires and passions in life anyway? Although the image of God may be an angry and fiery one, He is probably cast enough in their own likeness to understand and indulge those occasions when they may have to break His rules. For a few with this placement, God even manages to accept killing, raping and pillaging provided that these things are done in His name. In this way, some people with Mars in the 9th are culpable of displacing responsibility for acting out their own cruel drives onto God. Generally, before they undertake something they like to have the justification of some higher law behind them.

However, others may express a 9th house Mars by being angry at God himself. Like Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof, they shake a fist at heaven or go even further, and start telling God how He should run the show.

There is often a strong urge to travel; and sometimes they may just 'pick up and go' at the spur of the moment. A woman with Mars in this house might develop a powerful attraction to a foreign man, or someone who offers to broaden her horizons in some way. In like manner, there may be a passion for one particular culture.

Mars in the 9th will also influence the sphere of higher education. Expansive knowledge on one or two subjects gives them a sense of power and authority. The Mars may be projected onto an institution of higher learning or one particular professor with whom they do battle. Careers which offer a chance to preach - such as writing, teaching, publishing or the ministry - may attract those with Mars in this house. The Gauquelins found Mars in the 9th prominent in the charts of champion sportspeople, top executives, military leaders and physicians.

Finally, on a more mundane level, Mars may describe something about their relationship with in-laws. This, like the proverbial mother-in-law, speaks for itself.

Mars in 9th or 10th House: Mars at the top of the chart gives a powerful thrust toward recognition. Whether this is for good or ill will be shown by Jupiter, Saturn, and the aspects to Mars and its dispositor. If these are mostly supportive, there will be early and enduring success. Stimulating aspects from the Sun, Uranus, or the Moon, without balancing trines, bring recklessness, notoriety, an early rise followed by downfall, and / or early death. Oppositions, conjunctions, or squares from Neptune or Saturn can slow or deny recognition, causing intense frustration. Mars conjunct Neptune can distort recognition, causing them to be misunderstood, and their deeds misinterpreted (down through history, if they are famous, or infamous).

This Mars gives great energy and drive. They will never say 'die'. They are extremely combative and competitive, and, though they frequently mask it with charm, they have wills of iron, unyielding and enduring, particularly with Mars in Fire or Earth. They are inclined to make enemies by their methods, but they usually delight in enemies, using them to strengthen their combative or competitive techniques.

Mars is more self-questioning in the ninth house, more political and less autocratic in technique, more open, more inclined to give up and let go under stress. It is stronger in the tenth house, more enduring. In either house, there is an inclination to displays of bad temper, or, if there are very tense aspects to Mars, fits, hysterical tantrums, or some kind of periodic outburst of pent-up energy. Extremely physical, they need sports or some other kind of stabilizing outlet for their energies.

As leaders, they are inclined to be harsh or even cruel to their followers, driving them too hard; though, if this tendency is held in check, they are a vitalizing force for those around them, a source of energy and motivation. They are inclined to drive themselves mercilessly, and may be rather humorless, at least about themselves and their needs, rights, and immediate goals. They see their own rights very clearly, but not always so clearly the rights of others.

This is definitely one of the signatures of a career chart. In a woman's chart, she will have a career come hell or high water, even if she is married, has ten kids, and lives in the Outback. With Mars in the ninth, she may subordinate her own desires and work for her husband's success, but inside she will resent it. With Mars in the tenth, she will get busy and find a way to do it herself.

This highly-placed Mars makes people restless, not content to stay put for long. They will probably travel far from home and experience much. Success does not usually come in their place of birth, or, if so, only after travelling and experiencing other places. They have a hard time getting along with other strong-minded people, including authority figures; and moves are often initiated after altercations with other members of the family or community. As children, they must be driven hard physically to develop their endurance and use up their energies so they won't erupt in temper or get into trouble. Pile on the chores: they'll rise to the challenge and, even if they grumble, deep down they'll be grateful. They should be given the freedom to roam and to discover their own limits, but should be held strictly to account for wrongdoing and punished fairly. Grounding is a non-violent and effective punishment for these restless souls. This elevated Mars provides a momentum that is hard to overcome and should be trained, while it is still young and pliable, to live by the rules as much as is possible.

