Uranus in Aries

A Spark of Hope for the Future

 

 

© Michele Finey 2009

This article was originally published in the April-May 2010 issue of The Mountain Astrologer.

Slight variations have been made to this version and additional images have been included.

 

 

On March 19, 1932, at around 10:25 a.m. in Sydney, Australia, [Chart1] a man by the name of Francis De Groot, dressed in military uniform and on horseback, caused a commotion when he disrupted the official opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Drawing his sword, he cut the ribbon and declared the bridge open in the name of “decent citizens of New South Wales.” He was quickly arrested, taken for psychiatric assessment, pronounced sane, then charged with offensive behaviour in a public place and fined five pounds.

               De Groot was a member of an ultra right-wing group called the New Guard. They were angry because Jack Lang, the Labor State Premier, was opening the bridge, and they believed that only a member of the British Royal Family should have this honour. Although the incident might seem rather comical by today’s standards, the New Guard was a radical fascist group with tens of thousands of members across Australia.

 

 

              The New Guard was proud of its fascist leanings and had many military personnel among their ranks. A few years later, when right-wing governments were back in power at the state and federal level, the New Guard faded into history. Nevertheless, in the early 1930s, they posed a serious threat to democracy in Australia, even planning a coup against the NSW government.

              De Groot’s opening of the bridge took place during the last transit of Uranus in Aries (1927–35), which included five exact squares to Pluto in Cancer. The fun and frivolity of the Roaring Twenties was most definitely over. Franklin D. Roosevelt, president of the United States, took steps with his “New Deal” to curb the power of corporations in the wake of the 1929 Wall Street crash and the ensuing Great Depression. But some people were appalled by

 

             

Chart 1. Sydney Harbour Bridge Opened.

             

the government’s intervention in free enterprise, and in 1934 a group of businessmen led by a former military commander plotted to overthrow the Roosevelt administration and install a fascist dictatorship.[2]

              As the Great Depression hit hard and the world lurched from one crisis to another between the first and second World Wars, widespread poverty and hardship tested different styles of government, both right and left. A number of fascist regimes shot to prominence, tension escalated, and soon the world marched off to another war.

              Charles Harvey, in Mundane Astrology, describes Uranus as follows: “Individualistic, independent, self-reliant, encourages free enterprise, also seeks autonomy and is liable to rebellion and revolution. Tends to be right-wing, but equally to the ‘fascism of the left.’ Once in power can be autocratic and totalitarian.”[3]

              In its July 1934 issue, Fortune magazine lauded the success of fascist regimes in Germany and Italy, praising Hitler and Mussolini for the swift economic recovery that they had made possible.[4]

              Part of the reason Hitler was so popular, at least initially, was that he managed to turn the German economy around so quickly after coming to power. By 1935, unemployment in Germany had been reduced to around 11%, from a peak of 30% in 1932, reaching a low of 2 per cent by 1938, while elsewhere in Europe it remained high. Even in the U.S., throughout the 1930s, the rate of unemployment stayed between 14 and 20%.[5]

              Given today’s economic climate, which has also required government intervention and may yet bring about tighter corporate regulations, this possible backlash from the political right is something to bear in mind as we head into this new seven-year cycle ushered in by Uranus entering Aries.

              Nationalism became of paramount importance in the 1930s, no doubt helped along by Pluto in Cancer. Uranus in Aries also assisted several countries to gain their independence, including Iraq, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. The Vatican State was also established. Meanwhile, conflict between Japan and China erupted when the Japanese invaded Manchuria, eventually leading to outright war between these Asian neighbours in 1937. The Japanese military was acting, for the most part, independently of the government.

              Uranus in Aries seems to be associated with extremists, not just those on the fringes of society, but also those infiltrating the establishment and gaining positions of leadership. Under the influence of Mars (ruler of Aries), Uranus commences its zodiac journey with a loud bang, seeking the freedom to act immediately and with a high degree of autonomy. It’s worth noting that the 1930s were probably more aggressive and dark than it might otherwise have been, due to the discovery of Pluto in 1930, which took place when Uranus was within 8 minutes of an exact square to Saturn.

