Exalted Mars in Capricorn II

This series — No. 55 — is another one of the Mars-based creations Austin harvested while I was busy avoiding overtly Martial activations. It joins its available brethren, Fiery Wall of Protection and The Forgemaster's Dit Da Jow II, and awaits just one more. Like its ilk, this series contains only House-crafted Materia (read: no Talismans, BPALs, or other collaborations), given the hermetic priorities of the time. [We look forward to our Coterie's triumphant, full-scale return with the next release: Venus in Taurus III!] Which, we might add, this series plays rather handsomely with! Sphere + Sundry secured its last non-Decanic Mars in Capricorn series 7-years and 2-months ago, in its Degree of Exaltation. The first ever harvested and formally offered to the public. Of its successor, Ferrum Noctis, Austin shares:

The shark plows silently through the sea of night, listening but not speaking. The horned owl cruises noiselessly through the sky of night. The tiger pads quietly across the land. The crocodile lurks upon its shore. These silent dragons sit, unperturbed and peerless, unchallenged at the apex of their realms.

Somewhere above, hidden in the strata of deep night, is a rare vein of iron that glints with starlight, waiting to be mined, purified, alloyed, and forged. This is the iron of night, Ferrum Noctis.

The core of this series is the unparalleled power of Mars in its exaltation in Capricorn, at the apex of its efficacy. The red planet’s excellence in the Goat’s sign merits discussion, as there is strength, but the equation which produces its power is far more elegant than it might initially appear.

A planet in its own sign, such as Mars in Aries or Scorpio, is effective, but it achieves this by marshaling the maximum amount of energy to accomplish a thing. The results are excellent, but they are energetically costly. Big effort, big accomplishment.

This is in contrast to the efficiency which is the characteristic of the planets in their exaltations. They produce excellent results without requiring exorbitant amounts of energy, producing unwanted side effects, and with a minimum of collateral damage.

This efficiency of effort and precision of intention is of greater importance when dealing with the malefics. Both Mars and Saturn involve us in dangerous undertakings, where the exertions required can exhaust us, and the actions taken can accidentally harm others.

Mars’ exaltation takes place in Capricorn, Saturn’s nocturnal domicile. Saturn’s slowness brings out the best in otherwise-rash Mars. This useful restraint exalts Mars. The results are not just efficacy, but also efficiency. This is economy of motion. Accomplishing the most work with the least effort.

It is within Mars’ sphere that we encounter the necessary application of force. To the world, to things, to people. Insufficient force leaves the work unaccomplished, but excessive force wastes energy, breaks things, damages people, and generates rage. The goal with force must therefore always be the use of sufficient force, not more, not less. Generating and applying sufficient force at minimal cost is the excellence of Mars’ exaltation in Capricorn.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMtL1RxzrRq/

On a physical level, this is economy of motion, a field of study with applications in athletics, musical performance, and manufacturing. Though humans try feverishly to discover and apply these principles to the above, and other, fields, the animal world demonstrates economy of motion effortlessly. Or, rather, with the minimum effort required.

This economy of motion is most perfect in the largest predatory animals. All hunters must be efficient, for unlike the herbivores, their food runs away from them. The largest among them are doubly penalized, as physics are cruel to the large, with the energetic cost of movement increasing logarithmically as mass increases.

Thus we look to the apex predators, of sky, sea, and land. The saltwater crocodile, the great white shark, the great horned owl, the mighty tiger.

All of these creatures demonstrate the ability to remain still for hours at a time, or to cruise effortlessly on the currents of their medium, expending virtually no energy. Yet this is not laziness, or torpor. Though relaxed, each remains alert, ready to explode into ferocious action within a millisecond, then lapse back into quietude again, ever ready. The mystery here, the excellence, is the relaxation that does not impede action, and the excitation that does not preclude stillness. Their ability to transition from maximum to zero effort and back again is a key to their efficiency.

This capacity for calm is not only energetically efficient, it also produces the shroud of stealth necessary for the big predators to effectively seize their prey. Apex predators not only move with a quiet that belies their bulk, they are also much less prone to aggressive displays than lesser beasts. Displays of aggression, of fighting potential, are a necessity among creatures that need to scare away predators and competitors. The smaller the dog, the yappier. The masters of the hunt rarely need to waste energy on loud displays. They do not respond to minuscule provocations with thrashing displays. They abide until it becomes necessary to act. The other creatures know better than to threaten them. If they don’t, then they learn. Quick. The human world is not much different. Those most capable of effective action are rarely loud and declarative about it.

Ferrum Noctis teaches what the powerful have always known. Speak softly and carry a big stick.

Another thing these exalted predators have in common is their ability to hold on to what they seize. There is no escape from the great owl’s talons, nor the impossible force of the crocodile’s bite. The ability to hold on to that which struggles to get away is one of the essential Martial parameters. Do you lose your grip on a situation because it thrashes violently? Does the tricky task slip through your fingers? This ability to maintain a hold on something, once grasped, is crucial. The power of tooth and talon is the power to hold focus.

Intimately connected with the capacity to hold is the ability to seize, to pluck what one will out of the sometimes chaotic waters of night. To be able to seize is critical. All hunters must possess it. It is the power of catching. It requires the ability to anticipate where something is going, and thus where it will be. Seizing is interception. Initiating a pattern of movement that intersects perfectly with another pattern of movement. Correct seizing is the result of the intersection between understanding and action, and it requires waiting, and watching as much as it does the lightning-swift act. Receptive emptiness of mind is required.

