Mercury in Harsh Aspect to Uranus: Not Crazy, Just Overstimulated

I'm bored. Let's browse the internet. Oh! What's this? There are 50,000 species on the planet?? I didn't know that! Let's browse through the comments.... hmmm.. let's see what Karen has to say.

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What the actual fuck. People are idiots. Let's see who texted me! (50 unread messages) Whoops.. maybe later. Seems like a good time for a snack (makes sandwich) Hmmm, but take out sounds so good right now (puts sandwich away).

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If I could only find my shoes! (Phones rings) Ughhhh, who's calling me?? Oh shit.. that was today?! FUCK. (Sits and silence and begins to worry)

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5 minutes later

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10 minutes later

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Where the hell are my shoes?

If you were able to make it through that segment without feeling an ounce of irritation, congratulations! You might have Mercury (or a personal planet) in harsh aspect to Uranus. This sort chaos and dysfunction can very well be considered a norm when the quick, youthful, and agile planet of Mercury comes into contact with the impulsive, exploratory, and witty planet of Uranus. 

Harsh aspects, such as the Square, Opposition, and sometimes the Conjunction, can create a mental climate that is rapidly changing, causing a native to appear flighty, restless, and even tormented at times. 

These natives love to stay occupied and may even have difficulty sitting still. If you observe those with this placement closely, it can appear as if there is a bit of a nervous tick to their nature when sitting idle for too long. These natives can be so restless that they can go as far as jumping from activity to activity in order to avoid spending too much time in the quiet. 

On one hand, those with Mercury in harsh aspect to Uranus can appear unique and eccentric. It is likely that these natives have a unique taste in art and music and may take pleasure in discovering artist that are less commonly known to the public. These natives can become so attached to their new discoveries that they can even grow defensive and possessive if the artist happens to become more popular and well liked over time, causing them to defend their loyalty to the artist while subconsciously testing new fans for signs of flakiness. 

The issue here is that instead of looking for public harmony and unity (as those with softer aspects like the trine and sextile might search for), these natives look for every way possible to stand out and make a difference. Unfortunately, there may be a tendency to rebel for the sake of wanting to be different, causing the native to garner a "Rebel Without a Cause" status. There is also a possibility that the siblings as well as the close relatives of the native have a wacky or "off" nature to them, possibly possessing a strong Uranus within the likes of their own natal charts. The close relatives could have aided in reassuring the native that nothing was wrong with them while possibly implanting the ideology that the rest of the world is "off" instead.

With Mercury in harsh aspect to Uranus, we can also find a scandalous character. The native will fantasize about becoming famous and well known in attempt to make up for years of being doubted and misunderstood. An ingrained inferiority complex can cause the native to even take pride in being an "outcast" or "leader" in attempt to mask the deep feelings of rejection that the native may have experienced, especially during childhood. 

As a result, there can come a time where the native cannot quiet the mind and will eventually grow to feel overstimulated. At this point, a few things can happen: The native can become so irritated by the noisiness of the mind that they become visibly paranoid, irritable, and withdrawn from society. In this state, the native may even attempt to seek psychiatric treatment or even be pressured into being evaluated. On the Other hand, the native can become a loner and engage in activities that may be perceived as whacky, further serving to isolate the native from the rest of society. Regardless, the isolation will serve as a vital period in the natives life, working as a catalyst for growth as they learn to develop true self esteem and personal resilience. 

When the native can become self actualized, they will find that not much can sink their ship anymore. They will begin to see possibilities where they once saw road blocks. They will pave way for the true misfits and outcasts of society. They will challenge outdated theories while making way for revolutionary ideas. And most importantly, they will no longer seek validation from peers and family, causing them to become the fit leaders they desired to be all along. 

The Astrological Family System

Astrology is a wonderful tool for better understanding family dynamics. The planets and houses paint a vivid picture of the personality traits, characteristics, and mannerisms of the lovely (or not so lovely) people we call family! Through our natal chart, we can also see our relationship with family by closely studying how each planet interacts with one another as well as with each house. Our connection with our children (future children) can also be seen through the likes of our natal charts, leaving us with even more opportunity to become our best selves possible. 

Dysfunctional families are one of my favorite topics of study. Often times, those born into such families feel hopeless, desperate for answers, and future-less, altogether. What better than astrology to provide such people with purpose, confidence, and faith in their limitless potential. 

Harmonious families, which do happen to exist, can also be seen. I find those with strong moon/4th house signatures often find pleasure in tracing their family history back to the furthest root possible. Understanding the dynamics which occurred before us can further ignite our sens of purpose while filling us with a dignified pride and willingness to carry on our family's legacy. 

The nuclear family can be identified through the sign, house, and aspects of the sun, the moon, mercury, and saturn (the traditional symbol of the father figure). The ascendant, third house, IC, 4th house, and 10th house can give us insight on the nature of our biological families. Though not much research has been done on those who have been adopted, it is believed that foster parents as well as grandparents can be identified through the 11th house.  

Take, for example, Beyonce. Her mercury (the planet ruling siblings) and her saturn (traditional ruler representing the father figure) are in Libra in the 12th house. This is ironic being that libra is ruled by venus (art) and both Solange and Mathew have been highly involved in Beyonce's music career. We can't forget about the 12th houses tendency to reveal to us hidden enemies. With Saturn in the 12th house, we see a father who may be self-serving. This was evident being that Beyonce admitted to having her career controlled by her father and struggling to create an identity separate from him and his ideals. Beyonce even went as far as separating from his management and going solo in attempt to find true artistic freedom (Libra in 12th). Luckily enough, Beyonce also has her Jupiter in 12th, making for a smooth transition. Having access to interviews, public statements, and a few instances of family drama make it easier to verify the message the natal chart reveals about her family dynamics. This goes to show that background information can help us to fully understand the full story rather than trying to put together a sum of parts. 

Another similar example would be Marilyn Monroe. Though Marilyn is well known for her sex appeal and artistic capabilities, her traumatic family history is less known to the public. Marilyn's saturn (also signifying hardship and restriction) is in her 4th house of family. This is significant being that Marilyn was abandoned by her mother at a young age and put into a children's group home. Marilyn's mother was known to struggle with her mental health and would often have various and intense psychotic breaks. Marilyn's moon is in Aquarius (coldness from the mother) and in an opposition with Neptune (mental illness). Again, without background information, it would be difficult to put the pieces together. But as astrologers, it is not our duty to play psychic. We must use the information readily available to us to instill hope, confidence, and purpose within our clients, helping to bring them closer to their destiny (North Node). 

Understanding the role our family has played in our destiny can help us to forgive faulty actions, heal from childhood wounds, and walk with confidence towards creating our own families. Never under estimate the power of digging deep into you roots.