With this month’s Equinox paving the way for cosmic change, it’s the perfect moment to harness the electricity and innovation of the Goddess Urania, says Rebecca Farrar …
Long before astronomy and astrology became separated, the myth of Goddess Urania inspired philosophical questions about our connection to the starry heavens above. You can find her energy today in planetariums, and she is activated any time we consider our cosmic context or become enchanted with our celestial existence.
We have her to thank for instilling us with wonder, awe, and curiosity, and for cultivating the spirit of discovery and innovation.
Urania comes from the Greek word “Ouranos” meaning “all of the heavens.” In Greek mythology, she was the daughter of Zeus and the mother-muse Mnemosyne, as well as great granddaughter to Uranus himself. She dressed in a cloak with stars and her mighty accessories were a globe and stylus, said to represent the world’s mysteries. It was said by ancient poets that she was able to predict the future by looking at the stars.
Astronomically, Urania was the 30th asteroid discovered in 1854, and is currently hanging out one-degree away from Neptune in Pisces where it will remain for the next few years, guiding our intuition and sky wisdom. In this placement, astrology and astronomy serve as perfect spiritual practices for contemplating the vastness of our solar system and how to integrate it into our own lives.
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While Uranus leans towards the collective and generational experience, Urania gives us a taste of our unique relationship to the heavens. Explore your own cosmic connection and curiosity by finding Urania in your own chart.
**To find Urania in your chart, go to astro.com, enter your birth information, choose “Extended Chart Selection,” scroll down to “Additional Asteroids,” and type in 30.
Use the suggestions below to discover how you can ground heavenly energies into your life and be inspired to innovate …
1st house// What aspect of your soul’s purpose inspires you to innovate the most? Learning about your life purpose as it relates to your astrology chart can be a tool, so can Human Design, Myer’s Briggs, or other purpose-driven systems that can align your heart with the heavens. Alternatively, organize a planetarium visit solo or with a group, as long as you lead.
2nd house// How can you ground more cosmic wisdom into your relationships, and what aspect of relating are you often most curious about? Urania connects universal love with our personal experience, and helps us notice that the ways we love are both unique to us and also a part of the collective. Take time to look at patterns in your relating that may connect you more deeply to love itself.
3rd house// What are things you have always wanted to learn about, related to science, mathematics, astronomy or other topics? The more we learn about the complexity of our universe, the more we might just find new ways of thinking about things on Earth. Perhaps take an astronomy class or read books or studies by astrophysicists (I currently have a crush on Mike Brown, the guy who discovered Eris).
4th house// How do you feel about the vastness of your connection to everything and everyone? Does it overwhelm you or make you feel more safe? More than any other Urania placement, it’s important for you to feel at home and safe in our solar system. Try decorating your home with celestial themes or symbols to remind you of your innate cosmic connection. I suggest wall prints with your Sun and Moon sign constellations.
5th house// What aspects of human life enchant or evoke awe for you? Great art can inspire you to innovate and create in your own life. Consider the solar system through the lens of creativity or self-expression- look up artists who were inspired by the cosmos such as Vasily Kandinsky or Van Gogh.
6th house// How has your day-to-day routine lacked curiosity or excitement? While things may seem to be orderly in the universe, it is both predictable and has enough strangeness to confuse even the best of scientists. Find a way to shake things up, using the starry heavens for inspiration. You might try tracking constellations or going outside at night and noticing planetary movements.
7th house// What is your relationship to aesthetics and how do you find more of your own personal style? More than any other placement, you may experience Urania as a sacred “other” or muse. Our solar system has its own harmony and perfect balance. Try relating to this through aesthetics in jewelry and clothing, such as hoop earrings symbolizing the symmetry of orbits or other patterns.
8th house// How do you honor the power of the unknown in your life? Connect with the sensation of dark matter or black holes- places where light can’t exist and yet are the most powerful forces in the cosmos. Take a trip down the Google rabbit hole on the topic. You may walk away with an ever greater appreciation for the power of the darkness.
9th house// Ask yourself the same questions posed by early philosophers. Why am I here? What is the human relationship to the stars? Plan a trip or get curious about travel locations related to sacred star spots. You might start with the book “Heaven’s Mirror” by Graham Hancock, which discusses the possible relationships between constellation Sirius and the Pyramids of Egypt.
10th house// How do you relate to time and legacy? The cosmos is timeless in that it has existed for 13.7 billion years and yet the existence of humans has been but a blip. It takes seven minutes for the light of the Sun to reach Earth, and 150,000 years for other stars in our galaxy. Spend time thinking about what legacy you want to leave that would last years or centuries.
11th house// Who and what are your orbit? The solar system is a group of planetary bodies held together by gravity and mutual attraction. Often people with strong Uranian energies feel like aliens or black sheep in communities. What are ways you can feel more included? Join a community connected to a topic that inspires you and find your fellow seekers.
12th house// How does music inspire you? The sounds of the universe and musical frequencies are deeply intertwined, and music and muse actually have the same root word. Listen to classical or ambient music (try Holsts’ Planets Symphony for starters), and pay attention to the complexity and mathematical connections. If you feel so inclined, write some of your own!
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And no matter where the asteroid is in your chart, here are ways to amuse your Uranian muse …
// Style // Black connects us to dark matter and the night sky. Wear it with intention for the vastness and expansion. Obviously clothing with constellations or planetary bodies are a hell yes.
// Food //My naturopath once told me that eating dark-colored food connected me to the cosmos. Gobble up blackberries, black sesame seeds, black mission figs, black rice, and beyond …
// Workout // Stroll under the stars or just sit under them like an old school philosopher or astronomer would.
// Watch // Cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Interstellar, ET, X-Files, or Hidden Figures
// Read //Anything by Carl Sagan or my former graduate school professor, cosmologist Brian Swimme
// Home // If you don’t already have them, add glow-in-the-dark stars to your ceiling or to other places where you’ll be able to see them at night. Add other fun pieces such as constellation art work or planetary mobiles.
// Healing // Meditate in the dark outside or channel cosmic energies with a Reiki session or a sound healing.
