When you finally work up the courage and strength to go after what you want, there’s nothing worse than hitting an obstacle just as you’re charging out of the gate.
The momentum killer can be a big test of your patience — and your resolve. If you’re truly committed, then finding a way to work with the obstacle can also strengthen your resilience and help you build something sustainable with lasting impact.
This is the double edged sword of Mars conjunct Saturn (April 19, 6:44 PM ET, 7º51’ Aries): it’s going to test your frustration tolerance, but if you can navigate through it you’ll come out stronger.
Read: Mars/Saturn Conjunction: Navigating Roadblocks
Mars Conjunct Saturn: A Deadlift Against the Rack
My favorite metaphor for understanding the energy of a Mars/Saturn conjunction is a deadlift drill I do to build strength and power.
In this drill, I set up the bar underneath the safety racks of a squat rack, which are set to a height below my knees. As I get the bar off the floor, the pins provide a hard stop to the momentum of the bar. When the bar meets the resistance, I continue to pull the bar against the rack in an isometric contraction.
The drill is frustrating, but I can’t deny its effectiveness.
From a technique perspective, this drill strengthens the production of maximal force at the point where a lifter typically stalls out.
The drill trains the Central Nervous System to recruit as many muscle fibers as possible instantly, and forces me to maintain tension in the legs and bracing in the core, which leads to a more explosive start.
The Archetypal Energy of Mars Conjunct Saturn
Mars represents our drive, determination, and how we take action. It’s hot, impulsive, impetuous, independent, and impatient. Mars represents the pull — the explosive effort to get the bar off the floor.
Saturn represents structure, boundaries, rules, limits, resistance, and time. It is cold, impartial, and has the quality of heavy metal, This is the pins — the heavy force that doesn’t budge even in the face of the explosiveness of the Mars effort.
The clash of these two forces in the rack builds internal pressure. It can feel jarring to the body to meet the heavy resistance just as you’re getting momentum off the floor. It can feel like a failure because the bar stops moving.
Physiologically, this is where neuromuscular adaptation happens. You’re training explosiveness, power, and core strength.
By learning how to work within the constraints of the sticky spots, you’re training explosiveness, power, resilience, and core strength, leading to a stronger lift.
Read: Mars/Saturn Conjunction: How to Take Consistent Action Without Burnout
Navigating the Friction of a New Start
Mars and Saturn meet up at the same degree every two years, marking the start of a new cycle between them.
As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries is a place where we are already primed for new initiatives and impulsive action. On the heels of the Aries new moon, this is marking the start of a new venture of project.
With our vision set for what we want, we harbor the martial impulse to charge out of the gate to go after it. In Aries, Mars wants to explode off the floor.
Mars has a lot of power in Aries, while Saturn is at a disadvantage in this sign. That means the push-back from Saturn isn’t necessarily a full stop. Instead, it might be more of a slow down. Your new project might require navigating within the constraints of rules, regulations, and policies that feel burdensome. Things might take longer than you expected or desire.
The Work of the Mars Conjunct Saturn
Even though Mars has the advantage here, don’t take Saturn’s obstacles lightly.
The work of a Mars/Saturn conjunction is to learn how to work with the resistance instead of trying to overcome it. The collision with the obstacle isn’t a sign to stop; it’s an invitation to strengthen your resolve.
Just as the deadlift drill teaches a lifter how to maintain spinal integrity under pressure, the slowdown of Mars conjunct Saturn can help us clarify our vision, hone our focus, and strategize more effectively.
Read: 5 Reasons Why Having a Vision Is Important
What you begin now might have a frustrating slow start and take longer than you expect to get going, but with a strong resolve and patience, you’ll build something that will sustain over time and create a lasting impact.
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