SCORPIO in Retrospect

Over six years ago my article SCORPIO – the Sign of the Times was published in the Astrological Monthly Review (Vol. 68, No. 11, November 2006, pages 27-31). In that article I identified the prime concepts that were expected to appear with the Scorpio hotspot (2005-15):

• Revolution, terrorists and general instability
• tyrants with their cruelty
• death, assassinations and murder
• waste products from any process, which naturally includes sewage and pollution
• atomic energy and bombs
• almost everything associated with sex
• taxes and debt (including credit cards)
• underground criminal organisations
• spy networks

The period 2005 to 2015 is the key Scorpio time associated with the Scorpio micro-age decan (2005-10) and Scorpio micro-age decan overflow (2010-15) sitting as the middle decan within the Cancer micro-age (2000-15) (see table below). Within the Aquarian age, the most relevant aspect that relates to the whole 21^st century is Scorpio.  This is because there are twelve sub-ages in each age, and the Scorpio sub-age existed from 1791 until 1970.  Due to the fact that ages and their sub periods behave like waves the following period 1970 to 2148 demonstrates the dispersion of the Scorpionic energy (technically the Scorpio sub-age overflow) over the following Libra sub-age.  There are twelve sub-ages in each astrological age.  Furthermore each sub-age has twelve micro-ages of approximately 15 years each, with each micro-age consisting of three decans of approximately five years each The Scorpio micro-age decan ran from 2005 until 2010, with its overflow period 2010 to 2015 – but with its most potent time from 2007 until 2012 (the top of the bell curve) which I term the Scorpio quasi-micro-age decan (2007-12) though the whole period 2005 to 2015 is the full Scorpio hotspot as this little Scorpio micro-age decan resonates with the momentum of the Scorpio sub-age overflow (1970 – 2148).

The main correlation to Scorpio was not emphasized in the above list from 2006. The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) appeared right on target with the arrival of the Scorpio quasi-micro-age decan (2007-12) and mainly departed by the end of 2012 except for some remnant kicking and screaming by southern peninsular European countries (and this can be expected to continue until 2015). I did list ‘taxes and debt (including credit cards)’ but the GFC was a significant magnification of these issues especially related to debt.  I doubt if few people would disagree that 2007 to 2012 was extremely out of kilter with the economic norm we have come to expect in the modern world.  As a result, people have been focused upon reducing their debt including credit cards that is proving to be an anti-stimulus to the economy.  One of the major political issues in the USA over the course of this period is the political impasse over the US debt limit.  The Democrats want to increase taxes, while the Republicans want to decrease expenditure – but both are strong Scorpio archetypes. This is unlikely to be fully resolved until 2015.  The reduction in expenditure, consumption and debt will be an ongoing theme in the First World for the next century and a half with this little Scorpio hotspot a foretaste of the new world economic paradigm.  While the First World slows down, the Developing World will be full steam ahead (until they catch up and then suffer the same fate).

Scorpio archetypes include revolution and general instability.  The widespread flare-up of disenchanted citizens in many Middle Eastern countries since early 2011 included: Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Jordan, Mauritania, Sudan, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Djibouti, Morocco, Iraq, Somalia, Bahrain, Iran and Kuwait.[1]   From an astrological perspective, it is interesting that the revolutionary fervor is basically located in Middle Eastern Muslim nations, while the similar revolutionary fervor of the 1960s and 70s was mainly associated with Western nations (the main exception to this was Iran).  The current Middle Eastern instability is occurring in the Cancer micro-age (2000 – 2015).  Cancer is the main sign associated with Islam, and also has long antecedents in the Middle East (Cancer is always associated with the middle of anything).

While the Middle Eastern unrest is mainly a drive against authoritarian leaders (Capricorn), all the other revolutionaries around the world are busy blowing up churches, mosques, temples and innocent people to further their extremist agendas.  They are also empowered by the current Scorpio hotspot as terrorists belong to Scorpio.  The recent assassination of Osama bin Laden has multiple Scorpio archetypes attached to it – terrorism, revolutionary leader, assassination, and spy networks.

