When Change Comes
 

When change comes along, what can a person do? You can resist and cling to the old or surrender and go with the flow. One choice involves the stress of trying to hold on to the past and the other involves the stress of an uncertain future.

The planetary indicator of change is Uranus. Discovered in 1781 at the height of the birth of democracy in the US and Europe, Uranus rules change, innovation, the unbeaten path -- anything but the status quo. It was Uranus’ conjunction with Pluto in Virgo in the 1960s that produced the chaos, protests, and changes of that time. Remember the shouts of “down with the establishment!”

By the way, Uranus will again form a stressful relationship with Pluto in 2010-12. Worldwide change is coming our way, but that’s the subject of a later writing.

If Uranus describes the upheaval in societal norms we experienced in the 60s, what can it mean when it becomes active in a persons chart?

The first thing to realize is that we all have varying abilities to manage change. Those with Sun, Moon or Ascendant in a fixed sign (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius) find change quite disconcerting. One of their strengths is stability/reliability. When their life moves into a period of change -- and it happens to everyone at sometime in their life -- it is upsetting to say the least. They are most likely to resist whatever is happening, at least at first.

Perhaps you’ve heard the adage “what you resist, persists.” Eventually, everyone must turn over the topsoil of their life and find that the fertile earth beneath our habitual existence contains more possibilities for happiness than we ever imagined. We may wonder what we feared when we discover the outcome.

Mutable sign people (with Sun, Moon or Ascendant in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces) have the greatest ability to go with the flow. Change comes easy though it’s often dictated by external circumstances or other people. They may blame others for changes that they secretly hoped for anyway.

Cardinal folks (with Sun, Moon or Ascendant in Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn) manage change well as long as they are calling the shots. The cardinal energy is very assertive and self-directed. What doesn’t feel good is change that wasn’t asked for but came anyway.

Clearly, change is a constant in life. Fortunately, it comes in cycles that usually allow for a breather between new adaptations, but not always. I have seen clients who have had several major change cycles converging over a 3-4 year period and it can be tough to handle. Afterward, however, their world is brand new and they are able to appreciate the new growth as a result.

As it happens, Uranus is very active in my chart right now. With a cardinal Sun and Ascendant and mutable Moon, I usually handle change with grace. In fact, I have been known to throw a wrench into the works whenever things stay the same too long. I enjoy the new possibilities that life can offer.

So true to the spirit of Uranus, my husband and I are setting off on a 3-month odyssey to Alaska. I have dreamed of having the freedom to awake each morning and see the day as a blank canvas on which I can paint whatever I like. My dream is soon to come true!

Don’t think that leaving my home for 3 months doesn’t have its own anxiety. I feel it and then I look ahead to the vast beauty of earth we’ll experience as we camp our way to Alaska and the fears fall away.

I also know what my astrology chart tells me - that I will return with even more appreciation for my home and that the upheaval of making camp and breaking camp frequently will end in 3-months with a time of settling back into the comfort of my nest.

When change comes to call in your life, I hope you’ll be able to see the unknown as a friend and not something to fear. If fears arise or if you’d just like to know when the changes will end, you might want to consult an astrologer.
As always, your comments are welcome at SpiritinMatters@aol.com.