Uranus/Black Moon Lilith: A Celebration of the (Maybe?) Possible

The Moon as it appears to us on Earth when at it's perigee

(closest/largest) and apogee (farthest/smaller), all of which has

to do with a natural orbital cycle. The difference - which is about 12%, and

that closest point - the perigee - as it shifts through the zodiac

is what we know as Black Moon Lilith, or everything about society

or our need to interact with/cooperate with/contribute to that society

which we'd each of us really rather not deal with

photo credit: NASA/JPL 

Our modern world seems increasingly tolerant of bad behavior, acting out and mud slinging – at least when it’s your friends slinging the mud or doing the name calling.

And has anyone noticed that amidst the uproar and lack of civility there’s a whole lot of lying going on?

Come April 18th, all such is likely to reach a new high (or low, depending on how you feel about it) as Uranus and Black Moon Lilith (the calculated form of Lilith having to do with the Moon’s orbit around Earth) meet up at 2 Aries, a degree known for a lack of continuity or follow-through…which seems right in line with all the pretense and posturing we’ve seen of late.

Lest you think otherwise, even astrologers quibble amongst themselves…one of my most memorable (and least liked) fractious moments was when an astrologer I know got all bent by the fact there’s a Black Moon Lilith (a calculated point) and an asteroid Lilith. Personally, I think it makes perfect sense – hence my having no issue with sorting out the matter in a blog of some time back (LINK). If the point behaves in a ‘Lilith manner’ (meaning it coordinates with our ability to deny something ‘equally valid’ which has/should have its own ‘equally valid’ worth, or say in life)…then I don’t mind using the same name twice.

This person did. Big time. And no, I won’t be surprised if I get a miffed email that I would dare state, recount or (gasp!) defend my point of view.

Some people have a problem with other people not sharing their perspectives. And that’s what we’re likely to see – and experience – now.

Uranus being a planet which incites, explodes, reveals and signals ‘breakthroughs,’ there is some chance that some who have devotedly avoided the facts will suddenly get a clue. But let’s be real – this is Uranus plus the Black Moon so there’s a much, much greater likelihood that those supervising the space race of the 1960s’ would gawk in amazed astonishment at some of the soaring flights of fancy which go off now.

You’ve probably heard me chatting about Black Moon Lilith and Uranus separately for some time now…truth is, these two have been playing catch-up (not katsup!) with each other since January 11th. And yes, that was a scant week-plus after the infamous Solar Eclipse (conjunct Vega) at 13 Capricorn which signaled so much Capricorn fracas which has become so problematic ever since.

As they came into transiting orb of each other, Uranus and Lilith were both in the last ten degrees (the last decanate) of Pisces. And since the last ten degrees of any sign indicates an area or arena in which we are respondents and not instigators, with Pisces being (among other things) a sign of ‘the truth of something against some fantasy you might have wanted/want to believe about it’….so we have had everything from national rebellions to political bodies attempting to wipe out personal/collective rights to people far and wide getting big-time lessons on exactly what we do and don’t know about natural forces (tectonics and tsunamis) along with nuclear power. (It’s not nice to try and fool Mother Nature, remember?)

Meeting up briefly on April 7, 8 and 9 (a period the United States tastefully enshrined by threatening to ‘shut the government down’ over passing a much-delayed budget, not to mention like dramas going on around the world)…for the intervening days Uranus and its Black Moon cohort have again been separated. By only a degree, ‘tis true – but astrologically, this counts. It’s like taking something off the high boil flame and setting it on a simmer. Yes, you will still scorch your hand if you stick it in the water (it’s still hot, in other words) but at least no more fuel is being added at the moment – the stoking of the fire, the raising of pressure (blood pressure, emotional pressure, pipe pressure – name your pressure!) isn’t continuing to press and/or rise. 

But now Uranus and calculated (societal) Lilith once again unite. And they will remain united, manifesting in all our least liked ways, from April 16th through 19th.

After that, the Black Moon moves on, meeting up with Venus on April 23rd, which will probably not be the word’s favorite date, especially considering that April 23rd is also the date when Mercury turns direct.

Set your calendar clocks…let’s see what happens.

So how long will it take for this unlovable if highly dynamic duo to part company and get out of each other’s orb of influence?

Would you believe June 22nd?

Uh…yeah. And that means that this whole fractious Uranus-Black Moon Lilith vibe will still be in force when the June 1st Solar Eclipse goes off.

Oh frabjous day, right?

NOT!

