Q1: ‘Would you please say something about what it means to go from the Pisces Age to the Aquarian Age?’

Q2: ‘There is a lot of talk and fear about 2012, many people believe this time will signify the end of the Earth. What are your comments about this from an astrological/spiritual perspective?’

Soul Astrology Answer:

There is no way I feel qualified to ‘answer’ this question, not being God!
But I can comment, giving you my take on it.

My short comment is that I feel sure that the world will continue from day to day, as ever was. I don’t think the world will end. Rather, I think that in 2012 we will all complete the shift from Pisces to Aquarius. The planets will continue in their orbits. They will continue relating to each other and to the Earth, moving from sign to sign just as they have been doing. So let’s look at the astrology.

My much longer comments follow:

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What are the ‘Ages’? - a bit of Astronomy first:

     The Sun’s position in the starry sky at the Equinox, in March every year, is called 0 degrees Aries in the Tropical Zodiac (the Zodiac we use in the West). The rest of the Tropical Zodiac is measured from that 0 degrees Aries, dividing the circle of the sky into twelve signs of 30 degrees each. An equinox occurs when the sun rises directly East, so that it spends exactly 12 hours of that day above the horizon no matter where you are on Earth. Following the March equinox, the sun rises a little further north every day, until the time of the solstice in June. The Sun’s position on the solstice day is said to be 0 degrees Cancer, which is why the circle around the Earth, directly under the sun on that day, is called ‘the Tropic of Cancer’, and is also why this is called the Tropical Zodiac. The Tropic of Capricorn in the South is fixed similarly, in December.
     The point about all this is that, the Earth wobbles a bit in its daily spinning, so that ‘0 degrees Aries’ is constantly moving slowly backwards across the actual constellations. For roughly the last 2,000 years, 0 Aries has been moving backwards across the constellation of Pisces, and is now shifting to the constellation of Aquarius. That 2,000+ years is called ‘the Age of Pisces.’ The size of constellations is a subject for debate, so the timing of this shift, from one ‘great Age’ to the next, tends to be a bit blurred. I like to think that the Age of Aquarius has been gradually revealing itself for at least the last 50 years, while the Age of Pisces is gradually releasing its hold.
     I think, the ‘does-the-world-end-in-2012’ discussion is part of that shift of ‘Ages’ from Pisces to Aquarius. I’ll explain what I mean below, but first I’ll explore a bit what the change from Pisces to Aquarius might be about.

The Age of Pisces – religion or spirituality:

     We would expect that the Age of Pisces would dissolve barriers. Before that, in the Age of Aries, we are told of a ‘jealous god’ saying ‘vengeance is mine!’ ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’ was accepted social justice. Then, Jesus was born around the beginning of the Age of Pisces, introducing us to the Piscean experience of loving oneness. He taught that we are all sons and daughters of God, that we should love our enemies, and forgive one another any sins we perceive being committed against us. He suggested to us that we are all equally deserving, and that all gods are really different perspectives of the one God.
     Through the Age of Aries, it was enough to have your own religion, as long as you made it the dominant one, or had space for yourself that was entirely yours so you could ignore the others. Over these two thousand Pisces years, different religions and political groups have tried to create oneness by absorbing each other. Ruling them Aries-style wasn’t enough. Each group aimed to convert others to their own beliefs, through violence if necessary – hence so many religious wars. The barriers were dissolving, but the loving was only at the level of an ideal. Since then we have been regularly invading each other’s psychic, emotional and spiritual territory.

