7
Cultural Shifts:
THE URANUS-NEPTUNE CYCLE
Uranus and Neptune are the two planets that represent the most lofty and inspired experiences of humanity. Unlike Uranus-Pluto, which we covered in the previous chapter, conjunctions between Uranus and Neptune occur in a very regular cycle-every 171.4 years or so. This is three times more often than the conjunction between Neptune and Pluto, which has to do with the "fortunes of civilization." "Culture" generally has a more restricted meaning than "civilization," so I assume that this shorter cycle between Uranus and Neptune has to do with "culture."
An alignment between the two largest invisible planets, which rule the two most humanitarian and idealistic signs of the zodiac (Aquarius and Pisces), is very significant. The word "culture" describes very well what the Uranus-Neptune conjunction means to us. It mostly boils down to four things. First, it stands for important creative developments which we usually call "cultural"-namely, high peaks of achievement in the arts. Second, it profoundly affects the course of international affairs; the relationships between different cultures or nations. Third, in modern times the major Uranus-Neptune aspects bring revolutions, though these are less drastic than those which occur under Uranus-Pluto conjunctions. Finally, Uranus-Neptune conjunctions challenge and alter our most dearly-held beliefs and ideals, and mark the times when great religions are born. We could say that Uranus and Neptune bring spiritual or religious revolutions as well as political ones.
RESHAPING THE WORLD ORDER
A conjunction of Uranus and Neptune has been happening during most of my work on this book. Becoming exact in 1993, it lasted from about 1988 to 1998. Under it, we have witnessed the birth of a "New World Order," as President Bush named it-a major change in the relationships between nations. I foresaw that this would happen, having studied occurrences around the time of the previous Uranus-Neptune conjunction in 1821. A similar new world order was born then, after the defeat of Napoleon. Since these two conjunctions occurred in Capricorn, the sign of politics, the political effect has been even greater than usual.
When Uranus and Neptune join together, they combine the transcendental mind and heart of humanity. This indicates a chance to make giant leaps forward in our relationships with one another, on both the personal and international level. It is a splendid chance to look beyond the apparent (or "visible") realities around us, to rediscover the most profound truths of our lives, and to rededicate ourselves to fulfilling our deepest beliefs. Some have pointed out that this conjunction meant a "mid-life crisis" for the "baby boom generation" (born in the late 1940s and 1950s), but in reality, it has had this significance for all generations. When a great conjunction like this happens, it means humanity has come to a "fork in the road." It is a chance to start over after the slate has been wiped clean- a moment of decision when we must choose a path to destruction or a path of renewal. This is the key to the events of the 1990s. The end of the Cold War forced us to shift the direction of our lives and our society. Whether we move toward a peaceful, sustainable way of life that allows us to express our creative potential, or simply allow the destructive, depersonalizing, corporate, military-industrial society to continue, is the great issue we confront in the years after this great conjunction.
Uranus and Neptune have to do with whole peoples and cultures. The aspects between these two planets bring peoples and their governments into contact and (usually) conflict. Research shows that Uranus-Neptune has its most obvious and powerful impact on international affairs. The Uranus-Neptune conjunction represents a period when one set of international conflicts comes to an end and another one begins. Disputes are resolved that have disrupted relations between nations for decades, and a whole new structure is arranged that lasts for decades to come. In ages past, before the "democracy" of today, a new order was usually created by a powerful ruler or rulers who organized or restored a great empire or major kingdom. These enduring empires (principally in Europe and China) were the most influential in world history and did the most to advance civilization.
Neptune has to do with endings and conclusions, which is why this conjunction seems to wrap things up that have been unsettled for decades. Apparently though, shifting the international furniture around just allows new conflicts to surface that have been buried beneath the old ones, due to our insatiable appetite for acrimony. Whenever Uranus-Neptune aspects are in force, there are always major international tensions which may explode into war when Mars, Saturn and Pluto indicate the time is ripe. On the other hand, under Uranus-Neptune trines and conjunctions there is also always great opportunity for international cooperation.
Here is how Uranus-Neptune has shifted world order throughout history. The Peloponnesian War (which had begun under a Uranus-Pluto conjunction) ended in 404 B.C. during the Uranus-Neptune conjunction. The conjunction of 232 B.C. occurred in the last years of Ashoka's rule in India, which established the first Buddhist Empire. At the same time, Shih-huang-ti embarked on his campaign to build the first Chinese Empire (the Ch'in dynasty), which laid the basis of all succeeding empires and gave China its name. Under the conjunction of 61 B.C., Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus formed the first Roman triumvirate, leading the way to the Roman Empire. In A.D. 112, the emperor Trajan established the Roman Empire's greatest extent of power. In 282, Diocletian restored the empire from collapse with a series of drastic reforms and reorganizations that prepared the way for the establishment of Christianity as the state religion under Constantine.
It was just a few years before the Uranus-Neptune conjunction of 623-24 (in 618) that the elegant new Tang Dynasty ended centuries of a splintered China. The Khmer Empire in Cambodia began about the same time, and Mohammed's flight from Mecca in 622 soon led to the Islamic Empire. Charlemagne established the Holy Roman Empire at the time of the conjunction of 794. He was crowned Emperor by Pope Leo on Christmas day, in the year 800. Otto the Great restored this empire in 962 after the Viking raids. Two years earlier, the Sung Dynasty restored the Chinese empire. Both these events happened just a few years before the Uranus-Neptune conjunction of 965. The conjunction of 1307 happened when King Philip the Fair of France made his kingdom more powerful than the Catholic Church. The conjunction of 1479 saw the decades-long Wars of the Roses come to an end, after which the Tudor Dynasty restored peace and order to England. Other European rulers like Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain consolidated their power around the same time. Under the conjunction of 1650, Louis XIV became the great "Sun King" and established French supremacy in Europe.
