Prelude to the Age of Aquarius

By Marilyn Muir, LPMAFA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Informational On December 21, 2020, the current Jupiter / Saturn conjunction occurred at 00 Aquarius 29. A world stage setter, many Astrologers wondered and asked if this were the doorway into the Age of Aquarius. I wrote about that current conjunction at that time, brief and to the point, but there is far more to know and to learn about the changing of an age. I searched through my files because I knew I had far more helpful information. I had written the original material in early 2000 to help my students understand the enormity and potential ramifications of the changing of an Age. Presented here, you can read this re-edited article first as it is a prelude to the 2020 article, then read the 2020 sequel at http://www.marilynmuir.net/articles/age-of-aquarius/

Prelude There is so much talk about the Age of Aquarius and I’ve been deluged with questions from so many people! When it will occur… or is it here already? Just what are the ages of man? Do the ages really exist; or is it some great metaphysical truth in the sky…? Who will people this brave, new world? Will UFOs bring in a whole new life wave, or save our current life-wave from extinction?

Humanity and our world are changing by leaps and bounds. Information is obsolete before it reaches the printed page. We seem to be on a runaway train bound for … where? Why? Is there purpose to what we are experiencing or are we rapidly approaching chaos? Look at more recent catastrophes. What about the prophesied earth changes: earthquakes, volcanoes, axis shift, fire from the sky? Is this or will this be an example of the “wrath of God” or will it be the stupidity of man? What is happening to us spiritually? In the 1970’s our spiritual growth became a driving force, nurtured by metaphysicians and spiritualists blossoming in the general public. Why? What does it all mean? Step by step, let’s examine the evidence and the potential.

Mankind has speculated on the origins of the universe. Suggestions range from, “God is dreaming and when He/She/It wakes up, we are in a lot of trouble,” through evolution/entropy, to the Big Bang theory of modern science. We really do not know scientifically for sure why or where the universe and life itself came from, or what this is all about. In a desire to order our universe and to provide us with some measure of security, we as citizens of this globe philosophically assign creation to an all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere-present entity we see as god-like, and put the blame for failure or the credit for success on He/She/It. Keep in mind that all the possible explanations are theory, speculation or opinion on the part of the authors, including my own ideas. I currently tend towards the big bang theory, partially because of the evidence of science and partially because it also fits the creation theory of “and God said let there be…” and there was!

Our multi-verse with all its individual universes, galaxies, systems, worlds, etc. seems to be expanding from a common point and is estimated to be about 13.8 billion years old. Science points out that at some juncture of time, the original impetus of expansion (evolution) will run out of propellant (creativity?) and start to fall back (entropy) towards its originating point (God?), returning billions+ of years from now (no need to panic now). Since the only time I have to work with is now, I refuse to let my mind get caught up in this speculation, because it will not affect my immediate moment, the only time I have to effectively influence my life. Besides, if this emergence from the Creator to return at some distance time to the Creator is true, and I am part of Creation, then this is the only game in town and I must play. What is more, I cannot leave the game as there is nowhere else to go. Such a Creator has plenty of time and will give me as much rope as I need to either hang myself or grab on to a lifeline offered!

Examination of the universe seems to point to a circular measure, the cycles of all of the bodies we have been able to observe or study show circles within circles. The universe is cyclic in nature, with repetitious and measurable patterns. As we study a single pattern, we might be studying all patterns. When we study the cycles and patterns as a measure, graph and formulate data statistically, we are scientists and astronomers. When we believe there is a meaning behind such cycles and patterns and assign interpretive meanings that correlate to human experience, we are astrologers practicing an ancient art form. The cycles and patterns exist. We have thousands of years of observation, technically and interpretively, along with the current development of technical skills and equipment that both proves and disproves, all the while improving the collective data on a continual basis.

Because of the vast distances involved, some cycles are beyond our wildest imagining. Distances in space are measured in light years, or the distance light travels in one Earth year, at the rate of 186,330 miles per second. As our technical skills develop, we are able to make visible even more distant vistas of the universe. As I re-write this in 2021, they are readying the new Webb telescope for launching. At this time, we do not know the full scope or range of the universe. Stars we see in the sky are only a small portion of the known universe. At such distances, whether a celestial point of light is one object or many can be told only by spectroscopic analysis or other scientific measure. Some points of light are stars, some are clusters of stars called galaxies or universes, some are gaseous nebulae, thought to be universes in formation. We are not technically able to measure bodies or locations that emit no visible light. Instead they may emit x-rays, infra-red or other frequencies. Black holes, quasars, pulsars are measurable only through scientific instrumentation, but they apparently do exist.