              In the chart for the discovery of Pluto, (Chart 2) Mars in Aquarius forms a mutual reception with Uranus and is less than half a degree from an exact sextile. This intensifies the energy of both Mars and Uranus, locking them together, aiding and abetting Pluto as he emerged from the Underworld.

 

 

Chart 2. Pluto Discovered.

             

Although Uranus in Aries seems to have a penchant for the military, at the same time he is disinclined to yield to authority figures. Like Captain De Groot, Uranus in Aries makes his own rules. He doesn’t abide by regulations which might restrict his actions.

              Another example of the escalating tension in the 1930s can be seen in the chart for the Third Reich (Chart 3). An Aries Moon sits in an oversized 12th house, showing the pent-up emotions the German nation was feeling. Uranus is here too, part of a grand cross involving the recently discovered Pluto in Cancer on the IC (conjunct the Part of Fortune), Venus in Capricorn, and the Vertex in Libra. Forced to pay enormous sums of money in compensation in the aftermath of World War I, Germany struggled through the 1920s. A stellium in Aquarius, including the Sun and Saturn, is being amplified by its dispositor Uranus, erupting as extremism. Mars, dispositor of Uranus in Aries, retrograde just a week, reveals a sense of hardship, emasculation and inferiority. Mars conjoins Jupiter and Neptune (both also retrograde) and the South Node, so the people believed that the Reich would save them.

 

 

Chart 3. Germany Third Reich.

             

There were five exact squares of Pluto and Uranus in the 1930s and Saturn was also involved. Dark themes abounded. The cosmos is about to align the planets in a scarily similar pattern. This time, we will witness seven exact squares, and just as in the 1930s, this will happen in cardinal signs. It seems that we are treading a dangerous path. Has history taught us anything? And what is the cosmic lesson here?

 

The Outer Planets: Core Meanings

              What is Uranus trying to express? What does Pluto really want? Some years ago, I gave these questions serious thought and attempted to come up with some key phrases which might sum up the archetypal meaning of the outer planets. As part of the collective, they must represent fundamental aspects of life itself, universal archetypes that lie at the core of creation and at the core of our being. So, what are these essential ingredients of life that are shared by all people, indeed by all living things?

              My feeling is that Uranus represents the freedom to create, that primal instinctive urge within us all. This creative independence can, of course, take many forms, be it procreation, invention, writing, or art, but put very simply, it’s the desire to be free to express ourselves. I suspect that Uranus really gets out of hand and becomes disruptive and rebellious only when it’s prevented from expressing itself freely. This can happen when there is a conflict with Pluto (or Saturn) in the form of hard aspects.

              Pluto, meanwhile, represents the need to survive, an even more fundamental aspect of life deeply embedded in the collective psyche. Pluto erupts when our survival (physically or psychically) is perceived to be under threat. Pluto is also intrinsically associated with money, because this is the currency of survival.

              I think that Neptune, at its core, is a more passive archetype and represents the desire to belong. This, of course, can be expressed in many ways as love, religious devotion, and so forth, but fundamentally it represents a need to feel a sense of connection to something universal. These archetypes are deeply embedded within all creation.

              The discovery of the outer planets has made it possible for us to examine historic events against the backdrop of their long cycles, revealing how the struggle to survive (Pluto), the freedom to create (Uranus), and the desire to belong (Neptune) have built civilisation from the ground up.

 

 

 

The Uranus–Pluto Cycle:

