NOVEMBER 2019 63
who did such pioneering work in astrolo-
gy. And as for body-oriented pioneering,
we might note that at this point humans
have pioneered most of the planet, so that
if they wish to continue that approach,
they would do well to emphasize a kind
of “leading with the head” more like that
of Rudhyar than like that of rams, for
our social dominance these days often
has more to do with thinking than with
charging. And, of course, Scorpio, Mars’
other dignity – his “night sign” – has a
well-deserved reputation for skill at sur-
reptitious strategies, his success depending
on secrecy as much as on blatantly slash-
ing through the cosmos.
But when in Libra, Mars must, even
if unwillingly, do a lot of looking to the
right and to the left, for he must take
into consideration what some will call
social niceties, what others will call social
demands, and what yet others will call the
“#$%^&*” limitations of the social world.
That last phrase, even with its pretend
profanity, should remind us of Saturn’s
exaltation in Libra, a sign connected with
social regulation, the rule of law, and
the demand and/or opportunity to relate
to others, to take others into consider-
ation, not necessarily as a limitation, but,
often enough, as opportunities. Though
Mars has a lot to do with our purported-
ly primitive survival instinct, these days
that instinct must function largely through
social channels and with due regard to the
laws of the land.
Thus, again, a principle we should keep
in mind in connection to detriments: that
though they may prove difficult, they may
pressure us into perfection, asking us to
act with care, to remain mindful of our
energies and potencies and to find ways to
manifest fully through challenge. We may
Mars’ Challenge to Saturn
The first of November finds Mars at
18 Libra; he enters Scorpio on the 19th of
the month and moves into Sagittarius on
January 3, 2020. He entered Libra back
on October 4, so we can let this month’s
discussion cover the period from October
through the year’s end.
Between October 3 and November
19, transiting Mars will make challeng-
ing aspects to natal Saturn in Cardinal
signs: Mars opposes natal Saturn in Aries:
3/1908 - 5/1910, 12/1910-1/1911, 4/1937-
10/1937, 1/1938-7/1939, 9/1939-3/1940,
3/1967-4/1969, 4/1996-6/1998, 10/1998-
2/1999. Mars squares natal Saturn in
Cancer: 8/1914-12/1914, 5/1915-10/1916,
12/1916-6/1917, 6/1944-7/1946, 8/1973-
1/1974, 4/1974-9/1975: 1/1976-5/1976,
6/2003-7/2005. Mars conjoins natal Saturn
in Libra: 10/1921-12/1923, 4/1924-9/1924,
11/1950-3/1951, 8/1951-10/1953, 9/1980-
11/1982, 5/1983-8/1983 11/2009-4/2010,
7/2010-10/2012. Mars squares natal
Saturn in Capricorn: 3-4/1929, 12/1929-
2/1932, 8/1932-11/1932, 1/1959-12/1961,
2/1988-6/1988, 11/1988-2/1991 12/2017-
3/2020, 7-12/2020.
Between November 19 and January 3
(2020), transiting Mars passing through
Scorpio will make challenging aspects to
natal Saturn in Fixed signs: Mars opposes
natal Saturn in Aquarius: 2/1932-8/1932,
11/1932-2/1935, 1/1962-3/1964, 9/1964-
12/1964, 2/1991-5/1993, 7/1993-1/1994.
Mars opposes natal Saturn in Taurus:
5/1910-12/1910, 1/1911-7/1912, 12/1912-
3/1913, 7/1939-9/1939, 3/1940-5/1942,
5/1969-6/1971, 1-2/1973, 7/1998-10/1998,
3/1999-8/2000, 10/2000-4/2001. Mars
squares natal Saturn in Leo: 10/1916-
12/1916, 6/1917-8/1919, 8/1946-9/1948,
4/1949-5/1949, 9/1975-1/1976, 6/1976-
11/1977, 1-7/1978, 7/2005-8/2007. Mars
conjoins natal Saturn in Scorpio: 12/1923-
4/1924, 9/1924-11/1926, 10/1953-1/1956,
5/1956-10/1956, 12/1982-5/1983, 8/1983-
11/1985, 10/2012-12/2014, 6/2015-9/2015.