The Uranus-Neptune conjunction of 1650 (also opposed to Pluto and Saturn) was a perfect example of one international order superseding another. The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 ended the Thirty-Years War and the wars of religion, and opened an era of wars among competing great powers. These wars revolved around the conflict between France and England. During the following square (around 1700), Louis XIV tried and failed to defeat England. During the opposition (around 1740), they fought with their allies over the royal succession in Austria, and during the square around 1780 they fought over the American Revolution. The conflict finally ended with the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, just before the next great Uranus-Neptune conjunction in 1821. The Vienna Conference of 1815 resolved all the disputes of the past and created a settlement that lasted for decades, but the treaty contained within it the seeds of all the conflicts of the following years, because it left unanswered the questions of national rights and boundaries.
The first of these conflicts was the war for Greek independence from the Turkish Empire, which broke out during the conjunction of 1821. This vast empire ruled over virtually the entire Middle East, and its decline precipitated troubles which continued through the Twentieth Century, and have disturbed world peace over and over again. During the square of the late 1860s came the German wars of unification, igniting Franco-German border tensions unresolved since Charlemagne. Both of these vexing problems exploded in the First World War, which closely followed a set of crises that began in Bosnia during the opposition of 1908, and soon brought the Soviet Communists to power in Russia. During the square of the early to mid-1950s, the United States confronted the Soviets during the height of the Cold War. Israelis and Arabs also clashed during the Suez crisis in 1956.
The next conjunction in 1993 resolved the Cold War conflict and eased Middle East tensions. Unfortunately, plenty of new conflicts surfaced beneath the old ones of the Cold War. Just as a crisis in Bosnia in 1908 under Uranus opposite Neptune led to World War I a few years later, so the crisis there that began in 1992 under Uranus conjunct Neptune may explode just before the New Millennium.
Ethnic conflicts have become the bane of the New World Order. To surmount them, we must learn to identify with the whole Earth instead of one race, culture or nation. At this time, the still-fledgeling United Nations represents the best hope for making this effort, despite nationalistic opposition and the intransigence of some member nations. The next Uranus-Neptune square (in 2037) and the next opposition (in 2078-2080) will mark times when our ability to learn these lessons will be tested again. If we fail, then soon after 2080 another Balkan or Austrian conflict could again threaten world peace.
SUMMITS OF ARTISTIC CREATION
Uranus and Neptune are the brightest lights within our inner cosmos. Uranus pours out a steady stream of genius into the minds of all would-be creators, allowing them to see the truth beyond conventional wisdom. Neptune is that reservoir of infinite intelligence and compassion which allows the hearts of all would-be saints and poets to feel the profound love and unity that transcends the apparent chaos. It is no accident, therefore, that when Uranus and Neptune come together, artists and writers are inspired to produce many of their greatest works. Here, as in politics, the Uranus-Pluto conjunction (and sometimes the opposition) initiates sudden and startling new ideas and trends, but the Uranus-Neptune conjunction often consummates them.
For example, the trial and death of Socrates in 399 B.C. (soon after the conjunction of 404 B.C.) inspired Plato to write his great dialogues. The column of Trajan in A.D. 111 marked the beginning of Rome's "silver age." Soon afterward the Pantheon was built-the inspired masterpiece of Roman architecture. Even while Rome was being sacked by Vandals during the conjunction in 453, the first great cathedral of Byzantine art was being built at Galla Placidia. Charlemagne restored art and culture from the clutches of the Dark Ages around the time of the conjunction of 794.
Under the alignment of 1136 (also opposite Pluto just after 1140), Medieval culture soared to its height under the influence of Gothic architecture and philosophy. The great artist Giotto anticipated the coming Renaissance under the conjunction of 1307. The conjunction of 1479 just preceded the High Renaissance of DaVinci and Michaelangelo. The conjunction of 1650 inspired the greatest Baroque artists like Bernini, Rembrandt, Vermeer and others. The conjunction of 1821 marked the height of Romanticism, including composers such as Schubert and Beethoven, the painters Delacroix and Turner, and poets like Byron and Shelley. Now, after the conjunction of 1993, we await the works of artists and musicians who will bring the visionary arts opened up in the 1960s to full expression, and hope for a cultural renaissance that alone can create the "New Age." Perhaps artists unknown in the 1990s are working whose greatness will later be recognized, although they may be using media which is not yet understood as "art." (see the work of Alex Grey)
REVOLUTIONS
Significant aspects to Uranus, the solar system's lightning rod, are bound to bring political revolutions. When paired up with Neptune, which represents our compassion for all beings and resentment against restrictive boundaries, powerful upheavals are likely. Uranus-Pluto conjunctions initiate revolutionary movements, but Uranus-Neptune often brings them to fruition and success.
For example, the German Reformation erupted into peasant revolt in 1522 exactly as Uranus squared Neptune. The conjunction of 1650 coincided with the great rebellion of Cromwell in England and with the French Fronde revolt. The American revolution was fought during the square of 1777-83. The conjunction of 1821 saw revolutions erupt throughout southern Europe (Greece, Romania, Italy, Spain) and the Americas (Mexico, Brazil, Chile, etc.). The following square around 1870 witnessed the famous Paris Commune celebrated by Karl Marx. Under the great opposition around 1908, successful revolutions happened in China and Mexico. Earlier in 1905, the Russian Revolution began. During the square of the mid-1950s came the first group of revolts against Soviet communism in Eastern Europe (East Germany, Poland and Hungary). They failed, but were signs of things to come. Successful communist revolutions also broke out in Cuba, Vietnam, and Iraq that would later haunt the United States. Then in 1989 another great conjunction began, and communist control of eastern Europe evaporated in the most successful series of revolutions ever seen.
Some successful revolts also happened in this same period in U.S. satellites such as South Korea, the Philippines and Chile. This may mean that more changes are due in the capitalist as well as in the communist world. Let us hope they come, for we need social transformation if we are to move into the promised renaissance. If America merely congratulates itself on winning the Cold War, and ignores the growing divisions and injustices within, it does so at its own peril. Even the world's last superpower can't withstand a crumbling foundation, and the solution is not to impose its will on the world or to protect the rich, but to make a renewed commitment to Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.
Combining the findings in this section with those in the previous chapter leads us to a startling conclusion. Almost all revolutions (as opposed to wars, civil wars, disturbances, or great reforms) break out during Uranus-Pluto aspects (conjunctions, squares, oppositions, sextiles, and semi/sesqui-squares) and/or Uranus-Neptune aspects (conjunctions, squares and oppositions). Perhaps only the Iranian and Nicaraguan revolutions in 1979 were exceptions to this rule.