Into the Age of Aquarius: the individual in community

     When circumstances are changing, it is important to be aware that past methods may not work any more. In order to have a positive growthful effect, our methods need to be appropriate to all conditions, including changing social priorities and expanding awareness. The distant planets, slowly changing sign, reflect our need to constantly adapt to changes, but the change in great Ages underpins everything else in our time.
     During the Pisces Age, we were learning that ‘we are all one, all members of humanity.’ Now we are learning that we are all individual, an Aquarian awareness. Back in the Aries Age, ‘I’ would also have been an individual, but would not have seen others as equally individual. For Aries, ‘I’ am the individual, and everybody else is ‘not me’. For Aquarius, ‘I’ am an individual, but then so are you, and so is he, and she. The negative side of being Aquarian individuals is that we can become very separate from each other, which leads to loneliness inside, defended by a cold barrier. The positive side of being Aquarian individuals is that we work together for the good of all, each in our own individual way contributing our own personal skills. Aquarius is about the community of individuals, bringing fairness and justice to every one.
     The Age of Aquarius is about individualisation. We will be finding our own inner link with spirit, rather than needing an intermediary, moving away from the power of religions. Each one of us will wake to our personal responsibility in our daily experience, moving away from the power of old-fashioned government. More and more, we are looking at individual, as well as group, experience. Increasingly we are focusing on each person’s individual experience of a disaster, understanding its impact through empathy. One soldier’s fear and pain is now as important a focus as an army’s success or failure. Perhaps in communities split by religion, more people will wake to a sense of the importance of their individual personal life, rather than identifying with their ancestral history or religious dogma.
     Natal astrology is a wonderful tool for promoting this growth, showing, as it does, the personal characteristics, ideals and direction of an individual. External pressures can be seen in a natal chart, particularly by the arrangement of the outer planets, but those same planets will also reveal the person’s own ways of using experience to grow.

     Through the shift from Pisces to Aquarius, the individual members of clans, families, and nations, will be waking to their own autonomy. We need to dissolve the barriers that divide groups, without encroaching on each other’s space. We need to see that the boundaries between nations are no more than lines we have drawn on the ground. They do not have to be barriers to understanding, or massive gulfs between ‘my right’ and ‘your wrong’, between acceptable and unacceptable. We have been confusing national characteristics with religion and politics and the history of groups. During the Aquarian Age, we will be discovering that basic group characteristics are the result of geographical location, the home territory. Whether you come from a people living in desert, or a temperate country, an island, or a vast continent, the climate and the state of the land will be seen as largely shaping your character. These ‘shapes’ may be recognised as the Aquarian ‘national characteristics.’

Uranus during this change of Ages:

     The ruler of Aquarius is Uranus, and between 1995 and 2003 it was moving through its own sign, giving us clues about the finer Aquarian characteristics. During Uranus’ movement through the last degrees of Aquarius, a noticeable quality was the peacefulness of the marches and demonstrations against the attack on Iraq. That huge and intelligent opposition was of many, many different individuals moving together to make a vast statement. It even had the power to hold back the action. The war on Iraq began a few days after Uranus moved into Pisces, and we began to demonstrate the kind of behaviour that needs to be left behind; immediately the war began, many of its opponents felt an emotional need to support the soldiers, and did so by supporting their own side against the other.
     There may have been many reasons for the attack. Two of them are Piscean: one being emotionally-based fear (of terrorism, or dwindling oil reserves), and the other, the missionary zeal to convert (to democracy, or western beliefs). Since then this attack has ignored the agreed boundaries that allow the autonomy of any nation, and the peaceful and intelligent discussion of informed individuals, both of which are positive Aquarius. The aim may have been in part to impose Aquarian ideals where there was apparent despotism. But the idea that it is ‘right’ to impose anything on others within their own borders represents the Pisces confusion between caring and interference, or the Aquarian version of despotism, moving people about like chess pieces for a purpose that serves only a few. I am not judging the action as right or wrong within the situation, just questioning the righteous attitude of the attackers. From an astrological perspective, that kind of attack is out-of-date Piscean, or negative Aquarian. Through the Aquarian Age, it will become absolutely clear that forcing any change on others won’t work because it is no longer appropriate to the growing social awareness.

Neptune during this change of Ages:

     Neptune is transiting Aquarius from 1998 to 2012. During that time, this ruler of the sea of human emotion is adding the Piscean ideal of love to social settings, helping us understand that we can still work together towards a world community even though we may not necessarily work in the same way as each other.

