Politics and the Transition of Ages

By Sioux Rose

The linguist, George Lakoff is a strategy coach for the Democratic Party; and he’s famous for teaching the importance of cognitive frames. If we envision messages as food for thought, then cognitive frames deliver the vitamins. Most of the frames in use (and this extends beyond politics) are based on polarized pairs. In other words, emphasis is placed on duality, and choices limited to “either-or.” On America’s political stage, this scenario plays out through two established parties where most citizens connect the Democratic Party with liberal ideas and the Republican Party with conservative ideas. The truth is, since campaigns cost a fortune, the majority of elected representatives end up essentially forced to perform major legislative favors for those who fund their campaigns. The result is that both parties now largely serve the interests of the very wealthy, that is, the corporations. Since the Clinton era, both parties have delivered “the goods” to their highest paying sponsors. And the result has been deregulation of the banking industry (allowing the current form of casino capitalism that may well crash the global economy), odious trade agreements that essentially null the sovereign environmental and Labor laws of nations; and full-scale plunder of the ecosystems that are vital to the sustainability of sentient life.

The emphasis on polarity that defines the nation’s political sphere is also present at all major sporting events. Inside these impassioned venues, countless fans root for one team as it relentlessly fights the other for The Title. The idea that ends up subliminally planted is that there are only two possible choices, a winner and a loser. Furthermore, the message is projected that life is primarily based on the interplay between two antithetical forces. This becomes a core, largely unquestioned belief. And from a social conditioning perspective, it extends to citizens the idea that other nations function either as our friends or our enemies. The stance of “with us or against us” projects polarity writ large. And we find the roots in this notion of absolute dualism in the Bible with its strong emphasis on good and evil.

The premise of duality happens to also serve as a metaphor for Pisces, and the Age-phase based on fish ever opposing fish. It could well be that to get to the “next level,” mankind must transcend this entrenched polarity perspective. After all, humanity is currently wrestling with its planned transition into the next Age-phase, Aquarius. And as Pisces Albert Einstein presciently related: “No problem can be solved from the level of thinking that brought it about.” If we apply this insight to politics, we see that the current system locks out progress and the changes necessary to keep government responsive to the wishes of the electorate. In any system that’s modeled on or around the premise of irreconcilable division (or polarity) tension not only results, it remains fixed in place. Action thereby chiefly pivots between two poles and can never move beyond those parameters. It’s a form of deadlock. Within such a system, whatever is presented as an option works to reinforce the limited two-dimensional frame.

Politics is conceived in linear terms with candidates either designated on the left or on the right. Even the neutral middle ground held by the “Centrists” supports the quintessential frame of linearity. There’s an interesting story that teaches a relevant lesson, and it’s based on citizens who live in a legendary place called Flatlands. There, all citizens exist inside a 2-dimensional framework. They can look to the left or to the right, but never up. To look up would change their world in radical ways. Imagine: if citizens were to recognize another dimension, it would upset the status quo because they would demand an expansion of their life options. In other words, thinking cubically shifts the former boundaries considerably. Those that dare to look higher transcend the maze that previously limited their choices (and by extension, their lives).

Astrologers, for the most part, have risen above Flatlands. Due to our cosmic focus, we think outside of the 2-dimensional frame; however, we still share in the events that transpire on the earthbound playing field. Our consideration of phenomena from the perspective of the heavens allows us to note the countless ways that the “As above, so below” equation expresses. To identify with the circle and its 12-fold expressions is to embrace a paradigm that supports human liberty in a way that “one size fits all” cannot. Most social norms are designed for uniformity. In contrast, the Astro-logos reveals that human behavior naturally reflects 12 different orientations and each has its own set of gifts, priorities, and specific karmic lessons to explore.

Let’s return to Flatlands for a moment. From a political perspective, this idea of looking either to the left or to the right fits the modern American political spectrum. The Left supports social equality and greater rights, dignity, and wages for workers. It typically designs and supports policies intended to spread the wealth around through a sharing of costs and benefits. The Right identifies with the Individual and the narrative that hard work pays off. It sees government assistance as a barrier to that incentive. This stance reinforces an ethos that is friendly to businessmen, entrepreneurs, and those who are able to demonstrate worldly success by pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps.

In the mainstream political narrative, Democrats are branded as the Left, and Republicans are branded as the Right. However, as earlier mentioned, both parties largely go along with the same programs. They currently support massive military investments, a lockdown on Civil Liberties, and a derelict disregard for critical investments in Greener fuel sources. A Back to Work program is overdue. Given the onslaught of floods, fires, tornado outbreaks, and other climate change anomalies, it’s high time that unemployed persons be put to work and paid to prepare the nation’s infrastructure for the future ravages of global warming. If two major parties exist, but neither one acts in an oppositional fashion, how can citizens liberate themselves from the trap of electoral Flatlands? Let’s turn to mythology to learn how the ageless personae operate, and take our cue from there.

