This is a tense time right now. As usual, many astrological predictions have focused on the upcoming election in the United States, but I am more concerned with the post-election period. Why? Because it coincides with the upcoming Mars retrograde cycle. The main retrograde period is from 12/7 until 2/24, but if we include the shadow periods on either side then that widens the timeframe from October 2024 to April 2025.

For a number of reasons, this retrograde phase is going to be a doozy. Mars is currently debilitated in Cancer. It is moving in opposition to transit Pluto. It may also re-trigger the April 2024 eclipse degree via square aspect. But most importantly, Mars will be activating the Mercury – Pluto opposition within the chart of the United States and Mercury’s dispositor (the Moon) is currently receiving a retrograde square from Uranus that has been dancing with Algol since last summer.

For those of you who are familiar with astrology, I am confident that you can feel this picture of energies. For those who are not, this can be an ugly transit that simmers with anger and resentment. With Pluto’s involvement, the emotion here can have a seething quality to it. Hurt feelings, long held grievances, unresolved emotional trauma, and suppressed abuse all have the potential to erupt explosively during this timeframe.

Because this is specifically aligning with the United States’ chart, we can expect that it will manifest prominently across the country as well. Given the tenseness of its political climate, there are any number of issues that could escalate, to which the election is sure to erupt.

It should also be noted that this specific transit is rare. Over the past 125 years, there have not been many instances of a triple pass from transit Mars over the United States’ Mercury – Pluto opposition. The last time was back in 1992 – 1993, over 30 years ago. To get a feel for this transit, let’s review a handful of events that were resonant during that applicable timeframe:

November 1992 – May 1993

Month	Manifestation
October	The video game, Mortal Kombat is released.
November	The rap-metal band Rage Against the Machine releases their self-titled debut album.
January	IBM announces a $5B loss, the largest single-year corporate loss to date.
January	Iraq refuses to allow inspectors to use its own aircraft to fly into Iraq, and begins military operations in the demilitarized zone.
February	The World Trade Center bombing, killing six and injuring over 1,000.
March	Rodney King testifies at the federal trial of the police officers accused of beating him during an arrest.
March	The largest waterborne disease outbreak in history, infecting over 400,000 people, hospitalizing over 4,000, and killing at least 100 in Wisconsin.
April	A prolonged stand-off at the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, ends with a fire that kills 76 people.

From these events, we can see a correlation to some of the themes associated with Mars’ retrograde phase and alignment with Mercury – Pluto:

• The explosive nature referenced metaphorically manifested literally in terms of the World Trade Center bombing.
• The financial losses via IBM could be representative of financial nature of the 2nd – 8th house polarity associated with the house structure of the Sibly chart.
• The problems with disarming Iraq had a direct correlation to the “review” associated with the symbolism of retrograde. Mars is, of course, weapons.
• The waterborne disease outbreak correlated to the water element associated with Cancer and Mars represented the attack by this element.

But arguably, the strongest theme that manifested out of this transit was a desire to fight back against power. This is best symbolized by the self-titled album by Rage Against the Machine. Much of this album exhibits the angry tone characteristic of this alignment. And this manifested vividly through the tragedy at the Branch Davidian compound that was underway for a large portion (51 days) of this retrograde phase. In order to fight back (Mars) against power (ATF, FBI, government), this “family” (Cancer) burned (Mars = fire) themselves alive. In this example, the emotion was so exaggerated that it resulted in their own destruction.

For those who are interested in exploring other prior events resonant to this transit, they are listed below for the rest of the twentieth century. In various ways, I think you will find some of the high-level characteristics repeated.

October 1977 – April 1978

Month	Manifestation
October	Mobster Danny Greene is murdered with a car bomb by the Cleveland crime family.
November	The Kelly Barnes Dam fails, killing 39.
January	Ted Bundy commits murder and assault at the Chi Omega Sorority House at Florida State University.
January	Richard Chase, the “Vampire of Sacramento”, is arrested.
February	The Hillside Strangler claims a 10th and final victim.
March	American porn publisher Larry Flynt is shot and paralyzed.
April	In the deadliest construction accident in United States history, 51 construction workers are killed when a cooling tower collapses.
May	A bomb explodes in the security section of Northwestern University, wounding a security guard (the first Unabomber attack).

