Entering Ages of Air | Out of the Ground, Into the Sky

We are not in the Age of Aquarius

Are we really in the Age of Aquarius?  People in the new age community often say that we are.

The particular system of ages behind these claims defines them according to either the zodiacal constellation or the sidereal zodiac sign through which the point of the vernal equinox passes (more on this below). In this sense the ages proceed backwards through the zodiac by way of precession. This occurs at the rate of a degree approximately every 72 years (a sign about every 2,160 years).

However, by either calculation we’re only about 80-85% of the way through the Age of Pisces. There are hundreds of years to go before we reach the Age of Aquarius. Still, there are many traditional astrological time lord techniques which show us moving into ages of air in other ways. These overlooked methods of dividing time provide some fascinating insight into broad changes in society to the present day and beyond.

Zodiacs

To figure out if we are in the Age of Aquarius, we must understand that there are three different zodiacs.  Let’s look at the nature of each of these three types of zodiacs.

Zodiacal Constellations

There are twelve main constellations of stars which lie on the ecliptic (apparent path of the Sun). The twelve main constellations that the Sun passes through each year are the zodiacal constellations. These constellations vary in size and lack any clearly demarcated boundaries.

Note that a small portion of a thirteenth constellation (Ophiuchus) now also crosses the ecliptic though it is not one of the traditional twelve zodiacal constellations that formed the basis of the signs. There is more on this in the lesson on the signs of the zodiac. However, only a few of the constellations are relevant to this discussion.

Sidereal Zodiac

The sidereal zodiac is a division of the ecliptic (apparent path of the Sun) into twelve equal 30 degree segments, called signs.  Each sign in the sidereal zodiac roughly overlays the constellation from which it gets its name. However, the sidereal zodiac is not the same as the constellations because unlike the constellations each sidereal sign is exactly 30 degrees in length and the zodiac is fixed in position to some star (such as Spica marking the start of Libra). Disagreement regarding which star is the best reference has led to a variety of minor variations in terms of where to start the sidereal zodiac.

Tropical Zodiac

The tropical zodiac, like the sidereal zodiac, is another regular division of the ecliptic into twelve equal 30 degree signs. However, it is fixed to the Sun-Earth cycle, rather than to a reference star.  The tropical zodiac  has its origins with the  sidereal zodiac. The two were quite closely aligned two thousand years ago during the rise of horoscopic astrology, but the tropical zodiac is fixed to the Sun-Earth or “seasonal”/”light” relationship. In this way 0 Aries (the beginning of the zodiac) is the Northern Hemisphere’s vernal equinox (spring equinox). Each 30 degree segment of space after the point of the spring equinox is another sign.

The vernal equinox is the point where the Sun (from the perspective of the Earth) crosses the Earth’s horizon northward (i.e. the northern hemispher of the Earth starts to become tilted more toward the Sun than the Southern; transitioning the north into spring).  The “equi” in equinox stands for equal measures of daylight and darkness (day and night are the same length of time on these days). The vernal equinox is the point at which the daylight will begin to overtake the darkness.

Precession and Current Location of the Vernal Equinox

Due to the Earth’s “wobble”, a phenomena called precession of the equinoxes, the starting point of the vernal equinox (and thus the tropical zodiac) moves in relation to the stars. It slowly shifts backwards relative to the constellations (and thus backwards relative to the entire sidereal zodiac as well).

Vernal Point in the Sidereal Zodiac

The measurement of how far the tropical zodiac has moved backwards relative to the sidereal zodiac is called ayanamsa. It is used in Indian astrology to quickly calculate a start point for the sidereal zodiac. According to the wikipedia article on ayanamsa and current tables of ayanamsas, it is typically assumed to be close to 24 degrees (usually just under 24 degrees).

Therefore, the tropical zodiac is currently 24 degrees back from the start of the sidereal zodiac. The beginning sign of the zodiacs is Aries and the final sign is Pisces, so we are almost 24 degrees backward through the 30 degree Age of Pisces. There are 6 degrees more to go before the vernal equinox enters Aquarius. That implies we are only about 80% of the way there! Currently, the vernal equinox is at about 6 degrees Pisces of the sidereal zodiac. As mentioned above, it takes about 72 years for a degree of difference. This means there are over 400 years before the start of the Aquarius period.

Vernal Point in the Constellations

Similarly, there is at least a few hundred years before the vernal equinox could be said to be within a reasonable boundary of the actual constellation Aquarius.  This site (click link) provides more information on its current position relative to the constellations.

Age of Aquarius?

The vernal equinox is hundreds of years away from entering the sign or constellation of Aquarius, so why all the talk of the Age of Aquarius? It seems a little far-fetched to attribute dramatic shifts in global circumstance to the precession into Aquarius when that precession is actually yet to occur for many hundred years.

Some modern astrologers believe that we must be transitioning into a new age because of the vast changes brought about by technology and globalization in the current era. To them, these changes reflect Aquarius as an air sign. Air signs are more associated with mental phenomena and information. Additionally, the modern astrological rulership assigned to Aquarius is to Uranus. Uranus is a planet modern astrologers associate with electricity, originality/invention, and perturbation.