The Creation Story bequeathed to us by the Ancient Greeks and Romans centers on three realms that jointly govern the earth, the manifest realm. These three spheres were divided among three brothers. Jupiter-Zeus inherited the rule of the surface world; Neptune-Poseidon was granted rule of the oceans, and Pluto-Hades was assigned dominion over the subterranean underworld. Interesting parallels exist between this tri-fold division and modern psychology’s view of the human mind, not to mention consciousness, itself. Freud’s widely accepted theory explained that human beings rely on the function of their conscious mind (Jupiter/surface world). However, he further explained that behavior is deeply shaped by the unconscious mind (Neptune’s uncharted sea domain), as well as the subconscious mind (Pluto’s burial ground full of old ghosts). This tri-fold division also resonates with the idea that human action and motivation emerge from the interplay between the ego, super-ego, and the id.

Christianity set up a different Creation story that spread far and wide. It too centers on the notion that the universe is a reflection of three forces. In this case, they are defined as a Father God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Some underground sects equate the Holy Spirit with Sophia, the Divine Feminine wisdom.) For the most part, both Creation stories (and related narratives pertaining to Human Origin) leave the Female Deity – the gender that does express life – entirely out of the Creation narrative. Author and researcher Riane Eisler studied Ancient art and discovered ample proof that earlier Goddess-centered cultures were once the rule. In this ancient phase, life rather than war was revered. This peaceful era suggests the Garden of Eden. Predating the martial Age of Aries, The Age of Taurus would have celebrated the life that generates directly from the Earth, and likely viewed this living matrix as the Great Mother. Venus, as Goddess Mother (and ruler of the sign of Taurus) held dominion before God the Father came to replace her. The rise of the Father God synchronized with patriarchal religions and their emphasis on military power. This belief system is the product of the Age of Aries where Mars, the warrior, remains exalted.

However, when the time came for Jesus, the fisher of men to enter as Avatar and summon the more compassionate Age of Pisces, the archetype of the warrior proved resistant to progress, not to mention the planned spiritual evolution of the human race. So strongly did the imprint of aggression hold, that when Jesus offered teachings like turning the other cheek, forgiving one’s enemies, or acting as the Good Samaritan (by helping those in need) these advisements were largely ignored. In their place, the old warring ways continued on in the name of Jesus. In fact, war itself was too often justified by religious authority figures. Even today, as humanity faces yet another massive Age Phase Transition, the warrior archetype is yet to be collectively transcended. Its imprint remains an entrenched part of the collective unconscious. Keeping this dangerous archetype alive, Hollywood movies and TV shows glamorize force and “sex up” the casual use of firearms. These images steadily feed “the beast.” Astrologers understand how these timeless archetypes continue to exert a dynamic influence over human activity. Many regard Pluto (the god of death and potential rebirth) as the “upper octave” to Mars, God of War. Currently, as Pluto transits Capricorn, a deadly “business” model known as Disaster Capitalism has come into prominence. (Naomi Klein brilliantly explains the phenomenon in her book, The Shock Doctrine.) Critical ecosystems are being mismanaged when not destroyed. Industrial practices based on reckless endangerment (on a global scale) are routinely made by today’s merchants of greed. Quite literally these exploits are killing the natural world. The financial system now precariously rests on a multi-trillion dollar market of Derivatives that may well wreck the global economy.

Due to the lack of moral vision stemming from high places, the collective must quickly come to realize that other stories about who we are, as a humanity, are not only possible… they represent our best chance at collective transformation. Indeed, the time has come for a chapter change in the book of human life and it’s entitled: Aquarian Age values and precepts. Just as the human infant labors to be born, this next Age Phase transition is not without its labors! What’s fascinating is that Pluto’s current transit of Capricorn (which lasts until 2024) runs in synch with Neptune’s transit of its own kingdom Pisces (which also lasts until 2024). These two positions place Aquarius into “the squeeze,” and that puts truth and human liberty at a massive disadvantage. On one side of this “sandwich,” Pluto evokes patriarchal power and state controls (from Capricorn), while Neptune supplies endless streams of deception direct from Pisces, which sits on the other side of the “cosmic sandwich.”

