The Origin And Meaning Of Mars

Date: 2023-01-17
The Origin And Meaning Of Mars

Mars is the main energy center for our Solar system, and a very predominant planet as it rings out messages of assertiveness, impatience, and sexuality. Mars is a literal breath of fresh air for people struggling to find their motivation. 

In every culture, there is a Mars, an angry dude who is messing with everyone, running the fastest, and constantly proving his strength. In Roman culture, this violence-seeking furious God was called Mars, in Greece he was venerated as Ares, and in Egypt he was Seth. 

Worshiping the God Mars was important to ancient peoples because wars would unexpectedly take place and mothers would never be sure if they were ever going to see their son one-piece again. For that reason, mothers and sons would go to Mars altars and give him offerings in the hopes to increase their town’s likelihood to win. Sometimes animal and even human sacrifices would take place. Tuesday was Mars’s designated day, and they believed that if they failed to impress Mars on his day, their village would be doomed. Due to his headstrong qualities and vigorous methods, Mars was particularly popular among soldiers, military leaders, and fighters. His swift-thinking mind and courage appealed very deeply to the hearts of soldiers. Moreover, Mars was also a god of power in the private sphere. When men faced impotence or infertility, they would leave offerings on Mars altars throughout the town and hope to rejuvenate their masculinity. 

MYTHOLOGY & ORIGINS OF MARS

Those who are interested in mythology know that Ares’s (Mars) story in Greek mythology is embedded in the fact that his mother Hera and father Zeus didn’t like him much: This is mainly because God Ares was inclined to use his superpowers for his bloodthirst and creating troubles, and exacerbating the situation in Trojan War was literally the last drop for his parents. Ares (Mars) was so mischievous and hot-headed that other Gods of the Pantheon never loved him, they thought of him as just too difficult to bear. 

Mars was more popular among Spartans than Athenians, but storytellers agree that Mars was arduous to compromise. Being a difficult son luckily didn’t translate as being an evil father, matter of fact, Mars was very protective and supportive of his warrior daughters, the Amazons. Later in Roman times, he was even attributed as the Godfather of the Roman Empire, by being the father of sacred twins Remus and Romulus, founders of the city of Rome. 

Putting his sudden outbursts aside, planet Mars sets the ground for how a local hero should be: He is incredibly appealing to the eye, assertive, and strong. For a long time, ancients revered Mars as the divine masculine; and designated his enemy (opposite planet), Venus, as the divine feminine. Being opposites didn’t set them apart though, in fact, it brought them even closer. While Mars was the furious part of human personality, Venus was the calm & serene energy. Ares (Mars) was Aphrodite’s (Venus) clandestine lover, and their illicit affair resulted in a baby called “Harmonia ''. They had 3 other kids together, namely Deimos (dread), Phobos (fear), and Enyo (quarrel). As you can tell, Mars’s kids turned out to be a bit problematic and warrior-like, except for Harmonia. 

As mentioned above, Mars is the God of courage but also fear and terror. Therefore, its malefic nature can be quite tricky in a natal chart. If Mars’s house positioning and aspects are on the controversial end, this can create great panic for the native. For example, Mars in the 8th house can translate itself as great sexual potency and success at occult endeavors, but since the 8th house is the house of fears, native can suffer from conspiracy theories and constant expectation that something unfortunate will happen to them. Similarly, Mars in the 12th house can give great intuition and instant manifestation capacity, but it can also cause immense terror and inexplicable phobias. Mars is the capacity of making change by putting in the effort, therefore, there is always a remedy for Mars placements, if the person is willing to fulfill their part. 

KABBALISTIC APPROACH 

Mars is an initiator, therefore Kabbalists gave him the number 1 and the letter A. This fiery planet has the ambition of the seas and the determination of the mountains. He is the starter, confronter, and the one who has the balls to do things. In Kabbalah, Mars’s sacred month is called Nissan (April) and Kabbalists pay attention to utilizing the powerful energy of the skies and squeezing all their needs and wants in this month. They believe that in the month of Nissan, you get rid of all the sluggishness, tap into your power, and finish your duties with great determination. Kabbalists acknowledge Nissan as the month of movement, and if there is a big project that you want to undertake, you should commence this month. The very first week of Nissan is even more powerful and the energy of new beginnings is felt stronger. 

In Kabbalah, the correspondent concept for Mars is Gevurah. It is the force that you implement in order to succeed. Gevurah’s element is fire and it is the "strong component" that is embedded in the Tree of Life. Whenever a Kabbalist seeks victory and valor, he works on Gevurah (the second sefirot). Similarly, if you need some encouragement before making your pitch, turn to Gevurah for assistance. 

Moreover, some Kabbalists integrated crystals such as garnet and ruby in their studies to help them with motivation and willpower. They also used incense like dragon's blood and juniper to cleanse their environment and fill it with Mars’s dominant energy. Lastly, they brewed teas with Mars’s herbs that usually have either stingy needles or a pungent taste. 

Nettle, thistle, mugwort, wormwood, and juniper berries are just a few of them to name. If you are determined to go full force, you may consider planting red carnations or red clovers in your little garden too. 

If your space is small or you don't feel like drinking a jug of wormwood tea, perhaps you can introduce some smelly Mars foods into your diet. Not only this will help you feel more in tune with your Mars, but it will also improve your immune system (which is also ruled by Mars). Red plants, roots, and high-antioxidant foods such as red chili peppers, ginger, onion, garlic, turmeric, and ginseng are some of Mars’s culinary besties.

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