This morning, and all last night really, I felt a familiar energy. The anxiety-producing ripples of Uranus as he/she/it stations retrograde. (Most of these planets are beyond simple genderization.)

Why is it that Uranus is anxiety-prone? Or that Uranian energy can give rise to anxiety? For a few reasons.

Uranian energy is very electrical, very activating. It’s often considered the higher octave of Mercury and Mercury rules the nerves, all the message-pathways in the body. Similarly, Uranus activates the nerves. What is more is that Uranus tends to activate us into directions that are outside our usual comfort zone or usual routine. (Mercury on the other hand is very routine-oriented.)

What happens when we get activated in uncertain or unusual directions though is that we get defensive! This defensiveness tends to be below conscious awareness because, after all, we might not even know where we are being activated towards. But it manifests as stress and anxiety. What this stress or anxiety is is a kind of mental friction. It is the pain or heat that is produced as our mind tries to hold on to something that is being yanked away.

I’m not sure how you will think of this, but to me it always reminds me of a core tenet of Buddhist philosophy: that attachment is the root of all suffering. Anxiety is almost always to do with some kind of attachment. There are different flavors of it, but personally I have gotten to the point where I am not too phased by this Uranian kind of anxiety. I am not too phased because I know it is just a phase. I know that I am going to have to release this attachment, whatever it is, and that it will happen as this follows its natural course.

Knowing this, I at least don’t have to be anxious about my anxiety. I know that it’s a biological process, a helpful biological process, that just takes a day or two or perhaps three to work through. I do try to get some idea of what the attachment is that is being released, but I don’t overwork myself trying to “figure it out”. This is a mental attachment after all, so mental fretting is probably just the mind trying harder to hold on. 

I like to have some idea just to keep track of my innerworkings, recognize these patterns in the future. But really, these kinds of attachments can be released without any conscious involvement at all…

A Day Before the Eclipse!

Uranus is retrograde for nearly half the year, so it is not something to worry over. It is just that each time an outer planet or any planet stations, we need to pay attention! The energy shifts.

This station is especially noteworthy because there is a (total) lunar eclipse the day after on September 7. I won’t speak too much about the themes of this lunar eclipse, but I will say that it is a North Node eclipse. (The Moon will be nearly conjunct the North Node at the time of the Full Moon.) 

Here is the chart of the eclipse, drawn for San Mateo, CA where I live:

It is a Pisces Full Moon, and Saturn recently moved back into Pisces. To me this speaks to surrender, faith, and especially to forgiveness for wrongs that have been done to us. I get that latter part from the t-square involving Mars, Lilith, Chiron, and Jupiter. Mars conjunct Black Moon Lilith and opposite Chiron speaks to some serious wounds, especially involving violence (Mars) and especially involving women or shame (two Lilith themes). But being square to Jupiter in Cancer, I see the potential for forgiveness.

This is not to say that we need to remain obligated or attached to anyone who has harmed us (parents, family, significant others). But we can forgive them or ourselves. We can move on and hope for better opportunities.

This is a deeply healing but also a deeply activating eclipse. I mentioned the North Node before because the North Node, Rahu, and Uranus have a lot in common.

Both are associated with newness and the future. Both are associated with uncertainty. Both are outside our comfort zones. Both are about change.

In fact, just as modern astrologers often consider Uranus a co-ruler of Aquarius, in Vedic astrology, Rahu is often considered a co-ruler of Aquarius. They are both associated with technology and innovation. So that is just some food for thought… If either the eclipse or Uranus is touching your chart in a major way, then this will be a time of a lot of change in those areas of life. (This is a time of change for everyone, but you know what I mean.)

Where is Uranus Moving in Your Chart?

I primarily use whole sign houses. I’m sure I will write a post about this in the future. I am not a zealot about it. I see how unequal houses also have an effect and I know that, especially people who are tapped into their intuition, will see what they need to see (or what a client needs to see) in the chart. So I will not say anyone needs to use whole sign houses. I would just say that (1) it works and (2) it adds a level of convenience and elegance. (Though at the same time I find that many great astrologers simultaneously hold whole sign houses and unequal houses in their mind or spirit at the same time.)