Tyrants are also strongly associated with Scorpio, and they received a lot of attention from the arrival of the current Scorpio hotspot– and top of the list was Colonel Gaddafi of Libya, but he was not alone in his obnoxiousness.  In real terms the first prize should go to the late Kim Jong-il of North Korea – shelling a South Korean inhabited island, launching provocative missiles, sinking a South Korean naval ship and always threatening to produce nuclear weapons. His son has continued along the same path to date.  It is one of those ironies of the astrological ages and politics that the same sign Scorpio breeds revolutions and tyrants.  They both seem to appear relatively simultaneously and the French Revolution at the very beginning of the Scorpio sub-age (1791-1970) was its first classic example.

The key nuclear issue associated with the current Scorpio hotspot is the Japanese disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant following the tsunami in March 2011.  This is the greatest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986 and both events are the only two nuclear accidents to measure Level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale.[2]  Until this nuclear accident, the current Scorpio hotspot had seen a sharp revival of interest in building more nuclear reactors around the world to a level not seen for decades (since the previous Scorpio hotspot).  Currently 60 nuclear plants are under construction – with the majority in Asia and many existing plants are being upgraded.  The plants in operation in 2009 provided 15% of the world’s electricity. 155 nuclear reactors are in the planning stage with another 320 proposed.[3]  As one adverse aspect of this new push towards nuclear energy, the German government suffered some serious political humiliation early in 2011, after the Japanese tsunami, due to its strong promotion of nuclear power prior to the Japanese accident. Japan even temporarily put on hold plans to expand its nuclear energy. The world will progressively turn to nuclear power over the coming 150 years bringing its attendant benefits and disadvantages.

On the sexual front the push to decriminalize homosexuality and legalize gay marriage has definitely seen a marked revival around the world over the last five years.  In the Scorpio micro-age and overflow (1955-70-85), the sexual focus was mainly upon the impact of the contraceptive pill. The focus has shifted from heterosexuals to homosexuals in recent years but for most gays, they may have to wait for the Aquarius quasi micro-age decan (2017 – 2022).  Surveys state that  even in socially conservative Australia the general public want this issue resolved but politicians prefer to placate the minority conservative religions.  Of course, the exposition of the sexual depravity and aberrations of many priests, church officials and some youth organisations over the last five years has left an indelible stain on many organisations, especially the Roman Catholic Church.  Such is the extent of the problem that even Australia’s Cardinal Pell has recently advocated for married priests.

We have had some classic and major intrigues associated with spies.  Firstly the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, a former officer of the Soviet KGB and later an agent of the British MI6 and Spanish secret services who is alleged to have been murdered at the end of 2006 by radioactive polonium-210[4] – anything radioactive belongs to Scorpio.  His murder about two months before the technical start of the Scorpio quasi-micro-age decan means he was murdered at the very end of the previous Pisces quasi-micro-age decan with Pisces the ruler of poisonings.  He was affected by both Pisces and Scorpio as his death occurred in the Scorpio micro-age decan (2005-10).  Another classic spy scandal was the unearthing of the Russian sleeper spy cell in 2010 with 10 agents arrested.  Some agents had been in the USA since the mid 1990’s.[5]  Even the recent revival of the James Bond franchise suggests a renewed fascination by the general public with spies.  The highly successful Sopranos and related TV series focused upon mafia gangs and criminals ties in tightly with the Scorpio hotspot. In 2013 TV Guide ranked the Sopranos in the Top 10 list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time.[6]

Did the Scorpio hotspot (2007-12) within the Scorpio micro-age decan and overflow (2005-15) demonstrate a heightened manifestation of Scorpio archetypes?  The GFC is probably the most potent example of Scorpio in this time frame but the Fukushima nuclear accident is a close second.  Revolution and general instability mainly in the Middle East has also demonstrated a strong Scorpio focus.  The killing of Osama Bin Laden and all other listed items from 2006 strongly suggest that Scorpio has recently been peaking in world affairs.  Even the massive loss of ice in the Arctic ultimately as a repercussion of pollution is a double Scorpio archetype – Scorpio rules both ice (fixed water) and pollution (the world’s waste).  From 1948 until 2002, the average decline of ice in the Artic was 3% per decade.  Right on target in 2007, the loss of Arctic ice significantly increased – far more than the decrease of ice at the Antarctic.  As a result, for the first time in recorded history, the Northwest Passage opened to ships without the need of icebreakers.[7]

