Signs and Sequences – Part 3 – On The Generations
Generations are defined by the calendar, but the accompanying system for interpreting the calendar allows us to gain insight and guidelines for how we discuss them. The calendar tells us precisely how these cohorts differ and the system gives us tools to interpret those differences and to recognize how they manifest in behaviors and traits that become associated with a generation of people. The generational differences occur because the people of that time exhibit behaviors and traits that people not of that time do not. This happens because time itself – and the reality which it forms – is different from one era to another, as the calendar shows.
When anything is first formed – such as a person being born – it is created out of the same materials which form the times. As a result the person retains a crystallized imprint of the moment of their birth and carries it throughout their life. We could say that persons born during a certain time are being born into a certain reality, one which changes incrementally each day but which over longer, generational timescale changes significantly. This results in clusters of people who share fundamentally similar elements and other clusters – born after the times have changed significantly – who share a different set of elements.
This is not entirely different to how people born a few months apart will have varying capabilities and tendencies – resulting from the differences in orbital position of relatively fast-moving planets such as Mercury, the Sun, or Venus. The key difference is that the generational planets do not represent the same thing that those personal planets do. The generational planets – Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto – are disruptive and their placement in the birth chart tells us how the native will experience disruption throughout their life. The variation between “generations” is in their experience of disruption, or in the way life unfolds.
To understand this we need to be more specific. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto each administer disruption, and each delivers their disruption in a different manner. This is universal across all people. What changes is the zodiacal sign position of the planet. Uranus will perform its disruption in the same way regardless of the sign, but the signs are different territories and the disruptive action of Uranus goes over differently depending upon the territory it is operating in. Consider a lightning bolt that lands upon a grassy hilltop and a lightning bolt that strikes the open ocean. In both cases lightning has been delivered to the territory but its effect upon that territory – the result of the interaction of the lightning and the territory – will be different. This is why the zodiacal sign of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto matters.
The second factor has to do with the sequence of these planets. There are twelve zodiacal signs and the three “outer” planets will be distributed among them. The distance between them (counting by zodiacal sign) as well as the order in which they are arranged will alter the pattern of their cumulative disruption. Consider a case where the sequence of planets is Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, in three consecutive signs. This will be different from a case where the sequence is Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, but also in three consecutive signs. Further, the sequence of Pluto, Neptune, Uranus but with two signs separating each, will differ still.
Sequence 1:
Sequence 2:
Sequence 3:
The unique signatures of a generational cohort result from the combination of the sign placement of each of these three planets and the sequence of their placement across the zodiac. In order to evaluate each generation we need to study the sign placement of each planet and determine the result of the interaction between the active element of the planet and the territorial element of the sign. Then we need to study the sequence in which they are activated.
As an example let’s consider the generational placements for someone born in 1950:
Here we find Uranus in Cancer, Pluto in Leo, and Neptune in Libra. Uranus begins the sequence, followed immediately by Pluto, then followed by Neptune after skipping one sign.
The sequence tells us that disruptive events in the life of this person will consistently show a pattern of a shocking surprise (Uranus), followed immediately by an exaggeration (Pluto), a pause, then a concluding dissipation (Neptune). Afterwards, a long period of relative calm and stability until the pattern repeats. For persons born in the year 1950, this basic sequence describes how things go in life. It is all they have ever known and this pattern defines their sense of reality to an extent. They will have learned quickly in life that when a disruption comes it will typically be a shock (Uranus) and that shock will soon turn out to be grand in scale (Pluto). Fortunately for them there will always be a moment to gather themselves after this, and the sequence completes after that when it dissipates (Neptune).
The signs tell us the manner in which the disruptive events in the life will be experienced and critically, how the person will react to them. The shock occurs in the sign of Cancer – the cardinal water sign. How does a bolt of lightning interact with water that is already primed to move? This is a relatively pleasant combination of elements as water is very capable of absorbing a jolt or a shakeup, and as a cardinal sign it is biased towards getting moving in the first place. We can thus infer that Uranus in Cancer is something like a a call to action. When the shock comes to people of this generation they will be ready and able to take action while being relatively undisturbed by the shock itself.
