Sometimes it is necessary to stand back and take a global perspective. For most people, this is not necessary when examining the astrological ages because each age stands alone like a brick in a wall. The only relevance of this common approach is that the Age of Pisces preceded the Aquarian age, and the Age of Capricorn will follow it. If you have been following this blog or have read “THE DAWNING Shedding New Light on the Astrological Ages” you will know that the whole system of the astrological ages is much more sophisticated and full of fractal nuances. Firstly you would understand that no age acts in isolation because the influence of the previous age always carries into or overflows onto the next age. So while we have been in the Aquarian age since around 1433 AD, the overflow from the previous Pisces age is so prevalent that the current age should be called the Pisces-Aquarius age (1433-3574 AD) reflecting the dominant influence of Pisces in the Aquarian age. Furthermore each age has age-decans, sub-ages, micro-ages etc. all contributing to the chorus at any time.
Though we are in the Pisces-Aquarius age, at the upper level or big picture view of the ages, the current astrological influence upon the world is not limited to Pisces and Aquarius. As unbelievable as it may seem, the influence from the age before Pisces, the Aries age and overflow (2916 BC – 1433 AD), continues to exert a tangible influence upon the world – principally on culture and society. Culture is conservative and sluggish, and maintains cultural momentum for thousands of years. Since 1433 AD, the lingering cultural influence from the Aries age is like a cartoon character that has run out past the edge of the cliff, but hasn’t looked down yet. The wily roadrunner is still out there for a short time but without a solid base beneath his feet. Once he looks down he will plummet to earth far below. This is the current status with Aries – it is out past the edge of the cliff but has not yet looked down – that will occur around 2148 – the middle of the next century. Aries’ cultural momentum upon society will then seriously begin to ebb and wane – but not disappear entirely!
The reason for this fall is very simple. The first age-decan of the current Aquarian age is the Libra age-decan and overflow (1433-2148-2863) with its highpoint at 2148. Between 1433 and 2148 Libra is ascending to its point of power in 2148. It is not until this point is reached that Libra can exert its maximum power to undermine Aries, its opposite sign. Because Aries is out past the cliff edge, it still has some power in the meantime, but not enough to withstand the opposition from Libra at full strength next century.
What will happen from the middle of the 22nd century onwards? Any archetype associated with Aries will be progressively subdued or opposed. Aries is the prime sign for war and violence, and so we can expect a significant drop in war and violence from the mid-22nd century onwards. For example, it is extremely unlikely that there will be another world war even between now and the middle of next century…. but this does not exclude the explosion of nuclear bombs or dirty bombs – especially by terrorist groups or renegade nations. While war is in subsidence however, terrorism remains on the rise for a long time – at least until the end of the 22nd century.
There will also be wars and violence because the leading edge of the astrological ages and their sub-periods only affect the leading edge of world developments, but many countries and regions exist in a cultural time warp, with new cultural developments taking a long time to reach them. Think of the wake from the bow of a boat spreading out behind. For example the circumstances of women in many conservative Islamic societies is very constrained and limited, but their dire modern circumstance is very close to the position of women in western society 500 years ago. The wake of the Aquarian age and Libran age-decan has only arrived in Muslim countries recently whereas it hit many western nations some centuries ago. Another example is North Korea. The rest of the world has turned away from brain-numbing communism which saw its hey days in the middle of the 20th century, but here is North Korea keeping alive 1930s communism ridiculously oblivious to where the world has subsequently headed.
The leading edge of the Aquarian age has affected western society far more than other societies – which is why many other societies seem to lag in their cultural and political development. It may seem that western society has already jumped onto the new Libran bandwagon – which to a certain extent is true. Women have made enormous progress in most western nations and some developing nations. The best is yet to come. So while the leading edge of the world in the 22nd century will embrace Libra faster, it may take many centuries for other parts of the world to catch up with the new cultural reality.
Another reason why Libra at full strength will not create a warless world is that Libra rules opposition. The age empire of the Pisces-Aquarian age, the USA, will have to contend with a political force in the world equal to itself but with many opposing views and policies. This does not automatically mean war and violence, but it does suggest a yin-yang polarity. Also, during the powerful Libra age-decan overflow (2148-2863) there is an Aries sub-age decan and overflow (2327-2387-2447) indicating at a minimum a 60 year period (2387-2447) fraught with sabre rattling and the usual stupid disagreements that have plagued nations since they commenced forming about 5,000 years ago. Nevertheless, there is the potential for the next best thing to a mini golden age from around 2148 until 2863 when Libra is dominant. Libra, like all signs, has positive and negative archetypes, but Libra has probably the softest negative archetypes of all the 12 zodiacal signs.
