Wednesday 1 July 2009

Does Lightning Ever Strike the Same Place Twice?

The somewhat erratic and eclectic Uranus moves retrograde today (the 1st July 2009). Uranus joins a plethora of other celestial bodies already in retrograde including Pluto, Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune.

Uranus stands alone in uniqueness though. Uranus (originally Ouranus) translates as ‘the sky crowned with stars’. Uranus was the oldest of the Gods; he conceived the idea of the Universe, before the Universe came into being.

Uranus represents illumination and the light of consciousness. Many believe that we are afraid of the dark, but Uranus helps us to see that often our biggest fear is the light. Unless we are ready to receive truth, we will shun it in every way we can – burning, crucifying, and stoning… Uranus is not about judging humankind for these actions though, for this is part of the human condition. Instead Uranus shines the light of illumination, consciousness and Truth for all to see. If we try to see too much, the electricity and current might burn us, so we take it in small doses. Slowly building up our awareness until we reach Nirvana or enlightenment – a state of all knowing.

Linking in to the electricity image of Uranus, it is easy to see why he is often seen as the Lightning Strike – the bringer of Truth. Truth can strike right at the heart of an issue, it can burn, it can kill, and it can illuminate and bring change. It is in those lightning strikes, that flashes of brilliance, ingenuity and great insight often come. Yet Uranus is always ahead of the flow, and for that reason new ideas are often challenged and resisted.

So Uranus lights up our ability to see truth, but the truth of what? When we think about the other Uranian traits this becomes a little clearer. Uranus represents the bohemian, the hippie, the rebel, the humanitarian, the individual, the innovator, and the anarchist. Uranus destroys outdated and outmoded beliefs and ideologies. He awakens our 6th sense, and our intuitive gifts.

So, what relevance does the retrograde movement of an ageing, new age, rebellious hippie have on each of us? Well, he might be the man that we all often walk past, thinking that he is on drugs or in another world, yet Uranus is the oldest of the Gods, he is the Creator. It is all too easy to have a lack of respect for this hippie, but without him humans would not evolve, life would not develop.

Uranus is a free spirit, he is unique and individual. No two people are alike, and Uranus loves this. So, when you see that wise man, don’t judge him by how he looks, judge him on what he says, thinks and does.

There are some of us who have strong Uranian characteristics. These are usually the eccentric inventors, the mad professors, the artists and astrologers (!) of this world. Uranus brings the ability to see the bigger picture, to see the pattern of things to come. For true Uranian people, what lies ahead is much clearer than the now.

In retrograde, Uranus enables us to see the Truth of who we really are, to see our own uniqueness and individuality, and to have the self-belief to stand up and be proud of ourselves and our achievements in life.

Going deeper though, Uranus in retrograde helps each of us to look into the very heart of ourselves, to have the ability to stand up against the inner establishment of ‘should’s, ought’s and must’s’ that we all build up within. Uranus challenges our inner dialogue to allow us to be the free spirits that we all are.

Uranus is a little beyond the realms of the emotional, it can feel a little cold and detached. The reason for this is that Uranus looks ahead to the future, to the collective, to evolution. This can seem hard and unemotional, challenging and fearful. Think about a career change as an example, the fact that we might know a change is required and necessary; it does not stop the inevitable fear, worry and anxiety that follows…

Remember that Uranus is the humanitarian, the revolutionary. In retrograde, this is likely to stir up these archetypes within each of us. We will start to push for change not only within, but collectively as well. It is through the ingenuity of Uranus that great change comes for humanity.

With all the other celestial activity at the moment, Uranus in retrograde is likely to highlight those core issues within us that we fail to move beyond – those repeating patterns that we all have in our lives. Uranus has stirred this up before, and he will again, his lightning bolt will continue to strike the same place until we face both the light and dark of our own realities.

Uranus remains retrograde until the 1st December 2009, so there is plenty of time for this electric little hippie to throw lightning bolts, to challenge our comfort zones and to help us to see Truth. Let the good times roll…