July 29 – Dec 29, 2016

Click here to learn about Uranus. Click here to learn about Aries.

Uranus turns retrograde for five months every year. Planets in retrograde are not actually spinning backwards – it is entirely an optical illusion as seen from Earth. Backwards motion appears to happen when Earth passes slower moving planets in the outer solar system. In astrology, this illusion manifests as a “backwards” functioning of the planetary roles. Click here to learn more about retrograde.

The last Uranus Retrograde cycle was July 26 - Dec 25, 2015, also in the sign of Aries. Uranus has occupied Aries since May 2010 and will be here until March 2019. Ruler of the zodiac’s notorious rebel Aquarius, Uranus is all about freedom - he’ll do anything to make waves and disrupt the agenda of The Man. Uranus defies tradition and embraces eccentricity. His energy is innovative, original and progressive. Areas of life associated with this planet are enlightenment, objectivity, ingenuity, investigation and discovery. Uranus is the spark of curiosity which propels us to ask questions.

Uranus in Aries manifests collectively as unrest in society. When conventions and traditions are challenged, change follows suit. Truths that have been covered up or ignored are unearthed. You don’t have to look far to see how global transformation is blossoming exponentially. Political systems are faced with demands for overhaul like we’ve never seen in modern times. This is what happens when the fire of Aries ignites Uranian unorthodoxy. The ram, being the first sign in the zodiac, demands a return to square one. Whatever we’ve been doing up until now is obviously not working. All that has been suppressed - corruption, scandal, hypocrisy - will continue rising to the surface.

When Uranus turns retrograde, problems present themselves immediately and aggressively, impossible to ignore. Life can feel extreme and forceful. Here we may become restless, reckless, irresponsible, overreactive. When compared to the retrograde periods of Saturn, Neptune and Pluto, Uranus is devilish in pace. All of life (including revelations, thankfully) will come suddenly and without warning. Priorities and values will quickly make themselves clear. In theory, this leads to new levels of conscious awareness. But if we fail his tests, Uranus will systematically peel, peel, peel away every last little aspect of life which doesn’t fully embody our obligation to be independent badasses. We need to think on our feet and learn the art of spontaneity.

Saturn and Pluto push us out of jobs, relationships, perspectives and behaviors that have trapped us in a state of unawareness. These planetary retrogrades take away what we have blindly accepted. After the stage is set, Uranus Retrograde pulls up like a mad scientist in a wonky flying contraption. Life is about to get very weird and full of the totally unexpected.

Uranus Retrograde lifts long forgotten veils. What we see underneath is not always beautiful, but this is a sign that we have gotten too comfortable and need to keep moving. Some, myself included, feel shift happening during this transit but can’t always properly harness the energy, so you may spend more time processing than acting. It is not uncommon to feel especially lost or anxious during these phases. You may experience tumultuous personality/perspective changes.

Uranus Retrograde spikes insubordinate thought patterns. When Uranus turns direct again, we will work directly with our new inner wisdom and make sense of these changes. For now, the inner rebel cannot afford to step down and reflect on such dainty matters. This is unusual for a retrograde period as they are normally quite pensive in nature, a time when we can rest in preparation for more energetic, uninhibited expressions.

Just as the physical movement is an optical illusion, the effects of the retrograde are also illusionary. Uranus Retrograde mandates internal change before external manifestation, but this is a deceptively powerful mechanism. Do not underestimate or try to control the inner rebel or he will come out all at once, seemingly from nowhere. As with any planetary retrograde, Uranus Rx is ultimately a test, and this one heats to scorching. Uranus wants to know how long you can tolerate being squeezed into molds that are not you before you scream and break free.

Collapse the cage; run away from whoever or whatever keeps you captive; unfurl your wings; unleash your voice; touch the wildness brewing just beneath your skin. Beware the ones who promise everything, hold your liberty high. Everything about this transit bespeaks the unforeseen, the instantaneous, the catastrophe or the rapture, you decide. Celebrate Uranus with Aries Yoga.

I was born with Uranus Retrograde. To find your Uranus sign and whether he was direct or retrograde at the time of your birth, click here.

Mantra: freedom