| HOROSCOPE FOR THE NEW AGE: BEYOND 2012 |
The planet of the greater mind, the planetary ark of humanity, is Neptune. It indicates by its sign position and angles to other planets, the mass human state of mind at any time. 2012 is therefore an important year, because Neptune entered Pisces to stay this year. Pisces is the most important sign which Neptune can occupy. It brings out maximum sensitivity as well as an increased flow of peoples and ideas around the world.
But others assign the most significance to the Mayan Calendar. The Mayans conceived a calendar that has 5 "long count" phases of 5125 years in each great cycle of the Earth. This great cycle of about 26,000 years is called the precession of the equinoxes, which also gives Western astrology the cycle of "ages" like the Age of Aquarius and the Age of Pisces. The Mayans reckoned this cycle as lasting 25,625 years, while others have counted it at 25,920. In any case, that's pretty close, and gives the cycle of 5 phases a connection to the great cycle of Earth. It is this long count that many have said ends in 2012 (Dec.21). It indicates an important transition point. Many also consider it significant that the Winter Solstice point, which the Sun reaches on Dec.21, is now pointed toward the center of the galaxy. This gives added credence to the idea that our era is the start of a whole new cycle of Earth lasting 26,000 years, and that Dec.21, 2012 is the beginning of a New Age.
Some people felt this was a good time for end of the world fantasies.
More info on 2012 end theories here
There were four main theories:
Astronomers did not agree with these theories, noting that the sun "passing through galactic planes" takes millions of years, and that aligning the Winter Solstice with a distant black hole cannot affect us. And the theories don't seemed to have panned out.
What will this new era we have now entered really be like? What changes does it signify?
A few things seem clear. A day of reckoning would seem to be upon us, even if it's not yet the end of the world. The end of the world as we know it could still be upon us soon, if we don't change. Our Earth is now threatened by our way of life, and that needs to change. Humanity has been experiencing rapid changes over the last 250 years, and this process might be reaching a turning point. A cosmic marker like this could be significant, if it's true that we are all connected to the cosmos around us, and that everything moves in cycles. So the beginning of a cosmic cycle is like a new birth, although what we do with this new opportunity is largely up to us. We need to remember that we have crossed this turning point, because if we do, we will act on it and create a new and better world.
My research indicates how important the position of Neptune is too. If you know how significant Neptune is, you might be interested in where it goes. For example, consider how the trends and dominant attitudes of society have been reflected by Neptune's positions in the signs of the zodiac in the recent past.
The last time Neptune left the sign of Aquarius and entered Pisces in 1848, a wave of revolution broke out throughout the European continent. The old regimes fell like dominoes. It was the climax of an age of reform and utopian movements under Neptune in Aquarius that preceded the revolutions, and was further triggered by a great famine and depression. The Revolutions of 1848 were called the awakening of the masses and the rise of peoples, who discovered their political power and national identity. Nations and classes became more important, as people struggled for national liberation and workers rights in the revolutions and movements that followed. The climax of this trend was reached in socialist reforms throughout Europe and America, as well as communist regimes in the East and world wars between nations and races.
In 2011 and 2012, this process repeated. The Great Recession of 2008 contributed to increased insecurity around the world, triggering a wave of revolts: this time in the Arab world, in North Africa and the Middle East. Again it seemed like dominoes were falling, as one revolt ignited the next. This time our entire planet is also threatened by global warming and climate change. Katrina was already a wake-up call in 2005; in 2012 superstorm Sandy devasted cities in the financial and cultural heart of America along the Atlantic coast. Weather disasters mushroomed, as unprecedented floods, fires, droughts and storms struck many lands and sea levels rose. This great crisis is calling us to protect our Earth home, reminding us as nothing else can that humanity is tied together on one endangered planet. In 1848 we expanded our identity to encompass our race, class and nation. Now it is the planet Earth with which we need to identify as our greater being. Since Neptune in Pisces signifies mystical awareness of unity, as writers like Ruskin, Thoreau and Emerson expressed the last time Neptune was in Pisces in the 1850s, so Neptune in Pisces from 2012 to 2025 is our chance to experience our union with all peoples and the planet. And the ever-increasing connections between us established by the new networks of technology is making this spiritual union that much more vivid for us.
