Mars and motivation

obsidianmineral

Well-known member
I was just thinking today about how Mars is the motivation in a person's life. Could you give me any insights related to how it feels to have Mars in a certain sign? For example, do any of you have Mars in Capricorn? How do you feel about having an exalted Mars? And people with Mars in rulership? Also, what about when it's peregrine or when it's in its detriment/fall?
 

belabismo

Well-known member
I have Mars in Pisces and it's exhausting. I change my mind about my direction in life every other day. I wish I were more focused. Though if I had Mars in something like Aries or Scorpio or Leo I think I would be quite the monster, with Aries Sun Mercury and Venus and Moon in Scorpio already, lol.
 

katydid

Well-known member
I have Mars in Capricorn in my 8th. So it is exalted by sign and placed in it's own house. And I am a Scorpio, so Mars is important in my chart.

Also, Mars has no squares or oppositions or inconjuncts. It sextiles the Sun and conjuncts the Moon and Chiron.

So I think Mars is a very positive factor in my natal chart. I was always pretty ambitious and effective in my younger days. I could give the impression that I could handle responsibility and be accountable so I usually was hired for jobs slightly above my pay grade. :cool:

But I have Saturn/Neptune/Sun conjunct in the 6th. So routine things got boring and confusing and I would lose interest and move on pretty quickly. :whistling:

The only two things that have totally held my attention are Astrology and my family. Oh, and my doggies. :wink:
 

obsidianmineral

Well-known member
I have Mars in Capricorn in my 8th. So it is exalted by sign and placed in it's own house. And I am a Scorpio, so Mars is important in my chart.

Also, Mars has no squares or oppositions or inconjuncts. It sextiles the Sun and conjuncts the Moon and Chiron.

So I think Mars is a very positive factor in my natal chart. I was always pretty ambitious and effective in my younger days. I could give the impression that I could handle responsibility and be accountable so I usually was hired for jobs slightly above my pay grade. :cool:

But I have Saturn/Neptune/Sun conjunct in the 6th. So routine things got boring and confusing and I would lose interest and move on pretty quickly. :whistling:

The only two things that have totally held my attention are Astrology and my family. Oh, and my doggies. :wink:

So, does this mean that a Mars exalted can make people have superior positions and have more authority over others? This would suit the symbolism of the exaltation, which entails exaggeration. But, even with that result in your life, how do you think your Mars manifests specifically when you're motivated? Do you think that the way in which you initiate action is exalted?



I have Mars in Pisces and it's exhausting. I change my mind about my direction in life every other day. I wish I were more focused. Though if I had Mars in something like Aries or Scorpio or Leo I think I would be quite the monster, with Aries Sun Mercury and Venus and Moon in Scorpio already, lol.


Is it because you focus your motivation on a larger scale and when it comes down to pinpoint it down to a certain path you can't decide? Your Mars is said to be in its triplicity thanks to being in a water sign (according to Ptolemy), so do you find it easy to motivate yourself at first but then lose it? Do you usually feel optimistic at first or are you motivated in a more serious manner?
 

katydid

Well-known member
So, does this mean that a Mars exalted can make people have superior positions and have more authority over others? This would suit the symbolism of the exaltation, which entails exaggeration. But, even with that result in your life, how do you think your Mars manifests specifically when you're motivated? Do you think that the way in which you initiate action is exalted?


I think the 'superior positions' and authority comes from the Capricorn/8th house influence.

I knew how to take control, be organized and exude some confidence.

My kids used to call me the 'miracle worker' because if I really wanted to make something happen, initiate some project, or make a big change, I could usually make it succeed.

I would be relentless and very focused and call everyone who might help, and do everything I could think might help, and keep moving ahead, slowly but surely.

I made some very unlikely things happen over the years, with a combination of good luck, hard work and diligence.
 

belabismo

Well-known member
Is it because you focus your motivation on a larger scale and when it comes down to pinpoint it down to a certain path you can't decide? Your Mars is said to be in its triplicity thanks to being in a water sign (according to Ptolemy), so do you find it easy to motivate yourself at first but then lose it? Do you usually feel optimistic at first or are you motivated in a more serious manner?

Is it because you focus your motivation on a larger scale and when it comes down to pinpoint it down to a certain path you can't decide? Your Mars is said to be in its triplicity thanks to being in a water sign (according to Ptolemy), so do you find it easy to motivate yourself at first but then lose it? Do you usually feel optimistic at first or are you motivated in a more serious manner?[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure, I think I just let my emotions run away from me and change my mind a lot based on flighty feelings. I haven't jumped from career to career, I've been working for the same company for about 5 years, but I daydream a lot about doing different things. I do have a broad vision and some specific careers I think I'd like but I think I lack the day to day hard work of following through and working towards my goal. I think I also get burnt out easily, and/or maybe I just have unrealistic expectations of myself sometimes.

