A few weekends ago we went to see “Avatar” at the cinema. Just before the movie, the house played a promotional piece for the National Guard. I found the video powerful and effective (all opinions of the US military aside). Immediately I thought of the planet Mars and what Mars energy truly is, at its best: right action. Right action means doing what is called for--what is right and best in any situation--regardless of the risks involved. This is what the archetypal warrior does.
Here’s the text from the video:
At this moment, failure is not an option
At this moment, we serve the nation
At this moment, what will you do?
I will always place the mission first
I will never accept defeat
I will never quit
I will never leave a fallen comrade
Loyalty
Duty
Respect
Selfless Service
Honor
Integrity
Personal Courage
Citizen, Soldier
National Guard
We all have Mars energy within us. We can get clues as to the quality of our personal Mars energy by looking at its condition in our birth chart. Is Mars dignified or debilitated? In theory, this planet is at its best when in Aries and Scorpio, the two signs it rules. Mars also functions well in Capricorn, where it is exalted (like an honored guest). Mars is in detriment in Libra and Taurus, the signs opposite those it rules; here it is a bad guy. Mars also functions poorly in Cancer, the sign of its fall.
This National Guard promo attempts to show us the best possible Mars. In terms of essential dignities, what would this look like? Examining the table of dignities, we find that Mars is strongest in the first six degrees of Scorpio (0.00 to 5.59). There it is both ruler and is in its own triplicity, term and face—a clean sweep of the available essential dignities. (No planet is exalted in Scorpio.) In terms of accidental dignities, where might we place Mars to make it super-strong? If we imagine this early-Scorpio Mars being on one of the four chart angles--especially the Midheaven, cusp of the tenth house of work/career--then we have our ultimate citizen soldier and hero.
Watch the video and see what you think:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbfPj00pTNY
The photo above is from Pixabay (CC0).
This post was first published on Feb 2, 2010 on silvestreastrology.blogspot.com