The next Scorpio period of the same magnitude of the recent Scorpio hotspot is the Scorpio micro-age decan and overflow (2059-64-69) – something to warn your grandchildren about.  We are now at the very beginning of the Cancer quasi micro-age decan (2012-2017) and so the emphasis has shifted to Cancer – but we can still expect some significant remnant Scorpio developments until 2015 – especially aligned to the ten months of the Scorpio nano-age decan and overflow in the last part of 2014 and early 2015 (probably indicating the next significant but temporary downturn of the stock market). Under Cancer, the general public becomes even more fickle, and Capricorn leaders around the world are being undermined, one way or another.  Many heads will roll (politically) but the USA is on course for its first female president.  Long term plans (such as reigning in pollution to prevent destructive climate change) are temporarily against the collective desires of the Cancer general public who generally cannot see beyond immediate emotional issues and their wallet.  Don’t worry, the Aquarius quasi-micro-age decan (2017-22) will bring back some forward planning, innovative developments but also some heightened revolutionary fervor (for better or worse).  The period 2017 to 2022 will be the first solid experience of Aquarius for surviving Baby Boomers.

For a more detailed analysis of the above, see:

• SCORPIO – the Sign of the Times …. Revisited – Part 1 –Revolution and Tyrants
• SCORPIO – the Sign of the Times …. Revisited Part 2 – Nuclear Issues
• SCORPIO – the Sign of the Times …. Revisited Part 3 – Taxes & Debt

End notes:

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[1] “2010–2011 Middle East and North Africa protests.” Wikipedia, 21 Apr. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2011.

[2]  “Analysis: A month on, Japan nuclear crisis still scarring” International Business Times (Australia). 9 April 2011, retrieved 12 April 2011

[3] “Plans For New Reactors Worldwide”, http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf17.html, downloaded 22 April 2010

[4] “Alexander Litvinenko.” Wikipedia,  1 Mar. 2013. Web. 1 Mar. 2013.

[5] “Illegals Program” Wikipedia, 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 1 Mar. 2013.

[6] “The Sopranos.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 1 Mar. 2013. Web. 4 Mar. 2013.

[7] “Polar ice packs.” Wikipedia, 2 Mar. 2013. Web. 4 Mar. 2013.

If you wish to follow this ground-breaking research into the astrological ages, many resources are available at:

www.macro-astrology.com

SCORPIO – the Sign of the Times …. Revisited – Part 1

Part 1 –Revolution and Tyrants

Five years ago my article SCORPIO – the Sign of the Times was published in the Astrological Monthly Review (Vol. 68, No. 11, November 2006, pgs 27-31). Within the Aquarian age, the most relevant aspect that relates to the 21^st century is Scorpio.  This is because there are twelve sub-ages in each age, and the Scorpio sub-age existed from 1791 until 1970.  Due to the fact that the greatest manifestation of influence for any age or sub-period is in the immediate following period, the peak potential for Scorpio is actually 1970 to 2148.  There are smaller sub periods in the astrological ages than sub-ages.  Each sub-age has twelve micro-ages of approximately 15 years each, with each micro-age consisting of three decans of approximately five years each The Scorpio micro-age decan ran from 2005 until 2010, with its overflow period 2010 to 2015 its most potent time – especially 2010 to 2012.  The whole period 2005 to 2015 is a Scorpio hotspot as this little Scorpio micro-age decan resonates with the momentum of the Scorpio sub-age overflow (1970 – 2148)

In the article published in 2006 I identified the prime concepts associated with Scorpio:

• Revolution and general instability
• tyrants with their cruelty
• terrorists
• spiritual regeneration
• death, assassinations and murder
• waste products from any process, which naturally includes sewage and pollution
• atomic energy and bombs
• almost everything associated with sex
• taxes and debt (including credit cards)
• underground criminal organisations
• spy networks
• minimalism

Revolution and General Instability

Recent evidence, especially since about 2007, strongly supports the existence of this Scorpio hotspot.  Let’s start with revolution and general instability.  The flare-up of disenchanted citizens in many Middle Eastern countries since early 2011 is widespread and includes: Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Jordan, Mauritania, Sudan, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Djibouti, Morocco, Iraq, Somalia, Bahrain, Iran and Kuwait.  The unrest commenced in Tunisia in December 2010 and two established leaders have already been overthrown – in Tunisia and Egypt. In response a number of these countries have enacted democratic reforms, but some have created greater repression of their political opponents or citizens.[1]

