Tag Archives: Uranus retrograde

Uranus turns retrograde today!

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Uranus turns retrogradeI had been meaning to write about Uranus turning retrograde and then I read Beth Owl’s Daughter’s blog post from a couple of days ago:

I have been somewhat surprised to find that I am on becalmed waters.

Not because of a lack of things to do. On the contrary, I should be busy gearing up for the Fall launch of my next series of classes, both in-person and through teleconferencing. I have a deadline looming for my next article for The Meta Arts Magazine, preparations for my teaching session I’ll be leading with the Gaian Tarot Circle in a couple of weeks, and a myriad of other tasks and projects sitting on my desk. Some of them fairly urgent.

And yet…nothing seems to be happening. Is this the dreaded resistance? Self-defeating procrastination? Depression?

I told myself, okay.. Maybe I just needed to take a few days off around the Independence Day holiday. I did.

Then maybe I could do some long-term strategizing for the coming year or two, as I am very definitely feeling some fundamental shifting going on in my practice and how I intend to serve in these changing times in which we find ourselves.

And with the appearance of The Magician this week, I thought – okay! Here we go!

But instead, I still find myself on hold. I find myself dragging my feet, in maintenance mode only; not really wanting to start anything new. I sit down to my planning worksheets .. and I turn away. Instead, I feel a deep hush inside my spirit, as if waiting for something.

And what’s funny about this, is that during this same past week or so, my friends and my clients have been echoing the same theme:

Can’t seem to get the old engine to turn over… None of my customers seem to want to come back from out-on-holiday mode… Indecisiveness… Absent-mindedness… Seem to have lost my motivation and drive… Things feel flat… Stale… No one is returning my calls, and frankly, I am relieved…

How about you? Do you feel a sort of stasis right now? Is it just me and a dozen or so people who have confided in me, while everyone else is in high gear? Is it just lazy Summertime? Or something else?

Yes, dear Beth, it IS something else. It’s the change of direction of the planet Uranus!

Uranus has been stationing retrograde for a couple of weeks now, making it more difficult to begin those new projects. Uranus inspires change and the infusion of new energy, but when retrograde it’s harder to get those engines to turn over because we first must go back over old ground to see what can be preserved and can come along with us into the new energy, and what must be left behind.

As a planet prepares to change direction its motion slows down to a virtual standstill, and because Uranus has the effect of infusing us with a desire to create change we’re feeling the edges of that inspiration but not quite able to get things going. There is likely also a sense of being scattered and moving in many directions at once.

After Uranus picks up speed again those new ideas will begin taking root. Until then, keep the engine running and wait for the express train to pull in!

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Uranus retrogrades back into Pisces, August 2010

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Uranus in PiscesThis was the topic of yesterday’s radio show, which you can listen to here if you like.

Uranus is the planet of autonomy and individuality – the planet that urges us to live as authentic a life as possible.  Pisces is the sign that represents the completion of a spiritual cycle.  Pisces is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions, connected by a cord that represents the higher and lower selves – the struggle to live in a material world as a spiritual being.

Uranus first entered Pisces in March of 2003 and moved into Aries for just one degree from May until August, entering the fray of the Cardinal Drama.  Now with Uranus having left the cardinal signs for the more mutable Pisces, the intensity of the Cardinal Drama will begin to subside and we will be left to pick up the pieces as we seek to find more balance and integration between the individual Self and our spiritual world.

Uranus and Neptune are in what we call “mutual reception” now – Uranus is in Pisces, ruled by Neptune, and Neptune is in Aquarius, ruled by Uranus.  This links the Uranus/Aquarius principle to the Neptune/Pisces principle in a more powerful way.  Here are some of the phenomena we have seen since Uranus entered Pisces in 2003 beginning this “mutual reception” realignment:

