Uranus-Neptune
Uranus-Neptune combines the revolutionary zeal, innovation and eccentricity of Uranus with the spiritual orientation, imagination, and enchantment of Neptune.
Because Uranus is associated with freedom, emancipation, and breakthroughs, and Neptune with the spiritual side of life, we can see this combination reflected in spiritual or religious freedom, and the “spiritual breakthrough.” Equally we can see Neptune spiritualizing the technological innovation associated with Uranus, exhibiting for us “spiritual innovation.” A challenging side of this combination lies in the exciting and thrilling (Uranus) escapism into a dream or a castle in the clouds (Neptune).
Below are examples of famous people born with this combination in their natal charts (natal chart is another word for astrological birth chart, or pictographic representation of the sky when they were born). When we witness how this combination shows up in the lives of others, we can become more self-aware of how this combination shows up in our own lives. The more we are conscious of the ways astrological alignments (otherwise known as “aspects”) show up in our lives, the more the archetypal tensions involved can become integrated in our lives, thus revealing their inherent strengths to us.
Please note that the tension of this archetypal combination, as illustrated in the lives and creations of the famous people in the examples below, may be demonstrated in ways that are more integrated or less integrated.
The Uranus-Neptune combination often engenders a revolutionary (Uranus) tone to the spiritual (Neptune) side of life. This can be seen in the life of Mahatma Gandhi, who has become known as a revolutionary inspired by his spirituality. The novels of author Fyodor Dostoevsky also exemplify this in characters and situations that excite through a rebellious (Uranus) spiritual (Neptune) tone, and that emphasize freedom (Uranus) through spiritual redemption (Neptune).
The Uranus-Neptune combination in the chart of singer Annie Lennox shows up in the following chorus to her song Sweet Dreams, which paints an enchanting picture (Neptune) of dreams and oceans (Neptune) as an exciting (Uranus) illusion (Neptune):
Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree
I travel the world
And the seven seas
Everybody’s looking for something
In the chart and life of Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, one of the ways the Uranus-Neptune combination shows up is as a meeting of innovation (Uranus) with image (Neptune), or design: “Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works.” “We made the buttons on the screen look so good you'll want to lick them.” “In most people's vocabularies, design means veneer. It's interior decorating. It's the fabric of the curtains and the sofa. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design.” “The design of the Mac wasn't what it looked like, although that was part of it. Primarily, it was how it worked. To design something really well, you have to get it. You have to really grok what it's all about.”
During the great Uranus-Neptune conjunction of the 1990s the arts and culture of the world became suffused with this archetypal combination. In 1993 the Swedish band Ace of Base captured this combination in their song “I Saw the Sign,” which chronicles a story in which the narrator sees a sign and leaves a toxic relationship. Uranus is associated with synchronicities, symbolic breakthroughs that transcend the supposed mechanical nature of the physical universe, such as when someone says they “saw a sign” and the symbolism of that synchronicity influences their decision making. Neptune is associated with the rarified spiritual side of life that is redemptive. In the following lyrics the narrator experiences a freedom (Uranus) that is light-filled and spiritually significant (Neptune) because they experienced a synchonicity that opened their eyes and awakened them (Uranus):
I, I got a new life
You would hardly recognize me
I'm so glad
How can a person like me care for you?
(Ah) Why do I bother
When you're not the one for me
Is enough enough?
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
Life is demanding without understanding
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
No one's gonna drag you up
To get into the light where you belong
But where do you belong?
Under the pale moon
For so many years I've wondered who you are
How could a person like you bring me joy
Under the pale moon
Where I see a lot of stars
Is enough enough?
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
Life is demanding without understanding
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
No one's gonna drag you up
To get into the light where you belong
But where do you belong?
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I saw the sign and it opened up my mind
And I am happy now
Living without you
I've left you, oh oh oh
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
No one's gonna drag you up
To get into the light where you belong
The Uranus0Neptune combination in the natal chart of musician Dua Lipa can be seen in her song “Electricity.” Neptune is associated with the dissolving of boundaries, as well as a tendency toward selfless caring. Uranus is associated with the side of life that is thrilling and unpredictable, as well as revolutionizing and electric. In the following lyrics we see Neptune dissolving the boundaries so she is “see-through” and through these dissolved boundaries electricity (Uranus) able to pass through, allowing the ceiling, another boundary, to dissolve (Neptune), creating more freedom (Uranus). Neptune is also associated with dreams and dreaming. Uranus is associated with breakthroughs and moments of awakening. She is “wide awake” while “in her dreams.” Equally Neptune is associated with selflessness and devotion. The singer will care for her lover with selflessly in a way that is “different,” connoting Uranus’ association with that which is unique and new. See if you can spot the ways these two archetypes come together in the lyrics to “Electricity”:
Falling into you, baby
Even electricity can't compare to what I feel
When I'm with you
Ooh, baby
Giving up my ghost for you
And now I'm see-through
You give me a feeling, feeling so strong
I know you've been treating, treating yourself wrong
So let me care for you
Ooh, baby
I'ma love you differently
I'll give you electricity
Give it to you
And even if I could
I wouldn't turn on you
And I would stop the world for you, you know
I wanna let you know
I'll never let this feeling go
This love has no ceiling, I cannot deny
All I see is you, lately
Wide awake and in my dreams
I see your face so vividly
I don't know what I'd do
Ooh, baby
If you only saw a friend in me
I'd be bittersweet
I feel electric, baby
So electric, baby
Wanna let you know, let you know, ooh
I think I'm ready, baby
I think I'm ready, now
Electricity, I'm falling in to you
I feel electric, baby (this current between us)
So electric baby (this flow, this feeling tonight)
Wanna let you know, let you know
(I want it, I need it)
I think I'm ready, baby (this current between us)
I think I'm ready, now (this flow, this feeling tonight)
Electricity, I'm falling in to you
Even if I could
I wouldn't turn on you
And I would stop the world for you, you know
I wanna let you know
I'll never let this feeling go
This love has no ceiling, I cannot deny
I feel electric, baby
So electric, baby
Wanna let you know, let you know
(I want it, I need it)
I think I'm ready, baby (this current between us)
I think I'm ready, now (this flow, this feeling)
Electricity (woo!)
I feel electric, baby
So electric, baby
Wanna let you know, let you know
I think I'm ready, baby
I think I'm ready, now
Electricity