THE RELIGIOUS CYCLE AND THE AQUARIAN AGE
In a series of brilliant articles in The Encyclopedia of Astrology, Charles Jayne revealed his research on the planetary cycles. Among his findings was a 600-year cycle of the world's great religions.1 Every 600 years, he said, a new religion is born, and at each of those times Uranus is either aligned with or opposing Neptune. Here are the dates:
We can further speculate that the previous opposition of 1176 B.C. may have coincided with Moses or Zoroaster, the conjunction of 1778 B.C. with Abraham, and the conjunction of 2980 B.C. with Krishna.
Uranus-Neptune conjunctions and oppositions are also linked to the great precession cycle of 25,000-plus years, which defines the great Ages: the Piscean, Aquarian, etc. After twenty-five conjunctions, Uranus and Neptune make a conjunction in exactly the same place in the sky. This takes 4,285 years, which is almost exactly the length of two astrological "Ages." To complete six of these returns takes 25,710 years, which is very close to the average precession cycle of 25,694 years. For the foreseeable future, every astrological age will begin during a conjunction or opposition of Uranus-Neptune in the same location in space.
Clearly, both Uranus-Neptune and the precession have to do with religion, so the two cycles are linked. As we saw above, Uranus opposed Neptune in Capricorn at the time of Christ, in A.D. 25 In 1821,1,800 years later, the two planets made a conjunction in Capricorn. In twice this time (3,600 years), the conjunction or opposition always returns to virtually the same degree of the same sign (not the same constellation, which takes 4,285 years). This is why the religious cycle is 600 years long; it is exactly one-sixth of the time between Uranus-Neptune conjunctions in the same degree of the zodiac. Since the conjunction of 1821 happened at such a significant time, one-half of the 3,600-year cycle since Christ, the new religions of the Nineteenth Century (Bahaism, Transcendentalism, Unitarianism, Christian Science, New Thought, Socialism, etc.) may be important progenitors of the religions of the future.
There are also significant cosmic events in our time (the turn of the third millennium) that mark the oncoming Aquarian Age. For example, the galactic center is now close to right angles to the equinox, at the very moment when we are reaching out to the stars and outer space. At the time of Christ, in 25 A.D., Jupiter in Libra and Saturn in Aries made a grand cosmic cross with Uranus in Cancer and Neptune in Capricorn. On January, 1910, virtually the same cosmic cross occurred, as Uranus in Capricorn opposed Neptune in Cancer, with Saturn (and Mars) in Aries once again opposing Jupiter in Libra. Three years after the cross of 25 A.D., Christ was crucified. Four years after 1910, humanity made its own sacrifice, as millions died in the Great War so that a new unified world could be born under the League of Nations (forerunner of today's United Nations).
By the way, the great 493-year Neptune-Pluto cycle in the fortunes of civilization (see Chapter 4) may also be linked to the precession of the equinoxes (the 2,000-year "Ages"). A Neptune-Pluto conjunction returns to the same place in about 50,000 years, equal to two precession cycles.
THE HOROSCOPE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH
Various proposals have been made of a chart for Jesus; I have one, too. Many historians agree that the "wise men" referred to in the Bible were astrologers, and that "the star" they followed was a conjunction of planets which indicated to them that a new avatar (or Christ figure) would be born. The only great conjunction in the period of Jesus' birth was that between Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces in 7-6 B.C. (conjunctions with Uranus would have been unknown to astrologers at that time). This would be an appropriate symbol for the prophet of the Piscean Age.
The Bible story lends credence to the notion that Jesus was born in springtime. This could have meant the spring of 7 B.C., when the conjunction first formed and was opposed by Mars in Virgo, or (as I prefer to think) it could have been in late February of the following year, when Mars lined up with the conjunction in Pisces soon before it ended. The astronomer Kepler also thought this triple conjunction was the "star." Legend has it that Jesus was thirty-three years old when he was crucified, and that this happened three years after he began his ministry, which the great cross indicates was in A.D. 25. A stationary Mars in Scorpio opposed Saturn in Taurus in April of A.D. 28. This is a potentially very violent figure that also occurred during the French "reign of terror" when the new modern "religion" of nationalism was "crucified." Also in A.D. 28, the expansive religious planets Jupiter and Neptune joined in Capricorn-an eloquent symbol of the resurrection. If Jesus was born in 7 B.C., though, he would have been nearly thirty-five when his ministry ended. It seems more likely, therefore, that he was born a year later, so that he would have just turned thirty-four when he died in April of a.d 28.
All this is just speculation, but putting the date of Jesus' birth at February 25, 6 B.C., gives us an interesting horoscope. It makes Jesus himself a Pisces, as well as putting the "star of Bethlehem" in that sign. The Sun that day was aligned with Uranus (the spiritual revolutionary), and trine Neptune in Scorpio. These aspects are common in the charts of great spirits who initiate vast movements and enterprises. Venus in Capricorn, in sextile to the "star" in Pisces, could represent Jesus' ability to accept defeat and turn it into victory. The Sabian symbol for its degree on Feb. 25 reads, "A defeated general gives up his sword with noble dignity; a spiritual victory." Mars joined with Jupiter and Saturn emphasizes the importance of blood in Christian mythology, the fact that death and sacrifice (Mars in Pisces) were necessary for salvation. Mars-Jupiter represents the evangelist and preacher. The star was widely opposed by Pluto in Virgo ("loaves and fishes").
If we put the "star"or stellium of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces on the Midheaven, it makes the birth time about 2:00 p.m. This puts 12¡ Cancer on the Ascendant, which carries the Sabian symbol "a babe surrounded by a divine halo." The Sun and Uranus occupy the Ninth House of religious philosophy, while Mercury in Aquarius is in the Eighth house (death and resurrection) squaring Neptune (poetic imagination).
