Fanning the Flames
Is time linear or cyclical? As we understand and experience it, time unfolds in a linear fashion alongside the progress of civilisation. Events, however, do not happen at a steady pace, but within the greater influence of the astrological cycles that shape and advance our civilisation and society.
Some planetary cycles are short, while others are much longer. The longest is the precessional cycle, lasting approximately 26,000 years, which measures the slow wobble of the Earth's rotational axis. This gradual movement causes a slight shift in the constellations and gives rise to the astrological ages, such as the Ages of Pisces and subsequently Aquarius.
Some cycles exist within larger cycles. A good example is the Jupiter-Saturn cycle. Jupiter and Saturn meet every 20 years, but these conjunctions are part of a much larger elemental cycle. For around 200 years, they meet within the same element, whether Fire, Earth, Air, or Water, before moving on to the next element. As such Jupiter/Saturn cycles mark socio/economic changes within society.
We experienced such an elemental shift in 2020. At the time, I commented that we could be entering something on the scale of a new civilisational age.
The previous elemental shift occurred in the 1800s, when the cycle moved into Earth. That transition ushered in the tangible realities of the Industrial Revolution: industrialisation, mass production, banking and new systems of transportation.
The 2020 shift moved us into Air, and into what I call the Age of Intelligence.
The planets influence our lives in different ways according to their archetypal meanings. Some have a more personally focused influence. These are the faster-moving planets, such as Mercury, Mars, and Venus. Then we have Jupiter and Saturn, which act as a bridge between these personal planets and the slower outer planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, whose influence has a more evolutionary effect on civilisation and society.
The outer planets are currently forming a rare, compact triangular pattern that encompasses the Fire and Air elements. Fire needs Air to fuel it and keep it burning. The result is likely to be a surge in information, innovation, and intellectual capability. And what do we see emerging before us? AI.
This configuration suggests that the transition into this new civilisational age, the Age of Intelligence, will unfold relatively smoothly and without excessive challenge – it will just happen whether we like it or not. At the moment the outer planets are still at early degrees. This new civilisation age is in its infancy, where we experience the breakdown of the old and the new begins to show itself.
With Uranus and Pluto in a trine, the process will be supported by a tremendous expansion in technological discovery.
This new civilisational age will be defined by information, intelligence, and technological growth.
From 2020, when Jupiter and Saturn heralded this new age, right through to 2032, all the major new cycles involve Saturn, the planet of reality, telling us that it is our very reality that is going to change. Saturn also speaks of our boundaries and our limitations – where we think we are unable to go.
The new Saturn-Pluto cycle which began also in 2020 warned, not only of harsh consequences, but of a reality that would itself be transformed. The Saturn-Neptune cycle that began in 2026 augurs the dissolving of traditional boundaries and beliefs surrounding consciousness. Finally, a new Saturn-Uranus cycle in 2032 will bring realities that reach entirely new levels, along with a fresh spectrum of cultural and countercultural challenges and opportunities. Our relationship with time itself may change as we break free from and transcend our self-imposed limitations and boundaries.