Uranus in Gemini: Finding our Ground in Times of Rapid Change
Hello loves,
If you haven’t already been feeling the electrifying energy of Uranus as it heads out of Taurus where it’s been for the past seven years and into Gemini this Saturday, April 25th, buckle up! As Uranus and other outer planets change sign, their energies tend to be at their most palpable and intense.
With this Uranus sign shift, it feels almost silly to say that “change is coming” because change is already underway, big time. We see it in the world at large and I imagine you are feeling it in your personal life too. But revolutionary change IS what Uranus is all about, and the shifts that have been stirring are becoming louder rumbles now, inside and out.
While some folks truly thrive in volatile conditions, most humans have some resistance to change. We tend to like what’s familiar, even when we know it’s not serving us anymore. But Uranus doesn’t care if we prefer to stay with what’s comfortable—it wants to LIBERATE us from our own self-perceived limits, unhealthy habits, harmful ancestral patterns, and oppressive systems, and if discomfort is the price we have to pay for our freedom, Uranus knows it’s worth it.
Our freedom is worth everything.
So the question we must work with right now is, How can I show up for change in a way that supports my own and the collective’s wellbeing, especially when it’s unexpected, rapid, unnerving, and/or scary?
The most important answer to this question is the one that feels most true to you. You are the expert of your life and your nervous system, and you’ve probably navigated significant changes in the past.
So spending some time reflecting on or journaling about upheavals you’ve come through may give you the exact guidance you need.
What helped you stay grounded through unpredicted changes in the past?
What do you wish you’d done differently?
Whose presence helped steady you through it all?
What teachers, authors, or wisdom traditions did you call upon for insight and support?
In what ways were past seismic shifts ultimately liberating?
What words of wisdom does your past self have about showing up for this rapidly reorganizing world?
In addition to your own inherent wisdom, I have some offerings to add to your toolkit to support you through times of change and uncertainty, no matter how exhilarating or terrifying they may be. These may not be new to you, but reminders never hurt.
Physical Support
In Gemini, Uranus may feel like a lot of electricity in the body and the mind. That could show up as a felt sense of anxiety, racing thoughts, and distractibility. And whenever these things arise, one of the best things we can do is to find our ground in our bodies and the present moment.
Breathe. As you know, our breath is one of the most accessible entry points to grounded presence. In moments of overwhelm (or to prevent them!), turn your attention toward your breath, feeling the sensations of it entering your nose or mouth, filling your lungs, and leaving your body.
Inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of seven can activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system and usher you into a more connected and resilient state.
Ground. Another practice that you can do in any place at any moment is to feel into your body’s points of connection with the surfaces supporting it, then sink into the support that’s there.
Your feet on the ground, your sit bones in your chair, your hands on a table. The earth offers its support unconditionally, no matter what state you’re in. Imagine that the earth beneath you is receiving every molecule of overwhelm so you don’t have to carry it alone.
Move. The fast-paced energy of Uranus in Gemini wants to move, so the more you can physically express it, the better. Shake, dance, run, walk, stretch, ride a bike, do some qi gong or yoga… it doesn’t matter what it is, just move!
Eat. Yes. Remember to eat! The distractible Gemini mind can forget to eat, but food is one of the most grounding thing we can offer ourselves, as it is a way that we become Earth. Try to limit sugars and caffeine, since those add to the jitters. Instead, focus on grounding foods like root vegetables and teas (dandelion and chicory root can meet that coffee craving and ground you at the same time!).
Work with Herbs. The natural world is full of herbs that can help expand our capacity to be with uncertainty and change. Lemon balm, tulsi, chamomile, passion flower, CBD, and skull cap are all soothing allies in tea or tincture form. Work with them daily to tone your nervous system. Bitter herbs can also be quite grounding. Motherwort, Oregon grape root, mugwort, and blue vervain are my go-tos when I lose my ground.
Soothe. Offer your frazzled parts comfort in the form of a bath, massage, acupuncture, nap, nature walk, sauna, ritual, cup of tea, bowl of soup, or anything else that helps you feel nurtured.
Emotional Support
Radical Acceptance. As unsettling as change can be, it’s usually the resistance to it that causes the most suffering. Engaging with the physical practices above can greatly expand our capacity to be with reality, whether or not we like what’s unfolding.
The next step is to practice what the Buddhist teacher Tara Brach calls “radical acceptance.” Radical acceptance is not about saying you LIKE everything that’s happening, or that it’s even okay, but that you acknowledge that it IS happening.
To help with this, try freewriting from the prompt I (am trying to) accept that…. Or I say yes to… for five to ten minutes. It’s a way to give name to all that’s getting shaken up and, by naming it all, you can work with the feelings that are rising to the surface, too.
Radical Self-Love. As the upheavals of life inevitably bring up feelings that are deeply uncomfortable, the best thing we can do is be loving companions to them. When we can show up for our own wild rides without trying to change or fix anything, we are practicing radical self-love.
You can do this for yourself by noticing when you feel out of sorts and, instead of trying to talk yourself out of your experience, you might say something like, “Hey sweet one, I see you’re frazzled. It makes so much sense and it’s okay to feel that way. Things are crrrazy right now!” This is not about getting consumed by emotions, but letting ourselves know that it’s okay to have big feelings. And, ironically, giving them permission to exist in their fullness usually takes their edge off pretty quickly.
You might then make a cup of tea, or lie down and observe how the emotions show up physically, then get up and let the feelings move your body in ways you never could have choreographed. It might be intimidating to turn toward your discomfort (or anyone else’s for that matter) with the intention accompany it through the storm all the way home, but it’s the most reliable pathway back to it.
Reach Out. I almost didn’t put this one in because I have such a hard time remembering to reach out when I need it most! I am much more comfortable offering support than being supported, but my relationships have helped me get through so much.
If you have a friend, family member, mentor, guide, therapist, or even a pet that you know will accept you without trying to fix or change you, reach out. Let them know what you need if you know. It’s probably as simple as their company, their ear, their empathy, and their love. Let them give it to you.
Sagittarius Medicine. In astrology, each sign represents one pole on the end of a spectrum with the sign directly across from it. And when the energy of one sign is amplified, as Gemini is about to be with Uranus’ entry into it, we can find balance by cultivating the qualities of the opposite sign which, in this case, is Sagittarius.
While Gemini is caught up in the details and fast-moving ideas, Sagittarius is a wise elder who has traveled the world, the cosmos, and the psyche. Sagittarius can hold the big picture and the deep knowing that every challenge we face is a call to growth and evolution.
Sagittarius also seeks out philosophies, spiritual practices, and wisdom traditions that can help us make meaning out of the changes that are occurring around and within us. Sagittarius knows that hope is not naive, but a conviction that calls us to act in service of personal and collective liberation.
If you know the houses that Gemini and Sagittarius occupy in your chart, you will have a greater sense of the area of your life that will be electrified by Uranus over the next seven years and the one that can offer a big-picture perspective to all that’s occurring in it.
If you’d like to learn more about how Uranus in Gemini is showing up for you personally, I’d love to do a reading with you… in person, online, and recordings are available!
And, last but not least, remember… Gemini is the Queen of Curiosity! So one of the best qualities we can bring to our lives is a wide-eyed wonder and sense of inquisitiveness about everything that surprises us. What’s this?! we might ask. How is it trying to help me get free?
In love, wonder, curiosity, and radical accompaniment, Bex
P.S. If you’re in Southern Oregon, join us on our land for a wildcrafting workshop this season! The first one is on May 3rd!
