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Astrological Timing: The Transition To The New Age
Religion Astrology Mysticism
- GenresAstrology
246 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1972
About the author
Dane Rudhyar
165 books86 followersFrench-American astrologer, one of the most noted and respected astrologers of the 20th century.
He was called a modern renaissance man for his ability to express himself in many fields; music, painting, poetry, philosophy and metaphysics.
He wrote for national magazines since the '30s and was the author of many books.
He was called a modern renaissance man for his ability to express himself in many fields; music, painting, poetry, philosophy and metaphysics.
He wrote for national magazines since the '30s and was the author of many books.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 8, 2017
According to Rudhyar, the inner planets give us information about ourselves. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto somehow connect us to the rest of the universe. Saturn is the really cool looking planet in the middle of it all. Rudhyar has a whole theory about the significance of Uranus (which has a certain orbital period), Neptune (which has an orbital period about twice as long as Uranus) and Pluto (which has an orbital period about thrice as long as Uranus). Rudhyar also writes about the significance of how the “fixed” stars actually move, as our solar system rotates around the center of the Milky Way over the course of 240 million years. Rudhyar predicted something would be discovered in addition to the 9 planets that were believed to exist in 1969. 1990 turned out to be around the time when several objects of similar size to Pluto were discovered in the Kuiper belt. Keep reading to find out why 1990 is a significant date.
The celestial north pole is slowly changing all the time because of the wobble in the Earth’s rotation. This point will be closest to Polaris on March 24, 2100. Then, it will begin to get farther away from Polaris, and it will take about 25,920 years (one Platonic Year) to circle back to Polaris again. A Platonic Year can be divided into 12 “Ages” that correspond to the 12 Western zodiac constellations along the ecliptic, the path in the sky along which the sun, moon and planets appear to rise and fall.
Twice a year, during the equinoxes, the sun crosses the celestial equator. The Western zodiac was created by people in the northern hemisphere when the sun was close to the constellation Aries for the first 1/12th of a year starting from the first day of Spring. A cluster of stars in the 30 degrees of the ecliptic where the sun was during the 2/12th of the year became the constellation Taurus, then Gemini, and so on.
Because of the wobble of the Earth’s axis, the location of the equinoxes changes about one degree on the ecliptic every 72 years. Thus, it changes 30 degrees about every 2,160 years, an average of one Western zodiac constellation.
Among those who give a hoot, different people have different theories about when one Age ends and a new one begins. Most astrologists accept the convention of associating each of 12, 30 degree segments of the ecliptic with one of the 12 Western zodiac constellations. But they differ as to exactly which point on the circle should be the point of reference for the other 11 points. This is because the zodiac constellations are not actually 30 degrees wide and spaced exactly 30 degrees apart from each other. They are just random clusters of stars from the perspective of a random point in space at a random moment in time.
If you drew a line from the eastern-most stars in the constellation of Aries to the western-most stars in the constellation Pisces, the point where this line crosses the ecliptic could be deemed the point on the circle from which the other 11 points are determined. The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere was near this point on the ecliptic around 100 B.C.
Based on that reference point, here is a ballpark approximation of the “Ages” dating back to the beginning of history. These are the years that the equinoxes were approximately in the 30 degrees of the ecliptic usually associated with the zodiac constellations. Each one represents an epoch of human civilization. The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere is the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere and vice versa.
Age of Taurus/Scorpio (about 4,420 B.C. to 2,260 B.C.)—the bull is represented by the golden bull calf that was worshiped as a god during the time of paganism. Pagans presumably believed the first day of the year was the first day of Spring in the northern hemisphere, when the sun was in Taurus. Holy cow!
Age of Aries/Libra (about 2,260 B.C. to 100 B.C.)—the ram is represented by Old Testament shepherds such as Abraham, Moses and King David, during the time when the “divine law” of monotheism replaced paganism. This Age ended around the time of the birth of Julius Caesar. The first day of the year for Jews is near the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere, when the sun was in Libra.
