Well, how was that Aries New Moon for you? Globally, we’ve witnessed an earthquake in Iran near a nuclear facility, the death of Margaret Thatcher and heightening tensions with North Korea. On a more personal scope, relationship tension seems to have been the week’s theme, with some people waking up from a deep ‘lost in my partner’ sleep to find themselves again — and others taking their song of “I, I, Me, Me, Mine” to narcissistic extremes. Aries, the sign of ‘I am’, is still full of planets, but over the next week we’ll feel some subtler influences, too.
The main aspect in the current astrology (and for the near future) is a quincunx — a 150-degree connection between Saturn retrograde in Scorpio, and Uranus in Aries. Sometimes quincunxes get lost in the shuffle when ‘bigger’ astrology is afoot. When they do get our attention, they can feel a little like an opposition: a sense of polarity asking us to negotiate either end individually. But a quincunx also has a sense of continual adjustment that can feel uncomfortable — like when you can’t quite get the car seat adjusted right.
Eric wrote of this Saturn-Uranus quincunx recently:
“In the context of what we’ve been living through, this is actually useful and timely. Uranus in Aries is a long burst of self-awareness, though it can get distracted by glitz and glam. You can derail your spiritual path by getting caught up in what a bright, shiny object you are, or what a deep and spiritual object you are.
“The quincunx to Saturn in Scorpio is like leverage that is pushing the boundaries of agreements. Saturn in Scorpio may be desperately trying to cling to the frozen emotional patterns that many people stomp around in proudly, like ice queens and kings. Those in Saturn mode need the heat of those in Uranus mode.”
People in Uranus mode, that is — self-aware revolution — need to understand when they are dealing with someone in Saturn mode. Say you’re drawn toward greater self-awareness, but you’re involved with someone who isn’t interested in loosening their habitual emotional reactions and insists you conform or tamp down your fire. You have a choice.
It may not be a fun choice, but if you’re noticing other people gravitating toward you who have their self-awareness in revolution/evolution mode, ask yourself what sounds like more fun. Which option sounds more like growing and healing? Which option encourages curiosity, openness and experimentation?
No one’s saying it will be all cake to push these boundaries and negotiate experiences and relationships that truly work for who you’re becoming. But the more attractive and more workable options will offer some wiggle room to those who try to navigate the balance of individuality and conformism/relationship consciously and honestly. That also means with empathy, not emotional martyrdom. There is a difference.
Even the Sabian Symbols (channeled symbols for each of the degrees of the zodiac) subtly underscore these ideas. For 10 Scorpio, we have, “A fellowship supper reunites old comrades.” In other words, Saturn’s position is about “group-personality” and “strengthening links with those with whom one has shared, or can share, living experiences.” “Living experiences” tend to be transformational, as is Scorpio. But with Saturn there, there’s the potential to calcify what has been rather than explore what could be.
For Uranus at 10 Aries, we have, “A teacher gives new symbolic forms to traditional images,” with the added description, “Revision of attitude at the beginning of a new cycle of experience.” We’re beginning a new lunar cycle and Uranus is all about the new and the revolutionary. As Eric described, emotional patterns (“traditional images”) are up for review, and Uranus is on hand to revolutionize them: “new symbolic forms” = allowing experiences to take on a new emotional meaning.
See if you can find some of that stillness and perspective Len Wallick described Tuesday (with regard to Pluto stationing retrograde in Capricorn Friday). Something tells me it will help with all this readjusting.
As the dust begins to settle around that new Moon, I’m starting to see how the Pholus-Eris trine was playing its part. I feel like I’ve been chasing my own runaway reactions for days now, feeling about as foolish as a cat shepherdess, and only making things more entangled with each attempt. Phew! And as it look like these two stay in this aspect for some time, it appears I’ll have more, hopefully subtle, opportunities to practice some awareness there.
Wow. So happy to feel this energy dispersing a touch.
Yeah! Go for it!
aword — thanks so much for the alt take on Saturn-Uranus! it’s a very useful, productive image.
lizzy — thank you. i had no book plans, but you’ve gotten some wheels spinning…
btw lol! Re: different experiences of astro moments –
I’ve got Uranus on my natal AC (leo) and transiting Uranus on natal Moon/Eris. Saturn has been riding this out on my IC (Jupiter/NN/Neptune).
So I’ve been in-training to learn to see/use the possibilities of new structure/what Saturn offers! 🙂
Thanks Amanda, for the thought provoking article.
For me personally, this is not a tug-of-war between Saturn and Uranus, but rather a tag-team effort. Sort of like; it’s really cold out and I’m working on an ice-sculpture, but in order to manipulate the ice-water, I need a little flexibility. Uranus gives me that flexibility, then Saturn firms it up again – over and over. Thank goodness they have a line of communication open, right. Tense perhaps, but each one has his “vision”.
Each idea (Saturn/Uranus) offering what it is to the mix gives me the opportunity to create – and to (moment by moment) experience that act of continually creating. It is not a one-shot deal wherein Uranus needs to loosen up Saturn. This is a long-haul shift made up by many many moments of change then observe. Just like a sculptor’s process — shift/observe, shift/observe, shift/observe – until the new creation is complete.
Saturn is not the evil cousin from the past. Uranus and Saturn both represent useful and necessary components of the process. I’m so glad to have this moment in time to use their energy!
Thanks again; good stuff.
xo
This is tremendously accurate for me. Thanks so much
Yes. Thanks Amanda, for the great piece and photo! When are you going to publish that book of your photos? Many of them are like mini films – they have amazing stories hidden in them.
thank you len — though i must acknowledge i was working with ideas laid out by eric.
Also, perhaps your best photograph ever. High art.
Amanda: It is not easy to bring a quincunx to light, or to life. It is one of those aspects that the ancients considered to be out of aspect. You have done an admirable job of correcting the ancient myopia at a time when one of the most crucial quincunxes of our time begs for a hero to do so. Once again, you are that hero.