Jupiter in Aspect to Mars

What does it mean to have Jupiter Square Mars or Jupiter Trine Mars in the natal chart?  In this post, I will address Mars Jupiter Aspects: all the major “hard” and “soft” aspects will be discussed. Please note that these are baseline interpretations and may be modified according to the presence of other factors in the chart. You can also study Jupiter Signs and Jupiter Houses discussed in other posts.

Mars Jupiter: Conjunction

Mars represents our motivation, our style of action and how our soul carries out our evolutionary impulses in this life. Therefore, this configuration usually symbolizes a readiness to act based on one’s ideological disposition, i.e. to be the crusader of one’s own beliefs.

Depending on the Sign in which this configuration takes place, the energy of Mars will be guided based on a particular “mission statement”: in Fire Signs, this conjunction usually symbolizes a soul urge to initiate an ideology, or to impose one’s ideological conventions on others; in Air Signs, the soul usually wants to communicate about ideology, or to push the collective ideological boundaries as much as possible; in Water Signs, one’s emotional and receptive capacity is constantly challenged by oneself in order for one to develop even more emotional depth, and in Earth Signs, one’s energy is largely dedicated to consolidating one’s place in the world through one’s ideological achievements.

Alternatively, one’s mode of self-assertion may always already be imbued with one’s style of understanding life. If Mars and Jupiter are relatively comfortable in the chart, one may simply act based on what one knows to be “true” or “correct.” If, however, this conjunction is under stress in the chart, one’s ideological biases may very well taint one’s actions or decisions in life, i.e. the individual may act prematurely based on her own personal convictions, rather than try to analyze the circumstances or consider other points of view before launching an action.

Some individuals with this configuration in their natal chart tend to be naturally enthusiastic about new ideas, social or ideological movements, or the possibility of revolution in any field. Political involvement is quite common with this configuration in the natal chart: as the energy of Mars seeks to advertise its personal urges on the bigger ground of Jupiter, a large part of one’s ideology would usually be manifested as activism.

In some cases, this combination symbolizes a high level of energy with regards to intellectual or philosophical pursuits, which can very well lead to academic and professional recognition. However, if these archetypes are not well-integrated in the psyche, the individual may actually become “obsessed” with a certain intellectual or philosophical system to the point of falling into a self-made ideological trap, rendering herself incapable of understanding anything outside of what she already believes in.

Mars Jupiter: Square

One may find it difficult to bring one’s personal will in alignment with one’s personal philosophy or the dominant moral, political or religious demands of the time. Alternatively, one’s sexual urges may be in direct conflict with one’s chosen ideology, religion or belief system. For instance, a priest who finds out he is homosexual, or a doctor who is recruited and sent to war in order to kill others will both experience an archetypal conflict between the energies of the bigger system (Jupiter) and the personal path each is supposed to walk on (Mars).

In some cases, Jupiterian figures (i.e. parents or mentors) may have challenged one’s freedom to act. For example, a parent may have used moral lectures to stop his child from pursuing what he or she truly desires in life, such as a hobby, a friendship, or sexual adventures. If this configuration is under further stress in the natal chart, any time the individual makes a choice based on his or her free will, friction may arise: what is “good” for the individual may not be “good” for the social, cultural, racial, religious, or spiritual system in which the individual operates. Therefore, the freedom to act, which is the natural right of every human being, may be constantly curbed by the ideologically-fabricated standards imposed by one’s society, culture or community.

It is also equally possible that the individual herself undermines her own initiatives simply because of a sense of guilt generated by the ethical or moral dictums which she believes in or truly respects. Either case, the conflict between “nature” (Mars) and “culture” (Jupiter) may very well comprise a large part of the individual’s experience of life.

Reminding oneself that one is not necessarily “bound” by systems, no matter how they may influence one’s personal mode of operation is the key to working with this conflicting energy: the French philosopher and writer, Michel Foucault had this configuration in his natal chart and he dedicated quite a few years of his life to the exploration of the relationship between the individual (Mars) and the various systems in which the individual has to operate (Jupiter). The Mars/Jupiter interaction is succinctly reflected in one of his quotes:

Knowledge is not for knowing: knowledge is for cutting.

Therefore, with this square in the natal chart, one is supposed to learn how to use knowledge in order to act, rather than let knowledge curb one’s impetus to act. In fact, we can probably act more autonomously when our personal will is challenged by various factors, simply because in order to gain a true sense of our own power, we will need a resistance of some sort, and Jupiter squaring Mars will symbolically provide a Colosseum-like space for us, where we can exercise our free-will muscles under the condemning-yet-encouraging gaze of many spectators.

Mars Jupiter: Opposition

One may periodically vacillate between an urge for autonomous action and an impetus to yield to what the bigger context deems as “right” or “correct.” In some cases, one may simply choose one side of this equation and project the other side onto the outside world: if the individual exclusively identifies with Mars, the outside world may be perceived as a huge force opposing her reality, keeping her at bay by passing moral judgments on her or accusing her of things she has never done. If, on the other hand, the individual predominantly identifies with Jupiter, other people will come across as “rash” or “immature,” only after instant gratification of their base desires, and generally void of sophistication or morality.

Alternatively, as the energy of Mars also represents sexual impulses, the individual may start overtly indulging herself in sexual encounters as a way of having “fun” or to keep herself happy. Going out of one’s way to accommodate the sexual whims of the “other” is another possible scenario.

One of the most important evolutionary lessons for individuals with this configuration in their natal chart is to learn how to balance their ideas with their actions; their abstract beliefs with their primal needs and their contextual realities with their unfettered urge to stay true to themselves. There is always a way to bring both sides of this opposition together: we can have an appreciation for sex, and yet stick to our codes of ethics. We can lead a spiritual life, and yet feel anger and learn how to express it in a healthy manner. We can pray like a priest in our solitude, and yet prey like a caveman when it comes to food. As is the case with any opposition, we can always play on both sides, rather than either.

