Copyright 2005 Eileen Nauman
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Think about these possibilities with Mars retrograde shortly: Pulling the plug on the world economy (oil prices go up), gas prices go up to $5/gallon by the end of the year, and expect a stall in the Iraq war and Katrina survivors are caught like helpless puppets who float in a vacuum where nothing seems to move forward in reestablishing their lives. Epidemics lurk around through the Fall season and may blow up in our faces come December 9, 2005--so be prepared!

All these areas and issues in our life will be affected--and much more--by Mars, our Cosmic engine that hurtles us forward as individuals, as nations, as groups of people and as a global village--and the plug on that energy is going to be pulled shortly. Without energy, (gas) a car will coast to a stop. And so, on a world stage right down to each of us as individuals--are going to have time shortly to coast to a stop. As always, there are reasons for this, so let's educate ourselves so mindless, baseless fear is removed with understanding, instead. With education and knowledge we have the 'tool's with which to control and change our life:

Mars has an orbit of twenty-two months around the Sun. Every once in a while, it goes "retrograde" or backwards (seemingly) in motion as it passes Earth, which has a shorter orbit. This usually happens once every 22 months. It is going retrograde on October 1, 2005 through December 9, 2005.

Mars goes retrograde at 23 degrees Taurus 22 minutes on October 1, 2005 and reverses or backslides to 8 degrees Taurus 14 minutes when Mars finally decides to stop backing up and turns DIRECT at that degree on December 9, 2005.

TAURUS PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED

Those born between May 11 through the 16th with the following degrees directly affected (20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 Taurus) with May 14th (23 Taurus) being the most important date and most strongly affected by it turning retrograde. This will be a time of remarkable changes, most of them new territory for you and can be a highly exciting time if taken positively. Taurus is a FIXED sign and slow to change and move so do not dig your heels in on this retrograde or you could have it blown out from beneath you, literally or figuratively speaking. This is one time Taurus people must learn to be bend and be flexible, which is not their strong suit--but they can learn like the rest of us have done.

SCORPIO PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED

By opposite sign, Scorpio, people with birthdays between November 12 through the 17th are directly affected. The birthday most affected is November 15th (23 Scorpio) and you are going to be influenced strongly by this planet turning retrograde on October 1, 2005. You can expect a "10" on a scale of 1 (slight) to 10 (heavy activity). People born on these days are the bulls eye on this as Mars turns retrograde at 23 degrees Taurus--their whole life is going to change remarkably--either personally or professionally or perhaps, both. And, as with Taurus, this is also a FIXED sign, so it is not wise to dig in your heels and make a stand. Just remember: sometimes retreat is the better part of valor OR compromising/bending/adapting creates survivors and winners or a successful outcome, instead.

WHAT DOES RETROGRADE MEAN?

It means "backwards movement". The Earth has an orbit around the Sun. So does Mars (and Mars's orbit, because it is farther to the Sun, is longer in circumference than Earth's).

At certain times in that twenty-two month orbit Mars, because it has a longer orbit than Earth, will "pass" Earth. As it's moving 'away' from Earth, to an observer standing on Mars, it looks like Earth is moving 'backward' as this is happening. Mars is surging ahead and Earth is left behind. This is 'retrograde motion'.

Another way to explore this is: most of you have probably ridden in a motor boat. When the engines are in 'forward' position, you zoom around. When you want to 'back up' the boat, you put the throttle in "reverse" position. Have you ever watched the surge and turbulence of water beneath the engine, at the rear of the boat when it's put into reverse to back up? That's 'retrograde' motion. All turbulence, frothing, bubbling and boiling as water, which is flowing nice and smooth one way, suddenly has this engine and motor come and stir it all up as it reverses motion! And you really don't get anywhere very fast in the boat in reverse motion, do you? The same holds true of the planetary energy when it's in backward or retrograde motion, too!

Take Mars and Earth in the same analogy: Mars is the speedboat. Earth is the water in which it floats. As Mars 'passes' Earth due to its longer orbit around the Sun, this "turbulence" energetically is created between the two planets for what seems like a LONG time. And we know Earth is not in 'reverse' motion--the concept I'm trying to visually give you is that as Mars passes Earth as it moves around on it's longer circumference orbit, creates invisible 'waves' of energy. And this 'energy' is translated into 'retrograde motion' by astrologers.

Another way to state this visually is: You're on a lake and in a boat. You zoom past another boat that is anchored and the gal is fishing in one spot. You watch the waves your boat has created by forward motion impact that other boat. That other boat will bob and move around as the current of the lake water, set into motion by your speeding boat, strikes it. The waves pass, and the boat that is anchored, becomes still once more.

