Uranus Opposition: The Mid-Life Crisis

When: Around 41-42 until 46-47 years of age

We hear a lot about astrology transits like 'Saturn Returns' (the first of which comes around 28-30), but rarely the biggies that come after that like Uranus Opposition, Saturn Opposition or Chiron Returns. In fact these three come nearly back-to-back (often with a little gap between the Saturn Opposition + Chiron Returns) to mark the portal of entry into our 40s and 50s. This makes them like portals within our lives that all of us will experience to greater or lesser degrees.

It is the awakening to deep inspiration.

Just as Saturn Returns welcomes us from out of the land of adolescent into responsibility or if we take 'The Hero's Journey' it would represent the crossing of the threshold into the realising the depth which lifes behind life (the Abyss). Well the first of these three transits, Uranus Opposition, is closely equated to what we would deem a 'Mid-life Crisis' in Western society. This transit represents us starting to step out of the world of responsibility into one of deep inspiration (only to realise the beautiful consequences of this when we have our Saturn Opposition.

When does the Uranus Opposition Start?

Uranus Opposition generally starts around 41 years of age (though for the exact start you would need to check your natal chart). 41 or the start of our 40s represents a shift out of the 30s which can be spent setting up a career, starting to think or have a family etc. For a lot of people this would be the experience of becoming a parent, when I say that I don't mean just to children but rather to all that you create and bring into your life - a business, pets, a home etc. Our 30s, very generally speaking, are a time of understanding responsibility. So as Uranus rocks around the Zodiac to oppose his natal position, he naturally wants us to see beyond the limitations of how we live. To see where convention represses our true nature and where we may have gone too far into abiding by the constructs of our society. To quote Krishnamurti 'it is no measure of wellbeing to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society'.

Uranus Opposition calls us to find within us the eternal child, rebel that is sick of listening to the rules. Before I go more into this, just a heads up, this transit will last around 5-6 years. So it takes you through your early-to-mid 40s. Though I need to preface that by saying it does not do that alone, rather Saturn comes to join in opposition around the age of 43 (lasting for 2 years) of this creating some beautiful deep tension that turns that deep urge to rebel into action. If you want to learn more about Saturn Opposition click here.

What is Uranus Opposition all about?

To understand this we need to reflect on the role of Uranus in your chart. Now if you want to go into understanding his exact placement, timings etc, check out one of my readings and we can talk more personally . Uranus is the original masculine creative principle. That's a mouthful! What I mean is that he is a born creator and within you he is the energy of deep inspiration. In fact it's an inspiration that has you seeing beyond the consequences of your actions as you search for deep freedom. That is also what Uranus craves.

As we enter our 40s we often come to terms with the fact we are in our mid-life - that is half our supposed life stands on one side and the rest on the other. I want to put that in context, because at the moment it sounds depressing. You will take incarnation millions of times as a soul working through it's karma in this life. To quote Ram Dass:

"Imagine a mountain of solid rock six miles long, six miles wide, and six miles high. Once every hundred years a crow flies by with a silk scarf in its beak, just barely caressing the top of the mountain with it. The length of time it would take to wear away that mountain is how Buddha described the journey to enlightenment. That’s the game of incarnations. In the vastness of time any one incarnation is like the blink of an eye in relation to a seventy-year life span. Every time you blink, that’s like another incarnation."

In essence reaching midlife in this lifetime isn't something you haven't done before millions of times, and is also something you will be many, many times in the future. So in the scheme of things really it is small. Ok, so back to Uranus Opposition. As we approach this gateway we look at the life we have yet to live in front of us - either consciously but most often subconsciously - and feel into how we want it to be. In fact during our Uranus Opposition we face that first taste of what is left in this life, and for some of us that can be incredibly thrilling and a call to adventure. So Uranus opposition becomes a time of rethinking life, of recreating what you want to get out of it - that can mean rethinking relationships, living circumstances, your dreams etc. However it's not really until Saturn Opposition that the consequences of this thinking comes to play - by that I mean often action occurs with Saturn coming through, who in Greek Mythology was Uranus' son.

The different experiences of Uranus Opposition

I'll finish with this. Unlike Saturn Returns + Saturn Opposition, Uranus Opposition isn't so much an awakening experience as an inspirational one. So you might notice those around you going through it in a conscious or unconscious manner (I'm assuming if you're reading this you are very much conscious). This is pretty much what you will see with all major transits in astrology. There are those that see what is it and choose to work ahead of it; and those that have chosen to remain asleep during it. Both are perfect. Your Uranus Opposition - particularly because your friends around you of a similar age or siblings will be experiencing something similar - is your experience alone...the way it shows up for you and how you approach it is in your hands. This is the perfect time to dream, take time out and think about what you really want in this life. It's not about getting frustrated with this but enjoying what it brings.

Want to go deeper?

If you want to understand how this is showing up in your chart, or where in your life it is appearing (which we can see in your chart), check out one of my readings (if you want to just look at this I suggest the energy update).

Finally, if you're looking for a bit more I am about to launch a one-on-one astrology support program. The idea being we will use your chart as a guide to, and support you through personal and other transits (like the Uranus Opposition). I will help you shine light on what is coming to you. If this sounds of interest, please send me an email at hello@pippastrology.com and I'll be in touch to work out if we are the right match for each other.