It could not be more obvious that Pluto’s transit of Capricorn is amplifying the sign’s penchant for fear and control. This is shown through a growing and massive infrastructure that allows governments wide-scale surveillance of citizens. Meanwhile, with Neptune transiting its own kingdom Pisces, camouflage, illusion, and deception flood the airwaves. These twin powers (control & deception) presently place Aquarius under the equivalent of “Cosmic house arrest.” The U.S. government has pursued cases against inconvenient truth-tellers (a/k/a whistle-blowers) with a vengeance. There are plans to censor Internet sites. Besides, when citizens are regularly spied upon, they tend to self-censor their actions for fear of government retribution.

Saturn’s transit of Scorpio works hand in glove with the spy state apparatus. Indeed, the virtual lockdown on citizen dissent is furthered through the current mutual reception that exists between Saturn (transiting Pluto’s sign) and Pluto (transiting Saturn’s sign). Most astrologers characterize Saturn as the Zodiac’s “arbiter of karma.” In its rule of stern Capricorn, it teaches the Work Ethic. The entire Old Testament resonates with both teachings. It tells us that we will reap what we have sown and that there are punitive consequences for our actions, should we break the law.

The New Testament, on the other hand, carries a strong resonance with Jupiter. After all, Christ’s teachings were largely centered on faith. He stressed that its power could move mountains, turn lack into prosperity, and heal the sick. Christ stressed the power of positive thinking along with the knowledge that the universe (along with its Creator) is inherently benevolent. Countless books have been written that link faith with the healing process or proven ways to generate prosperity. Because the Old Testament ties in with Saturn’s chief mandates while The New Testament clearly reflects the ethos of Jupiter, I think it’s fair to say that both serve as the Zodiac’s “Law and Order” duo. And note the polarity of their approaches! No wonder The Bible came about during the Age of Pisces to leave the Western world struggling over diametrically opposed beliefs! Keep this in mind: the separation between church and state came rather late to modern human history. The Bible (along with its inherent duality) came to define much in the way of religious, academic, and political thought.

A case could be made that Conservative voters exhibit a natural affinity for Saturn while liberal voters reflect the ethos of Jupiter. American presidential elections have remained fixed on the Liberal-Conservative divide for decades. Returning to Flatlands, we note that most citizens have been long conditioned to believe that these two hypothetical polarities reflect all (that) there is. Not surprisingly, few persons can conceive of any alternative to this deadlocked status quo. The existing system recapitulates limited, redundant outcomes; so the key question pertinent to our times is: Can a third way exist? And that my friends is where Uranus, governor of the sign of the fledgling New Age (Aquarius) comes into play. Uranus exists outside of the duopoly box and summons the wisdom that: Necessity is the mother of invention. No sign is more inventive than Aquarius. It’s the most visionary realm on the cosmic dial and is known for its rebels.

The truth is: if there were no radical departure from the existing status quo, there could be no progress. The rising tide of necessity (added to numerous destabilizing uncertainties) will indeed summon the inherent genius of natural inventors and other intuitive souls. Society, as a whole, now suffers those conservative types who limit options for others. They refuse to look beyond familiar parameters and argue that nothing else exists. Should they dare to conjecture that other possibilities do exist, they will insist that these hold no possible value for society. In other words, these souls keep the status quo in place. Theirs is the mentality that long ago insisted that the Earth was flat; that planes could never fly; that no spaceship could venture to the moon; and that the sun and stars circled ‘round our earthy sphere. Richard Bach got it right when he stated: If you argue for your limitations, you get to keep them.

For centuries, empowered people have used their political muscle to make sure that true innovators could not step forward to prove them wrong, or shift the status quo in ways that might force them to share more privileges with others. To this day, debates are reserved for Liberals and Conservatives. Naturally, this leaves radicals, rebels, novel thinkers, visionaries, and ingenious “evolutionaries” out of the equation. A recent example came to light when both political parties did their best to keep 3rd party contender Ralph Nader invisible. He was in fact blocked from entering a televised debate. The chokehold upheld by both established parties keeps the duopoly in place.

Before Edison could prove that an invisible energy source existed, most people went to bed at sundown and lived by the rhythms of night and day. Electricity, once implemented, radically altered the paradigm. Although we can’t yet see what the next set of paradigm-changing inventions will look like, that doesn’t mean they’re not already in the works! During ordinary times, invention happens. Imagine how strong the current of innovation will run once the Aquarian Age gets fully underway? There’s no telling what’s ahead. When the will was in place, as was true during The Manhattan Project, many of the world’s most advanced minds joined forces. Although their efforts were directed at building the weapon to end all other weapon systems (an outgrowth of the still sustained dominant archetype of Mars, fruit of the Age of Aries) together they came up with something that was phenomenally powerful. That same sort of collective initiative is needed now to shift the world away from its dependency on fossil fuel energy sources.

