As Uranus the enlightener travels through the fixed earth sign of Taurus, it’s a good time to examine what we truly “own.” Taurus is all things physical, including the earth and body. But how much of what we see as physical is truly a physical object that we “own?”

Digital “ownership”

Watching my smart phone install an update, I had the sense again that I don’t really “own” this device. Sure, I don’t have to continue the updates but then parts of the system will begin to fail, including as in the past, battery drainage. Then there’s really no choice.

I suppose if I really wanted to “own” this device, I could study technology and develop my own phone software. But how long would that take? And would I ever be able to compete with the sophisticated hackers in the world today who want to get into my phone?

Although I took Facebook off of my phone years ago, it still tracks any online searches done by my phone.  I’ll continue to search for the “setting” that prevents that, but as Facebook has indicated with its new branding as Meta and eternity symbol, Facebook is forever.

In the digital space, every object we appear to “own” is ownership of the physical case, but not its contents. Digital devices are merely portals, like windows, that allow us to look out but also allow others to peer in. Yet unlike a window, we can never truly close it or block out the incoming signals.

And more and more of our mechanical and electronic devices are being converted to portals, with our blessing: watches, washing machines, driers, and television. In the very early years of Pluto in authoritarian Capricorn, the US Federal Communication Commission “decommissioned” analog television. Supposedly it was to free up analog signals for public communications, although increasingly those are on the phone.

The more portals we have, the more unwanted entry can sneak its way into our lives. That is how big box retailer Target was hacked – through an HVAC company with weak defenses.

Do we own portals?

What’s fascinating is how little control we have over these portals yet we are still asked to pay a lot for them, and do. The more we allow portals, the less we seem to “own” our own physical objects.

Physical “ownership”

Moving into a home gives folks a strong sense of ownership. And after 30 years of payments, one may very well own the property, as long as property taxes are maintained. If the mortgage or property taxes are not paid, then we no longer “own” this physical space. And if a government seeks right-of-way, we learn ownership is dependent upon others allowing it.

While the concept of ownership gives a warm and fuzzy to humanity, it is only as solid as the institutions that uphold it. It’s an idea more than a reality although in countries with stable governments, it’s not as noticeable. No wonder “realty” is so close to “reality” in spelling.

And in this age of virus and vaccine, the ownership of our own bodies is being called into question and whether we have the right to refuse government-mandated injections into our bodies. If we do someday find that this new vaccine technology has untended long-term effects, who is responsible?

Where does private end and public begin? How much do we “own” our own bodies?

Food modification has been occurring throughout human existence. In 1980 the US Supreme Court ruled that genetically modified organisms can be patented. As companies like Monsanto (now rolled into the more public-relations friendly Bayer) can patent seeds. As seeds tend to travel, it’s logically possible that a company could own food itself, all food eventually growing from “patented” seeds.

Maybe some day you’ll find the food growing in your backyard is not yours. This already is happening in parts of the world not powerful enough to defend against foreign interests.

What do you really own?

In an impermanent world, some spiritual traditions say, we do not truly “own” anything. As life evolves in this impermanent world, the spiritual world is collapsing upon the material world and much of the objects we have are more portal than object.

Money itself isn’t “real” – it’s stored energy that relies on social stability and social trust. No matter how much Americans profess to mistrust their government, we trust that our money will be honored at the store. Our mistrust is shallow. Our true trust is deep.

Digital currency takes the concept of money to its logical extreme and from the hands of governments to individuals. Sounds like freedom! But who are these individuals? Are they the same individuals that are creating digital havoc through ransomware and infiltration?

Like nuclear fission, the breaking apart of systems creates energy which others seek to acquire. Today’s great changes are creating energy surges (although we’re led to fear the opposite).  In those changes, we have to be careful not to give away our energy through fear and scam which is tougher now than ever as our objects are portals.

It’s interesting that the Native Americans who once roamed this land did not have “ownership” as we know it. We are now evolving into that very state we sought to eradicate – the use of things but no true ownership.

Over time in this earth school I’ve come to understand we truly control nothing but our reactions. In the same way, we “own” nothing but ourselves, that unique energetic being that becomes a body and experiences life on earth.

Related blogs:

Death, Taxes and Facebook

Do you own your own culture? Uranus in Taurus says “no.”