One of the planets I take special note of when preparing for a client’s consultation is transiting Uranus. When Uranus aspects a personal planet or angle in the natal chart, the person is generally experiencing a catalyzing event and/or inner restlessness which results in breakdown, breakthrough or both in at least one area of life.
Uranus works with the tools of instability, chaos and experiment in order to create more freedom. For example:
- During Uranus transits to our Sun, we may feel as though time is running out to truly live our lives in authentic expression. So we might take a leap of faith and try something we’ve never had the courage to before.
- When Uranus transits the Moon, especially by conjunction, square or opposition, we may feel our systems of support are unreliable. Whether it be our refrigerator simply stops working or we lose the immediate connection with friends as we move away to a new city, these are times of change and instability. Our friendships with women, sisters and relationship to mother (and as a mother) may also be affected.
- Uranus crossing over our Ascendant or Midheaven can be one of the most pivotal times in our lives. We may completely make ourselves over (ASC) or step into an entirely new career (MC). These transits often correlate with getting married or divorced, becoming a parent or the children leaving home, and big changes in the way we see ourselves and how we move through the world in terms of our contribution to it.
Celebrity Example
Sadie Sink became a household name when she became a regular as skateboarder Max on Season 2 of Stranger Things. The season was released on Netflix on October 27, 2017 as Uranus was exactly conjunct her exalted Aries Sun. Now, Uranus is conjunct her Venus in Taurus as The Whale makes a major splash at last weekend’s Venice Film Festival.
As Uranus moves into Gemini, it will conjunct her Mars, Moon and Saturn. As a Cancer Rising, she’s ruled by the Moon. Mars rules her 5th and 10th houses while Saturn rules the 7th and 8th. Her life will continue to dramatically shift as Uranus brings creative breakthrough via her career, sense of self and significant other(s).
An 84 year cycle
Uranus takes 84 years to complete one cycle, moving about 4° a year, and spending roughly seven years in one sign. For instance, Uranus first entered the sign of Taurus in May of 2018 and will fully depart Taurus the end of April 2026 until it circles back again in year 2102. Because of retrograde motion, outer planets usually dip into the next sign and back out again before emerging all the way. It’s the same on their way out: dip forward, step backward, slide all the way in. So the collective time Uranus is in any sign averages to 7 years.
Think about where Taurus lands in your chart. Have you experienced upheaval, surprise, shock, awakening, emergence, or a completely new way of being? Have the changes brought about more freedom in your life?
Uranus through Taurus
Let’s go through the 12 Houses using the Whole Sign system to see how Uranus might be affecting you since 2018:
- Aries Rising—2nd House
Uranus has disrupted your flow of income and resources. You might be in the process of finding new work or ways to supplement your income. Perhaps you’re taking a break from work and making the appropriate adjustments or you’ve started working again. Uranus wishes to liberate you using 2nd house themes of how and what you do to resource yourself. - Taurus Rising—1st House
Uranus is here to awaken you! These may feel like years of major change or at the very least, inner restlessness. As a fixed sign, Taurus values consistency and stability, so change isn’t always welcome. The potential to switch paths to a life that feels authentic to you is strong now, especially as Uranus conjuncts your Ascendant. Your physical appearance can go through a transformation as well. - Gemini Rising—12th House
Uranus is here to liberate you from whatever has been swept under the rug or banished to the cellar of your inner landscapes. These are the years you can make a lot of progress by looking at the inner saboteur that has kept you from living your best life. People you meet during these years are especially talented at provoking your conditioned triggers so you can deal with them once and for all. - Cancer Rising—11th House
Friends that you thought were forever suddenly leave. Shocking developments occur in communities you find fellowship in. Alternatively, you may begin to understand that your dreams themselves are changing. What you once wished for so fervently is no longer as paramount to your happiness. Uranus is here to remind you that as those around you change, you can too. - Leo Rising—10th House
Big moves in career and your social reputation collaborate to unveil the emerging you! These are times of unexpected layoffs, getting fired, big promotions, hitting jackpot, walking away, starting over and taking bold steps forward. It can be an exhilarating ride for our mutable friends, but not as much for fixed Leo. Hang in there Leo: remember that Uranus works to connect you to your most authentic life and in the end, the roller coaster ride is part of it. - Virgo Rising—9th House
Virgo, your commitment to self-improvement can take Uranus through your 9th in stride. This is a time of finding greater freedom through learning, going back to school, getting in touch with your spirituality, travelling, perhaps living abroad, learning astrology and all the other 9th House topics that want to grow and nurture your Best Self. - Libra Rising—8th House
This can be a time of leaning on significant others for support while finding your own financial freedom. Your partner’s income might change. An inheritance may come your way. You may suddenly pay off debt, enter debt, or both. Loan forgiveness frees up finances to invest in a new way forward. Finally, this can be a time of deep excavation of letting things go while alchemizing suffering into peace. - Scorpio Rising—7th House
When Uranus transits the 7th, we need more space or our partner does. There can often be separations during this time, either temporary or permanent. Relationships begin and end during this transit. Surprises and instability will test the fault lines now, either making a significant relationship stronger or closer to its expiration date. - Sagittarius Rising—6th House
Uranus can bring disruptions to your schedule making it harder to plan your time. Sickness and injury are topics of the 6th and sometimes an unexpected illness arises and must be taken care of. Your work environment, the people that work for you or your colleagues can feel unstable during these years. A new pet might enter your life now or sudden issues concerning pets can surface with this transit. - Capricorn Rising—5th House
Uranus wants to liberate us sexually! This can be a time of experimentation. For instance, someone who has been celibate for years has their libido awakened. Or vice versa. Our children may go through great change themselves: Uranus acting to liberate them. Unexpected pregnancies can happen now. We might try our hand at art or theatre or some creative expression when Uranus transits our 5th. - Aquarius Rising—4th House
Disruption at home that leads to great freedom. We might move during this transit or renovate our current home. The occupants inside the home often change, whether that be a newborn, a grown child moving out, or another relative coming to live with us. Oftentimes, the external changes point to an internal need to anchor ourselves in the core of who we are. - Pisces Rising—3rd House
This is the House where the Moon has her joy. When Uranus transits here, there’s often a blossoming of inner self. We respond to learning new things that change the way we look at the world. We may pick up a hobby or interest that subtly liberates us from our conditioning. Additionally, our siblings might be going through major life changes as the 3rd House represents them.
Exchanges between planets
As Uranus transits through a sign, the planet will connect by sextile, square, trine, opposition and conjunction to our natal placements. These connections will bring the significations of Uranus—disruption, breakthrough, liberation, instability, etc.—to the themes of the natal planet. When Uranus squares Venus, for example, there’s turbulence around at least one of Venus’s topics: finances, friendships, love and beauty. The tension is stronger when we’re looking at a hard aspect (conjunction, square and opposition) and when Venus plays a prominent role in our chart, such as ruling an angular house or being our Time Lord.
We can go through all the planets and combine the significations of Uranus, the natal planet that is experiencing the transit, and the houses the natal planet rules to determine where area of our lives is going through its own Jenga moment that wants to reconfigure for more alignment and freedom.
Uranus will also make squares and oppositions to itself. The ages of 21, 42, 63 and 84 are times of restless reinvention as Uranus asks us if we are being true to ourselves.
Change is a part of life
Our lives aren’t static. Although it’s not easy, change is a natural part of life. Sometimes we keep driving on a road after we’ve missed our exit. It’s the same with our journey. We’ll stay in a role long after we’ve outgrown it. Uranus is here to remind us of our soul’s song so that we can keep humming in tune with it.
Image: Adriana Marco Remon found on Unsplash.com