THE URANUS-NEPTUNE CYCLE
| Date | Aspect | Sign | Major Events (5-year orb on each side of aspect) |
| B.C.575* | Conj. | Taurus | Birth of Buddha, Pythagoras; Lao Tzu, Confucius; time of Thales, Solon |
| 404 | Conj. | Gemini | End of Peloponnesian War; death of Socrates |
| 232 | Conj. | Gemini | End of Ashoka's reign; start of Ch'in Empire |
| 61 | Conj. | Cancer | First Roman triumvirate |
| A.D.25* | Oppos. | Canc/Cap | Ministry and crucifixion of Jesus |
| 111 | Conj. | Cancer | Victories and column of Trajan |
| 282 | Conj. | Leo | Reforms of Diocletian |
| 453 | Conj. | Leo | Defeat of Attila; Galla Placidia built |
| 624* | Conj. | Virgo | Founding of Islam; Tang Dynasty |
| 794 | Conj. | Virgo | Charlemagne founded Western Civilization |
| 965 | Conj. | Libra | Ottonian Empire; Sung Dynasty |
| 1136 | Conj. | Libra | Beginning of Gothic culture, 2nd Crusade in 1140s |
| 1222 * | Oppos. | Scorp/Taur | St. Francis, St. Thomas Aquinas |
| 1307 | Conj. | Scorpio | Philip the Fair, Papal controversy, Giotto |
| 1479 | Conj. | Scorpio | High Renaissance began; Wars of Roses end |
| 1522 | Square | - | Peasant revolt of German Reformation |
| 1565 | Oppos. | Sag/Gem | Height of religious wars (this aspect appears in Shakespeare's horoscope) |
| 1650 | Conj. | Sagittarius | Louis XIV defeats Fronde; Great Rebellion; Treaty of Westphalia; Baroque Art summit |
| 1698 | Square | - | Wars of Louis XIV |
| 1737 | Oppos. | Sag/Gem | War of the Austrian Succession |
| 1781 | Square | - | American Revolution; Industrial Revolution |
| 1821* | Conj. | Capricorn | Concert of Europe; revolutions in Greece, Italy, Spain, Latin America; Mormonism |
| 1869 | Square | - | Franco-Prussian War; Paris Commune |
| 1908 | Oppos. | Cap/Canc | Bosnian Crisis leading to First World War; modern art and music |
| 1954 | Square | - | Cold War; Mid-East Suez crisis; revolutions in eastern Europe, Cuba |
| 1993 | Conj. | Capricorn | End of Cold War; New World Order; New Age/Green Renaissance? Bosnian Crisis II, World Trade Center attack, Waco raid |
| 2037 | Square | Crisis in the New World Order, probably involving Germany and/or France | |
| 2080 | Oppos. | Cap/Canc. | World tensions, war in central Europe |
| 2126 | Square | Possible religious crusade or space war | |
| 2165 | Conj. | Aquarius | Aquarian Age cultural summit |
PHASES OF THE CYCLE
Whenever Uranus and Neptune line up with each other, a whole cycle or period begins that lasts 171 years. The conjunction is like the New Moon, the beginning of the cycle. The opposition is the Full Moon and fulfilling climax halfway through the cycle. Other important phases begin at the First and Last Quarters, when the two planets are in square or ninety degrees apart. We can divide this significant cycle into twelve equal phases in all, each one beginning with an aspect or important angle between Uranus and Neptune, such as an opposition, square, sextile, etc. (Because of the slight eccentricity of orbits, the exact aspects often come a few years after the actual phase begins.)
These twelve phases can always be described in terms of the twelve houses or signs. The first fourteen-plus years of the cycle is the First House phase, the next fourteen is the 2nd, etc. A house phase is also only slightly longer than the time which Neptune itself spends in one sign (fourteen years). Other important cycles are always going on, so none of these phases can be considered in isolation from other meaningful cosmic events. If we bear this in mind, we can use these twelve phases to help us understand the past and forecast the future.
First House phase (1821-1835): This is the house of self-assertive, creative new beginnings (or New Moon phase, which began when Uranus was conjunct Neptune). In this phase many of the inventions were made that powered the new industrial age, such as applied electromagnetism and railroads. The people asserted themselves in mass democratic and nationalist movements, and the middle class gained lasting political power. Artists and composers developed the Romantic style. Socialist ideals were first articulated by Saint-Simon (1820). This was phase one in a great Uranus-Neptune cycle in which Industry rose to power, and the People repeatedly rose up to take power within it.
Second House phase (1835-1850): This is the house of money and wealth. Industrial enterprises expanded during the "roaring '40s" railroad booms in Britain. The gold rush exploded, and the Industrial Revolution expanded to France, Germany, and the U.S., where Manifest Destiny was declared.
Third House phase (1850-1865): This is the house of travel and communication. During this time the trans-Atlantic cable was laid, the trans-Alpine tunnel was made, and international shipping mushroomed. There were mass migrations from Ireland and Europe to America and elsewhere. Many governments liberalized toward the end of the period.
Fourth House phase (1865-1879): This is the "house of home," and it's amazing how many nations reorganized themselves on the home front in these years. Reconstruction occurred in America after the Civil War, and Germany, Austria, France, Canada, Britain, and China also went through their own "reconstructions." The "wild west" was conquered and settled. The Fourth House is acquisitive, and it was at this time that the robber barons and money swindlers were the most active. The Fourth House and its sign Cancer are very patriotic, so nationalism expanded in the age of Bismarck. This was the First Quarter phase, corresponding to Uranus' square to Neptune in the late 1860s. By coincidence, Uranus also entered the sign Cancer in 1865.
Fifth House phase (1879-1893): Under this house of youth, pleasures, and speculation came the free-wheeling "belle Žpoque" commemorated by impressionist artists in France. Neo-romantic decadence began. Education was made available to all children in these years. This is an economic house; and the industrial economy was reorganized in this period to make it less competitive. Trusts, monopolies, and tariffs mushroomed; prosperity resulted.
Sixth House phase (1893-1908): This is the house of labor and health. Labor movements flourished and strikes reached epidemic proportions in these years. Health concerns showed up in campaigns by progressives like Upton Sinclair to clean up the cattle stockyards, improve our food (Pure Food and Drug Act), improve working conditions, and conserve the land. At the start of the Sixth House phase came Neptune's conjunction to Pluto and the Panic of 1893. From then on, Industry was forced to start recognizing its duty to society.
