The Astrology Blog 14 May 2018
If you want to check the sign and degrees in your own natal chart here’s the link to Astrotheme. Enter your data into the boxes provided:
https://www.astrotheme.com/horoscope_chart_sign_ascendant.php
What’s Happening this Week?
Well if you’re a follower of astrology you can’t have failed to miss the hoo-ha about the Big Event of the year – Uranus’ change of sign. As I said last week, this is such a significant event because, as with all the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) the changes of sign are rare. The Sun changes sign every 30 days, the first few personal planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars – change sign every 1 to 2 months, Jupiter once every 12 months and Saturn every two and half years. But once we get to the outer planets the gap gets longer and longer. With an orbit of 84 years (how long he takes to travel through all 12 signs) Uranus changes sign approximately every 8 years.
Uranus is the dominant planet throughout the week and his arrival in Taurus is preceded by a New Moon in the same sign just a few hours earlier –
Tuesday 15 May
- New Moon 24 Taurus 12.49 BST
- Uranus ingress Taurus 16.24 BST
Every sign has an element, and also a Mode. Taurus is not only Earth, it’s the sign of Fixed Earth – associated with the ground itself, nature, all produce and material resources. Psychologically, then, it’s easy to see that this sign is associated with stubbornness and immovability – think Rock of Gibraltar! Don’t ever try to rush a Taurean, they’re generally resistant to being pushed or hurried, and they don’t like having things sprung on them. They don’t like being goaded either – provoke the placid Bull at your peril! But this all makes the arrival of Uranus in Taurus even more interesting as it’s this very fixity that is now being challenged.
In the natural scheme of the heavens the last traditional planet Saturn is the bringer of solemnity, restriction, obstacles, boundaries and endings. He rules authority, career, duty and responsibility. His nature is pessimistic, realistic and serious. Uranus is the first modern planet and is primarily the rebel, kicking against everything that Saturn stands for. In other words, Uranus is the opposite to Saturn. He rules everything from outright anarchy to social advancement, the collective, ecology and technology. Both Bill Gates and the late Steve Jobs have strong Uranus/Aquarius features in their horoscopes.
In mythology Uranus is the sky god and he rules all that comes “out of the blue”. He thumbs his nose at hierarchy and traditional rules, and his nature is innovative, explosive, sudden, unexpected, erratic or unpredictable.
For any astrologer, working with this notoriously unpredictable planet is always unchartered territory, and never more so than now. Uranus it seems challenges even the craft of astrology itself. It’s impossible to second guess him but the combination of Uranus in Taurus is starting to feel very, um … lively, rocky, turbulent and full of even more surprises than usual.
Also note that Uranus will travel as far as 02.33 Taurus and then will turn retrograde and head back into Aries. So we’re only at the very beginning of this journey and here’s the sequence –
- First Uranus ingress Taurus – 15 May
- Uranus turns retrograde 02.33 Taurus 7 August
- Uranus slides back into Aries 6 November
- Uranus turns direct 28.36 Aries 6 January 2019
- Second Uranus ingress Taurus 6 March 2019
I’m particularly interested to see how this transit shows when it meets Saturn, such as for actresses Renee Zellweger – Saturn 29.29 Aries, and Cate Blanchett – Saturn 01.44 Taurus. A few other celebs to watch –
- Mark Zuckerberg – Mercury 29.29 Aries
- Celine Dion – Moon 29.40 Aries
- Rafael Nadal – Moon 00.17 Taurus
- Ryan O’Neal – who shot to fame through Love Story, has a Sun – Venus conjunction, with the two planets less than half a degree apart at 0.14 and 0.36 Taurus
When family members have synastry at sensitive degrees these are also interesting to watch, such as Britney Spears – Jupiter 01.02 Scorpio (opposite sign to Taurus) and sister Jamie Lynn Mercury 01.29 Taurus. But the biggest family synastry of all is showing with the British royals. Forget about whether you’re a monarchy fan or not, the royal family with accurate birth data and public lives is a gift for studying astrology –
- The Queen – Sun 00.13 Taurus (conjunct Chiron 28.00 Aries)
- Prince Charles – Moon 00.26 Taurus
- William – Jupiter 00.30 Scorpio and Midheaven 02.32 Scorpio
- Harry – Pluto 00.33 Scorpio
As the Queen is now 92, and Uranus’ orbit is 84 years, this means that Uranus is on his second lap around her horoscope. It’s impossible to know what was going in her daily life at the tender age of eight, but a major event is documented, which is that she met Prince Philip on 29 November 1934 at the wedding of Philip’s cousin Princess Marina of Greece to Prince George, Duke of Kent. Uranus was in the middle of a transit identical to this one – entering Taurus and then returning to Aries before arriving back in Taurus for good.
