By Len Wallick
![]() |
Uranus stations retrograde today on the Aries Point: in the first degree of the first cardinal sign Aries, at about 16:49 UTC (12:49 pm on the East Coast of the United States). All planets are subject to retrograde motion, which is when they appear to move backwards for a few weeks or months. In the case of Uranus, a fairly distant planet, this is an illusion caused by the Earth’s movement: the Earth is getting between Uranus and the Sun, and as a result, Uranus appears to be moving against the usual direction of the planets.
There are many interpretations for retrogrades. It usually depends on the planet, the circumstance and the astrologer. We’re the most familiar with Mercury retrograde, which has some qualities we all agree exist. With outer planets the effect is subtler, and today we get to experience such an event (which will last about five months, as it does every year). Uranus stations retrograde this year in the midst of two eclipses: a partial lunar eclipse on June 26 and the total solar eclipse on July 11. It is also a milestone event in the continuous but evolving cardinal point T-square, a long continuum spanning through 2017.
Our objectives today are two. First, to place this retrograde station in the context of the big picture. Second to begin an interpretation of its synchronicity using both long term and immediate aspects. It may do well to begin with where we left off last week since the co-incidence of two continuous phenomena is still taking place.
The axis of the recent lunar eclipse was along the early degrees of the cardinal signs, Cancer and Capricorn. The eclipse therefore made aspects to Mercury (conjunct the Sun) and Pluto (conjunct the Moon) and was perpendicular (or square) to the conjunction of Uranus and Jupiter in Aries opposing Saturn in the late degrees of Virgo. The net result was that the long-term cardinal T-square was transformed short-term into a grand cardinal cross involving both luminaries, five major planets and the lunar nodes.
It is as if the superimposition of the eclipse axis represented a climax concluding one movement of a symphony. If that analogy can be accepted, then today’s retrograde station may well be a candidate for the beginning of the next movement, starting a theme to be further developed as time goes on.
Let’s proceed to two salient facts about any retrograde.
First and foremost, planets do not up and reverse course. They are in continuous motion in the same direction all the time. A retrograde is an illusion born of perspective. The perspective is born of the fact that we on Earth are tracing our own orbit around the Sun. Because our orbit is smaller, we will catch up to and pass Uranus on a regular and predictable schedule. At certain points on that schedule our perspective will make it appear as though Uranus is moving backward. Think of it like being on a train that starts to move slowly forward, making the train next to us appear as if it is in reverse.
Another thing about retrogrades is that when a planet stations, it does not stand still. This is another product of the fact that we and the planet being observed are both in continuous motion. Looking at your ephemeris may make it appear that Uranus is stuck at 35 arc minutes for two weeks, but is moving all that time, even if just a fraction of an arc second. And when it stations, it turns on a dime.
Now, let’s look at this particular retrograde of Uranus specifically.
On December 1, 2009 Uranus ended its previous retrograde cycle by stationing direct at 22+ degrees Pisces and has been in direct motion until today.
On May 27 of this year Uranus made its first ingress into Aries since the late 1920’s. The retrograde beginning today will continue as Uranus crosses back to Pisces in about six weeks. It will station forward again at 22+ degrees Pisces on December 6 of this year. Finally it will return to Aries for the long run on March 12, 2011.
During all of this oscillation between 22+ degrees Pisces and the Aries point, for the next five years (at least) one thing will not change. Uranus will remain in a functional square to Pluto. The cardinal t-square will likewise be functional for a somewhat shorter number of years. This is because Uranus is not alone in this cardinal point dance. Pluto is retreating back through the first degrees of Capricorn and will continue in retrograde until December. Saturn is moving forward in its last review of Virgo and will ingress Libra for the second time later this month. A few days after that, Jupiter will station retrograde in the fourth degree of Aries and start its own trip back to Pisces. Taken together the upshot is that we are forced to disregard the traditional orbs of influence and see the cardinal t-square as a continuum.
But that does not mean that today’s Uranus station is to be minimized or marginalized. Not by a long shot. Among other things, all retrogrades constitute a period of review. This particular one will entail an audit of the last eight months. That’s a lot to chew on. It’s a period that included a lot of activity: two Mercury retrogrades in earth signs, a Mars retrograde in Leo, and Chiron’s first of two transitions into Pisces. Those are just a few highlights.
So where do we begin to ascertain the theme of this next symphonic movement? We can make a start by considering a salient characteristic of Uranus and place it in the context of concurrent aspects — long and short.
