Uranus, Alienation, and the Martial Arts by Lynn Finger

I will begin this article with the story of Yamaoka Tesshu, Master Swordsman and folk hero of Japan.1 The year was 1864. Yamaoka Tesshu had finally met his match. At age 28, Tesshu was the best swordsman in Japan. He was young, fast, and strong and confident from thousands of fights where he had emerged the victor but this day was different. This one day changed his life forever. On this day, he crossed swords with Asari Gimei. Asari Gimei was a Master Swordsman who was traveling through Tesshus area at the time. He directed his own school and was known for his great skill with the sword. Tesshu could not resist this opportunity to face Asari in a match, and Asari agreed. Although Asari was twelve years older than Tesshu and smaller in size, he skillfully turned aside Tesshus powerful attacks. The battle lasted half a day. Finally, Asari scored a clean, unblocked strike, breaking Tesshus bamboo chest protector; Tesshu had to concede victory to his opponent.2 In those days, tradition dictated that a martial artist became the student of the one who had defeated him. So Tesshu became Asaris student. Thus started a 17-year period in Tesshus life where he found himself being terrorized by his undefeatable teacher. Asari, in spite of his greater age and smaller stature, possessed a fighting ability that Tesshu could not equal. In their first practice match, Asari forced Tesshu backward all the way across the training hall, out the door, and into the street. Then Asari knocked him down and slammed the door in his face.3 Tesshu was troubled by nightmares about his teacher and shaken by his own fear; he searched deeply within his training and his meditations for a way to free himself from this bondage. This took the better part of two decades. Had he given up, he would not be the multifaceted folk hero of Japan that he is today revered as a Buddhist, calligrapher, swordsman, politician, and philanthropist. His way to freedom was truly a Uranian achievement, but even more telling is that how he came to this freedom and how he found himself in bondage in the first place is a Uranian story. The story of Tesshu has everything to do with what I want to explore about Uranus and the martial arts. The Birth Data and the Challenge During the eight years that I have been involved in the martial arts, I have collected 27 birth charts of martial artists, who have trained anywhere from three years to a lifetime in both hard and soft styles.4 The data sources of these birth charts are rated "A" in the Lois Rodden Rating System: accurate information from the actual person involved. I wanted to see whether any common astrological factors existed among my fellow martial artists.

Not surprisingly, Pluto showed his face, particularly in aspect to the Sun and Mars. (I use the "common" aspects conjunction, opposition, trine, square, and sextile in my analysis.) Out of these 27 charts, eleven had a Sun-Pluto contact, and eleven had a MarsPluto contact. As would be expected in the charts of martial artists, Mars (the Warrior) and Pluto (the Intrepid Soul) must have their say. But I found something unexpected in this warrior mix Uranus. In all of these charts, I saw Uranus at play, primarily in its connections to the Moon and to Mars and also to the angles sometimes multiple connections in different charts. The Moon-Uranus connection predominated; however, in charts where the birth time is unknown, the MoonUranus aspects might not be in orb. Out of these 27 charts, thirteen had Moon-Uranus connections, and nine had Mars-Uranus aspects. Out of the 15 charts with a known birth time, nine had Uranus aspecting the Ascendant or Midheaven. Uranus contacts to the angles occurred more often than those of either Mars or Pluto (Mars had five contacts to the angles, Pluto had seven). Somehow, I didnt suspect that Uranus, the planet of shocking change and individuality, would be this prominent in the makeup of a martial artist. Although I myself have a Moon-Uranus conjunction, I did not consider it that important in the martial arts scheme of things. Then, just to experiment, I searched the Internet and found the birthdays of famous martial artists Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li. Bruce Lees birth data are listed in Lois Roddens AstroDatabank and rated "AA" (from birth records). The birth data for the three other men are rated "C" in the Rodden Rating System: "Caution, there is no source of origin." Bruce Lee, as one might imagine, has a dynamic birth chart, featuring a Sun-Pluto trine, a wide Moon-Mars conjunction, and a Mars-Pluto square. Still, his Uranus aspects his Midheaven, and his planetary energies are focused in a stellium in the 11th (Aquarian/Uranian) house. Chuck Norris has Uranus sextile his Sun and conjunct Mars. Jackie Chans Sun is trine Pluto and square Uranus. Jet Li has the Sun and Moon square Uranus and aspecting Pluto. 5 Even Tesshu, our l9th-century swordsman, who established the School of the Sword of No- Sword, had a Mars-Uranus sextile; depending upon his time of birth, he might have also had the Moon conjunct Mars and sextile Uranus. I will focus, therefore, on the role of Uranus in the lives of martial artists. For the purpose of this article, the Uranian individual is identified as someone who has Uranus aspecting the Moon or Mars or the angles. I am not overlooking the role of such warrior energies as Mars and Pluto, but I have chosen to examine our unexpected guest, Uranus. In the birth charts of the majority of these martial artists, Uranus has definite contact with the Moon, Mars, or the angles, and I want to try to explain the intriguing presence of Uranus. The Martial Arts Connection with Uranus At first, the Uranus symbology just did not seem to fit the martial arts tradition. I couldnt deny that it played a part in the charts of my fellow martial artists, but I didnt understand

