Uranus in Aries, Ready or Not, Change is Here

I’ve had so many people recently ask me “What’s up with the planets? Everyone I know is on edge.” Or, “I sense that a big change is coming. What’s going on?” Well, there is a big – really big – change coming, and that’s the transit of the planet Uranus from the dreamy, spiritual sign of Pisces to fiery, energetic Aries.

Uranus has been in Pisces since 2003, except for a few months last year (May to August) when it gave us a sneak preview of its upcoming sojourn in Aries.  As of 1:52pm EST today, it’s entering Aries again, where it will stay until May 15, 2018. Uranus was last in Aries from 1928-1935.

Now, before you freak out thinking we’re going to have an exact repeat of The Great Depression of the early 20^th century, let’s explore what exactly Uranus does in the solar system and how it affects us. I am going to quote from a favorite humorous astrology book– Darkside Astrology by Stella Hyde. As the book title implies, Ms. Hyde looks at the “dark side” of our astrological signs. I’m particularly amused by her description of Uranus because it applies to me, as an Aquarian. See, each sign has a natural planetary ruler (Aries is ruled by Mars, Leo by the Sun, Cancer by the moon), and Uranus happens to rule Aquarius.

Uranus is the cosmic generator of crankiness, willful eccentricity, and very odd changes in direction…This planetary oddball is the seventh rock from the sun and four times bigger than Earth; it takes 84 years to loop the void, spending seven years (see – a weird mystic number already) in each sign, slightly longer than is bearable. What is really bonkers about it is that it tilts 98⁰ – just call me Planet Sideways – so that its poles take it in turns to face the sun: hypothetically, you sunbathe at the north or south pole and build igloos on the equator. It’s smothered in icy clouds of gas, and has no significant internal heat source (just like Aquarians)…It’s named for the Greek god Oeranos (sky), partner of Gaiai (Earth) and father of the Titans. The Greeks ignored him – he didn’t get a single temple, which suits Aquarians, as they don’t do deference.

From this, we can pick up that Uranus is quirky, with unexpected (in other words – hard to predict), dispassionate change. Also, Uranus stays in a sign long enough to bring about LASTING change. The faster moving planets – moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars – can affect us from day to day but their change is more like the kind you see in a short term weather forecast.  The change Uranus brings is more along the lines of climate change.

Change is constant
Before I go any further, I want to point out that Uranus is always active in our lives. It’s not like it’s been dormant the past 7 years, and boom, now that it’s in Aries, it’s going to be making waves. Just a few days after Uranus entered Pisces in 2003, the US invaded Iraq. While it was in Pisces, the global economy collapsed. The US elected its first black president. Change is always happening.

The sign in which Uranus is hanging out, however, can give us a clue as to the general nature of the unexpected changes, which can help us figure out the best ways to roll with them.  (Because, Star Trek fan or not, you know that “resistance is futile.”) Let’s first talk about Pisces – which is where Uranus has been for most of the new century.

Is it real, or just an illusion?
Pisces rules Universal Consciousness – a breaking down of self and being in union with the whole. On its “darkside”, it rules drugs and alcohol and escapist behavior like excessively sleeping, watching TV or playing video games. With Pisces, you can merge with the Universe through spiritual Truth or get the illusion of “merging” through something false like being drunk or high. The changes that happened in the world, and with you personally, over the past 7 years, gave you the chance to get closer to Truth. Truth is not always an easy thing to approach. Some did the necessary work and formed a good spiritual foundation. Others continued to escape and held on to illusions, either trying new illusions or stubbornly clinging to old ones.

To use myself as an example –  in 2004, my husband of 9 years left, as a result of an affair that he started in 2003 (when Uranus went into Pisces). I was a stay-at-home mom and had to scramble to find a job. I found one but it was paid on a grant, so it ended after 1.5 years. I found another, worked there for 3 years, but was laid off when the economy tanked. I entered another relationship in 2006, which ended in 2008. All of these events sent me inwards. I started to explore my hang-ups and my suppressed self; I saw a therapist, tried Reiki for the first time, became an astrologer, started FemCentral. I began to write on a regular basis. I looked at what had been working for me up to this point and what hadn’t. I made radical changes. I rediscovered my spirituality but it was very different than anything I’d done before.

Now because I am an Aquarian, Uranus will affect me more strongly that people with other signs. Others who were most affected the past 7 years probably had personal planets (sun, moon, Mercury, Venus or Mars) or their North Node in Pisces. (Not only is Uranus my ruling planet but my North Node is in Pisces.) Likewise, the people most affected by the transit through Aries will be those who have personal planets or their North Node in Aries (and Aquarians).

Ok, so what to expect in Aries?
While Pisces is about dissolution of the ego, Aries is all about defining the self. Aries’ ruling planet is Mars – the Roman god of war. Aries is associated with initiative, energy, courage and ambition. Aries can also be impatient, headstrong and prone to anger. See the difference between Aries and receptive, sensitive, spiritual Pisces?

Try this analogy. Remember the 1970s TV show Kung Fu? The 2008 movie Kung Fu Panda works as well (as does any movie in this genre). In the beginning, the warrior trains with other warriors (usually in a monastery). The warrior engages in combat but what’s most important is the spiritual training and lessons. These must be mastered in order to be a “true warrior.” The warrior doesn’t stay in the monastery, though. For whatever reason (depends on the script), she leaves, goes out on her own, and finds her place in the world. Almost always, this warrior encounters an adversary who is stronger than her. Someone with more training. Yet, this physically stronger person, the warrior’s adversary, inevitably loses. Why? Because the adversary isn’t spiritually focused. He is following an illusion (power, money, fame, revenge).

As Uranus moves into Aries, this is the time to make our place in the world, not just on an individual level but at the level of businesses and institutions and nation-states as well. If we’ve clung to illusion and a false sense of truth, these illusions will most certainly shatter. Things are going to start moving fast, with a lot less time for reflection and readjustment.  But, no matter how change is affecting you, remember that the source of your strength is your spiritual foundation. Draw on that, stay connected to it, and you’ll roll with anything!

How does this affect me?
I’m sure you are wondering where Aries is in your personal chart. You can run a free chart at astro.com. (I also offer astrological chart readings.) When running a chart, it’s going to be most useful if you have your exact time of birth, as you’ll need to know what “house” Aries falls in for you. Look for the rams horns ♈ around the perimeter of your chart. See which “wedge” or “wedges” Aries corresponds to. The wedges are all numbered, anywhere from 1-12. (Note that Aries could fall in two different houses in your chart.) This number is the “house” and will correspond to an area of your life. The 7^th house is relationships. The 10^th is career. (For a complete description of each house, see Houses: A Brief Introduction to Astrology)

Also, look to see if there are any planets in this house. If there aren’t any, the transit probably won’t affect you as directly as it will others (unless you’re an Aquarian). If there are planets there, note which planet it is. The sun is your personality, moon is your emotions/intuition, Venus is love and self-worth, Mars is action, Mercury is thinking, North Node (looks like a horseshoe) is your life’s purpose. If any of these are in Aries for you, then get ready for some action!

I’m an Aquarian with Mars in Aries, in the house of romance and creativity (5th house). The next seven years should be quite an adventure for me! I’ll keep you updated!

Where is Aries in your chart? Did you feel the need for spiritual exploration when Uranus was in Pisces? Share your experiences and questions below!