“He/She who would rule nature must first obey Her laws.”
One of the biggest astrological events of the year will be the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus at 21 Taurus 49’ on April 20, 2024. Mythically, both Jupiter (Zeus) and Uranus represent the age-old process of social/cultural revolution and change, when the “new guard” usurps the power of the “old guard” and takes over. As the story goes, Uranusa devours his children to avoid his prophetic demise at their hands, only to be tricked by guileful Gaia, who saves her son Cronos (Saturn), who castrates Uranus (renders him impotent), and eventually meets a similar fate, when the story repeats and he too is overthrown by his progeny, Zeus/Jupiter, who was also hidden away and saved by Mom. It’s interesting that, while the patriarchal power struggle plays out, over and over ad nauseum, it’s Taurus Mother Earth who’s really pulling the strings from behind the scenes of the drama.
21 Taurus 49’ on April 20, 2024. Mythically, both Jupiter (Zeus) and Uranus represent the age-old process of social/cultural revolution and change, when the “new guard” usurps the power of the “old guard” and takes over. As the story goes, Uranus devours his children to avoid his prophetic demise at their hands, only to be tricked by guileful Gaia, who saves her son Cronos (Saturn), who castrates Uranus (renders him impotent), and eventually meets a similar fate, when the story repeats and he too is overthrown by his progeny, Zeus/Jupiter, who was also hidden away and saved by Mom. It’s interesting that, while the patriarchal power struggle plays out, over and over ad nauseum, it’s Taurus Mother Earth who’s really pulling the strings from behind the scenes of the drama.
Uranus, planet of revolutionary change, unexpected evolutionary shifts, freedom from social/cultural restrictions, the urge for individuation and the search for “Authentic Self”, entered Taurus in May of 2018, where it remains until April 2026. The last few degrees of a slow-moving outer planet always herald more intense manifestation (blatant physical expression) of its “lessons” and collective growth needed at the time. Uranus transits are usually disruptive in nature, in that they “shake us up” and keep us from becoming too complacent, to show us where we must evolve and “upgrade the system”, like it or not. Needless to say, Uranus is not a “happy camper” in Taurus, a fixed Earth sign that prefers routine, solid ground, the comfort of complacency, and the stability of a “sure thing”. However, security conscious Taurus helps us to avoid the more challenging response to a Uranus transit: Revolution and anarchy, with little concern for the future consequences; change for the sake of change, with no plan for what comes next; the “throw the baby out with the bath water” conundrum. The rule of any Uranus transit is expect the unexpected, be honest with yourself about the changes you need to make in your life, and make conscious choices to facilitate those changes willingly and in constructive ways.
In May 2023, Jupiter, the planet ruling our search for “Truth” and the direction that search is likely to take us, expansion of conscious awareness, and the mode through which we are most likely to find understanding and wisdom needed at this time, entered Taurus, where it remains until May 16, 2024. Where Jupiter transits, circumstances that require our attention in order to grow consciousness happen in “big” ways, or are exaggerated, so as not to be missed or ignored. Our philosophical worldview is an ever unfolding and evolving product of our life experiences, meant to grow and change throughout one’s lifetime, rather than become frozen and rigid as “personal dogma”, the most negative expression of Jupiter. Our philosophy of life, or the “Truth” by which we live, (a conglomeration of principles, beliefs, perspectives, and ideals that color our perception of ourselves and the world) gets to experience an upgrade every 12 years in the areas of life and ruling principles of the house and sign through which Jupiter is transiting. Jupiterian challenges usually relate to “too much”, being overly and unrealistically optimistic, the illusion that bigger is always better, and the dogmatic insistence that your “Truth” is the one “Truth” and that you must educate/convince others of it with the missionary zeal of a born-again Christian!
Historically, the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus is an 83/84-year cycle which last occurred in May of 1941. America was slowly coming out of the Great Depression and World War II was raging in Europe. Although we did not actually enter the war until December 1941, the “war machine” consciousness was kickstarted in March 1941 with the passage of the Lend-Lease Act, which shifted us into a wartime economy. The accelerated production of wartime supplies and equipment produced enough jobs for everyone. American men went back to work, the economy began to thrive, and the Depression was over. Such Taurean symbols and principles abound throughout this period, and create a far-reaching impact on America’s social/cultural evolution. Conservation of resources became a national concern. People were encouraged to buy only necessities, to conserve and to recycle anything possible. War ration books were distributed, limiting each family’s purchase of precious commodities, like sugar and gasoline. The US government encouraged all people to grow, preserve and can their own food, and the “Victory Garden” was born. War Bonds went on sale, enabling individuals to personally invest in the war effort. As more and more American men enlisted in the armed forces, women began to enter the workforce, and eventually the military, in unprecedented numbers. This began a dramatic shift in the traditional perspectives regarding woman’s “place” and gender roles, in general. Major Uranian events during this period included: May 9, 1941, the Enigma Code was broken by Alan Turing, which not only helped to determine the outcome of the war, but is celebrated as the birth of computer technology with the creation of the first machine with the ability to exhibit human behavior; Plutonium was first isolated and produced, and the nuclear age was born. It is interesting that as this cycle repeats, we are reminded of these scientific breakthroughs in movies like The Imitation Game and Oppenheimer.