Despite Libra’s softness, there will still be losers in the Libran age-decan overflow. Aries-aligned Ancient Rome, the empire of the previous Aries-Pisces age, included most of Europe. Any vestige of Ancient Rome is sure to suffer under Libra. Historical analysis of previous age-decans indicate that the first age-decan cusp in any age (such as the Libran age-decan cusp in 2148), is the most potent, and often associated with the collapse or fracturing of societies, sometimes due to climate change or the results of environmental damage.
How will the Libra age-decan cusp in 2148 effect Europe? I suspect it will be an environmental catastrophe of some type. Perhaps the Atlantic Conveyor Belt that sends warm ocean currents to Western Europe will be affected. This current has stopped in the past and when it does, it usually drops the average temperature in Europe by over 10 degrees centigrade. This would devastate Europe. If it is not an environmental catastrophe, some other far-reaching influence will negatively affect Europe from around the mid-22nd century onwards.
Aries archetypes are not limited to war and violence. Any positive or negative ‘force’ is an Aries archetype. When Aries is strong, many people want or demand other people to follow their own form of conduct – akin to social bullying. This can be demonstrated by the Right to Life Movement. Any member or supporter of the Right to Life Movement can abstain from abortions, as is their right. However they are not satisfied with this, they want to ‘force’ or bully other members of society to follow their cultural maxims. The same applies to many societies’ attitudes to gay marriage, recreational drug use or any behaviour adopted by any minority group in society. For example, it was reported in April 2012 that one state in the USA intended to outlaw males wearing baggy trousers. Bullying of minority groups will progressively fall out of favour over the coming centuries.
The problem with Aries is that it generally results in a win-lose situation, whereas Libra suggests a win-win result due to compromise and team work. Another aspect of Aries that will be threatened by the rising tide of Libra is the ‘shoot first ask questions later’ Aries syndrome. We can see that this applied to the US and its allies approach to Iraq in the first decade of the 21st century – but it is not limited to warfare. Human society is still marching forward at an accelerating rate with seemingly no one in control or analysing where we are at, where we want to go, and how we should get there. In place of this we have a powerful lobby in the age-empire at least a (Pisces) belief system that capitalism will automatically sort everything out for us perfectly.
Unfortunately, anything that gets between corporations and money is seen as an enemy. This is why ecological sustainability is strongly disfavored by conservative politicians in bed with corporations. Libra cannot over-ride Pisces belief systems, only the dynamic heads-down energy of Aries – like a charging ram – that can go a long way but cannot see where it is going. Libra is the sign of discernment, so from the middle of the next century, there should be more checks and balances in place than has been the norm for the last 5,000 years, to assure the world of an agreeable future.
A mini-golden age may appear for many centuries by the middle of the 22nd century. There cannot be a utopian age while the astrological ages exist because each age and sub-period is associated with positive and negative archetypes. Libra is connected with Protestantism, China and the whole of the East in general, the USA and specifically with the USA government. The Roman Catholic Church archetypally represents the continuation of Ancient Roman culture, which is strongly associated with Aries, and therefore it is in for a rough ride come the middle of the 22nd century when Libra peaks. The Protestant religions were born at the beginning of the Libra age-decan, and therefore should experience far greater longevity and may even relatively thrive under Libra in comparison to the Roman Catholic Church – but will still be on the wane because the Christian base has Aries as a key archetype in its signature.
Islam, primarily associated with Cancer, will see its 4th house activated. Islam will retreat in more than one way. It will retreat to its heartland and to being a religion of the people, and it will cease its public or political stridency. If it fights for prestige, it will not succeed. China is strongly associated with Libra and Cancer. Cancer also insinuates that China will keep to its heartland but its Libra element will thrive. China will probably provide the polar opposition to the USA in the coming centuries.
The main problem for the USA under Libra is its gun-toting mentality – both domestically and internationally. The Aries archetype has instilled itself into the astrological signature of the USA, probably imported from Europe, or defined in the formative Aries sub-age decan overflow (1731-1791) when it violently wrenched itself from Great Britain. Therefore the strong militaristic and right-to-bear-arms side of American society is in for an overhaul of values. All past age empires experienced extreme stress at the cusp of age-decans. The highly stressful time for the USA political establishment will occur sometime in the 22nd century. A clash between the gun-toting culture and (Libran) pacifists cannot be ruled out. There may even be an interregnum of the US government lasting decades until it regains control and restores the republic.
Any Aries archetype will be in detriment in a Libra period. These include contact and extreme sports and competitive sports in general, the iron and steel industries, skyscrapers and engineering, sheep, armaments industry, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, forest fires, cremation, violent crimes, surgical operations, and patriotism. Perhaps scientists will finally find a remedy for Alzheimer’s disease? The brain damage incurred by some American footballers will cease to be an issue as physical contact sports fall out of favor with the general public (don’t expect this to occur in your lifetime).
