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Longtime readers of this blog know that I have a special interest in the way the astrological chart reveals energy patterns which are associated with disease, and one way that this manifests is through what I call “Mars Problems.”  Mars represents our drive and ability to take action, as well as the way we handle anger and frustration. When Mars is repressed or in a detrimental situation in the chart, we often find health problems such as digestive issues or immune problems.

I first wrote about this back in 2012 when I had a client with Multiple Sclerosis. Since then I’ve written several articles on the topic including this one from 2019 which outlines some of the history of multiple sclerosis and the connection with Mars in the astrological chart.

Christina Applegate is the latest public person to tell her story of life with Multiple Sclerosis and her chart tells a tale of Mars problems. Although her chart has four personal planets in fiery Sagittarius, her Mars is in Pisces where it is weakened, and it conjoins her highly sensitive Pisces Moon. Watering down the fire even more is a very tight conjunction from Neptune, modern ruler of Pisces, to her Sagittarius Sun. And yet, that mushy Mars is squared by the Sun, creating a constant irritation which has no easy outlet.

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Her optimistic Sagittarius Sun is in exact opposition to retrograde Saturn, suggesting a consistent sense of being blocked. Saturn’s job isn’t to make us miserable but it does tend to set up roadblocks that we are supposed to work harder to overcome, leading to ultimate success. Still, it is often associated with frustration and depression.

Ms. Applegate, whom I’ve long admired, has had a tough road of health issues. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 during a series of Saturn transits to the mutable Pisces and Sagittarius planets (Neptune, Sun, Jupiter, Mercury and Venus in Sagittarius squaring Moon and Mars in Pisces). She was diagnosed with MS in 2021 but said that she had started having symptoms six or seven years before, which would have been 2014-2015 during the next series of Saturn transits to her mutable planets. Saturn transits can exacerbate frustration since we tend to feel more stuck and like our progress in life is being impeded by unknown forces (unless we understand the nature of Saturn transits!!).

Her diagnosis in 2021 occurred at the time of her Chiron return (2021-2022) which followed a transit of Chiron opposing her natal Pluto in 2019. These Chiron transits can bring up emotional issues to be digested and released, but can also reveal health issues of various kinds. The Chiron transits were followed by the next series of Saturn transits in 2023 and 2024 resulting in Ms. Applegate announcing that she was experiencing a severe relapse with intense pain in her legs just as Saturn was transiting her Mars.

Like most diseases associated with the immune system, MS is two to three times more common in women. The National MS Society suggests that this means hormones may play a part, but I would argue that the tendency of women to have difficulty expressing anger or setting boundaries, both Mars expressions, could play a role. (Disclaimer: I have no medical training and my opinions regarding health are strictly from an astrological perspective.)

I don’t know that understanding the underlying energetic associations of disease can help us to stave off symptoms, or prevent disease. I certainly would never say that these energetic associations cause disease. But the fact that we can see these energetic associations in the chart suggests a correlation, and it does seem reasonable that improving the ecology of our body, mind, spirit system not only through nutrition and exercise but also by learning how to handle our frustration and anger appropriately can only help to balance the body’s various systems. Specifically, we can take these steps to help Mars problems and achieve better energetic balance:

  • First, energize the body.  This can be a challenge for people who are already fatigued, but it’s a significant key to helping to heal these issues.  Please note!  I am not suggesting that you can heal MS and other immune disorders through exercise.  But it can’t hurt.
  • Pay attention to areas where you may be repressing anger or rage, even if it seems silly.  If you hear yourself saying things like “this shouldn’t matter but it does” or “nobody ever listens to me” those are clues that there are unresolved issues crying out to be heard.
  • Don’t be afraid to seek therapeutic help to resolve long-standing areas of resentment or sadness.  Healing the emotional body is sometimes the first step to the physical.
  • Own and respect your ability to defend yourself when necessary!
  • Learn to express yourself constructively BEFORE you erupt into rage.

I’ve been such a fan of Christina Applegate for many years, especially most recently with the incredible Netflix show Dead to Me. I hope that her health will improve and that she will be able to find some peace and comfort in upcoming years. 💖

 

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