I was alive and I waited, waited
I was alive and I waited for this
Right here, right now
There is no other place I want to be
Right here, right now
Watching the world wake up from historyJesus Jones
The Jupiter-Uranus conjunction
This Sunday there's an event that lots os astrologers have been talking about as being perhpas the most significant single happening of the enter year: the Jupiter Uranus conjunction at 21°49" of Taurus that will occur on the 21st April at 3:27am here in the UK. In the grand scheme of things Jupiter Uranus conjunctions aren't that big a deal. They aren't exactly common, but they aren't particularly rare either. They come along every 14 years or so, and so for most of us we will experience around 5 or 6 in our lifetime. The last one was in 2010 in Pisces, and the one before that was in 1997 which took pace in the sign of Aquarius. Have a look at this rather amazing graphic from Astro-Seek showing all the conjunctions from 1600 to 2200.
So why is there such a fuss about this one. Well, take another look at that graphic and you'll see that they occur in clusters around one - or sometimes two - signs over quite long periods of time. There hasn't been a Jupiter-Uranus conjunction since 1858, and before then there hadn't been one in Taurus since 1181. Before that there were no less than 6 Taurus conjunctions between 1015-1099.
Here's another graphic showing just the Taurus conjunctions so that it's a bit clearer:
They appear to define clear eras of astrological significance. Of course, the skies are always in motion so other planetary influences are always in play, and for this Jupiter-Uranus event we also have Pluto in play as he dances between Capricorn and Aquarius, we have Neptune and Saturn about to make a conjunction at 0° of Aries in 2026, and Uranus will enter Gemini in July 2025 - all massively significant in their own right, and all taking place in a very short timescale. I know I've said it before, but we truly are living in epochal times, and it will only be after we have been through this entire experience that we will finally be able to recognise and understand fully what we have encountered, and what we have learnt from it.
Mythology…..
First of all, while the exact conjunction is this Sunday, we have already been experiencing the synchronicities of this astrological aspect for quite a while. If we allow a 10° orb, then we can say its effect could felt fro around the middle of February, and as with all conjunctions, they are both the beginning of a new astrological cycle and the end of the previous one. So that 2010 conjunction is finally drawing to it's close as this one takes effect, and we can say that the immediate effects of this conjunction will be in play until around mid June. Also, before I take a look at what this all may mean for us globally and personally, I'd like to talk a bit about the mythological associations of the planets involved, because that feels particularly important in order to understand what's going on in the astrology.
Let's begin with the slowest moving of the planets involved, and the oldest 'god', Uranus, and the others will be introduced as we tell the tale. The planet Uranus has an odd history, and believe it or not was 'discovered' by the ancient Babylonians; but because they couldn't always see it and because it was so slow moving they made the mistake of thinking it was a fixed star, and so tended to ignore it altogether. Imagine how the history of astrology could have been changed if they had realised what they had found.
The 'modern' discovery of Uranus in 1781 by William Herschel was quite the celestial soap opera too, full of mistaken identities and dramatic revelations. It was the first planet found with the aid of a telescope, which expanded the known boundaries of our solar system. Like the ancient astrologer(s) of Babylon, Herschel initially mistook it too, for a star or perhaps a comet, due to its dimness and small size. However, after further observations and discussions within the scientific community, including contributions from astronomer Johann Elert Bode, it was universally accepted as a new planet. This discovery not only added a new member to our solar system family but also revolutionised the way we understand the heavens above. To add to its strangeness, the planet's axis is aligned east-west and not the usual north-south we find with every other planet in the solar system. Quirky indeed.
The mythology of Ouranus (to give him his original Greek name) is a rich tapestry of creation and conflict from ancient Greek lore. Ouranus, Uranus to the Romans, was the personification of the sky, a primordial deity born from the goddess Gaia, the Earth herself. Together, they formed a union that birthed the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the Hecatoncheires. However, this celestial harmony was not to last. Uranus, fearing the power of his offspring, imprisoned them within Gaia, causing her great pain. In her anguish, Gaia crafted a great flint sickle and conspired with her youngest Titan son, Saturn, known as Cronos to the Greeks, to end the tyranny of Uranus. Cronus castrated Ouranus, and from his spilled blood, new and formidable beings arose, including the Furies and the Giants. Cronos/Saturn, then cast the genitals of Ouranus into the sea, and from the foam where the severed parts fell, arose Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. This mythological event has been a subject of fascination and has inspired countless works of art, including the famous painting "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli. The story symbolizes the complex relationships among the deities and the emergence of beauty from chaos, This act marked the end of the reign of Ouranus and the ascension of Cronos, who in turn would become the victim of history repeating itself when later overthrown by his own son, Zeus, Roman Jupiter, in a cyclical narrative of power and betrayal that underscores the volatile nature of the gods and the cosmos they govern.
