The placements you noted certainly are indications of sensitivity and an unwillingness to assert yourself; a tendency towards being more passive and introspective. Mars, representing aggression, is even more passive and stubborn in Taurus, as you have him. Here he is "slow and steady" and prefers staying power to quick burnout.
I doubt you are truly a weakling, although a Neptune square Mars transit likely makes you feel weaker than normal; more on that in a bit.
However, if those were the only things to consider, you probably wouldn't be here wishing you were more aggressive. It would be natural to you (to be passive), and you would prefer the more passive stance. People who are truly "wired" to be passive are fairly content with it, and arrange defenses to prevent the potential downsides rather than desire aggression.
But this is not the case. Your chart has a classic, powerful indication of aggression: Sun square Mars, at a tight orb. This aspect is a real powerful indication of aggression, in fact one that can be too much to handle. I know, I have it as well! And yikes, can it be powerful. Sun square Mars is a real challenge. Think of the human will and the natural human aggressive nature in powerful conflict... For you, in the fixed signs even, showing a real gridlock. But, the Sun rules Leo, and is therefore in dignity, so your will is likely to restrain your aggressive nature more than your aggressive nature to strongarm your willpower. However, one does have conscious control of the will, so it is up to you how much you choose to restrain Mars, although there are other factors, more on that shortly.
You also have Uranus opposite the midpoint of this square, forming 135 degree aspects (sesquiquadrate or trioctile, depending on how much you like hard to spell words) to both ends, and forming the midpoint picture Sun/Mars=Uranus. This is actually the main configuration of your chart...
Witte said:
SO/MA=UR The violent man. To threaten or beat-up somebody. The man who suddenly becomes aggressive.
See also:
http://www.astrologyweekly.com/astrological-aspects/sun-square-mars.php
http://www.cafeastrology.com/natal/sunsquaremars.html
It appears the manifestation of this configuration is blocked, and is causing you to be torn between the opposite natures in your chart. But don't worry, we've all got some forces on both ends of the spectrum in our charts. It is this internal conflict that propels our self-growth, an inner thrust towards self realization.
I wonder, in your earlier years, did you have run-ins with this configuration? Did you express your aggression in ways that led your elders, school authorities, etc etc, to "put you in your place" ? Has it become ingrained in you that expression of your aggressive nature is in fact bad? You very well may have attempted, consciously or not, to repress the energy of the Sun-Mars-Uranus configuration, deviating instead towards the more passive indications in your chart, and now you have become frustrated with this repression. Uranus involved with Sun-Mars shows a tendency towards socially unacceptable rebellion, certainly something that will evoke elders to "correct", although their influence can be more stifling and negative than constructive and positive.
Even with the other placements that indicate a more passive nature, Sun-Mars in such a powerful dynamic aspect and configured with Uranus is going to have a major role. Either it will be frustration at a lack of assertion, as the energy is blocked, or excessive aggression that alienates you from others. The goal of the chart seems to be finding the balance between these two extremes. Continued repression of this nature may lead to a real reckoning with it later in life, so it's good you have a conscious desire to learn to express it.
Verbal aggression is a major issue for you. You have Mercury in Virgo, which is actually one of it's dignities as it rules Virgo, but leads to being very self-critical of your words. The real kicker here is the midpoint picture Mercury/Mars=Saturn, as Saturn opposes your Mercury/Mars midpoint. Mercury/Mars represents mental and verbal aggression. How we use the mind and the mouth to assert ourselves. Saturn represents restrictions and limitations. Saturn is strong, dignified in it's own sign of Capricorn, and has much power to wield against the Mercury/Mars combination. In fact, Saturn shows where we are insecure and place limits on ourselves, requiring more self-assurance than otherwise. In a nutshell, limits are placed on verbal assertion, which leads to excess contemplation or doubts in the verbal assertion department, backed up by the powerful feeling nature of the Cancer ascendant. It all points to lack of confidence in an underdeveloped ability to assert oneself. Practice is in order
I would recommend you start a sort of verbal assertion "training program" for yourself. Maybe start with some trusted friends or these people who nag you for not being aggressive enough. Let them know you want to get over this challenge. And it's a challenge, not a problem, because through this you will likely learn how to be assertive without being offensive or violent. Maybe you go to a school with a debate team, or know some people who have heated viewpoints you don't agree with? What it seems you need is practice. The solider doesn't just jump onto the battle field without training... Many hours are spent at the range, practicing on "safe" targets before real combat; in the same manner, sparring verbally and mentally with your peers seems to be healthy for you.
You're probably thinking nooo, thats not me... I couldn't or wouldn't want to do that. That's Saturn talking, still operating in his underdeveloped, unsure mode of self-doubt and limitation. However, a developed Saturn is a steady rock, confident in his abilities through years of practice and self-testing. When Saturn knows he's on tested and familiar ground, nothing will move him. So imagine the influence on your Mercury/Mars pair changing from doubt to stability. I bet if you started "sparring" verbally with a few people who were willing to help you learn the ropes, you'd feel a lot more confident, and learn how to assert yourself. Sure, you'd feel out of your element, but sometimes one has to "brave it" and prove to themselves they can do it. "Braving it" is certainly something Mars respects, his very nature! In fact, Mercury, Mars and Saturn are in a powerful grand trine in your natal chart, showing it is a latent ability just waiting to be harnessed. Trines show latent abilities, but ones that must be consciously activated. They are a use it or loose it kind of thing. Dynamic aspects like squares
compel us to address things; "easy" aspects like trines show abilities that can only be realized if we find the drive and compulsion within ourselves.
