One Astrological concept that has captured my interest is retrogradation—when a planet reverses directions for a period of time and “moves backward” from our perspective on Earth. Of course, this isn’t what's really happening (because that would be against the laws of physics as we know it); it’s just the way things look from our earthly point of view. There are key dates in any retrograde season, including the day(s) that the planet stationed retrograde (officially makes the switch to moving backward) and the day(s) the planet stations direct (officially making the switch to moving forward). I find it so fun to tune in these days and see if I can really feel the frequency shift in planetary energy.
Wanna join me? There’s a Uranian invitation for us all this coming weekend from Friday, January 26th to Saturday, January 27th (2024) when it stations direct (begins to move forward again in orbit from our perspective on Earth).
As the LAST planet currently in retrograde, once Uranus stations direct, we will collectively move into a new chapter where all planetary energy is a GO! I repeat — the cosmic currents are about to synchronize and call us forward in our energy to produce more external change.
If you’ve been feeling right on that edge of energetic expression and moving head-first into your next chapter, this Uranus shift could ease any final resistance you’ve been feeling. Cool, huh?! Tell me what happens for you! I also share more nuanced details about this transit in the YouTube video below.
The Significance of Retrograde Energy in the Human Experience
As you’ve probably picked up, when a planet is retrograde (and any planet in our solar system can move in retrograde, minus the Moon & Sun), it’s a pulling of that planetary energy back inward. It’s more of a call to pause & reflect, so thank goodness for retrograde energy. We are not meant to charge ahead 100% of the time. We need to synthesize, process, adjust, integrate, and realign. This is the gift of retrogrades, a new perspective. We all went through a big retrograde chapter from July to December of 2023, where almost every planet was moving retrograde for certain weeks. So, if you struggled with making forward progress in the external world in the 2nd half of last year, don’t beat yourself up. The cosmic currents were inviting us to go into our inner worlds.
But in about a week, they will all invite us outward again! Want to learn more about retrogrades in Astrology? I wrote another blog about this fascinating occurrence in our solar system.
Uranus in Our Lives
Uranus is a rebellious force that is here to destabilize in the name of authentic truth. This radical frequency is here to help you channel your inner genius…and you know what they say; society will think you’re a freak before they think you're a genius, which Uranus is just fine with. Actually, the majority of people we consider "geniuses" aren't recognized as such in their human lives. Just look at the life of Salvador Dalî.
Moving forward in orbit, Uranus calls upon our inner rebel and allows us to break free of the status quo. Uranus is many things, and a “sheep” or “follower” is not one of them. Uranus is an energy that marches to the beat of its own drum and is here to reinvent the wheel. Innovations come from Uranian frequency as it guides us into doing things our way, not the way somebody told us to do it. It’s an energy that will tear down misaligned structures in your life to make room for something more aligned with your truth. Because how can you find that amazing, kick-ass job when you're too busy feeling miserable in your current one? We need to make room. Things have to end for new things to start. This is not me saying quit your job before you find a new one lol this is me saying that at some point, in order to create something new, your energy needs to be redirected. Instead of letting so much of your energy go towards ruminating over coworkers or escaping reality when you get home, maybe you eventually feel called to do a little job searching every day. Give your energy to that activity!
In order for any of us to channel this Uranian energy effectively, we must believe in ourselves. We must know who we are and refuse to let anyone else tell us differently. It sounds a little extreme, and Uranus is known for that, too. Without this energy, we could not follow our hearts amidst social pressure to conform or "fit in."
Astronomical Facts About Uranus
I always love to learn what makes a planet unique from the other celestial bodies in our solar system because reflected in those unique traits is the frequency of this planet moving in our human experience. Let me describe what I mean.
There are two astronomically significant facts about Uranus that I will discuss here that make this planet unique. The first is that Uranus has an extreme tilt to its axis, to the point where it's basically laying perpendicular on its side (98º tilt), whereas all the other celestial bodies have much less significant tilts in comparison. Astronomers theorize that Uranus was hit by a celestial body about the size of the Earth, which caused this massive shift in Uranus's tilt. Regardless, we see here the symbolism of the “rebel” energy of Uranus. This planet is truly rotating on a completely different axis plane than the other planets.
The second thing that is SO fascinating about this massive tilt is that it causes one pole of Uranus to face the Sun head-on, and the other pole completely faces away. Because of this, Uranus has the most extreme seasons out of any other planet, with one half being blasted by heat from the Sun and the other half engulfed in freezing darkness.
Here’s what I see in these Astronomical facts — I see a frequency (because that’s what planets are…just a specific combination of frequency, just like you 🤗 ) that is here to face the Sun (our hearts) head-on, to be so on fire for our heart’s desires that we radically turn away from anything else, even if it means we have to give something else the "cold shoulder." It doesn’t matter if everyone else is going this way. I am not. I see my heart. You can’t tell me who I am; only I have that power.
Uranus asks us to polarize. Once we feel something is NOT in alignment with the burning heat of our heart, it is absolutely, undoubtedly, in our highest good to reject it (easier said than done, I know). This is reflected in the extreme seasons we see on Uranus. It’s either summer or winter. A fuck yes or a fuck no. What you are doing is either leading you closer to your heart or away from it. Sometimes, we need to be extreme in our actions. Sometimes, we need to focus on the light and ignore the rest. Don't look behind you. Look in front of you. This rebellious frequency has a purpose: to pull your focus back on your light, your heart, like some galactic blinders.
Uranus does not want you to be normal, fit in, or go along with whatever else is doing. Uranus wants you to discover everything about yourself that makes you unique and different, your inner genius. And when I make room and give myself permission to follow my heart radically, I have way more understanding and enthusiasm for when others do the same.