See also: Mars in the 9th House;

Mars in the 9th House: Muhammad Ali, Madonna Ciccone, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Art Garfunkel, Angelina Jolie, Helen Keller, Ken Kesey, Joseph Ratzinger, Mother Teresa, Robin Williams, Tiger Woods, AndyF, Antonio, DonW, Erika, JerryH, Joy, Judi, JulieD, Komala, Leif, Lina, Merrill, Supr, Suzanne, TonyO

Mars in the 10th House

You are likely to be known for your drive, energy, ambition, and competitive spirit. A successful career based on your ability to take initiative, be a leader, or excel in physical strength and prowess is likely. You most definitely want to be a winner and will work hard to achieve that. You are driven to manage and control things. An urge to organize and be practical amounts to a minor obsession. Your career motivation is constant and relentless.

Mars in 10th House: These little ones will not need any coaxing. They are born wanting to succeed. And success should come to them easily and from quite a young age. They will know that in order to get to where they want to be, they will have to work hard, and they will do just that. These youngsters set goals early on. They will then push to reach those goals, or even push the boundaries further. This child will always want to get ahead in life. The father figure could be a problem for this child in some way.

This child will be more serious than most. Although there will be a strong need to be respected by peers, it is only those people that are considered important that will count. These youngsters will discriminate, and generally, they are not concerned with the opinions of others. Even while young, the eye will be on the future. The stakes of popularity will not matter to this little one. He/she will want to be recognized as being smart, not cute. These kids can have quite a superior air about them. If this is not recognized and addressed, the child can go out into the work force with that same attitude. An attitude of superiority can work against this child. He/she will need to learn to be more compromising, to accept that no man is an island.

The child has a need for appraisal and approval, but to achieve this, he/she must learn to be more human and less mechanical. Failing this, he/she should probably look for a career that is basically some type of self-employment. The other avenue is to seek work where there is a great deal of freedom. This position of Mars suggests several kinds of jobs, especially those that require a lot of physical energy or hard work. This would be advantageous in any field requiring independent and original work. Mars here will give the child the courage to act quite independently, and to be a self-starter that can make decisions. The ambition that he/she feels will carry this child far. But they should learn to develop some "people" skills as well. It is then that their choices will be without limit.

Mars in 9th or 10th House: Mars at the top of the chart gives a powerful thrust toward recognition. Whether this is for good or ill will be shown by Jupiter, Saturn, and the aspects to Mars and its dispositor. If these are mostly supportive, there will be early and enduring success. Stimulating aspects from the Sun, Uranus, or the Moon, without balancing trines, bring recklessness, notoriety, an early rise followed by downfall, and / or early death. Oppositions, conjunctions, or squares from Neptune or Saturn can slow or deny recognition, causing intense frustration. Mars conjunct Neptune can distort recognition, causing them to be misunderstood, and their deeds misinterpreted (down through history, if they are famous, or infamous).

This Mars gives great energy and drive. They will never say 'die'. They are extremely combative and competitive, and, though they frequently mask it with charm, they have wills of iron, unyielding and enduring, particularly with Mars in Fire or Earth. They are inclined to make enemies by their methods, but they usually delight in enemies, using them to strengthen their combative or competitive techniques.

Mars is more self-questioning in the ninth house, more political and less autocratic in technique, more open, more inclined to give up and let go under stress. It is stronger in the tenth house, more enduring. In either house, there is an inclination to displays of bad temper, or, if there are very tense aspects to Mars, fits, hysterical tantrums, or some kind of periodic outburst of pent-up energy. Extremely physical, they need sports or some other kind of stabilizing outlet for their energies.

As leaders, they are inclined to be harsh or even cruel to their followers, driving them too hard; though, if this tendency is held in check, they are a vitalizing force for those around them, a source of energy and motivation. They are inclined to drive themselves mercilessly, and may be rather humorless, at least about themselves and their needs, rights, and immediate goals. They see their own rights very clearly, but not always so clearly the rights of others.

