Mars in Virgo: The Practical Art of War
June 17th to August 5th, 2025
Time for some new energy! On June 17th, 2025 Mars will finally make the long awaited ingress into the earth sign of Virgo. This is especially significant since Mars has been either transiting or retrograde in Cancer or Leo since September 4th, 2024—the active, initiating quality Mars brings to our lives has been stuck at the same degrees for a exceptionally long time. Normally Mars transits through each sign in six to eight weeks, but during a retrograde period, he can linger in one area of the zodiac for seven to eight months. Mars finally moving into Virgo will start to lift some of the heaviness lingering from the last 8-9 months, but this ingress comes with its own intricacies to consider.
For the northern hemisphere, Virgo season (i.e. the Sun in Virgo) falls during a time when the yearly harvests are being collected, sorted, and bundled in order to prepare for the coming winter. Virgo is likewise analytical and pragmatic, with qualities that can trend towards scrutiny and shrewdness under the right circumstances. Even though society is not as agriculturally based these days, there is still very much a personal need for an autumnal assessment and a firm, no-nonsense attitude regarding facts and truth. Archetypally, Virgo is immensely adept at sifting the wheat from the chaff.
It stands to reason that Mars in Virgo utilizes planning as the blueprint for how to take action—and in extremes, how to survive. A good example of the rhetoric behind Mars in Virgo’s approach is found within the writings of the fabled, euhemerist Sun Tzu. Consider the following quote:
“He who wishes to fight must first count the cost.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
And similarly,
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Mars in Virgo is creating a martial pros-and-cons list. It is assessing what enemy we are facing, what weapons we have equipped for use, and what weapons the enemy has equipped against us. Additionally, when compared to Mars in other signs, Mars in Virgo is a quiet anger, an uncomplicated, separated anger. It is a sterile, clinical approach, and at times is seen by others as bluntly straightforward and utterly pessimistic. If we consider the Virgo-Pisces axis, with Pisces seeing the entire world through glass half-full, rose-colored glasses, Virgo is very sensibly wearing jade(ed) glasses with a furrowed brow and narrow focus, viewing the glass half-empty. Sure, it’s a fair theoretical approach to detect plot holes in need of repair, but always finding the glass half-empty can be resoundingly cynical and detrimental to morale.
Mars in Virgo also strikes a similar energy as the infamous “discombobulate” scene from Sherlock Holmes (2009) that had the internet in a frenzy. If you somehow haven’t seen that gem of a movie, I’ve included a link at the end of this article so you can catch the vibes. One of the first things Robert Downey Jr.’s character says in this scene is,
“This mustn’t register on an emotional level.”
- Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes (2009)
The ability to separate the head from the heart is one of Mars in Virgo’s best strengths, due in part to Virgo being a Mercury-ruled sign. When compared to Gemini, the other Mercury-ruled sign, Virgo has similar cerebral energy but pauses long enough in between thoughts to form a grounded course of action. Virgo is a plane with both the ability and resources to land safely.
Being Mercury-ruled also means Mars will eventually be ruled by a Mercury in retrograde. Currently, Mercury is trekking through Cancer and in a few days will begin to cross over the same initial degrees of 17° Cancer as seen during last year’s Mars retrograde. We can expect to feel some mental clarity now, but I would hold out for complete resolution and understanding until after Mercury completes it’s retrograde season. Mercury will be stationing direct at 04° Leo which is only 2 degrees away from where Mars stationed last year at 06° Leo; this directly ties the 2024 Mars retrograde in with this 2025 Mercury retrograde. Expect similar themes to crop up again! Here’s those key Mercury retrograde dates laid out:
June 30th — Mercury enters pre-shadow period at 04° Leo 15’
July 17th — Mercury stations retrograde at 15° Leo 34’
August 6th — Mars enters Libra
August 11th — Mercury stations direct at 04° Leo 15’
August 24th — Mercury exits post-shadow period at 15° Leo 34’
Lastly, Mars’ time in Virgo will also conjunct the South Node, becoming exact on July 20th. The South Node represents inherent gifts and innate tendencies within ourselves; that which is comfortable and what we cling to or revert to in times of crisis or upheaval. It is our natural state, our personal factory setting default, our subconscious, childhood understanding that has shaped how we operate and exist in the world. Within medical astrology, the South Node can also represent a drain on the physical body and I believe this understanding of the South Node is most applicable when paired with Mars. If Mars is desire, will of action, and an ability to assert ourselves, a conjunction with the South Node represents a strong indicator to take a back seat and rest.
With this Mars ingress, the task at hand is getting down to earth, spending some time analyzing the current state of affairs, and then being painfully honest about where time and energy is being allotted. Here’s some questions to help you process during this stretch of Mars in Virgo:
What themes or issues from late fall and winter of 2024 are resurfacing during this Mercury retrograde?
What “drains” are we feeding or allowing in our life?
Are we prioritizing our health, will, and vitality as represented by Mars—and if not, how can we take steps to change that?
What small actionable steps can we take right now to make progress towards our goals?
As you consider the questions above, here is one last quote from Sun Tzu for this Mars in Virgo and upcoming Mercury retrograde season:
“Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
If you found my interpretation style intriguing, illuminating, or useful, consider booking a consultation with me here! I practice astrology from a traditional, archetypal lens, while also incorporating modern perspectives and a holistic understanding. I would love to dive into what the stars have to both impress and question about you!
Happy Mars Ingress!
♡ Maris
Photo by duan fuchen on Unsplash