Mars Retrograde in Cancer and Leo 2024 - 2025
Collage by Christina Libetti
Overview
Mars in General
Mars represents what we want and what we’re willing to do to get it. Unlike Venus, who wants to connect and harmonize, Mars is willing to separate from the status quo, disrupt the party, and do what it takes to achieve its goal. Mars is the fire of passion burning within us. Mars is the courage to both pursue and defend what matters to us.
When we find ourselves angry and frustrated, that’s Mars’ way of telling us it’s time to realign with our true desires. When we don’t know how to defend ourselves, when we lash out and attack others, when our energy is low, when we can’t seem to get our needs met, it’s time to get in touch with a higher expression of Mars. Often this involves both physical exercise (bonus points for martial arts) and taking decisive and sustained action to change your situation.
Working with Mars
Getting the most out of any planet or transit, even the ‘good’ ones, requires some intention and effort. Most of the good things in life do, if you think about it. To use astrologer Austin Coppock’s words, Mars “cuts and burns.” Cutting and burning without intention or skill can result in great harm, but those same actions, when intentionally wielded, also have the potential to cook a delicious meal or power an engine.
Similarly, when you make conscious choices to work with Mars both in your natal chart and throughout its synodic cycle, you have the potential to minimize harmful outcomes and maximize those that could bring you joy.
Mars Retrogrades in General
The Astronomy of it all
Mars' retrogrades occur roughly every two years. This happens when the Sun and Mars are approaching an opposition, meaning they are on opposite sides of the ecliptic. In other words, during these periods, when the Sun sets in the West, Mars rises in the East.
Due to the difference in Earth's and Mars' speeds, from our perspective here on Earth, Mars appears to be moving backward in the sky during these times. Just like when you pass another car on the highway, it appears to be moving backward even though we know it's moving forward. And when you look at that car you've passed, you'll see all the places you've just been behind it. That's similar to what we see in the sky with Mars during a retrograde. Mars will retrace it's steps through the Zodiac, revisiting parts of the sky it was already in front of (from Earth's perspective) months ago. Eventually, it will station direct, and slowly begin its forward march, moving through that same area for a third time.
Mars' apparent motion will be much slower than usual. Normally, when Mars is direct and not near a retrograde period, it takes about 6 weeks to move through one sign of the Zodiac. However, retrograde periods often see Mars in one sign for 6 months.
The Astrology of it all
Mars is a planet that wants to go forth and conquer, but what happens when it's forced to slow down and reverse? During these periods we can feel that our energy levels are inconsistent: non-existent one day and full blast the next. We may feel frustrated that we can't simply do what we want. Our ability to pursue goals may be hampered. We may be more prone to accidents, outbursts, and altercations.
These times can be difficult and contentious, but they are opportunities to reflect upon what it is we truly desire in the area of our individual charts in which it retrogrades.
Many astrologers say that those who were born while Mars was retrograde tend to have an easier time with these transits than the rest of us. For Mars retrograde natives, these transits can be a time of boosted productivity. However, they are still living within a world of people who are mostly having a hard time with it.
In addition to the periods of time when Mars is in it's retrograde phase, there are also "shadow periods" before and after the retrograde. The pre-retrograde shadow occurs before the retrograde when Mars is moving through the degrees it will later reverse over. The post-retrograde shadow happens, obviously, after the retrograde, as Mars goes back over those same degrees for the the third time.
We can think of the pre-shadow period as foreshadowing the upcoming retrograde: things happening at that time will likely resurface for review during the retrograde. And the post-shadow period can coincide with the resolution of those same issues.
Mars in Cancer
The sign in which a planet finds itself determines how it can go about performing its functions. Each sign has a planetary ruler, and the position of that ruler gives us additional information about how a planet will behave there.
Cancer is a difficult placement for Mars, because the things Mars needs to do and the way Cancer operates are an awkward combination.
Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which changes signs every 2.5 days. Cancer is emotional, nurturing, and protective of its vulnerabilities and those under its care. Cancer is represented by a crab, an animal who walks sideways and protects its soft, delicious flesh from predators with a tough shell and huge pinchers for hands.
In Cancer, Mars' ambitions are weakened by day-to-day emotional whims. Mars here does not pursue its goals directly, but sideways like the crab, passive-aggressively, covertly. Mars is particularly moved to protect family and loved ones in Cancer, lashing out at any threats with vicious pinches that may not kill but will certainly leave a mark. And don't even think about messing with Mars in Cancer when it's hangry. Alanis Morissette has Mars in Cancer natally, and her song "You Oughta Know" is a glimpse into her passion and rage.
Mars in Leo
Leo is a more natural fit for Mars, because they have a few things in common.
Leo is ruled by the Sun, the namesake and centerpiece of the solar system, and the brightest star in our sky, which makes all things visible. The Sun takes about 30 days to pass through a sign, and is therefore more stable and consistent than the Moon. Leo is bold, assertive and performative. Leo is represented by a lion, a carnivorous pack animal symbolizing strength, royalty, pride, and MGM studios.
