MSN Home  |  My MSN  |  Hotmail
Sign in to Windows Live ID Web Search:   
go to MSNGroups 
Free Forum Hosting
 
Important Announcement Important Announcement
The MSN Groups service will close in February 2009. You can move your group to Multiply, MSN’s partner for online groups. Learn More
Light & Shadows of ChalandorContains "mature" content, but not necessarily adult.[email protected] 
  
What's New
  
  Messages  
  General  
  -»¦«-Altar of Light  
  L&S of Chalandor DISCLAIMER  
  L&S Chat Rooms  
  ··♥Time_Zone_Conversion�?/A>  
  L&S of Chalandor Covenwear  
  Meet our Arch High Priestess  
  ··�? NEW TO WICCA?·�?  
  --»¦«--»¦«--»¦«--»¦«-»¦«-»¦«-»¦«-»¦«-  
  -»¦«-Book_of_Shadows  
  -»¦«-L&S Grimoire Of Spells  
  -»¦«-Tea Leaf Reading  
  -»¦«-Ways_of_the_Oracle  
  »¦«-Healing Energy Workings  
  -»¦«-Creatures & Guides  
  -»¦«-Kitchen_Witchery  
  -»¦«-Witch Crafting  
  -»¦«-Pagan_Relationships  
  -»¦«-Soul's Windows  
  -»¦«-Current Esbat: OAK_MOON  
  -»¦«-Esbats_&_Sabbats  
  Magickal Home Workshop  
  -»¦«-??Ask a Witch??-»¦«-  
  __________________________  
  Pictures  
    
  -->Chalandor Chronicles<--  
  What Would U Do?  
  Enhancing Spells  
  Feng Shui  
  MagickalWorkings  
  Natural Magick  
  Progress Pics  
  Sacred Spaces  
  Teen Wicca-Acadamy of the Craft  
  Wandering Back to Lemuria  
  
  Important Misc.  
  
  Home Sweet Home  
  
  Memories of Home  
  
  Whispers Beyond  
  
  Meditations  
  
  Indigo Star Seed  
  
  BlueStar Mystery  
  
  Age of Aquarius  
  
  Walk-ins/Helpers  
  
  Sister Atlantis  
  
  Edgar Cayse  
  
  Earth Changes  
  The Witch's Web  
  Meditator's Way  
  Natural Healing Encyclopedia  
  Harry*&*Hogwarts  
  -»¦«-·Harry*&*Hogwarts  
  BIRTHDAY BOARD  
  Membership Payments  
  
  
  Tools  
 
Age of Aquarius : The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius
Choose another message board
 
     
Reply
 Message 1 of 3 in Discussion 
From: MSN NicknameLadyMajykWhisperingOwl  (Original Message)Sent: 11/30/2008 9:33 PM
 
The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius

1996�?087

by Mark Lerner

[Author's Note: This is reprinted and updated from the 1998 printed version of Welcome to Planet Earth magazine. We welcome your feedback, ideas and opinions.] Near the end of 1961, some astrologers in India began predicting "the end of the world." Why? They pointed to a rare conjunction of 7 solar systemic bodies in Aquarius that would occur from Feb. 3-5, 1962 in the sign of Aquarius. At that time--utilizing the Western, tropical zodiac--there would be a Total Solar Eclipse in mid-Aquarius (a power point in the zodiac), plus the five traditional astrological planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) would also be in Aquarius and clustered around the Total Solar Eclipse.

Well, the world did not end (although eight months later the Cuban Missile Crisis almost brought us to the brink of global catastrophe!). Instead, there began a stirring up of political, social, religious, economic, scientific, artistic, musical, cultural and educational changes, revolts and revolutions that staggered our planet. That early February 1962 rare alignment of celestial bodies did trigger something within humanity--and even the song "Age of Aquarius" became a kind of anthem for the possibility of a renaissance in human society world-wide.

[Note: President John F. Kennedy, in power during this Total Solar Eclipse, was a youthful, visionary and electrifying figure for America and much of the world. Therefore, you will not be surprised to learn that he was born on May 29, 1917 -- the day of a Uranus station (stoppage) at 23+ Aquarius! He was definitely a revolutionary ambassador from the planet Uranus who stirred up so much change within our country and all of Planet Earth. In addition, Mercury was motionless on his date of birth, the ruling planet of his Sun-sign Gemini. His solar degree (7+ Gemini) catalyzed the triple Neptune-Pluto unions of 1891-1892 (at 8-9 Gemini) -- which ushered in a 492-year cycle of human history and global evolution. Most remarkably, his Sun was conjunct America's natal Uranus (8+ Gemini) from July 4, 1776. One of his greatest achievements was negotiating a limited nuclear test-ban treaty in July 1963 to eliminate atmospheric (equates with Mercury, Uranus, Gemini and Aquarius -- air signs) testing of atomic weapons by America, Great Britain and the Soviet Union. He also presided over Americans entering outer space (Uranus rules aviation and space travel) with the initial "Mercury" astronauts and he sounded the call in Congress for us to land a man on the Moon before the end of the 1960s -- accomplished on July 20, 1969 at the exact time of a Jupiter-Uranus union! At JFK's assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963, Aquarius was rising with both the Moon and Saturn in that sign of the zodiac. That rising sign at his death was a celestial pointer to his mission on Earth as a supreme Uranian figure.]

