Mars, in mythology the god of war, fiery, competitive, pro-active, high vitality and aggressive, in aspect to slow-moving, cold-hearted, judgmental, stickler-for-rules Saturn is an awkward combination. Whether in natal charts, synastry, composites or in outer events it tends to accompany troubling experiences.
Mars says ‘I want’ ‘I am’ ‘I intend to do’ and dashes impulsively and often courageously ahead without thought of the consequences. Running into Saturn’s delays, setbacks, over abundance of caution and negativity, it results in blocked action.
In a natal chart, hard Mars Saturn aspects lead to frustration and futility in childhood at not being able to express self freely in direct action and in opinions. Usually the parent is the Saturnine force, ready with criticism, put downs, cutting remarks. Unfairness looms large and sometimes outright cruelty.
Destructive is a word often used about the combination, as is harshness, bitterness, self-willed obstinacy, violence. Scottish singer Lulu, with a 4th house Mars Moon square Saturn has revealed that a childhood, living with her parents’ violent relationship caused her to suffer. “I never slept properly. I was afraid my parents would accidentally kill each other. So that fear has ruled my whole life.“ Her Mars was also trine Pluto so she had an added dose of the damaging energy.
Ill treatment does crop up in charts of Mars Saturn individuals who have lived through difficult circumstances either in childhood or later. Winne Mandela, who was brutalised by South African authorities during her long fight against apartheid. Ahed Tamini, the Palestinian activist who has been thrown into Israeli prisons on several occasions. Brigitte Bardot, whose father beat her as a child. Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist for girls’ education who was shot by the Taliban. All Mars Saturn types.
Mars Saturn also crops up in illegal assassinations and more recently terrorist attacks. The Manchester bombing of 2017 and the London Bridge bombing both occurred with a magnified Saturn opposition Mars in place. Other instances were Kim Kardashian’s burglary in Paris, the 2012 Italy earthquake.
Since Saturn, rules the body’s skeleton, there are connections to damaging accidents – Chris Froome, the Tour de France cyclist, crashed badly under Mars Saturn and actor Jeremy Renner was run over by a snow plough with a Mars opposition Saturn in place breaking innumerable bones.
There are, of course, ways of using any astrological aspect constructively. The military is one outlet for Mars Saturn. Mars = aggression, killing; and Saturn = disciplined, controlled, state-sanctioned. Though military types do not always make empathetic parents.
Mars Saturn tends unsurprisingly to give rise to problems with impatience and in adult years a tendency for anger to be switched off and then switched on. Periods of teeth-gritting submission to restrictive circumstances or people after a while result in irritation spilling out sometimes with force. Too little and then too much as the lid blows.
The other effect can be on sexuality since Mars’ unrestrained testosterone does not appreciate being corralled by moralistic Saturn – or sometimes worse, by the goat-god Saturn goading Mars into perverse behaviours. Mars Saturn can lead to masochistic/sadistic behaviour. The Marquis de Sade had a Mars square Saturn. Mel Gibson whose Passion of Christ movie evidently had horror movie quantities of blood and gore has a Mars Saturn in Scorpio admittedly square Pluto which doubles up on the obsession with cruelty.
Net porn also seems infested by Mars Saturn – see in Search.
Where Mars Saturn comes into its own in a positive way is its ability (honed in a difficult childhood) to push on regardless to reach its goals. It bestows incredible self discipline. All of the below had striking Mars Saturn aspects. Donald Henderson changed the world by ‘doing the impossible’ and eradicating smallpox. Henry Worsley in 2016 died just 30 miles short of his goal of a solo, unassisted crossing of the Antarctic. He covered 913 miles in 69 days, hauling a 148 kilo sledge and raised over £100,000 for injured soldiers. Ranulph Fiennes, the trans globe explorer, who holds endurance records for walking to the North and South Pole, and crossing Antarctica. Ralph Bangold, who pioneered desert exploration and walked across the Libyan desert in the 1930s.
There is a never-say-die side to Mars Saturn which can lead to extraordinary achievements against the odds.
While all of the above various manifestations of Mars Saturn occur, they won’t necessarily all affect every individual who has Mars Saturn in their chart. Recent examples of Dolly Parton as well as architects Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid indicate they can result in a long productive life.
The post Mars Saturn – a difficult combo but with benefits first appeared on Astroinform with Marjorie Orr – Star4cast.
