The Uranus Opposition and Your Love Life

The Uranus opposition (transiting Uranus opposing natal Uranus) is another mid-life crisis transit (like the Saturn opposition). This once-in-a-lifetime event happens around the ages of 40-43, and can feel like a last chance to cut loose and do what you’ve always wanted to. If it impacts your relationships, it can result in dramatic overhauls and possible endings. It can mean a new era of independence and authenticity in your love life, but if handled poorly, it can result in destructive rebellion.

You’ll feel the Uranus opposition in your relationships if you have one of the following in your natal chart:

• Transiting or natal Uranus in your 1st, 7th, or 5th house
• Natal Uranus conjunct, opposed or square your natal Sun, Moon, Venus or Mars

Uranus is about how you stand apart from others; the uncompromising drive for liberty. Like the Saturn opposition, this transit is a culmination. But it’s the result of how you have expressed your individuality, rather than your responsibilities. Although in some ways, this transit is also about responsibility: to honor your personal freedom. How you handled the tension between your individuality versus the outside world (during your first Uranus square around the age of 21) will play an important role. By the time your Uranus opposition swings around, you’re at a crossroads. Will continuing on the same path with your love life be impossibly restrictive, or will you have room to spread your wings?

Transiting Uranus Opposite Natal 7th House Uranus

If you have natal Uranus in your 7th House, settling down into a stable relationship is probably tricky. You’re drawn to excitement and freedom in a partnership. Maybe you’ve been involved in a series of relationships that continually go off the rails, because you always end up with a partner who is unavailable, or just plain wrong for you. When transiting Uranus moves through your 1st House of identity (and opposes your natal Uranus) the urge to “be you” is overwhelming. Transiting Uranus demands that you express your identity in the most authentic way possible, and that means not restricting yourself with rules that make other people happy. But this opposition will also confront you with your projected desire for freedom (that you’ve been living out through your volatile relationships). You may get involved with someone new, but discover that you just can’t be yourself with them. Perhaps they want to hit the clubs every night with their friends, but you’re not into clubs (or groups). You’d rather camp in the wilderness. Your new partner doesn’t get it, and you feel angry, trapped and panicky.

Obviously, you’re going to end this relationship (just like all the others). But this time, because it involves the Uranus opposition, there’s more at stake. The contrast between what you want versus what others want pushes you to finally take the plunge, quit your job, and move out to a sparsely populated area (to write poetry and become a ranch hand). This is what you’ve always wanted to do (and never have) because it wasn’t practical. But something about this relationship emphasized how miserable you would be if you didn’t pursue your dream. And maybe, while you’re out there living your dream, you’ll finally meet someone whose lifestyle dovetails nicely with your unconventional ways. You’ve owned Uranus’ energy, so it isn’t expressed in unhealthy ways. The gift of the Uranus opposition is undeniable clarity about what you haven’t done, and where you want to go next.

Transiting Uranus Opposite 5th House Natal Sun/Uranus Conjunction

Natal Sun conjunct Uranus blends ego/life purpose (Sun) with the need to do your own thing. In the 5th House of romance and self-expression, this means you require appreciation for doing your own thing. This is also the house of children, but let’s say you decide not to have kids, so you need another outlet for this creative energy. If you’ve committed to a partner who doesn’t support your efforts to be creative/artistic (or to fully express yourself) you’re going to feel stifled. Maybe the rest of your chart is so Saturn-heavy that you’ve repressed this side of yourself, and have been married to this partner for 13 years.

When transiting Uranus moves through your 11th House of friends and groups (opposing your Sun/Uranus conjunction) you’ll become very aware of what you’re missing out on. If you haven’t taken responsibility for your individuality, the Uranus opposition can hit you with the urgent force to do something … anything … before it’s too late. This could manifest as someone new who rocks your world with an unexpected, electric attraction (perhaps a friend suddenly becomes more). If you follow the Uranus opposition cliche, you abruptly end your marriage (since it’s crystal clear that your spouse is just squashing your true nature), run off with your new love interest and throw yourself into being a painter.

Abrupt reactions like panicking and ditching everything to start fresh are the Shadow side of Uranus’ energy. Just because this opposition feels urgent, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t move slowly. It’s possible that, given a chance, your partner would support your goal to be a painter. Maybe they never took it seriously, because you didn’t take it seriously. Rather than decimating a relationship that could grow with you, it’s advisable to let your partner know about the changes you’re considering. However, your partner may truly not be open to the “new you.” If that’s the case, then this transit should be about moving on from a relationship that you’ve outgrown. As for the new love interest, they could be the real thing, but it’s just as likely that they’re a catalyst. Relationships that begin under major Uranus transits (unless backed up by some stabilizing Saturn transits) can end abruptly.

The Uranus opposition is a culmination of your individuality. It’s not just about mindless rebellion, it’s about taking responsibility for your freedom. If you’ve been living by other people’s rules, an existing relationship can get caught in the crossfire. Or a relationship may enter your life (whether you’re single or not) just to wake you up. The more you’ve denied your personal liberty, the more urgent this transit will feel. But before you blow an existing relationship away, check to see if your partner is on board with the changes you want to make. It’s difficult to slow down under the Uranus opposition, but in order to make the most of it, that’s exactly what you should do.