Aquarius’ genius for radical invention is being galvanized. Linked to the 11th house, Aquarius represents the sign of hopes, dreams, and wishes. It’s also the place on the cosmic dial where synergy happens. And by that I mean – as related through Scripture: “That whenever two or more are gathered in the name of the most Holy, and ask in that name, assistance will be granted.” In fact, miracles have been known to happen. A shift in the cosmic calculus is decidedly underway. It may seem like a long time before Pluto and Neptune change signs in 2024-2025. However, once the Zodiac’s chief transformer (Pluto) enters Aquarius, with support from Neptune charting “the way of the pioneer” from Aries, inordinately novel potentials will open for mankind. I happen to think that the next Great Conjunction (that once every 20-year alliance between Jupiter and Saturn) will set the stage. Scheduled for Winter Solstice, 2020, the Zodiac’s Law and Order duo will merge in early degrees of Aquarius; and it’s a fair bet that mundane law will then come to more truly reflect Universal Law!

Aquarius represents that 3rd way. For one thing, the sign is governed by the great maverick… that ultimate rebel “star,” Uranus. Uranus serves as the active agent if revolution is on the menu whether the great shift impacts technology, consciousness, or political systems. Furthermore, Uranus’ key mandates are Truth and discovery. That means its pathways always stand outside of Orthodoxy. It’s the chief opponent of the Status Quo. The Aquarian Ethos comes to life in those brave souls who challenge established systems of gridlock. Whether they counter political orthodoxy, the current scientific consensus, or the boundaries of religious thought, Aquarius inspires new inventions and humane departures from often-brutal traditions. These sorts of bold initiatives are now being deliberately opposed, legally thwarted, and penalized by Old Conservative interests. The grip of global elites is furthered through centralized banking, trade agreements, energy consortiums, and massive high-tech agricultural corporations. These entities are to 21st-century citizens what the pharaohs were to the enslaved Egyptian hordes. They typically trash the natural resources that belong to all posterity. As the cosmic squeeze tightens with Neptune and Pluto turning the screws on Aquarius, millions of people will rebel through all sorts of spontaneous actions. Countless persons who love liberty, discovery, and new possibilities will find their better angels galvanized and work in their own ways to break the grip of the current Neptune-Pluto vice.

It may be 7 years before the Aquarian tide rises and its ideals become the norm. The merger between Jupiter and Saturn (December 20, 2020) should break the old gridlock that grants exceptional rights and privileges to corporations. Apart from 1980, each Great Conjunction since 1860 took place in an earth sign! No wonder that law, itself, was held hostage to gross material interests at the expense of everything else! Since the two planets directly responsible for the law of the land have met regularly in earth signs, for more than a century property rights have trumped human rights. That will not remain the case after 2020. I envision a global body that will establish a World Constitution that will enshrine basic rights for all persons. In addition, as Evo Morales of Bolivia has wisely advised, the time has come to also enshrine into law, the rights of Mother Nature (Pacha Mama). This would mean that those ecosystems precious to all sentient life would no longer serve as profitable collateral damage for corporate predators. South America has been on the cutting edge of Aquarian precepts. It’s sponsored visionary events like The World Social Forum where thousands meet to work towards the fulfillment of their motto: Another World Is Possible. Those who flock to these gatherings identify with (and likely embody) the principle of Uranus. They understand what the next phase for humanity will require. They may not yet have all the answers, but they are open to the discovery process that will yield them. After all, Serendipity favors the prepared mind.

Linear “either-or” views set up polarity and lock perception into irreconcilable opposition. In contrast, astrology observes the circle in the place of the line. The wisdom borne from sacred geometry points the way to all sorts of resolutions. Aries, the sign of war, may perpetually oppose Libra, the sign of peaceful negotiations; however, the positions of Gemini, Aquarius, Sagittarius, and Leo deliver a number of strategies designed to offset that particular ideological “deadlock zone.”

Might it have been possible for humanity to avert the new Surveillance State that Pluto Capricorn in mutual reception with Saturn Scorpio so quickly ushered in? Or must the rubber band be pulled this tightly in order to generate a vast collective burst? From the energy of this release, a great wave of creativity will rise to usher in the innovations the times cry out for. A Great Plan has been put into motion that expresses through the Astro-Logos; and its Designer, the Great Cosmic Clockmaker purposely placed the repressive sign of Capricorn right before that of Aquarius for a reason.