My Mars is in 6th and trines my Moon/Pluto in Scorpio and sextiles Neptune/Uranus.

I think it's hard for me to be practical with my time if that makes sense? Like structuring my days and following a routine brings me down.
 

Chrysalis

Well-known member
Great question obsid :biggrin:

Ive been working on my mars, so ill be tracking this thread.

Okay ill input with my libra mars...

I find this a tad irritating at times as i find it hard to get REALLY angry, ive only ever had one fight in my entire life, and this was at junior school, but then again it wasn't so much a fight, i just had her in a headlock for a few mins spinning her around....was more funny than anything.

Another time at school nearly the whole class was egging me on to fight with a particular girl at lunch break after class, they even pushed the girl into me where then all red fizzy pop she had in her hand had spilt allover my white wool jumper, i just went to the toilets to clean it off....went back to the classroom and omg the whole classroom was full expecting this big full on fight...i just couldn't do it...how mars/libra is this lol...i didn't want to hurt her :biggrin:

She ended up pushing me around etc, people are telling me to punch her in the face etc, but i just really couldn't do it at all.....so i got ragged around a little by her and flung into a filing cabinet, then the teacher walked in and stopped it.

Well i knew what was coming after this......yes bullying from the same girl as she thought she was top dog then. I used to say to myself in my head chrys why didn't you hit her back, and the answer was that i wasn't angry with her to be hitting her for just nothing.

Yes so conflict/fights i can't do as the rage just won't build up inside me, if ive ever been in conflict in my life, ive always been able to talk (gem moon) it out.

Trust me i have got angry of course i have, but its got to have been something thats cut me really deep, something personal maybe or someone really really pushing my buttons. I slapped an ex across the face before because of this. So i do have anger there, but it takes a LOT to get it to boil.

Another example, i used to have an aries/mars friend, and you could guarantee every night we went out, she would end up fighting with some girl in the club toilets...she'd expect who went out with her to join in too "have her back", a couple of them did....not me never, the thought of just laying into someone for the sake of it, is beyond me how someone could do this.

As for motivation, i have self motivation with it being a cardinal sign, probably not as strong as mars/aries but even though mars is in detriment the self motivation is still there, if i need to do something i'll do it.
 
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obsidianmineral

Well-known member
I think the 'superior positions' and authority comes from the Capricorn/8th house influence.

I knew how to take control, be organized and exude some confidence.

My kids used to call me the 'miracle worker' because if I really wanted to make something happen, initiate some project, or make a big change, I could usually make it succeed.

I would be relentless and very focused and call everyone who might help, and do everything I could think might help, and keep moving ahead, slowly but surely.

I made some very unlikely things happen over the years, with a combination of good luck, hard work and diligence.

So instead of your actions being motivated by pure emotion, they were made considering resources and what you could do? Sounds like a very Capricorn way of doing things. How do you think a Mars in Aries would have done in your situation?

I'm not sure, I think I just let my emotions run away from me and change my mind a lot based on flighty feelings. I haven't jumped from career to career, I've been working for the same company for about 5 years, but I daydream a lot about doing different things. I do have a broad vision and some specific careers I think I'd like but I think I lack the day to day hard work of following through and working towards my goal. I think I also get burnt out easily, and/or maybe I just have unrealistic expectations of myself sometimes.

My Mars is in 6th and trines my Moon/Pluto in Scorpio and sextiles Neptune/Uranus.

I think it's hard for me to be practical with my time if that makes sense? Like structuring my days and following a routine brings me down.

Sounds like a very Jupiterian way of living your life. Having broad visions and being weighed down by routine, hating the thought of habits makes you feel tied to your circumstances when you want to pursue something. So do you think the way in which you exert your disruptive energy (Mars) which is manifested through motivation doesn't come from vengeful thoughts or from holding grudges like a Mars in Scorpio? Rather, it's just emotions that come by?
 

obsidianmineral

Well-known member
Great question obsid :biggrin:

Ive been working on my mars, so ill be tracking this thread.

Okay ill input with my libra mars...

I find this a tad irritating at times as i find it hard to get REALLY angry, ive only ever had one fight in my entire life, and this was at junior school, but then again it wasn't so much a fight, i just had her in a headlock for a few mins spinning her around....was more funny than anything.