Age of Pisces/Virgo (about 100 B.C. to 2060)—the fish represents Jesus, beginning the time of the New Testament, when people began to see God not only as the source of law, but also as the source of love and grace. Christians also believe Jesus is the son of a virgin and believed that chastity was virtuous.
Age of Aquarius/Leo (about 2060-4,220)—Aquarius is the water bearer, which represents humanity’s response to the devastation that will result from nuclear devastation and/or global climate change. (?) The 30 degree segment associated with Leo actually only includes the tail of the lion to Regulus. From Regulus to the head of the lion is in the 30 degree segment associated with Cancer.
Is all this just a harebrained attempt to make sense of something that is completely random? Of course. It’s based on the idea that the position of the sun in relation to the “fixed stars” during the equinoxes has significance for humanity. On the other hand, all of this New Age stuff does capture an aspect of Western civilization’s “collective unconscious.”
In 1969, Dane Rudhyar wrote that the last tenth of the Age of Pisces (so-called “seed” of the Age of Aquarius), divided into three 72-year periods, from 1846-1918, 1918-1990 and 1990-2062. 1846 roughly corresponds to the beginning of the Bahá’í Faith. 1918 corresponds with the first World War and the Russian Revolution. Rudhyar prophesized the beginning of the New Age of Aquarius in 2062, 72 years after something of significance would happen in 1990. 1990 is pretty close to when Ron and Nancy (with the help of astrology lol), brought down Communism, arguably one of the impediments to the reorientation of consciousness from ego domination to the whole world singing in “perfect harmony.”
Another way of dividing the ecliptic up into 12, 30 degree segments is to make Regulus in the constellation Leo the exact dividing line between Leo and Cancer, and to make this point on the ecliptic the reference point for the other 11 points that define the zodiac. This would have made the beginning of the Age of Aquarius in 2012, which is when the vernal equinox in the southern hemisphere was 30 degrees west of Regulus. On this date, the vernal equinox in the southern hemisphere could be said to be entering Leo, and the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere could be said to be entering Aquarius.
The actual constellations Pisces and Virgo each extend over more than 30 degrees of the ecliptic. The equinoxes will continue to be “in” Pisces and Virgo for 100s of years. The present time just happens to be about 2,160 years after the equinoxes entered the constellation Pisces and entered the 30 degrees of the ecliptic associated with the constellation Virgo.
The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere on 2100, when the celestial pole points directly at Polaris, seems like another possibility for the beginning of the Age of Aquarius if you ask me. If you doubt my street cred to predict such things, keep in mind that I called Bucky “fucking” Dent’s home run over the Green Monster in Fenway Park on October 2, 1978, soon after Rudhyar married his fifth wife and I completed the fifth grade. Illuminati confirmed.
The celestial north pole is slowly changing all the time because of the wobble in the Earth’s rotation. This point will be closest to Polaris on March 24, 2100. Then, it will begin to get farther away from Polaris, and it will take about 25,920 years (one Platonic Year) to circle back to Polaris again. A Platonic Year can be divided into 12 “Ages” that correspond to the 12 Western zodiac constellations along the ecliptic, the path in the sky along which the sun, moon and planets appear to rise and fall.
Twice a year, during the equinoxes, the sun crosses the celestial equator. The Western zodiac was created by people in the northern hemisphere when the sun was close to the constellation Aries for the first 1/12th of a year starting from the first day of Spring. A cluster of stars in the 30 degrees of the ecliptic where the sun was during the 2/12th of the year became the constellation Taurus, then Gemini, and so on.
Because of the wobble of the Earth’s axis, the location of the equinoxes changes about one degree on the ecliptic every 72 years. Thus, it changes 30 degrees about every 2,160 years, an average of one Western zodiac constellation.
Among those who give a hoot, different people have different theories about when one Age ends and a new one begins. Most astrologists accept the convention of associating each of 12, 30 degree segments of the ecliptic with one of the 12 Western zodiac constellations. But they differ as to exactly which point on the circle should be the point of reference for the other 11 points. This is because the zodiac constellations are not actually 30 degrees wide and spaced exactly 30 degrees apart from each other. They are just random clusters of stars from the perspective of a random point in space at a random moment in time.
