How the Saturn-Uranus opposition will affect your love life

The need for stability versus the yearning to break new ground — this universal dynamic can be characterized by the facing off of Saturn and Uranus. Over the course of the next couple of years, these two planets will be making a succession of 180-degree angles to each other. From our perspective on Earth, they will be at exactly opposite ends of the sky.

However, you don’t need to understand astronomy to feel this opposition’s impact on your life. This aspect will correspond with significant changes throughout the world — especially in the realms of technology and politics — but it may also have personal significance for you.

Saturn is the planet of restriction, responsibility, maturity and wisdom. It is a planet of tests and obstacles, placing limitations on our lives so that we can focus our efforts to overcome feelings of inadequacy. Uranus is the planet of revolution, rebellion, surprises and sudden changes. This planet’s impetus is to shake up rigid structures, to innovate and forge an independent identity.

As you can see, the meanings of these planets cannot be more far apart. Sometimes they work well together (as when brilliant Uranian ideas are made manifest by Saturn) and sometimes not (as when Uranus shatters the structures built by Saturn). The opposition is particularly stressful, as these planets are coming at each other head on. It is a culmination point, when energy builds up to a moment of release. The 180-degree angle is akin to the Full Moon, and we all know how crazy-making that can be! In addition, the opposition is a relationship aspect: opposition implies something directly across from you, and corresponds with the axis of the First and Seventh Houses (of Self and Partnership, respectively). The question invoked during this aspect is, “How can we balance these opposing principles? How can we find a middle ground?”

How will Saturn-Uranus affect me?

Elsewhere on this blog, I’ve discussed the respective influences of Saturn and Uranus on Venus. Both Venus-Saturn and Venus-Uranus aspects can correspond with problematic love lives, as either there’s not enough affection or one doesn’t want to stick around for the same ‘ole thing. Well, imagine have both at the same time!

• Part of you craves stability while the other needs to shake things up.
• Whatever feeling of security you’ve built is threatened by a contradictory desire to throw out the rule book.
• Your pursuit of exciting sexual encounters seems thwarted at every turn.
• Unconventional expressions of sexuality are met with stern reprimands or even punishment.
• Another person can “take on” one of these archetypes, either repressing (Saturn) you or disrupting (Uranus) your life. In other words, you could embody Uranus while a parnter goes all Saturn on your ass, or vice versa.

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This opposition won’t affect everybody’s love lives: these planets will need to make an angular relationship to an important planet in your natal chart. Currently, Saturn is in Virgo and Uranus is in Pisces (both mutable signs), and soon they will ingress (move) into cardinal signs Libra and Aries. Their contacts are as follows:

• November 4, 2008 – 18 degrees mutable (Saturn direct, Uranus retrograde)
• February 5, 2009 – 20 degrees mutable (both planets direct)
• September 15, 2009 – 24 degrees mutable (Saturn direct, Uranus retrograde)
• April 27, 2010 – 28 degrees mutable (Saturn retrograde, Uranus direct)
• July 26, 2010 – 0 degrees cardinal (both planets direct)

How to tell if these aspects will personally affect you

If you have key planets in late mutable signs or early cardinal signs, then your love life will not be the same once this aspect has had its way with you. The mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces, and the key degree areas are pretty much the last fifteen degrees of these signs. The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, and the key degree areas are the first five degrees of these signs. (I am highlighting the conjunction, square and opposition aspects to your natal planets. The Saturn-Uranus opposition may also make “soft” aspects — the sextile and trine — to one of your natal planets. Also, Saturn or Uranus may fall in one of your sex/relationship houses, or make an angle to your Ascendant.)

First look at Venus, as she traditionally governs love and relationships. Mars relates to sexual desire. And the Sun and Moon can symbolize key people in our lives. For example, the Sun may represent a woman’s husband; the Moon, a man’s wife. (Or a very important person — you don’t have to be married to them!)

Also, look at the planet ruling your Seventh House of Partnership. If you don’t know it, first look up your Rising Sign and then read How to determine the planetary ruler of your Seventh House. Personally, I use the traditional rulers, so Saturn would rule an Aquarius Descendant, Jupiter would rule a Pisces Descendant, and Mars would rule a Scorpio Descendant. But feel free to use the modern rulers and observe if they work for you.

Me: A Case Study

My natal Venus is at 24 Pisces in my Seventh House, opposite Pluto at 26 Virgo. Relationship themes will likely be affected by this transit, as my planet of love is in my house of partnership. The first two oppositions will stimulate my Venus, but I expect the third (September 2009 at 24 Virgo-Pisces) to be the strongest, as it will be falling exactly on this planet. Uranus will be on my Venus while Saturn will be on my Pluto. I expect my Venus to feel “unified” with the archetype of innovation, rebellion and change (Uranus), while Saturn’s conjunction with Pluto will evoke a feeling of tremendous pressure and the potential for upheaval and destruction of my identity (First House). The two heaviest, darkest planets versus an electric, unpredictable sensuality and artistic drive.

Stay tuned, and in a few years I might tell you how it all turned out.

Comment below: Will the Saturn-Uranus opposition hit any of your key planets?