We can't return to a time of ignoring threats to the planet, decline in Western economies, and rising new peoples around the world. We are past the point of no return. So what will happen now? And what should we do?
Neptune in Pisces is the real significance of 2012 (and 2012-2025)!
In our own lives, Neptune in Pisces means we are more sensitive again.
Remember the last time Neptune was in a water sign? It was the 1960s, and many people experienced a vivid awakening of spirit, and new sensitivity. We have been long without this nourishment, but it's back. Feast on it; open yourself to it. Listen for it. Neptune is the planet of humanity; it represents by whichever sign it's in the zeitgeist or spirit of the times.
In Pisces, Neptune is at its peak of power and significance. You can tune in to the vibrations and the messages to your soul more easily now, and for the next 13 years. In humanity's rhythm, Neptune in Pisces is the time for refreshing the spirit and the soul, and connecting to greater awareness of our greater being. It is a "springtime" of new freedom, not only in politics, or in Arab lands, but within ourselves too. This is the real meaning of 2012, a new awakening of spirit facilitated by Neptune now in Pisces, and for the next 13 years. We can be more sensitive to subtle promptings again, awake to the call of nature, and to our connection to our spiritual home right here on earth, and everywhere we go. Life can seem fresher now, more alive. And perhaps you will remember the inner callings of younger days that you might have forgotten amidst all the stresses and strains of ambition. Maybe it has been since the 1960s since you felt these feelings; or maybe it was more recently. Maybe new experiences await you. Wherever you are in your own personal journey, Neptune in Pisces indicates it is now time to remember those callings to connect to what really matters to you. Listen and watch for them. We are beyond 2012. We have entered a new dimension of reality; of greater ease in connecting to the subtle levels of our being. Take advantage of this while you can, to keep the spirit alive.
The Horoscope for the "End of the World as We Know It," Dec.21, 2012 (Winter Solstice)
It's not that the planets are all lined up then, or anything so remarkable as that. But it's a very interesting chart nevertheless; even positively gripping. The Winter Solstice happens every year when, due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, the north pole is pointed furthest from the Sun and the days are shortest. On Dec.21, 2012, at 11:12 Ephemeris Time (Greenwich England or Universal Time; some people say it's at 11:11), the Winter Solstice happened, signifying according to the "Mayan Calendar" the end of the world as we know it, and thus the "beginning of the new age." The planets do make some very interesting signs in the chart for this crucial moment in time.
The highlight of this special "chart for the beginning of the New Age" is what astrologers call a yod. It is also called the Finger of God, or as I often call it, "God giving you the finger." Two planets are 60 degrees apart, in a sextile aspect, with another on the other side of the sky in a 150-degree angle to each. This other planet becomes the focul point of the yod, and so it's the focul point of the whole chart too. In this case, that planet is Jupiter, which is a very positive sign. The two supporting planets are Saturn and Pluto (and again, astrologers do still consider Pluto as a planet, and a very potent one in its significance, in fact). See The Prophetic Tool Kit from Horoscope for the New Millennium for the meaning of planets in astrology. The yod is a tense and powerful configuration; it signifies making constructive adjustments to dangerous circumstances. It potentially brings harmony out of discord, which is exactly what we need now.
A good article on the Winter Solstice 2012 chart
A few other facts about this yod grab our attention. First is how exact the angles are. These aspects or angles between planets, like 60 or 150 degrees, can be rather loose, or very exact. In this case all three planets are within minutes of arc of being exactly aligned in this yod (a minute is 1/60 of a degree, which is one of the 360 degrees of a circle). It really does seem that God is giving us the finger this time, as if pointing to us on Earth and saying "Pay attention to me! It's time to put aside the nonsense, and work on solving your problems!" Indeed, it is past time, isn't it? The yod also indicates we are being forced to look beyond what is convenient, normal or comfortable.
