Mars Retrograde 2025 - One transit, many outcomes
Why does one transit lift someone up while it drives someone else to breaking point? As I was writing “Miracles Happen at Check-Ins - The Power of Vedic Astrology and Self-Compassion“ I realised it offered a great example of how the same planetary transit can show up in very different ways across different charts. So today, I want to take a closer look—through the lens of Mars retrograde in 2025.
Slingshot - Mars Retrograde with high Chesta Bala
Let’s set the scene. Late last year, Mars was transiting opposite the Sun when it turned retrograde. This is a recipe for a high Chesta bala retrograde! Planets which are further out in the Solar System than the Earth, all get high Chesta bala when they are opposite the Sun so it’s an easy quality to spot without even looking in your software. In fact it’s easy to spot with the naked eye because it’s the time when the planet is brightest in the sky (it’s reflecting back the most sunlight). Chesta bala is associated with confident planetary action (see previous blog post for more details or The Vedic Astrology Podcast Season 1 Episode 10 - Reconsidering Retrograde - Chesta bala and Effective Readings — fionamarques.com). This Mars retrograde 2025 period lasted for several months and Mars did not return to the starting point until May 13, 2025. That’s a long, intense stretch.
What made that stretch even more unusual was that it took place in the Cancer half of the Zodiac. This is where Mars has no Uccha Bala. So we’ve got a planet pumped and twitching to act, but in a water sign that has no solid ground to push off from. Picture a slingshot pulled back with great force (retrograde motion with high Chesta bala)—but the slingshot frame itself is soft and rubbery. No matter how much power you build, there's nothing firm to spring from.
That tension? It’s real. And for many, it has been rising steadily.
Mars square Uranus - Pressure meets disruption
And then—bang. On 15 June 2025, Mars squared Uranus in Taurus, jolting all that pent-up energy. If you’ve been feeling restless, reactive, or just plain stuck, you’re not alone. As Astrology Answers put it - “Impatience can be incredibly high, and it can be difficult to manage.”
This square wasn’t subtle. It cracked through tension across both the personal and global spheres. One notable example? The timing of Israel’s military strike on Iran.
Israel’s Chart Under Fire
Israel’s national chart (14 May 1948, 4:00 PM, Tel Aviv) has a 4 planets conjunct in Leo — the Moon, Saturn, Mars, and Pluto. So as Mars transited Leo—and then squared Uranus—it wasn’t just visiting. It was igniting.
The Moon, which rules the 10th house of karma and visibility, was under pressure.
Saturn, lord of the homeland and inner security, was Agitated (Kshobhita) by transiting Mars.
Natal Mars, the maraka for Libra ascendants, was the same degrees as transiting Mars.
And Pluto was opposite the natal Moon, giving the intense, primal push to deal with unresolved or hidden things from the underworld and to bring things to an end.
This was an extreme transit for this chart. It triggered core national themes, surfacing conflict and compelling action.
Pope Leo - Jupiter’s lucky influence
But not everyone felt Mars this way. Let’s take Pope Leo XIV, who—based on publicly available data—has Jupiter in Leo and possibly the Moon too. No confirmed birth time, so we tread lightly, but even with that, the contrast is striking.
Jupiter and the Moon in Leo are surrounded by support and both in Great Friend dignity:
Jupiter is delighting the Moon in the birth chart — and is delighted by Mars’ transit.
The Moon is a friend to both Mars and Jupiter — so it is delighting them both.
Leo itself is a place of natural dignity and vitality for these planets.
And to top it off? Pope Leo is in his Jupiter Dasa. The timing is ripe.
So while Mars was agitating Leo placements elsewhere, here it likely amplified recognition, aligned leadership, and brought inspired momentum. If Pope Leo XIV has Libra rising, Leo becomes the 11th house—the place of honor, achievement, and connection. Same transit. Different story.
Same Mars, Many Journeys
Not everyone felt either story, of course. Some experienced deep frustration, especially if Mars lit up difficult natal placements. We explored an example of this in last week's blog—highlighting how even group members sharing the same transit can respond in radically different ways. If you missed that reflection, you can catch up here.
Ultimately, the point is this that Astrology is never one-size-fits-all.
So Which Vedic Astrology Transits Actually Matter?
This brings to mind something Ryan Kurczak said on Season 1 Episode 13 of The Vedic Astrology Podcast (at around 17-20 minutes):
“It really depends on an individual's chart as to whether or not a transit or an eclipse is going to have a profound impact… it’s very important to have an understanding of your chart given to you by an objective, well-educated astrologer.”
Transits aren’t just planetary movements—they’re personal catalysts. And whether they spark confidence, crisis, or creativity depends on your chart, your timing, your journey. That’s why it’s so valuable to be part of a group—sharing insights, spotting patterns, and supporting one another through the rhythms of the sky.
Join our Moon and Transits Group
If you’re curious about how Mars in Leo is showing up in your life—especially as it regains strength and traction after months of frustration—come join our Moon and Transits Group. We meet every two weeks including this Saturday, 21 June—right on the Solstice!
And, this Saturday is also our monthly meeting of “Grow Your Business”, where we apply current transits to help you harness cosmic timing toward your entrepreneurial or creative goals.
Astrology comes alive when it’s shared. Join us this Solstice to explore what Mars is stirring up in your own birth chart — and how to put it to work for something meaningful. And if your finding that transits are universal but transformation is personal, consider booking a reading with me so we can research your unique chart and the questions that matter most to you.
