Mars square Chiron and Mars opposition Pluto

From Trauma to Radical Change

The Mars square Chiron (Cancer – Aries) and Mars opposition Pluto (Leo – Aquarius) aspects are active during an extended period from October 2024 to the end of April 2025.

Due to Mars’ retrograde motion through Cancer and Leo during December 2024 to February 2025, these aspects occur three times. The relationships and interactions between these planets are rich in symbolism, and because of the repetition, they bring us into contact—both individually and collectively—with themes of initiative, threat, assertion, strife, desires, autonomy, in connection to vulnerability and intensity. They also highlight our perception of crises, fears, or radical changes around us, as well as our position in relation to events and group energies in the collective sphere.

Activation Dates:

Mars square Chiron:

• October 13, 2024 at 21-22 degrees Cancer/Aries
• February 4, 2025 at 19-20 degrees Cancer/Aries (Mars retrograde)
• March 26, 2025 at 21-22 degrees Cancer/Aries

Mars opposition Pluto:

• November 3, 2024 at 29 degrees Cancer/Capricorn
• January 3, 2025 at 01-02 degrees Leo/Aquarius (Mars retrograde)
• April 27, 2025 at 03-04 degrees Leo/Aquarius

The Achilles’ Heel and the Sword of Damocles within a broader conceptual framework seem like appropriate metaphors, that describe the transformation of internal vulnerabilities into external dangers.

Our vulnerabilities often become the starting point of a perceived Threat

The Achilles’ Heel symbolizes a hidden internal flaw that may seem insignificant at first, but if revealed, can become the reason for downfall or make us vulnerable. The internal weaknesses of an individual, group, system, or society often remain concealed until a crisis emerges, bringing them to the surface. In astrological terms, these planetary transits (Mars square Chiron and Mars opposition Pluto) can trigger such crises or anxieties, where our hidden vulnerabilities are exposed in the heat of conflict, struggle, or external pressures.

In this context, the challenge is that we may not always be aware of our vulnerabilities until they are put to the test, often through external forces that seem to act as catalysts. This is how the weakness itself can become a foundation for a larger threat to our well-being, whether on a personal or collective level.

How the Threat Becomes a Reflection of Weakness

The Sword of Damocles represents the external manifestation of danger that comes from this weakness. When a system has an inherent flaw, it gradually attracts external threats. The sword remains above the head as long as the weakness remains unresolved, creating a constant sense of threat. Our personal fears or weaknesses, if not addressed, often transform into external obstacles, either as self-fulfilling prophecies or as opportunities that others may exploit.

The same happens in every system—political, social, and economic.
Internal weaknesses often manifest as external threats because what is hidden inside, sooner or later, is revealed and finds a way to threaten us. The connection between the Achilles’ Heel and the Sword of Damocles shows us that real security comes not from avoiding external threats, but from addressing internal weaknesses. The magnification of external threats can serve as an avoidance mechanism to prevent us from confronting our internal flaws. The internal flaws of every system. This strategy can be conscious or unconscious and is applied both individually and collectively. We continuously experience and observe the escalation of this strategy and during the periods when these planetary aspects are active, it becomes more evident. These aspects will trigger and surface deeper wounds.

We observe very strongly in the world the mechanism of shifting responsibility, lack of accountability, which is also part of the backdrop of the slower moving planets (especially Saturn and Neptune in late Pisces).

When someone cannot or does not want to confront an internal weakness, finding or even creating an external enemy can provide a psychological outlet. Instead of acknowledging a weakness, we blame someone else for it. We construct or exaggerate a threat to justify our faults or failures. We create the need to rally around an external enemy. These mechanisms imply an intention to maintain unity and identity without addressing the deeper issues that need to be dealt with.

History and Politics provide numerous examples through political propaganda, where citizens’ attention is diverted from internal crises and necessary structural changes by focusing on ‘external enemies’.
Also, through conspiracy theories that serve as a means of denying deeper social and cultural issues, as well as on an individual level, we have psychological defenses where one may blame their environment for their failure (e.g., “everyone is against me”), rather than recognizing their own personal weaknesses.