The ancients saw the patterns and the lights in the sky. Some of which appeared to be fixed in place, while others were in constant motion. They observed, compared and collected data, and passed such collected information through an unknown number of generations to become the basis for our current Astronomy / Astrology. The ancients were naturally in a more subjective rapport with nature. They developed and assigned meaning to those patterns as affecting human nature and personal experience. We assume (perhaps wrongly) that they had no sophisticated tools or equipment to use, yet they named the stars and planets and somehow knew of nonvisible planets. They developed stories, myths and legends around the patterns they saw, and those myths worked as applied to human experience. While there are many such cycles, we will only be able to examine those pertinent to this lesson.

How ancient Hindus saw the 930-million-year rotation cycle of our Milky Way Galaxy is puzzling. The earliest record of written numbers only dates back to 3300-3200 B.C. and then only the most rudimentary of numbers were used. There was no initial measure for higher values, much less millions. In our current state of scientific evolution, we are still trying to map and gauge our universe. The Changing of the Ages of man is a 25,858-year (count depending upon the source) observable cycle which has been handed down through countless generations. This is the cycle of our own local solar system. Astronomically and astrologically this cycle is called the Precession of the (Vernal) Equinox. Some definitions are in order:

Precession: backwards through the signs, retrograde in travel.
Equinox: the moment of equal days and nights produced as the ecliptic (the path of the planets around the Sun) and Earth’s equator coincide, north to south in the fall (Autumnal Equinox) and south to north in the spring (Vernal Equinox). The Vernal Equinox is the beginning point in western or Tropical astrology.
Polar Axis: Earth’s magnetic north and south poles. It is the wobbling movement of this polar axis that traces out the path for the Changing of the Ages. The wobble is produced by several factors, some of which are very technical and beyond the purpose of this class.
Earth’s tilt to Axis: The Earth does not rotate at a 90˚ angle to the plane on which it travels (Earth’s path around the Sun). Instead, the magnetic axis of rotation is tilted 23 ½ degrees to that plane. Imagine a pair of opposing points protruding from the top and bottom of the Earth, tipped to approximately 1 o’clock / 7 o’clock like the hands of a clock. The Earth spins (rotates) around this tilt of the magnetic polar axis.
Shape: The Earth is not round as it appears, but more pear-shaped, with the heavy bottom in the southern hemisphere. Earth looks round because of our liquid surface which masks the irregular shape.
Moon: Earth’s Moon is 1/4 our size, an enormous satellite in comparison to the body it encircles. Our Moon exerts a strong gravitational force on the Earth and does not truly circle the Earth as we assume. Instead, both Earth and the Moon have a common center of gravity located about 1,000 miles inside the Earth’s surface.
Measure: To measure the Precession of the Equinox, we must use Earth’s North Pole as our pointer, the Vernal Equinox as our starting point, and observe the wobble produced by the various factors mentioned. The North Pole traces out a wobbly circle in the sky that takes just under 26,000 years to complete. The motion through this circle is retrograde in motion, with the North Pole traversing each of the Zodiac signs in reverse of their common order (precession).

We do not know the origins of the measure, the “0” year, or “0” degree, or the exact length of each age. The constellations and signs have been rearranged and re-measured many times over the centuries. The constellations vary in physical size and can occupy varying degrees of space. For instance, the constellation Pisces covers only 19 degrees of space, while Virgo covers 41 degrees of space. 19 + 41 = 60˚, the average of two axis signs.

Vernal Equinox measure: We can measure the movement of the vernal equinox. For the sake of convenience (not necessarily truth), we have made each of the twelve ages equal in length of approximately 2,155-60 years. Researchers and authors must speculate as to the year of the changing of each age.

Each age may also be accompanied by a spiritual leader, a way-shower, an Avatar – a messenger for the evolutionary process. His / her message is based on the sign represented for that Age. Usually the messenger is confused with the message to be delivered and can be deified. Have you also noticed that mankind tends to kill our messengers? The messenger could precede the age, such as a herald of coming events, could appear at the beginning of the Age, or appear once the Age is in motion. There are no written rules as to his / her appearance, so we cannot rely on the appearance of the messenger as a dating mechanism. Let’s look at the messages, not the messengers, conveyed to a primitive yet evolving mankind through one circle of Ages already experienced. Remember, the Ages retrograde (precess or go backwards) through the zodiac. Where to begin?

“…And God created.” How about good old Aries, our arbitrary beginning sign to a circle that has no discernable beginning or end. We assign such beginning / end and then agree with one another as to its validity. Zero degrees Aries is the point of the Vernal Equinox, the beginning point for Tropical (western) Astrology. Fiery, dynamic Aries – does this sound like a big bang theory of evolution, a fiery explosion, a masculine, projective, impregnating energy from the creative impulse that is the universe?