While it gives readiness for action, the series also brings a striking degree of internal quiet. Upon first application, there was a noticeable lack of internal questioning, commentary, and other such junk as litters the otherwise dark and pristine mind-sea. There was just the quiet and each task, as it arose. No more commentary than necessary, no internal clutter. A sort of productive zen, a quiet, unrushed, and competent trance.

THE ELECTION

Exalted Mars, conjoining the Ascendant of the chart, in a nocturnal chart, is the focal point of this election, and the source of the series’ power. Mars approaches the apex of its power under these conditions, highly capable in all matters natural to its crimson sphere.

The Ascendant, is ruled by Saturn in Pisces. Here, Saturn is in its own decan, and conjoined the royal star Fomalhaut, giving it more power than it would otherwise claim in the Fishes’ sign.

Saturn being in the first decan of Pisces lends a portion of this Face’s power to the election— the ability to navigate mysterious terrain successfully. This capacity is further bolstered by Saturn’s conjunction with Fomalhaut, which is both a light in dark places and the resonant voice of the deep. Finally, Saturn is bonified by a tight sextile with Jupiter in Taurus, which it receives gladly.

The Moon chosen was waning, as the pairing of the waning Moon with Mars helps prevent the inflammation of body and mind which so often accompanies martial work. The waning of the Moon also coincides with the essentially subtractive work of Mars. This is a Mars for eliminating problems, not feeding fires.

The position of the Moon, Scorpio, is unorthodox. The Moon is in its Fall in Scorpio, and so usually to be avoided. Yet it is in perfect position to give form to Mars’ rare strength.

The first decan of Scorpio is ruled by Mars in both systems, and contains the most Martial terrain in the zodiac. Its ruthless power, represented in 36 Faces as a Jawbone, grants this series the power to hold onto slippery tasks, to bite down and finish the job. To make one’s grasp inescapable.

In order to offset the ruthlessness and intensity of the Moon in Scorpio in such an intense decan, the Moon was placed in the fortunate 11^th house, and more importantly, caught at such a time as to be separating from an aspect with one benefic, Jupiter, and applying to the other benefic, Venus. Thus the Moon moves from one fortunate moment to another. It has the quality of offering protection and good fortune. Being surrounded by good-intentions, the Moon is thus protected and safe.

The Moon in its fall, yet between benefic aspects, gives the quality of being safe in dangerous waters, of relaxation in tense situations, of good fortune during hard times.

Mars, and the other planets active in this election, Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, and the Moon, are all in nocturnal signs, and for an operation which took place wholly at night. As a result, the materia is redolent of night, possessing a vast, dark, and mysterious quality that contributed significantly to its name.

It is against this backdrop of deep night that the steel of Mars is placed, a blade, an eye, reflecting a glint of starlight, but for just a second.

USAGE

Ferrum Noctis is ideal for works of empowerment, for upgrading and refining your capacity for both action and relaxation within Mars’ contested sphere.

The best situation for this series is solitary. A person possessed of its strength may resent the compromises required by social situations. It is not for compromise, nor is it particularly light-hearted. It is calm, yes, but serious. It is also not chatty, as there is also a preference for dignified silences and the speech of action over small talk and pleasant but pointless discussion.

Ferrum Noctis offers diligence, efficiency, and competence, which can be very helpful in professional matters. It is, however, much better for solitary endeavors than for working as part of a team. Its sister series, the Second Decan of Capricorn, which also features Mars in the Goat’s sign, is the better choice for more social, organizational labors.

Though its engine runs cool and quiet, FN is still very much a Mars series, and as with all Mars materia, overuse and overdose will aggravate competitive, territorial, and defensive feelings, intensify anger, and lead the mind to over-prioritize power dynamics.

Kaitlin's Additions:

This series is most excellent for quelling complaints and whingeing. You may think a thought, and decide "that isn't helpful for getting this job done", and let it pass — unspoken — as you continue to do that job. It teaches grit and sticktoitiveness — inviting moments of silence and reflection in the face of fear, anger and overwhelm; tonifying and bridling the Martial impulse, putting the wearer in better control of its manifestations. Ferrum Noctis is surprisingly temperate for Mars materia, but still warming, and can cause an uptick in body odor, as is the Red Sphere's stanky way. Pairing with Asclepius is recommended to subdue physical side effects like overheating and headaches. Cutting the influence off at the end of the day with Benefic, cooling energies like Venus in Pisces or Libra and Butter Ocean — any especially in collaboration with Exalted Luna or Luna in Cancer — is helpful for "coming down" before socializing and bed. Uppers in the morning, downers in the evening is as good a rule of thumb with magical influences as it is pharmaceuticals! Given its nocturnal orientation, this series may not blend well with Solar and Regulean influences, but could be really interesting when paired with Torch of First Light or Fomalhaut. The Second Decan of Capricorn, as Austin mentioned above, has some overlapping significations with this one, but layering them at once might be a bit much. It is likely better to pick one or the other for most occasions. The Third Decan of Capricorn could have really fun symbiosis, and I look forward to field reports from the Client Community's magical cocktail mixers! Applications before exercise and productive labor (especially solitary labor) are Ferrum Noctis' best use-cases. It can also be applied for remedial purposes, timed to the hours of Mars or during mantra practices designed to treat natal Martial conditions. Note that working with Talismanic and remedial-grade Capricorn energies — and especially those involving Mars — can be of special service during Saturn's transit through Aries, when the Saturnian and Martial spheres are co-mingled in ways that specifically do not serve fail them. These include this series, Mars in Capricorn / Exalted Mars II: Ferrum Noctis; the Second Decan of Capricorn for teamwork, self-care, and productivity; the Forgemaster's Iron Palm Dit Da Jow for exercise and recovery; and the Third Decan of Capricorn for the mental labor and resources Sovereignty entails.