This is definitely one of the signatures of a career chart. In a woman's chart, she will have a career come hell or high water, even if she is married, has ten kids, and lives in the Outback. With Mars in the ninth, she may subordinate her own desires and work for her husband's success, but inside she will resent it. With Mars in the tenth, she will get busy and find a way to do it herself.

This highly-placed Mars makes people restless, not content to stay put for long. They will probably travel far from home and experience much. Success does not usually come in their place of birth, or, if so, only after travelling and experiencing other places. They have a hard time getting along with other strong-minded people, including authority figures; and moves are often initiated after altercations with other members of the family or community.

As children, they must be driven hard physically to develop their endurance and use up their energies so they won't erupt in temper or get into trouble. Pile on the chores: they'll rise to the challenge and, even if they grumble, deep down they'll be grateful. They should be given the freedom to roam and to discover their own limits, but should be held strictly to account for wrongdoing and punished fairly. Grounding is a non-violent and effective punishment for these restless souls. This elevated Mars provides a momentum that is hard to overcome and should be trained, while it is still young and pliable, to live by the rules as much as is possible.

See also: Mars in the 10th House;

Mars in the 10th House: Ammachi, Ursula Andress, Jimi Hendrix, Friedrich Nietzche, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elvis Presley, Mitt Romney, Edouard de Rothschild, O.J. Simpson, Frank Sinatra, Ted Turner, Vincent van Gogh, Gore Vidal, Al, BarryKl, Cate, ChrisC, Clark, Doug, Erin, Fisher, JerryP, JonathanG, Ju, JudyPl, Lance, LucJr, Mikael, Molly, Olof, Sky, Steve, Sugeet (end), TomW, VinG, Virginia

Mars in the 11th House

The energy and motivation of Mars is expressed through your goals in life and your powerful dreams for the future. You are an enterprising person; and much of your energy goes into creative activities. You have many casual acquaintances, the majority of whom are male. If Mars is in difficult aspect to other planets, planning is not your strong point and you have a definite tendency to leap before you look.

With Mars here, you want to be a humanitarian. You may also want to be considered an accomplished lover.

You're motivated to formulate goals for the future. These basically involve ego-enhancement of some sort; and you use your energy to pursue them. Physical activity involving friends or clubs, membership in scientific, psychological, or parapsychology groups, or any activity that allows you to make contact with important people can be a source of lucky breaks.

The 11th house is called the house of hopes and goals. Planets here represent plans that have not yet materialized. What you do in this life will either change these plans, perhaps even cause them to be abandoned, or bring them closer to fruition. If Mars is here in the solar 11th house, you can be strongly drawn - almost compelled - to act as a leader. How successful you'll be in this role depends on your aspects to Mars. Suffice to say that you've probably played this role or a similar one before (unless Mars is in Aries, in which case you're fed up with being a follower and this is what motivates you to lead). If Mars is here using the Equal House system, you may be attracted to work connected with machinery, science, or psychology as a means of working out your karma. If Mars is here in the Koch system, you might be involved in developing machines that will do work for people. Or you might be involved in retraining people who've been displaced by machines or helping people discover constructive, enjoyable uses for their leisure time. Regardless of house system, Mars says that actions will involve working for the betterment of groups of people or society as a whole. This may involve participation in some formal association (which could be either large or small), or it could be a more informal effort that involves you and a friend or two. In any case, this work would help pay a debt incurred because of your selfishness in the past. Actions may also involve learning when, why and how to say 'No!' as the chances are good that in the past you've had problems in this area that have kept you from growing.

Mars in 11th House: Mars in the eleventh house people may not be very grounded in their bodies, and may have so many sexual ideals that they almost unsex themselves. There can be a feeling that personal desires are unacceptable; and these people often focus all their energy on group efforts and idealistic objectives. Their drive is towards the future, and they find it hard to be in the here and now.

