Jupiter and Uranus are astrological indicators of growth and change. When these two planets come together in the zodiac, the world experiences a cultural revolution of sorts—a time of expansion, discovery, and upheaval. Their union fuses the impulse to advance and reach forward (Jupiter) with the need for freedom and liberation (Uranus). We move beyond old limits in both individual and societal ways.
Jupiter and Uranus will form a conjunction in Taurus on April 20, 2024 at 10:27 pm EDT. However, that’s just when the planetary alignment is exactly precise. In reality, this aspect has been influencing the atmosphere for about a year now, and will continue to ripple through the summer. But the pressure is building, and April 2024 marks the culmination, the big bang, where the energy reaches a maximum.
So what does this conjunction mean for us? On an individual level, it symbolizes a new beginning. Whichever house Jupiter and Uranus are transiting through in your natal chart shows us where resistance and restlessness have been knocking on your consciousness. You need radical change, or the nervous strain may cause a breakdown. My new podcast, Jupiter and Uranus through the 12 Houses, gives a guided tour of the potentials. It’s available on Patreon for $6, no subscription required.
Taurus the Bull
On a collective level, it marks a period of intense social excitement and unrest. We’re going to take a look backwards to see how the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction has played out before. History can shed some light on what’s happening now. But let’s start by looking at the setting where the conjunction is taking place—the second sign of the zodiac, fixed earth sign Taurus.
Taurus seeks security. It’s the sign that’s most focused on the tangibles of survival—water, food, land, money, and resources for sustainability. Taurus is connected to material accumulation because it represents the urge for tranquility and calm. When we feel that we have enough, we are centered and grounded in the present moment. It’s about simple human values and common sense. Taken too far, this same energy turns to possessiveness, greed, and hoarding. Taurus is very sensual and wants to feed the body’s appetites in order to feel good. But it can get us bogged down in desire, where nothing is ever enough.
Jupiter and Uranus
Now let’s put the planets here. Uranus is an outer planet, and moves slowly through the zodiac. It first dipped into Taurus for a 6-month stay from May through November 2018, then moved fully into Taurus in March 2019. Uranus is the rebellious, unconventional archetype–the Great Awakener that shatters norms. Jupiter travels at a steadier pace, spending about one year in each sign. Jupiter joined Uranus in Taurus in May 2023. It’s the planet of hope and belief, an indicator of both increase and overextension.
Neither planet functions that easily in Taurus. The Bull’s instinct is to maintain security. The erratic, unpredictable action of Uranus, and the excessive, expansive nature of Jupiter can both feel trapped in the material realm of Taurus. That means it’s easy to go too far, to get pulled into compulsions of overreacting and overspending in a bid to block out the anxiety. When the tension breaks, it really explodes.
Taurus doesn’t like change, it likes consistency. It can be stubborn and bullish regarding sharing. Jupiter and Uranus are dramatically increasing resistance and revolution in all those Taurus-ruled areas— things like the earth’s resources, financial security, and the fundamental right of all humans to live in peace. So we’re more likely to be stubbornly fixed in our values, and feeling an exaggerated separateness regarding our differences. The negative face of this energy is the expanded distance it has created between people.
Common sense can be defined as a basic ability to perceive, understand, and judge in a manner that is shared by (i.e. ‘common to’) nearly all people.
History of the Conjunction
History reflects the liberating potential of the Jupiter and Uranus conjunction. It happens every 14 years, and it correlates with theoretical and scientific innovation, cultural milestones and iconic moments, and periods of rebellion and disruption. The info below is sourced from the book Cosmos and Psyche by Richard Tarnas. (If you’re interested in astrology and history, Tarnas has an excellent series streaming on Amazon, The Changing of the Gods.)
The conjunctions of Jupiter and Uranus correlate with theoretical breakthroughs and the launch of great works of art. There’s a spark of creativity present, something that fuels progress and dissatisfaction with the status quo. During the conjunction of 1858, Lincoln began sharing his views against the expansion of slavery during the Lincoln-Douglas debates. In 1900, the Wright brothers began their first experiments with flight. The 1968-69 conjunction included the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Ingenuity is heightened when Jupiter conjoins Uranus. Woodstock took place during the 1968-69 conjunction. Psychoanalysis (Freud) and quantum theory (Planck) were introduced to the world in 1899-1900. During the conjunction of 1512, Michelangelo completed the Sistine Chapel. In 1858, Emily Dickinson began collecting her poetry, in 1886 Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the first Sherlock Holmes story, and in 1997 J.K. Rowling published the first Harry Potter book.
Social unrest and outbreaks of violence are also common during these periods of history. The planets are unwilling to bend to conformity, and thus give rise to liberating forces in the collective psyche. The American Revolution began during the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction of 1775-1776. The 1789 conjunction aligned with the fall of the Bastille and the beginning of the French Revolution. Protests erupted across the world during the 1968-69 era.
The Jupiter-Uranus complex appears to be associated with the experience of breakthroughs of all kinds, joyful Promethean moments of discovery, sudden ascents, unexpected insights that expand one’s world, the “Aha!” experience.
Richard Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche
Expanding Beyond Limits
So, how can we best take advantage of this revolutionary energy? That information lies in your natal chart. The Jupiter/Uranus conjunction occurs at 21 degrees 50 minutes of Taurus. Wherever that falls in your chart holds insight into where you need to break out of the old mold and breathe fresh life into your perspective on the future. For more guidance, check out the Jupiter + Uranus Podcast on Patreon, or book a reading! Appointments are available in person, over Zoom, or recorded and delivered to your inbox.
My latest YouTube video is up, forecasting the astrology of spring. On top of the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction, we’re also heading into a pair of lunar eclipses and Mercury’s retrograde in fire sign Aries. Watch here!
