?Mars in astrology is one of the personal planets, along with Venus and Mercury. This means we feel these planets in a personal way, and Mars is what drives you to take action and how action is taken.

There are ten planets in a standard astrology chart (I personally also add Ceres, and there are others, but we start with the ten). Each planet links to a different part of your personality and life. Your natal chart is a snapshot of the locations of the planets, other bodies, and houses in the Zodiac at the moment you're born and from the location you're born at.

Mars is the natural ruling planet of fire sign Aries, who is the first sign and links to beginnings and the start of everything, and naturally links to the first house, where it all starts with the houses.

energy, drive & motivation
gut instincts
taking initiative
pioneering
leader
aggressive
positive

In your natal chart, your natal Mars rules your energy and drive. It shows how you take action, with what you take action, and what drives you to take action. This is mostly found via your Mars sign, and the house in your natal chart natal Mars falls in can show where you take action, with what you're most driven to pursue and act.

Conjunctions (alignments by other planets to your Mars) can have a direct impact on your energy, and you can be extra driven to take action with whatever the planet rules. The Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Venus can be overtaken by Mars though, while Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and PLuto might try to overtake Mars.

When it comes to transits, the transit (moving) planets aspecting your natal Mars can impact your energy and drive. The beneficial aspects can push you to act, and you can be extra driven and focused on making things happen. But the hard aspects can bring out frustration, and impulse can get you in trouble.

Mars is a planet that doesn't want to sit around and wait. It can jump to action quickly. It's helped by great gut instincts, those first instincts and impressions that immediately hit you. This allows Mars to be confident in the actions it takes, though it can also rely on it too much instead of thinking things through a little bit.

Mars in astrology is the one who takes the initiative. It has no problem going for what it wants without waiting for permission or for someone else to lead the way. It can create its own opportunities, and it can take the initiative for anything it wants, utilizing its energy and drive.

Mars rules the very first Zodiac sign, and connects to the first house. Mars has no problem going down paths no one else has before, blazing new trails, and being the pioneer. It's enthusiastic about this, and excited by the new that awaits it.

Mars is one of the leaders in astrology, and can be enthusiastic about taking the lead. It doesn't want to be led by others, and doesn't do well being bossed around. Mars doesn't care too much about being the boss either though, and is more of a lead-by-example type, and is super independent so it wants to go its own way.

Mars in astrology can get aggressive when it's not operating well. There is so much energy and drive and enthusiasm that this can turn into impatience, impulsive behavior, frustration, and aggravation, which can make Mars aggressive. Mars is also one of the rulers of war, and can lead to violence.

Transit (moving) planets making hard aspects to your natal Mars can bring out major frustration and aggression. Same with hard transit aspects by transit Mars to any of your natal bodies, and it'll be focused on whatever those bodies rule.

The house in your natal chart transit Mars is touring can get this aggressive energy as well. The areas of life the house rules can get major energy, and if you don't use this well, or it's accompanied by hard Mars aspects, this can tick you off and make it easy to blow up.

Mars in astrology is a positive planet. It doesn't want to focus on the negatives very much, and wants to enjoy itself. Mars is enthusiastic and excited, so it tends to stay positive.

For everyone, look to the Zodiac sign and natal house your Mars falls in. The energy of the Mars sign is how you take action, while the areas of life ruled by the house your Mars falls in are where you take action. Also look to the natural planetary ruler of your Mars sign (the natural planetary ruler of the Zodiac sign your Mars falls in) as this can also connect to the Mars energy.

Planets that are conjunct (aligned with) your natal Mars can impact your ability to take action and take the lead. Mars is a strong planet, so it can dominate some planets in a conjunction like the Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Venus, so Mars can inject a ton of energy and drive into anything it conjuncts.

Transit (moving) planets aspecting your natal Mars can bring some temporary energy for Mars matters. This can impact your energy and drive with Mars, but can also impact the areas of life ruled by the house your Mars falls in, as well as the areas of life ruled by the house your Mars rules (so the house that falls in Aries). 

The most challenging aspects to your natal Mars can be hard transit Pluto (this can bring intense power struggles and anger that explodes if there's any suppression), and hard transit Saturn (since Saturn restricts and can make energy difficult to find; Saturn also teaches so if you don't use energy well, Saturn can punish you for that to try and teach you a lesson).

Make sure to sign up for the free monthly worksheet to keep track of the transit planets impacting your natal Mars and aspects by transit Mars every month!

Some may have a more important natal Mars. This can be the case for you if you have:
- a stellium (3+ planets) including your natal Mars
- your natal Mars conjunct an angle
- your North or South Node in your Mars sign
- your 1st house ruler conjunct the natal Mars
- your natal Mars anaretic (at 29 degrees)
- natal Mar retrograde
- retrograde Venus or Mercury conjunct your natal Mars

If your natal Mars is in a stellium, this can make taking the initiative and pursuing something an important part of that stellium, and you need to have something to channel the energy into productively. If your natal Mars is conjunct a retrograde Venus or Mercury, or is retrograde itself, you likely have an alternative way of taking action and taking the initiative. This might not look like much on the surface, and you may seem like someone who can be pushed over easily until you learn your own strength and find your way of asserting yourself.

An anaretic natal Mars can show you either are a super leader who must take the lead with everything and won't wait for anyone, or you take a back seat to everyone else and refuse to take the lead at any point. You need to learn to be comfortable with your leadership skills while also being considerate of others.

Mars conjunct an angle gives plenty of energy and drive for that angle; conjunct your North Node, you can connect take the initiative for what you want with enthusiasm and excitement; conjunct the South Node, you may take the lead too much, ignoring others or acting impulsively and putting yourself in a bad position; and conjunct the 1st house ruler, you can come across as energized and enthusiastic.

Suggested Reading: Natal Mars and Transit Mars pages for general interpretations