Friendship will be much more important to them than intimacy, which may feel rather uncomfortable, so that even when they are in a sexual relationship they may spend very little time alone with their partner. They will want their lover to be part of their circle of friends, sharing the same interests and will definitely not want to be an isolated couple.

Sex can be an abstract intellectual idea to these people; and they may feel more comfortable discussing it in their therapy group than actually engaging in it. They are likely to have strong views on non-possessiveness, and to lay great stress on openness and shared decision-making.

Mars is not at home in this socially-orientated house; and these people often suffer from guilt around their sexual desires and personal needs. It is difficult for them to take what they want without feeling that they are being selfish and antisocial; and they may also accuse others of these traits. They tend to feel that energy should be used for the good of all rather than for personal satisfaction, which can make them rather disconnected from their physical desires. Their energy can be rather scattered; and they may feel obliged to do what they think others want rather than being in touch with their own needs. Conscious effort may have to be made to focus inwards on themselves before they can really get in touch with their Mars energy. One way of doing this is through forms of healing through movement, such as T'ai Chi.

Within a sexual relationship, they are strongly motivated by friendship and respect for their partner's rights, so that any form of deception or underhand behavior will be anathema to them. Good communication and honesty will be essential for them to feel they can trust their partner. They may not believe in monogamy, but they will certainly not be able to tolerate deceit.

Sexual relationships can be quite difficult and complicated for these people, because they are trying to be rational about something that is essentially a primitive drive. Sometimes, therefore, unconscious motivations can cause them to behave quite unreasonably, and this can make them feel very guilty. For them, even more than most people, it will be important to have a partner who is also a trustworthy friend, someone they can talk to and with whom they can share their anxiety and ambivalence about sex.

Mars in 11th House: Group participation: You want to be socially accepted, to feel part of a group. But you also want to lead, to stand at the prow of the social ship and chart its course; and others in your groups may resent or resist this assertive tendency. Work to become a vital representative of your organizations, rather than their sole voice, and you achieve greater fulfillment. Your challenge is to use the spontaneity of your desires to rally and propel groups toward more concrete stands, but to do so without engendering needless infighting or pointless argument.

Appropriate behavior: Although you have a natural instinct for appropriate behavior, and can act as the essence of social virtue when you want to, your high spirits sometimes get you in trouble. You overstep your bounds and end up dancing with the lampshade on your head. This may be just fine, a real kick, but be aware of the pitfall: social embarrassment can be extremely painful to you. Keep your assertiveness in mind; if anyone criticizes you about a certain behavior, you will try to defend yourself very aggressively, sometimes compounding the problem. And try not to attack others for what you see as inappropriate behavior. It's their business, not yours. The challenge is to make your pride an ally rather than an enemy.

Friendship, social circle: Your friendships go through conflicts, even passionate ones. You want to cut right to the heart of friendship, so be careful that you don't wound others or yourself in the process. If the chart as a whole reveals a gentler disposition, it may be that you pick out friends who provoke disagreements. But keep in mind, whether you're on the giving or the receiving end, that it's still your life. You are territorial socially, willing to fight for your friends, either through shared goals, or in defending them from outsiders. When you're close to someone, your loyalty is intense, although this can change as the friendship changes. If you occasionally lose friends, pick yourself up and make new ones.

Shared creativity: You see the other group members as players in the competitive game of creation; and you work in reaction to them more than with them. You enjoy the stimulation, the challenge to your ego; but you must keep in mind that others may occasionally react negatively to the personal tone of your thrust. Remember that this is indeed a shared process, and these are your comrades in arms. Your creative role is to push the group toward new directions and new challenges.

Receiving love: You do so want to be loved. You want to be wanted, and you're willing to extend yourself to make it possible. This is a paradox, since the very nature of the experience requires a receptive posture, and thus the action must be created subtly rather than overtly, magnetically rather than aggressively. If love can be considered a dance, you are a master of leading while seeming to follow. You feel loved when your suitor acts out your desires, when the behaviors are direct, forceful, and ardent. Urgency looks like love to you, as does assertion, and above all passion. Even anger is sometimes interpreted as a display of affection, since you understand how closely linked these primal emotions can be. Gentleness wins no points with you. Your challenge is to encourage a release of the fire in others, and, having initially done so, to discover a way to keep the fires burning. Mere smoke will not do; the flames must rage brightly.

