Uranus is just finishing up whacking people with planets in late degrees of mutable signs and is looking forward to resuming the ability to pounce on people with planets in early degrees of cardinal signs next March. Since I happen to be one of those people with planets in early degrees of cardinal signs, I thought I’d respond to a reader query and venture a few unconventional thoughts on dealing with the most unconventional planet in the astrological system. Without further ado, a few strange ways for getting the upper hand on a contrary planet.

#1: Panic early. Uranus can be a rather hysterical planet and he loves speed. Get the jump on him by panicking as soon as you realize you have a Uranus square, opposition or conjunction coming up. There’s a bit of reverse psychology to this so bear with me.

Think of your worst nightmare under the upcoming transit. Let’s say Uranus will be conjunct your Descendant and opposing your Ascendant. Your worst nightmare is that Uranus will try to break up your marriage because you’ve seen that happen with Uranus in the 7th house and you’re a Libra, so you hate that idea. Panic productively by figuring out what you can pull out of your hat to prevent that. Does your spouse need more freedom? Has tension been building? Do you need to talk some things through? Could you separate briefly if things are really rough these days? Could you be more assertive now so that you’re not overwhelmed with anger later? Brainstorm; worry if necessary. Uranus loves brainstorming.

But here’s the magic of this trick. Uranus wants to surprise you. If you’ve already prepared and anticipated, there’ll be no surprise if the transit brings stress to your marriage. Uranus hates that; he hates to be predicted. So he will leave your marriage alone. Now admittedly, he will do something else, such as shake up your Ascendant by having you dye your hair shocking pink (Uranus loves shocking anything). But you can live with that. Better your hair than your marriage.

The same sort of reverse psychology is necessary if you’re actually looking forward to the Uranus transit (some people do). Let’s say you are thinking to yourself that Uranus squaring your Capricorn Ascendant is going to loosen up your Capricorn serious way of presenting yourself and you think that’s going to be great because you’re tired of being perceived as a Capricorn instead of the wacky Aquarian sun that you feel inside. Don’t count on it if you’re counting on it. Instead, announce loudly to anyone that will listen “I’ll bet you Uranus will attack my sensitive Cancer Descendant instead of my Capricorn Ascendant; I just know it. I can feel it. I’m sure of it. I’m intuitive that way. It will be awful.” Uranus will overhear you and say “Aha! Guess who’s going to get a big surprise when I go after the Capricorn Ascendant!” Mission accomplished.

Now this may seem crazy, and it kind of is. But I have experience with Uranus and in my experience Uranus really does hate being predicted. I have seen this technique work on more than one occasion. What you worry about doesn’t happen. If you don’t worry at all, you get whacked upside the head. Either way, Uranus achieves his goal of keeping you on your toes and engaged with your life, thinking about the possibilities instead of relying on the same old routine. By the time you’ve finished worrying about your marriage or whatever, you’ll have already achieved what needed to be achieved, the greater independence, the not taking it for granted, the willingness to take a look at it. Without the drama of being blindsided.

#2: If it’s too late to panic in advance, take a look at what kind of Uranus transit you are going through. There are at least 2 major kinds. One is internal and the other is situational. The internal ones make you feel like you are going crazy, partly because nothing’s happening and you want something to happen. You feel restless. You want to quit your job, flee to Europe or Tahiti. You want to dump your girlfriend, dump your friends, move across country, start a new life. You want to get married, force an issue, make a bold move, have a breakthrough or do anything rather than endure the same old situation that you’ve been putting up with forever. With Uranus in Aries, you will frequently want to scream at someone, because that’s what this placement encourages.

There are 2 ways you can handle this situation. One is to make whatever radical change crosses your mind. Sometimes this works. Sometimes it’s rough. If you’ve been thinking of ending your marriage or quitting your job for 4 years now and you haven’t been able to get your butt in gear, it’s probably time to take the plunge. Some people find it very hard to do what they’re planning unless forced by major stress. Uranus is helpful to these folks. Do try to prepare as much as possible for the major move you’re going to make because Uranus rarely sticks around to help you pick up the pieces. You’ll need to be responsible for yourself once the change is made. But if you understand that, you can use Uranus productively, even though you will be beside yourself until you make your move.

