The time has arrived for the aforementioned Mars-Uranus-North Node conjunction, reaching perfection on August 1st. You may have picked up on the energy last week, with the Moon passing through this Taurean territory on Thursday, July 21st. At our homestead, for instance, we experienced a power outage and a slew of rearranged or cancelled plans due to unforeseen circumstances. Uranus perverts plans and expectations—not because Uranus is a pesky, needlessly rebellious annoyance, but because Uranus is asking us to try living without them, if not wholly, then just for a spell. As I’ve shared before, Uranus shows us the value of living in the Here and Now:
"The basic principle of Uranus is immediacy. Uranus is concerned with the Now. And so astrologers tie Uranus to surprises, epiphanies, and unpredictable events (which bring us into the Now); to revolutions and revolutionaries (which demand change Now); to modern technology (which needs our attention Now); to individuation/individualism (as the presence of the other(s) can over-contextualize the Now); and in Medical astrology, to the lightning-fast nervous system (an empowered Uranus = quick reflexes, a weakened Uranus = hyperactive nervous system).
"Uranus wants us to be in the moment, and not concern ourselves with how we got here or what’s to follow."
So, as Uranus combines with Mars’ basic principle of Action and the bursting, gushing energy of the Moon’s North Node, what do we have in store?
One approach would be to look at the most previous Mars-Uranus conjunction in Taurus. As it happens, this took place as the current president of the US was being sworn in. That whole election-to-inauguration process went pretty smooth, right? Okay, maybe not. And while there is plenty of mess in that narrative to get lost in, surface details are insignificant compared to the underlying rhythm: twists and turns, constant rapid change, and never knowing what to expect next. Uranus-Mars needs spontaneous action, embedded in the moment, and thrashes against any form of restriction. With Uranus also conjoining the North Node in Taurus, the only deep security we can truly hold on to is the air we are breathing in, which of course we must let go of.
I would like to use this space to examine a more subtle expression of this astrological circuit, which it turns out, includes more than just Mars, Uranus, and the North Node at 18 degrees Taurus.
During the central days (July 30 - Aug 2) of this conjunction, these three celestial beings are operating in cahoots with the Sun (7-9 degrees Leo) and Jupiter (8 degrees Aries and freshly stationed retrograde) in measures of 40 degrees, or ninths (1/9) of a circle. In astrology, we call this aspect the novile.
I have casted blue novile lines in this chart—which shows us the exact conjunction of Mars and Uranus—to show you where the noviles occur. We see that Jupiter in Aries is 40 degrees away from Mars-Uranus-North Node, creating a novile (1/9) aspect. If we travel two more noviles (2/9, 80 degrees, a binovile) from the big conjunction, we arrive at the Sun in Leo. So, all five celestial beings are connected by noviles, while Jupiter and the Sun form a trine (120 degrees, 3/9 or 1/3) aspect to one another. I get pretty personal with the planets, and I gotta say, it feels to me like a fuzzy group hug.
I should also inform you that noviles and the ninth vibration/harmonic in astrology are all about finding common ground and working together, in communion. With these particular planets, there is a tone of advancing in big ways and creating a better situation for ourselves and each other through shared action.
One other note about this configuration is that during this conjunction, the Sun is traveling in opposition to the Saturn/Pluto midpoint. I have made a habit of tracking this midpoint year-round (currently at 10 degrees Aquarius, and slowly inching backwards), as it seems to have a really strong and often unpleasant effect when it connects with folks’ natal charts.
With the Sun illuminating the Saturn/Pluto point of convergence—while in trine with Jupiter and in this novile pattern with Mars, Uranus, and the North Node—we can see a little more specifically what kind of advancements are favored by the energy of this time. Saturn and Pluto tend to suppress material growth, as we can see playing out with the delayed-but-inevitable economic recession that began with their conjunctions in 2020. So, what grows in Saturn-Pluto soil, amended by all these other planets? The channels of advancement that flow here are those of deeper meaning and lasting value. Particularly with the noviles, I think of harmony in relationships, village, and community, but to each their own. In this time, these are the paths to true, meaningful abundance.
We must keep in mind, however, that the Uranus-North Node conjunction outlasts all of this. It’s extremely strong now, and it will remain so for weeks to come (arguably months). The energy I’m speaking of isn’t something we can orchestrate or control, but rather a channel to merge with, should you spot it passing through your life.
As with any moment in time, there are numerous channels of energy to engage. Your birth chart is a picture of such a moment, and indubitably you are a being of great plurality. I have highlighted one particular channel of this cosmic moment here, and there are many others, but this is the one which I hope to jump into, and maybe you might, too.
with Love,
Phil