  • There has been an awakening (Uranus/Aquarius) of group consciousness (Neptune/Pisces) and an expansion of group meditation and prayer events around the globe, especially since the “harmonic concordance” in November of 2003, building online communities (Uranus/Aquarius) of spirituality (Neptune/Pisces).
  • The rise of the social networking craze, beginning with the launch of Friendster in 2002 which took off in 2003 after Uranus entered Pisces, followed that year by LinkedIn and Myspace and with Facebook in 2004. These social networking sites helped to blur (Neptune) the definition of friendship (Uranus) and facilitate the expansion of the online community idea.
  • The exposure of musicians (Neptune) through internet sites such as YouTube (Uranus) and the rise of the .mp3 downloads (Uranian technology) as the predominant way that music (Neptunian creativity) is purchased.
  • Bizarre weather resulting from the clash of the dry Uranus/Aquarius influence with the watery Neptune/Pisces influence: droughts, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes.
  • Increasing acceptance of psychic phenomena in the mainstream (television shows such as Psychic Kids, Medium, the Ghost Whisperer) and of astrology as well.
  • A growing sense of compassion and fairness (Neptune/Pisces) thanks to the spread of information across the internet (Uranus/Aquarius) that makes it nearly impossible to keep secrets.
  • An increase in “internet addiction” to the point where it was proposed to the American Psychiatric Association in 2007 as a new disorder to be listed in the DSM manual.

How we are affected personally by the retrograde passage of Uranus back into Pisces depends primarily on how our personal chart is affected.  If we are on a spiritual path, we will likely be faced with a dilemma or confrontation between the needs of the individual Self versus the needs of the spiritual realm.  For some of us that will necessitate engaging more completely with a spiritual practice.  For some of us it will be important to find a greater sense of Self in the midst of a blossoming spiritual experience.

Under Uranus in Pisces, we are called to find our own individual experience and authentic expression (Uranus) while exploring the realms of a deeper spiritual connection to the Divine.  This necessitates finding a balance within our own sense of Self that can deepen our connection to the Source that we find within.

Uranus is the revolutionary, and under its influence the status quo is not enough.  We may find that we need to make deep changes in the way we see the world, or in the ways that we express ourselves creatively and spiritually.

Uranus will move completely into Aries in March of 2011 and the world of Spirit will take a back seat until Neptune enters its own sign of Pisces in 2012.  Uranus is the Awakener, and under its influence the doorways of perception are opened wide.  So let’s utilize this time to find new ways of opening up our understanding and awareness to the Source within us that guides all things and grants us the gifts of love and beauty.

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Uranus retrograde: July 5 2010

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Uranus retrograde July 2010Uranus, the planet of innovation, change, social justice and radical new actions dipped its toes into Aries just long enough (at the zero degree point) to stir the pot of restlessness and dissatisfaction and now it is making a U-turn and heading back towards Pisces.

The zero degree point of Aries is the very beginning of the zodiac.  There is a sense of initiation and new beginnings here, and the casting off of old ways that are no longer useful.  Jupiter conjoined Uranus at this degree a few weeks ago (see this article, this one, and this one from my own experience) which really set things in motion, made even stronger by the powerful alignments that occurred at the Full Moon eclipse on June 26.

When a planet prepares to change its apparent direction from our perspective on earth,  it slows down and its influence intensifies.  When it’s the beginning of a new cycle, or changing signs such as the current example of Uranus moving into Aries, the influence is even more powerful because a new dynamic is being introduced and we must adapt to assimilate it.

Uranus will move back into Pisces in mid-August and it will remain in Pisces until the Spring of 2011, completing its work of the past seven years as it traveled through the sign of spirituality and loss of Self.  This period has corresponded to the rise of internet (Uranus) addiction (Pisces) as well as a spiritual (Pisces) revolution (Uranus) and acceleration of our energetic fields.

During this time Saturn and Uranus will form their last opposition, completing a rebalancing of our desire for structures and form (Saturn) with the new ideas and lifestyles (Uranus).  In addition, Jupiter and Uranus will align in the last two conjunctions which will expand these brilliant new philosophies and inventions even more.

All of this will lead up to next year when Uranus and Pluto face off in a challenging square and revolution begins to occur at all levels of human experience.  In the meantime, this is our opportunity to rebalance our own lives so that we can move quickly through any changes that are to come.

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Mercury square Saturn, and Uranus prepares to retrograde

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Mercury is moving into position today to form a square to Saturn tomorrow.  Mercury, the Winged Messenger, presides over not only messages and communication but also the way we process our experiences through our conscious awareness.  In Gemini, its own sign, it is particularly facile and communication typically flows without interruption.