The other way is to get at the underlying boredom and need for excitement and re-engagement with your life that underlies the desire for radical change. Find a place and a way to scream on purpose, instead of by accident. Try not to entertain the idea that you will be able to get away without any metaphorical screaming or yelling at all. You will need to pitch some sort of a fit, even if you do it privately, because Uranus will not let up until you do.

Scream in your car to loud music, as long as you aren’t transporting the kids and you’ve got the windows rolled up. Find a therapist or even an astrologer and vent like crazy. Find some new friends and take up new activities with them that blow off steam. Take a karate class and make a lot of ‘hai-yah!’ noises. Get a punching bag. Learn self-defense techniques. Write an angry letter to your congressperson. Take a strong position on something and argue it with someone who is tolerant of debate. Watch a lot of action movies and vicariously thrill at blowing up the buildings and blowing away the bad guys. Become a sports fan and yell for the home team. Join a bowling league and jump up and down when you roll a strike. Attend a demonstration and chant slogans at passing cars. Take up a righteous cause and work for it. Start fist-pumping when you overcome a challenge. Act on a impulse. Stay up all night making a ridiculously long bucket list. Tell off a bully. Use a swear word that shocks you. Do something! Let Uranus know that you got the message that you need to be more alive, even aggressively so.

Some or all of these things will be counter to your nature, or you aren’t really going through a difficult Uranus transit. The point is to realize that Uranus is just activating the natural vitality that comes with experiencing your own Aries energy. Consciously choose what you’d like to do with it. If you keep at this, you will eventually realize (with a sudden flash of insight if Uranus has his way) what it is you are really discontented with and why. Often what you’re upset about is all the time you’ve wasted putting off taking control over your own life. That’s a pretty big, if jarring, insight, and once you gain it, you can decide how to get back that control.

#3: If you’re having a situational Uranus transit, you’re not the one feeling restless. Instead, you’re feeling shocked and disoriented because Uranus suddenly ended something you weren’t planning to end voluntarily. Instead of quitting your job, you’re fired. Instead of dumping the boyfriend, he dumped you. And so on. This is the sort of thing that gives Uranus a bad reputation. He does disrupt people’s lives. It can be very rough when this happens. In between being upset and disoriented, there are a few things you can do.

For example, you can revel in your new freedom. Yes, it’s terrifying not having a job. But…for the first time in 15 years you can sleep in, visit the beach on a Monday, grow a beard, not have to pick up the hubby’s dirty socks, go on a date with someone new, wear what you like, and escape the daily grind that used to be your life. This won’t last forever, so take at least a few moments, every day, to savor it.

You can also take advantage of the opportunity to be objective and detach. When your world’s turned upside down, it’s too painful to be subjective. So don’t be. Instead, step back, way back, and look at the situation as objectively as possible. At least for a few minutes every day, put your feelings aside and evaluate the situation as if you were an outside observer. From an outside observer’s perspective, it was a lousy job and a terrible boyfriend in the first place. Uranus did you a favor. He just did it more quickly and abruptly than you were anticipating.

You can also let go of outcomes and expectations.  I got this tip recently from a client. She was thrilled with her disruptive and upsetting and infuriating Uranus transit, once she bounced back from the initial shock. She was thrilled because she realized she had been building her life around expectations and desires to control the outcome of her life that just were not working out. She wasn’t living any more, wasn’t able to see what could happen, experiment, learn, open up, etc. because she’d been too busy predicting things. Trying different things with the attitude of ‘let’s just see what happens’ is a perfectly valid way to handle a Uranus disruption.