From an astrological perspective, it is interesting that the current round of revolutionary fervour is basically located in Middle Eastern Muslim nations, while the similar revolutionary fervour of the 1960s and 70s was mainly associated with Western nations.  The main exception to this was Iran.  The current Middle Eastern instability is occurring in the Cancer micro-age (2000 – 2015).  Cancer is the main sign associated with Islam, and also has long antecedents in the Middle East (Cancer is always associated with the middle of anything, including particularly the stomach). Even the recent riots (since 2005) in French cities were by disaffected Muslim youths.  This is interesting from the point that the signs Cancer and Scorpio have strong antecedents in France, and the Muslim urban guerrillas seems to be mainly a French phenomenon rather than a European or western phenomenon.

The current revolutionary unrest may be a small preview of what is to come.  The Cancer micro-age overflow (2014 – 2029) is potentially the first of a number of highly revolutionary periods experienced in the world for around 7,000 years (see A Celebration 7,000 Years in the Making ).  The Cancer micro-age overflow is also the same time period as the Gemini micro-age which contains within it the revolutionary Aquarian micro-age decan and overflow (2015 – 2024) with the most potent time around 2020.  Will the Middle East explode?

The last time the world experienced a Scorpio micro-age decan and overflow within a Cancer micro-age was 1841 to 1851.  It was during this period that the first explosions of western working class people began against their mainly despotic and anti-democratic rulers.  At the forefront of this new revolutionary sensibility of the working class was the publication in 1848 of The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.  After 30 years of relative calm, major revolutions in 1848 provided Europe with a taste of things to come. Similar to exiting despotic rulers in the Middle East, the western monarchial governments severely repressed their citizens in the 18^th century. It took over 100 years, but by the end of the 20th century, most people in western countries existed in a democratic environment.  Freedom does not come easily!

The astrology of the astrological ages indicates that not all the world is unilaterally affected at the same time when a new age or sub-period arrives.  There is no doubt that when the Scorpio sub-age arrived in 1791, Europe was ready for its revolution, and over the course of the Scorpio sub-age (1791 – 1970), this definitely took place.  At the beginning of the sub-age, Europe was mainly ruled by monarchs.  A little after the end of the sub-age, Europe consists mainly of democratic nations.  This was a real revolution and probably the greatest revolution the world has ever experienced!  In the Scorpio sub-age overflow (1970 – 2148), the same kind of revolutionary energy that Europe experienced in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, will fan out to the rest of the world like the wake of a boat.  The fact that in the current Scorpio hotspot, the revolutionary zeal is mainly focused upon Middle Eastern Muslim nations, strongly suggests the new theatre of action over the next century or so.  From the macro-astrological perspective, the tyrannical, dictatorial and repressive regimes in the Middle East seem to have the edge over the demonstrators except in Tunisia, Egypt and perhaps Libya.

The citizens of the Middle East will not see the arrival of their democratic rights en mass in the next year or decade except in some lucky countries. However their quest for freedom may not take as long or be drawn out compared to what occurred in the West over the course of the 19^th and 20^th centuries.  The macro-astrological conditions for the rest of the 21^st centuries are extremely volatile and revolutionary – far more than the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Whichever Middle Eastern nations retain autocratic and monarchial control by 2074 will have to withstand the 60 years long Aquarian sub-age decan overflow (2074-2148).  Combining revolutionary Aquarius with the revolutionary Scorpio sub-age overflow (1970-2148) is going to create some very interesting political conditions in many areas of the world – heads will roll.

One major difficulty for these fledging Middle Eastern revolutionaries is the enormous amount of money their mainly despotic rulers have available to repress their subjects.  The West is pouring its financial resources into these nations in exchange for the economic heroin of the time – oil. The West also has its armaments industries assiduously arming these despots “for a profit”.  Therefore the fundamental difference between Europeans citizens fighting for the democratic rights over the last two centuries and Middle Eastern citizens is that their autocratic leaders are receiving enormous support from the western countries to maintain their autocratic authority.  This highlights one of those contradictions of the modern world.

