Mars-Saturn Antisica 4th Aug 2025

On August 4th, Mars and Saturn will be in antiscia to one another as they sit equidistantly from the solstice point across the Cancer-Capricorn axis.

The astrologer Manilius referred to the antiscia signs as “seeing signs” and this becomes even more curious when considering that on the face of it, Mars in Virgo is technically in aversion to Saturn in Aries. But with the antiscia aspect, Mars and Saturn can ‘see’ each other in a way—this is important.

The astrologer Firmicus Maternus, apparently the first to refer to antiscia using this name, said, “The Babylonians attribute all the forecast to the duodecatemorion, but Ptolemy to the antiscia, and we do both.”

A photo from the author of an abandoned copper and tin mine in Cornwall. Somewhat ironically, the mine made more money from the processing of arsenic than it did from the mining and refining of metal ore.

Tania Daniels does a marvellous deep-dive on the topic of antiscia in an article linked here that I highly recommend: https://www.astro.com/astrology/aa_article190903_e.htm

Essentially, Mars is in the descending half of the ecliptic but in a straight-rising sign. Conversely, Saturn is in the ascending half of the ecliptic, but in a crooked-rising sign.

“Straight rising signs seemed to be stronger, straightforward, as a person in the prime of life, while the crooked signs looked more like a toddler.” (ibid, Tania Daniels)

The degree positions of the two malefics show that they share the same interplay of light—that is, they represent experiencing days of equal length and thus share a similar impact in their significations as they ‘mirror’ one another.

The Daniels piece goes into detail about commanding signs versus obeying signs, and how there is a contradiction in what Ptolemy shares compared to what is written by Al Qabisi and Al Biruni. But what we come away with is that straight-rising signs command and crooked-rising signs obey.

So in this instance, Aries obeys Virgo. Perhaps another way to think of this ‘aspect’—which is also sometimes referred to as a ‘secret conjunction’—is that the planet in Virgo is initiating the action (even though one might expect initiating action to come from the cardinal sign). There are also indications that an antiscia relationship can be a ‘harmonious seeing’ one (https://www.twowander.com/blog/antiscia-contra-antiscia), so this can be a constructive or beneficial aspect if consciously attended to in the right way.

As such, in the August 4th chart, Saturn in Aries and Mars in Virgo ‘see’ each other and Saturn ‘obeys’ Mars/Mars ‘commands’ Saturn. The sequence of action is further emphasised by Mars being direct and fast while Saturn is retrograde and slow.

Both planets do have triplicity in the respective signs they are in, but for further detail, it is worth looking at the bound and decan positions for each planet to fine tune our understanding and implications therein.

In the Jupiter bound of Aries, Saturn Rx has to somehow make do with the collision of "Jupiter’s enthusiasm and Mars’ lack of restraint.” (Kira Ryberg’s Bound Guidebook, p 13) This is also the first decan of Aries, represented by Austin Coppock by an axe—a tool that can be used both constructively and destructively.

On the other hand, we have Mars in its own terms in Mercury’s decan in Virgo.

Mars in Virgo will be zealous about casting a critical eye on the finer details, and as there is an inclination to dryness here, this can lead to “a lack of sensitivity and empathy…[and] to someone who prioritizes their head over their heart, which can make them more ruthless in certain ways.” (ibid, Kira Ryberg, p 70)

If antiscia is said to be speaking to a ‘shadow aspect’ or a ‘secret conjunction’, then this particular combination may be speaking to Mars energy around the topics Virgo occupies in our natal charts being relentless, even as the Saturn Rx asks us to reflect on the topics of the house Aries occupies in our charts and tries to make sense of beliefs driving our actions since Saturn first ingressed into the sign.

Essentially, Mars is asking us to be ruthless in our body/the body of our work and is commanding the re-orientation aspect of Saturn Rx to be more harsh, more practical, and less mystical. Thus, Saturn Rx must wield the axe—and if not done with constructive intent, it will foreshadow destructive consequences.

Where is Virgo in your chart and what has Mars been speaking to since entering the sign on 17th June? Where is Aries in your chart? What house topics have been activated and are you reflecting on now that Saturn is retrograde? The antiscia effect perfects on the 4th of August, but might be felt for a day or so on either side.

Think of the antiscia aspect happening on the 4th as a build-up to the Mars-Saturn opposition happening on the 9th August...Mars in Libra in the terms of Saturn might speak to the defense or protection of something in relationship--a defense on the follow-through required in a certain area. Meanwhile, Saturn Rx in the terms of Jupiter struggles to maintain the internal anchoring that would allow such protection to actually occur with integrity.

Oppositions are the nature of Saturn--which on the one hand may default to "no", but on the other hand, could also be about what you say "yes" to....

And all the while, the planets are in the polarity of 'me and thee'...Where do you have to say yes to yourself in order to facilitate the yes or no to the other?

Addendum: The 12th Part of this Mars is conjunct the transiting Sun--where is Leo in your chart and how is your sense of self and self-knowledge being spurred on at the moment?

Meanwhile, the 12th part of Saturn is conjunct the 12th Part of the South Node. Where is Aries in your chart? What habits or tendencies do you need to reckon with? What needs to change around the topics of the house Aries falls in that could profoundly alter the balance sheet of your karmic debt?

As Mars is at the degree of the the South Node Partial Solar Eclipse happening on the 21st of September, it’s worth noting that what is unfolding now may somehow culminate in events or epiphanies that happen around that time. Austin Coppock shares this in his wonderful master class, Here There Be Dragons: “a solar eclipse on the tail generally has to do with letting go of identifying with something--there is usually a dissolution of part of the ego structure--we stop defining ourselves so much by what is going on in that part of our lives.”

Certainly food for thought!