Uranus in Aries
Two weeks ago I wrote about Pluto in Capricorn, an astrological feature necessary for the understanding of the present historical moment; today I write about Uranus.
Uranus is the first planet of our solar system that we are unable to see with the naked eye. It was discovered in 1781, a time when the United States was fighting for independence and when the French revolution was brewing. It symbolizes the essential characteristics of that period: freedom, change, rebellion, revolution. The slogan ""Liberté, égalité, fraternité" implies social justice and is totally uranian. Its energy manifests without warning, shakes, electrifies, radicalizes, opens new perspectives. It is associated to technological innovation; it is Newton's "Eureka". The eccentric is its most basic expression but the genius, those capable of introducing true improvements both at personal and collective level is its most elevated expression.
Uranus has an orbit of 84 years around the Sun, therefore spending seven years in each sign. Since it spends less time than Pluto in each sign it is less relevant in defining the zeitgeist. However, its path correlates with world events that usually haven taken us by surprise. In May 2010, it changed signs from the most peaceful (Pisces) to the most combative (Aries).
On December 2010, Mohamed Bouazzi set himself on fire to protest an unfair fine and for lack of economic solutions for himself and his family. This individual act was the trigger to the movement known as "Arab Spring" that changed and is changing Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen....
Meanwhile in France, a 93 year old humanist, Stephane Hessel, in October 2010, publishes a pamphlet called "The Outraged" that sold more than 3 million copies in several languages. His reasons for outrage included the growing gap between the rich and the poor, the need for media free of corporate power, the need to protect the environment, etc. He advocates non-violent insurrection.
The Tent City of Tel Aviv, "Los Indignados" of Madrid and Occupy Wall Street that was born in New York and is spreading all over the United States are some of the faces of Uranus in Aries. Goodbye to peaceful protests with candles (Uranus in Pisces), hello to active resistance and cicil disobedience (Uranus in Aries). These movements have not yet a defined agenda but the underlying motives are very clear. Social injustice: the 99% of OWS speaks to those forgotten by the political and financial system that caused the bubble and the crisis and who is not paying for any of it. These movements express global hostility about increasing taxes and decreasing pensions and welfare services "allegedly" to get us off this crisis. They are profoundly unfair because they impact a population that did not make any money in financial speculations.
Will the protests become ever more violent? Let us see what history tells us about former periods of Uranus in Aries?
From 1843 to 1850, but for brievity just considering 1848:
• Marx and Engels published the "Communist Manifesto", a revolutionary philosophy that is at the origin of the Soviet Union, a state created with uranian ideals but whose implementation did not match the ideology.
• A revolutionary wave spread across more than 50 countries challenging traditional authorities and demanding social justice. In Europe this period is known as the "Spring of Nations". Many died, reactionary forces won for the time being. However, serfs were abolished Austria and Hungary.
• In Italy this year was so fraught with rebellions that the expression "fare un quarantotto" (do a forty eight) is even today synonymous of confusion and disruptions.
In the period between 1927 and 1934:
• India's flag goes up for the first time; Gandhi becomes more vocal demanding independence and starts the Salt March protesting against the British monopoly. Thousands of Indians join in this nonviolent march.
• In China, Mao announces the newly created Chinese Soviet Republic in 1931 and launches in 1934 the first of a series of marches.
• In the United States the crash of 1929 and following Depression dominates this period.
• In Europe the Weimar Republic was affected by the American crash. Unemployment grew to unimaginable levels leading the way to the rise of the Nazis and Hitler's election.
Are you listening to the rhyme?
In my opinion this is just the beginning of a period of great change as the two main energies, Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Aries will form a 90º degree angle seven times from 2012 to 2015. This angle indicates cosmic tension with expression in mundane affairs.
Governments and lords of finance will want to cling to power and maintain the status quo and the people will want a fairer, freer society. It will result in a conflict that will produce a world different from the one we have today. Better or worse depends on us. The conflict will not be equally felt everywhere in the world. I think the United States will feel it more acutely because it has deeper social injustices and compared to Europe it has been living in an economic mirage controlled by corporate finance. One example of this mirage is the FED's secret activities that recently came to light which is owned by private banks. As one comedian puts it "the Fed is a as federal as Fedex".
This post might be a little disturbing but necessary. In January 2012 I will return to the Astrology of the crisis with part 3 - "What can I do"?
Originally published on December 7, 2011 at adeus até ao meu regresso
