The Earth sways in its orbit due to the gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon, similar to the movement of a gyroscope. Because of this movement, there is a cycle of approximately 26,000 years (25,920 years to be exact). Dividing the cycle’s duration by 12, we establish that each astrological era lasts for 2,160 years. Each sign occupies 30 degrees, and the Age of Aquarius occurs when the vernal equinox shifts from 0 degrees (Pisces) to (30 degrees) Aquarius. This classification depends on Western Astrology’s definition of time periods. Many people believe the Age of Pisces is ending and we are about to enter the Age of Aquarius, while others believe it has already begun.

Ancient civilizations were aware of the precession cycle and helped by the advancement of the Zodiac clock, they saw great changes occur on Earth simultaneously. They divided this cycle into four quarters formed by signs of the Zodiac (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius). It took 6,500 years to pass through each quarter, and they knew the biggest disasters took place at the summer and winter solstices of this cycle. It is claimed that glaciers melted due to global warming, the waters rose nearly 90 meters, and large parts of North America and Europe were affected by floods during the Age of Leo (10950-8790 BC). Consequently, many people assume that similar events will be experienced during the transition to the Aquarian Age, which will begin sometime in the first quarter of the 2000 millennium.

Some astrological studies point out some dates for this transition: 1962, 1999, 2012, and 2030. Scientists from the French National Geographic Institute emphasize this transition will take place in 2010, while other researchers claim we will enter the Age of Aquarius on December 20, 2012. Unfortunately, because we do not know the beginning and end dates of each era, we cannot know the exact beginning date of the Age of Aquarius. Nicholas Campion tells that at least 70 different dates have been proposed, together spanning a period of 1,500 years. Most of these dates are not derived on astronomical or astrological bases, but instead they are just symbolic dates.

Here’s some examples from the Book of World Horoscopes:
1898: According to Indian chronology, Kali Yuga (The Iron Age) began in 3102 AD. As an era lasts 5,000 years, The Iron Age ended in 1898 AD.
1962: Willaru Huayta, the spiritual leader of Peru, and some people from the ancient Inca federation believe that the Age of Aquarius started in February 1962.
1975: Astrologer Dane Rudhyar points out that the beginning of this New Age adventure was in 1975.
1997: Being affected by the ideas of Nostradamus, Carl Jung supported the idea that the beginning date for the New Age was between 1997 and 2000.
2000: Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, St. Malachy, Garabandal, Fatima, and other Christian soothsayers approved the idea of the year 2000 as the beginning. Margaret Hone gives the year 2000 as the symbolic beginning date of the New Age in her book, The Modern Textbook of Astrology.
2012: The researchers Terence and Dennis McKenna give information about primitive shamanism and the usage of psychoactive drugs in their book, The Invisible Landscape. They also claim that our universe was created by the holographic interaction of these two upper universes. The researcher Jose Arguelles discovered the cyclic system of the Mayan Calendar and claimed that 2012 was the end of 396th bactun and global civilization would be replaced by an information age, crystal solar technology and galactic synchronization. 
2012: Adrian Duncan prepared the transition chart for the Aquarian Age based on the first Jupiter–Saturn conjunction after 1404 BC.
2025: In his interview with Alice Bailey, Tibetan Djwhal Khul claimed that the Fourth Ray would be seen in 2025, bringing balance for the intellectual and emotional purification of humanity, which will realize itself on an intuitive plane. 
2060: Dane Rudhyar says the Age of Pisces began in 100 AD and the Age of Aquarius will begin in 2060, because a world age is equal to 2160 years.
2160: Gordon Strachan, using the birth of Jesus as the start point, claims that 2160 will be the beginning of that era.

For more information, you can refer to The Book of World Horoscopes by Nicholas Campion. There is no doubt that all these statements are highly valuable because it is hard to determine a specific day for the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. However, many people agree that the beginning of the new era will be in 2012. The researcher John Major Jenkins emphasizes that the alignment of the Sun, Pleiades and Zenith indicates the era shift that was mentioned by the Mayans. This alignment over Chichen Itza began in 2000 and still exists. Jenkins says the Kukulkan pyramid in Chichen Itza is a calendar marking the unique alignment of the precession. Strangely, on the top of the Kukulkan pyramid, which was built for the Mayan gods, there is a shape describing the Sun–Pleiades–Zenith alignment that occurred on May 20, 2000. On May 20, 2012, there will also be a solar eclipse together with this alignment!