Here then within this myth we find we have Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter in a cosmic battle for power and authority, centred around the ancient goddess Gaia, Mother Earth, who we can perhaps consider to be Ceres in our modern astrological associations, and the creation of Venus/Aphrodite through patriarchal conflict. It's important to note that Venus/Aphrodite was born of the sea - Neptune's domain - and from the castrated genitals of Ouranus alone; there is no female participation involved. This isa bit of an aside, but is this the assertion of patriarchal power in the heavens, has the feminine been pushed aside, degraded and ignored? Is Aphrodite initially nothing more than a male fantasy of feminine beauty to be lusted after? Of course, we soon discover that Aphrodite is no plaything for anyone - something that modern astrology seems to have forgotten with her romanticised aesthetics and association with beauty and love. Aphrodite was her own woman, strong and courageous, and unashamed of her sexuality. In her pre-Hellenic forms in Sumeria and Babylon, as Ishtar and Innana, she was fearless, feared, and fearsome! A goddess of beauty, love, sexuality and fertility as well as war and strife, perhaps signifying the change of society from our hunter-gatherer past to becoming settled as farmers, where land and territory were paramount for survival. Agriculture was, after all, entirely dependent on land ownership.
I have to mention here that many astrologers, including me, consider Uranus to be much more attuned to the Prometheus myth. The myth of Prometheus is a rich tapestry that weaves together themes of rebellion, foresight, and the transformative power of technology. By gifting fire to humanity, Prometheus not only enabled humans to survive in harsh environments but also sparked the flame of progress and innovation. This act of defiance against Zeus symbolized the pursuit of knowledge and the courage to challenge authority for the greater good of humanity. The consequences of this gift were profound, marking the beginning of technological advancements and laying the foundation for human civilisation. However, this boon came with a price, as Prometheus faced Zeus's wrath for his transgression. The narrative serves as a reminder of the dual nature of discovery and its impact on the world, where every advancement carries with it both the promise of improvement and the potential for unforeseen repercussions.
What then can we make of this? What are the themes and associations of these planets and how can we weave their mythology into what we may expect over this Jupiter-Uranus conjunction and the next 14 year cycle?
History gives us clues and indications:
If we go back to the 11th and 12th Century with those Taurus conjunctions between 1015-1181 we see the growth of the authoritarian Norman empire across Europe and in particular the Norman invasion of England, which changed the way this country has been governed, how the ownership of land is divided up, and how society itself has been run ever since. It seems hard to imagine an England of today had the Anglo-Saxon Kings remained in power and control? How different these islands would be now!
We then make huge leap forward in time to 1858 - though I will briefly mention the 1775 conjunction in Gemini, which coincided almost perfectly with the Declaration of the American War of independence and the ultimate loss of the American colonies by what was an imperialist Great Britain; a huge blow to the hubristic self-confidence of a nation used to almost literally ruling the world. Britain then was the dominating global world power the United States would consider itself to be now.
Comparatively speaking 1858 is a much quieter time, which brought the scientific breakthrough of Darwin's theory of evolution, something that has shaped our world ever since. We could say it was another step towards rationalism and science replacing, or becoming, the new prevalent religion, at least in the West. The Crimean and Opium Wars were over and it was domestic policy that dominated the British parliament. One thing of note I discover is that around the time of the conjunction Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister of the day, lost a vote in the House of Commons on an Anti-Terrorism Bill, which culminated in his resignation and the formation of a new Government. I feel duty bound to point out that this was in the days when politicians and parliamentarians abided by the 'rules and conventions' of the unwritten British Constitution which, for the most part, are utterly ignored and abandoned today.
The Jupiter-Uranus conjunction of 1941 needs no preamble, falling during the early years of World War II. However, it could be said that it was the turning of the tide against Nazism. On May 8th the exact conjunction took place, and on May 9th British forces captured a U boat carrying an Enigma code machine, which enabled the British to decode secret messages of the Nazi forces - a key moment in overcoming the vastly superior German war machine. In addition, while the US didn't enter WWII officially until after Pearl Harbour in December 1941, the first 'shots fired' by the US, against a Nazi German U boat, took place on 10th April 1941.
