Mars  

A motivational force, Mars represents our basic drives and survival instincts such as assertion, physical power, and sexual drive. It engenders in us the ability to act and to engage in conflict and fight. By its sign and house position, Mars shows us where we have lessons of courage and bravery. It may also tell us something about what we desire and what motivates us to meet life's challenges. Additionally, it reflects the style of our behavior in taking action toward a goal. It might suggest where we need to engage bravery and courage, to use power, and to get motivated. Lessons of self-preservation, self-assertion, and self-definition are represented by the Mars function.

A dysfunctional expression of Mars energy can engender anger, irritability, and insensitivity if we are not positively meeting the Mars lessons of appropriate assertion. We can fall into passivity and victimhood while courting inner rage if we fail to meet our lessons of appropriate assertion and courage. When we engage a positive Mars expression, we tap into and feed our motivational drives so that we energize ourselves into satisfying action. We meet our real challenges of courage bravely so that we do not engage pointless conflict repeatedly. We develop a strong sense of an ability to survive and to take charge of our lives.