
Aquarian Martian Warrior at a standstill making room for new possibilities and desires.
Are you familiar with Notes from the Universe? Yesterday mine said, “You might call it spiritual logistics, Shawn, but sometimes you have to move away, to get closer.” I’ve been receiving these notes for a long time, since before I moved to Canada. More than 12 years ago. (You’re right, that IS one Jupiter cycle.) This message, in particular, felt important as Mars began its retrograde yesterday. This rest of the note says, “…you might just call it weird.” How Aquarian is that?
Aquarian Keywords • 2018 Retrogrades • Retrograde Cycles.
In any case, for two months, Mars is not exactly moving “away”, rather backtracking over airborne material possibly to short-circuit, inspire, awaken, isolate, spark action, not just from the gut, but from the unconscious gut.

I chuckled for a long time after hearing a most obvious statement a few week’s back listening to an OPA panel of astrologers discuss this Mars Retrograde in Aquarius. “The unconscious is unconscious”, said Kaypacha.
Conjoined this year with the South Node we can imagine old material, previously unconscious, might erupt in unexpected ways. These can be impulses about forgotten dreams to reminders of past-life or childhood sudden shocks and surprises.
The material erupting might feel so foreign to us, the only thing we can do is disconnect from it, not think about it, not recognize the tell-tale signs of the unconscious. Aquarius suggests instead to be a witness. Mars, however, is a responder, a first aider. Being put into witness mode, may make Mars angry or irritated, wanting to do something, not quite sure what. He might find physical energy waning and escalating.
How will we merge these two symbols together harmoniously to improve quality of life —even better — reforming life? The bigger Aquarian picture includes global and community awareness.
When I talk about the Uranus/Aquarius/11th house transits or progressions with people, they often respond, “Oh, I know what you’re talking about. I know what that is going to be about.” There could be a lightbulb moment happening. However, the unconscious is the unconscious. We can’t plan to know what that means.
We may have some hints. Prior to the retrograde, Uranus in Taurus changed signs. For some this brought some disruptive or exciting (in any case fluctuating) change. Mars entered Aquarius mid-May and made the first square of three to Uranus on May 16. Now there is a recipe for eruptions, accidents, surprising and rebellious events, not to mention dictatorial-like responses from those who feel the need to throw authority around to get some attention.
The next two squares are August 1 (during the retrograde) and September 18 (after the retrograde).
The real question is how will we respond or react? When Mars tracks back over what we have already been actively focusing on and reacting to or rebelling against. What house Mars is traveling through your birth chart? Are you dealing with unsettled relations and seeking freedom or maybe the workplace is stifling and you’ve been wanting to expand your wings?
Keep in mind how you usually react and respond. What if you tried something different?
Everything I’m writing about works while Mars travels through Aquarius whether retrograde or not. The retrograde provides opportunity to be tested, like warriors often are. Part of that test can be to fight from the inside out. Deal with inner territory. Go into a mental training program.
A warrior must have a sense about possibilities before going into battle. That doesn’t happen on the fly. If it does, in Aquarius, the results can be chaotic, inconsistent, ineffective, disorienting and alienating. Taking a break can be a good idea.
Finally, let’s remember, the Evolutionary Astrology principle, Mars is also sent into action at request from our Plutonian desires. In other words, Mars is the Will that helps us pursue our Soul’s Desires whether we recognize them or not. Without the other planets energies and conscious awareness, Mars might not be as effective as the Soul would like, so thank goodness for the whole celestial team.
More Retrogrades in 2018 • Celestial Details for 2018 • 2018 Astrology Forecasts
In this article we haven’t addressed Mars will return to the sign, Capricorn, for a short time between August 12 – September 10. Now Mars revisits anything initiated relative to structure and integrity. We’ll leave it at that for now.
Mars in Aquarius squares Scorpio Moon Astrology

The ShawnSky Farmer painting is called Saturn in Aquarius, but for this article we think the feeling of it represents the break-through energy of Mars in Aquarius square Uranus in Taurus which occurs three times this year.
In the last articles I’ve been writing more about me, though in typical Scorpio Moon fashion, not sharing everything. Scorpio is an intensely private Moon sign, for me anyway. It makes me wonder about this blog writing obsession I have.
Uranus still hovering slightly past my Ascendant seems to be surprisingly freeing. Surprising, in general.
For example, I never thought that I would need a break from doing readings and yet I am. I never thought I would try something new professionally and yet that seems to be in the works.
A good friend, who when I complain about keeping on schedule with writing astrology blog articles and newsletters, followed by fervent texts of “I am going to stop writing!”, replies “looking forward to your next post. Smiley face.” may be surprised, too, that I am going to take a break. I actually have to take a break, says my gut. So, I am committed to taking a break from writing articles and stand in Aquarian Warrior pose making room for possibilities and desires for as long as it takes.
Why? Because of that darn Note from the Universe. “You might call it spiritual logistics, Shawn, but sometimes you have to move away, to get closer.”
P.S. We’ll find other ways to keep you up to date through this website and you can always Follow me on Facebook or Instagram.
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