The Struggle for Freedom and Survival

Year(s)	Uranus	Pluto	Aspect	Degrees	Hits	Phase/Modality
1343–44	Ari	Ari	Conj.	10–11°	3	New/cardinal
1370–71	Leo	Tau	Square	6–8°	3	Waxing/fixed
1394–96	Sco–Sag	Tau–Gem	Opp.	29–02°	5	Full/mutable
1424–26	Pis–Ari	Gem–Can	Square	28–02°	5	Waning/cardinal
1455–56	Leo	Leo	Conj.	12–13°	3	New/fixed
1496–1500	Aqu	Sco	Square	12–25°	9	Waxing/fixed
1538–40	Leo	Aqu	Opp.	8–13°	5	Full/fixed
1566–67	Sag	Pis	Square	15–19°	5	Waning/mutable
1597–98	Ari	Ari	Conj.	19–20°	3	New/cardinal
1623–24	Leo	Tau	Square	14–17°	3	Waxing/fixed
1648–49	Sag	Gem	Opp.	7–10°	5	Full/mutable
1678–80	Ari	Can	Square	9–13°	5	Waning/cardinal
1710	Leo	Leo	Conj.	28°	1	New/fixed
1755–58	Pis	Sag	Square	13–22°	7	Waxing/mutable
1792–94	Leo	Aqu	Opp.	21–26°	5	Full/fixed
1820–21	Sag	Pis	Square	25–29°	5	Waning/mutable
1850–51	Ari	Ari	Conj.	28–29°	3	New/cardinal*
1876–77	Leo	Tau	Square	22–25°	3	Waxing/fixed
1901–02	Sag	Gem	Opp.	15–19°	5	Full/mutable
1932–34	Ari	Can	Square	20–24°	5	Waning/cardinal
1965–66	Vir	Vir	Conj.	16–17°	3	New/mutable
2012–15	Ari	Cap	Square	6–15°	7	Waxing/cardinal**
2046–48	Vir	Pis	Opp.	3–7°	7	Full/mutable
2073–74	Cap	Ari	Square	5–8°	5	Waning/cardinal
2104	Tau	Tau	Conj.	7°	1	New/fixed

Table 1: Uranus–Pluto Hard Aspects 1343–2104

 

 

* The last ARIES conjunction was at 29° Aries.

** Note that, in 2012, this is a waxing cardinal square. The last waxing cardinal square was in 1236–39, and there were nine hits.

 

              Throughout most of recorded history, Uranus–Pluto conjunctions have been alternating between Leo and Aries. Four conjunctions have occurred in Aries since the 11th century. These took place in the years 1090, 1343, 1597, and 1850. But by the time the next conjunction rolls around in 2104, the point of conjunction will have shifted into Taurus, when a new cycle commences. (See Table 2.) The influence of Mars/Aries upon the revolutionary cycle of Uranus–Pluto has therefore been in play since 1090, but we are now in a transition period. As we approach 2012, it’s interesting that there has not been a waxing cardinal square since 1236–39.

 

Sign & Degree	Year	Events
Aries 1°	1090	First Crusade, 1095–96.
Cancer 28°	1201	Magna Carta, 1215. Mongol Empire, 1206. 4th Crusade.
Aries 11°	1343–44	Black Death. Hundred Years’ War.
Leo 13°	1455–56	Printing Press/Renaissance. Fall of Constantinople, 1453.
Aries 20°	1597–98	Era of Corporate Colonialism, British East India Co.
Leo 28°	1710	Steam Engine Starts Industrial Revolution. U.K. Act of Union, 1707.
Aries 29°	1850–51	Era of Political Rebellion. Gold Rush. Great Exhibition.
Virgo 16°	1965–66	Social & Cultural Revolution. Computer & Space Age.
Taurus 7°	2104	Financial and Resources Revolution?

 

Table 2: Cycle of Uranus–Pluto Conjunctions

 

              Uranus–Pluto hard aspects highlight challenges for humanity as we try to work out how best to thrive and, at the same time, be free to create.

 

“They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom.”

— William Wallace (Mel Gibson), in the movie Braveheart

 

              To a large extent, civilisation has been built on slavery. Individually and collectively we have sought to expand both our wealth (Pluto) and our freedom (Uranus). Throughout history, those with less have sought a larger share, often leading to revolution. But once we have what we want, we want still more. Will we ever have enough? And is there enough to go around?

 

 

              Ideally, one’s survival and prosperity should not be at the expense of another’s freedom. Do we have to be a slave to the almighty dollar and, in the process, cut ourselves off from our unique creative essence? Does being free to create mean that we have to struggle to get by? Do Uranus and Pluto have to be mutually exclusive?

              Over the past one thousand years, conjunctions of Uranus and Pluto have been occurring mostly in Aries and Leo. This masculine, fiery influence has meant that humanity has been persuing its own selfish interests without regard to the effect on others. We have only been concerned with our own personal survival and individual freedom, and largely unaware of the impact our actions have had on others and the planet as a whole.

