According to astronomer Bruce McClure, The Age of Aquarius refers to an astrological age, defined by the relationship of planet earth and its sun to the cosmos. For the last 2,000 or so years, we have been in the Age of Pisces. On any given morning, if you awoke before dawn, and gazed in the direction of the rising sun, you would be gazing upon the constellation of Pisces.
An Astrological Age
But roughly every 2,150 years the sun moves in position and centers itself in a new constellation.1 According to vernal theory, The Age of Aquarius is said to start when the sun is in front of Aquarius (no longer Pisces) at the time of the spring equinox.
There is no clear answer as to when exactly the Age of Pisces ends and the true Aquarian Age begins, but it is widely accepted that we are living through the transition. Macroastrologer Terry Mackinnell likens the change of an age to a wave, rather than the flick of a switch. “An age,” he writes, “is like a wave, slowly building in intensity until at its strongest point at the end of its period, it crashes like a wave over the next age which is slowly getting its act together.”
We see evidence of this everywhere as systems collapse and new ways of living, being, organizing, and relating emerge from the collective.
Influence and Implications
There is a popular urban myth that the Aquarian Age will be some kind of utopian period for the world. As we face very real threats to our livelihood and the well-being of people and the planet, it is understandable that many have escaped into spiritual bypassing or fantasy.
This makes sense—the love and the light we can access feel good. But the essence of tantra reminds us that there is no light without darkness. And despite the tendency to avoid confrontation with the darker parts of our cultural shadow, it will take exactly this: a collective reckoning and a willingness to accept, integrate, and remediate this before we can collectively realize this dream.
While all signs have their negative and positive aspects, the Age of Aquarius does represent a profound shift in the consciousness of humanity. The awakening is of the heart and inspires a revolution in how humans live together as part of one earth family. This period is predicted to bring about real equality for the sexes and the realization of unity, peace, and brotherhood.
Themes and Axioms
The Piscean Age was characterized by hierarchies, machines, and the illusion of separation from nature and from one another. The primary values in the Age of Pisces were money, power, and control. It was the age of “Me,” the cult of individuality, and the birthplace of modernization. Pisces was marked by externalization, and the search for meaning outside of ourselves.
The hallmark of Aquarius is “we,” not “me.” It is the age of brotherhood and sisterhood, and of realizing the God within. The Aquarian Age is an age of ideas and inspiration, in which our creativity will be born of the sensory system. The more we attune to the rhythms of nature, and the more we strengthen our social nervous system, the more we can collectively open to allow creative intelligence to flow through. This is where we may see the birthplace of heaven on earth.
Globalization and the Information Age
The last 20 years inspired the concentration of global power and a rapid acceleration in modern rhythms. Catalyzed by the advent of the internet and new tech, today’s human mind processes more information in a day than it would in the course of a lifetime just a few centuries back. The demands on the brain and nervous system are palpable.
In response to these demands, we see increased rates of depression, suicide, chronic stress and fatigue, information overload, and anxiety. But we also see the rebirth of ancient systems that support the optimal functioning of the human body.
Kundalini Yoga, as one example, equips practitioners with tools to navigate the biological challenges inherent in this transition—specifically the strengthening and evolution of the nervous system (see suggested kriyas below).
Humanity stands at the precipice of great change. While our systems and institutions fail to meet the critical challenges of our time, we are hearing the collective call for love, unity, commonhood, and integrity. These are the hallmark Aquarian values. Though not without downfalls, the internet brought access to great information, global connectivity and perspective; and with it the potential for grassroots movements anchored in people power, community care, and love.
How Can Kundalini Yoga Serve Us?
For many, Kundalini Yoga may prove immensely beneficial as we navigate this change of age. There are thousands of kriyas and meditations designed to balance the brain, strengthen the nervous system, and optimize human capacity. With daily practice, Kundalini yogis may find what they need to meet the demands of our rapidly changing world, heal themselves, and serve their communities.
Suggested Kriyas to Navigate the Change of Age
Withstand the Pressure of the Times
- McClure, Bruce & Deborah Byrd (January 8, 2021). “When will the Age of Aquarius begin?”. EarthSky.
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