On January 6, Mars retrograde enters Cancer, where it will remain until April 18, stationing direct on February 23.

We often run and hide when we hear “retrograde,” but with Mars currently moving backwards through Cancer, this is actually one of the most perfect ways we can ease into the new year. Mars embodies all things action, drive, and ambition, but Cancer’s influence invites us to slow down, reflect, and recalibrate our approach to life. If this sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because we already got a taste during Mars’s initial transit through Cancer last September and this retrograde period will likely bring these themes back to the forefront. We’ll be prompted to examine our relationship with assertiveness, how we navigate our emotions, and how we prioritize our needs for security and emotional well-being. Mars in Cancer also brings up major “mama bear” energy — we are fiercely protective of our loved ones, our homes, and our sense of security.

However, this energy can also manifest as defensiveness, possessiveness, or an overemphasis on emotional needs.

6 tips to navigating Mars Retrograde

Here are tips to navigating this complicated energy, while still protecting your peace and avoiding emotional burn-out:

• Reassess emotional boundaries: How are we feeling? Are we feeling drained, overwhelmed, or taken advantage of? What steps can we take to protect our emotional energy and ensure that our needs are being met?
• Declutter physical and emotional spaces: Cancer rules the home, making this an ideal time to declutter our living spaces and release anything that no longer serves us. This includes physical clutter, as well as emotional baggage, old resentments, and limiting beliefs.
• Nourish the mind, body, and soul: As with any retrograde period, we may feel more tired and lethargic than usual. This is a time to prioritize self-care, to listen to our bodies, and to embrace rest.
• Reassess ambitions and goals: Are our current goals still aligned with our values and our deepest desires? This is an opportunity to re-evaluate our priorities and make adjustments as needed.
• Heal family dynamics: This may be a big undertaking, but Mars in Cancer encourages us to explore our relationships with family members, to heal past wounds, and to cultivate deeper connections. You don’t have to heal years of familial wounds over the course of two months, but just taking a step in the right direction is enough.
• Embrace rest and renewal: This retrograde period is an invitation to slow down, to embrace stillness, and to reconnect with our inner selves. Don’t undervalue the importance of that!