Mars Jupiter: Quincunx (Inconjunction)

One’s basic mode of assertion or existence may be formed through excluding contextual definitions or systematic beliefs: the individual may perceive her self-originating impulses or the very mode of her being as utterly outside of the field of awareness defined or established by the ideological, religious, racial or cultural context in which she lives. An example would be the case of an intersex person born in a society which does not have a “word” to define this condition, thus rendering the reality of such an individual “undefined” or “non-existent.”

Depending on the level of control either of these archetypes (Mars or Jupiter) exerts in each particular case, one may simply decide to let go of one’s reality or one’s primal urges in favor of a more sophisticated (fabricated, respected, etc.) lifestyle, or one may, in fact, do quite the opposite and let loose of all the primal urges one carries inside, or establish one’s truth even at a hefty price.

In some cases, as one’s Jupiter (the moral compass or ethical decrees) is “frowning upon” one’s Mars (base needs or natural compulsions), an extreme reaction may be formed in the psyche of the individual, seeking to overthrow Jupiter altogether: feeling extreme anger or frustration towards God or gods, religious figures or ideological symbols at one point in life is not uncommon with this configuration in the natal chart.

Alternatively, on a more abstract level, action (Mars) and thinking (Jupiter) may be perceived as simply incompatible in the psyche of the individual. As the English novelist and playwright John Galsworthy, who had this aspect in his natal chart, stated:

A man of action forced into a state of thought is unhappy until he can get out of it.

From time to time, the individual may also use the suppression or exaggeration of her primal urges as a means of spiritual purification or self-punishment. There may also exist a general tendency to “underdo” or “overdo” things, which, as the individual matures, can be replaced by a yearning to bring balance to different aspects of life.

As the energy represented by a quincunx in most cases cannot be appropriated by the psyche, there is a higher chance for somatic manifestation regarding the archetypes involved: the head, the brain, and the eyes may be especially vulnerable (as well as any other body parts symbolized by the Signs involved in the quincunx); therefore, it is recommended that one performs regular check-ups and take special care regarding these areas.

Mars Jupiter: Semi-Sextile

One’s need to stay true to oneself is polarized from one’s impetus for expansion, the quest for meaning, or experimenting with life. The result is a gap between the sphere of the “true” and the sphere of the “exciting.”

If Mars and Jupiter are relatively well-integrated, this aspect can symbolize a proclivity to expand one’s immediate sphere of operation through intuition: in this case, the masculine and the feminine polarities of the psyche instinctually cooperate in order to produce an “informed” mode of action.

If, however, the Martian functions (such as the ability to initiate or assert) are under-developed or over-developed, this aspect may just symbolize that an already-present condition with regards to Martian functions is exacerbated in the psyche, or that a degree of frustration may be present with regards to making a choice between what the individual has to do and what is “right” to do.

Mars Jupiter: Trine

The individual usually enjoys an abundance of energy, or a minimum degree of clarity regarding what she has to do in any given moment in life. These individuals naturally believe that “actions speak louder than words,” therefore they may tend to simply act, rather than ponder the reasons for their actions, ask for advice or guidance, or just discuss their plans before actually executing them.

With this configuration in the natal chart, one’s “being” is usually aligned with one’s “beliefs,” and the individual can be refreshingly honest about what she believes and usually cannot hide her true motives. The pursuit of wisdom comes naturally, and in some cases, the individual can become a practicing symbol of a certain ideology.

If this configuration is stressed by the presence of other factors in the chart, there may exist a tendency to believe that those who do not act are not to be heeded or respected.  The individual may also feel frustrated at how “slow” everyone else is, or what a tragic lack of vision everyone else has in comparison. As their life philosophy is naturally an activist one, they may not be able to understand why other people have to take a moment to question their desire to act, or to hesitate before making decisions in life.

In its best possible form, this configuration beautifully links one’s instincts with one’s natural good-heartedness, so these individuals can be instinctually good-hearted, optimistic about possibilities in life, and generous towards others without self-serving calculations. Good karma can thus be generated as a result of them following Karma Yoga (“yoga of action”): to do things for the sake of the benefit their actions may bring to others rather than to themselves.

Mars Jupiter: Sextile

Exposure to philosophy, religion, foreign languages or diverse cultures may have been an immediate experience in the individual’s life. Alternatively, one’s childhood friends, classmates, siblings, relatives or environment may have encouraged one to act in a self-assured manner, or to unapologetically assert oneself in the world.

An individual with this configuration in her natal chart may also find opportunities throughout life to act based on an objective analysis of circumstances. Opportunities for unfettered action may equally arise for better or for worse: if the archetypal energies of Mars and Jupiter are well-integrated in the psyche of the individual, action will be the best form of wisdom; otherwise, one’s ideology may simply operate as a means of justification for one’s actions.

In some cases, this aspect may simply show that the individual is “witty” with regards to sex, or likes to discuss it, write about it, or objectively analyze it. A sense of light-heartedness or child-like curiosity may also be present regarding the physical aspect of sexual union. The exotic may be a “turn-on” and the individual can be quite open to sexual experimentation and exploration. If Mars and Jupiter are stressed in the chart, however, the experimental spirit may easily turn into an obsession with diversity, i.e. the individual may need constant variety in order to feel sexually satisfied.

In the next post, I will address Jupiter in Aspect to Saturn in the Birth Chart.

If you are interested in understanding your own birth chart or if you have specific questions, you can book a consultation or take a class.