Undoubtedly, the most momentous astrological aspect of this year is the Uranus-Jupiter conjunction in Taurus.
This conjunction happens every 14 years. It’s related to what Astro-Gandalf Richard Tarnas calls “Cycles of Creativity and Expansion.” This is in distinct opposition to what he named that which was present during 2020, Saturn-Pluto’s “Cycles of Crisis and Contraction.”
In this regard, 2024 (especially the first half) provides a counterpoint of optimism, enthusiasm, and hope that provides a counterbalance to the heaviness of the Covid Era (which, admittedly, we’re definitely not yet out of).
With the Uranus-Jupiter conjunction, it’s time to make a big ask of the universe.
The potential for radical change and breakthroughs is heightened through the first half of 2024. In fact, there’s sort of a need for it—Uranus and Jupiter need expansion into new heights and frontiers, electrifying experiments and potentials becoming reality, and flashes of revolutionary insight clarifying and accelerating our paths forward. This is doubly, or even exponentially important and potent if the degree of their conjunction relates to one of your natal placements, which it will for many of us.
There’s an illustrious history of the aspects between Uranus and Jupiter relating to monumental advances in nearly every field of human endeavor. Indeed, our intellectual and cultural legacy is a history of the lasting impact of moments such as these.
Take, for example, three of the biggest revolutions in thought that have shaped our contemporary era: evolutionary biology as set forth by Darwin, the psychoanalytic perspective initiated by Freud, and Quantum theory. Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos began during the Uranus-Jupiter conjunction of 1831 (alongside Toqueville’s visit to the United States that became Democracy in America), although it took until his meeting with Alfred Russel Wallace (who had independently come to many of the same ideas) in 1858 for Darwin to publish his ideas—that year was also a Uranus-Jupiter conjunction. Freud’s seminal book, The Interpretation of Dreams, and Max Plank’s idea of discrete quanta both came forth in 1900, during another conjunction. Quantum theory took another jump in the Uranus-Jupiter conjunction of 1927-28 when Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg brought Max Planck’s theories to a conclusion at the Solvay congress in Brussels. Beautifully, many of these revolutionary ideas were discovered simultaneously by two people—for example, Kepler’s publication of Astronomia Nova and Galileo’s Sidereus Nuncius in 1609-10—indicating something of the Morphic Field idea set forth by Rupert Sheldrake. Indeed, we might do well in the coming months to consider ourselves a conduit or a part of a team with a cosmic program rather than solitary geniuses.
It’s also worth emphasizing that the Uranus-Jupiter conjunction represents a crowning or exaltation of the Uranian ideal of freedom, which will likely play a role in the run-up to our election this coming year. The Uranus-Jupiter conjunction was present throughout the American Revolution of 1775-76, as well as during the French Revolution the following round of 1788-89 (which was also when the Constitution was put into effect, George Washington was inaugurated as president, and the Bill of Rights introduced).
This past century, the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction was intensified in a triple-conjunction with Pluto in the summer of 1969, the peak moment of the entire revolutionary arc of the Uranus-Pluto conjunction of the 60s. Woodstock happened that summer, as well as the Apollo 11 Moon landing—flight has a connection to the Uranus-Jupiter conjunction, with the inventions of the hot air balloon, the first air flight, advances in flight, and the crowning achievement of the space program happening in these moments. The first demonstration of the technology that led to the internet happened in 1969, as well as the personal computer’s mouse and word processing. In 1969, the Gaia hypothesis was formulated, as well as the idea of a ‘counterculture’ and the beginning of gay liberation and the emergence of radical feminism.
Richard Tarnas’ Cosmos and Psyche presents a much, much more thorough and in-depth explication of what I’ve traced over here concerning the Uranus-Jupiter cycle. If you don’t want to read the whole 100+ pages but want a more in-depth view of this historical analysis, I can recommend his daughter’s talk here. One thing I love about this book is that it’s entitled “Intimations of a New Worldview", suggesting that the fullness of this look into humanity and its implications are far from fully explored - it is just the first bits that are fleshed out.
It’s worth emphasizing that this past summer, this conjunction was present within the 15-degree orbit that Richard Tarnas used. In this regard, we’ve already had a first impulse of these energies—this spring should bring them forth more fully.
I’ve witnessed expressing itself in large part through the position of Uranus and Jupiter in Taurus—an earth sign, related to that which nourishes us. Here, I’ve seen a great deal of excitement about new methods of farming, concern about the environment and our food, new or renewed sources of nourishment such as supplements or herbs, and scientific enthusiasm about natural therapies like increasing morning light or decreasing evening blue light, ‘grounding’ with the earths’s natural frequencies, and the importance of a regular sleep cycle. There’s a whole host of other environmentally-oriented technologies that are picking up, as well—I think there’s a good chance that we see major breakthroughs this year.
It’s also worth emphasizing that this cycle has its shadow sides. With Jupiter, there’s a temptation toward prodigality and excess—an overestimation of things or being too optimistic. Likewise, there’s a certain ambivalence or daimonic nature to Uranus—they can sometimes just search for excitement or change, without being clear about what the end goal is or how sustainable it is—Uranus just seeks excitement.
In its own respect, this relates to contemporary anxiety about the environment, as well as our experience of money—another important Taurus subject. I’ve found that Uranus in Taurus also relates to a sort of electric buildup in the body, which can express itself as anxiety or nervousness. Truly, Taurean nature is the medicine.
Uranus stations direct on Saturday, signifying a conclusion of a process of recalibration (especially wherever Taurus lands in your chart) and the beginning of an easier forward motion toward these Uranian potentials. The couple of weeks ahead has a curious configuration in the interaction between Uranus’ electric brilliance and Taurus’ earthen ness—two energies that don’t always get along easily.
The Uranus-Jupiter conjunction will be exact in May, but expect it to feature prominently in the April Eclipse. It certainly charges the first half of this year—in June, Jupiter will move into Gemini, and the vibe will shift, although it will take until the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in August to really dampen the vibe.
And now, the forecast for the next couple of weeks for my paid subscribers!
(I’ve got a coupon for those interested in looking at their astrology for the coming year—you can plug in the code “NEWYEAR” at checkout to get 25% off Long-Term Forecast or Full Readings at my site.)