Uranus in Libra (Eshelman AA 3/74)

[Jim Eshelman]

Uranus in Sidereal Libra: Upheaval of World Structures
by James Eshelman
(American Astrology March 1974)

[I wrote this article in the middle or end of 1973, so I was 18 or 19. I don't think it's a brilliant article, but it was well-researched with the library resources available at the time, and a good product from a 19-year-old. (A bit of morality crept in that is typical of Midwest habits of the era and my shortage of life experience. This I regret.) Thanks to Derek for retrieving this; the AA issue isn't in my collection. -- As a side point, March 1974 was the month I got married. (The issue came out a month earlier, of course.)]

As we move into 1974, we enter a new period of history with some big changes and sharp reassessments of policy and priority. Much of this on the world scene comes from Uranus' Libra ingress.

Lest you think we are five years late - since Uranus has been zipping through tropical Libra from way back in '69 - we should state that our orientation for this article is the sidereal zodiac. To explain why we favor this system could take more room than this article allows. Yet we might remind the readers in passing of the outstanding statistical evidence accumulated over the past few years, much of it first shown right here in American Astrology, favoring the stellar system of the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Mayas, and Hindus.

For the most part, tropical Scorpio, for instance, is identical to sidereal Libra, for modern times. Assuming both astrologers know what they are doing, and are totally objective, basing their opinions on empirical research, a siderealist should give the same reading for Libra that a tropicalist gives for Scorpio, more or less. To say Uranus is in sidereal Libra is not much different than saying it is in tropical Scorpio, for delineative purposes. However, due to an overlap of about 6° at the moment, a planet enters a new sidereal sign before it reaches the tropical ingress. In a sense, siderealists have a short "jump" on their tropical brethren this way. So, Uranus first tiptoed into Libra on November 1, 1973, only to slip out the back way on May 25, 1974. It will be August 12 before it returns for the duration, marking the next seven years with its unique touch.

Uranus in Libra is notorious for bringing about world-wide changes, new alliances, even religious revolts. History is loaded with events of this type, clustered in the seven-year periods when Uranus occupied the sidereal sign of arbitration and alliances.

For instance, look back a few centuries to the period 1385-1392, one such seven-year span. Among the major events of this time was the Treaty of Windsor (1386) which formed a permanent- alliance between Portugal and England. Meanwhile, the Venetians signed a treaty with the Ottoman Turks in 1388 to obtain special trade privileges. The Turks in the Balkan march were halted, though, with a coalition forming among Serbs, Bosnians, Albanians, and Wallachians. Under Jagiella and Jadwga, Poland and Lithuania united to prevent the advancement of Germanic tribes.

The next time Uranus transited Libra was 1469-1476. In 1470 we note a coalition of Burgundy's foes that opened war against King Charles the Bold. In Spain, Henry VI's half sister, Isabella, married Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469, jointly writing Columbus' historic ticket to America of 23 years later. And in 1474 the de Medici family of Florence tried to establish an alliance with Venice and Milan, resulting in a major split of the papacy into opposing camps. Japan saw the Onin War from 1467 to 1477, a contest over the succession of Ashikiza and other great military figures who reshuffled property among the lords of two major powers.

Moving into more modern times, the last jaunt of Uranus through Libra began in 1889. Among the events of the following seven years was the Venezuela boundary dispute with which the United States established the principles of international arbitration. Negotiations for the Franco-Russian alliance began in 1891. This was generally a time of strong socialism and powerful labor groups.

So, all in all, we can foresee for the next few years the formation of major alliances and unions, particularly along two opposing sides. The picture closely resembles that preceding World War I with the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente, which were being formed in Uranus' last passage through Libra. Within individual nations there will be similar demarcations among opposing factions as liberals and conservatives move farther and farther toward the right or left, away from the middle path.

In his How to Predict the 1972 Elections (Manor Books 1972) political analyst Louis H. Bean presents an impressive set of statistics on election outcomes and patterns from several interesting angles. Among this collection of tables and graphs is a chart of the percentage of Democratic congressmen and senators serving from 1864 until the present. An unmistakable rising trend is shown which, if continued, would prevent Republicans from gaining control of Congress (either house) at least until the end of the century! Even with a Republican President like Mr. Nixon, who won re-election by such a substantial margin, it is unlikely the Republicans will make any significant gains in election year 1974; rather, odds are that they will lose many legislative seats, partly, no doubt, due to the Watergate affair.

What this spells is continued separation between the White House and Capitol Hill, at least during the remainder of a Republican administration. There is little chance for reconciliation between two groups so sharply divided. What may indeed happen is that in its effort to reestablish the system of checks and balances, and return much lost power to Congress, the minority lawmakers may unite with their erstwhile opponents in a front against the executive authority. Thus, whether Democrat or Republican is elected in 1976 to the Presidency, we could expect little chance of conciliatory actions.