Finally, you can go in a different direction and build on a new foundation. If it’s hard putting up with the disruption of a situational Uranus transit, it’s even harder to try to recapture what just went away. Something is going to have to be different. Decide what you’re never going to do again and what you’d like to do differently this next time around. In a way, Uranus doesn’t care what changes you make, as long as you go forward and not backward. As long as you are clear that Uranus will not actually help you become the master chef of your lifelong fantasy, that he will just give you the chance to act on your desires, you can decide not to re-board the train you were riding and get on one to a whole different destination.

P.S. Just because you fail the first time you audition for “Master Chef” does not mean you made the wrong decision. Uranus believes in experimenting until you get it right. He was the one who told Thomas Edison that he didn’t fail to make a lightbulb a thousand times, he just discovered a bunch of ways that didn’t work.

Good luck with your transits!

CJ gives me a little mini-reading during the show demonstrating how to correlate your various personal numbers (Life Path, Personality, Heart’s Desire, Expression, and so on) with your natal chart. She explains how to calculate your Life Path and Personal Year numbers quickly and what the various numbers mean. We also talk about the meaning of favorite numbers and a little bit about the numerology of naming things. She also also matches up numbers with planets, so you can cross-reference and correlate the two when looking for major themes in your life.

Here are some additional resources on numerology so you can see how your numbers correlate with your chart.

Auntie Moon: CJ’s blog

YearSeer: Numerology forecast. A lot of great information on using numerology month by month.

All Things Healing: This website has information on all kinds of spiritual and healing practices. CJ is the editor for the numerology page.

Creative Numerology:  Includes information on your family name number

Decoz Numerology: Do your own reading.

During the podcast, she gives each zodiac sign an example of a good flower essence to use and a good issue to focus on. She mentions a number of Bach (pronounced like ‘batch’) flower essences as well as some more recently developed. This is a great example of combining astrology with another healing discipline to add value to both.  Also read Debbie’s article for the Edward Bach website on the zodiac signs as healers and which of the original Dr. Bach flower essences goes with each sign. Read about your own zodiac sign for a good introduction as to what flower essences can do specifically for you.

Below are a number of resources related to flower essences for those who are interested in learning more.

The British Flower and Vibrational Essences Association

Vibration Magazine Blog (The Journal of Vibrational & Flower Essences)

Debbie’s article on surviving all the cardinal clashes with the help of flower essences

Donna Cunningham’s article on Uranus in Aries and flower essences

The Original Bach® Flower Remedies

Flower Essence Services

Admittedly, there is a bit of intensity around the 21st when the sun in your sign opposes both Jupiter and Uranus on the same day. If you are sensitive to such things, you may feel some suppressed suspense around this time. That would be because Jupiter conjunct Uranus likes to spring surprises on people. If you haven’t already experienced your surprise by this time, you’ll probably feel it coming and wonder what’s going to happen. I don’t know myself what’s going to happen, but the betting money would be on something relating to a committed relationship.

The surprise would be along the lines of suddenly seeing very clearly just exactly how things are in this committed or intimate relationship.

It’s not so much about delivering good news or bad news; it’s more about suddenly understanding how you feel about the state of the relationship in question. That’s kind of cool because most of the time, for most of us, this is actually kind of hard to do. We get so used to things and caught up in the day to day trivia that we don’t quite see the big picture. Jupiter is Mr. Big Picture and Uranus is Mr. Surprise; hence, surprise at seeing the big picture. That’s one possibility at least.

Relationship changes are actually a big theme in your chart for much of the rest of the next 12 months; that is, until mid-March 2011. After that, Uranus will leave your relationship sector not to return in your lifetime unless you live to be really really old (Uranus takes 84 years to circle the zodiac). Until then, you’ll have time to examine relationships from many different perspectives and perhaps with someone new. You might even figure out how to produce the kind of relationship you really want.

After that, if you play your cards right, you’ll get to experience the excitement that Jupiter and Uranus in Aries can bring to your sex life. It’s all a natural progression.

Meanwhile, your birthday wish new moon takes place on September 8. Make a wish and enjoy.