Prior to 1941, the previous Jupiter/Uranus conjunction in Taurus happened in 1858, once again coinciding with the prelude to war in America. The philosophical division of this country over equality and freedom (Uranus) and economic survival (Taurus) were the catalysts for The Civil War. One need not look too far to see these historical patterns playing out once again. We are faced with extreme disruption on the global front, where we are economically and philosophically heavily invested in one side or the other. The possibility of further escalation and greater involvement in global conflict in the Middle East is very real. We are also a nation seriously divided, engaged in a philosophical civil war, which is likely to grow only more rabid and contentious during this presidential election year. There is no question that this year, the outer world will provide more than its share of chaos, unrest and turmoil as unpredictable events unfold, and we will have ample opportunities to feel scared, helpless, and out of control. We must all work to find new and better ways to stay grounded in our personal sphere, physically through healthy everyday regimes, mentally, by watching our thoughts and fostering a positive perspective, emotionally, by creating a calm, safe inner space to honor the feelings as they arise and practice techniques that help us to return to a place of peace, and spiritually, by practicing our beliefs more consciously through ritual and prayer, with faith in our power of divine intention. The Cosmic Tidal Wave we are riding right now is necessary to create the collective shift in consciousness required of Humanity at this time. It’s not personal, even though we have no choice but to personally deal with it.
With consciousness and wisdom, change is good. We get to “upgrade the system”, move past limitations, and embrace the evolutionary process, ultimately creating a different reality more compatible with the new perspective of the Uranus-ruled Aquarian Age. The transits of slower moving planets are less about events and more about processes that promote shifts in our conscious understanding of larger truths and realities. Such shifts take a long time to “sink in” and the actual “events” that do occur to foster them are more social, collective, and global than personal. The result is a higher collective vibration and a new way of perceiving our collective reality, which may or may not be compatible with the personal. Of course, as part of the collective whole, we are all affected by these events. Those with personal planetary connections to the planets and signs involved are most likely to experience the energies personally, and to be the vehicles that show us this shift in consciousness by example.
Any planet or astrological point moving through Taurus will express itself through a heightened awareness of resources (all things of value to us, on both the material and intangible levels, like time, energy, innate/natural skills, talents, and abilities), values, and our personal value system (the process by which we assess/determine worth in terms of the energy exchange required). We can continue to expect sudden and unexpected disruption of all areas relating to resources, including our current perception of what that word means. As we upgrade our philosophical perspectives and grow/expand a more conscious awareness regarding our value systems, attitudes about material and energetic expenditure, waste, and conservation will shift under the influence of this transit. We can continue to expect major changes and unexpected turns of fortune in the world of finance. The trend of “doing away with money” in favor of electronic dispersion of funds will intensify. Technology and finances will continue to merge, with more pressure applied to accept technological systems of finance. We are sure to experience many scary “bugs to the system”, like cyber larceny and the hacking of financial systems on a larger scale, as we make this transition. These will have to be dealt with as the technology behind such systems is perfected. Taurean resources also include our own natural resources in the form of innate talents and natural skills and abilities. This transit holds the possibility of discovering talents and skills (natural proclivities) yet to be realized, and the desire to further develop those of which we are aware, either by choice or out of necessity.
Conservation of resources on all levels will remain an area of focus this year. Taurus rules Mother Earth in Her most natural state, The Gaia Principle. Regarding Her protection, we can expect major scientific and technological innovations dedicated to conservation of natural resources and dealing with the effects of global warming. Serious global legislation toward this same end is likely to be enacted as scientific proof will overwhelm the materialistic goals of many in power. Through legislation and social consciousness groups, more pressure will be applied to individuals to conserve resources, recycle, and reduce waste. We can expect to see greater extremes in legislation devoted to the right use and proper conservation of resources, and creative ways to avoid waste, as well as more severe restrictions and punishments for endangering life and resources on the planet. The WWII Victory Gardens is a concept being revisited as people are being encouraged to create gardens or join in community efforts to grow their own food, and exchange useless lawns with biodiverse habitats.