how. The stereotypical Uranian individual is eccentric, a maverick, possibly a scientist, always a revolutionary. Genius? Definitely. Full of new ideas, but purposely alienating others, it seems, with individualistic or nonconformist dress, beliefs, and lifestyles. Uranian people can be all-embracing humanitarians, but they can be just as self-centered as their polar opposite, Leo. If you try to make the Uranian fit into a routine job or schedule, a traditional marriage, or typical friendships, youll get frustrated pretty fast. Uranians do not fit the mold they break it. When I examined these birth charts, however, I began to fashion another image of Uranus. Imagine for a moment that you are in your training hall, dedicated to pursuing the martial art of your choice. Beside you, training just as hard as you are (maybe even harder), are fellow martial artists. They, too, are wearing the loose pajama-style clothing that martial artists always wear, and they probably wear a belt also, indicating the rank that they have earned through patience and sweat and by facing their own limitations. They are actually allowing themselves to be changed by an art that is thousands of years old. Does this fit the usual Uranian personality? We can easily get hung up on the images that seem to contradict the Uranus archetype. I know I did. Uniforms? That didnt fit. Uranus does not conform. Honoring tradition? That didnt fit either. Uranus is the Pathfinder, the Way-shower. Respect for a hierarchy of ranking? No way. Uranus led the French Revolution. Uranus is the Rebel. Uranus follows no orders. For a while, I couldnt get around this apparent contradiction, but I finally figured it out. It has to do with the story of Master Swordsman Tesshu and his determination to defeat his opponent. The opponent is, of course, himself. Who Is the Enemy? Terrence Webster-Doyle, author of Karate: The Art of Empty Self, writes: And who is the enemy? It may seem that the enemy is another, as in war ... perhaps, the enemy is ones self, the internal battle of thought trying to control itself. Fighting, then, is not done with weapons or with the body but with the mind, for the mind is divided and is in a state of conflict, producing outside itself a world of conflict and violence. 6 In The Tao of Sports, Bob Mitchell writes that how we see our opponent is ultimately how we see ourselves, and how we see ourselves is what we project upon our "enemy": Do you see your opponent as your enemy? Do you suspect his motives? Do you underestimate his worth? If so, youll end up disliking, mistrusting, and overestimating yourself. Hes your mirror: hes striving for what youre striving for, using the same tools, working just as hard to prepare, to perform.... Feel compassion toward him, and you feel empathy toward yourself. Respect him, and you respect your own efforts. 7