“The earth was without form and void, and water covered the face of the deep.” Does that sound like Pisces? The deep – a feminine, receptive womb of creation, an aquatic breeding den and nursery.

“And lightning played upon the face of the deep.” Does that sound like Aquarius? Symbolized by the man in the heavens pouring his jug of wavy lines (lightning?) down upon the Earth within her water shell, a masculine, projective, impregnating energy. As lightning and more lightning discharged into the primordial waters, more complex life forms evolved. In more recent decades, in a scientific research laboratory, small bolts of lightning were discharged into liquid concocted by scientists to resemble the primordial waters. They were able to stir primitive cells into life. Lightning (masculine) discharged or impregnated the receptive (feminine) womb of creation and simple life was born, multiplying and evolving eventually in the complex aquatic creatures of our early seas.

“And the dry land was separated from the waters,” and aquatic creatures became amphibian and crawled up on the emerging shore. Have you ever seen the ancient symbol for earthy Capricorn? The symbol is front half hind (antelope) and back half fish. That which climbed on shore had developed hoofs and the ability to propel itself outside the water, and it also had fins. The development of mammals, birds, insects and man followed in the earthly phase, with man being appointed as subduer, manager and caretaker of the earth. What do you think about man’s handling of the job of caretaker?

After “eating from the tree of good and evil” (known by humans as knowledge), the man and the woman were sent forth from the Garden of Eden to explore their brave, new world (Sagittarius). They were searching for truth and wisdom to return to the good graces of Elohim. They were told to go forth, flourish and multiply.

Then came a Scorpio stage. Initially (old records) there were only ten signs, Virgo and Scorpio were one sign and Libra did not exist (food for future thought). Multiplication means reproduction. Reproduction means sex. God did create sex. Since sex feels good, and most creatures enjoy the act of procreation and perpetuation of the species, sexuality flourished and boy did we multiply! We are now on planetary overload!

Somewhere about this point, active and somewhat indiscriminate sexuality became separated from latent, natural sexuality. As a balance between the two became necessary, the sign of the scales of justice was inserted between the rampant sexuality of Scorpio (the arrow pointed outward and openly) and the controlled sexuality of Virgo (the arrow turned back in on itself). Societies formed.

We then enter the age of the virgin goddess, the tillers of the Earth, the harvest cycle. We were becoming workers in the fields we generated, Virgo. Primitive cave and drawing records start to emerge.

Then we enter the golden age of kings, worship, domestication and almost deification of lions, monarchies, dynasties, expansionism and drama in the Age of Leo.

From there we enter an age of mother goddess worship, Earth mother, lunar and water goddesses, home, family, tradition, clans, and preservation of a way of life during the Age of Cancer. We penned in, collected, and nurtured. Stories of a world flood appear in many cultures.

Emerging into the Age of Gemini, we find a multiplicity of gods, twins, male / male, male / female, three faces of a god / goddess, pantheons of gods and goddesses. Writing, communication and serious recordkeeping emerged. Again, exploration and information gathering was encouraged. The more we learned, the larger our world became and we were nosey and wanted to learn all we could.

With the age of Taurus, bull worship and religions dominated. The age of the herdsman with his flocks of goats, sheep and cattle, and the farmer, taming nature, patiently clearing for the planting the land. Building, structuring, solidity was encouraged.

Reportedly Moses, shepherd of his people, returning from the mountain where he had received the tablets of the Ten Commandments, found his tribe worshiping a golden calf (symbol of Taurus), and cast down the tablets, destroying the symbol of the Age of Taurus (calf), and the Age changed. The Age of Aries was born, and Moses, as shepherd, led his people as Avatar of that Age with its symbols of lamb and sheep sacrifice.

Jesus was sacrificed as the Lamb of God, as both an ending (death) to the age of Aries and the birth of the Age of Pisces with all of its fish symbolism. It is a water sign, emotional in nature. “Believe” and “sacrifice” became the call. Symbology of the axis of Pisces and Virgo is evident throughout the ministry of Jesus. For example, Jesus fed the 5000 with the fishes and the loaves, or the symbol of Jesus and his mother, the Virgin Mary.

Today we are on the threshold of a new age, the Age of Aquarius. Exact moment of crossing is unclear. Has it been? Is it now? Is it coming? Each individual precessed degree equals 72 years. Be aware that the end of an Age (the last degree of the sign influence, which is 0˚ of the outgoing sign) and the birth of a new age (the first degree of the sign influence, which is 29˚ of the incoming sign… retrograde motion), requires about 144 years of transition. With 144 years of transition possible, why does the “0” year have any special meaning? When asked how mankind would know the return (of the Avatar), Jesus replied, “When the sign of man appears in the sky.” Is that the sign of Aquarius? Or is it possible that as man pushes out and explores space, and leaves a trail of satellites, communication equipment, sophisticated telescopes and space debris, that the sign of man is already in the sky? During this exact week, as I edit this writing, the Astronauts on the Space Station had to enter safety vessels when a missile strike obliterated a piece of space debris!

