The Alchemy of Mars & Saturn

A Journey Through Loss, Transformation, and Mastery

The Alchemy of Mars & Saturn: A Journey Through Loss, Transformation, and Mastery

Reading Michelle Corbesier’s article on fermentation and its connection to the alchemical principle of Mars guided me to a deeper exploration of what Mars is teaching me. Transit Mars Rx in my 7th house of Cancer, squaring my natal Saturn Rx in the 4th house of Aries, has been one of the most challenging transits I’ve faced—yet it has been profoundly transformative.

Personal Reflection: Mars as the Catalyst, Saturn as the Master Teacher

Two relationships in particular have tested me during this time. The first was with my father, who transitioned unexpectedly on January 13th, 2025, during Mars Rx in my 8th house of Leo. Just two days later, my daughter stopped speaking to me. The weight of grief and loss came crashing down, and my emotions were completely unmoored. There was no space in that moment to intellectualize or spiritualize what was happening—no comforting thoughts of "this is happening for a reason" or "this is a time for reevaluation." Instead, I was submerged in the rawness of pain, caught in the undertow of victimization thought patterns that had long been buried in my subconscious.

Mars, in its destructive yet catalytic role, shattered the structures of my emotional world, bringing forth deeply rooted wounds:

• Unworthiness

• Inadequacy

• The belief that I am not worthy of love

These thoughts, lurking in the shadows, surfaced with full force, demanding to be seen. I could not push them away. I could not deny their existence.

With my father’s passing, the finality of it all struck me in a way I had never experienced before. There was so much left unsaid, so many things that still needed healing, conversations that never had the chance to unfold. It felt like I was left standing with a heart full of words I would never get to speak—my truth left unspoken.

I never got the chance to prove to him that I was worthy of his love, that I was a good girl. That wound, that longing for validation, sat heavy in my chest.

Saturn's Answer: Mastery Through Letting Go

I called out to Saturn, and he answered.

Saturn, the great teacher, showed me that this was not just loss—it was a lesson in the Mastery of Letting Go. I could either resist and suffer or surrender and transform. And so, I began to break down and reevaluate my relationships—not just with my father and daughter, but with myself.

I wrote a blog about my experiences with Saturn, turning pain into wisdom, loss into alchemy.

Mars continues to strip away the illusions in my relationships, and Saturn, ever patient, reminds me that mastery is found in acceptance, discipline, and release.

This transit has been a challenge for me but it has also been a gift, one that is shaping me into something stronger, something freer.

The work continues, and I surrender to it.

Breaking It Down: The Mars-Saturn Square in Traditional Astrology

This Mars-Saturn square is challenging but also a powerful lesson in patience, discipline, and emotional mastery. It’s a time to reassess relationships, family dynamics, and personal foundations, clearing the path for better stability and healthier connections moving forward. Avoid forcing progress, reflect, realign, and move with strategy.

Transit Mars Rx in the 7th House (Cancer) Square Saturn Rx in the 4th House (Aries) – This is the Traditional Interpretation (Hellenistic Astrology)

This transit indicates tension, delays, and struggles in relationships, home life, and personal stability. With both Mars and Saturn retrograde, unresolved issues intensify and demand attention.

Planetary Positions & Dignities

• Mars in Cancer (Fall) – Mars' natural aggression and drive are dampened by Cancer’s defensive and emotional nature. Instead of direct action, Mars operates in a passive-aggressive, protective, and reactive way.

• Saturn in Aries (Fall) – Saturn’s need for structure and discipline clashes with Aries’ impulsivity, making it difficult to establish stability and control.

• Square Aspect (90°) – A challenging dynamic, forcing action through frustration, resistance, and conflict.

Interpretation of This Transit

1. Tension in Close Relationships (7th House Mars Retrograde)

• Mars retrograde in the 7th house suggests conflicts in partnerships (romantic, family, business, or legal).

• Repressed anger, past disputes, or unspoken resentments may surface, leading to power struggles.

• Passive-aggressive tendencies could increase, especially in emotional confrontations.

• Ex-partners, unresolved legal issues, or past conflicts might resurface.

• Difficulty asserting yourself in relationships or feeling like others are challenging your authority.

2. Power Struggles at Home (4th House Saturn Retrograde)

• Unresolved family, home, or ancestral issues restrict personal growth.

• Feeling burdened by family responsibilities or traditions that limit personal freedom.

• Tensions with authority figures (parents, elders, landlords, etc.) intensify.

• Home repairs, relocations, or property disputes may be delayed or problematic.

• A sense of instability in one's foundation, leading to frustration and emotional exhaustion.

3. The Square: Inner and Outer Conflict

• Mars (action, will, aggression) clashes with Saturn (restriction, discipline, karma).

• Wanting to move forward but feeling blocked by circumstances, responsibilities, or emotional baggage.

• Efforts to assert yourself in relationships meet resistance.

• Emotional frustration can manifest as physical exhaustion or burnout.