In Leo, Mars' desires are hot, loud, and seeking applause. Mars here might prefer to vent its frustrations on stage as the scream-singer of a metal band, or as an actor playing an army general. Bill Hader, who has a natal Mars in Leo, plays a hit man who aspires to be an actor in the show Barry. Without such creative outlets, Mars in Leo could also be the angry customer making a scene at the grocery store or the losing politician crying stolen election. Donald Trump has Mars in Leo in his first house copresent with Pluto, exacerbating the placement's worst qualities and making that signature an essential part of who he is. (Interestingly, Kamala Harris also has Mars in Leo, but it's in the third house, restrained by Saturn, and she's clearly a better person, so it's different.)
Putting It All Together
From October 2024 until early May 2025, we are collectively re-evaluating what it is we really want and how we should approach getting it in certain areas of our lives. Exactly how this will effect each individual will depend upon how these transits interact with the natal chart. But in general, we're all exploring how we fight for and defend what matters to us when we're moody and vulnerable, as well as how we express our desires and passions to an audience. We're likely to experience bursts of energy followed by depressive lulls. With a little intention, we should be able to emerge from this period of time with a better grasp of our goals and how to achieve them.
Important Dates and Events
A full interpretation of each of these charts is beyond the scope of this article, but I've included some brief guides to each phase.
Mars - Pluto Opposition
One fairly consistent element of these charts is Mars repeatedly opposes Pluto throughout the course of the dates listed below. This combination can be explosive and dangerous. I don't want to scare readers with this information-- difficult transits happen all the time and most of us are just fine. However, it might be wise to proceed with caution in situations that could become dangerous.
5 October 2024: Mars enters retrograde shadow at 17 degrees Cancer
This day begins the pre-retrograde shadow, Mars' first pass through these degrees of the Zodiac before it turns back at the retrograde. Pay attention to the Mars-related things that occur between this date and the retrograde station on December 6th, as these themes will likely be revisited. Likewise, take care with any fights you start or battles you take up, since these will be much more likely to explode and drag out longer than you'd expect.
3 November 2024: Mars enters Leo
We'll still be in the pre-retrograde shadow at this point, and we should be able to detect a shift in how ourselves and those around us are choosing and fighting their battles.
This is two days before the presidential election in the U.S.
6 December 2024: Mars stations retrograde at 6 degrees Leo
While Mars has been getting ever slower in the past two months, at this point it fully hits the brakes, throws it in reverse, and begins the slow beep-beep-beep backup into a review of the past two months' quests, fights, and shenanigans.
6 January 2025: Mars retrogrades back into Cancer
Brace yourself for four more months of wild feels. Mars is back in crab mode as we continue to revisit actions taken by ourselves and others in October.
In the U.S., this is the date of the Counting and Certification of Electoral Votes, and has been designated a National Special Security Event by the Secretary of Homeland Security. This is, of course, the fourth anniversary of the raid on the U.S. Capitol building in 2021.
15 January 2025: Mars retrograde opposite Sun at 26 degrees of Cancer and Capricorn, respectively
This is the mid-point of the retrograde, during which the tension between what is being done (Mars) and what is being seen (the Sun) is greatest.
With Mars being in the third decan* of Cancer, it's likely that means taken to achieve a goal was unethical and hidden. With the Sun in the third decan of Capricorn, what we're seeing is the person in charge of a nation, business, family, or other traditional, hierarchical institution.
This is five days before the U.S. Presidential Inauguration.
*I use Austin Coppock's book 36 Faces as a reference for writing about the decans.
23 February 2025: Mars stations direct at 17 degrees Cancer
After a slow and lengthy backwards drive to revisit what exactly happened in October 2024, we hit the brakes again and lurch forward, unfortunately still very slowly. Hopefully no one is trapped beneath the wheels of this car.
Now Mars is in its post-retrograde shadow, still traveling in the same little area the Zodiac for the next few months. Knowing what we know now, we can begin to correct the actions we took in the past and make our final moves.
17 April 2025: Mars re-enters Leo
We're still in the post-retrograde shadow, fixing the past, but at least Mars is finally out of Cancer. Get ready to roar in the spotlight about how changed you are.
2 May 2025: Mars leaves retrograde shadow at 6 degrees Leo
OMG, finally--something new. Hopefully we've learnt and grown from the trials of the past six months! Maybe we're stronger as a result. And if we're very lucky, the U.S. might still be a democracy! We'll see!
What this means for you
Since we all have unique natal charts, this Mars retrograde will be a little different for each person.
If you know which houses Cancer and Leo occupy in your chart, that will clue you into which life areas will be most affected: work, home life, relationships, etc.
To get the most accurate information about how this retrograde will affect you and how you can most effectively work with it, there's no substitute for getting a reading with a skilled, trained, human astrologer. Lucky for you, you know one! Ahem...