Are these Ages Part of Traditional Astrology?

While we are not yet in the Age of Aquarius, it is noteworthy that it was not custom in ancient astrological practice to define major eras this way, by the sign or constellation of the vernal equinox. Finally, Aquarius was not ruled by Uranus in ancient astrology, but by the dark and malefic planet Saturn. The sign Aquarius, and that of Capricorn, are ruled by Saturn, planet of darkness, and are opposite the signs of the Lights (the Sun and Moon). Therefore, many of the features of the present day do not fit well with traditional conceptions of Aquarius and Saturn.

Each of the 5 classical planets aside from the Lights, including Saturn, rule two signs, one day home and one night home.  The system lost its logic and symmetry with the introduction of new rulers of the signs as new planets were discovered. Uranus is not one of the 7 wandering stars, defined as “planets” within astrological science, as it does not appear like a star in the sky (it’s not visible as such to the naked eye).  Uranus as the Greek god of the sky, also known as Father Sky, also seemed to have little to do with electricity, revolution, and some of the other associations given to it by modern astrologers. Father Sky, Uranus, should probably be associated instead with astronomy, astrology, the sky, and so forth.

New Agers

I believe the Age of Aquarius concept should be rejected as an astrological explanation of current societal changes.  The concern with the Age of Aquarius and a “New Age” in general (the influx of “2012” BS being the latest incarnation), has its roots in 19th century, industrial-age, spiritualist movements, like Theosophy.  As the world was being radically transformed by industrialism many believed that some similar type of radical transformation of the human spirit was at hand. This transformation was like a hokey non-“religious” counterpart to the rapture, where either everyone, or just a spiritually select few, would be swept up into a natural spiritual evolution.

The naivete of this spiritual triumphalism mirrored the similarly naive scientific and industrial triumphalism of that age. An overly simplistic and misleading whiggish history was expounded. Whig history sees the past as a linear progressive evolution from a dark ignorant past to an enlightened present and future (for more on whig history see this link). This triumphalist worldview, dismissive of the past and competing worldviews, hangs on in many spiritual, scientific, and technological circles to this day, but is, hopefully, losing credence.

Looking Back with Clearer Eyes

Overcoming such distortions is something of a prerequisite to understanding the past and one’s ancestors. Rejecting a “new age” outlook establishes a respectful openness to the humanity, individuality, and intelligence of those who presided over prior times.

History is not one linear progression to greater evolved states. It involves forward, backward, and tangential movement, not to mention give and take where certain forms of knowledge progress and others atrophy. For instance, the first analog computer, the antikythera mechanism, believed to serve astrological purposes, dates to the 2nd or 3rd centuries BCE. Mechanisms of equal complexity were previously unknown to exist in Europe prior to the 14th century, so it represents an instance of advanced technological achievement which was subsequently lost for a thousand years.

There is an opportunity cost associated with all broad societal movements toward some set of shared goals.

A Couple Techniques for the Ages

There were ancient mundane astrological techniques for characterizing society over large spans of time, like ages. The Persian astrologer Abu Ma’shar discussed some of these which I highly regard for major global cultural shifts. The first of these is the dawr which changes every 360 years. The second is the shift in triplicity of the Great Conjunctions which varies in length but is about every 240 years.

The Dawr

The dawr has both fixed and relative variants.  The dawr consists of 360 year periods ruled by a planet and a sign.  The planetary rulers proceed in the so-called Chaldean order (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, then Saturn again, Jupiter, etc.).  The sign rulers proceed in the zodiacal order (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, etc.). The fixed dawr was believed to be rooted in the calculation of the date of a great flood, typically associated with the flood in the biblical tale of Noah’s Ark.

Eras of the Fixed Dawr

Here are some of the more contemporary periods of the fixed dawr:

• Saturn-Aquarius: -860 to -500
• Jupiter-Pisces: -500 to -140
• Mars-Aries: -140 to 220
• Sun-Taurus: 220 to 580
• Venus-Gemini: 580 to 940
• Mercury-Cancer: 940 to 1300
• Moon-Leo: 1300 to 1660
• Saturn-Virgo: 1660 to 2020
• Jupiter-Libra: 2020 to 2380

The High Middle Ages: Mercury-Cancer

Notice, for instance, that the period from 940 to 1300 coincided with the High Middle Ages in Europe.  The High Middle Ages were a period of particularly strong increase in trade, as well as important translation movements. These translation movements re-exposed Europe to Greek thought (and its Perso-Arabic developments), igniting immense scholarly and scientific activity.  This fits well with Mercury, lord of commerce, language, and analysis, as period ruler.  It was also a time of population booms and rising ethnocentric nationalism, which fit well with the fertile, familial, sign Cancer.