Maybe even more interesting (not to mention to the point) is that when that date of June 22nd rolls around, Black Moon Lilith will be at 10 Aries. Does that ring a bell? Well it will if you’re a devotee of Saturn, since as June 13th, Saturn will be going direct at 10 Libra – directly across the zodiac from Black Moon Lilith at 10 Aries. This either marks a moment of ‘stoppage’ or ‘limit' or ‘limitation’ or ‘the defining of a boundary.’ And let’s remember, when we talk about Black Moon Lilith, we are talking about a societal force (of whatever kind) which is equally valid and which, whether we like it or not, has a voice equal to our own.

Oh – and before I forget…Saturn will retrograde into 10 Libra as of May 17/18th (depending where you are). And given the mechanics of retrogrades-turning-direct (plus relatively ‘slower’ movement of planets as we move farther and farther out through the solar system), it’s also probably worth bearing in mind that Saturn isn’t going to leave 10 Libra until July 8th.

More on that in some other blog.

So…is there something good which can come of this whole mish-mash? Sure! Any of us can stop pretending and start getting more real about life, the fact that facts really are facts…we can get realistic about relationships or money or the fact that rules are often there for reasons and are not just something dreamed up to annoy us…we can figure out what’s not working in our life and begin to take on the job of working with and in our world so as to become a viable and valued member of society – or at least our local group or clan….

There are LOTS of good things which can come of this time. They just require (Uranian) change. And since Uranus and Black Moon Lilith are both transiting Aries, the crux of the whole thing – and thus many of our problems is that we do all think that whatever our issues are that ‘they’ need to change. Or that ‘they’ are supposed to solve our problems. Or that ‘they’ are/were entirely and totally wrong and therefore 100% responsible for all the problems.

WRONG!

(insert: sound of game show buzzer...)

Remember that old saying ‘it takes two to tango’? That’s the hint here. What we put out comes back to us: resistance begets counter-resistance, attempts to dominate stir up rebellion, having less than sterling (or even functional boundaries) delivers us in the hands of a life or a situation where we feel like we have no say and no options and no ability to draw any limits.

The ‘magical’ quality here is that we can ‘disempower’ Black Moon Lilith. And if we do, in doing so, if we undertake this task between now and June 22nd, to the extent that we deal with our denials and accept our part in things and change our means, methods or attitudes (and rules for ourselves, considering Saturn lies at the other end of this discussion!)…but doing so we will automatically covert all that Uranian energy. Having been disruptive and dismantling, it will as if struck by a magic wand convert into a discovery force which innovates and opens doors to the new, bold and exciting.

And we certainly have a good while to get to this, don’t we? Of course, considering how deep denial runs, we’ll probably need every moment of every day for a while just to get hold of the problem.

But hey – when you’re sick and tired of living in a contentious pit you’ll take on the lion…and probably find out that in the end, it’s just a little puddy tat...the You that you haven't really wanted to deal with but which You've in actually been hindered by not having as an asset - your asset.

And who doesn't need more personal assets, right?

Sun/Uranus…Sisyphus Going on Station

 Sisyphus by Titian (1490-1576)

Just ten days ago now, Uranus entered Aries. For some, this has brought feelings of freedom. For some, this has only meant edginess – even provocation. And are those times when we like that sense of guidance – and if if isn’t there, we really miss it!

Plus there are some people who don’t do all that well without someone to chew at (or chewing on them). You know them…the bad attention is better than no attention types? Or how about those people who get so used to fighting that if there’s no one to fight with, well by gum – they’ll just go out and pick a fight!

So Uranus bounded into Aries (as much as a planet bounds...), making everything feel vital and personal. Then (among other things), Ixion went retrograde.

That stirred up a whole new bumble of bees!

Ixion’s station stirred up the sense of possible loss. And annoyance with limitations.

Yet with that came the need to question those feelings of personal entitled. Why do we think we’re entitled to whatever it is we think we’re entitled to?

Then the Sun also entered Aries, not only bringing the planet/dwarf planet count in Aries up to five (Uranus, Sun, Jupiter, Mercury and Eris) but by adding the Sun to the list…well, that just made us our very own focus!

Which….could be good…

…Then again, it could be bad.

With all this energy in the “I Am” sign of Aries there are a whole lot of ways we can get….over-involved? Incredibly focused? Fabulously motivated? Totally neurotic? Famously self-conscious?

In short, any and all may now apply. All this energy in Aries may give you a rockin’ case of ‘Who or What am I?

Or maybe you’ll start scratching that ‘What Can I Make of Myself’ itch.

Some of us will get into a very ‘What’s Going to Become of Me?’ mood – which is first Aries cousin to ‘What Is the Meaning of Life?’