The problem with this strategy is that it does not eliminate the real problem. On the contrary, the constant focus on external dangers leads to prolonged anxiety and, ultimately, to collapse when the true weakness is exposed. Constructing external threats may serve as a short-term defense mechanism, but in the long run, it prevents the improvement and resolution of real problems. Instead of fearing the Sword of Damocles, it is better to identify and fortify our (however one may perceive that) Achilles’ Heel.

In short, this is described by the square aspect between Mars and Chiron in the cardinal signs of Cancer and Aries:
Internal weaknesses (Achilles’ Heel) can be projected as external dangers (Sword of Damocles) in order to avoid deeper healing. Mars is the planet of action, initiative, combat, and survival. In an emotional and protective sign, Mars often suppresses or distorts its energy, channeling it into passive resistance, defensiveness, or cyclical emotional reactions.

Chiron in Aries brings the wound of personal identity, self-confidence, assertion, and spontaneous action, along with the fear of abandonment. It also symbolizes the sense or awareness of alienation or sensitivity to what wounds us. This placement suggests a deeper fear of failure or rejection when we try to assert ourselves, with variations ranging from appearing indifferent to the issue, to playing an internal dialogue that repeatedly scratches at the wound: “Why doesn’t anyone recognize my initiatives or achievements?”

If we reverse the process, we can also understand the vulnerability and insecurity of human existence and individuality, which is sometimes addressed in a Saturnian way (through structure) and sometimes in a Uranian way (through revolutionary or sudden change). (Here, although the issue is never fully healed, it acquires wisdom and learns to recognize this sensitivity in others—I’ll elaborate more on this below.)

Thus, the square aspect between these two bodies speaks of a conflict that intensifies and shows that insecurities (Chiron) regarding vital space, autonomy, and initiative (Aries) may manifest through introverted emotional shielding, defenses, and emotionally charged reactions (Mars in Cancer).

Like the Fortress and the Ghost

Imagine a warrior who has built a large fortress (Mars in Cancer). The fortress is filled with supplies and weapons, but it has no open gates – it was built out of fear that someone might come and harm him. However, his real enemy is not external. It is a ghost that wanders around the walls – his wound (Chiron in Aries), the sense that he is not strong enough on his own.

The warrior dares not go outside and face the ghost. Instead, he convinces himself that the danger lies outside the fortress. He believes that someday real enemies will come to attack him, so he constantly prepares for a war that may never come. Thus, his defense becomes his own trap.

The Achilles’ Heel is Chiron in Aries: The wound of self-confidence, the warrior’s fear that he is not strong enough to stand alone. The Sword of Damocles is Mars in Cancer: The fear of an external threat that keeps him in constant defense, even though the greatest danger is his own inability to face himself. The only way to break this vicious cycle is to step out of our fortress and face the ghost – meaning we must embrace our personal power and accept our weaknesses without constantly repressing them.

Chiron can function either in a Saturnian or Uranian way (bridge), depending on whether we approach the wound with sensitivity, fear, and restriction, or with questioning, defiance, freedom, and creativity.

Saturnian Chiron follows a traditional, restrictive, and structured approach to healing the wound, characterized by feelings of inadequacy or inability to take responsibility. This involves sensitivity, indecisiveness, and some issue with boundaries. It likely stems from the fear of failure and the belief that wounds are a form of condemnation. One may practice self-discipline and internalized passive-aggressive defense mechanisms (connected to Mars in Cancer). Or, one might accept the pain as fate, with no attempt at change.

Alternatively, Saturnian Chiron might retreat into introversion, avoiding action and taking initiative, because any attempt to confront the wound feels too difficult or painful. The warrior remains inside the fortress, believing that his only option is protection. He feels that if he exposes himself, his wound will overwhelm him, so he prefers stagnation. He perceives his problem as something immutable, a fate he cannot escape (Saturnian approach). The consequence is that his wound remains unaddressed, and the more he avoids it, the more the fortress becomes his prison.