Oddly enough, just as we experienced a waxing square of Saturn and Neptune in the zodiac (1998-1999), the last time this occurred was in 1962-1963--just following the "seeding" of the Aquarian Age back in February 1962! [Saturn and Neptune in square formation help to create a lot of chaos in society, but later on there can be a clearing of the air.]

I’ve been feeling for a long time the need to help answer one of the key questions astrologers are asked: When does the Aquarian Age begin? Esteemed astrologers have given their opinions for decades and some of the times range from the late 1900s all the way toward the year 2500 and beyond.

However, most astrologers have focused on the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century as likely "springboards" for the full-fledged start of a new age lasting some 2,160 years. The great astrologer Dane Rudhyar gave an estimate of the year 2060 as the launching of the Age of Aquarius and he explained in depth why that time seemed significant.

Now I’d like you to study and meditate on the list of 7 major planetary cycles and/or conjunctions that will energize the 11th sign of the zodiac--Aquarius--from now until 2087. Uranus in Aquarius -- 1996-2003 and 2079-2087. Neptune in Aquarius -- 1998-2012. Chiron in Aquarius -- 2006-2011 and 2056-2061. Jupiter conjunct Neptune -- 2009. Jupiter conjunct Saturn -- 2020 and 2080. Pluto in Aquarius -- 2024-2044. Jupiter conjunct Pluto -- 2033.

We have to realize that an age lasting 2,160 years doesn’t start on one day, in one year or even one decade! The Tibetan Master D.K.--discussing this concept through his channel Alice A. Bailey in Esoteric Astrology (Lucis Publishing Company)--even suggested that the "shift time" between ages might be estimated at 500 years (a generous time-period, accounting for the moving in and out of vast, cosmic vibrations and energies).

With the rise of computer technology, satellites, fiber optics, instant communications and the World Wide Web, we may be under the false impression that the Aquarian Age is definitely here at long last. However, the world situation is still dire. Nuclear bombs can destroy our civilization in a flash. The so-called Middle East Crisis -- which could lead to an Armageddon in the ancient "Holy Land" -- has been going on since the turbulent founding of Israel in May 1948. Even Uranus -- the revolutionary, ruling planet of Aquarius -- is creating havoc in America as it crisscrosses our natal Moon-Pallas conjunction throughout 2002. This same Uranus in late Aquarius by transit is short-circuiting potential peace overtures between the Israelis and the Palestinians while it directly opposes Israel's natal Mars (traditional planet of war) at 28+ Leo. This is going on at white-hot levels during 2002 and will still be happening in the Fall of 2003. The global financial picture is completely out of whack and also completely unfair to billions of human beings. We may also be destroying the Earth with fossil fuels and creating a runaway "Greenhouse effect" that will be felt intensely in the decades to come.

[Note about Israel and Uranus: Did you know that when Uranus was discovered on March 13, 1781 by Sir William Herschel in Bath, England, it was located at 24 degrees and 27 minutes of Gemini? That degree will resonate forever as a placement in the zodiac of extraordinary revolution, change, shock waves, uncertainty, revelations, instability and lightning-like explosions. When Israel was founded as a state on May 14, 1948, Uranus had exactly returned to its discovery placement (24+ Gemini!) after making two complete 83 3/4 year rounds through the zodiac! Thus, Israel is a powder keg of Uranian energy and this fact reveals why it is such a "lightning-rod" for planetary conflagration. Because America won its revolutionary war against English in 1781 (the year of the discovery of Uranus), America and Israel are directly linked via Uranus. And in a bizarre twist of fate, it turns out that the discoverer of Uranus (Sir William Herschel) lived an archetypal Uranus life of 83 3/4 years. When he died, Uranus was exactly back where it was when we was born.]

Humanity has a long way to go before it truly enters a "New Age." That’s why I selected the idea of a "90+" year time-cycle--starting with the present 7-year Uranus transit of Aquarius (1996-2003) and ending with the next 7-year Uranus transit in Aquarius (2079-2087) as "bookend" markers for the total dawning of the Aquarian Age. Within this period of TWO Uranus-in-Aquarius cycles, we will experience Neptune and Pluto in Aquarius for extended periods, Chiron in Aquarius twice, Jupiter-Neptune and Jupiter-Pluto unions in Aquarius, and two, very profound Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions in Aquarius.

And it feels to me that the first Jupiter-Saturn union in Aquarius--since 1405 A.D.!--the one on Dec. 21, 2020 GO TO JUPITER-SATURN2020 CHART --may truly reflect a major birthing of Aquarian Age energies. Why? Because it is when all of this Aquarian impulse reaches Jupiter and Saturn (the two largest planets of the solar system) that human society really starts changing!