Uranus in Retrograde and Direct Motion
So when Uranus is retrograde, we actually have a pulling back of this rebellious energy. We are asked to pause, reflect, and question this force in our lives. Is it a yes or a no? Hmmm..I’m not sure. During Uranus retrograde, we could be more collaborative and cooperative, more considerate of others and the impact of our own actions in the social systems because this energy is more inducing of self-doubt, calling you to go inward and explore your truth. We also could become aware of how restrictive we feel in our current roles, and the purpose of the Uranus retrograde could be calling you back inward to realize and recognize that you are not in alignment with certain systems and social groups — that, in fact, you playing into these roles and systems is not the truth of your soul. It's pretend. It isn't real, at least not to you.
And when we find ourselves aware of the social prisons and facades we’ve put on for the sake of “playing by the rules,” we feel how soul-sucking it is. I truly believe that so many of us are tolerating soul-sucking situations in our lives out of fear of rebelling, and us actually staying in misaligned positions is one of the causes of collective discord. We are surrounded by people doing things they don’t want to do! But two things Uranus is not are easy & comfortable. Do you know how much radical courage it takes to stand up for yourself? To leave groups and situations that are not of your highest good? Sometimes, Uranus requires that we walk alone to find that community where we truly feel a sense of belonging and understood. For anyone curious to explore the difference between "fitting in" and "belonging", I point you to the ever-inspiring work of shame researcher and author, Brené Brown.
To say NO, I’m no longer OK with this, and I must leave. If I have any care or love for myself, I will walk away from this situation and believe in my ability to find a better one. Have you ever seen someone do such a thing? It is powerful. It’s actually a huge display of personal power. Especially when others don't understand what they are doing. I truly believe more of us make ourselves small because we are afraid of how much power we have, and that power you feel somewhere inside you is synonymous with the frequency Uranus reflects to us. Thank goodness Uranus reminds us that this courage lives within us all the time.
I should also say that there are many ways to be radical in your life that aren't rude, disrespectful, or dismissive of the experience of others. Perhaps, that's the art of working with Uranus energy. Learning to rebel compassionately. It is very possible, even if it requires us to have challenging conversations. Don't let the challenge of having the conversation keep you from making the decision.
No one is stopping you from making big, life-altering moves besides yourself. Another saying I love to remember: "You are one decision away from a different life.” You could decide any moment you want to move across the country, break off a long-term partnership, or quit your job to pursue your dream…that power is yours whenever you choose it. Don’t you ever forget that next time you feel trapped in a circumstance or situation that isn’t aligned with the truth of who you are. This process is scary because of how much change it can cause, not just for ourselves but for everyone around us, too.
We don’t know what’s on the other side of these radical decisions that we feel called to make, which pulls in the very human experience of fearing of the unknown. What are the consequences? What if we make the wrong choice? What if we actually end up making things worse? Regretting our decisions? These are the kinds of feelings I correspond with Uranus being in retrograde, to doubt our hearts. It is useful for us to question and think about something before doing it. This is a necessary process, otherwise, retrograde energy wouldn't exist at all. Making mistakes is part of what we sign up for being human, and we need to process our life experiences to make better decisions moving forward. Sometimes, we never know what's better until we experience our mistakes, and our fear of making a mistake keeps us from making anything at all. My high school math teacher would always say, "You miss every shot you don't take." And isn't that the cold, hard truth?
On Friday, Uranus ushers us into this forward-motion chapter. Do not let your fear of making a mistake keep you stagnant. If and when your heart is telling you something, it is the most trustworthy force you can follow.
If there are things in your life you are ready to break off, move away from, and simultaneously things you are ready to unapologetically move towards, this Uranus shift coming this weekend is BEAUTIFUL energy to DO IT. Work up the courage, have the conversations, and start taking action around any area in your life that you have reflected on the past six months and concluded is just not working for you. Collectively, we are finding our heart centers once again, so some of your changes and decisions could feel scary, but the work you are doing is healing us all. We serve no one by staying in situations and circumstances that are out of alignment with us. It creates incoherency and discord in your life because staying in these situations keeps you from reaching a true state of joy, purpose, and passion. I'd also like to mention there are varying degrees to this, of course, like deciding to stop eating Lucky Charms every morning could feel a little less "radical" than leaving your marriage. No matter the degree of the shift, every decision you make to align yourself more with your heart is a huge success!
We desperately need to connect to our life force energy inside and move from that place where we are going to cultivate collective healing. Do not sacrifice your heart. It causes way more damage than any decision you could make in pursuit of your heart. Tend to your own sparks and flame.
These are words straight from Uranus through my fingers — Want more for yourself. Want better things for, in, and from your life. What you tolerate is what you get. Stop tolerating mediocrity. Or all you will have is mediocrity.
And if you see someone making a bold, radical move that’s clearly coming from within them, don’t judge them; celebrate them.
Uranus in Your Chart
If you desire to understand in greater detail how this Uranus energy will shift in you and, quite honestly, what Uranus is asking you to work with in this life, look at where Uranus is in your natal chart, both sign & house. Were you born when Uranus was in retrograde? That impacts how you work with this energy and what shift you might feel this weekend. You can calculate your constellation-based natal chart here and just look for Uranus!
I'm Here to Help
If you desire to make the most of this Uranus shift and need a little starlit guidance, I have two offerings to serve you. I always welcome you to book a 60-minute private session with me where we can get into the nitty gritty of your current circumstances for deeper soul understanding. I also record 15 to 20-minute personal interpretations for anyone who wants my professional insight on this cosmic shift for you specifically.