Uranian Chiron, on the other hand, approaches healing either with defiance or in a revolutionary, liberated, and creative way. It creates ruptures with “old” or, in its view, established ideas of what trauma and healing mean. Uranian Chiron might attempt a revolutionary approach to pain, with the belief that pain can be transformed into power. It exercises boldness and operates independently, distancing itself from the past or risking being hurt again. It embraces “chaos” or the unknown as a tool for healing – meaning trying new paths without fear of failure.

The warrior decides to leave the fortress and confront the ghost. Instead of seeing his injury as a weakness, he understands that his experience can make him wiser and freer. He may break the rules of defense and discover creative ways to face his fears, as well as fix things around him or help others. The result is that he finds redemption through accepting his wound, rather than letting it limit him.

Initially, Chiron functions in a Saturnian way. Traumas become burdens and cause restriction. We may fear change and feel that our wound is a curse. After a crisis or awakening, Chiron can begin to function in a Uranian way: If we accept our wound and use it to discover new paths of self-knowledge, then healing transforms from a burden into a strength.

In the Mars-Chiron square, if Chiron functions in a Saturnian way, the square can create insecurity, defensiveness, and suppressed anger. We may fear taking action and see dangers everywhere, without realizing that the real enemy is our own internal insecurity. If Chiron functions in a Uranian way, the conflict of the square can provide great healing power through risk and action. We learn that, despite our wound, we can step out of our “comfort zone” and transform our injury into motivation for personal growth.

The difference lies in whether we choose to remain in the fortress or step outside and face our fears. Here, it’s important to note that Saturn is nothing more than what we have shaped and formed into tangible reality, and while it supports us, it also limits us.

Currently Saturn (Pisces) forms a waning sextile to Uranus (Taurus), and this may assist in regulating this process with some work.

How this transforms into a mechanism of wisdom in society
If we view Chiron as a mechanism of wisdom, the dynamic between Mars in Cancer and Chiron in Aries can operate as a collective experience that shapes societal interaction. The way society handles its traumas can lead it either to prolonged fear and introversion (Saturnian mechanism) or to innovation and awakening (Uranian mechanism). Something is in the works.

While the all the slow outer planets gradually entering in fire and air placements during the summer months, the backdrop of the collective sphere will be about manifestation and externalization of energy. What will we make of it?

When society operates Chiron in a Saturnian way, we have a mechanism that tends to suppress. In the Saturnian mechanism, collective trauma is dealt with through fear, limitation, and excessive control, treating it as something to hide. This leads to the following consequences:

-The preservation of traditional structures that suppress change or operate with great caution toward progress.

-The creation of external enemies to avoid confronting internal weaknesses.

-Social structures that fear individual power, as the trauma of identity is seen as something dangerous.
A characteristic example that we observe is the lack of support for individual initiatives, citizen autonomy (e.g. giving credit and support to self-employment), and individual creativity. These are seen largely as unproductive parts of the overall economy (i.e., interpreted as a “trauma” or vulnerability of the whole, rather than a source of knowledge, the creation of new ideas, and directions, that will lead to future growth).

When society operates Chiron in a Uranian way: The Innovation Mechanism

In the Uranian mechanism, collective trauma is transformed into a source of wisdom and progress. It’s important to note here that I’m not referring to Uranus in Taurus, but to the archetype of Uranus identified with Prometheus, and its relationship with Chiron. This leads to the following consequences:

-Acceptance of the past without fear, using it as a source of knowledge, insight, and a springboard for evolution.

-Social changes that integrate “trauma” as a tool for learning.

-Recognition of the individual’s power, without fearing that autonomy threatens social cohesion.

This Uranian approach doesn’t merely suppress or avoid the past; it uses it as the raw material for growth, finding new possibilities within what is often perceived as a limitation or wound. Through this lens, collective trauma becomes a valuable source of innovation, creativity, and societal progress.