What will the Age of Aquarius mean for mankind and the evolution of our world? Aquarius is a sign of the unique, individualized man, who recognizes and celebrates his place within humanity as a group. It is the sign of the intellect, of knowledge and not just blind or emotional-based belief. Aquarius is rational and can strongly support the emerging scientific community. Aquarius is intuition, flashes of insight, inventive, forward-seeking and progressive. It is new thought and new age, humanitarian and cause-oriented. Aquarius is “we are the world, we are the children”. It is “farm aid” and “the plight of the homeless”. It is “save the whales and the manatee”. Aquarius is awake and aware, seeking answers, knowing that it does not have to be a bleeding heart, yet must be ready to sacrifice the needs of the self for the good of the whole. Doesn’t it seem possible to you that we are in a transitional period, or perhaps have already crossed the threshold into our new Age? “This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius” may be more than a song lyrics, it may have been the birth announcement itself! Another soul note?

Just as in the death of an individual, the death of an Age can be traumatic. And just as in the birth of an individual, the birth of an Age can be traumatic. To experience both birth and death of ages simultaneously can be beyond doubly traumatic – perhaps even chaotic. Sound familiar? The passing age requiring release of old patterns must give way to the blossoming new age, unknown and untried. Where do each of us stand, and what course or attitude should we take? Whatever our motivations, skills or mission, we must know where we have been (the Age of Pisces) in order to know where we are going (the Age of Aquarius). Today we must “know” and not just “believe”. We must transition our emotions for our minds. We must retain the good we have learned through our emotional development, our hearts, and turn now to the elevation of our consciousness, our minds. To be mind without heart is to be clinical, cold, aloof, and detached. To be mind with heart is to be a “fully realized” being.

What other factors contribute to this Age? While undergoing an astrological study of fixed stars, I stumbled across a piece of interesting, and I believe little known, information. As our North Pole traces out its wobbly 26,000-year circle in the sky, it points most directly to a fixed star that is called our Pole Star. Common information leads us to believe that there is only one Pole Star, but this is not true. We do not have a single Pole Star. During the 26,000-year cycle, we will approach, perfect, and recede from four different major Pole Stars, each governing approximately 6,500 years of the complete cycle. The four major fixed stars that alternate for the title of Pole Star are Vega, Alpha Draconis, Alpha Cephei and Polaris. Each in turn holds the title of Pole Star. It is thought that the Pole Star has a tremendous influence on the Earth and its inhabitants’ evolutionary development.

Going back to our analogy of Earth’s pointers, see Earth’s North Pole as a soda straw, pointed generally towards a star, gradually perfecting its alignment with the star, then gradually moving away from that star towards its rendezvous with the next Pole Star. As the straw points directly towards the Pole Star, the influence of that star is funneled directly into the Earth, without interference. Because of its direct line of influence without interference, the closer the alignment, the stronger the concentration or effect of the Pole Star energy influence on Earth.

At present, Polaris, which we call the North Star, is our Pole Star. Our north pole (the straw) is moving to its best alignment with Polaris in 2095 A.D., off perfect alignment by only 26’30”, less than 1/2 a degree. It will then slowly recede from the alignment as it begins to move to the next Pole Star which will be Alpha Cephei, several thousand years in the future. In 1990, Polaris was listed at 28 Gemini 25, moving approximately +8.2’ every ten years. The closest we could move to an exact alignment (conjunction) is 26’30”. Assuming that 00 Cancer 00 is the actual conjunction point (because that seems to be where its headed), less the 26’30”, the best obtainable position in 2095 is 29 Gemini 33’30”. Declination is around 89 North. The 1990 position listed was so close – only 1 degree 8’30” off, and moving closer daily.

Math Only one period during a 6,500-year framework draws in the strongest potential influence of the Pole Star. We exist within that period. As the alignment perfects itself, the influence will grow stronger. In ten years (from my original writing), or the year 2000, our alignment with Polaris moved 8.2’ closer, placing us within the one-degree orb used by astrologers for fixed star alignments. The influence promised by the Pole Star is being directly funneled into our polar axis receiving station, even now. Do you suppose energy, magnetism, vibration, or cosmic influence by Polaris may have anything to do with the depletion of the ozone layer near the poles? Or the distortion of the Aurora Borealis (the northern lights)? Or the warming of Earth’s South Pole and the breakup of the large ice mass as reported in1998? And we should see more as the alignment perfects itself.