Another time at school nearly the whole class was egging me on to fight with a particular girl at lunch break after class, they even pushed the girl into me where then all red fizzy pop she had in her hand had spilt allover my white wool jumper, i just went to the toilets to clean it off....went back to the classroom and omg the whole classroom was full expecting this big full on fight...i just couldn't do it...how mars/libra is this lol...i didn't want to hurt her :biggrin:

She ended up pushing me around etc, people are telling me to punch her in the face etc, but i just really couldn't do it at all.....so i got ragged around a little by her and flung into a filing cabinet, then the teacher walked in and stopped it.

Well i knew what was coming after this......yes bullying from the same girl as she thought she was top dog then. I used to say to myself in my head chrys why didn't you hit her back, and the answer was that i wasn't angry with her to be hitting her for just nothing.

Yes so conflict/fights i can't do as the rage just won't build up inside me, if ive ever been in conflict in my life, ive always been able to talk (gem moon) it out.

Trust me i have got angry of course i have, but its got to have been something thats cut me really deep, something personal maybe or someone really really pushing my buttons. I slapped an ex across the face before because of this. So i do have anger there, but it takes a LOT to get it to boil.

Another example, i used to have an aries/mars friend, and you could guarantee every night we went out, she would end up fighting with some girl in the club toilets...she'd expect who went out with her to join in too "have her back", a couple of them did....not me never, the thought of just laying into someone for the sake of it, is beyond me how someone could do this.

As for motivation, i have self motivation with it being a cardinal sign, probably not as strong as mars/aries but even though mars is in detriment the self motivation is still there, if i need to do something i'll do it.

I found it interesting to read what you had to say about your Mars in Libra. You must have it easier to create action and violence through the harmonious ways of putting barriers between you and the others. This is theoretically how you express anger most of the cases. I actually can identify with some of the things you said. I had bad experiences at school when I was a kid, I just couldn't be aggressive and stand up for myself because I was afraid of being too violent, it was just something I didn't identify as something I would do or not a part of me. My Mars is retrograde which is why I'm guessing this happened.


So do you think you've got an above than average willpower? Or do you think it's just normal? Are you competitive by any chance?
 

D-Rok

Well-known member
I have Mars in Capricorn in my 8th. So it is exalted by sign and placed in it's own house. And I am a Scorpio, so Mars is important in my chart.

Also, Mars has no squares or oppositions or inconjuncts. It sextiles the Sun and conjuncts the Moon and Chiron.

So I think Mars is a very positive factor in my natal chart. I was always pretty ambitious and effective in my younger days. I could give the impression that I could handle responsibility and be accountable so I usually was hired for jobs slightly above my pay grade. :cool:

But I have Saturn/Neptune/Sun conjunct in the 6th. So routine things got boring and confusing and I would lose interest and move on pretty quickly. :whistling:

The only two things that have totally held my attention are Astrology and my family. Oh, and my doggies. :wink:

Doesn’t work that way. Mars does not “rule by house”, neither do the other planets. The houses are just there. The planets rule signs because their nature is most compatible with the particular planets’ nature.
 

Chrysalis

Well-known member
I found it interesting to read what you had to say about your Mars in Libra. You must have it easier to create action and violence through the harmonious ways of putting barriers between you and the others. This is theoretically how you express anger most of the cases. I actually can identify with some of the things you said. I had bad experiences at school when I was a kid, I just couldn't be aggressive and stand up for myself because I was afraid of being too violent, it was just something I didn't identify as something I would do or not a part of me. My Mars is retrograde which is why I'm guessing this happened.
Yes id rather build a bridge between conflict if that makes sense, id never never initiate violence, ever. To defend myself id more likely do defense mode rather than attack back mode.
Arguments too, i hate them, i hate people being angry at me and also me then, i just want to sort it out as quickly as possible to bring the balance back. With my mars withpluto though i can hold grudges for quite a while after, even though i maybe make out im okay, really im not.

Thats interesting about your mars rx, what signs your mars in ?
So do you think you've got an above than average willpower? Or do you think it's just normal? Are you competitive by any chance?

Ive got a mars/pluto though so its prob this that helps my mars more fulled in libra as i do have willpower yes.

Competitive i am yes :unsure:
 

obsidianmineral

Well-known member
Yes id rather build a bridge between conflict if that makes sense, id never never initiate violence, ever. To defend myself id more likely do defense mode rather than attack back mode.
Arguments too, i hate them, i hate people being angry at me and also me then, i just want to sort it out as quickly as possible to bring the balance back. With my mars withpluto though i can hold grudges for quite a while after, even though i maybe make out im okay, really im not.

Thats interesting about your mars rx, what signs your mars in ?

Ive got a mars/pluto though so its prob this that helps my mars more fulled in libra as i do have willpower yes.