We begin with uncertainty. Having been discovered between the time of the American and French revolutions, Uranus is historically invested with the precipitation of rapid change with unpredictable outcomes. This may well be the most unsettling characteristic of the period between now and next March. Nobody will know for sure how to evaluate much of anything. The most prominent example at the moment is what seems to be the interminable petroleum volcano erupting a mile below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. We know it’s bad, but just how bad? We know it has compromised the ecosystem of the Gulf for decades, if not centuries to come. But will it function to wreak havoc over the entire planet? We don’t know and that uncertainty is having consequences of its own.
We then take a cue from the eclipse cycle and the lunar nodes that are a part of it. The south node corresponds with the concept of karma, the harvest of consequence and responsibility for what has been done and cannot be undone. The north node resonates with the idea of dharma, acting with conscious responsibility as if we are creating the future.
In a synchronistic manner these nodes and their meaning correspond to the two signs that will frame the Uranus retrograde. Pisces, the twelfth solar house, has a thematic connection with the south lunar node in that it represents (among other things) the culmination of the previous eleven solar houses. Aries, the first solar house, likewise includes the sense of auspicious initiation that the north node represents. In other words, the Uranus retrograde station, taking place temporally in the middle of the eclipse cycle and progressing spatially across the Aries point will serve as a meaningful bridge that will integrate the shorter continuum into the longer one. The theme of this integration will include the political repercussions of personal choice. Choices that will include how we respond to consequences and the extent to which we will elect to be creative in the face of fear, confusion and discouragement.
Finally let us look at two ephemeral aspects unique to the moment.
Today, Venus at 24 Leo forms a brief fire trine to Ceres, retrograde at 24 Sagittarius. This flowing, supportive aspect suggests a presence to abundance. However, the geographical significator of the upcoming solar eclipse, Makemake at 24 Virgo, is out of aspect with both of them with a semi-sextile to Venus and a quincunx to Ceres. Given that this triple aspect is happening at this moment, we may be receiving a hint that the course of the Uranus retrograde may include an adjustment — no longer taking abundance for granted. Either that, or the period between now and next March can represent an opportunity to find abundance previously overlooked. Or both.
Today’s second triple aspect does a good job of wrapping things up. When Eris moved into the twenty-third degree of Aries earlier this year, it firmed up a semi-sextile to Sedna in Taurus that has been pretty much under our radar for a long time. Given the slow apparent motion of both, we will be living in the presence of this relationship for a long time. When we take into consideration the fact that the two jointly represent the unacknowledged edge of our solar system (and hence of our consciousness) the duet sung by these two may ultimately be the theme of the entire symphony of our time. Today, Mercury at 22+ Cancer forms a sextile (60 degrees) to Sedna and a square (90 degrees) to Eris. Taking place at the time of the Uranus station, this combination of opportunity and tension may well be an indicator that the movement just begun may not only not be the final one but is almost certainly yet to be written. And by whom will it be written? Well that may be the only sure thing. Take a look in the mirror.
Offered In Service
Easter Island is the navel of the world?
“There are several hypotheses about the “original” Polynesian name for Easter Island, including Te pito o te henua, meaning “The Navel of the land” or “The ends of the land”. Pito means both navel and umbilical cord which was considered to be the link between the world of the living (kainga) and the spiritworld Po, lying in the depths of the ocean further East. Since Easter Island is the easternmost Polynesian island it’s possible the name refers to it being the “ends” of the world of the living; however after Alphonse Pinart translated it as “the Navel of the World” in his Voyage a l’Ile de Paques published in 1877, this second meaning has been lost. According to some oral traditions, the island was first named Te pito o te kainga a Hau Maka, or the “Little piece of land of Hau Maka”.[8] Another name, Mata-ki-Te-rangi, means “Eyes looking to the sky.””
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Island
Hi Len and all,
This is a very interesting conversation you are having here, sorry I’m so late. I wanted to call attention to something I don’t believe anyone has commented on.
When Len said that transiting Uranus had stationed direct last December at 22+ Pisces, I realized that it would have been in opposition to the U.S. (Sibly) chart’s Neptune at 22 Virgo 25. This was before the lunar eclipse in Cancer on New Years Day and the solar eclipse in January at 25+ Capricorn (very close to the U.S. natal Pluto). Transiting Uranus had moved less than 1 degree by that time. We were getting a heads up about the oil disaster to come in April, but instead, we were talking about the Underwear Bomber, and the Senate passing the healthcare reform bill, and the snowstorms that covered most of the country. Duh!
