The four solar system giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune form a group Astronomically. As rulers of the last four signs of the zodiac, they also form a group astrologically, in my opinion. In Astrology, each planet can be associated with a psychological drive. These four planets together compose the Superego drives. Freud divided the Superego into two parts which he called the Ego Ideal and the Conscience. These correspond roughly to Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter represents the drive to indulge in pursuits which are permitted and encouraged by parental figures. Saturn represents the drive to conform to discipline for fear of punishment. The difference lies in between doing something because it is desirable, and doing something because you have to.

Jupiter and Saturn may act harmoniously together, or they may convey conflicting messages. The child attempts to "predict" parental responses by forming a theory (Uranus) about how this reward/punishment system works, and he also has feelings about his situation in this context (Neptune). Since everyone's upbringing is unique, each person's model of the rule system underlying it will be unique, and each child's emotional response to his situation will be unique.

Jupiter and Saturn are more obvious to see than Uranus and Neptune, since they tend to deal in externals. Uranus represents internal controls, while Neptune represents the internalised Ego Ideal.

So what of the Uranus-Neptune conjunction? Let us try an analogy using the Ego planets, for the Ego drives are not so dependent on one's individual background. The equivalent Ego planets are Venus and Mars. Venus represents one's attempts to understand the world objectively, by involvement with the world and other people; to refine one's model of external reality. Mars indicates how you feel subjectively in the context of that external reality and the impact that you will try to make on that outside reality. Venus says "This is my best estimate of the way the world is, here and now." Mars says, "Then this is how I will act, or react." Or Perhaps Mars says "This what I want", and Venus says, "OK, I estimate you will find what you want in that place, or with that person. 

Raising this to the Superego level, Uranus might say, "This is the way the world is. I know it is, because I learned at a very early age what the world is like." Neptune might then say, "Well in that case, then this is how I am used to behaving in this sort of situation: it's second nature to me." Or Neptune might say "This is what I ought to want or need" and Uranus will say, "OK, I know you can find what you feel you ought to want precisely here, because that is the way the system works."

When Venus and Mars are in conjunction in a chart, there is a sort of speed and magnetism in the individual. Both planets are general, rather than particular, and other people sense a combination of interest in the world and other people, together with an intention of interacting with them.

The difference between a Mars-Venus conjunction and a Uranus-Neptune conjunction lies in the level at which the dialogue takes place. A person with a Uranus-Neptune conjunction will find that his internalised (correct or incorrect) prejudices and convictions are in tune with his perceptions as to how he ought to act or react in the light of them, according to his learned emotional responses.

It will become clear why it is difficult to predict how such a conjunction will work out in practice: one can state with considerable confidence that the individual will be highly involved with understanding the links between his assumptions about the world, according to his upbringing, and his learned emotional responses. There are at least two problems here. One's upbringing is unique, and also most people are largely, if not totally, unconscious of the internalised portion of their Superego. People learn about how their ego planets function by dealing with reality. Some may learn about their Jupiter and Saturn functions through introspection or feedback, but Uranus and Neptune - forget it in 99% of cases.

Let us suppose three possible situations. (1). The conjunction is well aspected. There will be an unconscious knack of getting things right, when dealing with the world, for the internal rule system is accurate and the emotional response pattern appropriate, even if the individual is unconscious of all of this. So, for example, someone with Mercury trine the Uranus-Neptune conjunction will find that they have innovative and imaginative ways of organising themselves and that they are in the right place at the right time. If asked how they manage to achieve this, they are unlikely to be able to say more than, "Well this is the way I have always done things and it works just fine- I am surprised other people don't do the same!" (2). The conjunction is badly aspected. There will be an unconscious knack of getting things wrong, when dealing with the world, etc. etc. (3). The conjunction is mixed by aspect. This will lead to a mixture. However, in all cases the Uranus-Neptune theme will be emphasised. It would be a mistake to say that this will be a "generational influence" only: this conjunction will work in individual horoscopes.

Moving onto the meaning of this conjunction for society, it seems fair to assume that this conjunction provides an opportunity to start a new 172 year cycle with a redefinition of our commonly shared models of reality and how we should act and respond in those newly defined contexts. The details of how these will be implemented will evolve through successive Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions, which occur every 20 years. It is interesting that the last Uranus-Neptune conjunction in l82l coincided with a very close Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, which might explain the emphasis on Jupiter and Saturn (aims and objectives, as opposed to strategy and vision), during the last Uranus-Neptune cycle. It is also interesting that politicians and managers, (Jupiter and Saturn?) Seem to be taking hesitant steps towards strategy and vision instead of short-term aims and objectives. The obvious opportunity is for us to begin to think and feel at a global level, deve1oping strategic plans for managing resources and less parochial methods of evaluating their usefulness. The coming years will be full of uncertainty and confusion at times as these changes take place.

This seems an appropriate time to hear reports of the work of Suzel Fuzeau-Braesch's twin study, which, if replicated, will provide immediate and concrete evidence for Astrology in a very simple way. This will provoke outrage, disbelief, confusion and all the other manifestations of Uranus and Neptune in a society which will take some time to bring itself up to date.

December 1992

The above paper formed the basis of a lecture given by Achernar in January 1993. In retrospect, it is easy to see that the growth of the Internet is closely associated with Uranus and Neptune. More essays like this will follow while Achernar develops this site.