Some researchers also emphasize that 2012 is also significant due to the position of Regulus. In 2012, Regulus enters Virgo, which is a significant change because it is a transition from the fire element (Leo) to the earth element (Virgo). Leo covers the best times in summer, as it wants to enjoy the sunny days of summer, to feel the life and to experience the energy coming from the Sun. When the Sun enters Virgo, it is now the time to work and produce. Virgo points out the harvest time; it is the time to gather the cultivated crops. Lea is the sign of the King and represents domination. Virgo is one of the human signs—it represents purification and humility. When Regulus shifts to Virgo, the period of the “Human King” will end. Regulus is known as heart of Leo and is one of the most important royal stars. Virgo is linked with prosperity goddesses and is known as “the Virgin.” In the symbol of Virgo, a virgin holds a head in her hand. The sphinx in Giza, which symbolizes the Leo constellation, has the body of a lion and the head of a prosperity goddess, a strange combination of Leo and Virgo. This could be an important indicator about the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, because Regulus will move from Leo into Virgo during 2012.

The Age of Knowledge and Wisdom

Aquarius is the sign of knowledge, scientific developments, and discoveries. It symbolizes things related to technology and communication. The Age of Aquarius is the age for revolutions in science and information. In the symbol for this sign, a wise man pours knowledge from his basket over humanity. Information will flow quickly like in the symbol. Today, we are surprised at the speed of technological developments. Each day the capabilities of computers are increasing. Now computers are used not only for work, but they also have widespread usage in our personal lives. In developed countries, everyone has a computer, with the developing countries catching up. Internet usage is also increasing.

In genetic engineering, we are faced with developments that were merely dreams a century ago. Cloning and tissue transfer are proven concepts now, such that we also use these phrases in our daily lives. For example, if we are too busy, we might say, “I need to be cloned!” If this is what we experienced at the doorstep of the Age of Aquarius, can you imagine what we shall witness in the coming years?

Aquarius, being the most active air sign, also relates to space technology. It is time to discover other universes! In 2009, as Jupiter was in Aquarius, the characteristics of this sign were emphasized. We should not be surprised the United Nations declared 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy. NASA also announced the Aries 1, which is the first step in taking man back to the Moon, was to have its first test flight in 2009. Space tourism was only a fantasy before, but now project Orion is planned to go live in 2020. In 2020, we will have also have the Jupiter–Saturn conjunction that many astrologers perceive as the biggest sign of entering into the Space Age. 

Archetype of Aquarius

The Age of Aquarius will be the time to shift from the individual conscious to the collective and universal conscious. Now, we are proceeding toward the energies that will take us beyond the limits of the ego and help us to get in touch with universal energies that will carry us to Oneness. By entering into Aquarius, humanity will reach an excellent functional level and will reach for supreme aims. To be functional, we have to bring the subconscious functions of Aquarius to the consciousness level. Aquarius is a bridge between the collective/universal mind and us. To understand this bridge, we have to know the Aquarius archetype very well.

The Aquarius archetype desires to be part of society; on the other hand, he wants to do this without losing his individual characteristics or freedom. Aquarius is symbolized as a wise messenger, sent to humanity from the skies to bring the people innovative ideas and universal consciousness.

To uplift the consciousness of society, it should first be achieved on an individual basis. On entering the Age of Aquarius, everything will not positively transform in the blink of an eye. Both the negative and positive developments of this era are linked with the efforts of individuals, and this requires a process. Consequently, I do not think we will enter the era on December 21, 2012, with the whole transformation only taking six days. We need at least 50 years to gain a total understanding of this sign. Some people even claim it will take more than 50 years, which also seems reasonable. Generally, the first 10% of each era is a transition period. If each era is 2160 years long, the transition period takes approximately 216 years. Having a sound Aquarius perception requires a serious mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical process. Individuals should contribute to this process by uplifting their conscious levels.

Aquarius desires to reach ideal results by cooperating with people who share the same ideals. People who have common ideals should cooperate on a mental and emotional level. An evolved Aquarius emphasizes individuality and isolates himself from society. To prevent this isolation, our minds should integrate love and oneness with each other to cover all the hopes of humanity.