Themes
We can see themes here: Political unrest, scientific progress, conflict and aggression, religious zeal, fascism, and resistance to it. If we look at global energies today, we can see those same themes, perhaps in different parts of the world, with different key players, and different ideologies. But the overall themes are the same. It's impossible not to take note of what is happening in the middle east and the implications of this conjunction to that part of the world, and to the key nation states involved. Where the theatre of war had been the US or Europe in the recent past, we are now focused on the Middle East. It's noteworthy that this conjunction takes place exactly on the Sun of the chart for the founding of Israel, and it doesn't feel like a coincidence that some groups are talking of biblical apocalyptic prophecies contained in the Bible being enacted right now. Gaza-Israel-Iran (and others) cannot be ignored, and the worst case scenario doesn't bear even contemplating, though the possibility is very real, and the stars are aligned to indicate it is indeed a genuine threat. The Plutonian powers of this moment are unremittingly exposing the thinly veiled duplicity and double standards of the West.
Some say that the sacrifice of a Red Heifer, foretold in the Bible, will take place at Passover, on the 22nd April this year, only a day after the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction and on Israel’s Sun. I really don't want to go into lots of detail about this - it's emotive, sensitive, and controversial, and almost like an Indiana Jones script - but if you’d like to know more do please follow this link, where all is explained. I'd recommend you do read it, but tis of course up to you: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/holy-war-red-cows-gaza-and-the-end-of-the-world/ar-BB1l7pAj.
Gifts and challenges
We can see that the gifts of technological progress are contained within the Prometheus myth, and that along with those gifts to humanity there is a cost. Every progress has a cost. Technological progress isn't always what it initially seems to be, and the obvious candidate right now is the growth of AI, of virtual reality and how it will affect our society. Can we use these technologies to help with medical issues, with climate change? We are seeing wars being fought with drones, long distance missiles and the like; for the most part it's no longer up close and personal. We don't have to look the 'enemy' in the eye as we sit in a control room looking at a screen and fire on anonymous figures as if they are characters in a video game. Nothing is real.
Spiritual prophecies of biblical destructions sow the seeds of division, and we as a society are encouraged to turn ever more inward, insular, to keeping what we don't understand out, avoiding it or eliminating it - whether it's refugees, trans people or some other perceived threat or enemy. The earth does not *need* us. Do the gods care? How can we grow spiritually practically and resourcefully? Will technology save the day? Or is it up to us to harness our hearts to the beauty all around us, to honour all of nature and all of humanity? Can Uranus and Jupiter break down, shatter, the current pervasive ‘othering’ of what we fear and what we don’t understand? Let's have a look at the wider astrology in play for this monumental conjunction:
Transits
We can see Jupiter-Uranus making a wonderful trine to the dwarf planet Ceres in earthy and Saturn ruled Capricorn bringing us a timely reminder to look after and cultivate the things that sustain, not just physically but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. The conjunction is also in a helpful sextile to Mars, Neptune and Saturn in Pisces. Dare to dream, and allow Saturn to show you what dreams are possible to turn into reality, and then bring that Mars energy to bear to make it happen. Neptune and Saturn in Pisces can bring a sense of disembodiment, frustration, loss and illusion, so bring that Saturn into all you wish for, allow yourself to dream in the mists and don’t be afraid of a little escapism and fantasy. Right now, we could all do with some dreams and fantasy. And, sometimes, fantasy can become reality if we wish on a star hard enough. Don't let all the negativity around pull you down into watery Pisces despondency and depression.
Ceres is in a square with Venus (ruler of Taurus and the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction), Mercury and Chiron, all in Aries, letting us know that we can harness the Jupiter/Uranus energies with a strong sense of purpose and focus, bringing new ideas into action that can heal not just ourselves but wider society in general. Embody the love you want to see, be the love you desire, allow your hearts to be open to the unfamiliar and different, embrace change and the unusual. Be *kind*! At this moment in time we see the Sun square Pluto, which may bring up deep held fears and worries as well as manifesting some of the things we would perhaps prefer to keep hidden. But the antidote is to be the pioneering spirit and don't get bogged down with some of the wider events that can cause us stress and negativity. Focus on what you as an individual can do and not on things beyond your control.
There is a profound spiritual energy around this moment, and it is incumbent on all of use who live our lives fully awake, aware and in tune with the vibrations of all that is to tap into the potential and possibilities that exist right here, right now. It may not be easy and there may not be instant results, but we always need to remember that nothing is forever. We are in an age of instability, but the one thing we do know is that these times pass. I was deeply aware when looking at this moment in time that the 1941 conjunction was a turning point, though nobody would have realised it then. Things looked dark, bleak and impossible, but the outcome in a few short years was a vibrant social revival, an invigorated energy to build a better, more equal, more sustainable and fairer society. Those in power as the war ended could have made excuses, turning to isolationism, xenophobia, austerity - an austerity the UK has suffered this time around since 2010 - but instead created a new society filled with progress and optimism. If we choose to, we can do the same, both collectively and individually. Let's choose positivity and progress!