Yesterday I did something I haven’t done for several months – I read a book. An avid reader since childhood, reading to me is like breathing. Not reading for several months is almost as bad as not bathing, or not eating.

This weekend I found myself at a place where I didn’t have to work especially hard.

Now where did that come from?

Mars entered Libra on July 4. Whew! Morrissey has a song “Everyday is like Sunday.” When Mars was in Virgo, it was “Everday is like Monday” — Monday meaning a work day.

Mars in Virgo was squaring the Venus in Gemini (which is still in Gemini). Work had some fun, but the accounting had to be done. I meant to blog a bit on Venus in Gemini, but I was just too darn busy and forgot. Writing about it now is like going to a party after everyone is already drunk.

Mars in Libra, by contrast, brings a little lazy to our lives. After Virgo, lazy is medicine. (Maybe if Virgo calmed down, it wouldn’t need so much medicine).

I bet the sun in Virgos need a little lazy even more than the rest of us as they had a double dose of Virgo with Mars conjunct the sun.

Mars in Libra

How does Mars in Libra manifest?

Mars is Libra is in its detriment. That means that Mars doesn’t really like being in Libra.

Why is that?

Mars, if you’ve seen the glyph lately, is a circle with an arrow pointing out. It’s the glyph for male and looks like the male parts that make babies.

In astrology, it’s the same expression – outward focused assertive energy. And why is that a problem in Libra?

Libra, if you recall, is the scales. Scales have two sides which go up and down as the other side receives weight. Forward directed energy into an object with two sides means the energy is no longer focused. The beam is now split into two.

Mars in Libra, and Libra itself, can be confused. Mars in Libra wants to assert and wants peace which are not always compatible. Mars in Libra goes back and forth on the scales constantly.

On the pleasant side, Mars in Libra is soothing. On a winter night, it is a plush couch (brand name) in front of a warm fire with a glass of wine (expensive) and slices of fancy cheese (imported, non-pasteurized) on the table.

How will this placement manifest for the presidential candidates?

Presidential Candidates

Mars will be in Libra for a regular one-month transit. Mars’ never-ending transit through Virgo occurred because Mars went retrograde.

I’d scold Mars for that long stay in Virgo, if I could, but with Mars in Libra, I don’t care anymore.

With Mars in Libra through late August, both presidential candidates will probably be a little nicer to each other than normal. It’s just a month, so don’t get too attached to the love.

Barack Obama

Mars in Libra will trine his moon in Gemini and sextile his sun in Leo. Added charisma is on tap for the already charismatic (to some) Leo.

Mars sextiles Obama’s Mercury in Leo as well so expect additional pretty talk from an already smooth speaker.

I keep imagining that Obama and his contender Mitt Romney will have some sort of truce, a public pronouncement that they will play nice.

Or it’s possible one of the candidates will experience a trying event and the other will be there showing support, hand on shoulder, tears in eyes.

At the end of the Mars in Libra transit, Mars will square Obama’s Saturn in Capricorn. Expect a little “I didn’t want to say this, but I must” revelation. It is driven by external forces of authority (his party maybe?).

Mitt Romney

Mars in Libra will conjunct Romney’s Neptune in Libra. Romney will experience some drive-by charisma. I keep telling you that underneath that good boy exterior is a poetry-writing hippie. Romney may do something “hippie” that will endear him to the crowd.

Mars in Libra will trine Romney’s Uranus in Gemini which provides some spark and will sextile Saturn and Pluto in Leo which lightens this intense conjunction a bit but also adds a bit of snobbery to an already arrogant energy pattern.

Mars in Libra creates what’s called a quincunx to Romney’s Piscean energy. It’s not a bad aspect per se, but not necessarily good.

What Pisces and Libra have in common is a desire to please and not be perceived as mean. Combined, Romney’s passive “I maybe might could possibly, I’ll think it over and tell you later” answers will get even more convoluted. Expect pleasant platitudes and nice nothings from Romney.

The Election Summer Vacation Continues

This election has gotten a little, how shall I say it, boring. July and August will continue to be pleasantly boring as the men make nice over whatever little things are blipping on the radar screens of their lives.

When Mars enters Scorpio at the end of August, Campaign Ugly will return and continue through the election as Saturn enters Scorpio at the beginning of October and then the sun enters Scorpio at the end of October.

Enjoy the summer vacation in Pleasantville before our return to Mudville.