Turn of an Age

What we are witnessing is an often brutal clash between two powerful forces at the turn of an age. The Piscean era is inexorably giving way to the Aquarian, and in the process it is wise to beware the thrashings of the dying beast.

The sixth ray, represented by Mars and Neptune, is passing on. The seventh ray, signified by Uranus, begins its ascendancy. It is no surprise that Uranus just moved into Pisces for a seven-year sojourn, although it will retrograde back into Aquarius briefly in September until the very end of the year. Perhaps this transitional period marks the beginning of a new world order based upon spiritual principles, supplanting fear-driven greed, control and religious fanaticism which is reaching an apex and will inevitably wane.

The Piscean age certainly has had a strong focus on individuality and competition, as opposed to the collective and cooperation, which is Aquarian. Religion and philosophical belief was emphasized, and far too often this has taken the form of fundamentalism, fascism and fanaticism, oppressing people rather than empowering them. One might say that the birth of Jesus was a heralding of this aeon, yet look at how those teachings have been almost completely distorted and corrupted.

Music, painting, dance and film are also signified by Pisces and its twin ruling planets, Jupiter and Neptune, and these art forms have now clearly become part of the human psyche.

Aquarius deals with the collective more than the individual, with intuition rather than intellect, and with a spirit of cooperation rather than competition. It also encompasses consensus decision-making, rather than majority — or totalitarian — governance. Along with its ruling planet, Uranus, it signifies the need to overturn rules, regulations and the existing order, whether that be government, society, or one's personal belief system.

It also is about synthesis, the blending together of disparate streams in new ways. One example is the the Internet, a means of global communication where each person can find a place for self-expression.

Historically, the shift probably began in the 1960's. Many remember John F. Kennedy's call, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," as an awakening of the collective as opposed to the individual, and he also founded the Peace Corps.

The Berkeley Free Speech Movement of 1963 ignited the desire in young people to break away from the confining values of their elders and to create a society in keeping with greater idealism, equality and freedom. This certainly expressed itself in terms of dress, the use of drugs to experience new and more inclusive realms of consciousness, the coming to the West of Eastern religions and belief systems, and the formation of communes and communities such as Findhorn.

The radical tribal love-rock musical "Hair" with its famous lyric, "This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius," began sounding this new note in 1968. It extolled peace, love, freedom and happiness, and continued the questioning of the standards of morality, sexuality, individualism, racism, violence, drug use, loyalty and social acceptance which clearly remain problems in the America of today.

Finally, the Vietnam War protests, especially in the U.S., bore witness to the power of the collective to change government policies and actions. But there was a lack of maturity and an inability to ground these visions and ideals, and the incoming energies of Aquarius were not strong enough to dispel the old values. Now, some forty years later, there is greater wisdom and practical abilities, and as the new forces grow in strength, we can see the emergence of global changes. And uncannily, many of the issues of the '60's and '70's are coming round again, to be hopefully dealt with in more creative and empowering ways.

During the transition time, however, we can expect to see the old order, as it begins to crumble, to be totally driven by fear and paranoia. It knows that its time is up, and yet attempts to hold onto power and the status quo in ever-frightening fashion, ignoring feedback and even common sense. Simply look around, especially at what is happening in the U.S. And yet we also witness the emerging of the new, exemplified by the rising of the European Union and the vast numbers of people of all ages and walks of life, from many countries, who have been demonstrating for peace and against war.

Clearly the task at hand is to work cooperatively for the good of all, in whatever form this may take, affirming the power of love as opposed to the love of power. In this way we heal ourselves, one another, and the Earth.