Wisdom as a Mechanism of Transition and Overcoming

The key with Chiron is that we become more conscious of how society will manage its collective wound. If it chooses the Saturnian path, it will become trapped in defenses, fear, and the tightening of rules. However, if it chooses the Uranian path, its wound will become a force for progress and evolution. Wisdom is born the moment society realizes that its “Achilles’ Heel” can become the driving force of its transformation. Of course, every society is different, and at this moment, all the wounds of structural systems seem to have come to the surface.

The same applies to some degree in our individual lives and spheres of activity.

The Uranian mechanism of Chiron also carries the potential for the questioning of everything and chaos, because it does not follow a linear path but includes instability or destabilization. Chiron in Aries, in this dynamic, does not simply accept its wound—it transforms it into a revolutionary act, through ruptures and sudden changes.

Doubt as Healing

The Uranian path of healing through Chiron, is not based on any authority. Rather than attempting to “fix” the wound using traditional methods, it explores it through reversals and deconstruction. It questions the very concepts of trauma and healing. Who defines what constitutes a wound? Is it truly something that must be “healed,” or should we accept it as part of our experience? It perceives destabilization as a creative force. Pain can become the catalyst for overturning established structures, whether personal or societal.

Every path of evolution involves unpredictable changes. Healing is not gradual—it can come through a shock, revelations, and new data that will alter an initial condition or certainty. Chiron in Uranian function does not just heal itself—it changes its environment through questioning or the boldness to experiment with an alternative version.

In Chiron’s Saturnian mechanism, wisdom comes through gradual, disciplined learning, commitment, and experience. In its Uranian mechanism, wisdom arises through experimentation, and the overthrow of existing structures. This means that a society functioning through Uranian Chiron does not fear destabilization. It uses it as a tool for renewal.

In science, for example, the greatest discoveries were made through deconstructing old theories, such as Quantum Physics in relation to the Newtonian world. On an individual level, someone going through an existential crisis may discover new paths of thinking precisely because they lose their old points of reference. All of this is not painless or easy.

Uranian Chiron says: “Perhaps I don’t need to fix myself—maybe I need to be reborn from scratch,” or “If my wound is part of me, then I can make it a strength,” or “If my society or parts of it hurt me, maybe it’s not my fault—maybe I need to do something to change or contribute to improvement.” Saturnian Chiron says: “Let’s learn from the wound, let’s become wiser, and let’s move forward with responsibility.”

In society, wisdom can arise from both paths, each with its positive and negative versions. The Saturnian path of Chiron leads to stability but can bring stagnation. The Uranian path of Chiron leads to renewal but can bring instability and ruptures. Both have their price. The power we discover through Chiron is that it teaches us gradually how to bridge these two paths in a balanced way—knowing when to adopt one approach or the other.

The Balance Between the two Mechanisms is the Key to a Society That Evolves Without Collapsing

Indeed, through both aspects, we can function robotically. Both the Saturnian and Uranian mechanisms can make us operate in a robotic way if they are adopted dogmatically and mechanically, without awareness. When Chiron functions strictly Saturnian, society or the individual follows a predetermined path of “correct” behavior, where wisdom only comes through discipline and rules. The trauma must follow specific healing steps. Personal experience is subordinated to authorities (e.g., “this is the accepted knowledge, this is how you should heal,” “only this path works,” etc.). The result of this approach is an individual or a society that does not examine whether these paths are suitable for their particular situation. It mechanically follows instructions, fearing deviation or abandonment. And it reproduces mechanisms that ultimately are not healthy. It’s like a person who lives by “shoulds,” without acknowledging their weaknesses or needs. Or they do not reflect, and therefore do not take responsibility for their actions.

