Mars stepped Out of Bounds—beyond the Sun’s declination—on July 24 and will continue that way through August 22. Those born with Out of Bound planets do just as the name implies: they stretch the limits, bringing extreme genius or crazy, often both. The gifted athlete and cheating husband Tiger Woods has an OOB Mars; shock jock Howard Stern and euthanasia advocate Jack Kevorkian have OOB Mercuries.
During Out of Bound periods, the outlaw archetype prods us into stretching the limits of its expression. Mars is assertive action. Extreme Mars can impel us to improve our athletic performance, to take initiative, to be daring and pioneering, or to become dangerous, reckless, and violent. He can plant in us a powerful rage, new creative passion, surprising courage or extreme hate, depending on the soil he finds in us. The Norwegian terrorist, Anders Behring, traveled in a world of violent online video games and extremist politics. When Mars stepped beyond bounds, Behring became a mass murderer, hoping to ignite a world war.
Each of us has a Mars. When attacked, our personal warrior gathers our fear and rage and typically does one of two things: return the aggression or retreat behind barricades. But Jens Stoltenberg, Norway’s Prime Minister, did neither. When asked a day after the attack if stronger security measures were needed, he said no. “I don’t think security can solve problems. We need to teach greater respect.” He asked his country not to abandon its tradition of tolerance, but to hold more tightly to it. “The Norwegian response to violence is more democracy, more openness, and greater political participation.” These bold words—which would be unheard of in many political landscapes—is Mars Out of Bounds at his finest.
During the weeks before the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, presumably when Bin Laden’s group was doing their planning, Mars had been Out of Bounds for an especially long period: that year it was OOB from April to October. Such correspondences between the sky and dramatic events often makes us gasp. But it’s good to remember that planets are not the cause of anything. The celestial picture is but a reflection of our picture. And right now each of us has an Out of Bound Mars. How are you expressing him?
If you’re interested in learning more about Out of Bounds planets, read Pamela Welch’s fine article here.
Okay, I give up, where is a good place to read about mars out of bounds that beginners can understand? Thanks!
Oh dear! It looks like Pamela Welch’s impressive article is no longer available. I see that others have linked to it as well, but it’s no longer up. Did you try the Steven Forrest link?
Here’s another good article from Steven Forrest… tho primarily on the OOB Moon: http://www.forrestastrology.com/General-Astrology/the-out-of-bounds-moon
Wow…I’ve got a natal OOB Mars, declination 25o46’32” in Cancer in 3rd House. I have no plans to be an extreme verbal warrior of a mother though! LOL
I do have 2 offspring with some amazing talents who’ve benefited from my strong work though. My position is, “I am your mother, and I will do my job.”
Freaked them out when they were growing up and I would “know” what they’d been doing when there was no way I could possibly have “known” what they were doing. My OOB Cancer Mars is near perfect sextile Taurus Asc and trine Scorpio Neptune – they couldn’t have hidden anything from me no matter what they did.
Progressed Mars is even further OOB at declination 27o and some. Dana, the article you linked us to by Pamela Welch was fabulous – do you have other sources to recommend as well?
My OOB Mars is opp my loose Cap Jupiter/Saturn conj in 9th House. I’d like to figure out which portion of my 9th House oddness is attributable to this OOB Mars.
Great article! Happy New Moon! 😀