It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar
and seemingly secure ~ to embrace the new.
But there is no REAL security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting,
for in movement there is life,
and in change there is power.

Uranus Retrograde

     Uranus is usually the planet of sudden and unexpected events. This is consistent in all aspects of life, nothing is excluded from possibly being affected. When it goes Retrograde, it usually means that those sudden, unexpected events are more internal than external. Sudden insights, unexpected emotions, major shift in consciousness. These can have a positive or negative effect. The goal of such disruption is to separate us from our routine or normal way of discerning what's useful and relevant and what no longer is. It helps us to see things in a "new" light and hopefully, enables us to take a new direction. Again this is inner-directed. So it would be a new way of expressing our sudden emotions; or a new way of reacting to our sudden insights about ourselves and our world - take action rather than just acknowledge the insight. You can suddenly make connections where you couldn't before. This is all for your Highest good. The Universe is trying to redirect you. There is a sudden turn on the Path you've been on for some time now.

     That can be unsettling for some and exhilarating for others. It can make you feel alienated from all that you have known to be true thus far, what has now become ineffective at making you feel safe and secure. Some people react awfully to change, but change occurs nonetheless. So you might as well relax and see where you're led. This is the current energy surrounding all of us on a global scale. We are being forced to find new ways of connecting to ourselves and eachother; new ways of doing things we used to do manually that took very long times to produce, now use technology (ruled by Uranus) to produce the same thing with lightning speed. Quality versus quanitity - how are you living? As dual beings, I think we must find a way to do both. Know the difference between what aspects of life require more time and care to produce and using technology in a way that serves us for the purposes it is most useful. There are some things a computer was never meant to do and it has become a toxic mimic of many things. It's all part of the grand scheme of things. Get used to it and adjust accordingly ... and get excited about it. This doesn't have to hurt.
      This is a deeper expression of what I've been saying for years now, you have to find a new way to do the same old mundane things. There is no more time for deciding what's what or how to do that - NOW you have recently been thrust into a "do or die" level of pressure to produce results. (And likely, the most pressure is coming from within.) Or a sudden, drastic shift of some kind takes your life (and mind and heart) in a completely new direction. You had the last few years to experiment and try things and see what worked, now it's time to test what you've learned which may mean taking more of a risk than you may be comfortable with and this energy triggers that feeling.
      It's time to put your systems to the test - are they serving you, your current goals and your Highest good? You are being stripped of all old habits and ways that you tend to fall back on like a crutch during challenging times. Uranus will kick that crutch out from under you and break it in half. All to teach you that you have to find a NEW WAY to walk and get around in life and deal with challenges a whole new way. The old defense mechanisms will fail you at this time in order to force you to come up with new ways of coping with the shifts in your world. This is our "learn to like change" exercise. If you do not learn to embrace change with enthusiasm and faith then change will just drag you along anyway which is a much longer, harder road to travel.
      It's time to create a new system - a new system that accommodates who you are TODAY - not who you were when you first created it. Are there any systems for your every day life that could be improved upon? and made more effective for who you are and what you're trying to accomplish today? Consider your Self as your dream car - and it's time to upgrade to the new model ... it has all the reliable, useful and relevant parts of the old model (you) firmly rooted ... along with the newly added improvements that make a more effective entity. You have already started the new system, whether you're conscious of it or not. During this Retrograde period, go deep within and check your "systems" - physically and metaphysically. This is a great time to connect with your own potential - who are you TODAY? who do you want to be? Start BEING THAT!! Whatever it is you visualize for your Self, find a way to practice it on some level so that it becomes "real" to you. (As you grow in consciousness your definitions of "real" will change accordingly.) It's a great time to design your new life and then work on the steps to manifest it physically. Do you have a blueprint in mind? Start drawing it out - don't try to shape it right away. During the Retrograde, you just want to facilitate the flow. Get ALL your ideas out and on paper/computer/canvas/whatever your medium, allow the flow like an old faucet turned on, the rust comes out first. Later, good, clean, clear creations will come out of you and then you can start thinking about what to do with what you have (and who you are).

Jupiter Retrograde

     When Jupiter goes Retrograde you don't actually feel the effects right away. Basically what happens is you're going along happy and enthusiastic and all of a sudden the wind is knocked out of your sails. Things may have not been working out to begin with, but you had optimism on your side (that may leave you now). All it is really trying to tell you is that more time may be needed to bring your hopes to fruition.
      Another aspect of this can be a mixed blessing. If you lose some kind of power or authority, it may just be signifying that you subconsciously were ready to move on. Everything we attract is an outer reflection of our inner Selves. It may be that you are just re-examining your choices and values (they may have changed since you began this particular path). And remember, Retrograde's whole pupose is to re-everything - re-examine, re-view, re-member ... go back ~ there's something you missed last time. It's akin to taking 2 steps back, just to go 1 step forward ~ you have to do it, so might as well make the most of it!

       Jupiter's biggest purpose during its Retrograde period is to inspire us to connect to a deeper and more personal sense of justice; that which serves YOUR personal Highest good. Very often we suppress what we really think and feel in an effort to please and appease others (at home, work, wherever) and usually to our own detriment. During this time, you may be more inclined to want to find your own definition of balance or equality in relationships. (Most often this personal review is related to work versus personal life, but not always.)
      If you did lose something (creative project, money, relationship, time, etc.) recently, it may be that it wasn't truly necessary any longer and could have, in fact, been causing more damage than good. This is the classic tug of war between ego and Spirit. At this time, Jupiter being related to one of the most Spiritual or 'connected' energies, may have triggered your Spirit and it's going to work on the things in your life which no longer serve your Highest good ~ like it or not.
      As I've said before, Retrograde directs whatever the energy is INWARD, as opposed to the outward expression which manifests physically in your life. And one of Jupiter's gifts is inflation and when it Retrogrades, deflation can occur (not necessarily a bad thing). The blessing of this is that we stop reaching outside our Selves for guidance and turn to our own inner guidance to direct us now. If you pull back to re-evaluate rather than try to force your will, you feel stronger and more centered, which enables you to be more effective in the world. Work smarter, not harder. Make the necessary adjustments being demanded of you at this time. It will ultimately empower you.
      If you disregard the current energy, and impose YOUR will, rather than accept this direction, you will expend a LOT of energy, with very little compensation or reward. Then your sense of failure would be amplified, rather than your sense of inner strength and fortitude. All this time requires is a little flexibility and patience. By no means are you supposed to give up your dreams.
      If a situation arises during this Retrograde which counters your personal integrity, it is an indication that it is time to pull back and reflect on what Truth (a Jupiter principle) is for you. You might want to reflect on repression in your own life - is it for the good of all or is it based in fear of confrontation (with Self or others)? Retrogrades demand that we contemplate the (true) source or hidden cause of our motives. There may be an imbalance. What you've been subconsciously thinking about or even acting out in some way, will come to the forefront and demand attention. You may have an urge to make a sudden decision regarding self-preservation. Any new plans impulsively implemented at this time will most likely need a revision (re-vision/new vision) somewhere down the line. Closer to Jupiter going Direct things may begin to take shape in unexpected and wonderful ways that even you couldn't dream up so I hope you planted those seeds BEFORE Jupiter Retrograded! (If not, get serious NOW!! This energy was meant to be worked WITH!!