• Re-examining past conflicts before moving forward is essential.

Navigating This Transit

Here is a list of some of the things I had to put into practice to navigate this transit.

• Slow Down & Reflect – With both planets retrograde, I had to learn to avoid rushing into action. Re-evaluate past actions, relationships, and home-related issues before making big decisions.

• Pick My Battles Wisely – The frustration is real, but reacting impulsively will backfire. I had to choose where to assert myself and where to surrender.

• Address Root Causes – The conflicts arising now are deeply rooted. Instead of ignoring or suppressing them, I had to confront them with patience and wisdom.

• Establish Healthy Boundaries – The relationships that felt draining or controlling, I had to learn to assert myself with firm yet calm boundaries.

• Turn Pain into Alchemy – Learning how to transmute suffering into wisdom by journaling, meditating, and engaging in reflective spiritual work.

• Physical & Emotional Self-Care – I have become aware of the tension in my body. This transit creates tension, which can manifest physically. I started engaging in stress management, grounding activities, and intentional relaxation.

This Mars-Saturn square is the crucible for transformation. It forces growth through restriction, wisdom through suffering, and mastery through surrender.

Painful? Yes. But through this fire, I am being shaped into something stronger, something freer.

I surrender to the process.

The alchemy continues.

https://substack.com/@michellecorbesier/note/c-93194061

The Alchemy of Mars

Fire born fury, steel in the veins,
A blade that cuts, yet also sustains.
Mars, the warrior, fierce and untamed,
Strikes the stone where gold is claimed.

First, the breaking—destruction’s embrace,
Tearing the mask, unmaking the face.
Illusions crumble, the old self dies,
Ashes and embers, a Phoenix must rise.

Then, the burning—heat in the core,
Pain is the crucible, shaping the ore.
Anger ignites, but hidden within,
Lies the spark where rebirth begins.

Next, the forging—hammer and spark,
Flesh into iron, light into dark.
Through every wound, through every scar,
Mars carves the will to carry you far.

Finally, the tempering—fire turns to grace,
Discipline, wisdom, a warrior’s face.
Not ruled by rage, nor bound by chains,
But sharpened steel that love sustains.

Mars is the fire, Mars is the pain,
Mars is the storm that cleanses the stain.
Through war and ruin, the soul is set free—
The alchemy of Mars, the mastery of me.

Unspoken Words To My Father

I stood at the edge of the final goodbye,
a heart full of echoes, a soul asking why.
The weight of your absence, heavy and wide,
left me with words that never arrived.

I reached for you in the silence of night,
but time had stolen my chance to make right.
Did you see me? Did you know?
That I was worthy—that I could grow?

Mars came raging, tearing apart,
ripping the wounds buried deep in my heart.
Unworthiness whispered, doubt took its place,
grief was the storm I could not erase.

Saturn stood waiting, patient and still,
teaching through loss, through fire, through will.
Not all wounds are meant to be mended,
some must be felt, some must be ended.

I see now, the love was there,
woven in silence, bound in the air.
Not in the words, not in embrace,
but in the lessons time cannot erase.

So I let go—not of love, but the chains,
not of memories, but of the pains.
Mars burned the past, Saturn made me see—
the only validation I need is within me.

For My Daughter: A Love That Waits

You slipped into silence, a shadow, a star,
drifting away though never too far.
A chasm of echoes, a space left unspoken,
a bond still unbroken though painfully open.

I called out your name in the hush of the night,
but healing walks slow—it hides from the light.
You carry your wounds, as I carry mine,
each scar a story, each silence a sign.

Mars came raging, Saturn stood tall,
teaching of patience, of love through it all.
Not every wound is meant to be chased,
some must be held, some must be faced.

So I stand in the quiet, a lighthouse, a flame,
holding the space, whispering your name.
No anger remains, no judgment, no chain,
only love—like the softest rain.

Take all the time, my love, take all you need,
I trust in your journey, I trust where it leads.
And when you are ready, when the storm clears,
I will be waiting—arms open, no fears.

No distance too wide, no silence too deep,
nothing to shatter, nothing to keep.
You are my daughter, my heart, my sea,
and always, forever—you are free.

I will always hold you in my heart and I wait with open arms until we meet again.

When We Meet Again

When we meet again, we won’t be the same,
Not the mother who wept, nor the child who blamed.
Time will have shaped us, fire refined,
Two souls once lost, now realigned.

The space between us, silent and vast,
Carried the lessons, the healing, the past.
We walked through shadows, we wandered alone,
Yet love was the thread that still led us home.

Mars burned away the words left unsaid,
Saturn rebuilt what grief had shed.
No longer bound by hurt or pride,
Only the truth, nothing to hide.

When we meet again, it will be with grace,
Eyes full of wisdom, hands that embrace.
Not who we were, but who we've become,
Two warriors rising, the battle undone.

Not a return, but a birth anew,
A love transformed, both fierce and true.
For through the storm, through loss, through pain,
We found ourselves—and each other again.