Natural catastrophes of epic proportion are likely this year, in greater number and magnitude. Mother Earth is in the process of having a major facelift! There has been recent media attention given to the accelerated opening of the East African Rift and the shifting of other tectonic plates beneath India and Tibet. Global warming has revealed amazing new discoveries beneath the polar ice caps and permafrost, as well as exposed the planet to bacterial organisms which challenge our immune systems and pave the way for new diseases and potential pandemics of the future. Much is happening to remind us of just how fragile and tenuous our life on this planet can be, and to stop taking Her support for granted. Continued scientific research and technological advancement involving ways to prevent, or at least appease, the devastating effect of eco-ignorance will continue, as will educational initiatives, ecologically based city/community planning, the focus of Humanitarian groups, and global conferences, all powerfully influenced and defined by this very real concern.
Taurus rules the sensory experience and our capacity to connect consciously with our physicality, the “pleasure principle” and sensuality. “Feeling good” physically is becoming the new definition of pleasure, and a new priority, for many. Advances in health and healing are likely to relate to a perception of the body as a “Temple”, a precious resource to be nurtured and cared for in order to achieve optimal performance and maintain personal well-being. Technologically, we can expect phenomenal advances in our ability to detect, prevent, and treat disease in advance of manifestation. As more long-term research on the consequences of feeding ourselves bioengineered, lab created “fake food”, exposes its dangers, we can anticipate an increase in restrictive and protective legislation and revolutionary changes in the way we grow, produce and manage the food industry, and a continued trend of individuals taking charge (personal responsibility) of their own food production in the form of community gardens and a revisiting of the “Victory Garden” concept of WWII. This “return to Nature” concept will be strongly emphasized in the new healing modalities and philosophies of health and well-being now emerging in consciousness.
We will surely continue to “lock horns” on the political front and in global affairs, as diametrically opposing worldviews collide. Insurmountable differences that cannot be reconciled by traditional means of diplomacy and negotiation will force us to find new ways to seek diplomatic solutions to differences and problems, or face potential annihilation as the technologies of war and weapons of mass destruction become even more technologically mysterious, insidious and readily available. The phenomena of individuals and groups with a common purpose clashing with the current status quo (rebellion and revolution) will continue, and likely become the new status quo, as the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction is an accurate reflection of what we can expect as Pluto transits Aquarius for the next 20 years. As global catastrophes and natural disasters intensify, creating more devastating far-reaching consequences for the future, the need for greater global cooperation in humanitarian efforts and collective efforts to care for and preserve Mother Earth will be emphasized.
Venus ruled Taurus supports “The Return of the Goddess”, a shift in perspective which will continue to grow in the collective consciousness, steadily changing perspectives and value systems to create a more balanced worldview. Women’s rights and women’s issues are likely to continue to take front and center stage, and our growing concern for Mother Earth will continue to intensify, resulting in revolutionary measures to protect the planet from the abuses of the dying, capitalistic, patriarchally dominated system of the past 2000+ years. The influence of this shift will be seen and felt as more women enter the political arena and these new political voices infuse new policy with a feminine perspective. As we recreate the failing systems and structures exposed by Pluto’s transit through Capricorn, the feminine perspective and principles are sure to play a much bigger role in new social/cultural policies and institutional practices. In its most positive, the feminine/Yin perspective is based on cooperation, acceptance of vulnerability, endurance, and acceptance as opposed to aggressive action and impulsive reaction to external stimuli. It favors receptivity and a “tend and befriend” approach over action and a “fight or flight” approach to life experience. However, we must never underestimate the power of The Goddess of Necessity, which is strongly aligned with Taurus and the feminine survival instinct, the intuitive awareness/wisdom regarding conservation and “right use” of energy, motivated by the desire to get the most “bang” from my “energetic buck”, and an instinctual appreciation for the natural world, its creations and cycles/rhythms). We can hope for greater thoughtfulness and concern for the consequences of action, and less spontaneous “knee-jerk” reacting and impulsive decision-making, both personally and globally in world affairs. We are likely to see the emergence of new, more Venusian approaches to diplomacy and negotiation as a way to solve problems, as opposed to threats and the “chest pounding” Martian behavior we have witnessed in the past. More legislation will be devoted to emotionally based issues that require our attention, like children, family, the homeless and disenfranchised, and mental/ psychological health. Either by choice or out of necessity, concern for ecological issues and the health of Mother Earth will continue to grow and increase in importance as a political priority.
We’re sure to see examples of both positive and negative extremes of Taurus energy as we navigate this major astrological event. A fixed Earth sign, Taurus infuses a planetary character with the urge for grounding, stability, and physical security, inspiring that character to be more practical, steady, determined, reliable, solid, enduring, and energetically conservative in constructive ways. In more challenging ways, that character can become energetically stuck, stubborn, headstrong (“bull” headed), inflexible, lazy, overly materialistic, self-indulgent, and lacking in imagination. Let us hope for the best of Taurus, and prepare for the worst. We must “expect the unexpected” (Uranus) in bigger than usual ways (Jupiter). One can only imagine the events and circumstances that will be required to facilitate the dramatic shift in consciousness required of Humanity at this time.
Kimberly McSherry