Even though we can't see the energy and turbulence as the planet in orbit affects a slower moving planet in its orbit, the 'turbulence' is still the same. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there and isn't happening--because it is.

When ANY planet goes retrograde (and they all do sooner or later), the 'heavier' they are, the more impact they produce in our daily life. Those with larger, longer orbits about the sun producer deeper impact. Those with shorter orbits, such as Mercury and Venus, cause less havoc. However, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, create more chaos or changes. The outer planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto create changes on a more global or generational level. The three that have a lot of personal, deep impact are: Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. These are highly personalized and lives can change drastically when they go in retrograde or "direct" motion.

WHAT IS DIRECT MOTION?

Direct motion is a phenomenon when Earth, in its orbits, passes up the slower moving planet and seems to move ahead of it once again. So, any planet can go retrograde or direct as we stand on Earth. They all do. How and what they impact in our lives is the only other consideration that we are really interested in.

WHY ARE PLANETS GOING RETROGRADE AND DIRECT IMPORTANT?

Depending upon what zodiac sign the planet is in when it goes retrograde and direct, is of major interest. Those people born in that sun sign and it's opposite sun sign, are more likely to receive the impact and implications of this planet as it goes retrograde (and later, direct). One thing we can count on--in fact the ONLY thing we can count on in life is birth/death/changes. Planets going retrograde and direct create the CHANGES in our life. This does not mean it's bad or good. Sometimes, if we get a little too fixed or myopic in our lifestyle, one of these planets will jar us loose from this fixed rut into something different. Different doesn't mean bad. However, different can certainly mean stress.

If you want a good example of this: look at the victims of Hurricane Katrina: they have had their homes wiped out, lost everything and unfortunately, some have lost loved ones and pets. The devastation on this scale is monumental and the suffering terrible. However, the USA and the people who are so generous and goodhearted, have come to the rescue of Katrina's survivors in big and small ways. Many families will never go back to the South were Katrina hit--they will make new lives with new jobs, new school for their kids and a new city and state--as a result. This is 'different.' And yes, tremendous stress with this one; Katrina took no prisoners.

Not all changes are on Katrina's scale, thank goodness! So, take a deep breath and don't think that a hurricane is roaring down upon you if you're one of the birthday people above! Another example could be that your displeased with your job and you quit. Under a Mars retrograde, you may struggle until it goes direct on December 9, 2005, before you find what you want. What you don't realize is that with Mars being retrograde, it is actually working in your favor even if you can't see it and you don't have a job and things are getting tight financially. Sometimes, the Cosmos must 'reorganize' things for you, get them reassembled energetically speaking and needs a 'time out' to do all this on your behalf so you can have a better life when it goes direct. While you're waiting, it can be sheer agony and a lot of worry. If you will read my article, INITIATION, you will understand better here, what I'm saying. It requires FAITH on your part and persistence and holding the vision in your heart and head of what you really want for that new job. If you do this (and yes, we all stumble and we don't hold our vision perfectly--that is not what is being asked of us....just that you try....) then when Mars goes direct, you'll be given your reward.

The planets, Mars through and including Pluto, will have a longer period of retrograde, than Mercury or Venus simply because their orbits are much larger that these two smaller planets found inside Earth's orbit. The other planets are outside Earth's orbit, and therefore, have a longer time to go around the sun to make one complete turn. For instance, Mars, when it goes retrograde, it is usually for, roughly, two and a half months at a time. That's a LONG time! The outer planets can be retrograde for much longer, again, depending upon their individual orbit.

THE DYNAMIC LEGACY OF THE 23rd DEGREE

Anyone with any planet or a cusp with a 23 degrees on them is looking for some dynamic changes. From a numerological standpoint, 2 + 3 = 5. This is the number "5" which she feels is Uranus-ruled, according to Karen David, a world renown numerologist. And so, this like a lightning bolt striking out of the blue with key words such as: unexpected/chaotic/assertive, forward charging energy that presents its energy to us for choices we must make in our life very quickly (think of the survivors of Katrina--where they had life-death decisions as water is filling their houses and they have to run to the attic and chop a hole in the roof, climb out of it to survive....), stress, tension, and changes. More positive with Uranus is the 'aha'! Sort of like "Eureka!" Ideas may make quantum leaps forward in a blinding second. People will be more willing to be bendable and adaptable because this energy is around more than usual--which is good! It also means you can 'think outside the box' and see things you've not seen before--and again--this is good because it will ultimately help you be like a cork on a moody, turbulent ocean--to just 'bob' along regardless and reach the safety of shore during this Mars turning retrograde and then, finally, direct 12.9.05. In a nutshell: expect the unexpected. If you are adaptable, bendable and flexible you can make this period a gold plated winner.