              On the face of it, the coming shift of this conjunction into Taurus would seem to be a positive step; as in the 1960s when the conjunction was in Earth sign Virgo and a fresh awareness of the environment first began to emerge.

              When this new Taurus cycle begins in 2104 it may herald a new understanding of, and relationship to, the Earth and her resources. Under the influence of Venus, rather than Sun and Mars, we may come to more fully understand, value and appreciate the connections and relationships that exist between all living things.

              But before that happens, in this transition period as we move from Aries to Taurus we have to work through some challenges. Let’s take a look at some pivotal points in the past for clues as to how we might resolve some of our current problems.

 

The Uranus–Pluto Conjunction of 1090

This Aries cycle had its genesis in the year 1090, shortly before the First Crusade. Muslim raids had led the Byzantine Emperor to appeal to the Pope for help. In 1095, Pope Urban II called the Council of Clermont, where it was decided to send a crusade to the Holy Land to restore Christian rule. Even before this got under way, an army of peasants set off for Jerusalem on their own. This was known as the People’s Crusade, and many joined the march to Jerusalem, spurred on by poverty and the hardship of their present circumstances.

              Since this Aries cycle is now about to conclude, perhaps we will see a solution to the Middle East conflict, though the current waxing square may also mean that conflict will intensify before a settlement is reached.

 

The Uranus–Pluto Conjunction of 1343–44

The second conjunction in Aries came during one of the longest periods of conflict in European history: the Hundred Years’ War, which began in 1337 and lasted until 1453, as successive English kings waged war on France in an attempt to seize power.[6]

              But even more devastating for Europe was the outbreak of the Black Death, or bubonic plague. The plague is thought to have started in China and Central Asia and spread throughout Europe along trade routes, carried by fleas and black rats. Reaching England in 1348, the plague killed between 30 and 50 percent of the population in only a few months.[7]

 

The Uranus–Pluto Square of 1496–1500

Looking back through 1,000 years of history, there have been two occasions when there have been nine hits of Uranus and Pluto in square. Both were waxing squares: one cardinal (in 1236–39) and one fixed.

              The fixed square (1496-1500) coincided with the discovery of the New World and the start of the conquest and enslavement of numerous indigenous peoples by invading Europeans, paving the way for our modern global civilisation. Not only were there nine exact hits of this square, but Pluto was in Scorpio and Uranus was in Aquarius, signs of their modern-day rulership, so it stands to reason that this was an especially tense struggle, as many communities fought for their survival and freedom. The whole world was forever and completely revolutionised.

              During this time, the Roman Catholic Church was in turmoil, and corruption was rife. Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI, 1492–1503) and his family were notorious for their corruption and greed. It was this corruption which spawned the Reformation and Martin Luther’s theses of complaint in 1517.

 

The Uranus–Pluto Conjunction of 1597–98

This Uranus–Pluto conjunction in Aries took place at the end of the 16th century when European powers sought to extend their influence and power. This manifested with the creation of the entity known as the corporation. One of the first and most successful joint-stock companies was the East India Company, founded in 1600. The company was established by Queen Elizabeth I to develop commercial opportunities in the new British colonies. It had its own army and political administration. The company continued to expand its power and influence in many regions of the globe, notably in India, up until the 1850s, when another period of revolutionary change was ushered in.

 

1760–68: Uranus in Aries, Pluto in Capricorn (from 1762)

Although Uranus and Pluto did not make an exact square during this Uranus in Aries transit, it is nonetheless worth examining events from this period, as Pluto moved into Capricorn in 1762. The seeds of American independence were planted at this time, with the colonies’ increasing opposition to British rule. This was largely due to the introduction of the Stamp Act in 1765. As opposition to the tax grew, Americans became determined to be free of British rule, resulting in the War of Independence. Protests and boycotts created financial problems for the East India Company, which was trying to maintain its monopoly on tea. This eventually led to the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

              Colonial powers were also fighting between themselves for control of many parts of the New World at this time. During the Seven Years’ War (1756–63), for example, France lost Canada to Great Britain.