This leads a second exciting fact about this yod. The planet at the tip of the yod, Jupiter, is exactly (within about 3 minutes of arc) in a conjunction (alignment) with Uranus in the horoscope of the United States. Jupiter is thus now expanding and opening up the ability of Americans to invent solutions. This might help us learn to relate to one another. Or it may "expand" our willingness to consider more drastic measures than getting along, since Uranus means rebellion. Righteousness is always in great supply when Jupiter comes to town too. But a Jupiter-Uranus alignment of any kind can release a great deal of liberating energy and light. We saw that when the two planets actually aligned together in the sky early last year, on Jan.4, 2011, as the Arab Spring erupted, and the young Egyptians experienced what they called their "Woodstock" in Tahrir Square (the very same alignment had happened in the Summer of 1969 during the Woodstock Festival). So that means there's a lot of opportunity for breakthroughs and liberation as our new age begins here in America.
Saturn and Pluto are fascinating too. Since Pluto is in the sign ruled by (or linked to) Saturn (Capricorn), and Saturn is in the sign ruled by Pluto (Scorpio), they are in what we call "mutual reception." This increases their significance enormously, and focuses it all on Jupiter. And remember, this is not only the chart for the 2013 Winter season, but may indicate the nature of the entire New Age lasting 5125 years, or even 25,625 years, according to the Mayan Calendar and the "galactic alignment." What this Saturn-Pluto figure does is tell us that, in the words of Jonathon Winters in the movie The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, "we've got to get organized!" This is a planetary angle that signifies reconstruction. Pluto takes things apart and releases new life, while Saturn gives order and structure based on a foundation of authority. So the New Age brings liberation, but also a cosmic demand to come to order. Saturn and Pluto require commitment and discipline. Just hanging around and goofing off is not going to cut it anymore.
So we can expect some new organizations to be started and developed, and a dedication to work on lasting solutions to long-standing problems. President Obama formed a new task force just a few days before this cosmic event to tackle the upsurge in violent shooting sprees, and determined to make it a goal of his second term to stop them. This is the kind of thing we can expect, especially over the next few months, and perhaps even over the next thousands of years. We indeed have lots to do. It stands to reason too that the politicians will have to stop haggling over this "fiscal cliff" nonsense and embrace innovate solutions to the national budget now, and from now on. Fiscal discipline would be a welcome relief to the American taxpayers, and to the crying social and environmental needs of our country, and that's what Saturn and Pluto impinging on Jupiter potentially gives us. It is truly a point of no return. After Dec.21, 2012, we can't go back to the way things were before. We have to become different.
A few other delights appear in the 2012 chart. Mars is one degree away from its place in "the horoscope of humanity," the foundational chart for my previous book; about which more later. It's safe to say that it connects the most important projects of our age with this longer Mayan cycle, making them into foundations for the future. Venus anchors the great yod by opposing Jupiter, half-way between Saturn and Pluto. Venus is in Jupiter's native sign too, Sagittarius. This adds a touch of peace and good will to the expansive reconstruction activities of the yod, and offers indications of breakthroughs in negotiations about budgetary and international affairs. Mercury is nearby too, making another mutual reception: Mercury in Jupiter's sign Sagittarius, and Jupiter in Mercury's sign Gemini. These are also the opposite signs to the ones they rule. This stabilizes the outspoken righteousness and restlessness of these two planets, and offers prophetic insights for this meaningful turning point. It encourages us in the new age to stretch beyond our usual ideas.
We're going to need all of this diplomatic and intellectual skill in the months ahead, since it looks like America is revving up for another adventure overseas. Jupiter in Gemini and Cancer is returning to its position in the horoscope of the United States. When it does, America often goes to war in order to reshape the world in its image. Uncle Sam declares some "just cause" it must serve, and off we go to "make the world safe for democracy." Sometimes though, we don't actually go to war, but just set the stage for future wars, and even may get involved to protect the peace.