We often forget this in our study of astrology and particularly with our attunement to the outer planets, Chiron and the asteroids. In ancient and medieval astrology, the weightiness and significance of Jupiter and Saturn within human culture were never doubted. That was partly because they were the outermost planets--before the discovery of Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Chiron. But literally, our whole solar system holds together--astronomically, physically and scientifically--because of the ordering principles and powers exerted by Jupiter and Saturn on the entire system of planets.

The great Jupiter-Saturn union of Dec. 21, 2020 not only occurs at 0+ Aquarius (the doorway into Aquarius), but it also begins a period of 180-200+ years of Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions in the "air" element. This chart is therefore a "Great Mutation" chart in the air element (thinking; intuition; higher mind; education; communication; air travel; inventions; revolution).

Then in 2080 (March 14 of that year), Jupiter and Saturn will meet again--at 11+ Aquarius--with Uranus at 4+ Aquarius! To have Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus all in Aquarius--during a precise Jupiter-Saturn union--is extremely significant and this is something that did not occur in early February 1962 when we had the rare alignment of 7 planetary bodies in Aquarius. [Uranus then was at the end of Leo.]

Before concluding this time, note as well that during the Jupiter-Saturn union of 2020, Venus at 7+ Sagittarius will be exactly sitting atop the USA Ascendant! A great opportunity for our nation to seize the imagination of the world and help ignite a 60+ year cycle of Aquarian Age adventures for all of humanity.

Will we rise to the occasion as a species over the next 90 years and help make the Earth into the sacred planet it is destined to be or will our petty differences and negative, greedy, selfish and overly materialistic urges hold sway--creating mass chaos, nuclear destruction and planet-wide ecological and health disasters?

In a future article, we will look more deeply at the Aquarian Age cycles to come--especially Pluto’s movement in this sign from 2024-2044. For the moment, realize that all our dreams, ideals and visions don’t have to occur in the next couple of years. We are just beginning to taste the Aquarian Age potential. Think literally of a near future of mental telepathy, time travel (perhaps via the intuition and "higher planes"), contacts with ETs, clairvoyance, clairaudience, past-life and even future-life "recall," great advances in medicine, science, technology and environmental protection. There is some TIME--perhaps as much as 9 decades (akin to a pregnancy cycle of 9 months)--to birth a real, solid Aquarian Age--an age where humanity and the Earth as a whole actually go through a bonafide spiritual initiation.

Copyright 1998-2002 by Mark Lerner.

All rights reserved.

[Mark Lerner is the publisher of Welcome to Planet Earth magazine and Planet Earth Astrology Online. Please write to him at PO Box 12007, Eugene OR 97440 or via e-mail at [email protected] Please see our astrology services in the section near the top of our Web Index Page called Special on Consultations and Calendars.]

 


First  Previous  2-3 of 3  Next  Last 
Reply
 Message 2 of 3 in Discussion 
From: MSN NicknameLadyMajykWhisperingOwlSent: 11/30/2008 9:39 PM

The  Age of Aquarius...

By Jason Jeffrey

Mankind stands today on the threshold of a new era commonly referred to as the Age of Aquarius. As the spiral of history unfolds and a previous age comes to an end, new possibilities are emerging for the physical, spiritual and political development of humanity. But the effects are dramatic at the close of an age. As it winds down, and its energies wind up, all the issues of the old age become intensified and make a last stand.

      The concept of an imminent new age has been popularized (and commercialized) since the 1960s. Nevertheless, few people consciously understand what the transition to the Age of Aquarius actually implies. To most people, the "Age of Aquarius" remains a vague phrase.

      The cycle of these cosmic ages traces the spiritual development of humanity’s consciousness. They are based on the astrological circle of the Zodiac (hence, the "Age of Pisces," the "Age of Aquarius," etc.). In the same way your personal horoscope reveals your inner self, and the continuing planetary cycles in relation to your chart indicate the actual process of growth, so do these long-term, cosmic cycles reveal the collective spiritual state of mankind.

      Here, we are not so much concerned with individual development but with the response of humanity in general to these Zodiacal ages. The subtle metaphysical variations effecting mankind over thousands of years can be examined through a study of these ages. Each period in our history has a corresponding influence on humanity’s consciousness and is revealed in the political and sociological structure of civilizations, sciences, religions, philosophies, myths, music and arts.

      These eras have a pattern of formation synchronous to the state of human consciousness and its resultant civilization. Present humanity attempts to see life in terms of a limited and clouded historical perspective, but knows little about its unfolding in terms of metaphysics.

      These astrological ages �?handed down to us by our ancient ancestors who had a superior understanding of reality �?provide a framework that allows us to formulate both the metaphysical and mundane history of mankind. The study of esoteric wisdom helps us to gear our understanding to the structure of the larger cycles at work in the cosmos.

The Great Year

      One of the largest and most important cosmic cycles is the 25,920 year period known as the Great Year. The Great Year is the product of several technical astronomical factors.

