The Uranus-Pluto square becomes exact again in December. It’s become so much of the background noise of our era that sometimes it seems unfair to blame any one thing on it at all. Pinning too much blame on that one slow and prolonged aspect can make an astrologer sound like an old coot complaining about “kids these days”: it establishes a sense of authority but is of little practical use.
Nonetheless, it is having a very real effect not just on society in general but many of us specifically. As with any transit that can be thought of as being “bad,” it’s too easy to dread the worst possible outcomes when in fact (even with as difficult a transit as this one) ultimately something good can come of it.
Consider the violence and bloodshed that comes from a revolution. No one in their right mind really enjoys that sort of thing, but sometimes it’s necessary, and sometimes it results in a much better world.
Uranus is the revolutionary in this combination. And if there’s one thing that a revolutionary can’t stand, it’s “inaction,” even if it’s something as scary as Pluto that’s putting the brakes on.
When considering the possible effect that the Uranus-Pluto square is having on you, ask yourself: what are you being spurred to do? Where is a revolution needed?
***
Having lived in New York City for over a year now, I decided it was time to go visit the Statue of Liberty.
It was a gift from the French, which is kind of amusing when you hear the kinds of things the Americans and French often say about each other. In some ways, it reminds me of siblings who pick on each other not because they are too different, but because they are too alike. If you yourself are French, next time you feel like griping about Americans, just remember what their involvement in World War II did for you (what, you think the Russians would’ve bailed you out?). And if you are an American, next time you feel like complaining about the French, keep in mind that without French involvement in your history, the American Revolution would likely now be referred to as “that spot of trouble in the Colonies.”
I was surprised by my reaction to the Statue of Liberty. My brain is constantly producing pop cultural references to the things I encounter every day, but upon arriving at the Statue of Liberty I didn’t automatically flash to “Planet Of The Apes” or “Ghostbusters Two” or see Christopher Reeve flying a circle around it my mind.
Instead, I was reminded of this:
Things change, but Nazis still suck.
You see, the French and Americans are essentially two different people, yet they share a lot of the same ideals. They are both democracies born of revolution. Ever since the 1700s, whenever a major war comes up, America and France are usually on the same side for the same reasons. Overall, despite the long tradition of picking on each other’s military history and culture, America and France really are on the same page more often than not. And both their revolutions ultimately contributed to the world being a better place.
***
At the other side of the square is Pluto. Pluto is the non-negotiable End Of The Line. It can terrify us with the challenges it presents. Revolution often leads to destruction, and Pluto knows all about destruction. Pluto burns off the old stubble so you can plant a new crop. That’s all fine and well, except of course it involves a lot of burning. And maybe sometimes the stuff you end up burning was stuff you wanted to keep.
So, Pluto asks: what’s gotta go?
***
Before you get on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, you encounter the World Trade Center. You can’t help it: even if you aren’t anywhere near it, it looms over the entire city like The Monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Even among the glass and concrete mountains of lower Manhattan, it is a giant.
Speaking of 2001: this is not the original World Trade Center, of course. The original was destroyed in a brutal sudden attack, and a lot of innocent people were killed. The World Trade Center that stands in the same place now is a monument to the unwillingness to surrender to tragedy. It is a testimonial to the drive to come out better after disaster.
It also looks uncomfortably like a great big tombstone.
***
Whatever you’ve been facing in the last couple of years, don’t forget that you’re still here. You’ve made it this far. Congratulations! Perhaps now and in the next month is the time in the grand Uranus-Pluto cycle where you assess what you can do with it as opposed to fretting about what it is doing to you.
***
I ended my tour of New York with a hot dog, because hey – this is America!
Hot dogs are like freedom itself: they’re awesome, but perhaps it’s best to not think too hard about how they’re made sometimes.
Read Previous Post