Further, Cancer is a reflective sign ruled by the Moon. This tell us that the experience and reaction will be emotional. For those born in 1950, disruption in life begins with a shock or disturbance which impacts them emotionally and to which they will respond according to their own emotional orientation. As Cancer is cardinal they will be very able to respond, and will be forceful in their response. They will respond to disruption by taking emotional action. All people of this cohort will behave in this manner.
The results of that emotional action will be determined individually by the dignity of their natal Moon placement. For those with dignified (strong or effective) Moon placements, this is likely to have more positive outcomes. For those with less dignified Moon placements this is likely to be more challenging and will often lead to poor or dysfunctional emotional response. In either case action will be taken, the difference is in the quality of the outcomes of that action. Because of these individual variations (owing to differences in the natal placements) it is important that we focus on the common theme of taking emotional action rather than focusing on the outcome. There are other mitigating factors for individuals which impact the precise nature and outcome of the response, but in all cases it is the taking of emotional action in response to disruption that is the signature behavior that distinguishes the members of this generational cohort. Further, we can say that the members of this cohort will be generally capable of responding when challenged emotionally.
The sequence will continue quickly with an exaggeration courtesy of Pluto. Pluto is in Leo, the generating sign of the Sun, the fixed fire sign. What happens when we exaggerate and magnify the steady, stubborn ego? This is a bit like blowing a huge gust of oxygen onto a strong-burning fire – it will immediately roar to life. Pluto is the second planet of the sequence so we must consider it in context. First, Uranus has disrupted the native emotionally and now they have the matter of ego and pride to contend with. Disruptive events and challenges in the life of this 1950 cohort will invariably involve the clashing of egos and the assertion of pride. There will be questions of who is in charge and a strong willingness for these people to take charge. The individual fire of pride for each person will take shape here. Who is in charge? I am in charge. The sequence of Uranus in Cancer and Pluto in Leo shows responding emotionally and individually. They are driven by emotion and will be prideful in their own ability to manage the disruption. They experience the initial disturbance as an emotional challenge to their sense of self and identity, and are forming a sense of ego and identity out of their emotional response.
After the emotional and fiery display calm returns, and resolution via dissipation of Neptune follows shortly thereafter. For this cohort disturbances emerge out of the blue, become serious very quickly, but are also resolved in short order. They are gifted by the sequence of the planets the space to consider the problem, and this space occurs in Virgo. Virgo is the sign of details and purity, and doing things correctly. After the disturbance they can see the details of the problem and then Neptune in the cardinal air sign of Libra provides the act three resolution of the story. Libra is concerned with the idea of fairness, and the idea of justice for all. With Neptune present there will be a lack of clarity as it dissolves these things like in a fog. How does fog interact with cardinal air? It makes it difficult to see if the action being taken is the just and fair one, or not. Libra will proceed regardless, without that clarity (because it is impossible). In the context of the sequence we see that the emotional, fiery disturbance is evaluated realistically in Virgo, but then there is a need to resolve the matter in a way perceived as fair without being able to know if it is or not. The resolution comes anyway because the idea of the restoration of peace and harmony is the ideal.
In the 1950 cohort we see that disruptions come and are handled reasonably well on their own terms. The emotional response tends to reinforce the need to determine things for oneself and trust ones own judgement. There is a recognition of the facts of the matter, but the need to resolve it is paramount and the ability to resolve things in a just manner is somewhat inhibited. Once things are resolved, they remain relatively steady and calm for an extended period. This is the pattern which has played out forever in the lives of those born to 1950, and for them it is just how things go, a fundamental part of their understanding about life. Like any man with two arms they assume all others have two arms, and that those two arms perform the same functions more or less as his own two arms do. But that is not so.
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