Mars in 11th House: With an eleventh house Mars there is a strong determination to move continuously toward permanent goals that are fixed in youth and rarely questioned later. If there are other planets in the eleventh house, the goals may be mixed or, where the planets are not congenial, there may be confusion or conflict between two or more goals. However, no matter what the difficulties, these individuals will struggle on toward their goals in spite of everything.

They have a great deal of energy for getting what they want, are not easily talked out of going for it, and will keep it once they've got it. If not actually 'born to the purple', they are inclined to be social climbers and like hanging out with the Four Hundred, shining by their reflected light.

These people have strong personalities, and have a hard time yielding to the desires of others. Often, they will fight to have their way about something that they don't care about any more, just on principle. They may suffer inner stress over the conflict between doing things the way they want and doing them the way they must if they are to 'get ahead'.

This Mars gives great power to act on ideas. It is good for an artist, writer, or any kind of independent creator. In the realm of ideas, it is possible for them to work well with groups, but they will usually do best on their own.

With Mars in fixed signs, they are unbelievably stubborn. They must be in charge, and are not particularly sensitive to those they are bossing. In cardinal signs, there will be more perspective; they will be excellent at setting and achieving goals. In mutable signs, they will be more flexible, better with co-workers and groups. They will be more able to upgrade goals in later life, with spiritual goals more likely.

Often, women with this location of Mars are attracted to men of the same nature, and they will form a team to achieve common goals, although sometimes an overly competitive attitude makes team work difficult, even impossible. Women with this Mars should not marry early, as often they will come to regret it later. Neither sex should marry until they know themselves well enough to tolerate someone else over a long period of time.

Mars in 11th House: You hope to achieve many goals, and you apply yourself knowledgeably and with common sense. You have plenty of energy, and you assert yourself to get what you want in your career and your personal affairs. You've cultivated friends who will gladly assist you in reaching your objectives; and you offer them help in return. Your mate shares your enthusiasm for doing whatever will benefit both of you. You know how to bring out the best in people in everyday situations; and they reward you by getting satisfactory results. You are confident that you will eventually achieve your objectives and enjoy a comfortable life. You have a zest for making your dreams materialize as you want them to.

Because you want to be completely free to come and go at will, you must succeed in your career and be financially independent. With this in mind, you got the education you needed to qualify for more important and responsible positions. As you progress, you dream of having the freedom to indulge in your personal interests and enjoy your friends more fully. Financial independence is important to you, for it will allow you to enjoy privileges that are out of the question when you have to be gainfully employed.

You demand opportunities to show what you can accomplish with your creative talents; and being challenged by competitors only stimulates you to prove your claims. You give your children every chance to succeed according to their own needs. Being appreciated and loved brings out the best in you. Your strong physical desires demand to be satisfied, but you must also consider your partner's expectations. You aren't afraid to make sacrifices in your career to help achieve your long-range objectives. Financial burdens are especially painful, for they limit what you can accomplish. You may have to resign yourself to earning a living before you can indulge your outside interests. That is why financial stability is so important, so you can relax your anxieties about independence. With some self-discipline, you can satisfy your current needs and still continue with your long-range plans.

Your parents probably made some sacrifices so that you could pursue your own course in life more freely. You appreciate their efforts; and you don't mind making sacrifices for them now, although you realize how important it is to build a foundation for your own accomplishments. You aren't afraid of hard work, because you know it will make you that much more valuable to your superiors and to yourself. You should exercise restraint so that you don't exceed your physical limits.

Tension really builds when you can't be as free as you feel you deserve to be, which makes you resent the people who are imposing their will on you. Because of this, you apply yourself in your career to derive the greatest return for your efforts. You want to be able to come and go at will and enjoy a more leisurely life in your later years.

