Age of Aquarius

The Age of Aquarius (starting about 2600 A.D.) is a time period in Astrology.

Earth, in addition to its diurnal rotation upon its axis, has a processional motion involving a slow periodic shift of the axis itself; approximately one degree every 70 years. This motion, which is caused mostly by the Moon's gravity, gives rise to the precession of the equinoxes in which the Sun's position on the ecliptic at the time of the equinoxes, measured against the background of fixed stars, shifts gradually with time.

In astrology the Solar Age is defined by the constellation in which the Sun appears during the vernal equinox. Since each sign of the zodiac subtends (on average) 30 degrees, each solar age might be thought to last 70 &times; 30 = 2,100 years. This means the Sun crosses the equator at the vernal equinox moving backwards from year to year at the rate of one degree in seventy-two years, one constellation in about 2156 years, and the whole twelve signs in about 25 868 years (called a Great Sidereal Year).

This is an intellectual division of the circle of the zodiac which coincides with the constellations in the sky only once in about 25,868 years.

The last time when the starting-point in the intellectual zodiac agreed with the zodiacal constellation was in 498 A.D. A year after these points were in exact agreement, the Sun crossed the equator about fifty seconds of space into the constellation Pisces. The year following it was one minute and forty seconds into Pisces, and so it has been creeping backwards ever since, until at the present time the Sun crosses the equator in about nine degrees in the constellation Pisces. It will thus be about 600 years before it actually crosses the celestial equator in the constellation Aquarius.

In simple words means that the current solar Age of Pisces began about 500 A.D., since it was the last time that, astronomically, the vernal equinox occurred in the first point of the constellation Aries leaving it and entering the constellation Pisces (thus at that time the intellectual and natural zodiacs agreed). Nowadays, the vernal equinox occurs astronomically in about nine degrees of the constellation Pisces and it will be only about 2600 A.D. it actually finishes moving backwards through all the 30 degrees of Pisces and enters the constellation Aquarius.

About to the visible effects for mankind, it is reported we have already been feeling Aquarius influences (called "Orb of Influence") in the accelerated individual, social, cultural, scientific and technological development and globalization through all 20th century. On the other hand, that the Aquarian Age will bring with it an era of universal brotherhood rooted in reason where it will be possible to solve social problems in a manner equitable to all and with greater opportunity for intellectual and spiritual improvement, since Aquarius is an airy, scientific, and intellectual sign and its ruler planet, Uranus, is associated with intuition (knowledge above reason) and direct perceptions of the heart and on the mundane level it rules electricity and technology.

Eastern astrology associates the Age of Pisces with the yin; i.e., spirituality and intuition. Aquarius, on the other hand represents the yang, with its emphasis on rationality and high-technology.

Carl Jung pointed out, some fifty years ago, Ages are based on real constellations and not 30 degree sections of the zodiac. As Pisces is a long constellation, the transition of the vernal equinox into Aquarius will not take place until about 2600 A.D.

According to different astrologers' calculus, probable approximated dates for entering the Age of Aquarius may be 2638 A.D. (Elsa M. Glover), 2654 A.D. (Max Heindel) or 2680 A.D. (Shepherd Simpson); yet all of them quite close to each other, taken into consideration that they are calculus about an event taking place six centuries from now.

In 1929, the International Astronomical Union defined the edges of the 88 official constellations. The edge established between Pisces and Aquarius locates the beginning of the Aquarian Age about 2600 A.D.

Christian vision
According to the nowadays Christian mystics, the proximity and entrance in the Age of Aquarius - occurring after the present Age of Pisces (or age ruled by the "Sword") - will bring to the majority of human beings the discovery, true living and real knowledge of the inner and deeper Christian teachings which the Christ spoke of in Matthew 13:11 and Luke 8:10.