The paradox is that even the Uranian mechanism—which is supposed to be liberating—can become mechanical when followed blindly. This happens when questioning becomes an end in itself. Everything is rejected without any intent for synthesis or connection. Chaos or ruptures are reproduced without meaning. Instead of generating something new, it becomes an endless cyclical trend of destabilization without purpose. Freedom becomes a new form of dogma, where instead of creating space for new thoughts, it imposes itself as the only “correct” way of being, ending up becoming an authoritarian form of anti-authoritarianism.

The result of this approach is an individual or a society that operates with mechanical questioning without examining what truly needs to change. True wisdom arises when we neither blindly follow the rules nor blindly overturn them. Instead of functioning as programmed robotic beings, we need to listen to the moment. When a person or society can consciously alternate between the two mechanisms at the appropriate time, they cease to be robots and become creators. The true initiation of Chiron’s wisdom occurs when it neither stays in the role of the wounded nor in the role of the healer from a mechanical position, but when it gains awareness of the trauma as a dynamic exchange.

From Passive Trauma to Conscious Exchange

The mythological Chiron does not heal himself, but heals others through awareness. His wisdom is not about “getting rid of” the trauma, but learning to live with it. He understands that ‘trauma’ is part of life, not something that must simply be eradicated. From this, he draws knowledge. Healing is not one-sided – it is a process of exchange.

Exchange as Deeper Initiation

True initiation comes when one does not merely try to “get rid of” their trauma, project it onto others, or save others from their own, but when one knows when a trauma is their own and when it belongs to someone else. One does not try to “heal” from a position of superiority, but perceives healing as a dialogue. One accepts that the wound is also a source of knowledge, not just something that must be repressed or closed. The truly initiated do not only try to avoid pain but seek to understand it deeply and transform it into a mechanism for transcendence. No one likes to feel vulnerable or wounded. Admission is the beginning of Chironian healing. The true cause of violence, decay, pain, alienation of elements and members in societies always operating destructively or self-destructively, is the repression and failure to recognize (internal) wounds and vulnerabilities.

From Healing to Creation

The higher path of Chiron is not healing in the classical sense, but the transformation of trauma into creation. It is a holistic approach to healing. Instead of trying to “overcome” or suppress our traumas, we can use them to create something, building through experimentation or forging an inventive path in a structured way.

Thus, we find the teacher who generates new ideas from their experiences. The healer who does not try to “fix” others, but guides them to find their own balance and well-being. The creator who transforms their personal trauma into art, knowledge, or a politician who is driven by a vision for significant reform or social and change that is not just centered on accumulating power and money. Also, the structures and laws that ensure healing for the whole, while recognizing what may may happen to the individual. The initiation of Chiron is the initiation into awareness. And awareness begins when we stop seeing trauma only as something that needs to “go away” and begin to see it as a bridge for communication and creation.

Therefore, the tense relationship between Mars in square aspect to Chiron, and its opposition to Pluto, we are dealing with a condition that involves the trauma of action, initiative, and autonomy, which must navigate issues of power, strength, control, imposition or act with sensitivity while forming relationships that are empowering or facing challenges. These may potentially become a pathway for radical and healing ‘catharsis’ of what is complicated. When these two aspects coexist, they create both internal and external conflict, which can manifest as an inner struggle between the need for autonomy and the fear of rejection or defeat. In relationships, this can show up as power struggles, extreme need for control, triangulations, and tensions or even defensive mechanisms stemming from fear or anxiety of what we cannot or do not see. The wounded courage finds obstacles in its free expression. Do we have the right to deal with something of our own while another is also vulnerable? The fear of being hurt by defending our vital space of autonomy prevails while the Mars square Chiron is active. There may be unexpressed anger that turns into passive aggression. Action or desire, arising from a deep wound may lead to self-destructive moves and behaviors. The consciousness of wounding can be paralysing.