Aquarius can only attain its real potential if humanity aspires to go beyond individuality and reach the universal principles. We should open our minds and hearts to get in touch with humanity and seek common interests. Aquarius values the mind more than the heart, so it has much to learn from its opposite sign, Leo. Leo emphasizes that real sharing is only possible if we open our hearts. Consequently, to realize this era, we should integrate these two main principles within the Aquarius–Leo polarity. The way to open our hearts requires using our minds and making idealistic efforts. This will also save us from the loneliness in our consciousness. If we really want to have a healthy interaction with people, we should get in touch with our hearts. When we place Aquarius as the ascendant, Leo stands in the 7th house, which means we are about to enter a period where close relations with open communication will rule.

The Age of Aquarius and Its Reflections on Our Lives

To predict the reflections of the Age of Aquarius on our lives, we need to place Aquarius as the first house of the Zodiac. By referring to the signs in each house and their rulers, we can have a detailed interpretation. In this article, I will give you some determinations about the important positions. Below, you can see how the signs are aligned when Aquarius is the reference.

Taking Aquarius as the reference, Pisces is now placed in the second house, Aries in the third house, and so on. So, the chart is evaluated according to which sign is in which house.

Uranus and Saturn rule Aquarius. Under these conditions, men of the Aquarian Age can evaluate things not only within the period they exist, but they can also evaluate cause and effect relations with the help of the vision of Uranus. They will understand time better and use it better than we do now. Their perception will be so wide as to understand the upper dimensions. Their consciousness will grow, and they will be cosmic entities. They will undertake the responsibilities for their own lives. Everyone will choose his own path, and ideologies and dogmas will be rejected. Their mental abilities will also increase because of being integrated with the divine. Technological developments will also progress rapidly.

Will we experience any developments in our social and daily lives? Although Aquarius relates to communication, it is an isolated sign. We have experienced this at length in the last ten years. The newer generations all use computers. Instead of playing with friends, they play computer games. They do their homework with the help of the Internet. The adults are no different—instead of face-to-face communication, they also prefer online communication.

Some people work in home offices in an isolated way, with meetings being held online. What about the emotions? What about the advantages of being in the same environment and the synergy of seeing eye-to-eye? What about feelings and intuitions? Aquarius is an individual sign as well as a collective one. Shall we have many acquaintances, but few close friends? Perhaps this is an exaggeration. As Aquarius relates to cooperation and humanism, the Age of Aquarius is somehow an age of brotherhood. However, this is not a physical brotherhood, rather a kind of unification of similar aims. This only exists in the nature of Aquarius, which means we can try to find solutions for global problems and make smart, logical efforts for the sake of the same ideal.

Friendship and brotherhood: These both sound good, but what about family relationships? Aquarius is an independent sign that does not have tight family relationships. It focuses on friends rather than family, so we can assume that the traditional structures will be changing. In the chart of the Aquarian Age, we see Sagittarius in the eleventh house, which rules social groups and organizations. Sagittarius supports idealism in social relations and is inclined to collective efforts. It also rules international relations. Within the perspective of the Aquarian Age, we can perceive this as interplanetary or even intergalactic relations.

Of course, this does not mean that there will be no relations within the family. In the chart of the Aquarian Age, Taurus stands in the fourth house, which rules home and family related subjects. Maintaining peace within the family will be easier, and life will be more in touch with nature. We will understand that the world is a living organism, and we will maintain unity with nature. In this chart, Gemini is in the house that rules the young people, the children and their education, and the way children have fun. That shows the education system will be more rational and informative. Hobbies and other activities will be more inclined to help mental development.

Leo stands at the house that rules committed relationships in the Aquarian Age chart. These relationships will be warm, honest, and will flow spontaneously. Loyalty will be standing at the forefront. Joy and happiness will dominate relationships.

What about changes in financial values? In the chart of the Aquarian Age, Pisces stands in the second house, which is one of the financial houses, and shows a spiritual and sharing attitude towards financial matters. To dominate materialism, we have to be free of it. The materialist system has already frayed humanity. Now it is the time for sacrifice. The people may become interested in universal themes; they can earn money from the fields where they work altruistically, and they can spend a large portion of their budget for the work of charities.

