THE AGE OF AQUARIUS

The Age of Aquarius

by Janet Booth

Aquarius is the sign of the masses. It’s associated with technology and computers, and it’s the sign that “rules” astrology. As we head into the Age of Aquarius, astrology is now available to the masses via computers and technology. So here you are, reading on your computer something I wrote about astrology on my computer. You and I may never meet – other than cybernetically. But we can connect through electronics, another area associated with Aquarius.

Many people assume the Age of Aquarius was in the hippie days of the late ’60s and early ’70s. That’s when the song, “The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius,” was made popular by the musical, Hair. This is an example of how popular culture can confuse our impressions.

The Age of Aquarius is a long period (about 2,600 years) within an even longer cycle (about 25,600 years) called the “Great Ages.” Within the long cycle, the earth makes a slow wobble on its axis. The pointing of its north pole moves in a (relatively) small circle, so our pole star changes over time. What also changes is the degree in the zodiac circle of constellations where the Sun appears to rise at the spring equinox each year. (This phenomenon is known as the Precession of the Equinoxes.)

Over a period of about 72 years, the spring equinox degree moves one degree backward through the zodiac. Right now it’s on the borderline between the tail end of one of the fish’s tails in Pisces and the beginning of the waterbearer (Aquarius), so we’re “on the cusp” of the new age, but we’re not quite in Aquarius yet. Some people consider that we entered this cusp with the American and French Revolutions, which kicked off the current trend of rulership by the masses (Aquarius) instead of by kings (Leo, the sign opposite Aquarius). Some people say it was when man first set foot on the Moon.

A point that confuses some people is how Aquarius is the water-bearer, but it’s an air sign. I think this may help you to understand. Think of how we all breathe the air and share it, how sound waves travel through it so that we can communicate. The air element is about human interactions. It is also about thinking (and your breathing can affect your thinking, such as in meditation and yogic breathing). The waterbearer in an ancient village was the person who would bring you water if you couldn’t go to the well to get it yourself. So he got around town, knew everybody’s business, shared the news – definitely an air function.

The sign of Pisces is associated with faith and belief. A dominant force over the last 2000 years in the Age of Pisces has been Christianity, which early in its history was represented by the symbol of – what else, the fish! As we enter the Age of Aquarius, people’s belief patterns are changing. Many no longer subscribe to the old religions, and lots of new religions are popping up. Also, many people are connecting to “Spirit” in a direct way without being part of any organized religion.

As an air sign, along with the scientific side, Aquarius has to do with communication and people coming together. The pervasiveness of technology in our lives and our global village of interconnectedness, electronically and otherwise, are essential components of the coming new age. What could be more Age of Aquarius than the Internet? Nice to meet you here!