Mars Enters Scorpio: The Nine Tests

Over the years I’ve mentioned the nine tests of Mars and Scorpio. The tests are given to everyone—unawakened, beginning to awaken, and the awakened. The purpose is to test our strength, courage, ability to adapt, discriminate and have discernment. To see if we are deceived by illusion or are “warriors triumphant, emerging from the battle.”

During Leo Sun, we’re already experiencing life dramatically. With Mars in Scorpio life assumes vivid, tragic, comedic and spectacularly on-the-edge-dimensions. We will be “taken to task and tested” during Mars in Scorpio, from July 27 through Sept. 14.

We’re grateful Mars isn’t retrograde in Scorpio. During Mars’ last retrograde this year in Libra (March 1 – May 20), we were offered many choices. After the retrograde we made definite decisions. Now those decisions will be tested. Are they real? Will we follow through? Mars in Scorpio will meet with Saturn in Scorpio on July 25 and 26.

Saturn, dweller on the threshold, signifies the ancient residues of our past (Jung’s “shadow”). As the dweller informs us of patterns no longer useful, Mars presents the nine tests. They concern our personal relationships with sex, comfort, money, fear, hatred, love of power, pride, separateness and cruelty. The questions are: “Do we have ‘right expression’ with these? Have we strayed from the rules governing our divine design? What is still unawakened, uncontrolled and unconquered within us?” Simultaneously, we are asked to make right choices and create right relations. And to have kindness (ahimsa) and compassion. These overcome all hindrances. They help us pass the tests.

Esoteric Astrology as news for week July 23-29, 2014

Aries-March 21–April 20
What is your family genealogy, your lineage, what are your cultural roots, your heritage? Are interactions and relations with your family good? And how are you feeling these days? Your energy may be high and low, you must sleep a bit more, tend more to family and the home, and bring into your environments that which sustains, comforts, and supports you. Moods are restrained by work as service and exercise.

Taurus April 21–May 21
You may be thinking of past relationships and friends, which brings you to assessing your self-worth and what you value about yourself. You find that you must continue with plans for community development and its direction, new neighborhoods based on community ideals and the new architecture. Communication between diverse factions may be needed. Notice any values conflicts. What is right beside you is most important.

Gemini May 22–June 20
finances, as usual. A new beginning, a reorientation or a re-evaluation financially will be considered. Changes are occurring fast and furiously. You must keep up for you are a major spokesperson. A smaller reality must fall away so you can embrace a larger one. Usually you’re silent about such things. Who do you talk with now? The soul is brightening each day, calling your personality to evaluate.

Cancer June 21–July 20
A new beginning is occurring. A new self-identity. A new seed planted in your heart and mind. You sense and feel this. Forces and energies unknown yet fully present call you to a greater mobility and self-discovery. Perhaps it concerns where you live and your present daily work. You have and will become more accepting, which increases self-acceptance and self-worth. Something ends as something much greater begins.

Leo July 21–August 22
First a review of your career path and then spiritual beliefs, upbringing and remembering. The question arises, “What is most important in my life?” You will recommit to something, someplace or someone from long ago. This surprises you. You’re gradually learning from (and listening to) others. They have loved you for years, ages, eons from afar. What does your heart tell you? Who do you love?

Virgo August 23–September 22
You will enter into regions of the mind not often explored, and discover over time what needs elimination in terms of past ideas and beliefs and what new regions of thought need developing. Hidden aspects of self will be encountered. Simply observe. The world now is filled with endings and new beginnings. You, a writer, should by now have a retrograde journal, dream journal, eclipse journal, transit journal and esoteric teachings journal—all organized.

Libra September 23–October 22
There may be conflicts between previous choices you made and choices others have made, between past and present ways of being. Holding onto the past is of comfort. Yet you also want to move forward. It’s difficult doing both. Perhaps you can review why you made certain decisions years ago, separating you from certain situations and people. Life often brings forth surprising thoughts, ideas, events and life changes. The idea of forgiveness and inclusion produce liberation.

Scorpio October 23–November 21
Bold and expansive steps may be taken in areas of study, ideas, education and your career. You may even travel a bit, leading to a new direction in life. Something dramatic and different occurred around work. Or will. As time passes you’ll understand the opportunity this provided. If you could do anything you wanted concerning the future, what would that be?

Sagittarius November 22–December 20
Unexpected events will influence your dream world, intuition, and the place where inspiration comes from. You will want to review and tend to finances. It’s important to know what your relationship is with money, past, present and future. This will change, too. Also, someone or something may come along soon and from this encounter, revelations occur. You need some. Be charming and observing at the same time.

Capricorn December 21–January 20
Allow yourself to rest more this week. Don’t overwork—if you do, something may catch you off guard, you may forget things or you may tend to too many details that exhaust. You may argue yourself to distraction. Tell everyone you need extra help. Create an agenda of tasks for others to do. Allow (and expect) them to perform those tasks. Then give them stars. In the meantime, read, lie about and languish a bit.

Aquarius January 21–February 18
At first the days and weeks feel uncontrollable, then surprising and uncertain. Then you realize life is changing at such a rapid pace that you may as well be excited about it. This response expands your imagination and vision, elevates and vivifies your life force, and you feel divinely connected to all forms of life, all planes and kingdoms. This, by the way, is joy, a quality of the soul. Now you can nourish others with it.

Pisces February 19–March 20
You will begin to see things, life’s events, choices, in a new light, with clearer perception. This will be good. You will learn to not turn away when upset or sad, but to turn toward and make amends. You will also begin to have faith in the future, something you haven’t had for a long time (years). Something will occur that changes you—a gift, a task, recognition, a new role, a person, an idea, a state of grace or a prayer.