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Mars ✧

Welcome to my page dedicated to Mars! Here you will find information about Mars in a planetary magic sense, along with his Orphic Hymn.

Disclaimer: The notes on this page are an amalgation of notes from books and blogs, some of which are straight up copy/pasted without proper citation. Sources are listed at the bottom of each page. Information may or may not be accurate.
Mars goes through all of the signs approximately every 687 days (~22.6 months), spending approximately 45 days in each sign.

Contents

NASA image of Mars

Mars Keyword Correspondences and Associations

Mars’s day is very similar to Earth’s as it is 24½ hours long, but its year is 687 Earth days long. Originally, Mars was associated with agriculture, but became a war god as a reflection of human development. With that, Mars is also connected to passion, vigor, and energy which also relates to sexuality. With war, comes the fight or flight instinct which is a primitive instinct.

This, along with Mars’s connection to wolves, associates Mars with lycanthropy and transformation into animal form (not limited to werewolves). This primitive transformational energy is sometimes called atavism and can be used to power sigils with a strong emotional current.

Due to Mars being associated with war, it is naturally associated to qualities that warriors possess: courage, strength, and virility. All of these qualities help one maintain the ego as the social core of the identity. It is important to note that while it helps with maintenance, it is up to the person to make sure their ego is not inflated since inflation of the ego is an issue that people can have relating to powerful Martial energies. Martial energies can be constructive or destructive, depending on how they are utilized. This is commonly seen with anger, where it can be used for motivation or aggression.

The negative associations of Mars include [...].

NASA closeup image of Mars

Mars in the Chart

In the chart of a person who is attracted to men, Mars represents their ideal man. In the chart of a person who is not attracted to men, Mars describes their image of their own masculinity. Your desires are indicated by Mars and the position Mars holds in a chart suggests how you go after what you want in life. Since Mars is also associated with sex, it shows how you express your sexuality as well as what excites you.

If you meet someone whose Mars contacts planets in your chart, you’ll probably find that person stimulating. Whether you experience this stimulation as energizing or stressful, motivating or annoying depends on the connection. Strong Mars links are often found between the charts of lovers, sparking a powerful sexual attraction, but they also turn up in enemies’ charts. Mars is often prominent on the charts of athletes as its power is an asset in physical activities.

Mars is also known as the red planet and as the Lesser Malefic.

The Martian Symbol

planetary symbol for mars

The symbol of Mars has the circle representing the Sun and the modified cross in the top-right of the circle to represent the Earth. This emphasizes the energy and vitality of Mars, with the life-giving circle connected showing its energy through action. The cross being in the top-right signifies the dominant active force (since most people are right-handed). Since Mars is a planet of warriors, the symbol could also be interpreted as a shield and lance.

Martian Magic

Mars ignites, brutalizes, or compels what it touches.

Mars gets involved in sex magic and love spells when sexual passion is a key component in the relationship. Tap into this planet’s fearless, forceful nature when confronting dangerous situations, adversaries, challenges, or obstacles. If you need extra energy or strength, Mars can be an asset. This planet aids in sexual problems resulting from diminished libido, exhaustion, poor self-image, fear, or aging. However, be careful of using it in healing work as it can exacerbate some conditions rather than alleviate them. Martian energy can bolster your self-confidence, prompting you to take action, be decisive, assert yourself, and face up to fears. Tap into Martian energy when you need extra vitality or courage.

Mars will help to set your goals into action and give you a boost of energy.

Planetary Square for Mars

Magical number squares are mathematical objects composed of a square grid with equal sized rows and columns that are filled with as many consecutive natural numbers (starting with 1) that it takes to fill. Each row and column sums to the same number. Frequently, the diagonals do as well.

Mars's square is 5x5 and has the natural numbers 1 through 25 (5²).

The rows, columns, and diagonals all add up to 65 and the entire square sums to 325.

To fill Mars's square, place the 1 directly below the center then fill in a mostly downward diagonal pattern.

Some observations: Consecutive numbers go in neighboring columns in a downward direction until it meets the bottom, EXCEPT when it's a multiple of 5 (5, 10, 15, 20). The numbers directly after each multiple of 5 (6, 11, 16, 21) are in the same column, but then continue filling diagonally in a downward direction until the next multiple of 5.

static image of Mars's planetary square
gif of Mars's planetary square being filled starting with 1

Ways to Connect with Mars

  • Use botanicals associated with Mars, such as dandelion, ginger, black pepper, chives, or turmeric
  • Add gemstones that are associated to Mars to talismans, such as iron, carnelian, garnet, bloodstone, or red agate
  • Carve the astrological symbol for Mars on a red, brown, or white colored candle and burn it in a spell
  • Draw the symbol on paper and put it in a talisman
  • Divine with fire or crystals
  • Do spells on a Tuesday and/or on Mars's hours (check for retrogrades!)
  • Light incense with a scent associated to Mars, such as dragonsblood or peppermint
  • Do spells that involve candles or fire
  • Include iron in a spell, such as building a ritual fire in an iron cauldron
  • Wear the color red in a ritual

Orphic Hymn 64: To Mars [Ares]

Magnanimous, unconquer'd, boistrous Mars, in darts rejoicing, and in bloody wars
Fierce and untam'd, whose mighty pow'r can make the strongest walls from their foundations shake:
Mortal destroying king, defil'd with gore, pleas'd with war's dreadful and tumultuous roar:
Thee, human blood, and swords, and spears delight, and the dire ruin of mad savage fight.
Stay, furious contests, and avenging strife, whose works with woe, embitter human life;
To lovely Venus [Kypris], and to Bacchus [Lyaios] yield, to Ceres [Deo] give the weapons of the field;
Encourage peace, to gentle works inclin'd, and give abundance, with benignant mind.

Mars Facts

  • Mars’s brilliant red color comes from iron oxide/rust on the planet’s surface.
  • Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second smallest in our solar system.
  • A Martian year is 687 Earth days; however, a Martian day is almost identical to an Earth day in length at 24 hours and 37 minutes.
  • The red planet has two small, irregularly shaped moons named Phobos and Deimos.
  • Mars has the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons.
  • In a few million years, Phobos is expected to collide with Mars.
  • Mars is so cold the ice caps on the Northern and Southern poles get a coating of dry ice during the winter.
NASA closeup image of Mars

Sources

Page last updated: March 25, 2026