TAURUS and SCORPIO HEALTH ISSUES?

From a medical astrology standpoint, Taurus rules the throat and everything in it. That includes the thyroid gland and the parathyroid gland, the 'voice box'/larynx, the carotid arteries, the esophagus (our eating tube) and trachea (our breathing tube). Scorpio rules the bladder and all its equipment, the prostate in men, and the uterus and vagina in women. Both signs and people affected may be looking at their health more closely in the month of late September to October 1, 2005; and it wouldn't hurt you to go to your doctor or health practitioner if you feel you need help. If you get symptoms during September, 2005--do NOT shrug it off--get to your doctor and have it checked out.

So, what's behind all these potential health problems? We look to see what Mars symbolizes and that is: Anger and rage. My advice: quit choking on your anger, swallowing it and instead, spit it out and discharge it. Of course, there is positive anger management vs. having an immature temper tantrum. I always advocate wise, judicious use of anger as a tool to make changes for the better if you can. Get your anger out into the open or its gonna backfire on you big time in the month of September/October--particularly from September 10, 2005 to October 1, 2005, when Mars goes retrograde. This "shadow" period before the actual retrograde is a quick buildup, so be on top of it early and handle it appropriately (one hopes in a healthy, positive fashion) so that come October 1st, you aren't caught off guard with a big explosion in your life.

That doesn't mean you "blast" the person you're angry with. First, look inside yourself. WHY are you angry? Has this person or situation pushed a raw wound in you? Then look at your wound. Because, after all, Mars is giving all of us an opportunity to look at our anger and hopefully, deal with it and discharge it in an appropriate fashion. The person pouring salt in it is really your teacher trying to get you to look at something (long overdue) that has been begging for attention, but you've either suppressed/repressed or flat out, ignored it. Talk to a friend, a therapist, a family member....whomever you trust....talk it out. Be pro-active with your anger, which means: don't be a bull in a china shop destroying everything stupidly in your path. Take the anger and build something USEFUL to you, out of it.

If you feel someone was just plain mean, vindictive and did something to hurt you on purpose, then do me a favor? Try to understand the dynamics of this uncomfortable, irritating energy: Your energy is not being well spent by you harboring get-even, vengeful thought forms toward the attacker. That just keeps you tied to them, energetically speaking. And the only person you're hurting (actually, shooting yourself in the foot daily) is YOU. This is not constructive anger. This is destructive anger. Instead, what Mars is asking of us at this key time in our life is to LOVE our ENEMY. Of all things! It's so easy to say and so very tough to do. You are, of course, allowed to use Martian energy to protect yourself as well as erect strong boundaries around you to keep you safe and secure. Mars is about PRO-action. This means think things through and do NOT just emotionally react and knee-jerk in a situation like this--it will backfire on you and you'll be the one hurt instead. Just stay in your core, send pink heart energy to this person or people. Wrap them in it several times a day. You have a right to live, to breathe, to be an individual, of course. Right now, Mars is asking you to step up to the Plate of Compassion, not righteous anger out of control. Rather, using righteous anger in legal and honest ways, instead. Maybe in the Wild West, things were settled by the law of the gun. But now, it's very different. We can't be visceral any more--we must be heart reactive.

There's such a huge difference between the gun mentality of yesteryear and our generation (Leo) which is about the heart and pro-action through our heart. Anyone born in the Baby Boomer generation has signed up for this life to try and increase their Compassion for not only themselves, but "all our relations" as well. As my father taught me from the time I could remember: "See through the eyes of your heart." If you can do this--and it will be a struggle, make no mistake--in just TRYING to do it, will earn you medals from the Cosmos. Just know going in that this is what is being asked and forewarned is forearmed. Whatever actions you must take--know what/why you are doing them, think your way through it first, consult experts/friends/family to help you (because we never do anything alone), and then act. Act with patience and perseverance. Not in haste or impatience. And Mars has a tendency to be VERY impatient, irritable, knee-jerk and act without any forethought at all, and is like a hormonally driven teenager out of control. Those are the things you do NOT want to do this on the eve of this Mars retrograde. Rather--just the opposite: being thoughtful, control your emotional reaction, think things through, ask questions first how your next action will affect yourself/your spouse/your family/your neighbor/etc., etc. Look at the long term and this forces you to sit down and PLAN--which is a very good thing to do! With plans come success. Or, as the US Marine Corps is fond of saying: "Use the 5 P's." That means: "Prior Planning Prevents Piss poor performance." No truer words or example were ever said about a Mars going retrograde or direct than this!! The Marines have it right and we should use their wisdom daily in our life from here on out during this Mars time frame.

