Water-Boarding Torture Debate & Posh NYC's Serendipity 3 Restaurant Shutdown
Begin Mars Stand-Still in Cancer

Is it or isn't it?
       At present we're having a hard time defining torture, and previously humane and thoughtful Democrats Dianne Feinstein, Charles Schumer and others voted in favor of making Michael Mukasey our Attorney General. Unfortunately, Mukasey's not terribly clear on what defines torture.
       This, as our friends at Serendipity III on East 60th Street have some cleaning up to do: Less than a week after announcing their record-breaking $25K 'golden' chocolate dessert, they've been shut down by the NYC Dept. of Health due to roaches and vermin. We love Serendipity, and hope that the Mars station that enflamed the situation there will also serve to mobilize the exterminators to get this fixed in a jiffy.
       Approximately every 26 months, Mars, the planet of energy, vitality, action, and aggression spends about eleven weeks in apparent retrograde motion: By way of explanation, this means that though the planet technically doesn't abruptly change direction and go backwards, from Earth's standpoint it appears that it does. And this apparent retrograde motion consistently correlates to specific types of events on earth and specific traits in the individuals who have it in their natal charts.
       It would be a mistake to dismiss any retrograde planet as weak or to write it off as unfortunate: that's a misinterpretation to be sure. Whenever a planet is retrograde, a thoughtful and deliberate refinement of that planet's energy is implied in the horoscope, and often the native uses the energy of the planet with a skill that borders on mastery. Some great examples of natives with guts, gumption, and plenty of bravado who were born with natal Mars retrograde are: Al Capone, Annie Oakley, Joan Crawford, Jim Morrison, John Kerry, Monica Seles, Yoko Ono, and the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., not a coward among them, I dare say.
       All planets, including retrograde ones, should be interpreted on a case by case basis- and always considered in combination with other planets and configurations in the chart. The Mars retrograde that begins this week will start at 12 1/2° of watery Cancer, the emotional sign that deals with home, security, and food, and within a degree of the fixed star SIRIUS- so connected to the chart of the USA, and known in Ancient Egypt to point to a time of the flooding of the Nile. During this particular retrograde transit which will go on through January 30th 2008, Mars will retrograde all the way back to the 24th degree of Gemini, and will oppose Pluto at the very critical 29 1/2 ° of Sagittarius on New Year's Eve! Mars opposite Pluto in general is a very tense and potentially violent aspect, and the fact that it occurs at that particular degree (within half a degree of what's the 'cardinal world axis') and at that particular time of year further emphasizes the potential power, danger, and explosiveness that might be unleashed. Yet, there's always the possibility that the raw energy could be tapped into and used for good, possibly to break through denial, but for that to be the case, the intention must be there. All in all, I encourage everyone to proceed with caution during the holiday season, and to avoid overbooking to the point of not knowing whether you're coming or going: In other words, keep your wits about you.
       Re Surgery: Since Mars rules cutting and knives, it also rules surgical procedures. Barring an emergency, most astrologers would caution against planning an operation or elective surgery until after the retrograde. During this entire phase (Mars won't leave Cancer till May 9!), take extra care of the digestive system, and try to recognize the difference between legitimate physical hunger and emotional over-eating.

Chart: Mars Station Rettrograde

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Weekly Horoscope

ARIES: The Mars standstill temporarily puts you in suspended animation. And though frustrating, the suspense doesn't have to kill you. Think of these few days as a time-out or a cooling off period. For the next 3 months or so, the momentum that you love won't be there in the way that you want it. But this is what's going on for pretty much everyone. Since your ruling planet is now retrograde in the sign of Cancer in your 4th house, a cycle Family Rehab 101 is in the offing. Clean up the emotional karma with your clan, it'll improve every other aspect of your life.

TAURUS: Heartfelt communication with siblings, neighbors and anyone worth speaking to is the only way to fly during the next 3 months. Inane chit- chat is a waste of energy and given the choice between that and saying nothing, I'd say 'silence is golden'. Reviewing your particular terms of endearment with a partner, spouse or very close friend proves useful and rewarding. Be sensitive and listen, but tell it like it is.

