"Hi, it’s me, your friendly internet casual astrology reporter. I’m dropping in to deliver some news that’s probably going to pause you in the middle of your holiday partying: Mars is about to go retrograde. If you’re following along, Mercury is currently in retrograde, meaning it appears like it’s moving backward in the sky. We’re all pretty familiar with the woes of Mercury retrograde—poor communication, technology and transit issues, and generally needing to slow your roll—but Mars? That’s a whole other ballgame.
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On December 6, 2024, Mars will go retrograde, and it will stay there until February 23, 2025. This is a much longer retrograde than Mercury’s twice- or thrice-yearly shift, meaning Mars will pass through two signs while it’s going retrograde: Leo and Cancer. Mars is the planet of sex, passion, ambition, and anger, so it’s safe to say that when this planet goes retrograde, things get a bit shaken up. The last time Mars was in retrograde was from October 30, 2022, to January 12, 2023, so it’s been a while since we’ve felt this energy shaking up the cosmos.
While Mars retrograde impacts every zodiac sign, there are some who will be more impacted than others. For those four signs, now would be a good time to gird your loins and get ready to reevaluate your love life, sex life, general passions, and strongest opinions. Want to know more about navigating this astrological event? Keep reading.
What is Mars retrograde?
If this is your first time diving into what a retrograde means, first of all, welcome to the party—it’s terrible here. Second of all, retrograde basically means that a planet looks like it’s moving backward in the sky. The planet is not actually orbiting backward, but it appears to be from our vantage point here on Earth, and that means it has an impact on us. Every planet has a retrograde (with Mercury’s being the most frequent), and since each planet rules something different, each retrograde will have a varied impact. Mars is the ruler of sex, passion, anger, and motivation. When it’s moving direct, AKA straight, you’ll feel like you’re working toward your ultimate goal. During retrograde, it’s a time to look inward, reevaluate, and reflect.
When is Mars retrograde?
This time around, Mars will be going retrograde in two signs: Leo and Cancer. Mars retrograde in Leo will last from December 6, 2024, through January 6, 2025. During this time, you’ll feel inclined to look inward and reflect on your self-image and confidence as they relate to your own anger and passion. Mars retrograde in Cancer will take up the remainder of the retrograde: January 7 through February 23, 2025. When Mars is retrograde in Cancer, you’ll want to think about your emotional world, your sense of internal security, and the way you care for others.
What does Mars retrograde mean in astrology?
Mars is a major planet that holds a lot of meaning, so when it goes retrograde, it indicates a big shift in several areas. Mars retrograde impacts sex drive, anger, motivation, and passion. It’s about personal power and ambition. Essentially, regardless of what your birth chart looks like, Mars retrograde will impact your motivation in some area of your life. It might be your career, your relationships, or even your home life; regardless, Mars retrograde feels like a slump.
Which signs will be impacted by Mars retrograde?
Aries
Mars rules two planets, and Aries is one of them. This means that you, Aries, will be feeling this Mars retrograde more intensely than most signs. As Mars moves backward, you’ll find yourself questioning your creativity, passions, and side projects. Let’s say you’ve recently taken up a new hobby that really had you fired up—suddenly, you might not feel so motivated anymore, and you can’t quite figure out why. Instead of getting frustrated with your sudden creative block, try to take this time to reflect. This Mars retrograde is an opportunity to consider whether what you’re doing in your free time is really worth your passion and energy. Most likely, you’ll come out the other side with new insight on what truly brings you joy.
Cancer
Since Mars is going retrograde in your sign first, it’s bound to have a bigger impact on you than on some other signs. During the first half of the retrograde, you might be reevaluating some of your financial pursuits. However, once Mars retrograde moves into Cancer, you’re going to feel a shift. You might start to feel frustrated with some of your more creative pursuits not panning out (much like Aries), or you could feel like you’re hitting a wall with your productivity. For you, the key during this Mars retrograde is simply slowing down. Try not to throw in the towel on any creative projects or side hustles throughout this period. Once Mars goes direct again, you’ll feel well-rested and ready to move forward, both financially and creatively.
Leo
When Mars goes retrograde in your sign on December 6, it might feel like you suddenly can’t get anything done. You may experience burnout, struggle to feel inspired, or feel like your relationship is in a slump. It’s a bummer to feel like you’re putting in twice as much work for your passions with half the results, so during this time, give yourself grace if you’re not hitting all of the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the season. It’s OK if you need to use the holiday season to slow down—in fact, it’s totally normal! During the second half of the retrograde, thankfully, your sign won’t be impacted as much. However, you will still want to turn inward and reflect on your spirituality and intuition.
Scorpio
Like Aries signs, Scorpios are ruled by Mars, so you feel every Mars retrograde more intensely than most. I hate to break it to you, but this Mars retrograde will impact your professional life. You might struggle to achieve career goals you set for yourself, run into speed bumps with certain projects, or even feel a little impostor syndrome within your own career. To cope, remember that this is a time to really look into what you want out of your job. Are you pursuing a passion or a goal that no longer suits you? If yes, it might be time to let it go. Try to see this retrograde as an opportunity to learn more about what makes you feel intellectually and vocationally fulfilled instead of as a roadblock in your career.
Emma Ginsberg, Associate Editor
Emma is a writer, editor, and podcast producer who has been creating at The Everygirl since 2021. She writes for all sections on the site, edits the Entertainment and Community sections, and helps produce The Everygirl Podcast. She became a seasoned astrology writer when she taught herself to read birth charts in spring 2024.