In the current Aquarian age (really the Pisces-Aquarius age), the main sign is medieval Pisces, not democratic Aquarius. One Pisces delusion in the world today is that western democratic countries do the work of well-meaning democracies.  Just because a country is nominally democratic within its own borders, does not prevent it behaving abominably outside of its borders.  The role that western democratic nations have taken in the world is the role of the medieval lord of the manor demanding obeisance of its serfs (developing and Third World nations).  The west consumes the most, borrows the most, pollutes the most and enacts policies to maintain this position of privilege and power. It is in the best interests of western capitalists that Middle Eastern countries provide them with oil in exchange for providing massive financial support that enables Middle Eastern despots to keep their citizens subjugated.

The geo-political reality of the modern world is therefore unlikely to stand by while the suppliers of their next fix of oil get consumed by any revolutionary rabble.  Yes there will be some lip service towards nebulous democratic ideals – and in places like Libya it will be convenient as a payback time. Libya has long been a rogue state from the western perspective and therefore becomes the public relations scapegoat promoting the perspective that the western intervention is seen as the west fulfilling its democratic duty.   This takes the media focus way from other countries such as Bahrain where the Saudi’s in their tanks arrived to quell those pesky citizens having the temerity to demand their democratic rights – why don’t they obey their king like obedient subjects and keep those oil wells flowing?

Astrology is not biased towards good winning over evil.  While the Middle Eastern unrest is mainly a secular drive for freedom, all the other revolutionaries around the world are busy blowing up churches, mosques, temples and innocent people to further their extremist agendas.  They are also empowered by the current Scorpio hotspot.  So we have about four more years of concentrated freedom seeking revolutionaries and extremist terrorists creating turmoil.  The current Scorpio hotspot sits within the shadow of the Leo micro-age overflow (2000-2014) indicating, as a general rule, that the autocratic leaders have the (astrological) momentum compared to their revolutionary citizens.  This also applies to terrorists.  So while the Middle East revolutionaries may extract little major change in the current Scorpio hotspot, neither will the extremist terrorists.  This is all due to change by 2020 at the latest when a foretaste of the end of the 21^st century is experienced.

Tyrants

Tyrants have come out of the closet with the arrival of the current Scorpio hotspot– and top of the list is Colonel Gaddafi of Libya, but he is not alone in his obnoxiousness.  In real terms the first prize should go to Kim Jong-il of North Korea – shelling a South Korean inhabited island, launching provocative missiles, sinking a South Korean naval ship and always threatening to produce nuclear weapons. It is one of those ironies of the astrological ages and politics that the same sign Scorpio breeds revolutions and tyrants.  They both seem to appear relatively simultaneously.

Of course tyrants have only appeared since the rise of “civilization”. Examination of Colonel Gaddafi and Kim Jong-il is like being in a time machine as they are good examples of the common political reality over the last 5,000 years in most “civilized” nations. Most European countries as well as most countries over the last 5,000 regularly had leaders as obnoxious (and far more so) as Gaddafi and Kim Jong-il.  Take the Taliban and their persecutions in Afghanistan when they held power prior to 9/11.  They behaved exactly the same as the Roman Catholic Church in the Inquisition only a few centuries ago – except the Inquisition lasted a much longer time.

There are some interesting macro-astrological connections to these modern day tyrants.  First, Colonel Gaddafi – he came to power in 1969, one year before the peak of Scorpio from the Scorpio sub-age (1791 – 1970).  Gaddafi is therefore a child of Scorpio. Robert Mugabe of Rhodesia came to power in 1980, towards the end of the Scorpio micro-age overflow (1970 – 85) but was fully active in the opposition to the white-minority Rhodesian government and saw the end of the Scorpio sub-age in 1970 serving a jail sentence as a political prisoner from 1964 to 1974. Like Colonel Gaddafi, Mugabe is also a child of Scorpio.  The tyrannical Iranian government also appeared in the Scorpio micro-age overflow in 1979 making a strong Scorpio connection to the Iranian government.