As a practicing Astrologer, I received frequent calls from newspapers, clients, friends and other astrologers about the “new alignment of the planets” such as the 1987 “Harmonic Convergence” or something similar. The reported May 5, 2000 alignment suggested seven planets in Taurus. (I did not find that date consistent with my ephemeris listings.) Mankind had been going through peculiar energy patterns and alignments since the early 80’s, one right after another. Few astrologers are aware of this roughly 6500-year alignment, although Vivian Robeson was aware, at least when writing his Fixed Stars book.

What about and why are some of the patterns and alignments peculiar? Astrology has been aware of an approximate 500-year recurring cycle between Neptune and Pluto. Until I saw a fourteen-minute high school science film called “Infinite Designs”, I never realized the potential impact of such a cycle. Pluto takes approximately 248 years to complete one revolution around the Sun. Neptune takes approximately 167 years to complete one orbit around the same Sun. Because of the years involved in their orbits, the millions of miles between their elliptical orbits (all planets travel in an ellipse), and the eccentricity of Pluto’s orbit, the pattern of their association is obscured through the statistical ephemeris listings. The makers of the film rounded off the orbits of Pluto and Neptune to allow a mathematical proportion to be used. They placed the Sun as a small light in the center of the pattern to note the common center. They then placed smaller lights for Neptune and Pluto to show their orbit around the common center. With orbits now established, the Sun spotlight was darkened in order to eliminate potential distraction to the display that was about to take place.

For years, astronomers and scientists have scoffed at astrologers’ attempts to show influence between the bodies, which the astrologers call aspects. Whoever designed the film, as a scientific explanation, put that influence on film and into science classrooms. “The only thing that is missing is the motion of the planets,” declares the narrator, “and their invisible line of attraction.” The planets then move, with a thread of light providing us with a visual representation of the “invisible line of attraction”. Have you ever seen a piece of string art, or one of those pictures formed by lacing copper wire around small nails, or a child’s spirograph device? The invisible line of attraction looked like one of those processes. In moments, I was blown away by the experience of the film and the realization of the interaction between Pluto and Neptune. There, in front of my eyes, within 500 years of orbit motion, formed the very Catholic “Sacred Heart of Jesus”. Exquisite in form, mind-boggling in concept. If you want to see the mandala created by that pattern, look in Neil Michelsen’s Tables of Planetary Phenomena.

Along with the realization of the Neptune / Pluto influence came the instant realization that Astrologers everywhere, for centuries, have been attempting to read one tiny line in an intricate pattern that takes 500 years to form. As I viewed the rest of the film, I was both awed and humbled by the patterns created in the dance of the planets. I realized how difficult aspecting really was, because we read a single aspect completely out of context with the whole. I have seen the film many times, having obtained a copy for my own use. I was moved and thrilled in each viewing. Many of my students were able to view the overall concept of trying to delineate one tiny line in a mandala of aspect activity!

Pluto is an eccentric planet. Instead of traveling on the same plane (level) called the Ecliptic as the other planets, it is instead tilted at 17˚, traveling above and below the Ecliptic during its 248-year orbit. Instead of its orbit being a mild ellipse (almost, but not quite circular, and somewhat oval in shape) as are the other planets, it is an eccentric or exaggerated ellipse. For part of Pluto’s orbit, it ranges far outside the orbit of Neptune, in an exaggerated loop into outer space. For part of its orbit, it actually travels “inside” of Neptune’s orbit, closer to the Sun than Neptune. Pluto has an enormous, irregular orbit, causing it to appear to travel very slowly through some signs. A planet traveling 248 years through twelve signs should take an average of twenty years per sign. During the outer space part of its orbit, Pluto can take up to thirty years to transit one sign (Taurus). As it moves through the signs in order, it appears to pick up speed, passing faster and faster through each sign in succession. When it transits Scorpio, the sign of its rulership (opposition earlier-mentioned Taurus) it does so in only twelve years. Once during a 248-year period, Pluto moves inside Neptune’s orbit, for an approximate twenty-year period. This occurred January 15, 1979 and remained in effect until 1999. During this twenty -year period, Pluto was actually closer to us (Sun and Earth) than Neptune, and was therefore moving faster than Neptune. What did this mean astrologically?

