Tony Howard’s recent webinar features Otis Redding as an example of life changed for the better during a Mars retrograde. Howard cites a BBC documentary for its descriptions of the transformations experienced by Redding and the band upon arrival in the UK on March 12, 1967, several days after the cycle began. Knowing themselves internally as long struggling artists from a segregated America, after 17 days they leave transformed by performing to the embrace of energetic and enthusiastic mixed audiences, in a touring experience of being treated well, even royally, while living and dining with a deep feeling of humanity compared to what they had known.
The Sun-Mars part of this 2020 retrograde cycle began on Labor Day last year with a conjunction in Virgo. After this retrograde ends, Mars trines the Sun, a strong aspect, on the anniversary of Redding’s death.
Labor Day, September 2, 2019, 5:42 CDT:
Sun conjunct Mars 9° 41′ Virgo
Friday, December 11, 2020, 00:01 CST:
Sun 19° 39′ Sagittarius trine Mars 19° 39′ Aries
Sun conjunct South Node 19° 56′ Sagittarius
Moon 2° 28′ Scorpio
Wednesday, March 8, 1967, 11:45 CT:
Mars 3° 12′ Scorpio station Rx
Wednesday, July 26 1967, 6:15 CT:
Mars 3° 12′ Scorpio returns to station degree
Tuesday, September 9, 1941, Dawson, GA, 00:00:
Mars 23° 41′ Rx Aries
Image: Mountain Ranges from Yegen, Andalusia, 1924, by Dora Carrington, born Mars 0° Gemini and North Node 29° Aries