At the top of the tyrannical league, the only one without a strong Scorpio connection is Kim Jong-il of North Korea.  He is the leader of a government that first came to power in 1948, which does have Scorpio as a strong background sign, but was formed when the Capricorn sub-age overflow (1940-55) was the dominant sign.  On the micro-age decan level 1948 sits smack in the middle of the Leo micro-age decan overflow (1945-50).  Capricorn combined with Leo are both leadership signs bereft of any democratic content.  In North Korea they have combined the harsh authoritarianism and frugality of Capricorn with the ego of Leo – the king of the jungle as their ‘magnificent’ leader taking them on to their glorious socialist future.  North Korea is currently benefiting from the Leo sub-age overflow (2000-14) when astrologically, the sun shines the brightest upon North Korea.  However Leo does not benefit Capricorn as it produces lack of financial resources and even bankruptcy.

The shifting emphasis to Cancer as the current Cancer micro-age (2000–15) reaches its highpoint in 2015 will create a strong impediment to Capricorn (Cancer is opposite Capricorn).  Cancer is also the 12^th house to Leo – with the 12^th house indicating endings, perils and self-undoing.  Therefore the most likely tyrant to fall is Kim Jong-il.  In a Wikileaks release in 2010 it was revealed that Chinese diplomats had suggested that North Korea should be taken over by South Korea and that China was getting tired of the childish antics of the North Koreans.[2]  North Korea’s days may be numbered. Between now and 2015, when Cancer achieves full strength, there is a small gear change for Cancer – around 2012.  It is possible around 2012 the situation may further develop or deteriorate, but it is from 2015 onwards that the real hurdle for North Korea appears.

Robert Mugabe’s age may save Zimbabwe – at 87 years he surely has a limited time ahead at the helm.  Mugabe came to power in 1980 placing this in the Capricorn micro-age (1975 – 80) as a key supporting sign.  Like Kim Jong-il, this also puts him and his followers on a collision path with the peak of the Cancer micro-age in 2015.  In the meantime he can cause more havoc.  The Iranian government commencing 1979 is much the same as for Mugabe. Interesting times ahead for Iran as Cancer grows in strength towards 2015.

It is only Colonel Gaddafi that is almost pure Scorpio.  The Leo micro-age (2000-15) places anything associated with Scorpio in the limelight and favours the ruler of their subjects.  The current Scorpio micro-age decan overflow (2010-15) normally would assist him and the looming rising influence of Cancer is usually not a problem for Scorpio.  Born in 1942 when Capricorn was at its peak strength may just put him intrinsically on a collision course with his population as the strength of Cancer rises – but this is speculative.  Gaddafi also has strong tribal support for his rule.  If the Libyan uprising is a drawn-out conflict, this would suit western powers, as they can demonstrate their altruism in bringing democracy to the Middle East as a smokescreen for the oil-fix commercial reality, while people needlessly die, and more repressive Middle Eastern nations continue on in their merry ways with the tacit support of western nations.

Continue Reading: SCORPIO – the Sign of the Times …. Revisited Part 2 – Nuclear Issues

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[1] “2010–2011 Middle East and North Africa protests.” Wikipedia, 21 Apr. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2011.

[2]Simon Tisdall , Wikileaks cables reveal China ‘ready to abandon North Korea‘, guardian.co.uk, Monday 29 November 2010 21.30 GMT

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The Eight Most Popular Posts for Further Investigation

The Age of Aquarius for Dummies

An Age Old Mistake That Still Haunts Astrologers

The Aquarian age did not begin in the 1960’s or ’70s

Females, Women and Feminists in the Age of Aquarius

Generational Astrology – Introduction (Part 1)

Gemini’s Role in our Modern World (or Battle of the Brains)

Trump is Representative of the Age of Aquarius

Is Trump the New Caligula

 

FURTHER RESOURCES ON MACRO-ASTROLOGY

For detailed background information on the mechanics of macro-astrology used in this post, please refer to the “Age of Aquarius for Dummies”

Further resources from Terry MacKinnell

www.macro-astrology.com – details of purchasing the book available

Demystifying the Aquarian Age for the interested general public and astrologers

At the Cutting Edge of the Aquarian Age – Cutting edge research into the astrological ages for astrologers

FaceBook – keep up to date with what is happening

Online Institute of Macro-Astrology – details on how to learn macro-astrology

Revolution in the Middle East

The rather sudden and startling quest for greater freedom and democracy in a number of Middle Eastern countries in the last few months is part of a greater orchestration towards political and social evolution around the world that commenced with the French Revolution (in the late 18^th century) aligned with the arrival of the Scorpio subage (1791 – 1970), and continuing on in the Scorpio subage overflow (1970 – 2148) due to the overflow effect associated with all ages and their sub-periods. The Scorpio subage is the third subage of the Age of Aquarius (that commenced in 1443 AD – see figure 1), heralding in the modern world. 

