Understanding Mars in the Fixed Signs

©12-10-09 by Donna Cunningham, MSW

This is an excerpt from Donna’s New Insights into the Astrology Chart, an ebook collection of readers’ favorite articles, available at moonmavenpublications.com for $15.

We’re having a rare cold snap here in Portland, Oregon—a solid week of being frozen solid. It reminds me of winters in the Midwest, those frosty mornings when you had to go outside and warm up the car for half an hour before you could go anywhere. Mars in the fixed signs don’t do well with a cold start either—they need a warm-up before they’re on their way!

Having a strong Mars in Leo in my own chart, I’m often conscious of the qualities of a fixed sign Mars. I don’t have many friends with Mars in Leo—who wants to compete for the spotlight?  But many of my closest pals have Mars in the other fixed signs: Taurus, Scorpio, or Aquarius.

Well, with Aquarius, it was more often ex-lovers. Aquarians pose quite a challenge to Leos, so Mars oppositions from Leo to Aquarius can have a lot of sizzle before they fizzle.

My Mars isn’t as slow as the others, thanks to a fire sign trine between that and my Aries Moon. I notice the energy patterns of other fixed Mars signs most when we’re out shopping together. They take so long to buy two or three things that I have plenty of time to reflect while I go through the checkout line and then sit and wait for them.

Sometimes after 20 minutes or so, I track them down in Aisle 25 to see how much longer it’s going to be. I find them reading ingredients and deliberating over choices, comparing prices of several options, and recalling what previous experiences they’ve had with those same brands.

Blackberry in hand, they’re counting the money in their checking account and looking up credit card balances to see if they can afford it. All that for a bottle of vitamins.

(It’s way worse if they’re choosing a greeting card. PUHLEEZE! By the time they select a birthday card, they need to trade it in on a belated birthday card! )

 Energy Patterns of Fixed Signs

. . . So, here I sit in Starbucks at a Christmas-crowded Target, sipping a latte and waiting for my dearest Mars in Taurus friend. Faithful companion notebook in hand, I have all the time in the world to muse over Mars in the four fixed signs. These are my coffee-stained notes . . .

 The fixed energy pattern that stands out most markedly is a certain deliberateness about all they do—every move considered and reconsidered, until an inner readiness is reached. They’re never first out of the gate, but they win many a race by sheer doggedness, outlasting the competition. Remember that old fable about the race between a tortoise and a hare? I’ve seen their charts, and the tortoise had a fixed sign Mars; the hare had Mars in a mutable.

I have a feeling fixed sign Mars folks do better with Mars retrograde than the rest of us. It’s more akin to their nature. They rethink and second guess everything they do, and a retrograde period is a good window to do exactly that.

There are pluses about having Mars in a fixed sign as well.  That very fixity is an asset to getting something major accomplished that requires staying power.  Once they get going, they can outlast the Energizer Bunny.

In a chart that’s predominantly mutable, maybe mixed in with cardinal, having Mars as a singleton fixed planet can be a saving grace.  With so much emphasis on  energetic beginnings (cardinals) and lots of distractibility (mutables), that fixed Mars would be the only voice urging you to keep going and to finish what you started.

No, I bless my Mars in Leo because it helps me get big projects like a book or course curriculum done.  I’m just trying to share that there are wise ways to handle these folks and not so wise ways of handling them when you need to enlist their participation in  a desired course of action.

 Fixed Signs—All the Time in the World

One thing I know about handling fixed sign Mars is not to rush them, especially in starting something. Don’t spring any surprises on them—of all the signs, they most hate changing a pattern or routine.

If you want them to do something outside that time-honored routine, don’t wait until the last minute to inform them. Tell them several days in advance, and then periodically remind them—not nag but remind—that it’s coming in X number of days. Think of it as a permanent Christmas countdown. They need time to think it over, plan what to do, and get ready. Otherwise, they’ll put down their heels and refuse to budge. Did I mention that they’re stubborn?

Oh, and don’t expect them to be on time because a great many of those with Mars in fixed sign are chronically late. Each sign runs behind time, but for different reasons.  Mars in Taurus just has a hard time getting going because each step of getting ready takes them longer than most folks. The cow has four stomachs, I always say, and Taureans need a long time to chew things over before acting.

Mars in Leo likes to make a grand entrance and thus takes plenty of time dressing until they’re absolutely certain they look MAHvelous. Besides, nothing gets people’s attention like waiting for you…and waiting…and waiting.

Mars in Scorpio can hold off appearing just to get back at someone. Prolonged and habitual lateness also gives them the upper hand in the relationship—a ploy for maintaining control and heightening passion.  Mars in Aquarius scorns other people’s schedules and appears when they darned well feel like it, if at all. Lateness problems at work are a way of flipping the bird at the boss–but just one of many for these rebels.

 How to Get a Fixed Sign Mars Mad at You

What about Mars and anger?  What’s the story on the fixed signs? For the most part, they’re slow to anger, but then they STAY mad. You don’t want them teed off at you!  Figure out what their hot buttons are, and then don’t go there.

Mars in Leo’s hot buttons are their pride, their ego, and anything you do that makes them look bad to their loyal fans. The mere suggestion that you AREN’T one of those fawning fans can make the lion roar.

Mars in Scorpio’s detonation points are jealousy, possessiveness, and loss of control over a person or situation they’re fixated on. Then they go for the jugular vein, because they’re geniuses at spotting weak points.

Since a major trigger for Aquarian outbursts is anyone trying to control them, you can see why Mars in Scorpio square Mars in Aquarius could be a match made in Hell. Mars in Aquarius also can erupt over social injustice, a boss that clamps down too hard on them, or loss of their freedom to do be, or think anything they want.

To turn Mars in Taurus into the raging bull, mess with their money or possessions. Then run!! They’re fixed earth, so don’t ask them to change any time soon or interrupt their life-long, fixed method of doing things.

. . . I’ve spotted my friend at the checkout counter at last. If she finds me in Starbucks, she’ll want one too, and we’ll be here another hour. It’s a late winter afternoon, the sun is already setting, and we need to get out of here if we don’t want to get caught in stop-start traffic. I sniff the bag of newly ground coffee I just bought and decide to make a pot for her at home. I brush the tell-tale cookie crumbs off my top, toss the coffee cup, and rush to intercept her.  I hope you have a better feel now for what Mars is like in the fixed signs.

This is an excerpt from Donna’s New Insights into the Astrology Chart, an ebook collection of readers’ favorite articles, available at moonmavenpublications.com for $15.

More Posts about Mars on this Blog:

• How Strong is your Mars? Here’s the Score!
• Mars Mission 1: Mars and Conflict—Road Block or Productive Detour?
• Mars Mission 2: Anger—the Guard Dog of Denial
• Mars Alert—Code Red!
• Mars Retrograde 101—Answering your Questions
• Mars-Pluto Aspects? Use your Manifestation Mojo!
• The Mars-Uranus Conjunction in Pisces and Children Born with it
• The Law of Progressive Annoyance—Mars or Jupiter? 
• Mars—What Great Minds say about Its Functions 

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