The anxiety, if you get any, comes from not knowing exactly what to do about your job situation. This year has been a bit heavy on Virgo job energy anyway, so you may be getting a bit tired of the burdens. With Saturn firmly out of Virgo now, you may feel that you’ve earned your right to move on. Perhaps you have; I’m certainly not going to argue with you.

The opposition just indicates that you have to figure out how to do that and the way is not necessarily completely clear yet. Especially around the 21st, your mind just may want to go round and round in circles. If that’s the case, try broadening your view, considering additional education or the like. Jupiter will be in your sign until the 9th, and Jupiter does love the broad view and education. Jupiter will also help you if you need to call on your warrior self during the early part of the month. At the very least, he can help you soldier on.

Your ruler Mars will be in Libra until the 14th, bringing vigor to your committed relationships. After that, he’ll be in Scorpio, where he’ll either bring equal vigor to your sex life or go into survivor mode, hunkering down while he broods and plots your next move.

Jupiter is actually in Aries until the 9th, and this position in your chart symbolizes spiritual courage. So the progression goes from bulking up your spiritual courage to taking that courage and applying it to your goals.

Mars also changes signs this month. He spends the first half of the month in Libra in your job sector. Mars in Libra in your solar chart encourages aggressive action on the job, which is part of a longer, ongoing obsession that your chart has with your work in general (thanks mostly to Saturn).

On the 14th, Mars moves into Scorpio and your 7th house. The 7th house pertains to things like committed relationships, but it also represents things like legal proceedings and disputes. Scorpio as a sign relates to joint finances and anything that has to do with 2 or more people with a joint interest in a contractual matter. If any of those circumstances apply to you, prepare for action on those fronts. Mars is a bit of a daredevil, so watch out for recklessness, either on your part or a partner’s.

Mars also switches signs this month, moving from Libra into Scorpio on the 14th. Mars in Libra encourages competitive play, games, and tests of skill, strategy, and endurance. It also favors witty conversation and socializing. Not too bad.

Mars in Scorpio is typically not as fun. It’s more about surviving on the job. In late October, Mars in your job sector will team up with Jupiter and Uranus in your career sector to try and make a bold move in your professional life. For the moment, however, it’s more about hanging in there and seeing what happens, especially around the 16th or so through the 23rd or thereabouts.

In astrology, the job sector is also the health sector, so if you don’t have much going on at work, Mars could take an interest in your health. The thing about Mars is that he is a bit reckless and not too careful. If you get all sporty in the first half of the month, you could pay for it in the 2nd half. A wee bit of caution with your body is advised.

Meanwhile, Mars moves out of your solar 4th house of family and home on the 14th. Mars in the 4th house is traditionally not considered a super-happy spot because Mars’s emphasis on recklessness and daring seemingly doesn’t mix with the 4th house emphasis on the home as a sanctuary. It’s not fatal by any means, but it’s the sort of time when Mars could suddenly decide you need to replace your traditional & comfy living room sofa with one that’s not only too expensive but swathed in a bold animal print that doesn’t wear well over time. Perhaps you could make Mars happy by doing a bit of reckless redecorating or the like on a smaller scale.

Mars in Scorpio from the 14th on is a bit more exciting. Bold creative ventures, bold moves in your love life, recreational daredeviltry (skydiving anyone?), all of these could work out well. Try to use the energy for a bit of fun. Otherwise, if you have kids, it could simply expend itself in having you schlep your darling ones to all their sports events.

If you can’t get away by the 9th, you do have Mars in Libra until the 14th. Mars here is in your other travel, the sector of shorter trips. The same basic energy still holds, though.  Mars would enjoy a trip to some place you’ve never been before. A weekend getaway to some rough terrain, a bit of backcountry, or anything new and exciting. Just visiting a museum you’ve never been to could do the trick. Your chart just needs a bit of new input to keep it humming along and keep it from getting into a rut.