With all this Aries energy, “I don’t know” can be a total disaster of a distress zone.

All this may well get really ‘ignited’ now as the Sun conjuncts Uranus, a conjunction which becomes  exact at 12:19 (UT/+0) on March 21st. Remember the energy of the Japan earthquake? That kind of ‘release’ is typical of Uranus – though don’t expect everyone to have their own personal shaker!

No – Uranus is about a ‘change of status’ which in the process releases energy. As scientists explained with regards to a subduction zone, when one of Earth’s tectonic plates ‘slides’ under the other, earthquakes happen. Why? Well, to put it roughly (all puns intended!) the Earth’s plates don’t have neat, well filed edges… (that’s what Earth needs – a manicurist!)…so the overriding plate tends to get its leading edge ‘bent’ under by subducted plate. And so tension grows and grows until the pent up energy becomes a force greater than the friction holding it back.

Then everything ‘snaps’ back into place – and the energy and movement thus released – that’s the earthquake.

Quakes are commonly known in astrological circles as a Pluto event. Why? Because they transform our surroundings. They literally ‘change’ our world. In doing so, they also tap into truly instinctive, primitive instincts – the instinct to survive being the most obvious. Life and death as transitional states – they’re 8th house and associated with Scorpio…thus the Pluto reference.

But when you have a quake, the moment of the release? That ‘breaking through’ the wall of tension? That’s Uranus.

Associated with Aquarius, Uranus is about the shift, the change, the energy. And yes, what with the incoming astrological age having all being ‘filtered’ through an Aquarian lens…we can expect much of life to have this Saturn/Uranus flavor as the years move forward.

Saturn holds us back. Saturn requires slow development. Then Uranus releases the energy and we either make some great advance in life or get shot down.

And what do we get shot down by ? Usually by one or two things: our impatience (not enough Saturn preparation) or our having failed to take some form of the Aquarian ‘universality’ precept into account.

And yes, that may be a different blog.

Then again, considering Sisyphus is about to go retrograde, maybe this is just Ye Olde Perfect Place to have mentioned that!

So with a flirtatious reminder about Neptune still a-linger at 29 Aquarius (meaning, things still aren’t clear and that we simply have to allow ourselves not to know and instead deal with the moment on faith)…with that little bit of axel grease applied to the soles of your mental shoes…

…Thus we slide into the slippery world of Sisyphus.

The myth of Sisyphus concerns a well raised (i.e., privileged) young man who is as the expression goes, probably too bright for his britches. He’s got the life, he’s got the home, he’s living in a city which was not only founded by his family but which is situated along one of the really important trade routes. So anybody doing any real kind of business wanders by.

And there they find a charming young man who offers to host them in his home. Take a load off! Have an olive and a glass of wine…!

But once in his home, such travelers are also in Sisyphus’ power. See…he’s really smart – but his brain isn’t being put to good use. And he has no real challenges in life, seeing as he’s rich and needs not work.

It’s a bad combination. Sisyphus takes to toying with his guests. Then tormenting them. Then torturing them. Then….

...Well, you get the message.

And when the Olympians decide they need to teach this boy a lesson, Sisyphus even barters his way out of Tartarus – the Greek version of Hell.

Of course it doesn’t last long – such offenders cannot help but reoffend. And once Zeus (Jupiter) gets into the fray, Sisyphus is duly doomed to rolling (some say carrying) a large rock up a hill, only to have it escape from his grasp when he’s almost at his goal – compelling him to go back and try again.

It’s a heck of a way to go through eternity, right?

So Sisyphus is going retrograde at 6 Sagittarius on the 24th. That makes this a moment when we can either fritter away our talents and live to regret having frittered…or we can get hold of whatever it is about ourselves…our abilities? Our self discipline? Our lack of will? Whatever it is…this is also a really good moment when some will decide they don’t want to fritter ad infinitum and get to work.

Those who take on the Great Task will find all that Aries energy plus the Sisyphus ‘untapped ability to toil’ work for them going forward. Whatever your goal is – Cleaning the closet? Getting a college degree? Starting a business? – whatever it is, Sisyphus going retrograde combined with Aries will get you through a lot of work.

And for those who don’t tackle whatever it is they know they should be getting to? For you, Jupiter (knowledge) works. And that rock isn’t going to get any lighter.

It never does – particularly as we grow more tired of avoiding the simple truth of who we should be and what we should be doing.

And yes, that would be our rock to bear until there comes a day when we trade it for taking on the work of becoming our better Self.