May 4th ~ 11th

“…and when the tension receded there was calm, the calm that is called before the storm, but is in reality the foundation of a human life, waiting for us between the steps of our march to our mortality, when we are compelled to pause and not act but be. ~ Mohsin Hamid”

On May 15th, Uranus will return to the sign of Taurus for the first time in 84 years. For the 7 years that it is in the sign of Taurus it shakes up society on some of its most fundamental levels: its politics, its economy, and those things that sustain our lives. When Uranus first enters Taurus in May, it will do so with a bang: with an exact square to Mars just entering the Uranian sign of Aquarius. Mars/Uranus weather is unpredictable, explosive and combustible. And this will only be the 1st of 3 Mars/Uranus squares before the Summer ends. Uranus is pretty much in your face any way, and really doesn’t need any explosive entrances. Yet, astrologers sit here with bated breath waiting to see what will unfold: a sudden crisis in the economy? a long overdue shift in the tectonic plates? a radical and revolutionary insurrection? something blows up?

The thing is, with Uranus, things tend to be pretty unpredictable. And although we may not have all the answers yet, one thing we do know about the transits of Uranus in Taurus, and that is that the changes that do occur during these years, are not only radical (and at times revolutionary), but tend to have longevity, with ramifications that last for decades.

Usually as we approach the dark of the Moon, we are given space to tie things up, and wind things down. And that is pretty much the way this week begins as we settle into Taurus, seeking peace, calm and serenity. Letting go. Deep inspiration and meaningful experiences can be had if we are willing to turn down the noise and allow ourselves to connect with something more meaningful. Make the most of this time to do so. We will need that space to assimilate, heal and prepare ourselves for the activity that is about to unleash itself by the end of next week, when Mercury also joins the Mars/Uranus picture in anticipation of all of the excitement to come.

Mars/Uranus has something of a bad rap. It’s that whole explosive thing. Not only with actual explosions, but also with explosive tempers, crazy weather patterns, impulsive actions. These two can get into a lot of trouble when they hang out together. However, there are some really good things that Mars/Uranus can be good for, such as:

New challenges that require new solutions: leading to inventive and ingenious ways of approaching old problems.
Mars in Aquarius combined with Uranus is a call for freedom and can lead to revolutionary changes. Things that we previously may have tolerated, will be less tolerable when these two meet, leading us to take the initiative to make radical changes in our lives.
The courage to go in a new direction. Mars is pioneering and courageous, and Uranus inspires us to try new things, and discover new and better ways of doing things. If you have been in a rut, Uranus in Taurus is here to help get you out of that rut.
Authenticity. If you’ve been a stickler for following the rules, and going along with what is expected of you, especially at the expense of your own true nature, Mars/Uranus is daring us to have the courage to be our own authentic selves, following our own unique path, even if it means bucking convention.