THE AGE OF AQUARIUS

“Aquarius/ Let it Shine” by 5th Dimension

Personal natal charts are a tool to interpret influences, energies and dominant patterns in our lives. Astrological ages, which last a little over 2,000 years, are waves of unique cosmic energy that influence the unfolding of humanity itself.

There are 12 ages, one for each of our familiar zodiacs, that occur due to the slow shift of the earth’s axis which changes the constellation our vernal equinox takes place against. For decades, astrologists have been anticipating the coming of Aquarius, each hypothesising that different astrological occurrences mark the transition. While there is no consensus on exact dates, what’s not controversial is that we are currently transitioning from the age of Pisces into Aquarius. As the lyrics above suggest, it’s a pretty exciting time for us!

When you look back into past ages, it appears humanity’s evolution has been a seamless unfolding of cosmic influence. It’s not often that we zoom out from ourselves in such a macroscope, and while it may be scary at first to feel so small, it’s invigorating to know we are part of something bigger than us. Something that’s happening all around us even now. In the Age of Cancer, a sign that rules domesticity and matriarchy, we saw the invention of a sedentary lifestyle through agriculture and the first settled communities – you can’t get any more cancer than that! The ages of Gemini and Taurus saw the blossoming of art and language and then of accumulation of wealth, respectively. Fast forward to the age of Aries, the most aggressive fire sign, and the world saw militarization and conquering galore. Think toppling dynasties as well as the rise of the Spartans.

Now as we transition into Aquarius from Pisces, the synchronicity keeps on coming. In the age of Pisces, a water sign with a fish symbol, we saw the rise of Christianity and baptism. Pisces rules the feet and during this age, we saw the beginning of sacred pilgrimages. Pisces is ruled by the 12th house, the house of the subconscious and deep inner worlds. In the age of Pisces, organised religion spread as the predominant moral guiding light. Love, education, health, marriage, law, almost all aspects of life were influenced by religious sensibility and values. In the age of Pisces, renaissances and scientific breakthroughs (clear Aquarian qualities and an indicator of the transition) were met with disbelief and even condemnation. Hello, transitional period! Changing ages is never seamless, but to fully understand what we’re coming into, let’s look at the zodiac of Aquarius on its own.

Aquarius is an air sign ruled by Uranus in the 11th house. Uranus is all about innovation, new technology, plot twists, invention and reinvention. If you look back through history, many major uprisings occurred with significant Uranus placements. The 11th house is all about how you relate to society, how you mix with, change, or stay away from the wider flow of communal energy. With Uranus by its side, an Aquarius relates to the world as a rebellious free-thinker who takes pride in being outside the status quo. An Aquarius also tends to think philosophically about humanity and culture as a whole, rather than hyper-focusing on interpersonal relationships. They may be activists, artists, thought-leaders, scientists – anyone leading the frontier of change.

As an air sign, Aquarians resist being put into boxes. They defy convention, authority, and labelling. They would rather be indescribable in their revolutionary living than try to fit into existing structures. As an air sign, they can see beyond what is and imagine new ways of life. Aquarius is represented by the water bearer, a natural healer of the land. This means that they’re not rebels for rebellion’s sake, they want to heal the world.

When you add all of this up together, the age of Aquarius is an overwhelmingly revolutionary one, filled with “harmony and understanding” that “liberates the mind” from “falsehoods” as the song puts it. The age of Aquarius is the age in which our visions for the future, which have been written off as unrealistic utopias for so long, slowly begin to take hold and blossom.

The most fundamental element of this shift is how we move away from “me” centred motivation to the “we.” Coming out of religious-based morality that has morphed into capitalistic, racist morality, we will find a more intuitive morality that focuses on true collective wellbeing. This can mean better public education, universal health care, and the illegalisation of privately-funded politicians that run our governments for capitalist instead of public interests. Financially, we may see debt decrease, minimum wage become livable and average household wealth increase. The extinction of the billionaire? Not far off either. While our ideas of race are ever-changing and manipulated by those in power, the core inequality of the ruling class vs. the exploited will be turned on its head and addressed.

With a Uranus emphasis on technology, the age of Aquarius also suggests a newfound harmony with technology. Maybe algorithms will finally be coded to complement our desire to socialise in healthy ways, instead of feeding off dopamine loops to turn us into moneymakers. While in Pisces, we saw religious sensibility lead, but science-minded Aquarius pushes new understanding through boundary-pushing research and data. We may find cures for diseases and conditions previously incurable or with high fatality rates like cancer or Alzheimer’s.