You say you're depressed? Well, if you are, then who or what pissed you off and made you angry, and you decided to turn all this rage in on yourself instead of getting it out and giving it back to the person who triggered you in the first place? Sounds really silly, doesn't it? We swallow our rage toward someone who has either made a decision we didn't like, didn't agree with, or who meanly set out to hurt us and what do we do? We knee-jerk back and take that anger and keep striking ourselves with it over and over until finally, we fall into depression and helplessness.

Check out WHEN your depression began and look at the incident or person or people who set it in motion for you. What can you do to shift this load? Best to get help with this one...homeopathy works wonders, so does talking it out with a friend, spouse, family member or whomever you trust. The deal here is--don't keep sitting on this badly infected rage and keep hurting yourself with it. Unburden yourself between now and May 11th in a HEALTHY and pro-active fashion.

MARS IN Taurus--CONSIDERATIONS

Mars is not happy in Taurus, an Earth sign. Mars is a fire planet and rules the fire element in all of its meanings. Fire and earth simply do not mix; they create scorched earth policy, symbolically speaking, in our lives. (Just imagine flame being shot out against earth. What happens? It burns everything on top of the earth and scorches it--grass, animals, insects, flowers, bushes and trees--rendering it destroyed. Earth still survives and things will grow back and multiply once more afterward. This example is not to send you into fear driven panic, so relax.

This can be an uncomfortable element combination from a medical astrology perspective. Fire and earth or Mars in Taurus is about how anger can create poisons and toxins in all of us if we aren't on top of appropriate anger management (most of us aren't...or we're struggling to get there....) Let me define "toxic" so we're all on the same page. Toxic is about our unhealthy emotions....greed, hatred, envy, jealousy, competitiveness, and the list goes on and on...just add yours here. Toxic emotions put us out of harmony with ourselves. When we are out of balance, we can become sick spiritually, mentally, emotionally or physically. Or, choose two of the four above. Or, choose three of the four. Or, four of the four. Toxic emotions, if let go, are like a haz-mat environmental disaster taking place in us. If we don't do something to 'clean ourselves up' then we will poison ourselves through one or more of these emotions. The good news is: we CAN do something about it! Whenever we set our heart and mind to it.

So, if you are lucky enough to have Mars in Taurus aspecting something natally and in Taurus in your chart OR you have one of the degrees mentioned above in a conjunction, square, inconjunct or opposition aspect, you had best be asking yourself the following questions and answering them honestly:

1. Am I being poisoned? Am I poisoning myself? How?

2. What is toxic in my life? A person? Place? Thing? Event? Group? Am I toxic in my thinking? Toxic in what I feel? How I see Life?

3. How can I detoxify myself? Look at health foods, massage, exercise, drinking lots of water and flushing yourself out, changing your diet (less meat, thank you), and taking up yoga.

4. How would I like to meditate more often and touch base with my spirit during this time?

5. Don't go near the water....you could drown in an unexpected undertow (just as the people in Lake Michigan did the other day...). And if you own a basement, well, floods are gonna be a possibility, too. Or, a water tank will leak and you'll have a water flood of another kind. Or your basement is gonna spring a nice leak during this time.

6. Speaking of water, tears are a good idea to release at this time. Better out than in, as we homeopaths say. Discharge, especially tears, is very healthy, so let it fly and don't keep it choked up inside you.

7. Prayers are helpful. Taurus is one of the most intuitive of all zodiac signs and has what I call: blind-faith-knowing. If you will defer to this, you'll walk through the chaos and surprises that are going to slung around you, and not even get hit. Scorpio, too, has a keen psychic awareness and if you will listen to your gut hunches; you'll be fine, too. However, if you don't pay attention to your intuition and inner voice or listen to your teachers on the Other Side, then rest assured, shit is gonna happen and you will get hit by it. Why get nailed when you don't have too? Easy choice here in my book.

8. Don't sign ANYTHING the week before Mars goes retrograde. I'm telling you--you will be duped. You will be cheated, lied to, deceived and the shell game will be played and you'll loose that, too. Don't gamble on anything. Wait until after it goes retrograde and then look closely at the fine print before you sign any agreement.