What is said here is not new to us: We are interconnected; as we see ourselves, we see others. Paul Wildish points out: "The ancient faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism regard the universe as one inter-connected reality, which we all form a part of. There is no real self apart from this universal oneness, and there is no place we can stand outside of it." 8 In essence, we see ourselves everywhere. From the works of Carl Jung to those of Jean Shinoda Bolen, from Clarissa Pinkola Estes to Don Miguel Ruiz, how many times have we read that the pot of gold which we strive to grasp outside of ourselves is always within us. The scary monster guarding the treasure is always within us, too. We are not separate from those who oppose us; we see our own failings, desires, and needs exactly replicated in those who are there to mirror us. And therefore, we can defeat the enemy outside ourselves only when we defeat whatever it is inside of us that frightens us. As a practicing Buddhist, Tesshu had Zen masters who gave him koan after koan to solve, to help him with his fear of his intimidating teacher. They said, "If an opponent frightens or confuses you, it means you lack true insight." 9 Feeling Separate: A Uranian Dilemma How can Uranus aspects reflect this lack of true insight, this feeling of separation from the world? Uranus represents shock and change, detachment and going ones own way. Uranus contacts in a natal chart can symbolize a need for freedom so extreme that it can lead to detachment from others. Uranian emphasis can indicate an openness to everything and, therefore, an unwillingness to commit to any one thing. Such continual expressions of individualism and the desire for freedom can lead to feelings of separation and alienation in a Uranian person. Alienation is the bugaboo of those with a Uranus aspect. When we get beyond the surface images of the Uranian archetypes (Genius, Revolutionary) and explore the emotional framework of such individuals, we can see that alienation is a very real force in their lives, leading to the expression of other faces of Uranus, such as the Outcast and the Loner. Think about it: Just one zap from a Uranus transit can awaken us to realize how stifled we feel in our lives. We may feel trapped and restless, straining at our bonds, disconnected from those around us, wanting a change. Sometimes, we have a sense of loneliness and alienation, without knowing where to turn. Well, a transit eventually ends. But for those of us born with a Uranus aspect, it can seem as though we experience this transit energy daily. We may feel restless, disconnected, dissatisfied, misunderstood, torn in different directions, and struggling to be a part of something that takes us outside of ourselves, outside of our loneliness. Phyllis Firak-Mitz wrote an excellent article on Uranus that was published in The Mountain Astrologer. In this article, she rightly identifies the Uranus challenges as Abandonment, Alienation, and Aloneness. 10 Here is a planetary energy that embodies change, sudden insight, and revolution; yet, in a natal chart, it more often represents the emotional residue of genius and individualism feelings of alienation and aloneness.

Firak-Mitz points out in her article that Uranian-influenced individuals can actually create their own sense of alienation by (1) focusing on differences, (2) being rebellious, and (3) choosing to feel abandoned. I would like to propose that Uranian individuals are attracted to the martial arts to heal, or at least to resolve, these feelings of alienation and aloneness. In their search for freedom, they are led to the martial arts, perhaps not with conscious awareness of their purpose, but still with the same outcome: healing. Uranian people thus attempt to heal the feelings of separation, of being an outsider, of having been abandoned; and to subdue the opponent, who is truly oneself. Chart 1 is the natal horoscope of a man who has studied soft-style martial arts (see footnote 4) for nearly two decades. I call this chart "The Phoenix." Yes, Neptune is on the eastern horizon (Ascendant), which indicates a certain ability to erase the outlines of self; however, the Midheaven is where Uranus dwells. Uranus widely conjoins the Midheaven in inspirational fire, so the Uranian impulse toward connection the annihilation of alienation reinvents itself again and again, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the fire that both feeds and consumes it. Uranus not only trines the Moon but also squares Mars, so this man is capable of feeling alienation and yet also creating it. But if the Midheaven is what we "look up to" (literally), then this martial artist looks up to a Uranian ideal. This is the Uranian process of overcoming the enemy of alienation (emotionally) through the realization that there is "no enemy," nothing to be fought, nothing to be separate from. With Uranus-ruled Aquarius on this mans Undersky (the IC), we can posit that the very underpinnings of his emotional makeup require a lifelong project of resolving his issues around freedom and alienation. This man has studied many different forms of martial arts. He has stated that, without the martial arts, he would probably stay home alone, shunning company. The martial arts keep him "connected" to the outside world and to himself. Chart 2 is that of a woman who has studied a hard style of martial arts for many years (see footnote 4) in a school dominated by men. I call her chart "The Dragons Pearl." It is notable for its 12th-house stellium. We could speculate on the unconscious actions, fears, and dreams that may influence this womans life. I like to think of her Sun-Pluto conjunction, in particular, as a dragon crouched in a cave, sometimes sleeping among its jewels and other times raging at its restriction. The 12th house hardly seems like the best place for such Plutonian power. And yet, the dragon has its eye on the pearl, its way to freedom: the lovely Mars-Uranus conjunction, rising over the horizon, in Cancerian water (in the 11th house, no less), leading this woman to act in the most impossible ways being a woman among all these men, training and fighting with them but seldom if ever acknowledged for her efforts, because the school is a very traditional one that views women as not really belonging in the martial arts at all, or at least not in certain styles. This woman has stated that she wants to be perceived as a woman, even while she works hard in a school that caters to men. Somehow, one cannot imagine her in a school of predominantly female students. Her Mars-Uranus aspect continues to lead her into realms

