Can we get a Doechii-sized 'woosah', please? At least let’s 'try a breathing exercise,' as the Grammy-winning rapper suggests. With destructive, combative Mars ending an 11-week retrograde this February 23, there’s at least a slight chance that some of the chaos of the past couple months will start to dissipate.
Though don’t set the bar too high: Venus and Mercury are still turning retrograde in March, and there will be two disruptive eclipses on March 14 and 29. But Mars retrograde, which happens every 18 to 24 months, has a special sort of wrecking ball effect. And we’re not at all sad to see that end.
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If Mars retrograde were a character in a movie, we’d point to Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, the wildly unpredictable, dysfunctional supervillain whose obsession and rage are channeled into violent sprees, all while dressed as a colorful roller derby queen. Mars retrograde is as confused as it is confusing. It’s unmooring and can bring waves of utterly unexpected events.
You probably don’t need a recap, but let’s take a look at some of what’s happened since reckless Mars turned retrograde on December 6, 2024, first in Leo, the sign of royals and the elite. That was two days after the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, was shot and killed on a New York City street. The alleged gunman, Luigi Mangione, was arrested on December 9, turning him into an antihero for those who viewed the act as a violent statement about the inequities between multimillionaire CEOs and their customers who are left drowning in health care debt.
On January 6, Mars backed up into Cancer, the sign that rules residential real estate and all matters pertaining to the home. Since January, Elon Musk, a Cancer born on June 28, 1971, has been actively working with his D.O.G.E. team to dismantle the internal 'home' structures of the U.S. Many of the country’s protective agencies have been the subject of Musk’s fixation, including the Department of Education, Medicare, and FEMA.
Now, starting February 23, Mars will turn direct—and power forward through female-focused Cancer until April 18. Aggressive Mars is not comfortable in the sign of Cancer, which is tender and nurturing. However, this dissonance can help us strike a chord. Let’s go with B sharp.
What do we mean by that? Well, sensitivity to feelings and nuances will now become the best line of defense against overreaching misbehaviour. Instead of being stuck in shock and anger, Mars in maternal Cancer calls the adults back to the room. New strategy: React quickly and calmly, like a parent steering a hyped-up kid away from the candy jar and off to go play Legos. Our prediction? A new level of organizing, political involvement, and legal action is likely to erupt in the weeks ahead.
On the very personal frontier, the end of Mars retrograde will also signal the importance of creating safe spaces, especially in our homes. That could mean tightening up privacy policies, too. Less social media posting, more intimate conversations with friends over home-cooked dinners. What happens under the 'shell' that Cancer, the crab, hides out in should stay under the shell. Between now and April 18, you’ll really get to know who you can trust.
And feel free to take action while buttoned up in a very Mars-in-Cancer menswear-inspired suit. Like Kendrick Lamar reminded us, the revolution will be televised. You might as well greet it with double-breasted (the part of the body Cancer rules) confidence.
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Ophira and Tali Edut (The AstroTwins) are among the most sought-after astrologers and intuitive advisors of our times. As the longtime resident astrologers for ELLE Magazine and the authors of over 20 books, they are the advisors to a roster of CEOs, celebrities, global leaders and successful entrepreneurs. They've read charts for celebrities the likes of Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, and Emma Roberts. Their new book, The Astrology Advantage (Simon & Schuster), introduces The AstroTwins’ revolutionary I*AM System, which simplifies the birth chart into three archetypes: Innovator, Authority, and Maven. On television, The AstroTwins have appeared as guest experts for Bravo, MTV, “Good Morning America,” and the “Today” show, and created the first streaming reality TV dating show based on astrology, Cosmic Love (Amazon Prime Video, 2022). Their work on the subject of “spiritual technology” as an essential tool for business success has been featured in Fast Company and at leadership conferences around the world. Ophira and Tali have taught thousands of people their methods through their online platform, and at their signature retreats. Graduates of The University of Michigan, Ophira and Tali grew up in Detroit and currently live in New York and Seattle.
