Mars Retrograde 2024-2025: The Call to Confront Your Desires
On December 7, 2024, Mars turns retrograde at 6° Leo. This reversal lasts for nearly three months, with Mars resuming direct motion on February 24, 2025, at 17° Cancer.
Mars retrograde is a rare event, occurring just once every 26 months. For comparison, Mercury goes retrograde three times a year, while the outer planets do so once annually. The infrequency of Mars retrogrades makes them potent periods of transformation.
This is not a time to dismiss or downplay. Mars retrograde demands attention, action, and reflection.
What Does Mars Retrograde Mean?
When Mars goes retrograde, the familiar drive that propels you forward suddenly takes an unexpected turn. Imagine driving a car with no power steering.
In a modern car with power steering, every movement of the wheel feels smooth, effortless, and responsive. You can make a sharp turn with just the flick of a wrist. But when you’re driving a car without power steering, every turn of the wheel requires physical effort. It feels clunky, heavy, and unresponsive.
That’s the essence of Mars retrograde. The momentum is still there, but every action requires more effort, and simple maneuvers that used to feel instinctive now feel awkward or laborious. You may doubt your ability to “turn” in the right direction, and every shift feels like it takes too much energy.
This retrograde isn’t a period of pure stillness. You’re still moving—but it will feel like you have to fight for it. And that struggle is the whole point. Mars retrograde doesn’t want you to move on autopilot. It wants you to feel every inch of that wheel turning in your hands, every degree of effort it takes to shift course.
If Mercury retrograde is about "pause and reflect," Mars retrograde is "pause, reassess, and then pursue with precision."
Mars Retrograde 2024-2025 Timeline
Here's the key timeline for this particular Mars retrograde:
October 5, 2024 – Mars enters its shadow at 17° Cancer
November 3, 2024 – Mars opposes Pluto at 29° Cancer/Capricorn
December 7, 2024 – Mars goes retrograde at 6° Leo
January 3, 2025 – Mars opposes Pluto at 1° Leo/Aquarius
January 6, 2025 – Mars re-enters Cancer
January 15, 2025 – Mars opposes the Sun
February 24, 2025 – Mars goes direct at 17° Cancer
April 27, 2025 – Mars opposes Pluto at 3° Leo/Aquarius
May 2, 2025 – Mars leaves its shadow at 6° Leo
This timeline tells a story. Pay attention to events or themes that arise around these dates. They often reflect interconnected threads that build on each other over time. The moment Mars enters its shadow, the story begins. When Mars turns retrograde, the plot twist occurs. When Mars goes direct, the resolution is in sight.
Mars Opposite Pluto: The Clash of Wills
One of the most intense features of this Mars retrograde cycle is its opposition to Pluto, an influence that stretches from November 2024 to April 2025.
If Mars symbolizes the raw, untamed force of personal will, Pluto symbolizes deeper, hidden power structures. This dynamic can be compared to a lion and a lion tamer.
Mars (the lion) is raw instinct, courage, and ferocity. It is driven by hunger and desire, acting on impulse. It has the natural power to take what it wants, but its energy can be wild and unpredictable.
Pluto (the lion tamer) represents the force that seeks to control and dominate raw power. The lion tamer uses strategy, fear, and psychological influence to "master" the lion, though this mastery is fragile—one wrong move, and control can be lost.
When Mars and Pluto oppose each other, it’s like watching a lion grow restless in the arena. The tamer (Pluto) holds the whip, but the lion (Mars) knows its own strength. At any moment, the balance of power could shift.
This opposition often manifests as external power struggles or internal conflicts about control, dominance, and autonomy. Who is holding the whip in your life? Is it a boss, a partner, a family member—or perhaps an old version of you that still plays by outdated rules?
Sometimes the "lion tamer" isn’t a person at all but a belief system or internalized expectation. The "impossible situation" may be one where you feel caught between needing to assert yourself and fearing the consequences of doing so.
This period offers a chance to reclaim power, but it won’t come through passive reflection. It may require bold action, confrontation, or finally standing your ground in the face of control.
From Leo to Cancer: The Lion Becomes the Crab
Mars begins its retrograde at 6° Leo and ends it at 17° Cancer.
This isn’t just a shift in degrees—it’s a symbolic transformation. Leo and Cancer are two vastly different creatures.
At the start of the retrograde, Mars is a lion, bold, loud, and unapologetically seen. The lion roars to assert dominance and claim its territory. It hunts in the open, stalking its prey with dramatic flair.
But as Mars backs into Cancer, it becomes a crab—armored, sideways-moving, and far more cautious. The crab doesn’t roar. It retreats into its shell and moves indirectly toward its goal, side-stepping instead of charging head-on.
This shift reflects a fundamental change in approach. But it’s not just about strategy—it’s about exile. Mars is in exile in Cancer, which means its fiery nature is at odds with Cancer’s emotional, protective qualities. The driven, direct pursuit of Mars becomes emotionally tangled. Desires are no longer straightforward.
When Mars is in Cancer, actions are guided by feeling rather than logic. Decisions become less about "what’s efficient" and more about "what feels right." Frustration builds when emotions override logic, leading to defensiveness, hesitation, or passive-aggressive responses.
In Leo, Mars is proud and assertive. In Cancer, it must confront its own vulnerability. This shift forces Mars to contend with the emotional roots of desire. What do you really want—and why? Is it pride, protection, or something deeper?
Jungian Perspective: Confronting the Shadow Self
Jung believed that the "Shadow" represents the parts of the self that are unconscious, repressed, or socially unacceptable. These hidden parts of ourselves often show up as projections—we see them in others but fail to recognize them in ourselves.
Mars retrograde can include a confrontation with the Shadow, especially the parts of ourselves that relate to anger, desire, and control. The situations you face during this retrograde may seem like they’re caused by other people (bosses, partners, authority figures), but they’re often reflections of unresolved inner conflicts.
For example:
If someone in your life is being overly controlling, where are you controlling yourself too rigidly?
Where are you resisting emotional vulnerability or softness if you’re feeling blocked by an external force?
If your frustration with others feels unbearable, is it possible that they’re reflecting something within you that you’re unwilling to confront?
This process is not about blame—it’s about integration. The lion must recognize that it, too, has been tamed by unseen forces (internal or external). The crab must face its fear of exposure and learn to navigate life’s waters with greater emotional intelligence.
When Mars goes direct on February 24, 2025, you will have faced parts of yourself that were too "wild" to confront before. But instead of banishing the lion or crab, you learn to coexist with it. You become both predator and protector.
Reflection Questions for Mars Retrograde
Where do you feel "tamed" by unseen forces?
Are you approaching your goals like a lion or a crab—and does that approach still serve you?
What parts of your Shadow are revealed in your frustrations, desires, or impulses?
Mars retrograde is a time to work with your Shadow, not against it. By the end, you will understand that every crab carries its home on its back. You don’t need to chase power. You are the power.
Conclusion: From Crab to Lion — An Emotional Reclamation
Mars retrograde from Leo to Cancer strips away pride and exposes raw emotional truths. In Cancer, Mars is in exile, forced to confront its motives with emotional intelligence rather than brute force. This period calls for patience, reflection, and a willingness to face vulnerabilities.
When Mars stations direct on February 24, 2025, the emotional weight lifts. Lessons learned in Cancer—about protection, patience, and the roots of desire—shape a more self-aware Mars. By the time it re-enters Leo on May 2, 2025, it returns as a lion with deeper purpose. No longer driven by impulse alone, it moves with clarity and heart.
This journey from crab to lion isn’t just about reclaiming power—it’s about understanding the emotional currents that shape it.