Helping people who lack your fortitude, daring and talent will bring you contentment; and you should be grateful for the opportunity to prove how sensitive you are to people's problems.

See also: Mars in the 11th House;

Mars in the 11th House: Lucille Ball, Ingrid Bergman, Milton William Cooper, Salvadore Dali, Robert De Niro, Sigmund Freud, Dustin Hoffman, Aldous Huxley, Carl Jung, Bruce Lee, Joni Mitchell, Benjamin Netanyahu, OmNi, Al Pacino, Dolly Parton, Robert Plant, Will Rogers, Babe Ruth, Meryl Streep, Orson Welles, Oprah Winfrey, AlexP, Arrow, Beth, Bobbie, BPoe, Carolyn, ChrisTr, DJenkins, Donny, Flickinger, Jason, Jen, Johanna, Lorraine, LouG, Miriam, Nancee, Nicole, SFor, Sugeet (cusp), Suji, TonyC, VinCal

Mars in the 12th House

A deep, secretive person, you tend to be more or less clueless about how you affect others. You have a strong impulsive streak and, generally, a tendency to buck authority and go against tradition. This brings a danger of slander into your life, as it makes you quite a controversial person. If Mars is in a Grand Cross or otherwise under severe stress, you can be extremely disruptive.

With Mars here, you want a certain amount of time to yourself. This is a placing that tends to give a fear of rejection; therefore, you want to take things slowly and carefully.

Your motivational level is erratic. You tend to give up if you think people aren't handling your ideas properly or aren't appreciative of your efforts. Because you don't like surprises, you often feel irritable rather than pleased when lucky breaks present themselves. You want to succeed all by yourself; you tend to alternately resent offers of help (seeing them as interference) and complain about how much you have to do. In terms of opportunities, they tend to be the best - and best appreciated - if you work alone. If possible choose a creative field.

The 12th house is called the house of sorrows or the house of self-undoing. It can fit that description - but it doesn't have to. This is the house of your subconscious. And if you descend to the depths of your subconscious and try to understand what you find there, you'll transcend your sorrows and discover your soul. Actually, the gloom and doom connotations of this house are, if not total misconceptions, at least highly over¬rated. Planets here symbolize those things that separate you from the mainstream of life. These things may be traumas, physical limitations, inferiority feelings, or any other gristly thing you care to imagine. They may be self-inflicted or acts of God. Either way, you're responsible for them in the sense that it's you - and nobody else ¬who allows them to make you unhappy instead of letting go of them or learning to work around them or turning them into strengths rather than weaknesses. Which brings me to another point: amidst all that psychic garbage, there are other things that separate you from the mainstream of life. These are your inner strengths, the results of lessons learned, knowledge gained, and obstacles overcome in your past lives. They may be talents such as writing, creating, or a special ability to understand others. They may be character strengths such as courage, practicality or self-awareness. They may be guardian angels, either in the sense of intuitive or psychic abilities, or in the sense of people to whom you've given help in the past, people who will now help you if you open yourself to their caring. In any case, these things exist. For everyone. The more planets you have in the 12th, the more strengths you've developed. But to tap these inner resources, you first have to wade through all sorts of soggy flotsam and jetsam and get rid of your 'poor mes' and 'life's unfairs' to find and understand the real you. If Mars is here, temptations are the theme. With the Equal House position, the temptations tend to be tangible or material. With the Koch house position, they tend more towards self-deception or self-defeating behavior. There's a tendency to repress your feelings and become quite passive unless Mars is conjunct the Ascendant. This must be watched, as it's the prime cause of self-undoing with this position. Your actions will involve developing confidence, acting on your convictions, and overcoming resentments.