Closer means stronger in influence. Pluto was closer to the Sun (and the Earth) than at any other time in its cycle. Pluto was in the sign of its own rulership (strongest) while in Scorpio. Pluto in Scorpio is dominant and evident. Look at the psychological and physical garbage that has surfaced: world ecology (air, water and land pollution), endangering or extinction of thousands of species, the decimation of the rain forests, extension of destructive petroleum and coal (carbon and/or methane) sources, global warming, the destruction of the ozone layer, nuclear and other hazardous waste disposal; carcinogens in our environment, transplants and the potential abuses, the right to die (quality versus duration of life), preservation of corpses in the hope of resurrection of the physical body, uncovering abuses in the handling of the dead, right to life versus pro-choice in the abortion controversy, cloning and in vitro fertilization, test-tube babies. child, spouse, parent abuse, psychological re-empowerment of victims; rebirthing, present-life and past-life regression, research into after-death or near-death states, abduction, violent crime, mass murder, prison overcrowding and riots, political nuts with fingers on the button of nuclear war, the homeless scandal and controversy, homosexuality as a free will and fully accepted way of life, drug, alcohol, gambling and other addictions driving society, higher incidence of cancers and environment-related deaths… Aids, to mention a few.

Should I go on, or do you get the picture of Pluto in Scorpio? Yes, many of these matters pre-existed the entrance of Pluto into Scorpio, but have really escalated since 1983 when Pluto made its first entrance into Scorpio. The Bible states, “The times of the end were shortened less nothing could survive.” Twelve years was enough to set all that I suggested in motion. Pluto moved out of Scorpio in 1996, choosing to stir up Sagittarius next – a story for another time. My keyword for Pluto is our psychological “roto-rooter”! What about the Neptune part?

Neptune rules our capacity to “believe” and to “envision”, to see where we are headed (at times clear, sometimes cloudy), to be guided into greater and greater spiritual awareness. Pluto rules the process of transformation and change, the archetype of the psychological mass unconscious becoming conscious. When vision (Neptune) moves faster than change (Pluto), we are able to “see” where the “change” is leading us. While we might not be entirely comfortable, we do not feel we are racing blindly towards an unknown. When Pluto travels through the signs faster than Neptune as its orbit changed, then change (Pluto) was moving faster (about twice as fast as usual) than our capacity to envision (Neptune) such change. We experienced change at such a fast pace that we felt and still feel we are racing towards an unknown end or result, and it is scary! This orbit pattern remained in effect until 1999, at which time Pluto moved back outside Neptune’s orbit. At the time of the crossing of the orbits, their speeds evenly matched, which logically should have given a lessening of the irregular effect. The actual speeded-up effect lasted about eighteen out of the twenty years, or from 1980 to 1998 by my calculations. I am still wondering when the “lessening” effect we should have experienced by normalization of orbit is going to happen. It is a “what you sees is what you gets” moment!

During this century, another unusual phenomenon occurred. Neptune and Pluto have the capacity to sextile each other (60˚ aspect) twice during their dance between successive conjunctions (unions). One of these sextiles occurs with Neptune ahead of Pluto, a waxing sextile. the other occurs with Neptune behind Pluto, a waning sextile (waxing and waning are lunar cycle descriptors). Both are powerful, both are useful. One is no more advantageous than the other. This time it is different. Beginning in the early 1940s and lasting until around 2030, a ninety-year period, Neptune will remain within the orb of a sextile to Pluto. This is an extremely long sextile period and will take place through several signs and combinations of signs.

At the beginning of the sextile, Neptune was at the end of Virgo and Pluto was at the beginning of Leo – out of sign, but sextile.
Then Neptune moved into Libra, Pluto remaining in Leo, sextile.
Then Neptune moved into Scorpio as Pluto was leaving Leo, again out of sign, yet sextile.
Then Pluto moved into Virgo while Neptune remained in Scorpio, sextile.
Then Neptune moved into early Sagittarius with Pluto at the end of Virgo, out of sign, yet sextile.
Pluto then moved into Libra, Neptune remaining in Sagittarius, sextile.
Pluto moved next into Scorpio, Neptune remaining in Sagittarius, sextile (notice that Pluto has started leading the change of signs).
Neptune then moved into Capricorn, with Pluto remaining in Scorpio, sextile.
In 1996, Pluto moved into Sagittarius, with Neptune remaining in Capricorn until 1998, again out of sign, yet sextile.
At that time, Neptune moved into Aquarius with Pluto approaching the crossing of Neptune’s orbit, and Neptune resumed the lead, sextile.
While the pattern is largely Neptune moving ahead of Pluto as a waxing sextile, they do pass the leadership reins twice: Neptune to Pluto then back to Neptune… an interesting phenomenon that happens to take place in our lifetime. And we wonder why craziness abounds in our world. So much has felt out of control!

What does this mean? A sextile (opportunity) between the planet of change and transformation (Pluto) and the planet of spirituality or spiritual vision (Neptune) offers us a ninety-year opportunity to spiritually transform our lives. This is an open door to personal evolution and transformation, which we must enter voluntarily. No one can do it for us. We are our own savior, or our own stumbling block. The cosmos has given us a door. We must have both the vision and the courage to act on the vision. This door of spiritual opportunity will close in about 2030. Other opportunities may be provided, but this is our current door. I hope you will walk through it!