In the eighth house of the chart of the Aquarian Age, there is Virgo. This house rules other people’s money, taxes, inheritances, debts, losses and deaths, whereas Virgo tends to organize and plan its actions. This indicates that we will be making good choices in terms of spending and taking credit. We will be more detail oriented, and we will have a sensible approach towards payments such as taxes. Metaphysics will also be a part of science, because the eighth house also rules this.

Aquarius respects other cultures and traditions because of its tolerant and humanitarian nature. Consequently, some people believe the Age of Aquarius to also be the Golden Age. People will be as free as they were before, and the justice system will work correctly. The nations will unite to maintain peace and justice on Earth, and they will take steps to leave a better world for their children. In the chart of the Aquarian Age, Libra is at the ninth house, which rules justice systems, religions and beliefs. Consequently, all nations will be under the same roof; the concepts—such as tolerance, equality, and justice—will come into value. Love will find its real place at the center of all beliefs. Conscious and conscience will be unified with science; technological developments will be harmonized with traditions and religions. The objective will be to find the right balanced path and contribute to a world full of freedom, love, and harmony.

In the Age of Pisces, the connections with the spiritual world were at a psychic level rather than a material one. As Pisces is linked with the 12th house of the chart, we can assume these connections were insignificant spiritual and intuitive connections. In the Age of Aquarius, these connections will be more significant and apparent. The connection between the individual and the cosmos will become stronger. Many things that were perceived as fantasies will be explained in an acceptable way, and all information will be used. While moving towards the archetype of the 11th house (Aquarius) from that of the 12th house (Pisces), we could say that the esoteric information will be explained to society. We believe astrology, which is one of the inheritances from the ancients, will also prove its value.

In the Age of Pisces, we could not show our individual potentials and creative abilities. Because we did not trust in ourselves enough, the situation and the conditions were out of our control. We obeyed the authority and pressures on us. We did not even question the real value of our possessions. Our brain and our nervous system were getting cosmic signals from Neptune, the ruler of Pisces that accepts religions and beliefs without questioning. By entering the Age of Aquarius, Uranus will then affect our brain and nervous systems. Humanity will again get control of their lives and learn how to get control of their destinies and determine their own standards. The Age of Aquarius will help us to overcome our lack of confidence, escape our captivity by the authoritative powers, shed our shells, and discover our own nature. Consequently, it will help us to be truly free and transform both individually and collectively. We can only evolve when we make our own choices, experience their results, and learn from those experiences. The Age of Aquarius is the time for both individual freedom and responsibility. As we continue this era, we will learn how to control our lives and how to direct them.

In the chart of the Aquarian Age, Aries is placed in the third house, which rules knowledge, learning, and education. Knowledge will be flowing freely, not learned from books but instead gained through life. Perception will become faster and knowledge will be used actively. Aries shows we will be more interested in learning about ourselves. To know more, first we should know ourselves better. “If you know yourself, you know God,” is an appropriate saying. By knowing ourselves better, we will be able to organize our social relations better.

Knowledge and enlightenment will not be available with the guidance of certain groups, but we will reach it by finding our inner lights. We will learn how to hear our inner voice, and we will find our inner light to guide our own lives. We will communicate directly with the divine energies, and we will understand the divine laws and the plans of the Creator. The people attuned to Aquarian rhythm will constitute the appropriate environment for the new culture and consciousness. Being dedicated to materialism will lose its importance. Societies will realize the powers that try to exploit others and impose their beliefs. When Uranian energy affects our energies, it is inevitable there will be conflicts with the authorities and traditions.

Uranus and Saturn rule Aquarius. Uranus objects to injustice, and Saturn determines general rules for everyone. A balanced use of these two energies is the right thing for an ideal society. If society objects to the exploiting powers, they should not necessarily refuse all the rules. When there is no prominent rule within a society, chaos rules. If individuals respect the beliefs, rights, and freedoms of others, then we may reach a social structure with fewer rules but at a higher level of the Aquarius archetype. It is true that our social values have deteriorated. This could also be an indication that a new order will be established within the social arena. Without degeneration, regeneration is impossible. In the tenth house of the Aquarian Age, we have Scorpio, which rules restructuring. This shows that the social hierarchies will be restructured. Scorpio is also related to surgery, medicine, and healing.

