For the next two weeks, the regular routines of daily life are distilled through the completion of a significant astrological cycle: Uranus exits Aries on March 6, 2019, ending a transit that began in May 2010 and won’t occur again until April 2094. The transit of Uranus through Aries has been an erratic, dynamic ride in the individual lives of most of our fellow travelers, and its effect has also been the source of a wild collective ride. This final condensation of Uranus’ transit through Aries is why the last couple of weeks have been so intense and why the next two weeks promise to intensify that intensity. Even though we are on the threshold of an entirely new Uranian journey—the transit of Uranus through Taurus, which begins on March 6—before that journey commences, we need to allow this final astral chord to resonate through the ether.
As you listen, pay particular attention to these final reverberations on February 23, when a waning full Moon (which occurred yesterday, February 19, in Virgo) moves through Libra, illuminating emotional bodies and stirring oceans of emotion. As you wrestle with these deep currents, keep in mind that when Uranus entered Aries on March 11, 2011, a huge earthquake in Japan triggered an enormous tidal wave that slammed into the nuclear power plant at Fukushima, causing a nuclear meltdown. While life may very well be a dream, that radioactive nightmare has continued throughout this entire Uranian cycle and will continue to resonate for too many years. That tidal wave was a metaphor for the last eight years of shift. Uranus signifies radical and unexpected change and certainly during its journey through Aries, many events—too many to enumerate—both individual and collective, have resembled massive tidal waves that set off enormous emotional chain reactions that continue to resonate through the lives of many. The amplified emotional intensity of these final weeks punctuates the volatility of the entire cycle.
The light of that Moon in Libra also has the power to exhume the presence of significant others you thought were long gone, so don’t be surprised if you’re visited by the ghosts of relationships past. Some of these former partners may actually have departed this plane of existence but are nonetheless determined to make contact, mostly through dreams, although there could be other methods. If they gift you with their presence, listen to their messages. We are at the end of a long cycle and there are certain to be dangling threads in need of attention. Just be sure that if you do pull on one that you have the courage and determination to follow through until you reach its end and have learned all there is to learn.
Also on the astral screen this week, Saturn is inching closer to its conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn—they are now within 5° of each other—and while their conjunction won’t be exact until January 2020, they are close enough for us to feel the intensity of this union; that closeness lasts from March through June, offering a preview of their contractive force.
This week Venus sits between Saturn and Pluto, softening some of the harsh, stern edges of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction, but at the same time amplifying a tendency to obsess about relationships, to be hypercritical, or to draw impossibly rigid boundaries. What’s more, Venus rules Libra—it’s a Libra Moon opposite Uranus that highlights still-unresolved relationship issues—and Uranus spent its transit through Aries, the Sign devoted to individuation, opposite Libra, the Sign devoted to partnerships. So this is a fitting lunar end to the cycle.
Astrology is ultimately about how we live within the repetitive cycles of the planets as they move in their “fixed orbits” (as the I-Ching would say) around the Sun and through the constellations of the zodiac belt that delineate their orbit. Since the beginning of sky watching, every culture has seen evidence of a sacred order. Currently, many of us may not think of those fixed orbits as symbolizing a sacred order, but we still look to the planets to provide meaning, whether that meaning is astrological or scientific.
Even if no radical changes occurred in your individual life during the last nearly eight years, you are still a citizen of the world, and life on this planet has seen many dynamic shifts. As these next two weeks unfold, taking the time to contemplate how those changes have affected your life and the lives of your fellow travelers might help you understand yet another level of astrology’s potential.
Sun Bursts: If you know your Ascendant and/or your Moon Sign, read that too.
Aries March 21-April 19
Refuse to accept the projections or opinions of others about how you’ve spent this powerful Uranus cycle. But also be brave and unstintingly honest about your participation. There were mistakes, to be sure, but there were also many moments of clarity as you measured yourself in the midst of startling events that catalyzed radical decisions. Take your inventory, but take it through the widest possible lens so you can truly gain perspective.
Taurus April 20-May 20.
