On December 24, 02:16 AM ET, we experience the final, exact square between Saturn in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus, which is currently in retrograde motion.
We live in revolutionary times: this aspect has been characterizing the entire year, and it will continue to be active for at least ten more months, even though, from now on, the two planets will start moving away from one another. We are at the last peak phase of this long-term, slow transit, that will have lasting implications and effects.
Saturn in Aquarius & Uranus in Taurus: Extreme Social Changes
Saturn in Aquarius is restructuring society, catalyzing the innovation of existing systems while inviting us to reflect on the ethical use of technology, social media, and the internet. These are a fantastic tool for evolution, progress, and empowerment, nonetheless, they have the potential to become a means of mass control, their use can be addictive, and it can increase feelings of alienation and isolation.
This transit encourages us to reflect on the relationship between the individual and the collective, the human and the machine, encouraging us to gain awareness of the importance of both defending our rights and accepting our duties as members of society.
Meanwhile, Uranus in Taurus is accelerating the breakdown of the foundation of existing structures, particularly financial systems, and increasing the trend to adopt simple, slower ways of living, get out of the cities, and reconnect with Nature.
Building self-sufficient communities that aim to be independent of the mainstream and exploring sustainable uses of resources are common manifestations of this energy. Uranus’ transit through Taurus can be also correlated with extreme natural events that disrupt our stability and comfort and force us to find ways to adapt to new conditions quickly.
The Square Aspect: Motivation to Change
Squares are angles of 90 degrees that reflect friction and tension between planets transiting signs of different elements, different polarities, and the same modality. In this case, the Fixed modality is involved: both Taurus and Aquarius are fixed signs.
Squares are highly motivating aspects that push us to implement change to get out of the discomfort we are experiencing. Nonetheless, Fixed signs tend to resist change, and this can make the current process a bit more uncomfortable. This square represents one peak point of the Saturn-Uranus cycle, which illustrates the relationship between these planets. We can understand it better by comparing it to the lunar cycle.
Understanding Planetary Relationships
Just like a New and Full Moon represent, respectively, the beginning and the maturation points of the lunar cycle, all relationships between celestial bodies can be studied through the same lens. The First and Last Quarter squares of a cycle represent moments of critical adjustment: they are associated with the awareness that something doesn’t work as expected and that we need to make changes.
This Saturn-Uranus square is a Last Quarter phase square, correlated with a crisis in consciousness, beliefs, and vision, that invites us to pause before moving ahead, and reflect on how our vision has changed, how the world has changed, how we have changed since the two planets met in conjunction for the last time. This square is happening after the Saturn-Uranus opposition, which brought new awareness and began the Waning phase of their cycle, associated with the need, for the individual, to integrate into the social structure.
The Saturn-Uranus cycle: the Last Quarter Phase
The last Saturn-Uranus conjunction took place in the sign of Sagittarius in 1988: this was the beginning of their current cycle. The last Saturn-Uranus opposition happened between 2008 and 2010: it brought revelations and understanding relative to what had been unfolding.
We are now experiencing another critical moment of the journey, and we are now invited to release our attachment to the initial vision and intentions and begin to let them go. However, at this point, we tend to experience a crisis in beliefs, values, and faith, as new intentions and visions have not emerged yet. Nonetheless, we are still required to let go of the old ones: the absence of an immediate replacement is what causes the crisis.
The Saturn-Uranus square reflects strong friction between our desire to move towards the future and our desire to hold back to the past. The tension relative to this phase brings into the spotlight the relationship between the individual and the collective, and it is playing out in the context of a deep restructuring of social systems and dynamics. These have been already highlighted by the transit of Saturn, correlated with structure, through Aquarius, correlated with progress, and by the transit of Uranus, ruler of Aquarius, through Taurus, corresponding to financial systems.
Saturn square Uranus: Invitation to Decondition
Uranus wants to experiment and innovate, while Saturn wants to know what to expect. The controlling influence of Saturn clashes with Uranus’ need for freedom. Saturn in Aquarius tries to affirm the domain of science and rationality over the intuitive wisdom of Nature and of the body, while Uranus in Taurus keeps threatening our stability, our livelihood, our material security. These are intense times, and it’s not easy to remain grounded.
The Aquarian archetype has been very active for the whole year: this has been igniting our need for independence, experimentation, and space, while highlighting the importance of dreaming for a better future despite all the restrictions, struggles, and limitations we have been facing. Both transits are inviting personal growth, self-empowerment, and deconditioning, encouraging us to dare to make radically different choices from the majority and step into uncertainty with faith.
Saturn square Uranus: Revolutionary Times
Are we able to stand our ground when confronted with the challenge of not fitting in? Are we willing to stay true to ourselves even when that means being considered an outsider? Are we strong enough to be our own authority, even when others don’t approve? Do we feel firm in our choices, even when they clash with what the mainstream expects from us? These questions will come up very strongly during these days, and many of us are likely to be tested, on many levels: if you are, keep in mind that you are not alone in the struggle.
Socio-political and financial issues are likely to be in the spotlight: there has already been intense unrest arising as a result of new restrictions and regulations. As the old systems keep crumbling, we have a chance to begin envisioning new ones and start experimenting with implementing innovation on a small, local scale.
At this time, we may feel torn between the temptation to conform and the desire to defend our individuality, our rights, and our freedom. We are being asked to let go of an illusory sense of security and have faith in the unknown: the creativity resulting from the need to adapt to unfavorable conditions has the potential to bring forth substantial progress and open new evolutionary paths.
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