Seventh House phase (1908-1922): This is the house of relationships, but also of war and divorce. After forming great alliances, industrial nations slaughtered each other in World War I, carrying out national rivalries begun in the Fourth House phase. Then came the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations. This is the climactic opposition or "Full Moon" phase, so Romantic art fulfilled itself in Modern Art. Revolutions occurred all over the globe, most notably in Russia as socialist ideals reached their peak of influence.
Eighth House phase (1922-1937): This is the house of death and transformation. Certainly, this was the moment of death for European culture in the Great Depression, Russian gulags and Nazism. Reactionaries and dictators rose to power everywhere throughout this period. This is also another economic house, ruling the sharing of resources, so the industrial economy transformed and socialized itself in the New Deal (and less benignly, in Communist Russia and Nazi Germany). Resources were shared through the Social Security system. Pluto, which rules the Eighth House, was discovered in 1930.
Ninth House phase (1937-1951): This is the house of wide travel and foreign affairs, and once again (as in the Seventh House phase) its worst possible meaning was played out-this time in the unprecedented destruction (often via long-range bombing campaigns) of World War II, followed by Cold War hysteria. Nevertheless, there were also peace conferences, new alliances and the United Nations. The war enormously advanced long-distance air travel (jet planes, radar, rockets).
Tenth House phase (1951-1965): This is the house of power and status, and this period marked the industrial economy's apex in the form of American dominance and the peak of socialist power in the Soviet Union. The corporate state and the military-industrial complex expanded, and its bureaucrats lost touch with how their decisions affected people and the environment. The goal of the American and Soviet establishments was to extend their power, status and control at all costs. This phase is also called the Last Quarter, since Uranus squared Neptune in the early to mid-1950s.
Eleventh House phase (1965-1979): After the peak, the fall begins. The industrial economy began to decline in this period. Uranus joined Pluto at the stroke of the new phase in 1965-66, marking the last two houses in the 171-year cycle as the momentous final stages of industrial power. America's defeat in Vietnam and the oil embargoes of the 1970s shifted economic power away from the West. This is an economic house, but it indicates a time when individuals and small-scale business first reassert themselves. Post-industrial high technology appeared. The Eleventh House represents high ideals and causes, so social movements exploded in the mid and late 1960s. This is a "house of pleasures" like the Fifth; a good symbol of the hedonistic, psychedelic counter-culture. "The Age of Aquarius" dawned as the hippies celebrated "peace and brother/sisterhood." (The French Revolution also came in the Eleventh House phase of the previous cycle.)
Twelfth House phase (1979-1993): This is the house of spirituality, self-undoing, delusions, plagues, and hidden enemies. The old civilization stalled and lost its way, and politics declined. The industrial economy, especially in the U.S. and the Soviet Union, began sabotaging itself. The rise of the Ayatollah in Iran and the consequent destruction of Carter's presidency paved the way for Reaganomics and massive debt. Secret, illegal wars and corrupt government activities were revealed (Iran-Contra and other scandals). Christianity flexed political muscle in the U.S., while New Agers brought meditation, creative visualization, and alternative healing into the mainstream. Karma seemed to rebound on the sexual revolution and the counter-culture (AIDS, Jonestown). In previous cycles, this phase saw destructive wars (Thirty Years war, Napoleon) which led to new international arrangements.
THE NEW CYCLE
With Uranus joining Neptune again in 1993, a new cycle has begun. Despite today's looming planetary crisis, astrological indications point to smoother and more constructive times in the Twenty-First Century. Of course, if we fail to clean up our environment by altering our civilization, we may not survive to enjoy it. Combined with other cycles, we can estimate the trends ahead:
First House phase (1993-2008): The fall of totalitarian communism, many new democracies, the end of the Cold War, and Clinton's ascendancy all marked the new beginning around 1993. Many environmental inventions, new spiritual technologies, and political revolutions are being made. Artistic creativity is unfolding in new forms and great artists are appearing. Catastrophic events in the 1990s and around 2008 will diminish corporate power and transform our institutions. Around the year 2000, spiritual movements will explode and a new Golden Age may dawn. The new cycle thus represents a chance to develop a global, green, spiritually oriented, post-industrial, peaceful New World Order. On the other hand, the decline of socialism may mean an era in which we ignore our responsibilities to our fellow citizens.
Second House phase (2008-2022): This period will see environmental catastrophes such as floods, famine, disease, and mass migrations from the Third World. Economic and political structures will have to adjust to the new global realities. Many governments could be toppled (Pluto enters Capricorn, 2008; Uranus- Pluto- Saturn T-square in 2010). People may be disillusioned, causing them to retreat again into conservatism. Later in the Second House phase an environmental "post-industrial" revolution will get going. High-tech, green-conscious, and New Age businesses will prosper.
Third House phase (2022-2037): Extreme political activity and reorganization will bring justice to the people and the possible breakup of the United States. A horde of new inventions, ideas, controversies, and pioneers will appear. More spectacular breakthroughs will be made in travel and communications, plus links to the solar system and beyond. Humanity will recover its youthful, expressive confidence and boldly burst forth into the new era.
Fourth House phase (2037-2051): More environmental disasters will lead to new ideas about how to use the land properly. Agriculture and diet will be totally transformed. Nationalist movements may flourish. The power of green, feminist, and/or libertarian politics will reach a revolutionary climax (Uranus-Pluto opposition, 2047). France and Europe may lead the way toward reorganizing governments into a world great society. As usual, revolutionaries may go to extremes and become dictatorial. Attempts to hoard the wealth or cut property taxes may lead to depression and/or revolution.
Fifth House phase (2051-2066): The 2050s will be a progressive, inventive and optimistic time. Green businesses will become larger and linked together, and government help may be important again. Hedonism and romanticism will return, and so will the danger of population growth. People will still be obsessed with new ideas and gadgets (Neptune in Gemini). Economic and international problems may quietly increase in the 2060s, as the basic conflicts of the era come to the surface again (Neptune squares Pluto in about 2065).