     In 2003, with Uranus’ move into Neptune’s sign of Pisces, the emotionally reactive state of the world began being revealed. This is what we need to understand and master as we move into Aquarius. At the moment our experience of the psychic, emotional and spiritual worlds is all over the place. Our nervous systems are so sensitive these days that many of us are feeling every emotional wave, and the waves are coming from all over the Earth. At any time, any one of us might start feeling the emotions of loss or fear, of sadness or excitement. These emotions are quite possibly just wafting around the world from a war, a disaster or a celebration happening somewhere else. We need to become aware that we may be absorbing from the general emotional field. Otherwise, we tend to blame the people or events around us for how we feel, or simply feel we are going mad.
     We are used to experiencing the dust of a distant volcano in our skies, the migration of birds from distant lands into our fields. We know that the physical atmosphere of earth constantly swirls around us in the form of weather systems. There is also a psychic counterpart of all this, and we are now emotionally sensitive enough to be aware of experiencing it. The technological connections that are so easy to make, so difficult to avoid, are similarly represented on the psychic, emotional and mental levels. What happens on one level, happens on all, and the slowest vibration of these is the physical. So when something happens on the physical level, you can bet it’s happening on the other levels already. The introduction of broadband to our internet connections is a wonderful reflection of psychic openness. You have to remember to deliberately separate yourself from the world-wide-web!

     While Uranus is going through Pisces, disturbing this emotional/psychic field, Neptune is holding a steady Aquarian guiding light. The principle guiding us through all this is that even though our characters are different, and our circumstances are different, we are linked. We have humanity as our basic ground of being. Compassion for ourselves and others as we acknowledge and accept what we feel, helps us to regain our balance faster.

Approaching 2012:

Pluto into Capricorn in 2008:

     Whatever sign Pluto travels through points to those qualities and ideals of life that are due for an overhaul. Throughout his 13 years in Sagittarius, the focus is on expanding our vision, and encouraging open philosophical discussion. He is bringing to our awareness where we state ideas as logical truth, yet bypass any intellectual enquiry that might shake them. He doesn’t come as a great teacher, hovering over us all, explaining with a patient voice. Rather, we see the problems through ourselves. We find ourselves becoming what we call ‘fundamentalist,’ or fighting against fundamentalism. Either way we become very judgemental, and feel morally justified (an emotional position). When we finally go too far, we recognise the problem and change, or get stuck and risk destruction.
     Once all this is exposed, Pluto will be moving into the next sign, Capricorn. In Capricorn, he will be showing us what we resist recognising when we promote business at the expense of humanitarian ideals, and Earth’s limited resources. Again it will be our own behaviour that demonstrates the areas needing change.

Uranus into Aries in 2010:

     Uranus moving into Aries will bring bursts of energy enabling us to go for the necessary changes that Pluto has provoked. We will feel motivated to drive forwards into newness, new ideas, new energy, new movement. A while ago, I was discussing with my son, Howard, what we might expect to see at that time, and he suggested that the Aries’ spirit would be pioneering Uranus-inspired inventions and radical ideas, amongst other things, a new range of vehicles and robots using artificial intelligence. He pointed out that available inventions, relevant to Uranus’ sign, are in the imaging and experimental phase when Uranus is in the previous sign. For instance, when Uranus was in Capricorn, the world-wide-web was in the experimental phase. When Uranus went into Aquarius, the sign covering electrical inventions, this electrical invention to link the world, was generally available.
     So while Uranus is in Pisces, the decision-making robotic elements are being developed, and will be out there and available when we get the Aries courage to risk using them. Really exciting inventions are even more likely with Pluto revealing, through Capricorn, yet another layer of possibility in material production. At present we are held back by the insistence on using fossil fuels to power production, but Uranus in Aries shows the inventors driving ahead, regardless of traditional ways.
     With Uranus in Aries, people are more likely to act for themselves. In terms of aggression, we are more likely to be dealing with our own anger, and that of our neighbours, than national aggression. Soldiers may now be realising that the army is not necessarily a great career, with its high likelihood of death by painful means. But when Uranus moves into Aries, men may choose more forcefully to resist being grouped and moved about like Piscean flocks. Perhaps as individuals, we might even break through governmental conditioning, and realise that there is really no need to FEAR as much as we are being told.

