Mars entered Leo on September 27, 2026, beginning a transit that will continue until November 25. In astrology, Mars is associated with action and the way you express anger, while Leo is associated with confidence, pride, creativity and self-expression. Western astrology, therefore, often describes Mars in Leo as a more dramatic and expressive combination.
US-based astrologer Judy Tsafrir recently shared a different way to think about this transit on Instagram. She connected Mars in Leo to the way people experience and express strong emotions, while also asking readers to consider the roles of nature, nurture, and past experiences.
Mars in Leo can bring strong reactions
According to Judy Tsafrir, some people naturally express emotions more openly and dramatically than others. She suggests that your birth chart can offer one framework for understanding these differences.
This does not mean you should blame Mars for an argument or difficult behaviour. Instead, you can use the transit as an invitation to notice how you react when someone challenges your pride, independence or sense of recognition.
What does “if it's hysterical, it's historical” mean?
{{/usCountry}}This does not mean you should blame Mars for an argument or difficult behaviour. Instead, you can use the transit as an invitation to notice how you react when someone challenges your pride, independence or sense of recognition.
What does “if it's hysterical, it's historical” mean?
{{/usCountry}}Tsafrir refers to the familiar phrase, “If it's hysterical, it's historical.” The idea suggests that a reaction that feels much bigger than the immediate situation can sometimes point toward an older emotional trigger.
Psychology Today has also discussed the phrase in the context of emotional triggers, noting that an unusually strong response can sometimes connect with something deeper in the situation or a person's history. However, the phrase does not prove that every intense reaction comes from childhood or past trauma.
Could an old trigger sit behind a big reaction?
Imagine someone makes a small comment, and you suddenly feel extremely angry. Instead of immediately judging yourself or the other person, pause.
Ask yourself what exactly triggered you. Was it the words, the tone, the feeling of being ignored, or something the situation reminded you of?
That pause can help you separate the event happening now from the meaning you have attached to it.
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Judy Tsafrir on nature, nurture and astrology
The astrologer also points to the difference between your natural tendencies and what your family or culture taught you about emotions.
You may have grown up in an environment where people expressed anger openly. Someone else may have learned to hide every strong emotion. Neither response automatically makes a person healthier or worse. From Judy's astrological perspective, your chart may offer another lens through which you can explore these differences.
What can Mars in Leo transit teach you about acceptance?
Astrology does not need to excuse harmful behaviour. You can still take responsibility for how you treat other people.
But you can also become more curious about your reactions. When you understand what makes you run hot, withdraw or seek recognition, you may find it easier to respond instead of reacting automatically.