Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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.

14 comments:

Edi said...

"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."

Haha, I know you'll be quietly smirking to yourself when I say this Willow, but I'm soooo bloody looking forward to a raaaw Scorpionic Saturn after its freaking nicey-nice-but-not-so-nice stint in Libra!

You can withhold your 'I told you so' when I come back to you whinging in a few months :)

Edi said...

Great post by the way, as usual...

Anonymous said...

Hell, Gal, I'm just goin' to skedaddle on out of here.

Deb said...

Bad. Ass. :) A perfectly written piece here.

Kinda done with the fake-niceness, fake-civility stuff.

Wheeee! Good luck, folks...

Sophia said...

Saturn is exalted in Libra, and for a reason. I'm not looking forward to it being in Scorpio where it's so full of fear over its perceived flaws that it can't form close relations, also a reason why it would lash out in a ruthless way since getting to the heart of the matter is too painful. It's Saturn we're talking about here. Not Jupiter. A lot of negative destructive energy kept under wraps. And going over the Neptune of Gen X, getting there before (or after) NN gets a stab at it? That generation has its work cut out for them, and in Scorpio of all places--that's the group that I'll be watching.

Willow said...

I think energy can become "negative" and "destructive" BECAUSE it's kept under wraps. The North Node and Saturn in Scorpio aren't going to be creating anything that isn't already there. It's just going to force people to deal with it concretely.

Anyone with Scorpio in tip top shape should make big progress during Saturn in Scorpio.

Saturn will be going over the natal Neptune in Scorpios, but also the natal Uranus in Scorpios of the Pluto in Libra generation and the natal Pluto placements of the Pluto in Scorpios.

All generations are getting a taste.

Neptune in Scorpio said...

Oooga booga!

Anonymous said...

Anyone have any insights about Saturn and Mars conjunct my natal moon (25 degrees) in the 5th house - quincunx my Sun - 25 degrees Pisces. I have had interesting times when just Mars is involved and am wondering what it will be like with Saturn in the mix.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Great article Willow. Thank you.

Also I just, finally, checked out the Wicked Web that you created. Wonderful. I will be back often. Thank you for that too!

H

jahna said...

Sophia said "It's Saturn we're talking about here. Not Jupiter. A lot of negative destructive energy kept under wraps"

Ah, but Sophia, Saturn is coming OUT of wraps, as it were. Scorpio is The Great Illuminator. It cuts through b.s. with amazing laser intensity! And if it can't force the truth into the light, it just KILLS it and TRANSFORMS it.

*I* am SO looking forward to this: as one with 5 (!) placements in Scorpio I can't WAIT to watch the rest of the world to catch up with TRUTH...

Daniel said...

Thanks Willow, a great piece indeed and very appreciated.

I had a recent situation blow up in my face. I admit making my share of mistakes here and pushing a particular situation that I should have left alone. My judgment was clouded badly, which is often the case with emotions. I had no bad intentions at all, but the perception was something far different than I expected. But I learned my lesson and I take that with me and remind myself of it every time I want something badly. And I've been doing some healthy internal work too, at least I hope so. It's on going and I'm not perfect. But this blow up really knocked me over and became really public too with someone anonymously adding to the slander.
I hope, as you suggest, of good progress with Saturn in Scorpio. I've been working hard for it. It is my Sun sign.

Thanks muchly...

Edi said...

Amen, Jahna!

Willow said...

Man, this Mars-Saturn with Venus in t-square combo is a bit like going through a meat grinder very, very slowly.

Anonymous said...

Blimey. I can so relate with all of this. I've found myself entangled in something of a complicated romantic situation for the past 2.5 years, and the tension has been boiling over this week. My boyfriend's Libran sister, her kids, and his Cap father are coming to visit this week from England. My boyfriend and I live together in a flat in Barcelona, except for the nights his little girl from the previous relationship comes over, and I'm expected to pull my vanishing act - because I don't exist as far as she's concered (his Libran ex refuses to budge on this issue). Because his sister has kids who can't be expected to keep 'the secret', I'm being sent out into the street to kip off at a friend's place, while he entertains his guests. I've met his father and adore him, and I'd really love to meet his sister, so I'm just incredibly put out and humiliated that I'm not 'permitted' to join in on the visit. As his girlfriend of almost three years, I feel that I've earned the right to be invited to these family functions. Talk about the wild women being locked in Rochester's attic. Anyway, enough of my whinging. I just had to get that off my chest so I can navigate the next 24 hours with a modicum of grace. I'm a Leo with Cancer Moon, btw, so family's really important to me. Maybe when we reach Saturn in Scorpio the lid will finally come off on this thing, because I don't know how much longer I can drift around in the boyfriend's packed 12th house. Thanks for the superb post.