In fact, Mars will retrograde over your Sun/Mars midpoint this year, in opposition to Uranus, showing the time has come for you to better understand and express your Sun-Mars-Uranus energy. That Sun-Mars-Uranus configuration is a real eye-catcher in your chart, three very receptive planets in strong dynamic aspect is nothing to overlook, and certainly a major life theme, especially with Uranus on an angle and the Sun-Mars midpoint on an angle. As you wrote your post, Mars was first coming to contact this midpoint, and will conjunct the exact midpoint this Friday, making the retrograde pass in mid December and making the final pass March 20th 2008. The coming months, therefore, are excellent times to reflect upon why and how you've blocked this energy in your chart, and what you can do to promote it's expression.
Your last Mars return (July 24, 2007 0:58 London time) has the Moon, representing your more sensitive/passive nature, in near exact opposition to the Mars return, directly showing the conflict and awareness you are experiencing.
As far as the more passive nature "not doing you any good", I think you'll find that once you learn to constructively express the Sun-Mars-Uranus energy shown in your chart, it will be a most excellent mediating influence, allowing you a healthy balance between assertiveness and receptiveness, anger and understanding, needs of the self versus the needs of the other. Indeed neither alone is any good, but in balance a wonderful combination.
I should also say do watch yourself over the coming months. The retrograde of Mars over a most sensitive point in your chart (and your ascendant to boot!) could unleash assertion in an unexpected manner, especially as it appears you are blocked and frustrated at it's lack of manifestation. The retrograde Sun-Mars opposition of late December this year, which is activatd by the full Moon of Dec 23rd, happens across your ascendant/descendant axis, indicating conflicts in relationships with others are very likely. However, if you use these potential conflicts constructively, you stand to gain some of the experience you need to properly assert yourself, at the least make a good start towards this. I would honestly be surprised if there wasn't some conflict coming up in the coming months. Certainly be aware and make the best of it.
The other transit of this year that is important for you is the last solar eclipse, Sept 11 of this year. It fell directly upon your Mercury, showing new ways of the mind and mouth are at hand. This was a very powerful eclipse, activating Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto, so I have no doubt there will be quite the powerful unfolding of your Mercurial nature.
There is another transiting consideration as well. That is the square of transiting Neptune to your Mars, active from the beginning of this year until around the end of the 1st quarter next year. Neptune is a powerful, sublime, mostly unconscious and deceptive slow moving influence. She works to dissolve and slowly break down whatever she touches. She's very much different than Mars... This has been working to not only further restrict your expression of Mars, but to frustrate you even further than you already are. Neptune tends to repress Mars, as Neptune is more altruistic and passive (think Pisces, which Neptune rules) than aggressive, self-centered Mars. This conflict is helping to bring to a head the other Martian considerations, and is demanding a more holistic expression of your Sun-Mars square, which it is activating -- opposing the Sun while squaring Mars.
Rob Hand on Neptune square mars said:
The chief danger of this transit is that it sets you up for situations in which you will emerge as a loser, especially in your work and at home. Or someone else may set you up in such a way that you are forced to act without knowing what is really going on, and therefore you act ineffectively. Since you are not getting much reinforcement from others at this time, you will be forced to rely on your own inner resources and self-confidence. Do not expect others to provide you with a backbone; you need to provide your own.
Defeats may make you feel discouraged, but dont take them too seriously. Like all transits, this one will pass. And there is a lesson to be learned here. The more you identify with what you do rather than what you are, the more difficulties this transit will cause. You are not what you do. This transit may force you to confront that issue, and if it does, you will learn to handle your life much more successfully because you will not always have to protect yourself.
This may be a period of low physical energy. You may even feel like sleeping all the time, and within reason it is probably best to take it easy. Don't subject the body to unusual stresses, and avoid exposure to illnesses
As you have Sun-Mars in square, this is also an opposition to your Sun. It is actually a fairly similar transit, but I'll note some of Rob's additional notes on it
Rob Hand on Neptune opposition Sun said:
In your relationships, make absolutely certain that you present yourself to others as clearly and straightforwardly as you can. Do not leave people in any doubt about your intentions or your position on any matter. If others have any reason to misunderstand you, they will, and they are likely to work against you because misunderstandings easily turn to fear or mistrust. For the same reason, avoid involvement in devious schemes as they would likely work against you.
Aside from cautions, This transit can show you a very spiritual dimension of life. You can become aware of a deeper meaning in your life that you have ever been aware of before. The problem is that the road to this understanding is full of snares and delusions that you must find your way through.
Combine these factors all together and it becomes clear that you are at a most important time when you will have to reckon with the indication of the Mars return: Moon vs Mars, sensitive emotions vs self-assertion. This theme was repeated in your recent solar return, in that chart the Moon and Mars are tightly square. The midpoint of that square is within a degree of your natal Mercury-Mars midpoint, which opposes your Saturn, bring that configuration into direct focus this year in your life... Synchronisity at work again.
Please realize that none of my words here are gospel, and I encourage you to use them solely as a starting point to understanding your chart and experiences on your own terms. Only you can truly know yourself and understand how the planets work for you, my only hope is to provide you with food for thought and some technical information about configurations, transits, etc..
Cheers