Anyways I point this out because as Uranus retrogrades, it will be moving back into Taurus. With whole sign houses, that means it will also be switching houses, and this house tells us what areas of life will be affected. Uranus has been in Taurus for the last several years, so this should be nothing new to us. But what areas of life are having some final touches applied to? In what areas are we releasing some final attachments before Uranus moves on to a new area?

Aries Rising – If you have Aries rising, then Uranus will be moving back into your 2nd house. What material attachments are you releasing? Possessions, jobs, resources of any kind? Perhaps you are releasing these as an investment, or perhaps to open up space for new development.

Taurus Rising – If you have Taurus rising, then Uranus will be moving back into your 1st house. What ways of controlling your appearance or persona are you releasing? Probably you have completely transformed the way you present yourself over the last several years, but are there ways you can be even freer, even more your unique self?

Gemini Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 12th house. What unconscious habits or patterns are you releasing? What spiritual hindrances are you letting go of? How can you be free to fully relax when there is nothing that needs to be done?

Cancer Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 11th house. What friends might you be releasing or letting go of more fully? How could your role in your community or social network become a bit more loose or vibrant? Since the 11th is also the house of gains or profits, you might find some financial changes too.

Leo Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 10th house. You have probably been a change-maker in your public sphere over the last several years, or you have experienced a total transformation in your career. Are there final touches that are trying to come through on this era of career change, or how you show up in public spaces?

Virgo Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 9th house. Is your relationship with your teacher or as a teacher getting a “shake-up”? Your beliefs and opinions and understanding of your own purpose in this world may have shifted a lot over the last several years, but there are always new changes that can come through. Just know it is all for your and everyone’s Higher Good.

Libra Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 8th house. Talk about change. The 8th house is about finding calm in the storm and Uranus is the storm. I hope that in the last several years you have found ways to ground your energy, to find inner stability even as the world around goes up, down, left, or right. If not, take this opportunity to expand any kinds of practices that might promote inner wellbeing. Saturn is in Pisces, so that speaks to spiritual discipline too.

Scorpio Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 7th house. Relationship chaos! Or relationship experimentation, that might be a summary of the last several years of your life. What final “experiments” might you be running in the upcoming months? How can you be more yourself within the inevitable “confines” of a relationship. Don’t forget that partners are each their own individual…

Sagittarius Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 6th house. Perhaps some health concerns could arise, and perhaps your health has been erratic already over the last several years. One thing I might suggest is focusing on purity (one 6th house theme). What is some bad health habit that you can nix, or what is one kind of cleansing or fasting that you can introduce? Perhaps you can decrease your meat intake, your coffee intake, etc.?

Capricorn Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 5th house. If you are a parent, you might find some rebelliousness comes to the fore with your children, or you might find that you need more freedom from parenting. How can you let other people help you in your day-to-day affairs, or how can you let your kids be more themselves and have faith that it will work out for the best? If you are not a parent (or even if you are), you might find some impulse to be creative in new ways. Forget your usual creative routine, or even your usual creative medium. Don’t be afraid to let the juices flow whenever and however they would like.

Aquarius Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 4th house. You might feel ungrounded, lifted off the soil, or you might have some chaos at home or in your inner emotional world. This reminds me of what I wrote above for Libra rising and the 8th house, so you may want to read that as well. In any case, this is an opportunity to better understand your moods and inner world. Every mood happens for a reason. How can you honor them and always find your way back to center?

Pisces Rising – Uranus is moving back into your 3rd house. What ideas might you be releasing? What early teachings no longer serve you? Or, to speak to another 3rd house theme, how might your role amongst your peer group be changing? How might your competitive spirit be awakening (again)?

Hope these were helpful or resonate. Enjoy this Pisces Lunar Eclipse and don’t forget to catch a glimpse of it, as it will be a total eclipse.