Saturn will put the brakes on that easy flow for a few days.  Saturn, lord of restriction, karma and time, stops the presses while corrections are made.  Saturn demands that we apply focus and diligence to all of our communication projects.  This is not a time for easy promises; accountability is required for the next few days until Mercury has moved out of range of the square.

Meanwhile Uranus has slowed down to a standstill in preparation for its change of direction on July 2nd, and between now and then we will begin to see the force of change dominate the news to a greater extent than before.  Watch for destabilization of the financial markets and political structures in general.  Uranus is retrograding back for its last passage through Pisces before it moves into Aries next year, and in my view this demands a wakeup call.

Uranus is known as “The Awakener” and Pisces rules sleep, and while Uranus has been in Pisces (since 2003) the disruption (Uranus) from the longing for the unconscious (Pisces) has been powerful.  Uranus will move into Aries in 2010 and there will be no more opportunity for sleep.  This then is a good time to begin to prepare for Uranus entering Aries by completing the awakening process within our own lives.  Where are we stuck in subconscious reactions to situations?  Where do we limit ourselves by taking the easy road?  Uranus always asks the question:  Where in our lives can we be more authentic?  While Uranus is retrograde we will have a deeply personal opportunity to discover the answers to these questions.

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Jupiter joins the Summer Retrogrades

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I’ll begin by quoting myself:

When planets are retrograde, their influence becomes more subtle; more internalized. It can be more difficult to achieve momentum in the areas over which the planet presides. It may be necessary to apply a greater conscious intention to areas of life ruled by that planet. When all three outer planets retrograde at once we are often forced to perfect a part of our life that has been neglected and which is holding us back from evolving as individuals.

Jupiter turned retrograde yesterday, joining Chiron, Neptune and Pluto all of whom are traveling backward in their apparent path as observed from earth.  Chiron and Neptune changed direction at the end of June, and Jupiter moved slightly beyond the conjunction before turning retrograde yesterday.

Jupiter will catch up with Neptune first, in July 9th, and for the next few weeks these planets will continue to dance together in a celebration of the evolution of the soul and an expansive opening to creative inspiration.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that this same blissful opening of the soul can also open up the temptation of escapist behavior, addictions, and illusions if we venture too far into the world of rose-colored glasses without remaining grounded on Planet Earth.

Chiron has not gone far, and remains within one degree of Jupiter and Chiron which is certainly close enough to add its voice of wisdom to the mix.  Chiron asks where in our lives are we harboring painful memories or ill-will that needs to be released in order for the soul to continue its journey towards evolution.

Readings for clients have been very interesting under this triple conjunction.  Several people in one day were experiencing longer mourning periods than they felt was appropriate after losing several people that were important to them over the past few years. Some people are suddenly remembering incidents that occurred years ago, but which suddenly seem important.  Other practitioners are telling me that their clients are asking, “What should I be doing with my life?”  It’s as though we have all suddenly awoken to the fact that we are spiritual beings wearing earthly clothing.

The emotional pain that we may be feeling is an important part of the cleansing process and can’t be avoided under Chiron’s influence.  It is the clearing of the emotional debris that facilitates our ability to shift into a new way of living in the world in true peace and bliss, with an experience of real love that comes from within.

It will be the end of July before Jupiter begins to retrograde away from Chiron and Neptune, and by then Uranus will have turned retrograde (Uranus retrogrades on July 2).  Uranus has slowed down as it prepares to turn retrograde, and it is at its most powerful now, urging us to pursue freedom, liberty and the happiness that comes from living an authentic life.

This is a powerful combination of planetary energies!

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Retrograde Uranus in the News

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Uranus turned retrograde last night, as it does every year, creating interesting sudden shifts and reversals for citizens of Planet Earth.

Planets don’t really change direction, of course, but because astrology looks at the movement of planets from our perspective on earth it appears from time to time that planets slow down and then reverse course. When this occurs their influence is felt more intensely, especially if our personal planetary radio is tuned to the frequency of that planet (if the retrograde planet is strong in our birthchart) or if we are experiencing a transit of that planet to a planet or point in our own chart.