The USA was born in the violent revolutionary struggle to establish democracy in 1775-76, so this great fight is engraved into the heart of the nation. Every time Jupiter comes around again to late Taurus, Gemini and early Cancer, in what is usually considered the house of war in America's horoscope, the struggle is renewed. Buoyed by patriotism, we "defend our freedom from the tyrants" again, often arrogantly imposing our will on others in the process-- justified by the "just cause" of expanding democracy. Just look at this line-up of incidents that happened when Jupiter was in or right next to the sign Gemini, just where it is in 2013:
So we've come around again in 2013, and it looks like we'll have to provide support to the new Middle East freedom fighters in Syria. This could help establish democracy there, but let's hope it doesn't turn into another long war. I think we are going to need to get involved by supporting the democratic rebels in some way, or we may cede Syria to the jihadist fighters from Al Queda who have joined the cause; something the USA could not allow. We still have not got ourselves out of the long Afghan quagmire either, and drone attacks endanger our relations with Pakistan.
The Syrian problems began when the "Arab Spring" revolutions spread to that unfortunate land, having long been crushed under foot by the tyrannical Assad family. But the Arab Spring, as we've mentioned above, was ignited by Neptune's return to its place in 1848 when another similar series of revolutionary dominoes fell in Europe. It is a great upsurge of liberty for the peoples of the Middle East and North African region. Uranus forming its square to Pluto throughout this 2012-2013 period, is the signature of this great revolution, just as a conjunction between the same two planets had indicated the Revolutions in 1848-50, and had aroused the great movements for peace and freedom in the 1960s. The French Revolution itself had reached its peak during an opposition of these two planets in 1792-93. More on this cycle in a later chapter.
Meanwhile, Get the scoop on Uranus-Pluto revolution cycles here
I think the Spring of 2013 will see the end of Assad's brutal reign in Syria, perhaps by June. Meanwhile, America can help in this movement, and it looks like it may get a great chance in July and August 2013. In July, Jupiter returns to its exact place in America's horoscope at 5 degrees Cancer (which it had done shortly before 9-11, and on the exact date of the Panama invasion in Dec. 1989), and is joined there by activist Mars. Saturn and Neptune will be exactly 120 degrees apart from them-- a great grand trine formation that also occured between the very same planets in the 1960s, and what's even more significant, when the US constitution was written in 1787, showing the intellectual powers of the air signs. The USA has a chance along with other nations to guide the Middle East through its revolution towards establishing more-just constitutions and governments. As in 1966-67, this time Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune are in water signs, bringing great emotion to the passions of the people. Breakthroughs in international agreements about trade, the sea, or climate change could be in the works. A grand trine this exact among important outer planets is very rare and significant. It is a great opportunity.
Events have justified the above prediction. In July a new president was elected in Iran, which has opened the way to negotiations of the nuclear issue. The people rose up in Egypt and impelled their military to overthrow their Muslim dictator; a new constitution has been passed which may be better. Negotiations with the Taliban started, and the new Pope Francis, who visited his homeland to ecstatic crowds, has unleashed a new wave of concern for the poor. In August, threats by the USA forced Russia and Syria to agree to destroy Syria's dictator to destroy its chemical weapons.
After the solar eclipse in November 2013, more US intervention could occur (this didn't happen; although the dangerous moment happened in August). Whatever happens in 2013 could prepare the way for more severe troubles in 2025, when the urge to intervene comes around again. These conflicts may include the final resolution of the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that were left unfinished by 2013.
Meanwhile, the revolution for which Uranus square Pluto marks our times continues at full tilt in 2013 and 2014, especially in the Spring of each of those years, and more nations could be affected. Continuing progress toward justice and constitutional rule will be made in many places affected by this revolution, and even elsewhere. Jupiter in Cancer in 2013-2014 gives faith and confidence to the common people, and puts them in an expansive mood. People have a new passion for life and for their own priorities and families, and patriotic and revolutionary emotions are stirred. We are seeing the people come to life and rise up in the streets in country after country in this revolutionary time under Uranus square Pluto; in Thailand, Burma, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Turkey and continuing in the Middle East. People power is rising to fever pitch again early in 2015, as it did in the Spring of 2014. Uranus and Pluto make their final exact square angle in March 2015. Unrest could swell then, and again in Sept./Oct. The USA will still be inclined to meddle and get involved in the Mid-East region, especially in Syria and similar places. International agreements, such as on the nuclear issue with Iran, begun after the great grand trine of July 2013 had changed the diplomatic landscape in the Middle East, may be worked out by the late Summer and Fall of 2015, but their results may be shaky. By 2017 a milestone could be reached, which I believe could be another point of no return-- the start of an uninterrupted ascent toward true justice for all worldwide.
