Red / Mars

Mars is the God of War.

His symbols are the wolf and the weapons of war, and he is strongly associated with the color red, the color of blood.

The month of March—when the ancient Roman army began its military campaigns—takes his name. So too does the blood-red planet of Mars, which the Romans named after their war god for obvious reasons.

Compared to his sister Minerva, the goddess of war, Mars is often characterized as being more impulsive, more emotionally and physically volatile, and more bloodthirsty. He is relentless, brutal, vengeful and pitiless—precisely the qualities the ancient Roman army needed to conquer their enemies and establish the great Roman Empire.

Mars is also courageous beyond measure. When he fights for something, he fights with everything in him, and he will not stop unless and until he is victorious. He never surrenders, never gives up, no matter what. He is fierce, but also fiercely loyal.

As you watch the burning of this red candle, one dedicated to Mars and illuminated by Vesta (because the flame is always Vesta), you can reflect upon these bold qualities.

At first glance, Mars’s aggression and war-like nature may be off putting, but there is a place for these aspects of being.

There are times in life when we need to fight hard for something, and to be aggressive in order to protect ourselves or achieve an important goal. No, that doesn’t involve slaying an opponent, but it does involve invoking a certain “fighting spirit” that keeps us going.

Look for signs in the dramatic melting of the red wax, using your intuition to think about the role of assertiveness, of that fighting spirit, in your life. Are you too headstrong or aggressive in certain areas of your life?

Or perhaps you need to be more assertive in pursuit of what could make you happy or satisfied, and not give up as easily. Think of something that you really want to achieve—a job, a way of life, a personal change—and as the candle burns, imagine the god of war fighting alongside you to make it happen.

Think also about courage. What are your fears? Do you fear failure or illness or abandonment or change? Whatever those fears are, bring them to the foreground of your mind and imagine them being slain by the war god, one by one. Have the courage to face them and to live a life not completely devoid of fear (that would be impossible!) but rather a life where you have perspective and can manage your fears. That takes courage, but it’s a victory worth fighting for.

As with all the candles in this candle-burning series, this red Mars-dedicated one burned with the characteristics of the god it is associated with. You’ll see that the melting of the red wax looked more like a blood-letting at times than a burning, with red drops dripping down like blood from the wound of a soldier.

Come back to this candle burning video whenever you need to reflect upon or embrace the aspects of Mars, always tapping into your intuition to better understand yourself, to make peace with the past, to find perspective, inspiration and guidance in the present, and to feel hope for the future.

Go to the All Gods Candle Readings page or visit the Homepage