In the second half of the month, Mars burrows into your home sector. Mars, energetic planet that he is, would probably love a brisk round of decluttering. Mars is also up for other work that might need to be done in your house. If you own rental units, this is a good time to get work done on those too. Since Venus will also be in Scorpio during this time, one nice idea might be to get your home all spruced up and invite some people over. Venus does like to be the gracious hostess, and your sun sign energy is not opposed to that either.

On the other hand, Jupiter and Uranus may just want to tell you that your best resource lies in your ability to escape and enjoy yourself for awhile. Pisces is also a nature-loving sign, so a retreat into nature might refresh and restore you. If you can’t get away, another possibility is that your spiritual clan will help bring money to you.

Venus and Mars switch from Libra to Scorpio this month. Venus leaves Libra on the 8th, Mars on the 14th. Libra is your travel sign and you have Saturn in residence there for quite a while to come. Saturn rules mountains, so if you do manage to swing an escape from your abode into a natural environment, a trip to the mountains could really clear your head.

Scorpio, the sign of power, is also your career sign. Therefore, from the 8th on, you have more magical powers in your profession than usual. Use them for good.

After the 9th, Jupiter will join Uranus in Pisces, where the two will cook up some unpredictable hi-jinks in your job and health sector. You’ve dealt with this energy before, so unpredictability on the job may be ho-hum to you by now.

Mars, Venus, Saturn, and the sun will all be in your sign this month. Venus and Mars start the month in your sign, Saturn’s there all month, and the sun enters on the 22nd. Venus leaves on the 8th, Mars on the 14th.

Mars will want to start quarrels, while Venus will want to patch them up. Mars won’t care about the consequences of your actions, while Saturn will care too much. Saturn will probably emerge as the planetary leader of the gang in your sign, and caution will probably prevail. But one result of all this energy may be a need to talk about yourself and your opinions more than normal, once the sun enters your sign. You may need a bit of out loud processing time, as you contemplate the risks not taken and the options not explored. That’s okay; it’s all a learning process.

This month, you also have 2 planets enter your sign for the first time all year. The first to enter will be Venus on the 8th. Mars will enter on the 14th. Venus is a bit of a careless planet, and Mars loves danger. This is great if you love danger, too. You can present yourself in a charismatic way with these 2 planets in your sign and attract all sorts of opportunities to flirt with crossing the line. If you don’t love danger, just be aware that you’re more magnetic than usual and steer clear of folks that seem dicey to you.

Before the 14th, Mars will be in Libra advocating for the spiritual approach. Faith and perspective are the watchwords.

Mars also changes signs this month. He starts the month in Libra, the area of your chart that deals with your long-term desires, your wants, wishes, hopes, and aspirations. Typically, with Mars in this sector, you will want what you want more intensely than normal. That’s good, because you’re going to have energy in this sector for a long time due to Saturn in Libra. So it’s good to know exactly what desires Saturn is building the foundation to pursue.

Mars moves into Scorpio on the 14th. This is the prototypical spiritual warrior position. You’ll need to decide for yourself what that means to you.

Just a reminder: Pluto is still in your 2nd house of money. Pluto’s not saying much this month, except around the 25th, when he talks to the sun in Libra. He’s got the same old message. If you want to pursue your desires, you’ve got to figure out how to get the resources to do it.

Jupiter will retreat into Pisces and your communication sector on the 9th, where he is not nearly so concerned with warmongering as he is with spirituality and such. He’ll rejoin Uranus there, and the two of them will help you get stuff off your chest if you need to.

Otherwise, the month is much more quiet than August was. You still have a lot of career energy, and Mars and Venus will make nice angles to Neptune in your money house before the 9th.  For best financial results, just let things unfold without interference.

Once Venus moves into Scorpio on the 8th, your best financial strategy involves aligning yourself with others. Keep your own counsel, of course, but try to see the needs of the whole as well. And stick to your budget, taking care not to overindulge on expensive items or outings.

As a side note, Neptune will be moving out of your money house for the first time in a way long time next year, in April. Neptune may have expanded your self-confidence, but he’s also prone to imagining that you have resources that you don’t really have. Soon, you will not have that complication to deal with anymore.