The Uranus-Pluto Square of April 2014

The astrological community is abuzz with musings about the ominous portent of the Uranus-Pluto square in April of 2014, especially because it occurs in the context of a Grand Cross involving Mars and Jupiter, all in cardinal signs.  Astrologers seem to be expecting the worst, some of the comments bordering on mass hysteria.  Will the stock market crash like it did in 1929?  Will the world be beset by major revolutions?  Will the USA suffer another major terrorist attack?  More mass killings in schools, theaters, and at sporting events?  Will there be an attempt on the life of the President?  Etc., etc., etc.

Uranus was discovered in 1781 and Pluto, in 1930.  Pluto was initially classified as a planet but in 2006 it was renamed a “dwarf planet” because it did not fit the IAU definition of a planet.  It turns out that Pluto is smaller than Eris, another dwarf planet.  Thus, Pluto was a planet for only 76 years before it was relegated to the status of a dwarf planet.  At some time after 1930 astrologers began to speculate that Pluto might be connected to Scorpio, which had for thousands of years been ruled by Mars.  Thus, Pluto has been a “modern ruler” of Scorpio for some 80+ years.

In Cosmos and Psyche Richard Tarnas looked back in history to see what kinds of events correlated with major aspects between Uranus and Pluto, which will be exactly 90 degrees apart (a square) on April 21, 2014.  In reality, this is but one of seven such squares which began in June of 2012 and reoccur periodically until March of 2015.  What makes this square special is that Mars and Jupiter join in the mix to form was is called a cardinal Grand Cross.  Technically speaking, the Grand Cross does not begin until Mars retrogrades into 13 degrees Libra, which occurs very early in the morning on April 22nd, 2014. Here is a chart of the Uranus-Pluto square of April 21st set for Washington, DC to give a sense of how it might affect the USA according to the house positions of the planets.

Uranus square Pluto in DC on April 21, 2014, just prior to grand cardinal cross, Placidus houses  Note Mars in Libra in 2nd square Pluto in Capricorn in 5th square Uranus in Aries in 8th square Jupiter in Cancer in 11th.  The 2nd and the 8th are money houses, so there could be a financial crisis.  The 8th is the house of death.  The 5th has to do with children, with recreational and sporting events, gambling, and speculative investments (like some stock trading).

Tarnas observed the following: “…eras in which Uranus and Pluto were in axial alignment” correlated with “widespread radical and political social change and often destructive upheaval, massive empowerment of revolutionary and rebellious impulses, and intensified artistic and intellectual creativity.”  Also “unusually rapid technological advance, an underlying spirit of restless experiment, drive for innovation, urge for freedom in many realms, revolt against oppression, embrace of radical political philosophies, and intensified collective will to bring forth a new world.”  (pp. 143-144, Cosmos & Psyche).

Individuals born with their Sun or personal planets and chart points at 13 degrees of a cardinal sign will be most strongly affected in their personal life.  In the tradition of Chaucer and T.S. Elliot, April may be the cruelest month for such individuals.  Thus those born with their Sun around 13 degrees of a cardinal sign, that is, those born within a few days of January 4th, April 3rd, July 5th, or October 6th of any year) will feel this transit most acutely as it affects their natal Sun.  A study of each individual’s birth chart will be necessary to see what other planets and chart points are affected.  If you accept July 4th as the birthday of the United States, then this country is in for a period of major upheaval.

We can see the playing out of this astrological configuration in the current revolution in Ukraine which declared its independence on 24 August 1991 at 5:31 pm local time according to Ukrainian astrologers.  Here is a “natal” chart of modern Ukraine with the upcoming April 21st Uranus-Pluto square superimposed.

Chart of modern Ukraine’s Independence with April 2014 Uranus-Pluto square chart superimposed.

During the current upheaval and bloodshed in Ukraine, the radical Uranus-Neptune conjunction in cardinal Capricorn in the 12th is being squared by transiting Uranus and conjoined by transiting Pluto.  In April, this same conjunction will be squared by transiting Mars in the 8th and opposed by Jupiter in Cancer in the 6th.  Traditionally, houses 6, 8 and 12 are considered unfortunate houses.  Mars in the 8th of death squaring radical Uranus-Neptune in the 12th looks particularly foreboding and carries the potential of bloodshed and loss of life.

In terms of timing, it is noteworthy that transiting Pluto crossed over the midpoint of the radical Uranus-Neptune conjunction in the 12th house on January 28, 2014.  In addition, transiting Uranus made an exact square to radical Uranus in the 12th house on Monday February 17, 2014 as the revolt was in full force.

It looks like Richard Tarnas’ correlations with historical events are playing out with the current transiting Uranus-Pluto square.