Uranus Square Pluto: The '60s and Beyond

Astrology points to a period of profound change

In 1966 and 1967, the outer planets Uranus and Pluto joined together three times. These conjunctions marked the beginning of a major new cycle that corresponded with cultural and social revolutions around the globe. Uranus was the first planet discovered by telescope, not coincidentally between the American and French Revolutions. It represents radical change and rebellion against the existing order. Pluto, discovered in 1930, is the planet of transformation, adding passion and power to the liberation movements of the 1960s.

On May 20, 2013, Uranus forms a 90-degree angle with Pluto, which is the second stage of a cycle that began 46 years ago. It is the next step in the transformational process these planets represent. They will repeat this pattern five more times on May 20 and Nov. 1, 2013; April 21 and Dec. 14, 2014; and March 16, 2015. We are in for some interesting times.

A period of profound change

Of course, we don't need to be Astrology students to recognize that we are living a period of profound change. Old institutions are failing as banks and brokerage houses are bailed out, airlines consolidate, education and health care costs skyrocket and economies sputter. In the United States an almost permanent state of war between the two major political parties has virtually paralyzed the government.

The Uranus-Pluto transits signal that we are going to encounter a great deal of change or spend an enormous amount of energy to suppress it. On a personal level, it's understandable to want to retreat to more comfortable times, yet there is no going back to yesterday. The only productive direction to move is forward. Yet if we wait for governments, corporations or other large institutions to lead the way, the process may never get off the ground.

Change begins within each of us, an idea that makes sense with revolutionary Uranus in Aries, the sign of the individual. While you or I are unable to directly alter the policies of Fed Ex or the Federal government, we are able to make changes in our own lives, and this is where the power lies. The failures of large institutions may come from their inherent resistant to change. Private and public bureaucracies are deeply entrenched in interests and activities that do not readily give way to change. Yet each of us has the power to open our minds and alter the habits and beliefs that inhibit personal growth. If enough of us do this, all of us will benefit.

One astrological interpretation of these times is that the big corporate interests are going to consolidate and increase their power. This is a description of Pluto in Capricorn. Plutocracies are societies ruled by the rich, and Capricorn is a hierarchical sign that's more about authority and control than equality and sharing. Radical Uranus' challenging right angle to Pluto represents the power of individuals and small groups to overcome these forces.

Breaking patterns

We all have our own rules about life, the ways we should think and behave. These are necessary to maintain a sense of order. However, the first acts of the coming revolution are to recognize where we've become stuck in our own patterns and can begin to move toward altering them. The certainty we gain from our religious or political beliefs, for example, should be questioned. An honest inquiry into the truths we hold to be self-evident is likely to reveal some points that are worth more careful examination. If your philosophy is rock solid, then there's no risk in questioning it. Yet, in times like these, the willingness to push beyond the rigid walls that define personal reality could be the greatest contribution we can make to the rest of humanity.

It takes courage (or craziness) to think about turning your world upside down. Yet contemplation is not action. We're free to re-examine the rules by which we run our lives and imagine alternative paths without necessarily making any radical changes. But when we're able to broaden our minds, unhook from rigid habits and try new experiences, we are playing a part in defining the future. If we leave it to others to lead the way, we're likely to be disappointed. Uranus in Aries is the freedom to be a trailblazer, and even if that only means initiating a change of structure in your local PTA, it's a step in the right direction.

This series of Uranus-Pluto squares could mark an evolutionary leap for our species. Our technological creations are prototypes for the future of human beings themselves. The Internet, for example, may be a model for making direct mind-to-mind connections in a more intuitive tomorrow. Space travel might be a step toward teleportation. While these may seem like far-fetched ideas, we only need to look around the world as it is right now to see the mechanical miracles that have transformed our world. Uranus and Pluto may accelerate the process by breaking down the limits of old thought, crossing barriers or nation, race, gender and religion to give birth to a human renaissance.