      Like the 360 day year, the 25,920 year cycle of the Great Year is divisible into seasons, months, weeks, days and hours. What concerns us here is its division into twelve months corresponding to the apparent movement of the Sun through the twelve signs of the celestial Zodiac. Each Great Month lasts approximately 2,160 years, while each of its 360 days measures 72 years of our time or, approximately, the seventy years of man’s allotted span of life.

      In each month of the common year the Sun appears to be in a different constellation of the celestial Zodiac as the Earth completes her annual or 360 day cycle. Likewise, the Sun, due to the ‘precession of the equinoxes�? appears to remain in each sign of the Zodiac for around 2,160 years, or one ‘month�?of the Great Year.

  Interested students will note that, due to the particular direction of the Earth’s wobble (in relation to its path around the Sun), the order of processional alignment to the Zodiac (Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, etc) is in reverse order to the more familiar sequence of monthly alignments (Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, etc). Thus, the origin of the term ‘precession of the equinoxes�?

Have We Entered the Age of Aquarius?

      The social upheaval of the 1960s in the West, coupled with songs announcing the birth of the Age of Aquarius, led many people to believe we entered the new age. Actually, a close study of history shows the first rays of Aquarius have been hitting the Earth for at least 200 years. Possibly the spiritual "seed" of the Aquarian Age was planted as far back as 1781, when astronomers discovered the planet Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius.

      Some astrologers put the beginning of the Aquarian Age within the next 50-100 years. Others set the date as far ahead as 2375. Still another group say the Piscean Age began several centuries before Christ’s birth, and therefore the Aquarian Age began early in this century, about the 1920s.

      None is positively "right" because not only are the constellations unevenly spaced through the Zodiac, but it is impossible to measure their exact boundaries.

      We do know there is a period of transition between the ages which extends over hundreds of years. And we are living during one of these periods between the outgoing Age of Pisces and the incoming Age of Aquarius. As will be shown later, intermingling of the cosmic influences from both star signs has initiated a period of great change and upheaval.

The Zodiac in History

      In astrology, each of the twelve signs of the Zodiac symbolize characteristics and subtle cosmic influences impacting on nature. While astrologers interpret these influences on people, there is also an equivalent cosmic effect on whole periods of history.

      If we study ancient history and religious custom with regard to the cycles of the Great Year, a curious thing is apparent. Each age has a distinctive flavor or tone of philosophy all its own. Many of the symbols and images of common daily usage found in recorded language for each distinct age reflect the symbols and images connected to the archetype descriptions of the sign naming that age.

      Indeed, the fact can be verified from the study of ancient records and times, since around 4500 BCE. This period encompasses three ages prior to the birth of Aquarius. Let’s examine these ages in the light of the Zodiac.

Age of Taurus
(Approx. 4430 BCE �?2270 BCE)

      Taurus represents the material establishment of a civilization. It is a fixed-earth sign and as such, its vibrations produce the need to settle and identify man’s consciousness within a given geographical context. In essence, this entailed merging the resources of the people with the resources of the land. Thus we establish the concept of a national home, transcending tribal differences, the foundation for the creation of a civilisation.

      Taurus is the sign associated with the tilling of the soil, the production of an agricultural society, and a sense of determination in the face of obstacles. It is ruled by the planet Venus, the patroness of the arts, an influence which imparts a great sensuality and creative inspiration to the cultures under its rays. Scorpio is the polar opposite to Taurus. It is associated with death, sex, rebirth, occultism, and great secrecy.

      These two signs were the primary astrological forces behind the creation of the most fascinating of all ancient civilisations: Egypt. One of the best known traditions of the Egyptians, one that tied together the two signs of the age, was their preoccupation with building gigantic temples and tombs to house the body after death.

      Cults of the Bull were the most popular form of religious worship during the Age of Taurus. Taurus is, of course, the sign of the Bull, and the veneration of this animal was extremely important. The statues of the Egyptian Kings invest features of strength and vitality, particularly in the head and shoulders (focus of the Bull’s power). The sacred animal is the Bull known as Mentu, the name being incorporated into royal names like the Mentuhoteps. Around 3200 BCE, the Mastaba of the early dynastic Egyptian King Serpent was constructed at Saqqara, surrounded by 346 bull-heads made of clay, but containing real horns.

      In ancient Sumeria at this time the start of spring was ushered in by the Bull of Heaven, their name for the constellation of Taurus. The planet Venus was revered as Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her story was prominent in Sumerian mythology and precisely reflected the astronomical features of the orbit of Venus, with her cyclic disappearance and reappearance.

      Bulls and their veneration were also prevalent in other cultures. The winged bulls of the Chaldeans testify to the prevalent Taurean influence. Pre-Aryan Hinduism, or the Vedic Era, was a flag-bearer of the Taurus Age, with a noticeable agricultural content and devotion to fertility in symbolism.

