Sun Trine Mars: The Alchemical Awakening of Willpower and Purpose

Last night, the Sun formed a trine to Mars, a sacred turning point in the synodic cycle of Mars, marking a significant shift in the journey that began in November 2023. This moment is not just an astrological transit—it is an initiation, an emergence from the deep underworld of Mars’ recent retrograde. Though Mars stationed direct nearly a week ago, it has remained suspended in stillness, recalibrating in the liminal space between death and rebirth. But now, he awakens with a renewed vision as an evening star, ready to ascend with newfound purpose and direction.

Esoterically, the Sun represents the divine intelligence, the higher will that illuminates our path. It is the source of our creative vitality, the beacon that guides us toward our soul’s evolutionary journey. Mars, the embodiment of raw willpower and assertion, has undergone an initiatory descent, shedding layers of old conditioning, outdated ambitions, and unconscious patterns that no longer serve the evolving self. This trine acts as an alchemical spark—a merging of spiritual clarity (the Sun) with the purified desire nature (Mars). The question is: how will you direct your will moving forward?

This is a pivotal moment to listen deeply. What desires have reawakened in you? What call to action is arising now, unmistakable in its clarity? This moment is not about impulsive force but about conscious momentum—one that is attuned to your spiritual directive. The vision emerging now is the one you will carry forward until January 2026, when Mars begins its next synodic cycle.

Reflect on what has been evolving in your life since November 2023. Where have you been internally forging strength, resilience, and a new understanding of your own drive? With Mars in water, this shift is felt emotionally, offering renewed clarity, magnetism, and optimism. You may notice an energetic surge over the coming days, a sense of certainty returning after a period of uncertainty.

Honor this turning point. Let your will align with your higher vision. The fire of Mars now moves with purpose—let it guide you forward with courage, trust, and unwavering clarity.

Mars Finally Stations Direct!

I don't know about you all, but this has been one intense retrograde for me this time around. I’m doing a bit of a happy dance this morning as Mars officially stations direct today in Cancer at 17 degrees. Unlike other planets coming out of retrograde, Mars takes a bit longer to gain momentum and start moving again. So, while he is officially direct today, we might not actually feel this change until he starts gaining speed and movement around March 8. He will be fully out of his shadow around the end of May.

Mars is in his fall in Cancer, meaning that its energy is more indirect, protective, or emotionally driven, instead of its usual assertive, forward moving nature. So, as he stations direct, these energetic themes will be amplified, making it an ideal time for deep reflection and redirection of personal willpower.

As he moves out of his internal deep dive in retrograde, it is a great time to reflect on the insights, reflections, and downloads have you received this transit. Some of the themes that may have come to the surface may have included the following:

The Power of Emotional Willpower

Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which governs our subconscious, emotions, and instincts. Mars stationing direct here asks us, Are you moving from a place of true emotional security, or are you reacting out of fear and defensiveness? It’s a really potent opportunity to contemplate the duality of protection vs. projection; learning how to fight for what nurtures you without letting emotional reactivity drive your actions. What triggers and patterns have you identified this retrograde season?

Healing Ancestral Patterns

Cancer rules the home, family, lineage, and ancestral roots. Mars here brought a courage and encouragement to deep drive and explore and confront inherited wounds; especially any that surround masculinity, protection, safety, and emotional expression. What surfaced up for you here? What generational patterns or cycles have you recognized and are you choosing to break? Are you acting from your own inner authority or are you carrying outdated family expectations?

Where Have You Been Holding Back?

Mars retrograde can often be a time in which we feel like our energy dips, our drive is stifled, and our assertiveness quieted. As he stations direct today, you will begin to notice a shift in your energy, slowly building momentum as he gains motion, and you likely will find yourself inspired with decisive action of some sort. What have you been inspired to pursue?

Divine Masculine Healing & Reclamation

Cancer represents the Divine Feminine, and Mars, the Divine Masculine. My natal placement is Mars in Cancer, which means he is in his fall here. Often described, as the energy of a warrior trying to run in water - not very effective! This placement often speaks to a wounded masculine energy that has been taught to suppress emotions or express them in unhealthy, destructive ways. I can tell you, that in my own life, this is emphatically true. I have struggled with expressing myself and my emotions authentically nearly all of my life. I was primed at a very young age to ignore my body and my emotions and instead to focus on the energy and needs of others and what needs to be done from a perspective of survival, productivity, and “success”. As a result, I often used to dissociate; a pattern that took me decades to recognize and heal. This retrograde season has been a big awakening to me of the connection between these two and the importance of recognizing my own desires - allowing them to flow and finding a voice and aligned energy to empower them. Mars stationing direct is an opportunity to redefine masculinity and power in a way that integrates emotional intelligence, find strength through vulnerability, and empower protective, nourishing leadership. How has this theme shown up for you? What healing have you found and what steps are calling out to you for action?

