Natal Mars in Taurus
The God of War Holds His Position Until Forced to Move
Inertia may take the form of inaction or laziness until circumstances demand action, when it becomes irresistible force moving steadily toward the goal.
The Intrinsic Nature of Mars Is Forceful and Impetuous
The planet Mars, as an astrological symbol, depicts raw energy and the application of force. Mars shows how we meet the external world. The planet shows how we attempt to conquer our own territory or space, establish our independence, and defend our identity. The sign position of Mars shows how we work, how we fight, how we make love.
The orbit of Mars lies next to, and just outside of, the orbit of Earth. Thus, the planet is concerned with the immediate and near-at-hand, and is very little concerned with long-range consequences. He symbolizes the power of initiative, the force that gets things started, and is “get-up-and-go”. Getting things finished is not as easy for him as getting them started. He is impetuous, often rash and ill-considered in his actions, heedless of danger, reckless, and considers the self and its interests first. This planet is direct in thought, speech and action, is forthright and fearless, and wants to get to the point now.
Each of the Signs Modifies the Way a Planet Acts
The above describes some of the qualities that are intrinsic to Mars, that are his inherent nature. However, Mars passes through each of the twelve signs in turn as he orbits the Sun, and the signs modify the mode of operation of any planet found within them. Between 24 June and 7 August 2007 Mars passes through Taurus, and the expression of his inherent nature will be modified by the nature of the sign. It is important to study the ruler of the sign as well; for a discussion of this see article For Astrologers Only.
Mars in Taurus
Mars in Taurus acts slowly, methodically, and cautiously. He likes to operate in a structured and well-ordered environment, and prefers to have things prepared and ready beforehand. Fluid and changeable conditions can be uncomfortable; he takes things one step at a time. He likes his comfort, and has a hard time getting started. But when circumstances prod him to action, and because he is lazy and does not want to do things twice, he is very efficient and completes any task with a minimum of wasted motion. He will overcome obstacles by simply running over them. His application of energy is persistent and there is great endurance and a stubborn sticking to things until they are accomplished. He is very concerned with the structure and organization of things, and his primary interest lies in obtaining concrete and useful results.
Offenses against him are not acted upon, but are never forgotten. Anger is restrained and contained, but when his limit has been reached, Mars in Taurus is likely to explode in a long-lasting and terrible rage. All of the passions are usually hidden beneath a tranquil surface, but they can easily be inflamed to a white heat not easily extinguished. Taurus tends to adopt a defensive rather than aggressive posture, and the defenses are nearly impenetrable. Usually, Mars in Taurus is an indicator of deep and long-lasting resentments, and this presents one of the challenges the position must overcome for success in life.
The restraint and caution, the need for method and careful progress imposed on Mars by Taurus tend to limit the powers of initiative natural to the planet. The passions of Mars tend to flare up and then die down quickly (Mars often fails to bring things to a full conclusion), but the persistent nature of Taurus keeps the passions alive.