If you drew a line from the eastern-most stars in the constellation of Aries to the western-most stars in the constellation Pisces, the point where this line crosses the ecliptic could be deemed the point on the circle from which the other 11 points are determined. The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere was near this point on the ecliptic around 100 B.C.
Based on that reference point, here is a ballpark approximation of the “Ages” dating back to the beginning of history. These are the years that the equinoxes were approximately in the 30 degrees of the ecliptic usually associated with the zodiac constellations. Each one represents an epoch of human civilization. The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere is the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere and vice versa.
Age of Taurus/Scorpio (about 4,420 B.C. to 2,260 B.C.)—the bull is represented by the golden bull calf that was worshiped as a god during the time of paganism. Pagans presumably believed the first day of the year was the first day of Spring in the northern hemisphere, when the sun was in Taurus. Holy cow!
Age of Aries/Libra (about 2,260 B.C. to 100 B.C.)—the ram is represented by Old Testament shepherds such as Abraham, Moses and King David, during the time when the “divine law” of monotheism replaced paganism. This Age ended around the time of the birth of Julius Caesar. The first day of the year for Jews is near the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere, when the sun was in Libra.
Age of Pisces/Virgo (about 100 B.C. to 2060)—the fish represents Jesus, beginning the time of the New Testament, when people began to see God not only as the source of law, but also as the source of love and grace. Christians also believe Jesus is the son of a virgin and believed that chastity was virtuous.
Age of Aquarius/Leo (about 2060-4,220)—Aquarius is the water bearer, which represents humanity’s response to the devastation that will result from nuclear devastation and/or global climate change. (?) The 30 degree segment associated with Leo actually only includes the tail of the lion to Regulus. From Regulus to the head of the lion is in the 30 degree segment associated with Cancer.
Is all this just a harebrained attempt to make sense of something that is completely random? Of course. It’s based on the idea that the position of the sun in relation to the “fixed stars” during the equinoxes has significance for humanity. On the other hand, all of this New Age stuff does capture an aspect of Western civilization’s “collective unconscious.”
In 1969, Dane Rudhyar wrote that the last tenth of the Age of Pisces (so-called “seed” of the Age of Aquarius), divided into three 72-year periods, from 1846-1918, 1918-1990 and 1990-2062. 1846 roughly corresponds to the beginning of the Bahá’í Faith. 1918 corresponds with the first World War and the Russian Revolution. Rudhyar prophesized the beginning of the New Age of Aquarius in 2062, 72 years after something of significance would happen in 1990. 1990 is pretty close to when Ron and Nancy (with the help of astrology lol), brought down Communism, arguably one of the impediments to the reorientation of consciousness from ego domination to the whole world singing in “perfect harmony.”
Another way of dividing the ecliptic up into 12, 30 degree segments is to make Regulus in the constellation Leo the exact dividing line between Leo and Cancer, and to make this point on the ecliptic the reference point for the other 11 points that define the zodiac. This would have made the beginning of the Age of Aquarius in 2012, which is when the vernal equinox in the southern hemisphere was 30 degrees west of Regulus. On this date, the vernal equinox in the southern hemisphere could be said to be entering Leo, and the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere could be said to be entering Aquarius.
The actual constellations Pisces and Virgo each extend over more than 30 degrees of the ecliptic. The equinoxes will continue to be “in” Pisces and Virgo for 100s of years. The present time just happens to be about 2,160 years after the equinoxes entered the constellation Pisces and entered the 30 degrees of the ecliptic associated with the constellation Virgo.
The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere on 2100, when the celestial pole points directly at Polaris, seems like another possibility for the beginning of the Age of Aquarius if you ask me. If you doubt my street cred to predict such things, keep in mind that I called Bucky “fucking” Dent’s home run over the Green Monster in Fenway Park on October 2, 1978, soon after Rudhyar married his fifth wife and I completed the fifth grade. Illuminati confirmed.
