Intuition has been described as our ability "to acquire knowledge without proof, evidence, or conscious reasoning, or without understanding how the knowledge was acquired." (Wikipedia ) We can immediately see that, when we are using intuition, we have gone beyond thought. We have gone beyond the cognitive part of our brain which is responsible for thinking, logic, and reason. When we are using intuition we are tapping into another capacity beyond thinking. This is sometimes describes as sensing, and sometimes described as clear knowing. When we tap into intuition we are beginning to become aware of awareness itself. We are beginning to wake up to the fact that we are aware, and in that awareness there is knowledge.

The planet Uranus was discovered by the German astronomer William Herschel on March 13th 1781. In Esoteric Astrology The Tibetan Master explains how humanity discovers planets (and all phenomena) when our consciousness has evolved to the point where we have the capacity to perceive them and respond appropriately to their energy. Prior to the discovery of Uranus, it was a long-held belief that Saturn marked the outer limit of our Solar System. So Uranus became the planet of 'going beyond our limits and boundaries'. Certainly the main themes that were rippling through the consciousness of humanity at the time, are the very Uranian themes of rebellion, revolution, and new technology.

The American War of Independence was at it's height and the development of technology (leading to the industrial revolution and the subsequent mechanisation of agriculture and labor) was barely getting started. Humanity was on the threshold of a new era as people were required to move beyond their boundaries, to leave their homelands, villages and families and for the first time move en masse to large cities (which grew exponentially) in order to find work in the newly forming factories. 

The development of technology and the seeds of revolution went together hand in hand as people were able to congregate in larger masses then ever before in the fast-growing cities. Developments in printing technology in the early 1800's allowed for mass printing of flyers that could be distributed swiftly among the people. The new ability to mass produce books and written materials greatly accelerated the literacy rates in common people who, until now, had been largely illiterate.

The conditions were in place for people to rise up against oppression for the first time and seek individual freedom. The discovery of Uranus heralded a wave of revolutions that spread like wildfire across Europe and European-held territories as people could now meet, spread information, rally together, and organize themselves on an unprecedented scale. 

The first 84-year cycle of Uranus (1781 - 1865) saw a wave of unheard-of revolutions that completely transformed the face of the Earth:

Esoterically Uranus is known as the father of archetypes and so conditions were lining up for the 'birth' of a new human archetype: one who was more individualised and 'free' than had ever been known before on Earth. Free from being tied to one's birth place, and free from oppressive regimes. Never before had there been mass revolution on a global scale, which continues to this day, as people are still rising up against oppressive regimes in many parts of the world. The connection between Uranian-ruled technology and revolution also continues as people now use the internet to share information for setting themselves free.

Freedom is a vital precursor to the development of intuition. If we are living under oppression it keeps us stuck in the former stages of consciousness: instinct and intellect. As long as anyone has control over us we use our instincts to survive, and remain focused in our intellect to plan our 'escape' strategy, negotiate for better conditions, or take up some form of study to gain a better position in the society. Planning, organising, strategising and studying all keep us engaged at the level of intellect. 

To liberate our minds and experience intuition, we must set ourselves free from intellect too, but this is a delicate path to walk. Setting ourselves free from intellect is not the same as under-developing our intellect. If we simply become 'anti-intellect' we may just remain dull and stupid, and lack understanding of spiritual awakening. This is a risk that comes with revolution, when simple people gain too much power too soon, without the development of intellect. Many revolutions end up as oppressive as the regimes they were intended to replace. Remember each stage is a foundation for the next stage. If we don't develop our intellect at all, we remain at the level of instinct and do not grow into our intuition. 

The key is to develop the intellect in order to use it to study spiritual matters, and then know when to let go. Many great spiritual masters were former scholars who then turned their attention to their spiritual path. For example Rumi was a great scholar and university teacher until he met his spiritual teacher Shams Tabriz, whereupon he relinquished his former life and went off into the desert with him. 

We can see the individualistic, unique and even eccentric influence of Uranus in the journey to spiritual awakening. Because it is individuals who awaken, not societies, Uranus creates the conditions for us to go beyond the boundaries (Saturn) of the society into which we were born, to discover our uniqueness. This begins the search for the true 'me' and it is in this search for self that we expand our consciousness, and realize intuition.

First Uranus brings freedom from oppression, so we are free to explore our individuality. Then through exploring our individuality we discover our intuition and prepare ourselves for the illumination stage of our development. However, we have also seen so far, how it is possible to become 'stuck' at any one of these stages. This is why humanity has not yet awakened 'en masse'. At this moment in time we are all at various stages in terms of our spiritual development. At the level of intuition we can become attached to our freedom, our individuality, and the idea that there is a 'me' in here who is 'the intuitive one'. We can also remain stuck at the level of revolution - seeing ourselves as the freedom fighter and not exploring the greater awareness that our newly-found freedom is inviting us to explore. Once free from our oppressors we can easily go off the rails by simply following the desires of our own ego, which becomes our new tyrant.

It might seem like a long haul, but that is how the planets of transformation (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto), work: slowly, over time. We are currently experiencing a global spiritual revolution, where spirituality and spiritual paths can (in most free countries) be spoken of freely and explored in unprecedented ways. The revolutions of Uranus have paved the way for a great spiritual revolution that can be experienced by humanity as a whole. It is the gateway of intuition that allows us to perceive the higher transcendent states of consciousness that are the realm of Neptune.

So we can see that throughout humanity, the conditions for human advancement into freedom and individuality are held in place by the activities of Uranus: the spaceholder for the intuitive level of our development.

Drawing upon Esoteric Astrology, the Greek myth of Hercules, and ancient principles from spiritual masters, the author describes the journey of your Soul through the twelve signs of the Zodiac. This book offers a way of using your birth chart to answer life's big questions by recognizing the energy that you were born with and how it is wanting to be expressed in this lifetime.