“Phoenix, Sage, Heart” photograph by Lyn Dalebout
Get ready for stunning turning points, breaking news and shocks to the system as Uranus turns retrograde on Thursday, August 19 2021 until Tuesday, January 18 2022 when it will return to forward motion from the perspective of Earth. We have already been experiencing the effects of this turning during this current SolLunar Cycle. The entirety of this long-range aspect began with its “shadow” period — meaning the arc of astrological degrees a retrograde encompasses — at the end of April 2021 and will fully complete at the end of April 2022.
There’s little forewarning of the unpredictable shifts that erupt seemingly out of the blue when transits linked to Uranus are involved because its very nature is to surprise us, wake us up, shock us into realizing the past is over and we must experiment with new options, ideas, plans, routines and habits. Uranus events include devastating earthquakes, wild weather events and volatility in our society and politics. Uranus governs breakdowns in society or what have become societal norms which then lead to breakthroughs in innovative social trends. Uranus opens the door for radical shifts in the collective consciousness and sparks the deep desire to evolve quickly, with an urgency for change which launches sudden political movements or actions virtually overnight that are born out of a tragedy or horrific event.
Uranus represents in us the qualities it embodies in our Solar System: an unpredictable orbit and a strange way of rotating on its axis, different than the other planets. Uranus helps us to be more wild and free, eccentric and unique, creative and bold, if those are qualities we value. Some Uranus-types of humans are extremely anti-social, disgruntled misfits who haven’t done any work on themselves to improve and so the blame others for everything with a desire to blow everything up. Other types of Uranian humans want to be cultural creatives willing to experiment to create a world more accepting of everyone, and change the system from within or stand apart and model something new for others to emulate.
Uranus is currently transiting through sidereal Aries for quite a few years. The sign of Aries carries many similar qualities to Uranus such as pioneering new ways of doing things or being human, a love of independence. Aries knows we are beings of light, not just dense physical bodies stuck and struggling on Earth. This transit can be very taxing to the nervous system creating out of control anxiety, breakdowns, sudden uncontrollable urges, nervous twitches, seizures, shocking outbursts of emotion, and accidents. During this historic period since 2015, Uranus is also conjunct a TPO — trans-plutonian object — called Eris, the Great Disruptor, adding to the chaos, calamity, warring factions, and revolutions we are both observing and co-creating as we rapidly evolve (or devolve for some) into a new type of human and evolutionary expressions as a collective humanity.
During this retrograde period, consider what radical changes you are ready to make and what new forms of creative expression are calling to you. Part of this process involves both releasing an old identity and preparing the way for more robust, vital expressions of Self — and in your relationships — that are calling you forward. Be bold. Go there.
I know this is a lot to absorb so I will leave you with this. I love Uranus’s transits because they are what keep us growing and evolving, taking risks, leaving the past behind to explore new country and the endless creativity that is at the source of everything. Uranus keeps us youthful and wise, vital, and alive. It is a good idea right now to spend time with the young ones in your life, to learn from them, to ask them what they sense, and to support them on their emerging journeys as they lead the way in these times of great awakening.
Uranus reminds us we can all be young at heart, if that is something we value.
May this force be with you in positive, exciting ways.
