Wheel of Light Astrology by Rio Olesky - May 2018
If one is centered, change comes from inspiration and leads to actions that promote a sense of uniqueness and strong feelings of liberation. In this context Uranus can be innovative, experimental and cutting edge. Its orientation toward the unconventional allows one to continually awaken to further inspiration.
Off-center, Uranus can impel change for the sake of change; a rebellious attitude that is more about moving away from an uncomfortable place rather than leading to one that is truly fulfilling and beneficial. This type of Uranian expression will often be accompanied by an attitude of aloofness and detachment.
Uranus remains in a sign for 7 years. This month, it will leave Aries, having been there since March 2011 and enter Taurus, where it remain until July 2025. It will, however, retrograde back into Aries from November 6, 2018 until March of 2019. It’s interesting that the planet of radical and often unexpected change returns to Aries, a sign of extreme independence, on election day, suggesting a major shift in Congress and state legislatures throughout the country.
Uranus in Taurus is an oxymoron. Uranus is all about waking up and changing everything from one’s behavioral patterns or points of awareness to changes in the group mind and collective consciousness. Taurus, however, is about maintaining status quo. Taurus defines values that enable one to feel safe, comfortable and stable. It’s about preserving and protecting those elements of life, such as natural resources, that enable us to survive. So, how will the intersection between this planetary energy and the way in which this sign filters energy manifest?
The last time Uranus was in Taurus was from June 1934-May 1942. This period coincided with the Great Depression and World War II. It’s important to note that one thing that ended the Depression in the United States was going to a wartime economy. Ironically, wars seem to be an antidote for economic problems. The fact that we’ve never altered the pattern of wartime spending is one main reason the US economy has been as strong as it has. How does this precedent indicate what may happen now or during the next 7 years?
The main issue is how will the drive for liberating change be affected by the nature of an inherently conservative sign? One possibility is that innovative change in any area will be limited if not curtailed altogether. We can see this as our country moves further to the right. Science is demeaned. The EPA wants to eliminate any regulations that limit the ability of a corporation to make money even though these regulations help maintain the health of our air, water and soil. “Our glorious leader” rattles sabers against all and any other nation when it suits his whims. Nations throughout the world are in a push-pull conflict about whether to open their borders to immigrants or slam that door in their faces. These are examples of intellectual curiosity and the drive for personal freedom being stifled by fear and the need for control.
On the other hand, we could use a measured approach to dealing more effectively with some of the challenges our world faces. For example, conservative Taurus, a sign that focuses on finance, might want to retain some of the banking regulations that were put in place to prevent the banking industry from overly controlling and undermining our financial security. Because Uranus can pertain to technology, a marriage of the financial industry and technology exists in the form of cryptocurrency, which could become more acceptable during this transit. As a yin or feminine sign, Uranus in Taurus could signal changes in our financial philosophy that lead to greater income equality. By extension, it could lead to women being elected to both state and federal offices in unprecedented numbers this November. For every action that promotes limitation of liberation, there could be an equal and opposite action that leads to rebellion from the rigidity of conventional, right wing control.
On the personal level, this is a transit that could lead to a greater sense of inclusion for all people. In the mid 1960s the Haight Ashbury area in San Francisco became a mecca for people from around the country to come to an area that promoted individual liberation. Many of the people who were responsible for such things as the Free Clinic and the Free Store had Uranus in Taurus in their natal charts. The acceptance of others starts with acceptance of self. Being able to acknowledge and accept those parts of ourselves that someone else may judge as eccentric, quirky or just plain weird is one way to get in touch with one’s uniqueness. Integrating those qualities into our lives on a day to day basis in grounded, practical ways furthers the positive potential of this transit.