              Meanwhile, in 1763–65, James Watt made substantial improvements to Newcomen’s Steam Engine (1712), thus accelerating the Industrial Revolution.[8]

 

 

The Uranus–Pluto Conjunction of 1850–51

Political revolutions swept through Europe in 1848, just prior to this Uranus–Pluto conjunction in Aries. The cause of many of these uprisings was a deep-seated anger within the lower classes towards the monarchy and the well-to-do. Naturally enough, the poor wanted more freedom and their fair share, but the ruling classes were content with the status quo.

              Many people opted to start a new life in the U.S. and Australia, lured by the discovery of gold (Pluto) in both continents. Gold was the “carrot” which led thousands of people from Asia and Europe to undertake the long and dangerous sea voyage to the promise of a new and independent life (Uranus). This accelerated the widespread displacement, enslavement, and genocide of indigenous populations in both continents, though at the same time, the African slave trade was finally coming to a halt.

              Two American activists, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, organised the first-ever conference of women's rights, which was held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York.[9] The conference came about because Mott had earlier been refused permission to speak at the world anti-slavery convention in London. Male and female delegates alike signed a declaration demanding that the rights of women be acknowledged and respected.[10]

              During this time, free trade expanded rapidly. The English Parliament believed that the free market economy (Uranus–Pluto) would solve all the problems that had emerged as a result of the Industrial Revolution.[11] Free trade was also a good way to cut costs — something which had become more critical because slavery was in the process of being abolished. Interestingly, it was also during this period that Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto arrived on the scene, offering an alternative socioeconomic model.

              Since this last conjunction of Uranus and Pluto in Aries, the corporation has become all-powerful, but this has exacted a huge cost.

 

 

The Uranus–Pluto Square of 2012–15

 The planetary picture today is eerily similar to the 1930s. What is different, however, is that this is a waxing square. Unlike the 1930s, when Uranus was waning, Uranus is growing in influence relative to Pluto. This means Uranus has the upper hand, unlike during the Great Depression when Pluto was dominant.

Meanwhile, by 2017, Pluto will have travelled exactly 180 degrees from its discovery position in just 87 years — just a little longer than one cycle of Uranus. This suggests that we are awakening to a fresh understanding of our own collective shadow and are consequently less inclined to project Pluto by blaming others. The scene is set for a dramatic shift in our collective consciousness.

              It also worth noting that, in April 2009, Neptune returned to its discovery position, having travelled a full 360 degrees since that date in 1846. Potentially, we are on the threshold of a significant spiritual awakening as we begin to understand that we are all connected by the common thread of humanity and must learn to share planet Earth.

              Although these seven exact squares of Uranus and Pluto augur a tough road ahead, as Uranus grows in its ascendency, relative to Pluto, Pluto’s influence is on the wane. Hence we are likely to see a reduction in the scope and influence of traditional Pluto institutions and seats of power, such as the Corporation.

 

“History humbles dominant institutions. Great empires, the church, the monarchy, the Communist parties of Eastern Europe were all overthrown, diminished, or absorbed into new orders. It’s unlikely that the corporation will be the first institution to defy history.”

— Joel Bakan, The Corporation

 

The modern-day corporation, arguably the most powerful of all modern day organisations is one institution whose days may be numbered. Under current corporate laws there is no accountability. Shareholders might own a company they have no say in its day to day operation. Meanwhile company executives are free to line their own pockets. Distance (Uranus) ownership (Pluto) means that no one takes any responsibility (Saturn).

 

Date	Degrees
June 24, 2012	08°24 Ari–Cap
Sept. 19, 2012	06°57 Ari–Cap
May 21, 2013	11°14 Ari–Cap
Nov. 1, 2013	09°26 Ari–Cap
April 22, 2014	13°34 Ari–Cap
Dec. 15, 2014	12°35 Ari–Cap
March 17, 2015	15°18 Ari–Cap

 

Table 3: The Seven Exact Uranus–Pluto Squares, 2012–15

 

 

              With Pluto in Capricorn (ruled by Saturn which now squares Pluto from Libra), it’s clear that our financial systems need to become more fair and just. For years, corporations (Pluto) have been allowed to take incredible liberties (Uranus) and have laid waste to planet Earth in the name of shareholder profits. Governments (Saturn) have aided and abetted this process by accepting political donations from big business, rather than acting as impartial (Uranus) regulators (Saturn). Multinational corporations have trampled on human rights in the name of free trade; they have enslaved people and sold weapons and toxic chemicals for profit, without the slightest regard for morality or ethics, let alone the environment. And we have allowed this to happen — in fact, we have created it.