Competitive i am yes :unsure:

I think I am trying too hard to find the differences between you and myself, cause I am surprised at the fact that a Mars in Libra such as yours could be so much like a Mars in Scorpio like mine. My Mars in Scorpio is retrograde. I dislike arguments too. When I was younger I used to get really mad at others, I would hold the grudgiest grudges at my school mates for making fun of me or whatever. I would plan out their deaths in my 10 year old head and would hate them. Not that I would do anything to them. I just felt really ashamed of myself for not being aggressive when I was meant to. The way I would express my anger wasn't through imposing limits, heck, even that took me some effort. I'm guessing it was a self-esteem problem. However, as time passed I became stronger. Nowadays I'm much more brave, I think I would stand up to a bully if I still were in school. I'm also into doing exercise. My Mars in Scorpio is very intense internally, and now for the better. Even though I dislike arguments, I think I am quite capable of being in an argument or fighting with someone, I simply don't want to get to that if it's avoidable.
 

Chrysalis

Well-known member
I think I am trying too hard to find the differences between you and myself, cause I am surprised at the fact that a Mars in Libra such as yours could be so much like a Mars in Scorpio like mine. My Mars in Scorpio is retrograde. I dislike arguments too. When I was younger I used to get really mad at others, I would hold the grudgiest grudges at my school mates for making fun of me or whatever. I would plan out their deaths in my 10 year old head and would hate them. Not that I would do anything to them. I just felt really ashamed of myself for not being aggressive when I was meant to. The way I would express my anger wasn't through imposing limits, heck, even that took me some effort. I'm guessing it was a self-esteem problem. However, as time passed I became stronger. Nowadays I'm much more brave, I think I would stand up to a bully if I still were in school. I'm also into doing exercise. My Mars in Scorpio is very intense internally, and now for the better. Even though I dislike arguments, I think I am quite capable of being in an argument or fighting with someone, I simply don't want to get to that if it's avoidable.

Because yes my mars is detriment in Libra....BUT is closely conjunct to Pluto.

That's where the similarity is coming from, with your mars being in scorpio and rx.
 

Frisiangal

Well-known member
I think the 'superior positions' and authority comes from the Capricorn......influence.

I knew how to take control, be organized and exude some confidence.

I'm a 5th house 'well aspected' Moon in Capricorn with out of orb Mars in Cancer in 11th. Saturn in 10th house.
A remark once made by a Capricorn Sun colleague, (transl.)'I want to be 'business-like.' She meant it in the sense that she wanted to come across as being seen as having control and taking charge over situations.

I thought to myself,'I already have that.' (Moon)

When the promotion to supervisor came, guess who got it.:wink:

Mars in Cancer is supposed to be difficult. It's also my only planet in a water sign, is sextile 9th house Sun and semi-square (midpoint) Uranus - Asc.(and Chiron-Mean Black Moon Lilith) . Yet it was a necessary position in order to open up the feelings that Moon in Capricorn could keep a tight rein on. When circumstances occured that finally did, the dam burst and Niagara was experienced! Result is that I am now aware that I can be 'touchy' if someone steps on my feelings, even if I don't express it.

I was led into astrology. The Mars in Cancer active imagination was opened and all it encompassed. It didn't take 'work' to understand its symbolism regarding situations. The analogical imagination just poured out and did it, seemingly without help. I have to consciously 'stop' doing it. I've been told I can 'go too deep', yet it 'feels' like something anyone would do in similar circumstances.

But I have Saturn/Neptune/Sun conjunct in the 6th.

I believe to have read somewhere that you live with physical difficulties.
Do you experience that it's the aspects Mars makes that gives you that 'rod in the back'? You do not give in or give up when situations present a difficulty, but face them head on as a challenge you take on?

-----------------

In general terms I think that Mars is not so much one's motivation in life, which I personally place under the Sun, but it does provide the energy TO DO something. It's the adrenaline that provides the inner courage, the muscle power to do so, even when it seems that courage and muscle power is lacking.
 

obsidianmineral

Well-known member
Because yes my mars is detriment in Libra....BUT is closely conjunct to Pluto.

That's where the similarity is coming from, with your mars being in scorpio and rx.

So there's definitely some similarity. There's both weakness and strength. The difference is that the strength in your case is coming from an aspect while there's weakness from the sign position. In my case it's the opposite; there's strength from the sign but weakness coming from an accidental factor like motion.
 

Chrysalis

Well-known member
Does your mars have any easy aspects to venus too ?

