Uranus the Awakener
by Gordon Yumibe
As we find, no one enters by chance, but there is a pattern, a purpose; and the experiences, problems, hardships, activities in every phase of the experience, are in order that each soul may be an expression of that it, the soul, has chosen as its ideal.
Edgar Cayce Reading 2280-1
The astrological influence that the planet Uranus has had on my life has long fascinated me. I have been able to take some time to reflect upon several different aspects to see where they have led me. There were patterns and impulses that helped move me forward throughout my adult life that I didn’t completely understand. About four or five years ago I enrolled in Atlantic University’s Spiritual Mentorship certificate program. Among the courses I took, some required, was AS 501: Transformational Astrology with Raye Mathis. Part of that course work involved the study of the outer planets: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. They are where the impulses that shape our spiritual transformation originate. I was fortunate to have had this opportunity not only for the valuable insights that I was able glean but also for the support I got from personally beginning to understand my struggles, sorrows, and triumphs from a broader perspective. It is humbling and enlightening to know that your life is indeed part of a larger structure, though at times it seems only a longing to be part of something greater.
Uranus has been part of humanity’s lore and mythology since ancient Greece. Howard Sasportas uses the story of Prometheus to illustrate what the Uranian influences may have on our lives in his book, The Gods of Change; Pain, Crisis and the Transits of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Prometheus was one of the Titans who sided with Zeus in a struggle with the other Titans. After their victory, Prometheus was able to learn a great deal of wisdom from Zeus and Athena but later became unhappy that the gods had a monopoly on all the knowledge and goods. In an attempt to improve mortal life, he passed on his knowledge to the human race in an attempt to make the mortals more equal with the gods. This really angered Zeus, who attempted to deny the mortals the gift of fire.
Sasportas says that Prometheus represents the Uranian urge in all of us. It is this urge to change and advance our situation. It is the urge to make something better of ourselves. Zeus represents the part of us “which resists change, and which exacts a price for our growth and development.”
Richard Tarnas, in his book on this subject, Prometheus the Awakener; An Essay on the Archetypal Meaning of the Planet Uranus, says that “the planet Uranus is empirically associated with the principle of change, rebellion, freedom, liberation, reform and revolution…the act of cosmic rebellion against a universal structure to free humanity of bondage, the urge to transcend limitation…the element of excitement and risk.”
A soul may therefore agree to endure what appear to be hurtful relationships and tragic conditions during a physical lifetime on Earth. The most common reasons for doing so appear to be to learn a lesson, to teach others, or to make manifest the glory of God. In fact, the readings give numerous instances of “advanced” souls who entered the earth plane with a physical or mental disability so that others might learn from their associations with them.
In Margaret Gammon and W.H. Church’s book, Edgar Cayce’s Astrology for the Soul, there seems to be an agreement with what Cayce says about Uranus with other astrological sources. “Uranus is the planet of electricity. It is sometimes said to be malefic…it can cause the whole efforts of a lifetime to tumble down…The old has to be destroyed before something new can enter…it is never content to allow old institutions to continue without change.”
In my own life, Uranus has had a similar impact. I felt a need to transform the very institutions where I worked. I did not like the fact that those in authority held such great sway over the rest of us. The IChing said something about bringing the mountains down and the lowlands higher… or equal. Cayce probably would say that this was a lesson in learning to become cooperative with each other. My struggle came with a price. There was nothing really dramatic, no clashes or armed conflict, just a gradual awakening to another reality that was anchored in an inner connection back to our shared collective humanity.
The way of the Cross is not easy, yet it is the tuneful, the rhythmic, the beautiful, the lovely way. Edgar Cayce Reading 1089-6
…through the varying activities overcame the world through the experiences, bearing the cross in each and every experience, reaching the final cross with all power, all knowledge in having overcome the world, and of Himself accepted the Cross… Edgar Cayce Reading 262-36
The suffering I endured has yet to be rectified through personal growth and the very process that involves forgiveness and grace.
Harry Sasportas talks about another inner surprise when he brings out the Uranian aspect of the “inner furies.” If one fails to respond to his own inner urges he will be left with having to face up to his own furies. If one responds to these urges, he is left having to face the furies of the others. We all are left having to meet our own impulse to improve upon something, or we are left suffering our inner torment. Such seems to be the nature of this planet’s hopes for our survival and development.
The Book of Job tells us that Job was a righteous man and that none of the misfortune that befell him was due to his own making. If you accept the premise that the soul chooses the lessons it desires to work on while in the physical plane, you realize that Job chose the experiences he encountered, knowing the great soul growth that would occur if he met those experiences with the right spirit.
There is meaning and hope in this astrological aspect as we move toward 2012 and beyond. There will be birth pains, struggles, and heartaches. Many of the readings that I have read predict a change in how our institutions are organized. Many predict a further empowering of ourselves as we take back the power that these organizations have had in our lives. They also reflect back on the individual: we must continue to grow and advance to keep up with all the different levels of consciousness that are becoming more attuned the higher vibrations currently being showered down our lives. The image of the Aquarian Age is the water bearer pouring water from above to heal our inner aridness so that we can blossom again. The Uranian aspect can help reawaken our own inner resolve so that we may overcome our own fears and obstacles and drink from this Divine source of eternal life, love, and light. Blessings
Gordon Yumibe is a lifelong seeker with an interest in Jungian, Gnostic, and Edgar Cayce material. While he is a professional gardener by trade, he also has a psychology degree. In 2009, he received a Spiritual Mentoring Certificate from Atlantic University. You can find Gordon on Facebook.