GEMINI: Stop thinking and start feeling. That's right. Though you're very good at it, all the thinking and mental acrobatics that you do will get you nowhere. In order for you to make the romantic and economic points- that you'd like and that you're entitled to in '08, it is imperative that take a few steps back and re-evaluate everything about your existence: What has meaning for you, where and how do you really want to live? What kind of art do you love, what kind of music do you like? What do you want to spend your time doing and with who? Don't be afraid of the answers you get.

CANCER: The sizzling slow burn of Mars in your sign is irritating and impossible to ignore, but it doesn't have to be destructive. As a matter of fact, this is a rare opportunity for you to achieve the kind of self-empowerment that makes one a champion. Over the next 3 months, try to learn the difference between healthy assertiveness, inappropriate willfulness, and toxic self indulgence. It's a good time to refine your eating habits and to consider finding and committing to a spiritual-physical practice (i.e. yoga, tai-chi) that you like. Your commitment to the discipline will work wonders.

LEO: The retrograde of Mars in your very unconscious 12th house hidden motives for the next 3 months will be unnerving and unsettling. No matter how you slice it, there will be times when it will be difficult if not next to impossible for you to know for sure just what's bothering you. But unearthing all of this content will work to your advantage. Think back to the winters of 1992-93 and 1975-76. The memories that are jarred from those years will provide clues to solving a present day dilemma. Remain open to a real-estate miracle.

VIRGO: The Mars station in your 11th house of 'friends in need' presents a communal sense of hunger.  You've never been one to turn your back on a pal, but for some reason it appears that you're suddenly surrounded by a cavalcade of the walking wounded- each with a compelling sob story to burden you with. The question is: Can you really set yourself up as a human soup kitchen to the masses? Whether all of this is a metaphor or not, one thing is clear: For the next several months, you've got to do some weeding out. Being that kind of an enabler not only drains you, but it's ultimately disempowering to the very people you want to help.

LIBRA: The Mars retrograde now through the end of January can act as a catalyst: On the one hand, it may weaken an adversary and on the surface, that's great: But on the other hand, it can help you to reflect on and successfully heal some deep rooted partnership and/or relationship issues that have indirectly compromised your professional life since the beginning of time. The Venus–Mars square brings a conflict to a head on the 19th. Restoring a sense of balance takes some time, but worth it. Oh- and you can have it all, maybe just not this week.  

SCORPIO: You're working on some very deep stuff these days, and it's important that you see it through to completion. Though you've not been aware of this consciously, you've been carrying a residue of fears and emotional insecurities that never belonged to you in the first place. Working with your co-ruler Mars, now retrograde in familial Cancer and in your 9th house of philosophy and religion, will allow you to release the baggage that plagued your relatives and ancestors for ages. OK-it sounds nuts, but think about it. And when it's over, congratulate yourself for a job well done.

SAGITTARIUS: If you need to go over some financial backing or go over the terms of a mortgage that you thought was settled long ago, take it in stride. Those crabby bankers are having an even rougher time than you, and besides, the review could work in your favor! In the romance department: there's little need for Viagra or any other stimulant as long as you have a genuine bond with the object of your affection: After all, 'connected compassion' is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

CAPRICORN: Though "No man is an island", you might wish that were the case this week. Fear not, your annoyance with humankind will not last long. But for the moment, the Mars station in your social and partnership-oriented 7th house acts as an irritant and there's no immediate cure. Everyone it seems, wants and demands a piece of you and on their terms! Resist the temptation to argue, it'll get you nowhere. Besides, the positive flow between Saturn and Mercury on the 16th enables you to sweet talk your way out of or into just about anything. Give peace a chance.

AQUARIUS: The connection between your emotional sense of well being and your productivity at work is something that you rarely think about, nor is it anything that anyone close to you would even know is an issue for you- but it's real and it's true. Mars retrograde in your 6th house for the next 3 months says that you must slow down and pay attention to those details and identify what's missing and ask for it: The toughest among us needs a little reassurance every now and then. Chicken soup wouldn't be bad either.

PISCES:  A creative project that began as a joy, now requires a lot more elbow grease than you though it would, but then again, there's the old saying about 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. The good news is that the love and support you need from a committed best friend or partner is unshakeable. With the Mars retrograde in your 5th house of love affairs, children, and speculation, kids will need your attention and now is NOT the time to blow a bundle on a stock or to gamble in a big way. If a neighbor's car is on the fritz, be prepared to help with a ride.

© Shelley Ackerman, 2007.
No parts of this article may be used or reprinted without written permission from the author.