Cancer stands at the sixth house of the chart, which rules health, services, and working conditions. That means people will have emotional bounds with their work and services; they will give service to the others joyfully. Cancer has strong mothering motives and wants everyone to feel at ease. It also has strong empathy, sensitivity, and devotion. This implies the health of society will gain importance and a caring attitude will be maintained. Natural therapies will become more popular.

There is no doubt that the transition to this new era will not be accomplished in a single day or by a single event. We will learn many things during this process, and our desire to set sail toward new realms will increase. To achieve this, we should learn how to give up everything, how to integrate with the whole, and how to free our minds.

New times!

Whether we call it the Age of Aquarius, the Crystal Age, or the Golden Age, the people of this new era will not emerge from the darkness of the future; they are already here. They are preparing to reveal their evolved versions. These entities are us!

We are now just passing through the darkest point of history that the ancients emphasized, and we are moving towards the dawn of light. On its elliptical orbit, our solar system is now on its narrowest section. The distal side of this orbit carries us to the point furthest from the Milky Way’s center. Before our celestial orbit takes us near the center of our galaxy, we need to experience the darkest places of this cycle, just like experiencing the night before the light of dawn.

From the Indians to the Mayans, various ancient civilizations described a “dark era” that would be full of wars, sorrows, intemperance, and injustices. We can see similar information in esotericism and in the things that were expressed by the Mayan shamans. According to this information, we are at the end of the Dark Age, which is also known as the Iron Age. Now, it is time for the Golden Age. However, the Iron Age has not ended, and the Golden Age has not started yet. We are at the conjunction point of these two. Ergun Arıkdal, a Turkish Spiritualist, tells us about this era in one of his books:

This is a difficult era when the spirits experience challenging situations. They experience high perceptions, and they put them into practice. The spirit builds a bridge between the end and the beginning, which passes through darkness to the light before the minds are opened. This is the time when the Divine Knowledge will be revealed. This is the age of wisdom; this is a preparation. The spirit learns the drama of the world’s humanity. At the end of the all scenes, it can understand its role within this infinite drama.

We can see the same things in psychic medium Edgar Cayce’s readings. According to Cayce, the New Age began in 1998. The Iron Age ended, and the wise men will be the heirs of the earth, but it will not be that easy. On the contrary, we will experience disagreements, misfortunes, and disasters.

Yes, it is true that this transition is a challenging period. This is the time for total purification. The Hopis also call this period the “Great Purification.” On the Prophecy Rock around Arizona Oraibi, there is a petroglyph showing two different directions. One of the paths shows technology without natural and spiritual laws, and the result is chaos. The other path shows harmony with nature. According to the Hopis, if we follow that path we can again gain spiritual harmony, and if we follow the voice of our hearts, we can experience heaven on earth.

However, if we follow the other path, we are faced with destruction. As the children of Mother Nature, we have to stop this turmoil. It is time to make a choice: do we respect the original teachings or do will continue the path we are on, which will lead us to destruction. How things will develop is in our hands, but it is obvious that we are on the verge of great problems.

Whatever the cost we must pay, the good news is that at the end we will reach the truth and realize that everything comes from a single source. There are similar findings in Islamic teachings. After an era of degeneration, we will see the emergence of a new type of human that is good and helpful to society. This new mankind is called “İnsan-ı Kamil” in Sufism. One of the greatest Sufis, Azizuddin Nefesi, defines the “Insan-ı Kamil” as consisting of good morals and knowledge, good words, and good actions. These values do not only depend on moral actions but also on knowledge. What we call knowledge here is not limited to technological and scientific knowledge. Knowledge also means to understand the Creator and his works, to understand the principles of the cosmos, to be conscious of evolution, and to contribute to evolution consciously. This is what nourishes the human soul and fills the emptiness in hearts. We must realize the divine unity, the universal love and infinite existence of oneness, the divine rules that draw the path of our destiny, the movements of the cosmos and the Heavens, and how they all affect the meaning and purpose of our lives. Astrology is one of the most important teachings that let us realize the divine order. When spiritual and humanistic values are integrated into our daily lives—such as modesty, altruism and forgiveness—we may easily overcome this severe process and mature. More importantly, we will evolve collectively.