where she must prove herself, where she must not only be different, but also be acknowledged for her difference, thus confronting and resolving her feelings of separation all at once. Tesshus Victory: Triumph over Alienation Tesshus victory was a Uranian triumph; his own martial art helped him to master his perception of separateness. It took Master Swordsman Tesshu 17 years to free himself from his fear of his opponent. When Tesshu reached this enlightenment, he was 45 years old. After many years of sitting in meditation, solving koans, and training hard at his sword, Tesshu found out how to defeat his enemy. Tesshu wrote, "Like pure dew reflecting the world in crystal clarity, total awakening had now come." 11 That day was March 30, 1880, and Tesshu had just experienced transiting Uranus opposite his natal Uranus a time of awakening and accomplishment for many. When Tesshu freed himself from his imprisoning focus on his opponent, Asaris sword frightened him no more, and defeat held no meaning. Tesshus enlightenment caused him to realize that, in the final truth, there was no enemy. There had never been one. Tesshu ran down to the training hall to test his new understanding. As soon as he crossed swords with his teacher, Asari put down his weapon and acknowledged Tesshu as the victor, knowing that Tesshu had reached the state of "no enemy." Tesshu had finally come to know that there was no opponent outside of himself to defeat. His spiritual force was unbeatable. Asari retired, and Tesshu became the new master of their school. This concept of "no enemy" may seem too easy or even too ridiculous to understand at first glance, and it could sound too simple-minded to put into practice. ("When you spar, you must see the person facing you not as your enemy but as your friend.") But this concept is even harder to experience in reality. When you are sparring with someone who will most certainly cause you pain if you do not protect yourself, the idea of "no enemy" is an academic thought, at best. Yet, perceiving another person as different can be an example of alienation in ones life. The degree of transformation required to perceive that there is no enemy at all even when sparring or in swordplay is profound. This is indeed a moment belonging to a Uranian individual or a Uranus transit. And the Uranian individual is moved to pursue and rediscover this profound realization again and again. To kill the alienation. To kill the opponent, loneliness, which truly resides in the self. Joshu Sasaki Roshi writes: By affirming the individual [and separate] self ... you are approaching the problems of the world as if they were external to yourself.... Since you only experience the world as external to you and you are never unified with it, then you are forever seeking the world. You are enslaved by it, and you can never experience life in its true joy. 12 Natal Uranus aspects are static (symbols of a moment frozen in time); however, they also represent a process of moving away from the recognition of alienation and toward unity,

toward the true understanding that people are not separate from one another. The martial arts, which emphasize blending with the opponent and obliterating the self, can enable Uranian individuals to gain that understanding. Is This Real? It is easy to get hung up on an exotic form of Zen-speak when we talk of the "enemy of no enemy." How can something be something it is not? How can it be real? The Neptune archetype seems better equipped, perhaps, to handle this seeming vagueness, but I like to posit that the Uranus connection gives one the ability to deal with this apparently conflicting reality to walk the razors edge of knowing and not-knowing by facing the enemy and realizing that the enemy is not there and never was. The Uranian individual has the ability to hold these contradictions within, to experience them as reality, and to express them. And the martial arts is an ideal vehicle for this Uranian process. O Sensei, founder of aikido, phrased it this way: "I am the Universe ... when an enemy tries to fight with me, the universe itself, he has to break the harmony of the universe. Hence, at the moment he has the mind to fight with me, he is already defeated." 13 I believe that many Uranian individuals are drawn to the martial arts for the very purpose of shattering their feelings of being apart, alone, and alienated and to realize that they, too, are the universe. Toward this end, they will pursue years of training, as did Tesshu, to finally defeat their most fearsome enemy: themselves. (I would like to thank my friend and teacher, Mr. Aaron Kravetz, for leading me to consider my connection to the martial arts on a deeper level. Our discussions were the jumping-off point for many of the ideas in this article.) Chart Data and Sources Chart 1, July 14, 1960; 1:30 p.m. MST (35N05, 106W39). Chart 2, August 4, 1949; 7:00 a.m. MST (31N45, 106W29). (The sources for the data of both of these anonymous charts are birth certificates.)