Another type of event marked by Uranus in Libra is an upheaval within the religious structures of the world. For instance, back in the late 19th century, immediately after the Libran ingress, the Church of England in Wales and the Church of Scotland both met their demise. The split of the papal authority in 1474 has already been mentioned. Elsewhere, we find the insurrection of Queen Mary Tudor against the Church of England in 1555, the first great Huguenot genocide by Catherine de Medici in 1560, the Great Rebellion of England's Puritan Parliament led by Oliver Cromwell in 1642, and Napoleon's dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, however unholy it might have been, all occurring with Uranus in Libra!

Assuming Pope Paul VI still sits on Saint Peter's throne during 1974, he will be faced with some of the greatest problems yet of his rippled and wavy reign. Uranus crossed the Pope's Sun and Moon in modest Virgo a few years back when he had his most troublesome times with innovations within the Church, which occasionally tried to go beyond his concepts of propriety. Now, though, as Uranus firmly establishes itself in Libra in August, the strain may be too much for him. It is very likely the elderly pontiff will abdicate in favor of a younger man who could better stand the current pulls on all sides. Reformation of religious principles as well as a special resurgence in religious zeal could be in the wind. [NB - Mostly true: He died in August '78, and succeeded (after a few weeks of Pope John Paul) by Pope John Paul II who brought this "special resurgence."]

Of course, Libra is not the only sign which concerns us. Each segment of the zodiac holding one of the slower outer planets springs into life with that excitation, and can modify or amend the Uranus-Libra influences. As Uranus leaves Virgo, the maiden remains in Pluto's hands for a few more years. We know, then, that the current picture of Women's Lib, labor problems, and ecological concerns, as well as a reassessment of morals, will stay where it is.

The "new' morality," excesses in drug abuse, and concentration on sexuality have generally been blamed on Neptune in Scorpio, both by tropicalists and siderealists. Actually, as anyone who knows sidereal Scorpio can testify, the natives of that sign are much too impulsive and emotionally withdrawn where the softer feelings are concerned to be considered en masse as highly amorous. Much of this reputation stems from tropical Scorpio, which is sidereal Libra. Now, as Uranus moves into the true palace of Aphrodite's charms, we can hope for widespread public sex education in a complete and responsible manner. Base erotica will fade away, to be replaced by an open, natural attitude toward the human form in the proper place. After all, Uranus is always after the naked truth wherever it goes, and the bare facts are what must be produced. Point blank. Only by properly educating our public with honest information on human sexuality can we expect to clear our streets of those psychologically crippled individuals who spend their time forcing unsolicited perversities upon the uninitiated often in a violent, criminal manner.

Yet even this must be understood in the proper framework of the other planetary locations. Neptune in Scorpio is innocent of much for which it has been blamed. Drug problems may find part of their source here, but not all.

We have to remember that the long-term Neptune-Pluto sextile links Scorpio and Virgo. So much of the drug-and-sex culture, the Jesus-freak movement, and much of the general youth movement is based on Virgo's asexual curiosities. Rather than depending on emotional highs, the greater number of drug users start with experimentation, later causing psychological and physical addictions.

Innocent Virgo knows no demarcation between sexual love and platonic love, too often mistaking the latter for the former. It seems apparent that allegedly loose moralities begin no place but here, as a curious, lonely, unsure striving for a place among others. Pluto in Virgo, in brief, takes the entire world on a second trip through childhood with all of its misunderstandings and curiosities.

The arbitrational side of Uranus in Libra will probably get off to a slow start, with Saturn in sidereal Gemini during most of 1974. Much will now be heard of limiting the power of the press. Wiretapping may come almost to an end as new regulations and restrictions are placed upon it. Child day-care centers will get more of the economic knife than before, while the problems of school segregation tear much of the educational system from stem to stern. Saturn in Gemini calls for the dismissal of earlier treaties, probably to make way for the formation of new alliances. Diplomatic ties are broken, as nations withdraw their ministers from each others' soil. A reticent attitude surrounds all attempts to negotiate or bargain for compromise until the Greater Malefic moves on to sidereal Cancer. In many ways Saturn in Gemini aids Uranus in Libra. The Grim Reaper cuts down the old crop to make way for new growth and exciting if not shocking experiences.

That, in a nutshell, is what Uranus' new transit into sidereal Libra should bring. Actually, Uranus first touches tropical Scorpio on November 22, 1974, and should decide to move in for a long stretch by September 8, 1975. We imagine all of the astrology magazines will be sporting articles previewing not only new world events but also Sun-sign analyses according to the new placement, just as they did when Uranus entered tropical Libra in 1968-69.

Just remember that, like Libra's scales, everything has two sides to it. Give the matter some thought and keep your eyes peeled on the evening news. Next time we meet, maybe you will have discovered the true zodiac, the sidereal version, for yourself. After all, truth is what Uranus is all about. May it bless the world with its glory in the years ahead.