Mars in 12th House: With Mars hidden away in the twelfth, sex is going to be a subtle and complicated issue. These people are not going to be very conscious of their Mars energy, and may be unaware of the sexual image they are projecting; and this can lead to a lot of sexual confusion. They may get very angry when people make sexual advances because of the unconscious messages of desire that they have put out. There may be fears of violation and rape, accompanied by tremendous hostility which is not owned or recognized. Because of all this unexpressed aggression, these people can be like sponges, attracting other people's negative emotions to them. Or they may subtly provoke those around them into acting out their own anger.

With so much going on under the surface, those with Mars in the twelfth can be subject to disturbing fantasies and nightmares - living out their Mars energy in their dreams. Because it is difficult for them to get in touch with what they really want, there may be an underlying sense of frustration and dissatisfaction, with a tendency for them to play the role of martyr. Sometimes they do this by sublimating their own sexual needs and living out other people's sexual fantasies. Or they may sacrifice their sexual needs altogether to live a more spiritual life or to put their energy into looking after others.

People with Mars in this house may long for sex to be a spiritual experience. For them, sex is something mysterious and ethereal, which can make actual physical sex seem crude and primitive. They will feel uncomfortable with any direct and obvious sexual behavior. Their own sexuality may be hidden and diffuse, so that they come over as 'safe' and asexual; and because they tend to express their desires in subtle, indirect ways, there can be a lot of confusion and misunderstanding around sex.

With Mars in the twelfth, people can be their own worst enemy, acting against their own real needs. Sometimes sexual desire brings out their buried anger, causing them to drive away the people they want most.

If Mars is close to the Ascendant, the energy will be much more accessible, and the people with this placement will be much more aware of their own sexual needs and able to pursue their fulfillment. None the less, all people with Mars in the twelfth will be looking for something much more than a physical experience from sex, and will yearn to lose themselves in a mystical union with the other person.

Mars in 12th House: Mars is very strong at this angle; those with this position are capable of intense effort. They will have an early experience that teaches them restraint (if it doesn't do them in), although it may take many lessons before they learn to hold back when necessary. They are capable of miraculous feats of effort and will. Types of effort will range from the spiritual - lives dedicated to high spiritual goals - to the lowest levels of self-gratification; but the power is present to do what they will.

The Mars energy is so primal and strong at this angle that it is hard for these people to be rational and objective about their inner desires and cravings. In youth, they may be troublesome to those near and dear because of the scrapes they get into. They are capable of rising high in life and achieving much, but are always susceptible to having their cart overturned, usually due to their own recklessness (physical in Earth and Fire, verbal in Air, emotional in Water).

If Mars is close to the Ascendant, there is more persistence; more power to hold on, to learn from adversity and go on to win, and to try over and over in spite of difficulties. Mars in the middle of the twelfth house inclines toward giving in to defeat, or to a loss of control so great that the recuperative powers have no chance to act.

If aspects to Mars are not good, there may be trouble with the law, time spent in jail, or serious accidents and time spent in hospitals.

Mars in 12th House: Imagination: Your fantasies have primitive urgency. Heat fills your dreams. They are a repository for vital images of maleness in our species’ evolution. While it would be absurd to suggest that all your fantasies involve aggression or conquest, there is a tendency toward these, so even benign dreams may invoke the maleness in your psyche. Crisis, confrontation, conflict, danger, and desire are all relevant symbols in your imagination. The challenge is to identify and connect with this imagery, promoting more effective action in real life. The transition from dream states to ordinary consciousness is especially relevant here.

Unfocused intuition: You want intuition, and you want it now. But you're like an athlete with a special function on the team. Much of the time you languish on the sidelines, waiting to get into the intuitive game, pacing back and forth along the bench like a placekicker, never knowing when he'll be called on to boot the winning field goal, but understanding that he must be ready to perform when the crisis comes. Curiously, you're at your best in crisis when you surrender to intuitive guidance. Attempt to maintain ego-control, and you are lost. The challenge is to let yourself go wherever demons must be slain.