      Students of hidden history have no doubt encountered the mysteries of Egypt in the course of their studies. The national deity was Osiris, god of the Dead and the Underworld. During the Age of Taurus, Osiris was often depicted as a man with a bull’s head. Later this changed to the head of the Ram when the age changed to Aries.

      In Egypt the pyramid symbolized the structure of society. The Pharaoh was the capstone of the social edifice, while the people were stratified according to rank. He represented the Spirit of Egypt �?the incarnation of the Divinity in the body of man. Pharaoh was the personification of the collective Mind of Egypt, the unifying force of the country (which, by the way, had been divided into Upper and Lower Egypt, a leftover from the duality of the previous Age of Gemini, the ‘twins�?.

      The power of Taurus gave the people of Earth a long period of stability and peace. As the Taurean era drew to a close, another important concept developed in religious thought �?monotheism. In the history of the ancient Hebrews we find the transition period between two ages. The prophet Moses leads the Hebrews out of bondage to the land (Taurus) through the wanderings in the desert of Sinai (the cusp of the ages) to pioneer in a promised land (Aries). Here, Jesus of Nazareth is born some 2000 years later (Pisces).

Age of Aries
(Approx. 2270 BCE �?110 BCE)

      The coming Age of Aries was signified by the predominance of Mars over Venus. In other words, an economy and civilisation based on war and the conquest of enemies as opposed to a more peaceful existence based on soil cultivation. The energy stored in the fixed sign of Taurus was activated through the cardinal male sign, Aries (by definition, a sign of immediate and direct self-expression), symbolized by the Ram.

      The polarity or opposite of Aries is Libra, the ‘Scales�? Libra brings to this historical period a feeling for justice and the need to codify social behaviour into distinct sets of laws and mores. Libra represents the Law and the prevailing moral structure in any culture. Hammurabi, the King of Babylon, drew up his famous Code of Laws around 1727 BCE, the earliest-known example of a ruler proclaiming publicly to his people an entire body of laws, arranged in orderly groups, so that all men might read and know what was required of them.

      The approach of the Age of Aries greatly affected the forms by which the Egyptian gods were represented. The cult of the Bull diminished and Amon-Re (the Sun god) became Ram-headed. The names of many of the major deities changed to illustrate the power of the cosmic forces at work in this new period. Mithra, the Persian solar deity, who used to be called "The Sacred Bull," now became "The Slayer of the Bull." Ashur, Sun god of the Assyrians and known as "The Great Bull," transformed into a Mars-like god of war. In Sumeria changes were made in the calendar and in the lists of the celestial stars, recognising the ascendancy of the Age of the Ram.

      The culture of Aries flourished in the warring states of Greece and later Rome. During this period, Apollo, the Greek solar deity, became the patron of shepherds and flocks.

      The rise of the Zoroastrian religion in this period is also testament to the influence of Aries. The prophet Zoroaster instructed his followers to pray in the presence of fire, fixing their eyes upon it and thinking of justice and truth. This is symbolic of Aries, a fire sign. Instead of an image, the sacred centrepiece of Zoroastrian temples was an ever-burning fire.

      During this period (Exodus 1:8-14) Moses emerged from the house of Pharaoh to lead the Hebrews out of bondage and into the Promised Land. Moses embodied all the qualities of the sign Aries and combined them with the practical influence of Taurus. He not only expressed his desire for his people’s freedom in an idealistic manner, but he also codified principles into what is now known as Mosaic Law. Through Moses the Ten Commandments were revealed. Thus we see the influence of Libra at work with Justice being created so the newly liberated pioneers of the desert would have a structure upon which to base their society.

      The story of the Exodus as it is related in the Old Testament clearly illustrates the transition from the Age of the Bull to the Ram. When Moses went up to the Mount, Yahweh appeared to him in the form of a burning bush (Aries is a fiery sign). Moses received the Ten Commandments (Libra) and brought them down the mountain to the people, where he found the Israelites worshiping the golden calf (a symbol of the previous age).

      The transition to the next age was personified by the birth of Jesus (the name derived from the Aramaic yeshua, meaning "saviour", and from the Greek word for "fish", ICQUS, which spells out an acronym standing for ‘Jesus Christ Son of God Saviour�?. Jesus was the Saviour of the Piscean Age but came to Earth through the Israelites, a people of the Age of Aries.

      In the Age of Pisces the concept of the conscious merger of Man with God in a spiritual union using love, compassion, and service as the vehicle for unifying peoples, rather than the physical conquests of Mars in Aries, was approached. In the Age of the Ram, man had learned how to come in contact with his own individual ego structure. In the Age of Pisces, this focus was changed into the desire to blend the Self with a greater spiritual reality through an inner, mystical experience.

(Continued on next post)


Reply
 Message 3 of 3 in Discussion 
From: MSN NicknameLadyMajykWhisperingOwlSent: 11/30/2008 9:42 PM

Age of Pisces
(Approx. 110 BCE �?2050 CE)

      During the 500 years before Jesus�?birth, many of the founders of present-day world religions were born. Buddha, Lao-tse and Confucius all appeared within a short time of each other. These Teachers united the various tribal and ethnic groups of the East into larger and more unified wholes.