What about some of the other unusual patterns currently occurring? Up to the time when Uranus was discovered in 1781, we had thousands of years of experience with the seven planets of the ancients.

Although Uranus had pre-existed its discovery, it was hidden from our view and was therefore unconscious relative to the mass consciousness. With its discovery, it became necessary for humanity to incorporate Uranian energy in a conscious manner.
Before we learned how to integrate the energy of Uranus successfully, in 1846 we discovered Neptune, and again, that which was unconscious became conscious.
In 1930 we discovered Pluto, the planet of mass unconsciousness itself, another energy that must be integrated consciously.
We’ve had thousands of years to learn about the first seven and have had less than 250 years to learn bout the outer three planets of cultural evolution.

Each discovery brings more of life to visibility, therefore consciousness. Discoveries are happening on an accelerated basis as we advance technologically and push out into space. Are we ready to assimilate and be responsible for such massive unveilings, or are we over our collective heads? What else?

Starting in 1980, an unusual pattern of retrogrades began, affecting our lives and the birth charts of hundreds of thousands of children. In his book on retrogrades, John McCormick had tallied the retrograde periods of the planets in the 100 years prior to 1980, or from January 1, 1880 to December 31, 1979. 100 years times 365 days each, plus 25 leap years = 36,525 days total. For percentage count, 36,500 days were used. From the book:

During that time, 0 planets retrograde occurred 8% of the time, 1 retrograde: 19%, 2 retrograde: 29%, 3 retrograde: 27%, 4 retrograde: 13%, 5 retrograde: 4%, 6 retrograde: 1% (51 days only), 7 retrograde 0%: (2 days only).

Remember these are the total percentages for the 100 years immediately preceding 1980.

Interested in what was going on currently (1980s research) and recognizing there were a large number of retrogrades occurring in the spring, I started a retrograde graph beginning with 1980.

Starting with February 27th until April 24th, there were five planets retrograde, a total of 57 days or 16% (57 days divided by 365).
Beginning March 1st and ending April 3rd, a period of 32 days, there were six planets retrograde for all but six of those days. Compared to 51 days in 100 years, 26 days in one year is incredible.
In 1981, five planets were retrograde from April 2nd through May 27th, without interruption for 56 days.
Six or seven retrogrades did not occur in 1981.
In 1982, five planets were retrograde from March 27th through June 18th, with six retrograde for 38 days during that period.
Between 1980 and 1982 (two years), six planets were retrograde 64 days, way over the previous100-year total of 51.
The totals go on, year after year, throughout the 1980s.
In 1984 we had five days with seven planets retrograde.
In 1986 we had another three days with seven retrograde. Remember two days only in the previous 100 years.

Along with the energies of the Age change, we are also experiencing unusual retrogrades, energies, which as a collective, we had not been required to integrate. Many children have been born, supposedly at the rate of one birth about every six seconds. This will be their pattern. Are these part of the Aquarian Age children we have heard about?

With three of the outer planets in Capricorn for a prolonged period of time, every time the Moon or any other planet enters Capricorn, we experienced four (an overload) in Capricorn. On November 6, 1989, we entered a period of multiple planets in Capricorn as the Sun, Mercury and Venus, which usually travel together, entered this area. Not to be outdone, Mars also joined them in early 1990. We experienced four, five, and six planets in Capricorn until March 11th,when we reverted back to the three heavies, plus occasionally the Moon. Again, unusual demands from celestial energy were accompanied by large numbers of births.

In 1970 when I entered the Metaphysical field, I channeled a ton of information and instructions as to my role in this evolutionary process. For the most part, I did not have the foggiest idea what my guidance system was talking about. I was told about a group of children who had been born (no date given), who were the first of the children of the Aquarian Age. These children were “asleep”, and it would be my job to help them when they awakened to their potential. Considering the fact that I had never heard of an Aquarian Age (other than the 1968 song by the 5th Dimension), I had no idea where the children were, knew nothing about anything, had no idea why, what or how I was to help them. I was told to relax, that they would find me. Years went by with no instruction and no clue. I did become aware astrologically of the group of children born in February of 1962 with seven planets in Aquarius. Metaphysically it was thought that the Aquarian Avatar or the Anti-Christ had incarnated during this period. I reasoned perhaps that the children born around this time or just past this time could be the children in question. No clue!

