Mars in Libra

The action planet is in Libra, ruling with a an iron fist inside a velvet glove through October 3rd. In this air sign, Mars looks at the give-and-take in relationships, and reacts angrily when things are out of balance. The warrior moves in fits and starts in Libra, and when that cardinal energy gets backed up, you see a lot of eye rolls and sharp tongues. With that mental force behind it, Mars Libra probably has the fiercest evil eye around (next to Scorpio).

On the flip side (and with Libra, there's always a flip side), what you see during this time is not always what you get. Astrologer Molly Cliborne wrote recently, "Libra can be friendly and cordial when it wants to be, but eventually the see-saw turns and Libra becomes blunt, frank, and sometimes even downright mean. When people say “yes” but you hear a reluctance in their voice, either wait or proceed with extreme caution. Libra often says yes when it means no, and gets angry about it later." I've gotten much better at saying, "Let me think about it," but having this Mars, I can attest to her being spot on here.

There's a lot of stewing and weighing of options, and that can lead to not much getting done. But this Mars is also one that creates beauty out of disparate elements, making this a good time for creative projects. We might see more people taking a stand for their beliefs, to right some wrongs. This also favors acts that restore balance, whether its changing the colors in the home, or taking that friend out to lunch (the one that's treated you so many times). Mars is now the peaceful warrior, ready to actively carve out some serenity in the day, do something artful...or subtly provoke until the right equilibrium is reached.

• Mars in Libra