The Sacred Warrior Archetype

Mars in Cancer isn’t a brute force warrior - he isn’t found on the front lines of a classic battle. He is a guardian, a protector, and a spiritual warrior who passionately defends what is sacred. What is worth fighting for in your life? What legacy of protection and security do you want to build for yourself and those who you love and come after you? How do you want to nourish those that matter in your life?

Realignment of Purpose After Emotional Recalibration

Today’s stationing moment is a pivotal point - an invitation to step into action. But in the energy of Cancer, it may not be in the way that you expect. Instead of charging ahead recklessly, the energy of Mars in Cancer drives us to tap into our intuition and take emotionally aligned movement forward. So, before taking action in the next few weeks, ponder for yourself, your intentions and whether or not the energy deeply aligns and is authentic. Does this path make me feel safe and emotionally fulfilled? Am I taking action from a place of love or fear? How can I integrate deep nourishment into my ambitions?

Mars for me is in both Cancer, as well as my 12th house. The house of my subconscious, past life karma, hidden strengths, and spiritual integration. So, not only has this been my Mars retrograde, but it is also, my Mars return. It has been full of deep awakenings and reflections; self sabotaging habits have bubbled up for awareness, I’ve had a deeply embedded fear surface for healing, and I’ve recognized an ancestral wounding pattern in my life that I know I am purposed to help heal. For at least 3 generations that I can confirm and trace, the women in my family have carried deep wounds of childhood emotional neglect (CEN). Mental illness runs in my maternal line and was the source for both my mother - her mother was in and out of a mental institution during most of her childhood, leaving her emotionally unfulfilled and devoid of deep maternal nurturing, emotional safety, and the beauty and validation of rich emotional aliveness. She, as a result, battled her own mental illness issues of Borderline Personality Disorder and likely (undiagnosed) Bipolar disorder. As the oldest of 3, I became the parentified child of the family; I vividly remember in Kindergarten being left alone to care for my sisters for the first time. Standing on a chair at the sink washing dishes and feeding my younger sister her dinner in her highchair. This pattern continued as I had my first “job” after school in 3rd grade cleaning houses and buying my own clothing on layaway at the Mulberry Bush. I felt so proud buying clothes that no longer had safety pins in them for buttons like the hand-me-downs from the well meaning church friends who donated them. But, it was the little actions like this that validated, and embedded patterns of self-sufficiency, work over emotional tending, and self-subjugation in me at a very, very young age. On my own, since before I graduated from high school, these patterns only became more deeply embedded and normalized, that it was not until decades later that I became aware that I was even doing them and that my operating system was so far out of sync with healthy behavioral patterning. And, while I have done an enormous amount of healing and work, I am aware that I still have more to do. This retrograde season has reminded me of the importance of self-care; taking time for myself, calling back my own energy, being vulnerable enough to be open to receiving love, and that I do not need to self-subjugate my own desires just to appease others. And, while I have not birthed my own children - all 4 of mine are adopted from foster care - 3 of the 4 (the 4th being one we have had since birth) carry trauma from their own childhood emotional neglect from well before coming into our home. That pattern of ancestral wounding? Well it found my lineage even if it wasn’t through traditional means. A fascinating discovery and one that again, I know, I am purposed to help heal this lifetime. But, to do that, I have to heal my own wounds and inner child first. So that I can be fully present, authentically aligned, and deeply nourishing to their own emotional world and needs so that their struggles and future can look different from my own. What a gift. Yet, what an enormous mountain. And that, is my Mars challenge this lifetime.

This all might sound relatively straightforward, but for me these are profound jewels that I’ve unearthed. And, that is my treasure this season. What have you mined for yourself this retrograde and how will you honor your new discoveries by your actions this year? This, my friends, is how we work with the sky and make internal shifts and growth in our own life. And over time, these small shifts and steps lead to profound transformation.

Wishing you all the magick, desire, and growth you so deeply crave and deserve this Rx season. Remember that Mars in Cancer isn’t asking you to take warrior action - instead it is asking you to dive deep, align with your innermost emotional truth - and tap into the wisdom of your heart to lead the way forward.

Dancing with Mars: Working with His Synodic Cycle

From Earth, the planet Mars (the closest planet outside of Earth’s orbit) has a regular, visible pattern in the sky that can be observed. We call this pattern a synodic cycle.