Regarding your mars/scorpio, yes it all makes sense to me you acting this way...and also that silence you can give someone while your seething internally, i do this a lot too ..i do this quite often actually i forgot about this. If i am REALLY angry with someone internally, i will just ignore you like you never even existed to me...we could have been best friends the day before, but now ill walk past you like you never existed.....and probably never even speak to you ever again.

So yes ill keep my anger inside internally like you, and i don't really let go of it inwardly quite easily, im not one to forgive and forget, i will stew and stew.

I hope someone replies who has just a mars/libra with no pluto contact, to see the difference.
 
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Frisiangal

Well-known member
Originally Posted by katydid
I have Mars in Capricorn in my 8th. So it is exalted by sign and placed in it's own house. And I am a Scorpio, so Mars is important in my chart.

Doesn’t work that way. Mars does not “rule by house”, neither do the other planets. The houses are just there. The planets rule signs because their nature is most compatible with the particular planets’ nature.
With respect D-Rok, I think you were a bit too quick to jump in with your remark.
It was not said that Mars was in a house it rules, but in its own house.

How could it even 'rule' the 8th house, when either Sagittarius or Capricorn would be on the cusp??????

A difficult maxim for Mars: Look before you leap.:wink:
 

obsidianmineral

Well-known member
Does your mars have any easy aspects to venus too ?

Regarding your mars/scorpio, yes it all makes sense to me you acting this way...and also that silence you can give someone while your seething internally, i do this a lot too ..i do this quite often actually i forgot about this. If i am REALLY angry with someone internally, i will just ignore you like you never even existed to me...we could have been best friends the day before, but now ill walk past you like you never existed.....and probably never even speak to you ever again.

So yes ill keep my anger inside internally like you, and i don't really let go of it inwardly quite easily, im not one to forgive and forget, i will stew and stew.

I actually don't haha, my Mars is in opposition with my Venus, so there's definitely not a friendly aspect between the two. Now that you mention ignoring people, I just can't bring myself to do it. I can't play like I don't know who someone is. When I am angry at someone I really hate them internally, usually it's so much anger that I plan how I should hurt them, in what ways I could make them feel the most emotional pain. But this usually goes away after a while. If I get to talk to someone who I'm mad at when I'm still in this Scorpio phase I usually reply angrily, usually making them feel bad. It's such a struggle to have retrograde Mars, because if I do end up making people feel like **** after planning out what would hurt them the most I will just end up feeling regretful and awful about it. If I do something terrible I will question who I am and will do my best to correct it. So yeah, I don't think I'm gonna hurt someone really bad unless it's pretty well justified.

I can identify with what you said about never forgiving, that happened to me a lot when I was a kid. I still have sort of a grudge against the people who hurt me back then. It's weird, because it feels like holding permanent grudges is something that only could have happened back then. I don't think I can be permanently angry at someone now. I just try to forgive them and try to discuss about it with them.
 

Chrysalis

Well-known member
I actually don't haha, my Mars is in opposition with my Venus, so there's definitely not a friendly aspect between the two. Now that you mention ignoring people, I just can't bring myself to do it. I can't play like I don't know who someone is. When I am angry at someone I really hate them internally, usually it's so much anger that I plan how I should hurt them, in what ways I could make them feel the most emotional pain. But this usually goes away after a while. If I get to talk to someone who I'm mad at when I'm still in this Scorpio phase I usually reply angrily, usually making them feel bad. It's such a struggle to have retrograde Mars, because if I do end up making people feel like **** after planning out what would hurt them the most I will just end up feeling regretful and awful about it. If I do something terrible I will question who I am and will do my best to correct it. So yeah, I don't think I'm gonna hurt someone really bad unless it's pretty well justified.

I can identify with what you said about never forgiving, that happened to me a lot when I was a kid. I still have sort of a grudge against the people who hurt me back then. It's weird, because it feels like holding permanent grudges is something that only could have happened back then. I don't think I can be permanently angry at someone now. I just try to forgive them and try to discuss about it with them.


Okay okay get off the topic of anger, mars/scorpio lol.....what about your mars/scorpio motivation factor ? And your sexual mars please...even though this is gonna maybe be a little like mine.
 
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D-Rok

Well-known member
With respect D-Rok, I think you were a bit too quick to jump in with your remark.
It was not said that Mars was in a house it rules, but in its own house.

How could it even 'rule' the 8th house, when either Sagittarius or Capricorn would be on the cusp??????

A difficult maxim for Mars: Look before you leap.:wink:

She said “exalted by sign” AND “placed in its own house”, implying she thinks these are two completely different things, which also implies she thinks that Mars rules the eighth house. Additionally, it wouldn’t be “placed in its own house” because it does not rule either Sagittarius or Capricorn, so that goes out the window.

Either way, she is incorrect.
 
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