9. If it sounds too good to be true during this period--it is. Don't do it. Don't sign. Don't say yes. Just walk away and say "no"--and mean it. The Economy is big with Mars in Taurus. I think the Economy is going to tank in the USA, stall out and plummet. Of course, Katrina is a giant sucking sound on US dollars--never mind that President Bush is spending billions on a not-necessary war in Iraq--and that money could sure be used here to help the survivors and New Orleans dry itself off.

10. Right now, you can't think yourself out of a paper bag, so honor this confusing moment where you feel like you've been strung up and hung out to dry and just SIT ON IT. Don't do A THING. Just be QUIET. Don't MOVE. Don't make major decisions. Just be quiet and listen to your inner voice. It will tell you what to do to get out of this maze that you're presently lost in....again, intuition and inner knowing will carry the day for you. Mars retrograde is, quite literally, SUSPENDED ANIMATION for all of us to a larger or small degree. (Larger if you're in the Taurus/Scorpio birthday group above). This is a time of investigation, in-depth research, exploration quietly behind the scenes. Your work may yield untold discoveries that can aid you in your greatest moment of need. Be slow, be thorough and be patient--all these things are given to you with Mars retrograde.

11. Life's a regular toxic jungle out there for all of us right now... my advice is: go within. That is your Safe Place. Your place where no one will lie, deceive, cheat or mislead you presently. If you're unsure, do NOT make a decision right now. Just be patient and wait it out until three to four weeks after Mars goes direct on 12.9.05 (My advice is start NOTHING new until after January 1, 2006 to be on the safe side).

12. Feel like your life's a regular pool of MUDDY water and you need to see clearly in order to get out of it or make the right decision, but can't? Yep, it sure is. Well, be patient, stand quietly and let the storm and mud around you settle out and believe me, the water will clear up and you'll know what to do. It will clear up about 3 weeks after Mars goes direct on 12.9.05.

13. Timing is everything, friends. And right now, you've got bad timing due to being overly aggressive, impulsive or impatient. Your watch doesn't even keep the right time. If you don't believe me, check it out. That's a big red flag to you. Your timing is lousy because Mars is going retrograde, so sit tight and don't move. It's amazing how the universe will eventually reveal all you need to know in order to make a wise decision. You just have to trust yourself enough to follow that path. So, do it. The other choice will suck and you will be one very unhappy camper. Patience wins the day here. You can do it!

14. Your intuition? Well, it has seen better days, too. Everyone has intuition, but with Taurus in your chart, yours and every one else's is off. Particularly those with planets around (20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 Taurus) with 23 Taurus "ground zero" and by opposite sign Scorpio--is REALLY off! So, just chill out, cool your heels and be patient. Ask for "double checks" if you have a hunch or intuition. If you get the outer sign that checks what you felt, then go ahead. But if you don't, then do not follow it through. Things will clear up in a month or two and you'll know a lot more than you do right now (which isn't much of anything--you're not getting "straight scoop" from those who are providing information). Plus, you can check with sensitive/psychic friends or family to help you out, too--so don't be shy about asking.

15. Pandemic of December, 2005: Yes, it is a possibility, unfortunately. I get no joy in saying this. Mars is a well known 'trigger' planet of epidemics. SARS and the Chicken Flu are 'out there' and will be lurking quietly behind-the-scenes while Mars is retrograde. Only when Mars goes direct on 12.9.05, will it suddenly and potentially 'explode' on a country level or worse, globally. If you are into alternative medicine and particularly homeopathy (and if you don't know about it, just go to: http://www.homeopathic.org), you can be prepared for this possibility by getting the book Homeopathy for Epidemics by Eileen Nauman, DHM(UK) at the following website (Light Technology Publisher, Flagstaff, Arizona): http://www.sedonajournal.com/bookstore/dsp_product.cfm?prodId=138
and then, buy Eileen Nauman's Homeopathic Kit #4 at the Hahnemann Labs in San Rafael, California, that goes with this book. If you love homeopathy, this is the combo to be prepared for the pandemic if it decides to arrive. If in the USA, a free call: 1-888-427-6422--toll free. Or, if out of the country and you want this 50 remedy kit, call 1-415-451-6978--for out of country ordering. Hahnemann Laboratories, Inc., 1940 Fourth Street, San Rafael, CA 94901. HOURS: Monday-Friday --- 9am-1pm & 2pm - 6pm. Michael Quinn, RpH, owner.

So, now that we have a feel for this dynamic duo of Mars in Taurus, let's go back and look at what Mars going retrograde means to all of you who are affected by it!

PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | QUESTION AND ANSWERS