Sixth House phase (2066-2080): Labor practices will be reorganized on a global scale. Depression or disease may lead to reforms or forced population control. Radical green politics will reassert itself around 2073 (Uranus square Pluto), as will ethnic rivalry or separatism (Neptune in Cancer). Research will help reshape science according to new realities. Conservation and health engineering will come of age. The common people will reassert their rights.
Seventh House phase (2080-2095): This will be the "Full Moon" opposition and climax of the new Uranus-Neptune cycle that began in 1993. Earth-centered spiritual ideals will become highly influential, leading to radical political change. Humanity will declare the "end of progress" in its old form. Artistic trends begun at the turn of the Twenty-First Century will reach full flower. Many innovations in music, the mystical arts and spiritual technology will occur in this and the following phase. Although these years will be very optimistic and creative, the viability of the new international structure developed during the Twenty-First Century will be tested severely, as Twenty-First Century conflicts reach their climax.
Eighth House phase (2095-2109): Institutions or cultures not adjusted to the new world economy may collapse with dizzying speed (Uranus conjunct Pluto, 2103). Attempts to share the wealth could return. The post-industrial economy will face severe challenges, and power may be dispersed or reorganized into new bureaucracies. A surge of spiritual creativity could emerge if we have done our duty to protect the Earth. If not, civilization as we know it may end in this period.
Ninth House phase (2109-2123): A very expansive, exotic time,when we may be forging links to other planets or spiritual dimensions. Unfortunately, growing reformist and missionary zeal may lead to warlike crusades toward the end of this phase. If civilization has collapsed, the mounting unrest and chaos will lead to fierce tribal and/or religious wars by then.
Tenth House phase (2123-2137): Some of the new worldwide institutions (or religious and environmental authorities) may become dictatorial and remote from the people. Wherever the focus of power has developed in the world (the Pacific Rim, perhaps) will experience its peak of influence. The economy will prosper due to large organizations of shared power. Confidence will be expanding among the people, who will push for their full share in material and spiritual abundance. The ideals of the 1990s and 2000s may be the rising power in the land. Radical youth will be questioning authority and exploring strange literary and scientific ideas (Uranus in Virgo square Pluto in Gemini, 2130).
Eleventh House phase (2137-2151): This should be a very creative, progressive time with many groups dedicated to wisdom and the common good becoming influential. Many important reforms will be made, but cracks will appear in the institutions and nations which recently enjoyed so much power. New ideals will be expressed which may dominate the next Uranus-Neptune cycle.
Twelfth House phase (2151-2165): Many powerful institutions of the world will now decline and decay, and old international alignments will disappear. Many people will pursue psychic exploration, expressed in highly creative endeavors. There may be scandal, delusion, secret wars, or escapism. The decks will be cleared for the new civilization to continue expanding, and humanity will be made ready for the new spiritual impulse beginning with the next Uranus-Neptune conjunction in 2165. Another New World Order may be established that will reorganize nations and peoples according to the Aquarian ideals of the interactive global culture. Earth's civilization may be linked with those in other galaxies or dimensions. Great temples could be built to honor the new spirituality.
WHAT THE NEW CULTURE WILL MEAN FOR YOU
As in the last chapter, we now need to enter the personal level and see how the Uranus-Neptune conjunction of 1993 will affect each individual. The house position in your chart where this significant event occurred shows how you might contribute to the new culture that is emerging today.
Were you born between 1988 and 1998? If so, the Uranus-Neptune conjunction in Capricorn appears in your own horoscope. You will experience powerful visions and strive to realize them. You can establish new cultural trends and achieve great things in the arts, politics, or religion. The need to save and preserve the planet will inform all of your activities. You feel keenly that "you are the world," and that it is your personal responsibility to help it to survive and advance. Your generation is extremely successful, ambitious, and dedicated to helping the community. Your organizational powers are greater than those of previous generations. You will leave society in better working order than you found it and make New Age ideals into workable realities. If the conjunction appears on one of the angles of your horoscope (see Appendix B), your abilities can approach the level of genius.
The conjunction remains in force until 2165, and is significant to everyone regardless of his or her year of birth. Read the paragraph indicated below for your birthday. In general, those born closest to the dates specifically mentioned will have felt the conjunction strongest. Those born at the beginning of each period will also need to read the following paragraph-it may also apply very strongly to you. If you know your rising sign (Ascendant) and degree, you may want to read the paragraph for that sign too. ("Late" means between nineteen and twenty-nine degrees of a sign.)
December 12-January 10 (late Sagittarius, early/mid Capricorn): Uranus and Neptune aligned with your Sun in a "First House" position. That means you became more inspired and creative in the 1990s. You have broken from old ideas and traditions and have struck out on a radically new path. You are called on to unfold your personality to the utmost and make yourself the mouthpiece for today's new cultural trends. Apply your great determination to unfolding your full potential. Of course, some of you may get yourselves in trouble with drugs, crime, jails, hospitals, or eccentric and rebellious behavior, but others of you can exercise your leadership and organizing skills to get things moving in your community. From the 1990s on, your role in the New Culture is to transform yourself into something more than you ever dreamed of being before.
November 12-December 11 (late Scorpio, early/mid Sagittarius): The great conjunction happened in a "Second House" position in relation to your Sun. You probably went through financial troubles and changes in the '90s. Take stock of your life and see what you have done in the past that has led to your present plight. New chances for success will come from unusual and eccentric sources and from your own inventive ideas. Self-reliance is the best path from the 1990s on; become financially independent and you will make it. Don't be a slave to the corporate world that is crumbling, because it doesn't care about you or anything else but the bottom line. Be open to the sudden chance, and be as free as you've always wanted to be from the financial and institutional ties that bind you.
October 13-November 11 (late Libra, early/mid Scorpio): The conjunction happened in a "Third House" position in relation to your Sun. This is the time to open the floodgates of ideas and feelings you have kept inside. You are in a good position to benefit by networking and sharing knowledge with others. Opportunities and ideas will be flowing your way, so put your thinking cap on, use your penetrating detective powers, and come up with an invention or scheme that will change the world. Get out of your rut, explore everything new, and unleash your powerful, compelling magnetism and charisma. Use it not only to attract new love, sex and/or wealth into your life, but to help reshape the world according to your convictions. You are probably right about what you believe needs to be done in the world, so get busy and be an agent of the great renewal of spirit happening all over the planet.
