monumental is happening in May; on May 15, 2018 Uranus will grace a part of the zodiac it hasn't resided in since 1934 when it settles into the sign of The Bull for the first time in 84 years! Because Uranus takes such a long time to make a full lap around the zodiac wheel, only the most senior among us have experienced this energy during their lifetimes and a good chunk of this octo- to nona- genarian population may not have even been old enough to remember the effects Uranus in Taurus had on their lives since they were so young during the last passage. Suffice to say, then, this is going to be a very fresh and different energy for the overwhelming majority of us!

Uranus spends about 7 years in any given sign of the zodiac and its transit through fiery, impulsive Aries first began in 2011. This planet represents the principle of change and while on one hand the transit of Uranus through Aries has been fabulous for social activism and providing the individual with the impetus to start movements for reform, on the other side of the coin it's taken lots of anger ( an Aries theme) to get this done. With Uranus in Aries, change is something apt to be violent and uproarious but now that we're on the horns of Uranus in Taurus this mellows considerably. It's not as if there won't be disrupts, but the sharp edges are definitely off once this planet plops down into Taurus.

For those of us who have felt like our adrenal glands are on the fritz from all the fighting and ruckus during the astro-passage of Uranus in Aries, Uranus into Taurus can certainly be a welcome transition. However, it's also important to note that Uranus isn't very comfortable in this sign as a whole because the hazard of relaxation is complacency. It's much harder to create change - which we must remember is this planet's primary job - when you're unbothered. Whereas with Uranus in Aries, it's easier to find ourselves perturbed, petulant, and ready to take action in order to effect the changes we want to see; both individually in our own lives and within society.

Uranus is a planet of wild ups and downs, and when I say the rough edges are taken off of it by its transition into Taurus, I don't mean there won't still be noticeable swings. It just means the changes aren't apt to be *physically* violent the way so many of the protests, rallies, etc. of the last 7 years have been. While I wouldn't quite call Uranus in Taurus a "love-in" kind of sitch, there is most certainly the ability to rebel more peacefully, to harness the power of revolution via the collective voice of social media, and to create change with our wallets by aligning our spending with our ( individual and collective) value system. In a capitalist society, money talks and it's up to us to adopt a higher awareness regarding where we're putting our dollars - when companies start losing customers, sponsors, etc. they're going to be economically forced to evolve in accordance with the values of the people.

Economically speaking, this transit can bring some crazy fluctuations; particularly in the commodities and currency markets. It's the kind of energy where fortunes can be made or lost - maybe even both - lightning fast. One must have a high tolerance for risk in this kind of environment since there is considerable economic disrupt inherent in this energy. And speaking of disrupts, one thing I like about Uranus in Taurus is its ability to shatter financial glass ceilings; not just within the context of what The Market is doing, but with respect to breaking invisible earnings caps for women, people of color, etc. Uranus is a very egalitarian energy and it certainly would be nice to see equal opportunities for wealth among all demographics instead of the boring "rich white man" cliché we presently have going on. We definitely could use some wealth redistribution; that's for sure. There's also the idea of a Universal Basic Income being floated around at the moment, which is certainly one example of a possible way that Uranus in Taurus's energy could manifest. It's lofty, but Uranus is known to be a planet that likes to take up social causes that break barriers; especially those involving class - overall, we might think of this vibe as having a very "socioeconomic" kind of feel/effect.

Because Taurus is the money sign - the "cash cow" of the zodiac - and Uranus symbolizes freedom, many may find themselves seeking financial liberation and fiscal independence during this period. Not only in terms of freelancing and self-employment starting to look like more attractive options vs. being tethered to a cubicle in a 9-5, but also in the sense of dropping tired old paradigms of what society thinks we should do with our money and the onerous obligations we automatically take on as "normal". This transit can also make us more monetarily innovative - there's an inventive and entrepreneurial facet of this energy that can generate brilliant, unique ideas that are profitable.

I also think that rather than just "buy" or "sell", people are going to opt to "trade" and will get on board with bartering instead. It's not so much about something's monetary worth, but the abstract idea of something being equal in value. For example, if I have an abundance of eggs from my chickens but really want some berries to make a fruit pie and yet my friend down the road has plenty of blueberries but is desperately craving an omelet and has no eggs, everyone walks away from that deal happy. I believe the barter system may be coming back into vogue during this time; not necessarily due to any lack of resources but because it's community-minded and green. To share what you have as a community resource and create this network of people who all tangibly benefit from this form of commerce is smart and sociable. On a related note, perhaps we can zero in on the agricultural facet of Taurus specifically and combine it with the social component of Uranus in different ways; say by buying a share in the local CSA.

Before I conclude, I also need to mention that Uranus in Taurus can precipitate some significant value changes in society; particularly among the youth and specifically adolescents. Uranus in Taurus represents the hopes and ideals that we have and hold and I think there will be a substantial alteration in this respect during these next 7 years; perhaps prompted by all the violent shocks we experienced during Uranus's tenure of Aries. We've certainly seen some fresh new faces of the revolution come out at the tail-end of Uranus in Aries c/o the Parkland survivors, and I think as Uranus reaches Taurus these teens are anchoring the way forward for us all. Taurus is a peaceable (yet incredibly stubborn!) sign by nature and the fact that we have so many youths activating their throat chakras (Taurus does rule the throat) and digging in their heels to bring about the sensible, peaceful reforms our society needs is a good sign of things to come, IMO. Remember that no matter how long it takes, these kids are the ones writing humanity's future; not the Old Guard which is on its way out. Believe in the seeds of change now being planted by these Indigo Ray 21st-century Neo Flower Children!