Figure 1 – the first four subages of the Aquarian age

 

 

Most historians and historical reference books indicate that the Modern World commenced in the 15^th century – or, at a minimum, the 15^th century was an extremely exalted time in the history of human society.  Apart from a plethora of other supporting facts, the 15^th century was the first century that humans (i.e. Europeans at least) could comprehend the whole world for the first time due to the maritime exploits of its sailors circumnavigating the world. The arrival of ages is marked by highly significant events!

The arrival of the third subage within the Aquarian age, the Scorpio subage in 1791 basically demarks the end of the Early Modern Period (according to many historians at around 1800) and the beginning of the Modern Period.  Within the Scorpio subage (1791 – 1970), the most significant large scale political revolution that has ever been experienced in the world, took place.  At the beginning of the Scorpio subage most countries in the world were ruled by monarchs or local aristocracy (the USA was the black sheep of the time being already a rudimentary democracy).  By the end of the Scorpio subage in 1970 most of these monarchs had been overthrown and replaced with democratic governments, communism or military juntas.  Only in some less politically developed regions, particularly in the Middle East, did the old monarchial way of life continued – mainly propped up in the 20^th century by Western and European nations to ensure a ready supply of fossil fuels.

The arrival of a new astrological period such as an age or subage does not affect the world uniformly.  The arrival of a new period is like the bow of the boat – surging into previously uncharted waters and leaving its ever expanding wake as evidence of its passage.  This wake then slowly affects all other regions of the world.  The wake from any age or sub-period of an age is even larger after the end of its own period (as represented in figure 1).  The primary focus of the initial Scorpio surge mainly affected western nations (including all of the Americas), but by its close in 1970, over half the world was deeply affected by its wake including an independent and democratic India on the one hand, and a communistic China on the other – but bereft of its former ruling class or aristocracy.

The transference from the Scorpio subage to Libra subage in 1970 actually marks an increase in tempo for Scorpio (due to its ever widening wake).  Libra has arrived, but it is the new kid on the block, and the wake from its bow wave has relatively little impact in the world in comparison to Scorpio.  Until near the end of the Libra subage in 2148, Scorpio is the dominant sign in the world (at the subage level).  The transition between the Scorpio subage and Scorpio subage overflow was marked by the revolutionary sentiment expressed in the late 1960s and early 70s resulting in the almost choreographed student and youth demonstration and riots throughout much of the western world. Other spectacular icons of this period are the hippy movement that sprang out of San Francisco, the music revolution first associated with the Beatles, the Woodstock festival in New York, the anti-war movement against the Viet Nam war, the French student uprising that nearly toppled the government and feminism at full bore and armed with the newly invented oral contraceptive (associated with sex – another Scorpio archetype).

It must be remembered (or recognized by the younger generations) that western society in the 1950s was extremely conservative, mono-cultural, with women knowing their place in society and much stronger fascist elements compared to western society of 2011. The arrival of the 60s and early 70s baby boomers with their long hair, drugs and free love temporarily created the normal fracas when any establishment or society meets a new evolutionary sociological phenomenon.  This is why students peacefully protesting the Viet Nam war were gunned down and killed in the USA, restrictive drug laws savagely enforced to persecute the new social movement and contentious objectors to compulsory military serviced were sent to jail. By and large the formerly stodgy and arch-conservative west has moved on to a certain degree since those heady days of the 60s and 70s. The formerly frowned upon music of the 60s and 70s now appears regularly in TV commercials, men can have hair whatever length they like but, except for some isolated pockets of enlightened thinking, the west maintains a witch hunt against recreational drug users, treats homosexuals as second class citizens and has not given full equality to women. The west is in the ongoing and long term process of assimilating the new cultural paradigm that appeared in the 60s and 70s and it will probably take another 150 or so years before some reasonable progress is made.