On the day of that wedding and their meeting Uranus was in the middle of this journey and was at 28.05 Aries, almost exactly conjunct the Queen’s Chiron. This astrology therefore picks out Prince Philip as being especially important again during the coming ten months. This coming Saturday, the wedding of Harry and Meghan, Uranus will be exactly conjunct the Queen’s Sun at 00.12 Taurus. Again this seems to echo a theme of passing the baton on to the new generation.
Abdication
With the nature of Uranus symbolism being what it is, the link to abdication is one that can’t be ignored. My own hunch is that Charles may yet not be king, and that the crown may be passed straight to William. Jupiter at the sensitive degree in William’s chart is on the Midheaven – this is the Angle of the father, but also the Angle of purpose and career, often accentuated with those who live their lives in the public eye. Jupiter is also William’s own ruling planet, as although he is a Sun in Cancer, his rising sign (Ascendant) is Sagittarius – and every horoscope is ruled by the planet found on the Ascendant. Uranus will also turn retrograde exactly conjunct his 4th house cusp – House of family, roots and property. Watch this space!
What Else is Happening this Week?
As noted last week Uranus is not the only planet changing sign. Mars follows suit and is therefore automatically at 0 degrees of his new sign too –
Wednesday 16 May
- Mars ingress Aquarius 05.56 BST
- Mars 0 Aquarius square Uranus 0 Taurus 08.04 BST
This is another turbulent contact. Mars and Uranus make for a feisty coupling, and by square in fixed signs they spell serious friction. This is the stuff of bust ups, a clash of wills, accidents or feeling derailed. Life has a way of turning chaotic under this aspect. Slow down, steer clear of drama – and take care with electrics! If you have planets or angles at 0 degrees of any of the Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) be prepared to take changes in your stride, especially the ones that you couldn’t possibly have seen coming and which are seemingly forced upon you.
No matter what unfolding events may be, they will be part of a necessary pattern. This is the beginning of a long journey for Mars through Aquarius as he will turn retrograde in this sign at the end of June and will finally exit this sign in the middle of November. Fasten your seatbelt, nurture your inner rebel and know that you don’t have to do everything in a conventional way.
There’s a stabilizing aspect at the end of the week –
Friday 18 May
- Mercury 8 Taurus trine Saturn 8 Capricorn 17.50 BST
In the middle of all the whackiness going on this week this aspect signals an opportunity to bring things back down to earth, to make clear agreements or firm decisions. If you need a serious talk with anyone then Friday is the day to choose.
Yet another planet changes sign at the weekend and links to Uranus but this time by a harmonious aspect –
Saturday
- Venus ingress Cancer 14.12 BST
- Venus 0 Cancer sextile Uranus 0 Taurus 18.31 BST
The love planet Venus in the Moon’s sign of Cancer is not recognized as a sign of dignity but it is a beautiful placing in my experience. Venus in Cancer is exceptionally nurturing and is a romance that will cocoon you in love. It’s also fabulous for homemaking, so fresh starts in love or new homes are exceptionally well starred.
So the week closes on a much gentler note, and next week’s astrology is more light hearted. So whatever this week throws at you, keep taking the longer view, and look out especially for loved ones or friends who are in any kind of rocky space. Be the one to throw a lifeline wherever needed.
Until next week
With love from Greece
Joanna