September 25, 2024
Astrological Timing
I love how this book begins- “It seems hardly necessary to emphasize the fact, now so evident to all perceptive human minds, that we are living in a period of tremendously accelerated change, a period of unparalleled technological, social, cultural and psychological upheavals and transformations.”(p. 9)- in a way it assumes the reader is already on the same page, and even if the reader isn���t there’s a form of respect and comfort in stating that everyone can see that the time we are living in is transformative.
The first chapter goes into surveying what is going on poetically yet descriptively in terms of how to orient oneself to this time. Despite the challenges of this transitional phase the structure can come through understanding time—time is structuring. The goal is integration on a global scale.
Rudhyar then offers that the rapid change is due to the workings of uranus, neptune and pluto. These planets enter into the minds of the collective consciousness and then challenge the everyday traditions. The test will be how to orient oneself with these changes. Rudhyar refrains from making any literal predictions which I like- he ends this chapter with “ I do not seek to prophesize, only to elucidate” (p.47).
Uranus is elucidated as a planet of mutation and ascension of consciousness and Neptune as an embryonic structure allowing for the growth of the new humanity. Pluto is the seed. He then goes into a discussion about the orbits of the planets and the meaning of them (uranus-neptune-pluto is a 1-2-3 relationship). I like how he says Uranus is the fifth in music as it involves modulation of one tonality to another (p. 54)
Really interesting how 3 uranus-neptune conjunctions are in Capricorn ( 1821, 1993 and 2164). Rudhyar’s description of this from page 76-77 is phenomenal. I feel like quoting the whole thing. “This could be taken to mean a special insistence on Capricorn – a strong Saturnian zone. Political crystallizations are indeed especially powerful as humanity is seeking to fight rather senselessly against the inevitable organization of all its members into a global society. Uranus and Neptune stress the wider horizons of a world made ‘one world’ by the discoveries of science and the tremendous increase in human interchanges. Three times their conjunctions are seeking to open up the fortified walls of nationalism, to eradicate the folly of power-politics in an electronic, atomic civilization and to inspire men who, like Capricornian President Wilson, seek to find ways of globally structuring the new world of mankind” (pp.76-77).
Pluto has retrograded into Capricorn 3 times before making its final move into Aquarius. Am now starting to understand this significance. We truly need Capricorn energies in this transitional time. Am thinking that when uranus in gemini sextiles pluto in aquarius things will move so fast that the uranus-neptune in capricorn will be essential. This helps understand why Capricorn is so important in the Aquarian Age, in creating new structures.
Then begins the discussion of the precession of the equinoxes and the difference between zodiac signs and constellations. Am still confused about the difference between the archetype of the zodiac sign Aquarius and the constellation Aquarius. Can we say the age of Aquarius will have similarities to the zodiac archetype of Aquarius? All beginnings with the vernal-equinox point will be within the constellation Aquarius- so it is interesting to ponder this archetypally. Rudhyar suggests that management of spiritual powers is a keynote. (pp118-119).
Rudhyar also describes how the Aquarian age is actually the Aquarius- Leo age. Power will come from the Aquarian flowing cosmic waters at the vernal equinox and consciousness will come from the Leo fall equinox. (p.171) There will be universal power for everyone to be their unique selves and ruler of their own self expression and creativity.
This whole discussion Rudhyar wrote is amazing and cannot do it justice in a summary. Will be returning to it many times.
The last section describes the reintegration of humans into the earth and cosmic fields. If we are to live cosmically, then grounding is important. Unity in the earth will be an important part of this coming age. He emphasizes unity between Eurasiafrica and the Americas.
A sign of a good work is that is opens more questions—and Rudhyar does this by saying that astrology is “northern hemispheric” and that there is progress to be made in the seasonal-tropical approach to astrology. He suggests that a spiritual approach to number could be unifying. The key is helping people find their true place and destiny in the coming age. He supports all who are in the process of metamorphosis and love humanity for the Aquarian Age rebirth.
Five stars seems not enough for this book but it is a structure that at least I can pour my adoration for this truly prophetic and generous author.
