Mars Conjunct Saturn in Libra: The Finesse of Socially-Strategic Manoeuvres Makes or Breaks Long-term Positioning

Photo: Willow

A very irritated Mars is moving to a conjunction with Saturn in Libra August 15. Constricted will is the theme of the week, and it's our social responsibilities and positions keeping us so tightly under the thumb.

Mars has been in Libra for over a month now (after clearing an almost eight-month transit of and retrograde in Virgo), and some social/relational frustration and angst has been building since early July.

Mars is already in detriment in Libra, and finding its movement additionally constrained by the close proximity to taskmaster Saturn is making it fume. Pressure, friction, and pissiness build. People will be itching for a passo aggro battle, complete with social audience, along “I’m so much more civilized than you, not to mention more popular” lines.

From a previous post:

"The Mars-Saturn conjunction August 15 falls at 24 degrees Libra, conjunct highly fortunate fixed star Arcturus. This is potentially a saving grace - but we're going to need all the help we can get.

Malefic planets Mars and Saturn teaming up is a potentially nasty combo at the best of times, and Mars is going to be pretty well sick of all the forced social graces by the time it hits Saturn near the end of Libra.

If people haven't been dealing well with mounting social frustations and pressures, consciously working on perfecting that balanced will, they'll be irritable, testy, and ready to blow (or collapse) by the second week in August.

If people have been letting things slide where they should have been digging their heels in - particularly in professional relationships - anger and social inflammation can be expected.

We're fighting for what we consider fair, balanced, and just, and with Saturn finishing its transit in Libra, we're fighting for rightful social position. But remember: we're fighting like a Libra, so you can't let them see you fight. You have to fight nicely, politely, using social power and prowess, and with a smile on your face.

In Libra, the Mars action, aggression, and fight are often subverted, which can lead to some underhanded moves. People will be using their social currency and already-established social scenes rather than fighting their own battles. Passive aggression is a classic trait of Libra under pressure (including Mars in Libra), and if you've learned how to successfully sniff out, head off, and deal with passo aggro, you're ahead of the game."

The moves being made now are socially strategic, designed to secure new and long-term position, and not all of them will be above board.

Do your best not to be triggered, even if you can’t believe what some people are getting away with. A little social flaring is to be expected - and is even necessary - leading into this conjunction, but work your rules of disengagment so that social grease fires don't become full-on, damaging blazes.

Make no mistake, this Mars is pissed and ready for a scrap, but in Libra, it’s required to uphold an easy social demeanor. We must maintain equilibrium, even while gritting our teeth under yet another conciliatory social gesture.

Mars is the planet of pure personal will. It wants what it wants when it wants it, and its instinct is to go after its desires directly and expediently. In Libra, though, the planet has to continually balance its desires with the desires and needs of other people. It has to put its sword in the sheath and sit down to tea. With Mars in Libra, the battles move to the social realms where it is in your best interests that no one sees your aggressive manoeuvres. This is a big part of the advantage while Mars is in Libra: that no one sees you fight, that you can deny fighting at all, and that you come off looking sweet as a prairie saskatoon pie.

Keeping hold of our tempers and maintaining balance are of utmost importance now, as this Mars conjunction to Saturn - nearing the end of its transit in Libra - acts as a major social placement test.

What goes on socially and in relationship over the next two weeks is fairly high stakes. We have the ability to make or break long-term positioning here. Any major losses of temper, overt acts of aggression (or passive aggression), or visible social attacks have the possibility of blowing the hard-earned relational progress and social reputation we’ve built over the past two+ years of Saturn in Libra.

This transit is additionally important, as it tests, under pressure, newly developed social/relational rules, standards, and positions ahead of cardinal Grand Crosses in 2013 and 2014 that feature Mars in Libra prominently.

More on that here: A State of Ongoing Cardinal T-Square and Some Mars in Libra Foreshadowing

The dispositor of this conjunction of the malefic planets is Venus in Cancer, which forms an exact cardinal t-square with Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn on August 15/16.

Our relationships with family, our loving, feminine qualities, our abilities to nurture, to emotionally connect, to create warm and comforting home bases are keys to successfully navigating this time frame.

At the same time, opposing Pluto and squaring Uranus, there are emotional patterns to discontinue and denial to shed in relationship. Certain comfort zones are being busted up. Certain hidey holes and fallback people are no longer available.

Venus is just coming out of an era-shifting retrograde period involving the last Venus Transit most of us will experience in our lifetimes. At the same time, Saturn is completing the final leg of its transit through Via Combusta Libra.

In relationships of all kinds, we officially need to know better.

There is little to no tolerance for Piscean era delusions and dreaming. The old relationship ideals no longer apply, so don't be surprised when they fall flat.

If all this slippery social fighting and manoeuvring comes across as a little disingenuous and hypocritical to you, never fear. Things take a turn from nice-and-smiley passive aggressive to get-it-on-the-table aggressive aggressive by the last week of August, and all the pent-up social angst finds a much-needed release point:

On the other side of the conjunction to Saturn, Mars slides into its second home sweet home in Scorpio August 23, just before the North Node enters Scorpio August 30. Mars in its domicile is breaking trail and leaves the sign the day after Saturn's ingress of Scorpio (October 6).

We’re heading into a prolonged Scorpionic period over the next 2.5 years, and during that time period, if the air needs to be cleared, the air will be cleared. Long-held beefs will rise to the surface to be dealt with. The time will come.

Until the end of August, though, work those socially-sophisticated Libra muscles like a champ, and never let them see you sweat.