Imagine my surprise when eight of the “children” walked through the door of my house within a two-week period in the 1980s. The children were adults, close to twenty years old. They awakened with the most amazing abilities fully developed. I watched them do naturally and without effort skills that took previous generations months and years to develop. I was astounded. What they seemed to need from me was a place to come to – safe harbor, a validation of their sudden experience and abilities (they had a subliminal sense of mission …) and personal astrological readings. They did not stay with me for long. I felt honored by their presence. But they had other things to do and they wandered out of my life just as they came in. Needless to say, I wondered what “woke” them up, and possibly hundreds or thousands of others.

A short time later (weeks), a client offered me interesting astrological data for a set of charts to which I would not normally have access. I was delighted to get the charts and while working on them, I realized what woke the Aquarian Age children. I wish my notes included the name of the person who gave me the timing (not an Astrologer) so I could properly say thank you.

Since the universe as we know it is made up of atoms vibrating at differing rates, there is a sound or note that matches or harmonizes with our own individual vibratory rate – a “soul note”. When that note is sounded, we resonate much as a tuning fork resonates when struck. In use by piano tuners, each tuning fork is pitched to a certain sound. When struck, it vibrates and creates that sound. The appropriate piano strings are then tuned to that particular pitch.

If you have a room full of variously pitched tuning forks and you sound, for example, a “C” note, all the “C” tuning forks in that room will resonate to the “C” sounded, without being physically touched. They are tuned for it and they respond without being physically touched. I do believe that is what happened to those children. Their “soul note” was struck and they resonated and woke up! The name of their “soul note” and the chart I was given was for the recording of “We Are the World (We Are the Children)”. As I write this, I am again moved to tears at the realization that Spirit moves in such wonderful and mysterious ways, but it surely does move. Whenever you feel the cause is hopeless, remember this. It will give you courage. Spirit will always find a way.

In 1987, another multiple conjunction of planets occurred in Aquarius – this time five planets, with Halley’s Comet at perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) also in Aquarius. The children of 1962 and shortly after were having children. The Aquarian Age children started having Aquarian Age children. The Age of Aquarius is alive and well, and it does not matter whether it be actual or transitional. I am alive and participating to whatever degree I can. I am honored and willing to assist in the birth of this new age. I am a remnant of the Age of Pisces and I know it. But I do not have to be bound by a set of dying values which have served their purpose and have earned and deserve rest. I can honor, preserve and guard the past for a job well done. It bought us to this point in time. I can also know the futility of trying to continue a pattern past its point of usefulness. We are at the point of Murphy’s Law where to continue the Piscean Age is to raise it to its level of incompetence. It is time for the emerging values to take root – the next 2000+ years belongs to Aquarius. Will we experience a new Avatar, a spiritual “coming”? Or is this an Age of group consciousness – today we must “know” and not just “believe”?

We are the people of the new world because it is a continuing world. I doubt seriously if we are going to awaken tomorrow into a new age, with a whole new cast of characters. I assume we are going to have to hold hands with the same bunch I encountered yesterday on the Interstate. I doubt seriously that UFOs are going to swoop in, pick up 7.8 billion people (2021) and take us to a point of safety. I find it difficult to place my trust in that solution alone. I will say that if a space ship hovers over my house, sends down a ladder (or a beam of light) and says “Marilyn, it’s time to go,” I’m gone! What are you going to do?

Many years ago my friend and personal Astrologer Buzz (Robert) Myers described a simple method to evaluate the age according to the various categories of human experience. I present it to you as a potential method of study of the ages.

Place the Age being studied on the first house cusp (Ascendant) – sign only, no degrees or minutes, and equal house the balance of the signs around the house wheel. Using the standard meaning of each house but applying it with the broader application of the human race and the evolving planet, create a reading. For example:

The first house represents the main theme of that particular roughly 2155-60 year lesson, the self-projection or face of all the facets of that Age.
The second house represents the collective value system, material values of the Age.
The third house represents the methods and prominence of communication, education of the Age.
The 4th represents attitude towards our planet as home, family values, etc. of the Age.
Expand the rest of the wheel. Enjoy your exploration!

Future Study:

Timing: Do you feel we have, are, or will enter the Age of Aquarius?
What do you think that means in terms of humanity and its evolution?
Do you feel earth as well as humanity is evolving?
What is your part or attitude toward this new age?
Do a sample wheel on the Age of Pisces to get a flavor of working on that Age.
Do a sample wheel on the Age of Aquarius to get a flavor of working on that Age.
Discuss it; open up the possibilities. Through the website, let me know what you develop.

References:

sequel: http://www.marilynmuir.net/articles/age-of-aquarius/

Karmic Astrology book (to be published in the near future) chapter 5: Hierarchal Evolution – see for additional Age chart information

For more on We are the World, We are the Children – A True Story, seehttp://www.marilynmuir.net/articles-old/we-are-the-world-we-are-the-children-a-true-story/

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