It could just be a coincidence, but the stock market in the US chose that moment to make the biggest drop since 2006. This was largely driven by a sharp increase in oil prices, proving that increasing supply (since Saudi Arabia had just agreed to begin pumping more oil) is not the cause of high oil prices. Speculation in oil futures is rampant – the last gasp of the Pluto in Sagittarius mindset as Pluto completes its Sag journey before re-entering Capricorn at the end of the year. OPEC is now warning of oil prices reaching $170 a barrel (consider that oil was around $80 a barrel when Bush took office – but that’s another story.

In other reversals, the Supreme Court declared that the right to bear arms found in the second amendment of the US Constitution applies to individuals. For the last 200 years this language has been in contention, and the conservative Supreme Court in this ruling gives free rein to gun ownership. Uranus rules personal freedom and social justice for all, so in some ways this ruling complies with the Uranian desire for equal access. But it also paves the way for the social uprising that is coming when Uranus transits into Aries and begins the square cycle to Pluto in Capricorn.

President Bush removed North Korea from his Axis of Evil blacklist, and in a gesture of cooperation the North Koreans yesterday blew up a nuclear reactor tower. This gesture is largely symbolic, because the agreement signed does not address uranian enrichment or sale of nuclear materials to other rogue nations.

As Uranus travels back through Pisces it will begin a series of oppositions to Saturn that will begin during election day. That opposition cycle will enter its second phase in September of 2009, and will conclude in May of 2010 with the final opposition to Saturn which will then be conjunct Jupiter. The first rumblings of the Uranus/Pluto square begin in the spring and summer of 2010.

Change is inevitable, and change is easier for some of us than for others. Regardless of how well we adapt to change, knowledge is power and understanding the energy behind these cycles help us to be better prepared to navigate them.

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Retrogrades galore this month!

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Jupiter turned retrograde last week (on May 9), and Chiron turns retrograde May 25, just before Mercury and Neptune on May 26. Planets don’t really move backwards, but because we view the motion of the planets from our perspective on earth in astrology, they sometimes appear to turn backwards, or retrograde.

Retrograde planets operate on a more internal, deeper and more personal level. Individuals with a large number (4, 5 or more) of retrograde planets tend to be more inverted, with a greater internal focus and less attention to the outside world.

Before planets turn retrograde, they slow down to what is called a “station” as they prepare to turn. This is very like a car making a U-turn, which remains in the same general location for quite a while as it makes that turn. When the motion of the planets appears to slow down, the influence of those planets becomes more powerful and more intense, and this is true right now. Jupiter and Saturn (which turned direct earlier this month and is still traveling very slowly) will only cover a little more than one degree all month; Uranus about the same. Neptune travels only about ten minutes worth of distance, and Pluto only about 30 minutes. This intensifies the effect of all of the planets and their influence.

By the end of the month we’ll have four traditional planets plus Chiron traveling retrograde and it may be more difficult to navigate through the world during this time. This is rather like navigating a ship in the dark of night – we have to rely on our instincts and our inner maps rather than guidance from external landmarks.

Retrograde periods are not “bad,” they are merely times of assimilation and deepening of our internal wisdom before we turn back to the outer world and our lives of action.

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Planetary Conflicts Reflect the News

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The movement of the planets and the angles that they form to each other produces an energetic effect that influences humans and nations. At the moment there are some challenging formations that are creating pressure for change both in our personal worlds and the global arena.

The planet Uranus is concerned with breaking up old patterns and creating new dynamics. In retrograde motion since June (appearing to travel backwards from earth’s perspective), there has been a slow building of tension as structures that are no longer working begin to fracture. Uranus turned direct on November 18, and suddenly issues of smoldering concern have erupted into the public view.

Mars is the god of war, ruling aggression and the setting of boundaries, and it has just made a square (challenging aspect) to Saturn, which rules social structure and stabilities. Monday 11/21, Mercury (communication), which is retrograde (internalized) will square Uranus (radical change) and the fires of conflict are likely to be stoked. Examples of this in recent news include the chaos that took place in the House on Friday over an incendiary vote over withdrawal from Iraq, and the violent protests on Friday outside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Busan.

In times like this, discomfort in our personal lives may come from holding fast to the status quo when clearly change is needed. Learning to let go and see things in a different light will be very useful for the next week!

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