              Saturn in Libra (2009–12) will help us to redress some of the imbalances in the system and also help us to establish new and fairer laws and regulations. This Saturn transit will be followed immediately by a mutual reception of Saturn and Pluto, when Saturn goes through Scorpio (2012–15); this coincides with the Uranus–Pluto square, which should assist in the rebuilding process. Uranus, Pluto, and Saturn can work together when we learn to integrate each planet’s dynamics within our lives and communities.

              It’s clear that we urgently need to address widespread hardship and inequality, the impacts of climate change, and numerous other pressing humanitarian and environmental issues. Uranus in Aries will give us the impetus and energy to do this, but it won’t be easy. Instead of government (Saturn) bailing out big business (Pluto), maybe it would be better to give some power back to the individual (Uranus). This may start to happen as the waxing square kicks in.

              One way forward through this economic crisis is already emerging: Co-ops are starting to boom. During the economic crisis in Argentina around 2001, hundreds of businesses and factories shut down. Not long afterward, workers occupied the premises of these bankrupt businesses and began to run them as worker-owned cooperatives. The courts have since upheld their right to do so, and they have proved to be highly successful. In a cooperative arrangement, each member/owner/worker has an equal vote and shares in the responsibilities, reaping benefits according to one’s individual input. Uranus, Pluto, and Saturn cooperate.

              It’s noteworthy that in 2073–74 we will have another cardinal Uranus–Pluto square to work through; this time, Pluto will be in Aries and Uranus in Capricorn. The next few generations will evaluate how well we manage this current cycle, when the consequences of our actions (and our inaction) become apparent. A new cycle of cooperation can be ushered in at the Uranus- Pluto conjunction transitions from Aries into Taurus, and we begin to realise that our Earth is a finite resource whose patience is wearing thin. Clearly we must start living within our means — there is no alternative.

 

Chart Data and Sources

Pluto Discovery, February 18, 1930; 4:00 p.m. MST; Flagstaff, AZ, USA (35°N11^, 111°W37^); Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes (BWH), The Wessex Astrologer Ltd, 2004, Chart 470.

Germany (the Third Reich), January 30, 1933; 11:15 a.m. CET; Berlin, Germany (52°N32^, 13°E25^); BWH, Chart 126.

 

References and Notes

1. Data from the National Library in Sydney, De Groot’s papers, court transcripts, and several witnesses gave evidence that the event took place “at around 10:30 a.m.”; another witness stated 10:15 a.m. I have rectified the time to 10:25 a.m. because this places the Ascendant at 24° Taurus for which the Sabian symbol — “An Indian, human scalps hanging at his belt, rides proudly” — seems appropriate.

2. Joel Bakan, The Corporation, Constable & Robinson Ltd, 2004, pp. 86–87.

3. Charles Harvey, et al., Mundane Astrology, Thorsons, 1984, p. 176.

4. Bakan, The Corporation, pp. 86–87.

5. J.A.S. Grenville, The Collins History of the World in the Twentieth Century, HarperCollins Publishers, 1994, p. 172.

6. Judy Pearsall and Bill Trumble, eds., Oxford English Reference Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Inc., 2002, p. 691.

7. Ibid., p. 148.

8. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Watt (accessed December 2009).

9. Lucretia Mott was born on January 3, 1793 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Astrotheme.com gives a time of 12:00 p.m. (no source), which likely means that the actual birth time is unknown. However, this noon chart looks convincing, with Saturn in Aries rising. Mott had Uranus in Leo opposing Pluto conjunct Venus in Aquarius — excellent cosmic credentials for an activist.

10. See www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/senecafalls.html (accessed December 2009).

11. John Ralston Saul, The Collapse of Globalism, Penguin Group, 2005, pp. 17–51.

 

© 2010 Michele Finey – all rights reserved

 

 

Chart 1: Pluto Discovery

Chart 2: Germany’s Third Reich