I love how this book begins- “It seems hardly necessary to emphasize the fact, now so evident to all perceptive human minds, that we are living in a period of tremendously accelerated change, a period of unparalleled technological, social, cultural and psychological upheavals and transformations.”(p. 9)- in a way it assumes the reader is already on the same page, and even if the reader isn���t there’s a form of respect and comfort in stating that everyone can see that the time we are living in is transformative.
The first chapter goes into surveying what is going on poetically yet descriptively in terms of how to orient oneself to this time. Despite the challenges of this transitional phase the structure can come through understanding time—time is structuring. The goal is integration on a global scale.
Rudhyar then offers that the rapid change is due to the workings of uranus, neptune and pluto. These planets enter into the minds of the collective consciousness and then challenge the everyday traditions. The test will be how to orient oneself with these changes. Rudhyar refrains from making any literal predictions which I like- he ends this chapter with “ I do not seek to prophesize, only to elucidate” (p.47).
Uranus is elucidated as a planet of mutation and ascension of consciousness and Neptune as an embryonic structure allowing for the growth of the new humanity. Pluto is the seed. He then goes into a discussion about the orbits of the planets and the meaning of them (uranus-neptune-pluto is a 1-2-3 relationship). I like how he says Uranus is the fifth in music as it involves modulation of one tonality to another (p. 54)
Really interesting how 3 uranus-neptune conjunctions are in Capricorn ( 1821, 1993 and 2164). Rudhyar’s description of this from page 76-77 is phenomenal. I feel like quoting the whole thing. “This could be taken to mean a special insistence on Capricorn – a strong Saturnian zone. Political crystallizations are indeed especially powerful as humanity is seeking to fight rather senselessly against the inevitable organization of all its members into a global society. Uranus and Neptune stress the wider horizons of a world made ‘one world’ by the discoveries of science and the tremendous increase in human interchanges. Three times their conjunctions are seeking to open up the fortified walls of nationalism, to eradicate the folly of power-politics in an electronic, atomic civilization and to inspire men who, like Capricornian President Wilson, seek to find ways of globally structuring the new world of mankind” (pp.76-77).
Pluto has retrograded into Capricorn 3 times before making its final move into Aquarius. Am now starting to understand this significance. We truly need Capricorn energies in this transitional time. Am thinking that when uranus in gemini sextiles pluto in aquarius things will move so fast that the uranus-neptune in capricorn will be essential. This helps understand why Capricorn is so important in the Aquarian Age, in creating new structures.
Then begins the discussion of the precession of the equinoxes and the difference between zodiac signs and constellations. Am still confused about the difference between the archetype of the zodiac sign Aquarius and the constellation Aquarius. Can we say the age of Aquarius will have similarities to the zodiac archetype of Aquarius? All beginnings with the vernal-equinox point will be within the constellation Aquarius- so it is interesting to ponder this archetypally. Rudhyar suggests that management of spiritual powers is a keynote. (pp118-119).
Rudhyar also describes how the Aquarian age is actually the Aquarius- Leo age. Power will come from the Aquarian flowing cosmic waters at the vernal equinox and consciousness will come from the Leo fall equinox. (p.171) There will be universal power for everyone to be their unique selves and ruler of their own self expression and creativity.
This whole discussion Rudhyar wrote is amazing and cannot do it justice in a summary. Will be returning to it many times.
The last section describes the reintegration of humans into the earth and cosmic fields. If we are to live cosmically, then grounding is important. Unity in the earth will be an important part of this coming age. He emphasizes unity between Eurasiafrica and the Americas.
A sign of a good work is that is opens more questions—and Rudhyar does this by saying that astrology is “northern hemispheric” and that there is progress to be made in the seasonal-tropical approach to astrology. He suggests that a spiritual approach to number could be unifying. The key is helping people find their true place and destiny in the coming age. He supports all who are in the process of metamorphosis and love humanity for the Aquarian Age rebirth.
Five stars seems not enough for this book but it is a structure that at least I can pour my adoration for this truly prophetic and generous author.
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August 21, 2012good paperback
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December 9, 2012good
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