Everything in the manifest world works in cycles, and the magnificent oceans reveal an inspired lesson. It’s seen in the way that every wave must roll under itself in order to acquire forward momentum. Think about that for a moment. Presently, it may seem that a great many hard-won liberties have been rescinded never to return. Sensitive souls may also notice that the most primitive, atavistic responses are being coaxed to the surface in people, and thereby rewarded. Consider that these rollbacks are proof positive that a new momentum is gathering, and it will lead to a mighty massive lunge forward! The Aquarian Age’s opening “act” is like a seed shaking off its husk so that the Essence of Life waiting under the surface may awaken and express.

I’d like to add two final points to this discussion, and one takes us back to the premise of polarity. We note that our earth is populated by two genders. Together, they make life. The DNA molecule perfectly expresses the nature of this biological partnership since it’s composed of genetic input taken equally from both parents. Could it be that the final phase of the Piscean Age calls for Divine Reconciliation between the Two Partners? The time has come for men and women to develop genuine partnerships. Then, with women’s equal input into critical decision-making bodies, perhaps the love of war that’s so deeply entrenched in the Human Condition might, at last, be transcended. No longer can fish swim against fish. Either there’s Divine reconciliation or the natural world implodes. Harmony can (instead) happen!

One goal of my book, Moon Dance: The Feminine Dimensions of Time was to integrate the Zodiac signs with their mythological counterparts. It was apropos to break the rules when it came to Aquarius. Since The Age of Aries long ago replaced the Divine Mother with that of the Father God, humanity has narrowed its worship solely to the “male side of the Divine force.” In mythology, Apollo is recognized as the god of the sun. Perhaps the reverse also holds true: that he serves as a metaphor for the Son of God, and he happens to have a twin sister. Her name is Artemis. The pair is reminiscent of Luke and Leah from Star Wars. As twins, both share the same source; so if that source is Divine in nature, then Divinity extends to both. I believe the Earth calls out to her daughters to claim their rightful Divinity. I also see a resonance between the archetype of Artemis and the rise of the Aquarian Age. This Age will establish an ethos that honors the sacredness of each human being. Furthermore, it will inspire a mass consciousness that transcends the old notions of sexism, racism, and other soul-deadening “ism divisions.” How better to seed and inspire the development of a balanced and humane global society?

I observe the rise of Artemis-Aquarius when Egyptian streets are full of women protesters. I’ve witnessed it when female Indigenous elders gather as Idle No More to protest a dangerous oil pipeline that will leave major swaths of the Canadian forest, a wasteland. Artemis rises when Vandana Shiva speaks up for the millions of Indigenous peasant farmers who know how to regenerate the world’s exhausted soils. They are bravely resisting the practices of industrial agriculture, the ones that leave the placental earth devoid of vital force. She rises when Bianca Jagger gives voice to the Amazonian tribes who work diligently to oppose a massive dam project that will destroy the Amazon, their own livelihoods, and the vast network of miraculous ecosystems that dwell there.

Indigenous people remind us that another way of life is possible. Perhaps the modern world must learn this truth since the price of war and global warming is already proving higher than what anyone formerly imagined. As human beings, our learning adventure calls for many lifetimes. That means we will inevitably cross paths with all sorts of persons. It behooves us to think like the family members who must take care of their timeshare vacation resort knowing they will return to it. It is also wise to take care of one another. And since friendship is sacred unto Aquarius, that prospect will develop greatly in decades to come.

I’d like to close this discussion with wise words taken from Guru Yogananda. The quote below comes from a speech he delivered at the United Nations in 1949. At that time, stinging from the wounds of war, leaders were willing to listen to a message based on Peace (as life model). Now, as earth-changing events challenge our notions of safety, security, and sustainability, we, too, might listen to Yogananda’s apt advice:

Partial dissolution of the world is brought on by the evil activities of people in general. If we all begin to fight with explosives, by this direct action we can reduce drastically the extent of civilization. And maybe if we work hard enough, we can dissolve the world, too! Creator/God has given man the power of destruction as well as the power of Creation. We have made the world beautiful, and we also have the power to destroy it. When we desecrate the world, the environment undergoes a violent change, which is called partial dissolution. Such upheavals have occurred many times. The most recent example is Noah’s Flood. These partial dissolutions are due to the wrong actions added to the ignorant errors of mankind. Don’t think human actions have no effect on the operation of God’s cosmic laws. Everything that has happened throughout the ages is recorded in the ether. The vibrations of evil that mankind leaves in the ether upset the normal harmonious balance of the earth. When the earth becomes very heavy with disease and evil, these etheric disturbances cause the world to give way to earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters.

The Aquarian Age has all the makings of humanity’s uncertain 11th hour! With necessity acting as the Mother of invention, a whole lot of innovation will surface.