      The transitory phase, or no man’s land, between the Ages of Aries and Pisces, was a time of upheavals and big changes, particularly in the ancient Middle East. This period encompasses the establishment and demise of the Essene Order, an important religious community that firmly believed, based on their detailed study of both prophetic writings and the science of astrology, they were living in the last days of the Age of Aries. The Essenes carefully studied the course of the stars, looking for the sign of the long-awaited Saviour. Also, the approach of the Age of Pisces is reflected in the story of the three Magi who watched the heavens for a sign that would signal the birth of a Saviour, and the beginning of a new historical cycle.

      The sign they awaited appeared in the year 7 BCE in an extremely rare triple conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, that occurs once every nine centuries in Pisces, where the event took place. David Fideler, in Jesus Christ: Sun of God, elaborates:

At one moment the two outermost planets looked as if they were nearly touching in the sky... It must have been a spectacular sight for anyone looking upward... Since the triple conjunction occurred in the constellation of Pisces, it must have been seen as inaugurating the start of the Age of the Fishes. According to gospel accounts, it was at about this time that Jesus, the avatar of the new age, was born in Bethlehem.

      The psychologist Carl Jung, in his book Aion, comments:

...the appearance of Christ coincided with the beginning of a new aeon, the age of the Fishes.  A synchronicity exists between the life of Christ and the objective astronomical event, the entrance of the spring equinox into the sign of Pisces.

      The symbolism inherent in the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus is very important, for it illustrates the relationship between the sign of the Fish and that of its polarity, Virgo. The name Jesus, as we have pointed out, can be traced to "fish." Mary, His mother, was a virgin (Virgo). The name Mary comes from the Sanskrit word maya, meaning "the sea." From the sea comes the fish; from Mary came Jesus.

      The Christian religion is replete with Piscean symbolism. The Catholic bishop’s miter is representative of a fish head. The custom of eating fish on Friday (the day of the week ruled by Venus, the planet exalted in the sign Pisces) is also a manifestation of the deeper symbolism of the age. The New Testament cites Jesus as having taken His disciples from the ranks of fishermen after saying to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." We can also see in the Scriptures the story of Jesus feeding the multitude with two fishes (Pisces) and five loaves of bread (Virgo, viz. the Virgin holding the shafts of wheat as the emblem of this sign).

      Jesus is also known as the sacrificial ‘Lamb of God�? Here, allegory plays a double role. ‘Lamb�?signifies the sign of Aries. Jesus, as sacrificial ‘Lamb�? therefore, closed the Age of Aries.

      The change from the Age of Aries to Pisces is also revealed by the fact that the seat of the Roman Empire became, in the early centuries of the age, the centre of the Catholic Church, the Vatican. Through Charlemagne in the ninth century, the basic geographical framework of present-day Europe was formed. The Roman Empire became the Holy Roman Empire and the power struggle between the various heads of state in Europe and the Pope in Rome was firmly established.

      The Church reached the height of its influence during the so-called Middle and Dark Ages. The desire to retreat from the world, so much a characteristic of the sign of the Fish, developed into the monastic as well as political life of the period. Huge religious orders such as the monks of Cluny, the Jesuits, the Benedictines, Dominicans, and Franciscans, controlled vast tracts of land and were the source of much of the power and wealth of the Western world. This phenomenon also demonstrates the influence of Jupiter, co-ruler of Pisces. Jupiter rules men and women of religious calling, although Neptune is specifically associated with the cloistered life. Its rays invoke thoughts of philosophy, theology, and canon law. Jupiter expands power but is also known as the preserver and is closely connected to the maintenance of dogma.

      We can understand the conflict symbolised by the polarity of Virgo and Pisces. The former represents the desire to serve as a vehicle for the expression of the personal ego structure. The essence of Pisces, however, is service for its own sake and the eventual merger of personal desire into the will of God. Pisces is a vehicle for total surrender to a greater spiritual force, whereas Virgo attempts to structure its services according to a personal concept of right and wrong.

      Constant self-examination in order to achieve purity in mind and body and the atonement of "sin" through confession, penance, and absolution are clearly projections of the energy contained within the Pisces-Virgo polarity. The priest functions as a medium, standing as he does between the Holy Spirit and man, administering his duties according to the doctrines of Mother Church. Suffering for one’s sins and repentance through established rituals and thought forms became designations for the road to salvation.

      In Luke 22:10, Jesus states He and His followers, at the last Passover, are to go into "the house of the man with the water pitcher." They are to follow him to the upper room and there prepare for feast which he will share with them.

           Esoterically speaking, the man with the water pitcher signifies the coming Age of Aquarius; the upper room refers to a higher state of consciousness and the sharing of food refers to spiritual nourishment which is received from the Christ and shared with His followers.

Cusp of the Ages (Now)

We can expect to witness unprecedented changes of epochal proportions, and events of a magnitude unimaginable by most people. We cannot doubt that our experiences of his ‘interface�?transitional period will be intense, extreme, powerful (both positive and negative) on all levels, because the real global crisis is one of consciousness and ideology."

