The Astrology of Uranus Retrograde

Who cares if change is upsetting? Uranus sure doesn’t!

Well – as an archetype Uranus just doesn’t give a f%&# and probably finds it quite hilarious that we try to predict the effect its movement will have on us. As astrologers say: “If you knew it was coming, it wasn’t Uranian.” Uranus is the unpredictability that literally ejects us from our metaphorical, and sometimes literal seats. It reflects the part of ourselves that demands freedom at any cost. No price is too high to pay. No fall is too far. Uranus is the Awakener!

Expect the unexpected!

The common theme with Uranus is: Expect the unexpected! Uranian energy comes like a strike of lightning. It knocks us upside down until we are able to see from a new perspective. It literally shocks us into awareness…or into disassociation, depending on our state, circumstances, and choices. Sometimes disassociation is an act of self-preservation that temporarily saves our sanity. When we are not ready to have an experience, separating ourselves from it can be a lifesaver, allowing us to function without breaking down or completely shutting down. At some point, these fractured memories will need to be integrated.

Rolling around up there in the sky

In its home in the solar system, Uranus rolls on its side in space. This unusual orbit is a fine fit with our personification of the renegade planet. It just doesn’t do anything “normally,” and it doesn’t take “normal” as a compliment.

Uranus takes about 84 years to orbit the Sun, spending approximately seven years in each astrological sign. Uranus Retrograde is a regular cycle every year, lasting about 5 months as the planet moves four degrees backward through the zodiac.

The Great Awakener

Uranus rules Aquarius, and we often clump them together in our study and understanding of them. There are similarities, but also differences. Aquarius is a sign that is part of our 12-sign zodiac. Signs are also known as domains of consciousness. Aquarius, as a domain of consciousness, is coming from Capricorn and moving toward Pisces. It is greatly influenced by both of these signs and all the signs in the wheel. Signs don’t operate alone, but planets are like players in a game. They can work together, but they are independent.

Uranus is a free agent. Uranian energy, on its own, is not weighed down by expectations. It is not encumbered by form. It is the best example we have of truly free-thinking. It has nothing to prove to anyone else. It’s not concerned with ownership or preserving its reputation. Uranus as an archetype is unbound.

Uranus is the Great Awakener that brings you back to yourself!

Symptoms of awakening

Have a hard time focusing long enough to read this sentence, let alone this entire blog of words? Linked with electricity and the nervous system, Uranus activity and influence can make us feel restless and twitchy, almost like we’re short-circuiting. Imagine lightning in your veins or serious ants in your pants. And going to sleep…forget it!

Uranus represents liberation, innovation, collective memory, change, revolution, free spirit, mental brilliance, and unconventionality. Uranus represents breaking away from the mainstream. It is the desire to be rid of old conditions and constraints. All this ditching of the past and the ‘known’ can result in feeling alone, left out, or on the outside, at least temporarily.

Imagine The Fool in the Tarot who is about to step off the cliff, not knowing where she will land. But, like an acrobat, you may learn to enjoy the formless and timeless seconds between take-off and landing.

If you are having moments of realization that seem beyond logic, you have the awakening bug. And it will bite until it gets through, so accept the initiation and let the change begin!

Change – from the inside out

Uranus transits and aspects often reflect areas of life where sudden change, disruption, rebellion, and stress manifest. Some astrologers associate these signatures with the experiences of trauma, and Uranian events can certainly feel that way. Uranus activity is prone to releasing anxiety and other psychological distress – anything to champion that change! On the flip side, Uranus signatures also reflect true genius, mind-blowing creativity, and the freedom to express ourselves authentically.

Uranus retrograde is prime time for making internal changes. This internal change is often prompted by external changes in our lives.

During retrogrades, we have the opportunity to revisit, reclaim, re-vision, and reconnect with the energy represented by the planet. With Uranus, we can tap into our own sense of freedom and individuality. Uranus wants to unlock any cages around us so we can fly with our own wings, in our own direction, and in our own time. It wants us to fully be who and what we are without restriction.

Liberating your mind, heart, body, or spirit may lead to changes in your relationships, routine, work, creative endeavors, interests, and other adventures. Uranus stands for the you who simply wants to be who you are, and live as you are, celebrating and advocating independence, authenticity, and ingenuity.

5 months of resource and value renovation

While Uranus is in Taurus (2018-2026), we experience five months a year of resource and value renovation during its retrograde period. Uranus will be retrograde in Taurus during the following dates:

August 7, 2018 – January 6, 2019 (partly in Aries)
August 11, 2019 – January 11, 2020
August 15, 2020 – January 14, 2021
August 19, 2021 – January 18, 2022
August 24, 2022 – January 22, 2023
August 28, 2023 – January 27, 2024
September 1, 2024 – January 30, 2025
September 6, 2025 – February 3, 2026 (partly in Gemini)

While Uranus is retrograde in Taurus, we may shock ourselves by discovering how attached we’ve become to our creature comforts and all the materialistic things that give us a sense of security and worth. What happens if these things are ripped away? Is your sense of identity tied up in them? What do you truly value? Are you making good use of what you do have?

With Uranus retrograde in Taurus, we’ll likely be challenged, personally and collectively, when it comes to maintaining stability, including financially. If you do have plenty, you might suddenly realize it’s not making you happy. Either way, get creative and initiate some shaking up to restructure your life in a way that truly supports you. In other words, be the change – don’t just wait for it to happen!

Taurus corresponds with physical resources and the Earth itself, so this transit is also a wake-up call when it comes to our relationship with Mother Nature. When too much pressure builds up, eventually things break. Uranus is the necessary cracking, but we don’t have to let it go too far. We need to find better ways to exist, especially environmentally, and this is a great time to start making a bigger difference.

Take a proactive approach and start saving a little more. Do something to heal the planet – even something as simple as turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth. Explore how you can do with less, which leaves more for what you deeply desire and value.

You hold the key to your cage

Uranus retrograde encourages us to emancipate ourselves. We each know, deep inside, how we are imprisoned, and who holds the key to our cage. No one else is keeping you captive, but it’s easier to pretend they are and play the blame game.

Using this time to unlock yourself may feel a little crazy, but if you proceed with kindness and courage, you’ll access more of your best natural resource – You! And, together, we’ll come up with progressive ways of healing the Earth and wisely using her resources.

When to pull the trigger

Most astrologers agree that retrograde periods are best used to internally process things and to implement these changes externally when the planet turns direct. Take this with a dose of reality. Life can’t be controlled, and this transit isn’t happening in a vacuum. Why would you wait to make a change that will immediately make your life better? You get to decide, and your intuition is your guide.

If your heart 100% tells you to go for something, throw out the rule book. With Uranus in particular, you are supported in coloring outside the lines. Otherwise, take these months to get ready to act on your changes, and know that time in the cocoon is the juiciest…and the precursor to new wings!

Reclaim your crazy

Yep – make your life crazy good! At this point, most of us are more “crazy” to continue with things the way we’ve been doing them than to break out of the mold. If crazy means to be out of our minds, it’s a good place to start. I’m not suggesting a destructive version of crazy here; I’m inviting you to free your mind…so the rest will follow.

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