On October 15 2013, Mars moved from vivacious Leo into methodical Virgo. Maybe you felt the change. Maybe you felt the change from a desire to live like there’s no tomorrow to a desire to slow down and assess what is going on in your life. You’re not getting older (well, yes you actually are but you know what I mean). This was the change of Mars from Leo to Virgo. Mars moved from a sign that it is very comfortable in to a sign where the fit is a little more snug and restricting.

Mars represents our desire, our drive, our ego. It is the part of us that makes the moves happen in order for us to create and procreate. Just as the planet is a fiery ball of cosmic material, so is the energy that is represents in us. With its’ movement into the mutable Earth sign of Virgo, that excitement and vigor is reigned in. The earth element of Virgo gives a firm structure to the energy of Mars so that we feel much less scattered and much more focused in our movement and plans.

Virgo gives Mars the energy to be a very methodical and practical soldier.  Mars becomes the combat medic that is more than capable of assessing a messy situation and assigning the necessary order of importance to fix what is wrong when in this sign. Mars in Virgo is exacting and precise in movement, not just physically but in the execution of short and long term plans. This placement is all about measuring twice and cutting once, maybe even measuring three or four or five times before moving forward.

This perfectionist nature is at odds with Mars. This planetary energy wants to burst forth with vigor and force, while Virgo requires that it slow down and take special care to no not make a mistake. During this transit, we could find ourselves becoming a nag when we are being impeded. We also may find it hard to get started on projects because get so caught up in all of the ways it could go wrong while we are in the planning phase that we don’t move beyond it. The devil really is in the details for Mars in Virgo and if we are not careful, we could find our frustration and nervous energy rising when we can’t get them just right.

This transit is a good time to iron out details and get to work on any details or small parts of our plans that we may have overlooked. Our desire to move beyond our ego to help others is enhanced by this placement, especially with the sun in Libra until the 22nd. Day to day management of work issues should be a little easier to focus on now, as well as devising a plan to get any neglected parts of our health in order. The 18th and 19th of October may have us a little disoriented about how to move forward due to an opposition with Neptune. Mars will trine Pluto in Capricorn on the 31st and most likely, external issues will arise that give us the opportunity to execute our plan of action for maximum effect. Hopefully all the planning and hard work behind the scene will find the way cleared just a bit for a nice move forward.