�?Moira Timms, Beyond Prophecies and Predictions

      When the Earth progresses into a new age, there is a precipitation of incoming energies, causing significant variations in terrestrial occurrences. We can expect strange weather patterns, an increase in earthquake activity, and natural disasters unseen on this planet for thousands of years. The possibility of an asteroid hitting the earth is not out of the question.

      We are on the threshold of a new era, but the birth of the Age of Aquarius will be attendant with toil and pain. All the prophets and Messengers of Light warn of cataclysmic Earth changes and an immense global catastrophe heralding the advance into Aquarius.

      Of course, the ending of one age is also the beginning of a new one, but we should not expect overnight transformations. The supposed ‘dawning of the Age of Aquarius�?in the 60s, like all false dawns, quickly fizzled out. The belief we entered Aquarius and are now in a new era of universal love, peace and brotherhood, is a delusion suffered by many adherents of the ‘New Age�? The grave mistake of believing on a certain date the Earth, along with all humanity, will be automatically transformed to a new level, is a serious misinterpretation of astrological cycles.

      However, humanity can expect a new revelation of the divine wisdom, and once the proverbial dust has settled, a new era. Like in the turbulent days of the Essenes, small groups of people are rejecting the dying old age and separating from the world to form underground networks. In touch with the divine wisdom of the ages, the task of this remnant is to survive the coming destruction and establish a New Society, with a truly Aquarian consciousness.

      As David Fideler in Jesus Christ: Sun of God explains:

During such periods of cultural renaissance and renewal, a spiritual impulse is released into the world of human affairs. Those visionaries who have long been watching the horizon detect the first rays of light; they are the first to detect the soothing breath of spring’s first breeze, announcing the promise of a new season...

Age of Aquarius (Approx. 2050 �?4210)

      Uranus, ruler of Aquarius, is to be the primary planetary influence for the next 2000 years. What do the vibrations of this planet and its sign indicate?

      Aquarius is designated as the sign of "the realm of the organisation and projection of social ambitions and ideals." Leo, its polarity, is involved with the same sphere of influence but carries out its role in a highly personalised manner. Leo is concerned with the preservation of the one, while Aquarius is preoccupied with the needs and interrelationships of the many.

      As an air sign, Aquarius pertains to the mental realms. It formulates ideas from the watery inspirations of Pisces and then proceeds to organise the concepts upon which a new civilisation is to be based. It also provides much of the technology and foresight enabling humanity to plan ahead for the future.

      While Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, it is also influenced by Saturn. Saturn is the planet of limitations and represents the grounding force, the need for form, and the channeling of energies into prescribed paths for specific purposes.

      Air is the element of the new age and this makes communication and inventiveness two of the most outstanding characteristics of the Aquarian period. The use of electricity, the car, telephone, television, Internet and space exploration �?are all related to Aquarius. The advent of psychology and proliferation of ‘New Age�?beliefs have displaced the power of the Church. Religious practices have left the aspects of Earth [Taurus], Fire [Aries], Water [Pisces], and began to turn mental or psychic in essence.

      The many UFOs sighted in the last half of this century are aerial phenomena. Carl Jung saw the UFO experience as a symptom of the end of an age. Jung contended that during these periods the psychic changes upon the population as a whole invoked a variety of occurrences like mysterious objects in the sky and apparitions. Jung predicted a transition between Pisces and Aquarius full of violent transformations and harmful effects to the collective psyche. This violence, Jung contended, made for "changes in the constellation of psychic dominants."

          Aquarius is often depicted as a youth with an urn of water placed upon his shoulders. This symbolism often confuses people into thinking Aquarius is a watery sign, but water, in this representation, is symbolic of an even deeper concept. The Water Bearer signifies man is created from the ‘waters�?of life. Water is seen as the stream of universal consciousness, inspiration, and intuition.

      The Aquarian Water Bearer, illustrated by its star configuration, pours forth its contents, and conjures up the picture of a vast flow of dynamic spiritual energy spiraling into the ‘fish�?of the closing Age of Pisces.

      The great changes being wrought by the rays of Aquarius are dramatically increasing man’s capacity for thinking, but not necessarily understanding or wisdom. Witness the last few decades and the availability of colossal amounts of information. An inability to discriminate, combined with acute naivety, mires transitional humanity in complex illusory traps. In time, the study of the relationships between teachings to find their similarities will bring wisdom and the unification of ideas.

      Aquarius as an air sign stimulates the mental bodies of humanity towards brotherhood and the integration of knowledge. We can expect the energy generated by baser worldly desires to be transmuted to a search for gnosis or Soul-Wisdom. The new age will be one of synthesis and cooperation between individuals and groups.

      We can assist the transition from the Piscean Age by cooperating with the Divine Plan or we can vainly try to impede the process. Unless our minds are receptive to the ideas of the Aquarian Age there is no avenue for these ideas to reach the Earth.