The Synodic Cycle of Mars begins and ends with its relationship with the Sun and refers to the full orbit of Mars with the Sun which takes 780 days or roughly 26 months. The Sun is our sense of purpose in our lives, it is the core essence of who you are - your soul’s purpose, vitality, and the light you radiate. Mars is the energy that drives and fuels your ability to act on that purpose, embodying your courage, willpower, and determination. It is the sacred warrior energy that takes the Sun’s purpose (your Divine Will) and brings it into the world through action and desire. It is the “how” that fulfills the Sun’s “why”. In other words, the Sun holds our vision and Mars actualizes it. Without Mars, the Sun’s purpose remains unfulfilled, existing only as unrealized potential. Both are dependent on the other to fully fulfill their destiny. They work together to bridge the spiritual and physical realms and, when in harmony, they align and create a balanced flow between vision and action. The esoteric journey of integrating the Sun and Mars is learning to act with purpose - Mars through the wisdom of disciplined action aligning with the higher light of the Sun, while the Sun reminds Mars to act in service of the greater good, avoiding impulsivity and self-centered ambition.

The Mars synodic cycle influences how we experience and work with Martian themes like:

• Energy & Drive - the cycle will reveal how our motivation and energy levels ebb & flow over time.

• Conflict & Action - Mars’ retrograde and opposition often coincide with heightened conflict or the need to re-evaluate how we assert ourselves.

• Ambition & Goals - cycle marks phases of initiation, culmination, and adjustment in our pursuit of goals.

In Shamanic Astrology, the synodic cycle begins with the Mars-Sun opposition. This perspective emphasizes the conflict and tension inherent in the Mars opposition, viewing it as a crucial turning point in the cycle where confrontation and necessary change are likely to occur and kicks off the transformative cycle (6 phases). In Western Astrology, it begins with the Mars Cazimi (Mars conjunct the Sun). This approach sees the cazimi as the initiation point of the Mars cycle, signifying a time of intense focus, motivation, and potential for strong action due to Mars' close proximity to the Sun.

I think both views of the cycle carry value; its a personal preference in what story framing most aligns with you. Let’s look at the Shamanic Astrology Cycle in closer detail. In its opposition with the Sun, Mars is physically closest to the Earth. This is when Mars rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west and is called an acronychal rise. The zodiacal sign that Mars is in when beginning their Synodic Cycle is called the overtone. The planet typically spends 7-8 months in the overtone sign before, during, and after, the acronychal rise.

In Shamanic Astrology this Synodic Cycle pattern is divided into 6 distinct phases which is outlined below. In this train of thought, Mars represents the archetype of the Divine Masculine and explores the ideas of healthy masculinity, such as standing in one’s power, embodying courage, and pursuing passion and purpose with integrity. If you are working with Divine Masculine healing, Mars can provide insights into your natural assertiveness and how you channel that energy in healthy ways.

Phase 1:

Beginning with the acronychal rise, Mars is retrograde for half of this phase and also at its brightest. Phase 1 ends when Mars returns to back to the original point in the sky (sign and degree) that it was at arconychal rise. Shamanically, Phase 1 is like the Call to Adventure or the start of the Vision Quest. It can also be seen as a birth and emergence as well as an early youthful period of time for the Masculine.

Phase 2:

This is the longest phase of the cycle and typically spans 10-11 months. During this phase of the cycle Mars meets the Moon on a monthly basis. In Shamanic Astrology, these are known as the Challenges and represent specific areas of growth for the masculine varying greatly on the sign and constellation that Mars is in. Phase 2 ends when Mars disappears in the glare of the Sun (15 degrees from Sun).

Phase 3:

This phase lasts 3-4 months and is known as the “underworld phase” and is a time of masculine surrender. From Earth, Mars is now on the other side of the Sun during this phase. Shamanically, it is celebrated as Native American Sundance of Okeepa initiation. It is a process of facing one’s fears and death/rebirth.

Phase 4:

This part of the cycle occurs when Mars is visible in the early morning, right before sunrise. This phase lasts 4-5 months. It ends when Mars re-enters the zodiacal sign that it was in at the acronychal rise.

Shamanically, this phase is about rebirth and growth, or harvesting the potent wisdom from the Phase 3 journey through the underworld.

Phase 5:

This phase begins when Mars re-enters the zodiacal sign of its original acronychal rise. Shamanically this represents the gift of maturity and elder wisdom. This phase ends when Mars reaches the zodiacal sign of its next undertone.

Phase Zero:

This is a period of gestation in preparation for the next phase of the Mars cycle. It includes metamorphic shift from one sign/archetype to the next, carrying with it the wisdom of the previous cycle.