Neptune into Pisces in 2011/12:

     Only after Uranus has established the forward push into the future, will Neptune move into Pisces, as though, with this strong movement into the Aquarian Age, we are safe from falling back into Pisces’ old misconceptions. It will be the first time since 1859 that Neptune will have been in its own sign, and it will be there until 2025. While still in Aquarius, Neptune is continuing to dissolve the barriers between people who are caught within social and national group structures. We are seeing those in a group we may have shunned, as people with the same basic motivations as ourselves. We are increasingly aware of world community, where individuals from different groups enjoy participating in social activities together. The idea behind the Olympics is Aquarian, although it has taken on a Piscean nationalistic fervour. The United Nations was clearly an attempt towards the Aquarian ideal.
     Neptune’s move into Pisces shifts the focus from social structures to the arts, the emotions, and the spirit. Neptune in Pisces is an ocean of opportunity to connect with the spirit in a personal way. ‘Humanity’ will be growing more aware of itself as a whole, just one of the life waves on Earth. The natural abilities of intuition and telepathy are likely to increase so markedly during those years that scepticism will be dissolving in the face of personal experience. Uranus’ time in Pisces is reflecting our growing sensitivity to each other. From 2012, as Neptune travels through Pisces, feeling connected through common human emotions is likely to become the norm.

Uranus square Pluto:

     A connection between any other planet and Pluto indicates that something we need to know will be revealed. My feeling is that the tension of this impending revelation is building up now, and individuals, groups, committees, nations, are all feeling the pressure. It’s like knowing you are going to have to make adjustments, but not quite knowing where to start, and feeling time running out. Perhaps our tension is a reflection of the state of the Earth, where the tectonic plates are pushing to move in relation to each other, and being temporarily stuck. From early 2012 until the end of 2014, Uranus will appear to be exactly 90 degrees from Pluto several times, and these could be the moments of greatest change. In our own lives, we know that change happens more easily when we relax, and let go our attempts at control. Building restraining walls against sea encroachment actually encourages erosion at either end, it doesn’t really hold the sea back at all. There are already warnings of the need to be prepared to ‘go with the flow’ when required, and particularly from 2008 onwards there will be more. The teams of intelligent people learning how to predict the whereabouts of the next earthquake, are aiming to give those in danger more warning. They are not trying to stop earthquakes!

Chiron goes into Pisces with Neptune in 2011:

     Once the adjustments have been made, the Earth will be, as it were, more comfortable. I think we will breathe a great communal sigh, and feel safe at last. Whatever is revealed during the early 2010’s will be what we really need to know, if we are to continue improving our inter-relatedness with the Earth and the cosmos. Chiron heals with the truth. Chiron with Neptune moving into Pisces is likely to reveal the ancient rift we have felt between our struggling personality and the loving spirit, in order to heal it. Trusting that ‘it’s all spirit really’ we don’t need to focus on worrying about physical changes. What will always pull us through is the hand we reach out to help another, when changes actually happen. Life is growth, and growth is change. Spirit is only in the present, and fear would keep us in the past, fixed and spirit-less (dead).

Conclusions

     Everything I have said here is by way of comment rather than answer. There will continue to be events both human-caused and earth-caused, and the movement of planets will reflect those events inexorably. It is my belief that we cannot predict the events of 2012 exactly. It is my opinion that, without exact prior knowledge, but having some idea of the energy of the times, we can choose our emotional and mental focus to make the most of that energy, so that the events bring growth and learning in positive ways.
     Whatever else may be happening, Chiron will be going into Pisces right beside Neptune, suggesting that in the wake of all events will be our spiritual healing. The key to that time will be to trust in the wholeness of the great pattern. As we continue to move firmly into the Aquarian Age, Neptune through Pisces will bring again Piscean ideals, the love of spirit, and the trust that in spirit we are one. Anyone resisting this understanding may well find themselves confused by the events surrounding them. Emotionally we are connected; in thought we are very different. And while we are in-bodied, we all must deal with the human condition. And we, who are dealing with it, are One.
     There will continue to be adjustments and shifts in the earth and its atmosphere, in politics and world social behaviour, in personal relationships and families. So, no, in my mind, it won’t be the end of the world. I think it will be our initiation into, and celebration of, the Age of Aquarius!

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Well, I understand all this better than I did when I started trying to write it. I hope it makes sense to you. And thanks for the questions!

With love,

Margaret

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I would like to leave you with a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh, a wonderful spiritual teacher from Vietnam, now living in France.

‘It is not correct to believe that the world's situation is in the hands of the government and that if the president would only have the correct policies, there would be peace. Our daily lives have the most to do with the situation of the world. If we can change our daily lives we can change our governments and we can change the world. Our presidents and our governments are us. They reflect our lifestyle and our way of thinking.’