In the age of Aquarius, as harmonious global energy settles in, we will also see the strengthening of communities that have been chipped away by fear-mongering media, nationalism and xenophobia, and the erasure of community-centred economies. Headlines might rely less on shock value, the gun craze will subside, and people will begin to depend on each other again. We see this happening already with the rise of alternative and revolutionary media, chosen families and loving communities based on shared experience and values, social activist groups, as well as the rise of mutual aid initiatives both on the ground, and in the form of GoFundMes. At one point in time, the church was the main source of both community and mutual aid, in the Age of Aquarius, this will continue to shift to secular and individual channels.

With social activism and science meeting in the age of Aquarius, we will also find new ways to relate to our environment. This means finding ways to live comfortably while balancing resource extraction and replenishment and healing the damage we’ve done to our climate. In terms of art, another creative renaissance is on the way. Because Aquarius sees what is and imagines better, art will continue to be both diagnostic and part of the treatment. With increased community and teamwork, artists will be able to reach wider audiences and form deeper connections. As religious leaders and doctrines lose power, that doesn’t mean that religion will be obsolete. It will only stop being the lens through which people see their entire world, and judge right from wrong. Spirituality, on the other hand, will strengthen. As more and more people awaken they will be attracted to authentically divine communities.

In the age of Aquarius, defying convention also applies to relationships. People will begin to explore more unconventional relationships that fit their specific needs. This will strengthen our ability to connect with our most authentic selves and create boundaries accordingly. Monogamy might be on the decline, as well as marriage. In this age, individual and unique relationship agreements take precedence over culturally accepted relationship archetypes. This goes for the gender construct as well. Individuals will be inspired to be authentically themselves, instead of acting out gender-based behavioural roles.

If this all sounds too good to be true, just hold on a sec: you might be thinking, “humanity has never lived like this before, and that proves that humans are simply incapable of achieving harmony.” Well, remember that humans have never evolved under such an innovative and harmonious cosmic influence. You might also be wondering, “if the age of Aquarius has already begun, how come things are going so terribly?”

We’re on the cusp, guys!

Shifting ages are always linked with global shocks and crises. When you think about the exponential growth the modern world has seen in the last 100 years, as well as the recent global revolutions, economic and health crises, it seems fair to say that we’re right smack dab in the middle of “shock and crisis.” While Aquarius’ increasingly secular, innovative and wellbeing-focused qualities have taken root, they’re still being met with resistance from the past age in a way that creates tension. Some say that we won’t experience pure Aquarius until 2654. Yes, that means that you and I won’t be around to bask in the full glory of the age of Aquarius, but it does mean that we have a unique responsibility as conscious lightworkers to bring this age in responsibly. We are in a critical period, and just because we’re coming into a harmonious age doesn’t mean we can sit back and expect it all to simply fall in place. That’s not how astrology works.

Just like any sign, even one so filled with light as Aquarius, there is a shadow that we individually and collectively must be aware of. While old institutions and religious morality lose ground, we need to make a conscious effort to replace them with new ones. That takes work and will not be easy. There are some aspects of Aquarius itself that can get in the way.

As an air sign, there is a level of detachment to form. This allows Aquarians to see beyond and imagine new futures, but can also cause them to neglect what is, or start things without finishing them. We must not live too deep in our ideas of peace that we fail to act practically and address what our community needs at the moment. This looks like writing a manifesto against poverty but failing to aid in need people in your community, even if it’s as small a thing as making sure you have the cash to distribute on your way to and from work. For Aquarius, over idealism can also lead to disappointment with anything that’s not perfection. As a society, we must focus on what is achievable if we want to stay grounded on our road to Aquarian harmony. This detachment from reality also casts an insidious light on Aquarius’ new and deepening relationship with technology. We must not lose ourselves in it, or forget reality.

While thinking globally is a strength for Aquarians, it can also mean that they tend to neglect interpersonal relationships. In the age of Aquarius, we must not lose sight of the fact that social justice cannot be robust and full-hearted if it does not take root in the way we treat our friends, family, our enemies, every single person we encounter on the street, and of course, ourselves.

How incredible to be standing on this cusp, bearing witness to a transition of the ages, and holding this understanding with you! It is incredible to think that someone in 2654 might read this and feel my faith in humanity from so many years away.