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In synastry, the Sun square Mars indicates areas of incompatibility and volatility between two people.
The Sun represents a person’s self-identity and ego. By nature, it is hot and dry.
Mars represents conflict and how a person gets what they want. It is VERY hot and dry!
A square is an aspect of friction, and it can create problems between people. Squares in a synastry analysis show points of contention between people.
Sun Square Mars in Synastry
When the Sun is square Mars in synastry, it shows the primary source of conflict in the relationship.
The hot and dry Sun is coming into contact with the even hotter and dryer Mars in an aspect of friction. The result of this can be explosive.
When two people have this aspect between them, the nature of the fights that they have can be described by the signs that these planets are in.
When it comes to any aspect in synastry, the signs involved play a huge role. This is even more true when it comes to the Sun square Mars.
Squares generally involve planets of the same mode, Cardinal, Fixed, or Mutable. The mode of a sign governs how the sign acts in the world and how it responds to change.
Sun Square Mars in Cardinal Signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn)
In the Cardinal Signs, Sun square Mars is the most volatile. The fights will be loud and can happen very quickly. There are several sign combinations in Cardinal Signs that modify this aspect quite a bit.
Sun in Aries, Mars in Cancer
This combination will mitigate this aspect quite a bit.
The person with the Sun in Aries will help the person with Mars in Cancer express their anger in a healthier way, so it does not eat them away inside.
Sun in Cancer, Mars in Aries
This is a more difficult situation. Mars rules Aries, and the Sun is exalted there. The person whose Mars is involved will see the other person in a much more favorable light than would ordinarily be the case with this aspect.
Unfortunately, those feelings will not be reciprocated. Cancer dislikes Mars, so the person whose Sun is involved will see the other in an even more negative light.
Sun in Capricorn, Mars in Libra
This is another one-sided situation. Mars is exalted in Capricorn, but the Sun does not like Libra. Mars is unhappy in Libra as well.
The person whose Sun is involved will feel favorable about the relationship, but the person whose Mars is involved will have negative feelings.
Sun in Cancer, Mars in Libra and Sun in Libra, Mars in Capricorn
In both of these cases, the aspect is even more problematic and the conflicts between them will be even worse than usual for this aspect.
Sun Square Mars in Fixed Signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius)
When Sun is square Mars in Fixed Signs, the conflicts tend to be rather quiet and smolder for a long time. Yet, the two will also have mutual respect for each other and are likely to “agree to disagree.”
There are a few sign combinations that will modify this aspect quite a bit.
Sun in Scorpio, Mars in Leo
With this combination, the Sun square Mars becomes almost positive.
The Sun rules Leo, and Mars rules Scorpio. This means that the two like each other, even if they do not always see eye to eye.
Sun in Scorpio, Mars in Aquarius
With this combination, the person whose Sun is involved will feel more positively about the relationship, while the person whose Mars is involved will have more negative feelings.
Sun in Taurus, Mars in Leo
In this case, it will be the person whose Mars is involved who will have the more positive feelings, and the person whose Sun is involved the more negative ones.
Sun in Taurus, Mars in Aquarius
This combination makes the Sun square Mars more difficult than it already is. These two will have a natural animosity towards each other.
Sun Square Mars in Mutable Signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces)
The Mutable Signs are neutral with respect to this aspect. They neither mitigate it nor make it worse.
The nature of the Mutable Signs is such that they are flexible and yielding. When it comes to conflict, this can be a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, fights generally do not get nasty or ugly. On the other hand, the two people are prone to give up too easily on the problems that caused the fights, and because of this, never truly resolve them.
House Position
In addition to considering the signs involved, it is important to look at the houses that the Sun and Mars fall in each other’s charts.
To learn more, see:
Sun in Houses Synastry Meanings: 1st through 12th House
Mars in Houses Synastry Meanings: 1st through 12th House
Man’s Sun Square Woman’s Mars Relationship
In a romantic relationship, for all of its difficulties, Sun square Mars does sometimes generate physical attraction. It can also make sex hot and exciting.
This can have the effect of bringing two people together even if they cannot get along outside of the bedroom.
On some level, he will find her overaggressive, and she will find him overbearing.
In advising a couple with this combination, it will be important to look to see if there are more harmonious aspects between the two to see if they can find common ground.
Woman’s Sun Square Man’s Mars Relationship
As is the case when the genders are reversed, physical attraction and good sex may bring them together even if they are otherwise incompatible.
In this case, he will get annoyed with her when she tries to shine, and she may feel like he is trying to control her.
Whether the two can make it as a couple will depend on whether they have better aspects between them.
Sun Square Mars in Friendship
The Sun square Mars is not as big of an issue in friendship as it is in a romantic relationship.
Without the sexual component, if there are not other aspects that indicate compatibility, they will not develop a friendship at all.
If they are to remain friends, they will learn to get around the areas of conflict and contention between them. Otherwise, the friendship will naturally fade away or degrade into a “frenemy” relationship.
How to Tell if the Sun is Square Mars in Synastry
As discussed above, the signs that are square are of the same mode. The image below shows the signs that are square by mode:
If the Sun and Mars are square by sign, the tension generated by this aspect will be present.
The closer the planets are to a perfect square, the stronger and more tense the aspect will be. To be considered full strength, it must be within twelve degrees of being exact.
If the planets are within twelve degrees of an exact square, but they are not in the right signs, the situation will be complicated.
In this case, the planets will be in a harmonious aspect by sign, either a trine or a sextile. This will cause some confusing fights that seem to come out of nowhere and surprise both people. They will tend to annoy each other on an almost unconscious level.
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Conclusion
The Sun square Mars is a tough aspect in synastry. It indicates areas of conflict and tension.
If this aspect is present, it will be important to find the more compatible aspects between the two to see where they can build harmony and trust.