Did any of you watch any of the History Channel’s 12 hour special on the story of the U.S? I became fascinated and probably, off and on, watched 4 to 5 hours of it. As the program highlighted the different trials and achievements of our country it brought the U.S. chart to life and helped me better understand the makeup of the planetary patterns within it.
For example, much attention was given to the development of the telegraph system, the railroad system and the 1950’s highway system, all of them connecting the whole country together and speeding up the way we communicate and travel across this land.
It made me aware of how the U.S. Mercury (communications) in the 8th house (transformation) teamed up in a sextile to Neptune (no boundries, dreams) in Virgo (practical applications). But these two planets form a yod with the conjunction of Pallas Athena and the Moon in Aquarius (future) in the 3rd house of “local” travel and communications.
While speaking of Pallas Athena’s many attributes, Demetra George in her book “Asteroid Goddesses” says: “. . .because of their capacity for whole pattern perception, Pallas types possess the ability to conceive and coordinate the schema for systems.”
With Pallas and the Moon (the “people” and their needs) at the focal point of the yod, the combined energy took form in the creation of these three continental-wide systems. Remarkable, don’t you think?
be
Hi Len,
Your article today is so rich and so loaded, I find it almost impossible to connect it all together and comprehend a response. It is like some one is very hungry and you put huge delicious meal in front of them! Very good.
One analogy does come to my mind, may be it is weired and inconsistent, but then I am under the influence of Uranus, So I can dare to be weired and inconsistent.
Considering the perceived movements of Saturn, Uranus, Juptier and Pluto, it feels like these planets are setting up a cosmic tent, and they are just trying to anchor it right, so that the tent is funtional and useful, because we all are going to be camping in it for a while!!!
I found it. Very interesting.
Speaking about coincidences, listen to this:
last tuesday I went to help an uncle of mine who cannot see to type his memories on the computer. The story I typed on that day mentioned Easter Island, and speaking of it he told me that the population of the island was extinguished because of wars, exploitation of the soil, etc. (I knew the island but I ignored this fact).
Now I read your beautiful article, I checked the date… and it was the same day!
Paola:
http://planetwaves.net/pagetwo/2010/06/29/as-time-goes-by/#more-26370
“As Time Goes By”
-Really striking observation by Len re: Easter Island and the upcoming eclipse.
Thank you Len, I must have missed that article. Now I’ll look for it.
I’m with ya on the heat Amanda — stinky hot here in Toronto.
A constant flow of iced tea is in order.
Re. standard time/daylight savings time, I think it makes a difference in the *spring*ing forward and *fall*ing back for some places that don’t move either way, like Saskatchewan here in Canada?
I only brought it up, ‘cos I’m often in two time zones in my head, what with growing up in Ireland and now living in the eastern time zone, which I know to be a difference of five hours, expect for those two periods when one zone adjusts before the other and it’s only four hours diff. for a few weeks.
Just wondered about this morning’s so as to be open to Uranus stationing retro….;-)
Ha Len, please say that the Planet Waves Universal Time Zone Converter also comes with a fan, along with the corkscrew and toothpick, because I would love one as well please……..!
paola,
Thank you for your observant question. Please hearken back to by blog last week about Easter Island and Makemake and the total solar eclipse on July 11. The path of totality is entirely over water with the exception of two islands. One of them is Easter Island – where Makemake is the god of creation for the Rapa Nui people. Hence the postulation that the dwarf planet of the same name had a synchronous relationship to the eclipse.
“However, the geographical significator of the upcoming solar eclipse, Makemake at 24 Virgo, is out of aspect with both of them…”
What does it mean? What is a geographical significator of an eclipse?
Thanks!
Paola
shebear13 & Amanda:
Used the handy dandy Planet Waves Universal Time Zone Converter. You might want to check it out, it’s a great tool! Fits in your pocket and comes with a corkscrew and a toothpick.
Thank you!
hey shebear —
does it make a difference if we’re talking daylight savings time vs. standard time? my brain’s a little fuzzy from heat (gotta get to a cafe w/ AC & this is not my strongest area), but it occurred to me that might be what’s different…
P.S.
Len: I think 16:49pm UTC is 11:49am Eastern and not 12:49pm — five hours difference?
This does feel like a brand new moment in time — a time like no other.
A time to release our souls’ highest potential.
Da-da-da DA
Keep the faith and let the composing begin.