September 13-October 12 (late Virgo, early/mid Libra): The conjunction squared your Sun in a "Fourth House" position. You have gained sensitivity to beauty everywhere, especially in your immediate environment. You are very impressionable and able to tap your deeper feelings. Continuing changes in your finances and home life are likely. You may have become suddenly wealthy, or you may be altering your home and family or making them the center of your creative interests. All this could lead you to reorganize all of your affairs. At the same time, your idealism is being stimulated, and you may have plunged into community action to support the environment, the arts, peace, women's rights, etc. You may be less tolerant than usual of other people's opinions. What doesn't measure up to your ideals has to be opposed or rejected, in your view. That's true at home, too, when things are less peaceful and harmonious than you'd like-meaning they aren't going your way! Meditation and study of your subconscious mind may help you to realize your high ideals and dreams.
August 13-September 12 (late Leo, early/mid Virgo): The conjunction happened in a "Fifth House" position in relation to your Sun. It opened up your creative abilities. Since the 1990s, you have been more romantic, confident, and buoyant. Go out into the world, meet new people, and find new opportunities. Learn to take more risks, especially in your romantic and social life. Take up creative hobbies like writing, poetry, drama or arts and crafts. You are naturally youthful and childlike, so you can make a big difference in the lives of children, and vice-versa. Take a lesson from them in learning to shake off your inhibitions! The world needs to see more of the joy and color in life, so look beyond the ordinary, drab ways of the world and express this richness for all to see.
July 12-August 12 (late Cancer, early/mid Leo): The conjunction happened in a "Sixth House" relation to your Sun. The cultural changes of today are affecting your health and your work. You may have revised your view of success and learned to limit your proud ambition. It's time to consider the needs of others now instead of just your own dreams. You have a duty to society and your community, and you will gain happiness through helping and healing others. You may also find that you need to heal yourself after being burned out by your fruitless quests to become top cat in the jungle. You can no longer gamble with your fortunes or those of others. Self-discipline is what you need. Find a spiritual teacher, enroll in a yoga class, begin a diet or fitness regimen, analyze the demons within you, and then share what you learn. If you have lost your job, find another which may be less remunerative but contributes more to the betterment of your fellows.
June 11-July 11 (late Gemini, early/mid Cancer): The Uranus-Neptune conjunction opposed your Sun from a "Seventh House" position. Chances are you have been on a roller coaster ride since the 1990s began, financially and emotionally. You may have moved, divorced, or spent much time in court quarreling with your enemies. There is much potential for romance, but also disappointment if you expect too much from lovers. Other people puzzle you, just as you puzzle them (and seem to enjoy it!). Don't be taken in by people who promise you things that seem too good to be true. Maintain your natural tenacity, and don't depend too much on others. Your mood swings have been as wild as the shifting tides of your external affairs. Steady your nerves and don't let worries sap your energy. Avoid drugs and alcohol, and don't test the limits of the law. Honesty is the best policy for you! Channel your anger into action rather than blaming others for your own problems. Creative power may be unfolding for you, especially in poetry, painting, or performing. Take the time to explore your feelings, and help to nurture others. If you are attuned to the higher vibrations of Uranus and Neptune, you will find a more fulfilling path than you have ever known. Remember, don't despair-what goes down must come up again-that's how roller coasters work!
May 11-June 10 (late Taurus, early/mid Gemini): The conjunction happened in an "Eighth House" relation to your Sun. The mid-1990s were probably a period of some painful adjustments for you. You were forced to change some ideas and see things in a new way. Old idols and false securities have fallen for you. Look at your past investment practices and the financial habits of the partners you have trusted. Look at your job and your relationships, too. If they are genuinely working for you, keep them. If they're not, junk them. Live your life as if you were going to die tomorrow. Connect deeply with those you truly care about, and transform yourself by becoming more healthy and serving others. If you feel confused or discouraged in today's hard times, remember your ability to learn anything quickly, including a new job skill. If you get disillusioned with yourself or others, it's no excuse to be cynical and throw out all your values and ethics altogether. You can't trick or scheme your way around all the changes happening today, so learn to confront them directly.
April 10-May 10 (late Aries, early/mid Taurus): The conjunction trined your Sun from a "Ninth House" position. This means you can see better than most the true situation around you and in the country as a whole. From the mid-'90s on, you became something of a prophet and a visionary. Take advantage of this by traveling more and improving your education. If you get out, see the world, and break out of your rut, you may find it financially rewarding as well as refreshing. Take advantage of any sudden changes in your financial situation-what appears to be a bad break may be a good opportunity in disguise. Expand your consciousness, study your dreams, and renew your spirit. Then share your new visions with the world.
March 11-April 9 (late Pisces, early/mid Aries): The conjunction squared your Sun from a "Tenth House" position. The conjunction stimulated your drive to work hard and succeed. Use your leadership abilities to light the fires under those around you! Politics could be a good avenue for you, or perhaps you may be moving up inside your company. From now on, your career must become something you truly believe in, not just something to pay the bills. You probably have great ideas about how your world could be improved, so decide what you want changed and then get moving. Rely on your natural independence of spirit, and be careful with drugs or weird superstitions. You can accomplish great things by thinking big, but don't get discouraged if there are delays, and don't cut too many corners. Increasingly, you are going off on your own and breaking with those who have held you back. From now on, the old rut and the second best aren't good enough. Your mission now is to make a real impact on the world, and you shouldn't settle for less.
February 9-March 10 (late Aquarius, early/mid Pisces): The conjunction happened in an "Eleventh House" relation to your Sun. This means you are called upon to make idealism the basis of your life. You can wed your values to your work in the world and join your hopes to real possibilities. Get involved in organizations and societies that are working to restore our nation to its true priorities. Look to your friends for help and opportunity, and offer your friendship to others. You may be able to gain benefits through travel, or by helping to bring distant people and places together. You will also be able to enjoy financial rewards from your past career. Share your love and concern for your fellows and feel your hopes coming true as never before. Find a new outlet to express your artistic and performing talents, and enjoy the people and places that you love the most.
