In the Tarot, this connects to Strength. That card shows a woman gently closing the mouth of a lion. It's the mature expression of Mars: using willpower not to destroy, but to tame and direct energy. Psychologically, this matches the view that anger is often a secondary emotion. It usually masks fear, hurt, or a boundary violation. If we just suppress the "lion," the energy has nowhere to go.

I've been reflecting on Watts' writing on energy and consciousness. He often pointed out that energy needs a proper channel; otherwise, it burns out the vessel. I find his approach much more useful than Crowley's. Crowley's "Do what thou wilt" is frequently misread as a license for unchecked, ego-driven aggression. To me, that misses the point of true willpower. Watts understood the fluidity of mind—energy isn't about domination, it's about flow.

So, I'm curious about your experiences. How do you interpret difficult Mars aspects in your own chart? Do you find that anger serves as a signal for unmet needs? Has anyone else noticed a correlation between Mars placement and their conflict resolution style? I'd love to hear your thoughts.