The cycle ends at the acronychal rise / Mars-Sun Opposition.

Looking at the Western Astrology Approach, there are also 6 key phases, aligning with her movement and angles with the Sun:

Conjunction - Mars sits behind the Sun and is invisible as it is obscured by the Sun’s glare. This is symbolic of the “seed point” in the cycle, akin to a new moon. It represents a time of initiation, setting intentions, and beginning new actions. New energy & plans related to Mars begin to germinate.

Emergence - Mars as a Morning Star; Mars emerges from the Sun’s glare and becomes visible in the morning sky before sunrise. This is a period of growing awareness and active engagement. The seeds planted begin to take form. This is a time to act on new ambitions, confront challenges, and assert independence.

Opposition - Mars is Opposite to the Sun; this is when Mars is physically closest to the Earth, at its brightest, and is visible all night. This is considered the “Culmination” or peak of the cycle; akin to a full moon. Actions, conflicts, or themes come to full expression and it is a time for resolution or escalation of issues.

Retreat - Mars as an Evening Star; after its opposition, Mars begins to move away from Earth and appears in the evening sky after sunset. This phase represents a waning energy in the cycle. A time to reflect and integrate lessons learned during the peak; ie. analysis of results, adjust strategies, and let go of what is not working.

Retrograde - Mars appears to move backwards in the sky from the Earth’s perspective (an illusion due to the differences in orbital speeds between Earth & Mars). Mars slows down her external progress and invites an inner exploration into Mars energies (goals/action, anger, desire, conflict, and energy expenditure). This is an invitation to internally reflect on past conflicts, reassess desires and actions.

Return to Conjunction - cycle begins anew as Mars returns back to align with the Sun again.

The Mars synodic cycle aligns beautifully with the Hero’s Journey as it represents a cyclical process of growth, challenge, and transformation through the lens of our personal drive, courage, and the Divine Masculine.

• Call to Adventure - Mars Cazimi. The hero hears the call and begins his new journey. Your individual inner warrior is reborn with new desires, ambitions, and a renewed sense of purpose.

• Crossing the Threshold - Mars Evening Star Phase. The hero crosses into the unknown and the journey begins.

• Trials & Challenges - Mars Opposes the Sun. The hero’s story unfolds as he confronts external trials, allies, and enemies. It is a time of testing strength, courage, and resolve forcing you to confront fears and limitations. Emotional triggers and external pressures test your ability to stay focused, aligned, and in balance.

• The Descent & Ordeal - Mars Retrograde Phase. As the illusion of Mars moving backwards in the sky unfolds, so does this symbolize a backward motion on our journey. This is the chapter of deep inner work and integration. It is the dark night of the soul on our journey. The hero confronts their shadow, unhealed wounds, and inner demons. It is a time of reflection and re-evaluation. The Divine Masculine energy becomes introspective and invites you to evaluate how you take aligned action.

• The Atonement - Mars Direct & Emerges As the Morning Star. The hero integrates their lessons and emerges transformed. This is a period of clarity, understanding, and alignment with one’s true purpose. You will emerge with a renewed sense of confidence and drive. The lessons learned in retrograde help refine how you assert yourself and take action in the world. You will begin to engage in the world in a much more empowered way.

• The Return Home - Mars Approaches the Next Conjunction (New Cycle Preparation). As he moves closer to the Sun, he completes his cycle. The hero returns home with newfound wisdom and strength, ready to share their gifts with others and begin again on a new chapter of their journey. New rebirth and wisdom of your Divine Masculine Energy emerges.

As the Mars Opposition occurs today, it offers the reflection of clarity re. patterns of confrontation or empowerment that have surfaced:

• What situations or relationships in my life are testing my courage and assertiveness right now?

• What drives my actions today: love, fear, or anger? How can I align more with love, trust, and purpose?

• In what areas of my life do I need to reclaim my power and take action?

• How can I face challenges with strength and integrity instead of aggression or avoidance?

• Who or what is triggering me today and what lesson does this hold for my growth?

• What can I do today to balance boldness (Mars) with mindfulness (Sun)?

• Am I taking actions that align with my long-term goals and values or am I distracted by short term frustrations?

The Mars synodic cycle reminds us that most things in nature have a cycle and that attuning to that cycle can often impart wisdom and beautiful shifts in our alignment in life. As the classic phrase from the Emerald Tablet reminds us “As above, so below”, tracking Mars’ phases in your natal chart allows you to align your actions and ambitions with the natural rhythm of the cycle, enhancing your own personal effectiveness and growth.