When we think of prominent astrological cycles during a lifetime, a couple main transits come to mind. The Saturn Return at age 29, and that wild and disruptive time of midlife in our early 40s - the Uranus Opposition. Although their impacts are different, both have an underlying urge for a “call to action”. Saturn wants us to have a life plan, structure our adulthood, and crystalize who we’re becoming. The Saturn return pushes many people to lock down that relationship, have a baby, go to graduate school, buy a house, formalize that creative project, start a business, and “adult”.
Uranus is the un-doer. Its the planet known to disrupt, seek freedom, and connect with what makes us unique. It examines those previous commitments from the Saturn years, and questions their authenticity. If we’d hoped that at age 30 our partner, career, house, kid, and white picket fence would allow us to ride off into the sunset because all those pieces of “the good life” were solidly in place - Uranus comes along and shakes that image to its core.
Uranus is the great awakener. It requests we no longer put up with that which is not serving us. If you ignore its nudges, it stops nudging and starts demanding. Those demands look like deep dissatisfaction in your current situation, financial events, health events, work disruption, relationship issues, and exestential questions. Often something that was once tolerable is no longer tolerable.
To illustrate, here’s the story of one woman’s Uranus Opposition. Meet Sheila!
Sheila started feeling the Uranus opposition around age 38. Her job no longer felt like the right fit, and she experienced a strong desire for a change of scenery: new job, new city, new interests.
As the months progressed, life felt more and more draining. Rather than finding security and stability in her regular routine, she began to feel trapped. Intuitively she knew enough to engage with this period of life and began to listen to that inner voice, by exploring various new fascinations that crossed her path.
During the ensuing 6 year period, she quit her job, traveled to remote parts of the world, returned with profound wisdom, studied the ancient and the esoteric, moved across the world, moved back, and is currently on the path to a new vocation with a renewed spirit. Sheila’s worldview changed dramatically during this period, and her approach to life is unrecognizable from years before. She describes this period as an “awakening”.
Like Sheila, many people in their Uranus Opposition phase shed outdated societal expectations during this time and become highly aware of how family and cultural programming may have informed previous decisions. They become more aware of their soul’s callings, and life becomes far less about fitting in, and more about finding one’s own truth.
Success has an entirely different meaning during this transit, and many people shift their focus to authenticity as it relates to their role in the greater expression of life. Expansion of consciousness, heart-centered empowerment, and connection with the soul are common themes. After discussing this time with clients, I often hear that these are ideas that would not have occurred to them a decade ago.
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