Dynamic and Destructive Energy of Uranus

      Even at this early stage in our transition to Aquarius, the dynamic energy of Uranus is greatly affecting humanity. However, mankind is not ready to tap into these more highly developed powers. In order to properly handle this "increased voltage," the proper physical, mental, and spiritual vehicles will gradually develop in the Age of Aquarius. You cannot send 500 volts through a conductor capable of handling only 100.

      There are increasing numbers of people capable of responding to the rays of Uranus. While still in the minority, they will steadily increase. The first (or grosser) vibrations of Uranus are destructive. Uranus is known as the great ‘destroyer of forms�? but this destruction is only in order that a better form may come into being.

      Uranus acts suddenly. It is unconventional, forceful, and often violent in its manner of expression. Instead of the slower processes of reason (Mercury), Uranus acts through bolts of lightning, illuminating one’s mental horizon with great power. Uranus is called the planet of invention and revolution. Invention, because it gives great flashes of light that give birth to creative innovations. Revolution, because it tends to overthrow preconceived or conventional notions with its directness, originality, and intuitive perspective. One of its primary effects is to create a feeling of independence and individuality.

The Dark Side of Aquarius

      Our examination would not be complete without a warning about the darker potentials of the Aquarian Age, which is often ignored or denied by its proponents who equate it with the re-emergence of the ‘Golden Age�? (The distinction is the subject of a separate article but, in short, the ‘Golden Age�?occurred at one time on Earth, in the very distant past.)

      On this subject, John Hogue in his book The Millennium Book of Prophecy, says the "Aquarian is a blind idealist, optimistic about the future �?at all costs. The adherents of New Age thinking glibly encourage this misplaced idealism in others: ‘Don’t give the negative any energy and it won’t happen.�?

      Aquarius rules the urge to impersonalise, which might herald a more tolerant mankind that takes and perceives aggression less personally. But used unconsciously, the same potential for impersonalisation could see people lose their souls to a dictatorship of the computer. Hogue adds the authorities of the coming age might, "fashion psycho-weapons out of the Aquarian element of atmosphere and mood... and you may not even feel the repression."

      This scenario is best envisioned by George Orwell’s 1984, in which the Big Brother state dominates and controls every aspect of citizen life. The Aquarian citizen might be seduced into believing the propaganda and even support a corporate police state in which every one is happy because of genetic engineering and virtual reality. 

      Another characteristic of Aquarius is its icy-cold, distant, critical side. The idealistic part of Aquarius has it loving humanity. But in the personal sense �?the human sense �?there is a feeling of revulsion for the soft, vulnerable and imperfect natures of actual people.

End of the Current World Order

      Reviewing recent events and those over the past century, the forces of destruction are self-evident. These destructive forces can be expected to greatly increase in the coming years. Negative forces are extremely potent at the dawning of a new age, fearing, as it were, the loss of their privileged positions. They sow seeds of confusion, disarray and havoc, attempting to trick humanity into accepting the old age in new forms. The web of social, political and economic control is tightening on a global scale. Evil forces are entrapping people in a subtle world of consumerism, fantasy, escapism, and delusion, which destroys lives.

      We are entering the initial phase of a time of ‘strong delusions�?and ‘global deception�? All the evil forces and powers of the lower astral worlds are bursting barriers that had hitherto restrained them. Consequently ‘good�?will be called ‘evil�?and ‘evil�?hailed as ‘good�? Negative entities will manifest themselves before humans as aliens, extraterrestrials and ‘angels�? To find a parallel for such a time of false spirituality one must go back to the closing periods of the great Atlantean epoch.

      Make no mistake, humanity is given a choice. By clinging to the old age consciousness and falling under the demonic delusions of false spirituality, the majority are doomed and will perish. Nothing we can do will stem this flood of evil that has already passed beyond control.

Remnant

      Nevertheless there is a mission, and that mission is to save the remnant. How is this to be done? A Message of Warning and Awakening must be declared. Those who escape the coming onslaught will accept that declaration. They shall be drawn to it by "spiritual affinity" and will find deliverance. By calling humanity to awaken and separate themselves from the delusions, traps and attachments of the world, the remnant is preparing a way of escape. A modern day ‘Noah’s Ark�? A new community of men and women who have left the old Age behind and are linking their consciousness with the impulses of the Age of Aquarius.

      This message of awakening to a new way, a new life, a new consciousness, and ultimately a new age, must be publicly declared. This Work of Awakening and separation is spiritual �?not mental and argumentative. If people do not recognise it as Truth intuitively, explanations are wasted. The genuine new age calls for the new Method �?the Aquarian Work for the Aquarian Consciousness.

      We live in a time unique in the history of the world �?a time pregnant with opportunity in proportion to its difficulty, danger and distress. Let us go forward undismayed. Let us proclaim the authentic New Age for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. Our future is in our hands.

      The Sign of the Man stands on the horizon.   

The above article appeared in
New Dawn No. 78
(May-June 2003)