In Cancer, Mars may struggle with or for family matters, emotional insecurities, roots, and memories from the past, while Chiron in Aries highlights a wound in the way we claim vital space. In its opposition to Pluto (Leo-Aquarius) later in April, the power struggle is a battle of imposition that can be expressed through dilemmas and conflicts between personal desires (Leo) and the collective “should” (Aquarius), individual creation and the combativeness of opinions, and the relationship with the integrity of the group or acceptance from it. There is tension between the ego that wants to shine (Leo) and the need for detachment or restructuring of a system or network/groups (Aquarius). Power dynamics that involve manipulation, oppression, humiliation, or explosive conflicts. As well as fear of total loss of control (for reasons of prestige), leading to retreat or dramatization of the defense of positions. It also manifests as radical change through relationships, crises, desires, and confrontations (whether we impose power or accept it).

However, if we view it in its potential positive sense, an act of courage may potentially strengthen the whole, a relationship or even transmute weakness into strength. The healing influence of a group or a strong internal drive/desire to enhance the courage of taking initiative and responsibility can lead to achieving very significant things or achieve balance with another in a very powerful way.

The Leo-Aquarius Axis archetypically symbolizes how we give and receive love.

From Trauma to Transformation

The negative scenarios, when the insecurity or sensitivity of Mars-Chiron is combined with the aggressiveness of Mars-Pluto, can create a mechanism where the suppressed need for assertion explodes in a destructive way. The need for validation (Leo) clashes with societal expectations (Aquarius). The inability to assert oneself or attain autonomy transforms into a need for absolute control or continuous concessions, maintaining problematic and complex relationships of interdependence with another or the group (Mars-Pluto). Generally, there is a sense of being cornered, of needing to take a stand or feeling that one must take a stand, and as I mentioned earlier, Chiron attempts to tune into the moment when it will function in a Saturnian way and when it will function in a Uranian way. There is a strong sensitivity regarding initiative and belonging, which at times can lead to give and take back. There is also the feeling that everything around us, has something dysfunctional about it, and therefore we have no choice but to constantly reject any possibility and separate ourselves. This is a time of intensive healing for all of us, on some level or on many levels. We have numerous examples around us and in the world politics and societal changes, where these mechanisms of repression are projected onto others or groups, activating anger, sensitivities or reopening old wounds. The positive expression, however, is that at every moment, options must be examined, as well as the acceptance that no system or action is perfectly flawless.

If someone does not become aware of these patterns, they may operate either as a victim of conflicts and weaknesses, or as a ‘tyrant’ imposing themselves through them. The solution lies in the internal alchemy of Chiron as it is triggered by Mars—it is the realization that our power does not lie in control, but in the wisdom of understanding the trauma and appreciating that new things can be initiated where everyone’s need for belonging is respected.

The higher path of these aspects, instead of suppressing or forcing power struggles, is to give space for reinforcing weak points and assist in clearing the way to creation.
Instead of fearing conflicts, we need to learn to manage them without destruction.
Instead of imposing force, we should transform our relationships through mutual respect.
Trauma can become a source of strength if we learn to move with wisdom rather than blind reaction. The aspects of Mars in square with Chiron and opposition to Pluto bring to the surface the pathologies and vulnerabilities of ‘power’ and ‘trauma’ within relationships and contracts, and in the way we handle and react in difficult conditions, demanding a different approach. The same goes for groups, societal conditions and politics.
It is a tremendous opportunity for awakening, as to what needs to be corrected or fixed in the world, in our lives, but also in relation to ourselves and our physical bodies.
This begins with the defense of the fundamental areas of life, which are based on nourishing the roots, the care of daily living, healthy autonomy, integrity, self-sufficiency, and the relationships we form, thus enhancing the cohesion and continuity of life (Cancer-Leo). The life that is near and dear, or that which we feel most connected with and moves us.
The enemies are not outside of us. Whatever seems hostile, is due to chronic internal weaknesses that we indirectly and mechanically repress or suppress systematically, and during this period it will come to our awareness.
The urgent prompt expressed by these planetary aspects lies in the need to turn inward, but also to the past, so that, on the one hand, we admit and accept the problem, and on the other hand, we search for, process, and heal the root causes that created it. It is time to do things differently.

© Eleni Kostika 2025