October 1945 – April 1946

Month	Manifestation
October	A strike by the Set Decorator’s Union in Hollywood results in a riot.
January	The Central Intelligence Group is established (later becomes the CIA).
February	In Philadelphia, General Electric strikers and police clash.
April	The Aleutian Islands earthquake affects Alaska, leaving 165–173 dead.
May	Six inmates unsuccessfully try to escape from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary; a riot occurs, the “Battle of Alcatraz”.

October 1930 – March 1931 (Pluto only)

Month	Manifestation
December	President Herbert Hoover goes before Congress and asks for a $150M public works program to help generate jobs and stimulate the economy.
February	The original film version of Dracula, with Bela Lugosi, is released in the United States.
March	Nevada legalizes gambling.

November 1913 – April 1914 (Mercury only)

Month	Manifestation
October	The United States Revenue Act re-imposes the federal income tax.
October	Public transport employees in Indianapolis go on strike, and sparking riots when strikebreakers attempt to restart services.
November	The Great Lakes Storm kills more than 250.
December	The Federal Reserve is created by Woodrow Wilson.
December	73 people are killed in a stampede during a party for over 400 people when someone yelled “fire!”
April	The Colorado National Guard attacks a tent colony of 1,200 striking coal miners killing 24 people.

Overall, the potential for massive unrest, strikes, riots, water-based disasters, large financial impacts and initiatives, aggravated violence, and abuse will be elevated. In just the beginning of this phase, here is some of what we have seen so far:

Month	Manifestation
September	Four people killed and 17 injured in a shooting in Alabama.
September	Hurricane Helene kills at least 215 and leaves 685 people missing.
October	Dockworkers at 36 ports begin three days of strike action.
October	Hurricane Milton makes landfall in Florida, killing 14 people.
October	The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network levies a $3B fine against TD Bank for chronic violations of anti–money laundering laws.
October	Five new civil lawsuits are filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing the rapper of sexual assault and rape.

Also, it should be noted that alignments with this Mars retrograde period may be more powerful than what was experienced with the prior alignments. This is because transit Pluto and Uranus are both involved this time around. The United States’ Pluto return and Uranus’ square to Sibly Moon have set the stage for this Mars transit. There may be a feeling from some that they must do something extreme to “defend” their country or clan or group. There may a belief that this is the “last straw” and that the only path to resolution is through escalation. But how far will we allow this transit to escalate?

Mars will be in exact opposition with Pluto on November 3rd, just two days prior to the election, then return to opposition via retrograde in the beginning of January, just days before the counting and certification of the electoral votes, and finally align exactly with Mercury on the day of inauguration.[i] This means that the post-election period is set to be a battle and this battle may not just be metaphorical. It will be infused with intense emotionality as will the chart for the next presidency. There is so much at stake at this time in history. Big changes are coming and will be shaped by the numerous major astrological events in 2025. But this Mars retrograde period will, in turn, shape the trajectory of those watershed events as well.

Within our personal relationships, it will be important to maintain composure, keep our cool, and de-escalate as much as possible. This energy has the potential to release in family interactions and within those dynamics there is toxicity everywhere. There are always simmering tensions amongst family members that go back decades. If there has ever been a time for everyone to “take a breath” this time frame feels very appropriate. If we use this energy to courageously purge out old hatred and anger and negative emotions and find healing then we will be doing healthy, necessary work. But if we burn ourselves down in outrage, let the emotion rise to insanity, or even engage in retaliation then all we have achieved is our own destruction. If we give in to rage and wrath and allow resentment to become violence then we will be left to pick up the pieces of that for a long time.

We have the ability choose how we use this energy over the coming months. It is my hope that cooler heads will prevail.

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[i] Also, on January 13, 2025, the full moon will be aligned with Mars and the United States’ Mercury – Pluto. This alignment is sure to draw a heightened degree of interest.