In the same way as the world’s greatest poet lived many centuries ago, our skyscraper jungles of cities will probably be looked back as some kind of highpoint of engineering and construction or a massive aberration – our inner cities may become giant living museums! It will not be the dynamic construction of ever taller buildings and engineering prowess that will attract future generations, but gardens, greenery and mellow harmonious cities that blend natural and man-made elements.
Anything associated with Libra should be enhanced. These Libran archetypes include: architecture, art and music, ball games (i.e. tennis), clothing, social clubs, women and girls, sugar and diabetes, etiquette, fads, public and private gardens (national parks), happiness, immaturity, justice, luxury, relationships of all types, social life and peace. The 60s and 70s peace movement will evolve into such a powerful political bloc in the world, that they will balance the dynamic capitalists and their supporters and ultimately come to a compromise in how to manage the world sustainably.
Some additional countries and places that may excel under Libra are: Austria, Burma, upper Egypt, Japan, Siberia and Tibet.[1] Tibet has periodically been either absorbed by China or an independent nation – so present circumstances my not be an indication of its future. Libra is an indecisive sign, so the world may swing from being proactive to responsive. This should reduce wars but way retard the future world’s ability to grapple with some problems – preferring to let the situation ride rather than solving it.
One particular Libran archetypes on the ascendancy is diabetes linked to sugar. If we are in the preparatory stage for Libra, this suggests that the world will increasingly be overweight and more people will get diabetes as Libra grows in strength. This may only partially be the case. Certainly the ubiquitous nature of sugar in the modern world suggests that we are on a downhill run with the sweetness epidemic, but Libra is also the balance. Many people do consume sugar in excess, but a growing number of people understand that they need moderation in the use of sugar. The time lag will be influential here, because even when western society clearly understands the danger of sugar, it will take a long time to flow through to the rest of the world. For example in my many travels to South-East Asia I have regularly seen many billboards extolling the virtue of monosodium glutamate as a food additive, something that is becoming increasingly rarer in the cosmopolitan west.
The seeds of many of the developments that will flourish or retreat under Libra from the middle 22nd century are already perceptible. The rise of Libra to its peak in 2148 is a four stage affair. Firstly in in 1433 the Libra age-decan arrived and two queens quickly made an impact – Queen Elizabeth in England and Queen Isabella in Spain. Protestant Queen Elizabeth withstood the anger of European Catholic nations including the Spanish Armada. Queen Isabella oversaw the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in southern Spain. Secondly the arrival of the Libra quasi age-decan in 1791 saw the beginning of the suffragettes, bent on female equality – not to mention Jane Austen! This also was the beginning of relative luxurious living by the new middle class, commencing in Europe, that progressively benefitted from the arrival of the Industrial Revolution in the years leading up to this time.
The third stage was the arrival of the Libra sub-age in 1970 which saw further social and political emancipation of women, and the beginning of deregulation of relationships in general. The peace movement also appeared. Since 1970, the growth in the middle class around the world has been accelerating at an exponential rate. Even before the culminating forth stage in 2148, another significant Libra stage post will be encountered with the arrival of the Libra quasi sub-age in 2059. Closer at hand is the small Libra micro-age decan and overflow (2020-9) – a foretaste of things to come? It’s only eight years away, and only 11 to 12 years for the influence of this small Libra period to be widely noticeable.
Between now and the mini Libran golden age sits Scorpio – specifically the Scorpio sub-age age overflow (1970-2148). Unlike Libra, Scorpio is not a tranquil sign. The going will be rough until the middle of next century, but this Scorpio influence does almost sit under the umbrella of Libra. Two significant and overlapping sub-age decans will also add their influence leading up to 2148. Firstly the Gemini sub-age decan and overflow (1970-2089) and the Aquarius sub-age decan and overflow (2029-2148).
The world is currently in the growth curve of Gemini which on a superficial level correlates to the rise in cellular phones and the ubiquitous email. The Aquarian sub-age decan overflow (2089 – 2148) will be the real cause of concern, but this is unlikely to affect any current readers. Regardless of Gemini, Aquarius and Scorpio, the broad reach of Libra should offer some comfort to the world even in the coming turbulent times sitting between us and the Libra mini-golden age.
When I introduced the mini-golden age arriving in the middle of next century at a talk at the Bar Luna Literary Club, Ubud, Bali in December 2011, there was a concerted and palpable sigh of disappointment that we don’t get to live in the Libra mini-golden age. However the influence of the coming Libran mini golden age is already here for those who wish to experience it. The fact that less than 20% of the populations of western nations only subscribe or support peaceful Libra, environmental awareness etc. is not a weakness, but a work in progress. Many people already live in the coming cultural paradigm defined by Libra. So while any mini golden age may not arrive until the 22nd century, many people have already crossed the threshold of the new Libra age-decan as a preview to the coming centuries.
LINKS
[1] Rex E Bills, “The Rulership Book”, Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co, Richmond Virginia, 1976, Aries, Libra and Venus sections
Demystifying the Aquarian Age 