Turn Of An Age

by Merlin Emrys

What we are witnessing is an often brutal clash between two powerful forces at the turn of an age. The Piscean era is inexorably giving way to the Aquarian, and in the process it is wise to beware the thrashings of the dying beast.

The sixth ray, represented by Mars and Neptune, is passing on. The seventh ray, signified by Uranus, begins its ascendancy. It is no surprise that Uranus is now in Aries, the beginning of the zodiac, until March of 2019. Along with the ongoing square of it to Pluto — they conjoined in 1966-67 — perhaps this period marks the beginning of a new world order based upon spiritual principles, supplanting fear-driven greed, control and religious fanaticism which is reaching an apex and will inevitably wane.

The Piscean age certainly has had a strong focus on individuality and competition, as opposed to the collective and cooperation, which is Aquarian. Religion and philosophical belief was emphasized, and far too often this has taken the form of fundamentalism, fascism and fanaticism, oppressing people rather than empowering them. One might say that the birth of Jesus was a heralding of this aeon, yet look at how those teachings have been almost completely distorted and corrupted.

Music, painting, dance, and film are also signified by Pisces and its twin ruling planets, Jupiter and Neptune, and these art forms have now clearly become part of the human psyche.

Aquarius deals with the collective more than the individual, with intuition rather than intellect, and with a spirit of cooperation rather than competition. It also encompasses consensus decision-making, rather than majority — or totalitarian — governance. Along with its ruling planet, Uranus, it signifies the need to overturn rules, regulations and the existing order, whether that be government, society, or one’s personal belief system.

It also is about synthesis, the blending together of disparate streams in new ways. Examples are the Internet, a means of global communication where each person can find a place for self-expression, and various social media which allow people to freely interact and share with one another.

Historically, the shift probably began in the 1960’s. Many remember John F. Kennedy’s call, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” as an awakening of the collective as opposed to the individual, and he also founded the Peace Corps.

The Berkeley Free Speech Movement of 1963 ignited the desire in young people to break away from the confining values of their elders and create a society in keeping with greater idealism, equality and freedom. This certainly expressed itself in terms of dress, the use of drugs to experience new and more inclusive realms of consciousness, the coming to the West of Eastern religions and belief systems, and the formation of communes and communities such as Findhorn.

The radical tribal love-rock musical “Hair” with its famous lyric, “This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius,” began sounding this new note in 1968. It extolled peace, love, freedom, and happiness, and continued the questioning of the standards of morality, sexuality, individualism, racism, violence, drug use, loyalty, and social acceptance, which clearly remain problems in the America of today.

The Vietnam War protests, especially in the U.S., bore witness to the power of the collective to change government policies and actions…And the Women’s Movement, which largely began in the 1970’s, was also instrumental in calling attention to inequality at all levels, and the right of each of us to make our own decisions regarding our lives.

But there was a lack of maturity and an inability to ground these visions and ideals, and the incoming energies of Aquarius were not strong enough to dispel the old values. Now, some fifty years later, there is greater wisdom and practical abilities, and as the new forces grow in strength, we can see the emergence of global changes. And uncannily, many of the issues of the ’60’s and ’70’s are coming round again, to be hopefully dealt with in more creative and empowering ways.

During the transition time, however, we can expect to see the old order, as it begins to crumble, to be totally driven by fear and paranoia. It knows its time is up, and yet attempts to hold onto power and the status quo in ever-frightening fashion, ignoring feedback and even common sense. Simply look around, especially at what is happening in the U.S., which has become the surveillance society, spying on its citizens and others all round the world. Elections and politicians are routinely bought by corporate interests, and the Supreme Court has ruled that corporations are people. The theater of the absurd is in full swing!

The attempts to suppress dissent, censor the Internet, and punish whistle-blowers for exposing the rot at the core of the government would be laughable, if not so tragic for many. Sadly, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and China are all-too-happy to follow suit.

And the emperor’s new clothes syndrome, which reached unprecedented levels during the regime of Ronald Reagan — a third-rate Hollywood actor who could look into the television cameras whilst lying through his teeth to the American public and having most of them believe him — continues apace with the likes of Dubya and Obama.

Yet we also witness the emerging of the new, in many areas, exemplified by vast numbers of people of all ages and walks of life, from many countries, who have been demonstrating for peace and against war, for dealing creatively with global warming, and for equality for all, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. Other examples are the uprisings and attempts to overthrow repressive regimes in various countries such as Syria and Egypt.

Clearly the task at hand is to work cooperatively for the good of all, in whatever form this may take, affirming the power of love as opposed to the love of power. In this way we heal ourselves, one another, and the Earth.

©1993-2015 by Merlin Emrys. All Rights Reserved.