I’m in the business of keeping it real, so here’s the truth: I didn’t want to write this newsletter. I’ve been exhausted lately. I’m talking no sleep is enough, working out doesn’t help, three coffees a day-levels of exhaustion. Mercury is currently retrograde, so the words don’t flow as easily as they usually do, and in the rare moments I am able to generate a word count, I feel obligated to channel that energy into the writing that makes me money. Because, you know, the capitalism of it all.
But this morning, during my half-hearted jog through the streets of Williamsburg on an appropriately gloomy day, I remembered Mars, that fiery-hot malefic in the sky.
Mars is also Going Through It.
Mars is currently in Venus-ruled Libra, the sign of its detriment. It’s been there since mid-September. Libra’s Venusian vibes mean Mars struggs to func in its classically Martian way. Venus wants to make peace, to make love; Mars wants to cut ties, to fight. You’ve probably heard Mars associated with sex, aggression, and how one handles conflict.
But Mars’s significations aren’t all violence and discord. In the October forecast episode of The Astrology Podcast, Chris Brennan, Austin Coppock, and Kelly Surtees discussed how Mars is linked to one’s vitality and — the buzz word du jour, I guess — motivation. When the transiting Mars is in a sign where it struggles or in a challenging aspect to another planet, this can manifest as a dip in energy. You might find it harder to get up in the morning or motivate yourself to work, even on projects you’re usually passionate about. Mars rules exercise, too, so in a transit like this, you might gravitate toward low-intensity forms of movement like yoga versus fast-paced, cardio-heavy workouts.
To add insult to injury, Mars is approaching a Cazimi, or an exact conjunction with the Sun, on Friday (October 8). This alignment marks the start of a new Mars cycle. It’s infrequent but potent. Right now, Mars is so close to the Sun that it is combust, meaning it is being sapped of even more energy.
All this to say, if you’re also feeling like a bag of shit, maybe cut yourself some slack. As above, so below, yada yada. Next month’s astrology is chaotic as hell, but hey, at least we’ll have Mars moving into its domicile in Scorpio. Cue “Motivation” by Normani.
Today’s Moon: There’s a New Moon in Libra today (October 6). I’m ~unmotivated~, so this newsletter is coming out after the exact alignment of the New Moon, but you can still tap into this energy for a day or so.
New Moons are typically good for beginnings or initiations. Here’s the deal, though. New Moons, by definition, occur when the Sun conjoins the Moon. That means today’s lunation is happening all up in that combust Mars zhuzh. And its ruler, Venus, is in Scorpio, the sign of its detriment. Since this New Moon has an unusually debilitated signature (and is occurring in my 4th House of family, home, and heritage), I will be doing absolutely nothing. Consider this your invitation to sit with today’s New Moon and observe how it feels, both physically and emotionally. My FYP on TikTok is full of amateur astrologers yelling at me to “use” every lunation, conduct elaborate rituals, manifest my titties off. Sometimes the best way to channel lunar energy is simply to vibe.
Fave astro post: This is becoming a Pallas Augustine stan account, and honestly, that’s fine by me. Their recent post on Mars cycles and the upcoming Mars Cazimi is a treasure trove of insight.