{"id":12051,"date":"2014-04-07T22:19:31","date_gmt":"2014-04-08T02:19:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/astrologicalmusings\/?p=12051"},"modified":"2014-04-07T22:19:31","modified_gmt":"2014-04-08T02:19:31","slug":"mars-news-opposition-blood-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/astrologicalmusings\/blog\/mars-news-opposition-blood-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"Mars in the news: The Opposition and Blood Moon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"mars\"<\/a>Astrological Mars is retrograde right now and moving much more slowly than it normally does (from our perspective on earth). \u00a0Consequently, its impact is more intense with a heightened feeling of aggression and inspiration towards action. \u00a0Mercury entered Mars\u2019s own sign of Aries yesterday which adds additional fire to the mix and adding excitement and perhaps a few arguments to interpersonal communication everywhere.<\/p>\n

Mars of course is instrumental in the upcoming Grand Cross of planets in the cardinal signs of Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn, so this barrage of intensity will not be letting up any time soon.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s an interesting coincidence that Mars will be opposite the Sun in the sky Tuesday evening \u2013 an event that happens only once every two years or so. \u00a0A week later, on April 14th, Mars will at its closest point to Earth, making both of these evenings an ideal time to observe Mars in the sky.<\/p>\n

The color of Mars is red, and when Mars is near the earth it appears as a red ball in the sky. \u00a0At the same time that Mars will be at perihelion, it\u2019s closest proximity to earth, the Moon will be approaching fullness (the Full Moon actually occurs on April 15th but will be nearing fullness on the 14th). \u00a0This Full Moon is likely to appear red as it is eclipsed by the Sun, prompting it to be called a Blood Moon, and Mars will appear adjacent to the Moon as a second fiery red body in the sky.<\/p>\n

All of this occurring at the time of the Cardinal Grand Cross has lots of people fearing the worst, and the idea of the Blood Moon has sparked the imaginations of fundamentalist bible readers across the globe. \u00a0I\u2019ll be writing more about that tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Personally, I am a big fan of Mars. \u00a0Without Mars we would lack inspiration, drive and motivation. \u00a0It\u2019s Mars that encourages us to wake up every morning and create something in our day. \u00a0When Mars is weak or ineffective \u2013 that\u2019s when we start having problems. \u00a0Here are a few steps to take to help you to navigate this very Marsy energy over the next week or two:<\/p>\n