Economically, the trend in the mid-2010s is for gradual revovery from the Great Recession. With Jupiter prominent, a mini boom or short expansive mood will sweep through 2013 to early 2015, despite possible financial scandals or breakdowns in April 2014 (Grand cross in the sky). There could be an explosion in pop culture at this time as well, especially in late 2014 and early 2015, when new stars could appear and entertainment barriers and records breached. Many charts of this time show Mercury (the mind) aligning with Neptune (mysticism, drugs), which indicates the new marijuana freedom laws passed in some US states in recent years may be encouraging a new wave of psychedelia, or at least some breaking of social inhibitions and further repeal of drug prohibition laws in other states and countries. Perhaps in this new cheerier Jovian climate, education could get a much-needed boost, and more people will begin to ask deeper philosophical questions about their lives and the purpose and direction of our society.
The long-term economic crisis will continue however, since nothing is being done or is likely to be done about the underlying "structural" problems, such as robotics throwing people out of work, unfair trade and outsourcing for cheap labor, and lack of educational reforms. Under Saturn in Scorpio in 2012-2014, people have been in a cautious mood, looking toward gradual reconstruction of our shattered economy and world peace, and careful about taxes and budgets. But I have long predicted that the green tech revolution will take off in the late 2010s. As Uranus moves into Taurus in 2017-18, innovation will be applied to the needs of the Earth and our economy, and conditions will also stabilize in many countries affected by the revolutions of the previous years.
When Saturn moves on into religious sign Sagittarius in 2015-16, more religious terrorism could be felt. Saturn forms a huge 90 degree angle to deceptive, mystical Neptune in the sign of faith (Pisces), and Jupiter the planet of religion joins it in a tense T-square. Remember the late 1970s, when a similar angle occured? That was the time of Jonestown massacre in Guyana, and also the religious revolution that brought the Ayatollahs to power in Iran-- who proceeded to pronounce the United States as the Great Satan responsible for their troubles, and to hold it hostage. Saturn square Neptune first becomes prominent in March 2014, and then matures in late 2015 and throughout 2016. Religious fanatics could be on the march in Iran and elsewhere again. The conflict in Muslim lands between those who believe in Islamic religious authority (Saturn in Sagittarius) and those who seek new spiritual and democratic freedom (Neptune in Pisces) has hardly been settled. This disagreement will fuel more clashes among the people in March 2015, possibly in Turkey, Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia and Russia. More violent clashes could break out in April 2016, as Mars turns stationary in Sagittarius and aligns with this foreboding Saturn-Neptune square. The US government would be wise to prepare for possible terrorist attacks and kidnappings at this time. Meanwhile, the new Pope Francis could ruffle some feathers in Rome by proposing some new reforms, or by sacking some bishops whom he feels do not reflect the healing compassion for the poor and suffering people that he so passionately advocates.
Meanwhile the "fiscal cliff" stalemate in Washington in 2012-13, and the continuing rift between the red and blue cultural camps in America, could be leading the USA off an even-greater "cliff." The outlook for cooperation between congress and President Obama does not look bright; stalemate will continue, according to the chart for his second term. As the 2020s approach, frustration will mount, and talk of secession, which I had predicted decades earlier and was already starting in 2012, could get louder. 2025-26 is a date in which America has another rendevous with destiny, and its clear that this will be centered in America itself, in the form of a break-up or a revolution that changes the constitution and the political system. More about this great hinge of history in the next chapter.
More soon.