Withdrawal or isolation: You may experience difficulty dealing with anger, both your own and that of others. The directness of such urgent emotions can be upsetting, so they tend to build up inside. Often, you feel them most strongly when alone. This quality can work against you in situations requiring conscious action, but it may also work for you in a crisis, providing an extra boost of energy. Physical activity can be mysterious, almost meditative. You work well on your own, behind the scenes; but schedules and deadlines are not conducive to your best performance. However, you can be brilliant at creating success from the rubble of 'best laid plans'. The challenge is to use alone time to contact your heat source. Get in touch with it, then carry it back into your real life.

Selfless giving: You are repeatedly drawn to situations where energy is bubbling away beneath the surface. You may find yourself in confrontations that are not of your own making, for you're a lightning rod for the release of buried, blocked, or super conscious forces. Your own desires are often sublimated beyond the control of conscious will. This can result in floundering without direction, or equally it may lead to extraordinary commitment, like being a commando who volunteers for a secret mission. The lead sled dog on your team listens to a higher master, and thus may take off at any moment, in any direction, and at other times might just lie down and go to sleep in spite of your yelling, 'Mush!' The challenge is to deal with assertive energies when they come, however they come, allowing expression while remembering that the ultimate goal is peace of mind.

'Past lives': Your experience of maleness in past lives is unassimilated. You may have been male, or had relationships with men in such a way as to leave unfinished business that is now cutting into this life. Assertion, anger, heat, action, and desire are not fully understood or accepted; and the old patterns need to be revealed before you can become whole. Precisely what rhythms are held over from past lives is not clear from the house placement alone; but the sign, the ruling house, and the interplanetary aspects of Mars will help solve that riddle. The challenge is to befriend these stored energies, then to release them in situations requiring intense but controlled explosions.

Mars in 12th House: Before you can take up any purposeful activity, you must have a reasonably firm foundation. Your childhood environment may have taught you the importance of having your own roots, just as your parents needed theirs so they could accomplish their objectives. When you feel secure, you should be less apprehensive about doing the right thing in striving to reach your goals. You will be more successful in your life's endeavors if you start from a reasonably stable position so that your goals are more sharply defined. If your objectives include serving others as well as satisfying your personal needs, so much the better. Occasionally you may be so preoccupied with satisfying your physical desires that you neglect giving your more significant objectives the attention they deserve.

Plans and noble intensions mean nothing unless you act on them. You will be fulfilled only if you invest the time and energy to achieve your dreams with devotion and self-discipline. In addition to satisfying your needs, you will get the recognition your skills and accomplishments deserve. There is no other way you can gain financial security and independence so that you can come and go as you want.

You may have many useful ideas, but you must carry them out deliberately if you want any rewards from them. By accepting this kind of personal responsibility, you can make a valuable contribution to society. Your progress will be greatly simplified if you get an education that will teach you how to develop your skills. With skills, you can meet the challenge of rising to your highest level of achievement. Without some formal training, you might have to resign yourself to mediocrity or relative obscurity in the world. You can do so much to help relieve social problems that it would be a significant loss to society and yourself if you neglected this task.

Probably you will always attract people with problems who feel that you can help them. You can be highly effective in helping people learn how to help themselves; and doing this will lessen your feeling that you aren't really useful to the world. Your partner may be the first to show you how qualified you are to render assistance to others. He or she may work to help you think more positively about yourself. You have enormous potential; but you must be willing to make whatever sacrifice is required to develop and apply it. Your family may be the stimulus you need to motivate you to act. The results will prove that you are qualified for many endeavors.

You must avoid negative thinking, for that will make you more uncertain of your ability to take the right action at the right time. You can get rid of your feelings of inadequacy by getting the training you need and acting decisively. Take advantage of any opportunity to participate in group activities, for you can be effective in improving the quality of life for others.

See also: Mars in the 12th House;

Mars in the 12th House: Sri Aurobindo, Johnny Cash, Mick Jagger, Alex Jones, Nicole Kidman, Mickey Mantle, Meher Baba, Pablo Picasso, Karl Renz, Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Taylor, Donald Trump, Stevie Wonder, BenT, Bram, Collon, Gabriela, George, J, Jude, Keith, Leen, Maitreyi, MFor, Patrice, Tammy, Yarrow