Uranus’ transit through Aries offered lots of opportunities to get to know yourself at a deeper level; whether you entered therapy, increased your meditation, or read as many psychology and self-help books as possible, these years were certainly transformative. My hope is that even as you identified the trouble spots, you also learned to appreciate your gifts and talents.
Gemini May 21-June 21
You’ve learned an important lesson: your feelings affect the feelings of those around you. It’s possible to attribute your influence to your inherently inquisitive and convivial nature: you’re curious about the world around you and that translates into an interest in others. Uranus amplified that innate gift, but at the same time, it may have also revealed a hidden contempt for others with whom you disagree. Integrating that shadow nurtures a compassionate attitude.
Cancer June 22-July 22
You don’t like letting go and you really don’t like endings, which means these few weeks are likely to be quite difficult, especially if part of the process is saying goodbye to significant others you relied on for support. I’m not suggesting you cut ties willy-nilly. I’m simply acknowledging that some of what’s been happening, and might continue to occur, is a difficult transitional phase that requires you to be slightly more self-reliant.
Leo July 23-August 22
Uranus is about to transit your Solar House of career, but before it catapults you into a new phase, the focus is on how to synthesize all you’ve been learning into a new worldview. The past eight years expanded your perspective, especially what you believe in and why. This hasn’t been easy—the world is in a constant state of upheaval—but before you move into the next cycle, it’s essential to organize the lessons you’ve learned and to understand their value.
Virgo August 23-September 22
As you move through this week’s intensified intensity, be aware that much of the last nearly eight years have been focused on how to transform the stuckedness of certain issues that have interfered with your ability to move forward easily. Be confident that you’ve built the internal muscle to handle obstacles and to solve problems, whether the interference you encounter is external or internal. Stay humble, and you’ll handle what lies ahead with skill.
Libra September 23-October 22
The gift of this Uranian cycle has been managing to stay openhearted despite the shrill wind that seemed to blow through the last nearly eight years of Uranian turmoil. It may even be possible that you revolutionized your approach to relationships and in the process have let go of partnerships with bad boundaries, moving into wholesome, healthier habits with significant others, personal or professional. Whatever the outcome, you’ve grown—and now it’s time to apply the lessons.
Scorpio October 23-November 21
Uranus’ transit through Aries presented you with several challenges, some of which were physical while others were psychological or spiritual, and you had to face several periods of anxiety and disappointment, especially with yourself. As this cycle ends, take a long look at just how deeply Uranus catalyzed movement in stagnant areas that you might not have otherwise examined. While I realize some of these shifts were painful, I’m also hoping some were beneficial.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
There are two things to consider as you assess the last nearly eight years: (1) Did Uranus help you to think on your feet? And by that I mean did you learn to make quick creative decisions? (2) How did Uranus’ transit of Aries stimulate your creativity, and if it did, do you look at the world differently? Spend time pondering these questions because you’re taking their answers into the next phase and you want to be prepared.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
It’s almost as if the pull to be super-responsible has its own gravity field and every time you try to leave the I’ll-take-care-of-it zone, you’re drawn back into handling more than you would like. Don’t worry—you are headed into a more exciting phase. That said, it’s not possible to deny that you are uber –competent, so rather than being ashamed of your conscientiousness, embrace it. There’s simply no shame in doing everything well.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
Lots of people don’t appreciate the power of words, especially in a world where we’re too busy to actually listen to what’s being said. And we’ve been so thoroughly trained in emoji, we rarely have to choose a word that expresses a genuine emotion anymore. The problem that poses is simple: words are important ways to delineate boundaries and set limits. Use your words to clearly communicate your point of view.
Pisces February 19-March 20
It’s been a mad cycle of money, money, and more money issues than you originally thought, but you gotta hand it to Uranus, you’ve now been through the mill of money shifts and as a result you’re far more confident than you were before. And that’s because you’ve also been through the wringer of having to assess your true value! Don’t stop now; use the next two weeks to unearth any place where you’re still hesitant that your voice counts and then sing out loud and proud.