Renaissance and Age of Exploration: Moon-Leo

1300 to 1660 coincided with the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery/Exploration.   The Moon rules bodies of water and all voyages. She is an appropriate ruler for this period of immense transfer of human culture by water. There were also major humanist movements at this time. These movements shifted focus from the recovery and development of natural science toward literature and the arts. This is consistent with the personal and subjective significations of the Moon. The renaissance was also marked by clarity, coupled with a haughty royalty, self-awareness, and self-importance, all consistent with the significations of Leo.

Scientific and Industrial Revoluations: Saturn-Virgo

1660 to 2020, the age we are currently presiding in, saw the birth of industrialism and modern science. The scientific revolution is generally considered to really have come into its own in the last 17th century. This age has involved a literal ravishing transformation of the natural world.  With limitation being a chief concern (Occam’s razor) we have seen a very materially productive transformation of science and philosophy. We’ve seen the ascendancy of physicalism, materialism, and a more restrictive scientific method. This is the age of Saturn, planet of land, earthly resources, raw materials, tangibility, restriction/rejection, doubt, solitariness (individualism), and administration.  It is also the age of Virgo, Mercury’s earth-sign home, pertaining very strongly to material science and commerce.

What’s Next?: Jupiter-Libra

Within the next decade we will begin a new 360 year age which will run from 2020 to 2380.  This age will be ruled over by Jupiter, a planet which signifies friendship, tolerance, fellowship, charity, generosity, openness, spiritual expansiveness, and opportunity. The sign of the age is Libra, an air sign, pertaining to ideas, information, and culture. Libra is ruled by Venus, planet of the arts/aesthetics, love, marriage,  and beauty.  Libra, the sign of the balance or scales, focuses on themes of social relationships, aesthetic science, and fairness/justice.  While Virgo is a mutable sign, signifying complexion and mixture, Libra is a cardinal sign, signifying a bolder and more direct change of direction.

It will be interesting to see how this shift pans out, going from a physicalist bottom-line materialist intellect to a more information-based or mentalist view of reality. Especially as this view will be coupled with a stress on generosity, spirituality, and expansion.

For more on the Dawr, see commentary regarding it in Burnett’s translation of Abu Ma’shar’s seminal text on mundane astrology.  It is a rare and highly priced book at the moment. It may be available at some college libraries in your area through inter-library loan.

Triplicity of the Great Conjunctions

I have mentioned the great conjunctions previously in my post on Abu Ma’shar’s “Six Elements for Deducing Advanced Knowledge”. The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which occurs every 20 years was the cornerstone of mundane predictive techniques in ancient Persian astrology.

This conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurs in the signs of the zodiac in a triangular pattern moving backwards.  For instance, a conjunction in Aquarius will normally be followed by a conjunction in Libra, then one in Gemini, then in Aquarius, etc.  However, the conjunctions are not spaced exactly 120 degrees apart, so they shift triplicity (element) over time.  This shift would occur every 240 years if regular, but varies in reality.  After the shift occurs there is often one or two conjunctions at the start of the series that revert back to the previous triplicity/element (see Richard Nolle’s 3000-year table of Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions).

Triplicity Shifts

Here are a few elemental periods from shifts of the triplicity:

• 1603/04 to 1802: Fire
• 1802 to 1980/81: Earth
• 1980/81 to 2159: Air
• 2159 to 2338: Water

Fire: Age of Enlightenment

The Fire period occurred during the Age of Enlightenment, a period of heated philosophical activity, elite socially-dominant intellectual circles, and of great political importance. This is consistent with the energetic, truth-seeking, and leading or elitist qualities of fire.

Earth: Industrial Revolution

The Earth period, which recently ended, provided strong reinforcement for the significations of the dawr of that time (Saturn and Virgo). It concerned natural resources and skepticism (Saturn) as well as physicalism. Virgo is an earth sign and for the physicalist existence depends upon physicality. This period from the start of the 19th century until nearly the present day, saw an evident focus on earthly resources and the material realm in every sense.

Air: Information Age

Since 1981, and the start of the Air triplicity, we’ve seen a drastic cultural shift. There is now a strong emphasis on abstract information.  The personal computer came to ascendancy in the 1980’s, as well as new increasingly information-based (digital) rather than physical-based media.  Some of the most profound changes have occurred in terms of communications and social technology. From social media to searching the web for needed information. Pieces of technology continue to lose mass, go wireless, and depend upon transmission of waves through the air. These changes are consistent with a shift to Air, with its significations of abstraction, communication, and social relationships.

Conclusion

There are broad global transitions taking place which are taking us “out of the ground and into the sky”. The Age of Aquarius is an inadequate and naive astrological approach to understanding these changes. The shift of the triplicity from Earth to Air in 1981 set off a number of cultural and philosophical changes. These changes move us away from a material standard and toward an information standard. We are likely to see these changes intensify following the shift of the dawr to an air sign in 2020. There will possibly be a focus on global welfare, as well as a shift in the meaning of “meaning”. Societal goals of spiritual fulfillment and generosity may become more meaningful. The old goals of material acquisition, material standards, and rational certainty are likely to become less and less central.

Featured image:
A portion of a drawing of Surya in his chariot by an unknown Indian artist of the late 19th century.