January 11-February 8 (late Capricorn, early/mid Aquarius): The Uranus-Neptune conjunction happened in a "Twelfth House" relation to your Sun. This is mainly a spiritual influence for you, affording many chances in the years ahead to go within and clean out the old cobwebs of your mind. Expose the remains of past bitterness and resentment and heal the hidden wounds from those who have hurt you, and then open up to psychic, intuitive powers that go beyond your usual scientific, left-brain notions. The problems of the world concern you deeply; take time to contemplate and re-evaluate them. You may be comfortable working inside a corporation or institution, since you feel you can make more changes within the traditional structure than without. You may be quite successful, since your new intuitive powers can help you make good decisions-unless the unresolved problems in your deeper psyche intrude and make you emotionally unsuited to your tasks. Power struggles with authority may also wear you down and exhaust you. Then another kind of institution (the ashram, asylum, monastery, hospital, or psychiatrist's office) may be where you need to be. If you were born on or shortly after January 11, also go back and read the first paragraph (for late Sagittarius and early Capricorn).
URANUS-NEPTUNE ON THE ANGLES
If you know your birth time, consult Appendix B (not posted or linked yet) to find out if the Uranus-Neptune conjunction happened on one of the angles of your horoscope (the Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant, or Nadir). If so, it has had a particularly powerful impact on your life, and may continue to do so. If "19¡ Capricorn" is listed under one of the angles for your birth time (within thirty minutes or so), Uranus-Neptune conjoined on that angle in your chart in 1993. The closer it was, the more important it is-and will continue to be!
Uranus-Neptune on your Ascendant: You are becoming personally more magnetic and alluring. You may experience a dynamic spiritual awakening. You are called upon to break from past traditions and go in uncharted, original directions. Don't let fear of authorities hold you back: become more independent and creative. You are now a charismatic leader and a pioneer who can blaze a trail for others. You have a greater sense of self than you ever dreamed possible before, and perhaps more original ideas than you know what to do with. Put them to use to benefit humanity and you will reap great rewards.
Uranus-Neptune on your Midheaven: Your career is becoming a vehicle to change the world. You will gain ever-greater power and status as the years go by if you stick to your ideals. Your original inventions could lead to success and fame. Trust your awakened intuition to make the best decisions. You could find yourself in a position to vastly improve other people's lives. If you merely follow your selfish ambition, however, you could suffer a sudden downfall. Redirection of your whole life will follow.
Uranus-Neptune on your Descendant: Your relationships will be subject to constant change in the years ahead. You'll demand that they meet your highest ideals. Still, others may deceive you, or vice-versa. You are becoming much more public on behalf of the causes you believe in, and you'll encounter much opposition over them. You will meet many unusual and spiritual people who will transform your life in undreamed of ways. Widen your horizons, and be open to many opportunities.
Uranus-Neptune on your Nadir: Your home and inner life will be unsettled. Deep spiritual or mystic experiences may expand the powers of your subconscious mind. Cultivate these through hypnosis or dream work. The 1990s represent a crucial new departure in your life. You may break away from family or parents. Old interests will end and new talents will unfold, and your beliefs and goals may totally change. You will feel a powerful new kinship with the land, your community, and the Earth. You may need to develop a new career more in tune with your own interests. Go within often to heal the confusion caused by all these new beginnings.
URANUS-NEPTUNE ON YOUR PLANETS
If the Sun, Moon, or any planets in your horoscope are close to 19¡ Capricorn, the conjunction may have stimulated you in very dynamic ways. Consult your natal chart or an ephemeris to find where your planets are, since we don't have space to list all the dates here.
Sun: You have become much more magnetic, dynamic, and creative. You now have the power to realize your deepest dreams. Original ideas and mystic feelings flow through you. You will make drastic new departures from past traditions. Relations with father or sons may be altered. You'll feel the need to forge a new career that represents your highest ideals and become a leader in movements to change the world. Read the paragraph above for December 12-January 10 with special attention.
Moon: Your sensitivities have been awakened. Your ambition is now to help humanity. Many changes are due in your home, family life, and career. Advance by cultivating a new self-image. Use your psychic talents and your subconscious mind to succeed in business. Mercury: You suddenly became full of inventive ideas in the 1990s. Your task is to travel and learn as much as possible and open new networking channels. You are a spokesperson for today's cultural movements, with strikingly original thoughts about how to restructure organizations. Your thinking may sometimes become too radical and eccentric.
Venus: Relationships could become more deeply spiritual, or just more unusual or unstable. Your artistic talents may unfold and your inventive career plans may bring you wealth. Love and spiritual beauty have touched you deeply. New emotional habits and aspirations have become set since the 1990s. You seek now to live only by the highest truth.
Mars: A volcano of energy has erupted inside you. You are becoming an enterprising and organizational genius. Engineering or athletic talents may unfold. You can exercise your leadership abilities on behalf of great social causes. You will have many conflicts with authority in the years ahead. You are setting off in radically new and ambitious directions.
Jupiter: Become a philosopher and prophet of the New Age. Your attitude regarding organized religion is being altered. Make the most of major opportunities for success and prosperity, especially in the 1990s. Develop the full powers of your higher mind and share your original ideas. Discover life's possibilities, widen your horizons, and boost your faith.
Saturn: Transform your career to accord with your highest purposes, or you could lose it. You must defeat external authorities, internal blocks, and ego defenses. You may be subject to paranoia, exaggerated ambitions, or delusions of grandeur. Develop your elaborate plans to reorganize your community or institution. You have been granted a high political or artistic vision that will take many years to achieve, but if you succeed, the highest worldly status could be yours. Jan. 1931-Jan. 1932, Feb.1960-Feb. 1961, Aug.-Nov. 1961, March-May 1989, Dec. 1989-Jan.1991.
Chapter 7 Endnotes
1. Jayne, Charles, "Cycles" from Encyclopedia of Astrology, p. 80
2: Consult article by Graeme Jones in Welcome to Planet Earth, Scorpio-Sagittarius 1992, for more information on the Uranus-Neptune cycle and Marxism.
Horoscope for the New Millennium