With the arrival of the Scorpio subage overflow in 1970, the bow wave of the Scorpio juggernaut continues to spread its influence.  However if you think that the revolutionary spirit has been a little subdued for the last few decades then you are quite right.  This is because subages have smaller periods within them called micro-ages.  Micro-ages are almost 15 years in duration (plus another 15 years overflow) and until very recently, the micro-ages encountered at the beginning of the Scorpio subage overflow have been conservative micro-ages (see figure 2).  

Figure 2 – the first four micro-ages of the Scorpio subage

The conservative (and stable) micro-ages belong to the Earth and Fire signs – Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn, Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. The conservative Virgo micro-age was in place from 1970 to 1985, followed by the conservative Leo micro-age (1985 – 2000) with both periods promoting stability over change but also enforcing the status quo as much as possible. It is only with the current Cancer micro-age (2000 – 2015) that we begin returning to the progressive but destabilizing signs.

Not only is the world returning to progressive micro-ages, this process is still accelerating.  The historical effects from any period associated with the astrological ages are always relatively sluggish to appear in a kind of delayed effect.  So while the current Cancer micro-age rules from 2000 to 2015, it is not until its overflow period (2015 – 2029) that it can fully express its Cancerian intentions. However a significant shift in gears appeared at its halfway point of Cancer micro-age in 2007 in its climb up Mount Cancer – and the current revolutionary fervor in the Middle East is part of this Cancer play (along with numerous floods around the world always associated with Cancer). 

Why the Middle East?  Each region and country is associated with an astrological signature.  One key component of any astrological signature associated anywhere where Islam is strong is the sign Cancer.  Islam shares the underlying commonality of Pisces with Christianity as both came into existence in the Pisces age (along with Buddhism).  However Christianity formed near the peak expression of the Scorpio age-decan of the Pisces age (8 BC) while Islam formed much closer to the peak of the Cancer age-decan in 713 AD (see figure 3).

Figure 3 – the age-decans of the Pisces age

 This is why in Islam their view of paradise is closely associated with rivers (ruled by Cancer), they follow a lunar calendar (the Moon is the ruler of Cancer), and many female adherents either voluntarily or are forced to hide themselves away under burkas and veils (Cancer rules shyness and places a focus upon women).  These are just a few of the major Cancerian associations to Islam.

With the revolutionary Scorpio subage overflow (1970 – 2148) passing over the Cancer micro-age (2000 – 2015) it is reasonable to conclude that Scorpio’s revolutionary archetype will marry with Islamic Cancer to produce revolutionary ferment in the Middle East.  But this is not the end of the story.  Within the Cancer micro-age (2000 – 2015) are three micro-age decans of Pisces, Scorpio and Cancer in chronological order with the Scorpio micro-age decan influential from 2005 to 2015, and particularly in 2010, 2011 and 2012 (see figure 4). 

Figure 4 – the micro-age decans of the Cancer micro-age

This little Scorpio micro-age decan resonates with the Scorpio subage overflow (1970 – 2148) to create a veritable Scorpio hotspot.  Hotspots, like their name suggests, are more potent than their surrounding periods in stimulating action outside of the norm. Certainly the unrest in the Middle East is extraordinary.

Nevertheless the kind of revolutions we can expect will not, as a rule of thumb, be focused upon violence but with a firm preference to peaceful methods.  This is because the world is in the early stages of the Libra subage (1970 – 2148) and Libra is a peaceful sign opposite violent and militaristic Aries. This does not mean that those expressing revolutionary sentiment will not use force, but their use of force will be in most cases be in response to the force unleashed against them by power-mad autocrats.  Lest you judge these Middle Eastern societies harshly for their despotic rulers, anti-democratic ways and highly visible levels of corruption, you do not need go very far back in history to find the same abominable behavior in western society.  For whatever reason, the Aquarian age has arrived relatively early for the west, but it still took about 500 years to ensconce itself in Europe – Europe was a bloody nightmare for the first 500 years of the Aquarian age.  So we should not be harsh in our judgments of other society’s shortcomings.  The only real difference is that when the west went through its democratic catharsis over the last 500 years, no one was sitting on the sidelines criticizing or forcing them to be democratic with a gun held at their head as the USA did in Iraq. At least with the current Middle Eastern unrest, it is the vision of the citizens that is demanding the change – not an outside entity.

Also see: SCORPIO – the Sign of the Times …. Revisited – Part 1 –Revolution and Tyrants