Mars Cazimi -Take 2: The Tower and Tyr
We discussed in my previous post, published here on Substack yesterday, the Tarot cards emblematic of the Mars cazimi which is happening today Friday 17 November, when Mars conjuncts the Sun in the night sky to within around 1 degree, seen close to Capella the Goat Star in the constellation of Auriga, The Charioteer.
A casimi happens when a planet can be seen approaching within about 1 degree of the Sun in the night sky, and astrologically is thought to intensify the power and influence of the planet in question.
Mars is the traditional ruler of (cardinal fire sign) Aries and (fixed water sign) Scorpio in Western/Tropical astrology, while Capella was regarded by the ancients as an omen of high renown.
As previously mentioned, the Tarot cards ruled by Mars are The Tower/Mars, The Emperor/Aries ruled by Mars and Death/Scorpio, ruled by Mars. The Death card is considered by many modern astrologers and also tarot card readers to be ruled by Pluto, which was not discovered until 13 February 1930; a discovery was announced in Aquarius season, suitably enough, as Aquarius is “the” zodiac sign of scientific discovery. Mars, Pluto, I won’t be made to choose between them in respect of the Death card, the connection here being Scorpio as this is a Mars cazimi happening in this wildly cruel and destructive Scorpio season, 2023.
The Tower card, corresponding with Tuesdays in timing questions, denotes or foreshadows storms and surprises, bringing shocks and upheavals. Old certainties are shattered, or perhaps pride-or just complacency -comes before a fall.
Mars is also represented in the old rune alphabet of the proto- Germanic peoples, which are still used today both for divinatory purposes and shamanic or magical purposes, for luck work.
The rune of Mars is Tiwaz, also known as Tew, named for Tyr, the Norse god of war AND Law. To invoke its protection for yourself, you can draw it, keep it in apocket, say its name, ask its help.
The shape-shifting Loki, synonymous with Mercury, somehow managed to give birth to some mighty strange children. One of these was Odin’s eight legged horse, Sleipnir. Another was a massive serpent, another was a daughter, Hel, goddess of the Underworld, half dead and half alive, and yet another was the giant wolf Fenrir.
The gods of the Aesir wanted to chain up Fenrir as he was growing ever huger and becoming too dangerous to be controlled. Tyr coaxed Fenrir into this, putting his hand in the mouth of the giant wolf, Fenrir, as surety, and only then did Fenrir permit himself to be chained. He trusted Tyr, the only one of the gods he would accept food from when he was a cub. But when Fenrir discovered he couldn’t get free again and the gods would not release him, he bit off the hand of Tyr, just as Tyr had known would happen. But the wolf had to be tricked and bound, for he had threatened to devour the Sun itself.
Perhaps this myth was inspired by the fear of a total solar eclipse, but the deeper story is the sacrifice of Tyr, made for the wider good. Tyr is the warrior, or the warrior potential within us, but who does no harm for the sake of it, and whose courage is matched with justice, duty and integrity.
This Mars cazimi may be the time we decide to break free of something. We are not Fenrir, but we have had enough. Now we are going to do something about it.
For those who may be interested in medical astrology, the homeopathic tissue salt associated with Mars and Scorpio is Calc Sulph, calcium sulphate. And what is it purported to do? Clean the blood, settle the nerves, cool a fever, and clear pus, bringing a boil to a head until it bursts.
The salt of Scorpio is representative of the cleansing potential of Mars when we decide to take action. An outburst of energy pushes through a barrier. We don’t hang back. We don’t mince our words. This anger is purposeful and cathartic, and finally, we spit it out and clear the air when something has been festering a long time.
I do not personally see any sign of an escalation to a World War 3 in my cards, either in the Middle East or Ukraine. But it is a grim time. May this Scorpio Mars cazimi do more good than harm in cleaning up a mess or clearing a path.
May justice prevail. And may Fenrir never break his chains.
Thank you for reading.