The Age of Aquarius: Evolving Consciousness

LCM’s Soul Astrologer Ruth Hadikin discusses the deeper meaning of the Age of Aquarius

Soul Astrology is a blend of Psychological Astrology, Transpersonal Astrology and Esoteric Astrology. Soul Astrology is a bridge to get us from ‘here’ to ‘there’. Where is here? Our current psychological state in which our sense of identity stems from our egoic mind, and self-concepts based on personality traits. Where is ‘there’? Our evolved post-egoic state in which our sense of identity comes from a true ‘realization’ of ourselves as spiritual beings: based on our own inner experience. We could also view this as the evolving journey of human consciousness, from the Piscean Age to the Age of Aquarius.

With Alice Bailey as his channel¹, the Tibetan wrote the work known as ‘Esoteric Astrology’. It was said at the time of publishing that we really wouldn’t have the consciousness to understand most of it, and that it would take Astrologers of the future to interpret it. Esoteric Astrology concerns itself largely with ray energies and the destiny of humankind, and nations. It is a science of energies and how triangles are used to create energetic fields which, in turn, support creation and sacred geometry. In comparison with the personality-based Astrology of the day, the role of personality was minimized. The Astrology of Rays and The Science of Triangles will become increasingly relevant, once we have collectively transcended ego, but we are a long way from that Aquarian utopia. If we try to run before we can walk there is a danger here of great delusion. We can believe ourselves to have surpassed (transcended) ego when indeed we are still in the pre-egoic state. In order to transcend our ego, we must first pass through this important stage in our spiritual development.

The challenge for the Aquarian age is to separate beliefs, man-made ideas and delusion from spiritual truth

The challenge for the Age of Aquarius is to separate beliefs, man-made ideas and delusion from spiritual truth. The German philosopher Friedrich Neitzche spoke of three stages of consciousness: the Camel, the Lion and the Child. The Camel represents tribal consciousness, where we follow the herd, follow the masses, and go along with the collective consciousness. The Camels are sleeping – no great awakening here! This is the pre-egoic state.

The Lion represents  individualization – the ability and the willingness to stand alone. Separate. Apart from the herd. In terms of our personal spiritual development this is the development of, and identification with, our ego. The Lions (represented by Leo) are waking up. This is our currently emerging egoic state.

The Child represents the ‘free spirit’ once we are liberated from our egoic challenges and delusions. This is the post-egoic state. Our spirit is ‘free’. The Child is our fully awakened, or liberated, Self.

Without individuals experiencing their own inner spiritual journey, there would be no ‘new age’

Why Your Ego Matters!
What is our ego? The word ego is misused so much in so-called ‘new age’ and spiritual circles, and often in a derogatory way. (Indeed it is often used in such a way as to try and suppress the newly-emerging ego). A simple definition of ego is ‘when the mind is thinking about itself’. If you are thinking you are (or are not) something, that is ego. Who you really are cannot be thought about.

We spend a lot of time and money trying to get rid of our ego, thinking we have transcended it, only to trip over it and realize – oops! There ‘it’ is again! Yet our ‘ego’ is very important, and without it we could not experience our own, personal, individualized, Soul.

Without individuals experiencing their own inner spiritual journey, there would be no ‘new age’. There would be no spiritual age of awakening for who would be awakening? It is individuals who awaken, not ‘collectives’.

If we look around at our world today there may be a significant number of individuals who are indeed waking up and walking their own individualized spiritual path, but there are an even greater number of ‘Camels’, who still follow the herd, follow the group, want to belong, be in a gang, go along with the family, ‘toe the Corporate line’, want to ‘fit in’, not ‘make waves’, follow the latest fashion, drop out and use drugs, alcohol, TV and many forms of Piscean-type escapism.

The polarity of Aquarius’ opposite sign Leo, is needed, for Leo brings with it  the path of Self-Realization. It takes a Lion’s heart and courage to begin our inner journey to Self-realization. This doesn’t just mean people who have their natal sun in Leo, all of us will need to access the qualities of Aquarius’ opposite pole, as we navigate through the Age of Aquarius. We will all pass through this developmental stage in human consciousness on our Soul’s journey. If we polarize too far to the Aquarian extreme, we run the risk of making ‘humanity’ – a utopian ideal of the collective – more important than the individuals within it. This is when ecological idealism becomes imposed on people rather than structures which support individuals in developing their self-awareness. Indeed this is where communism went wrong.

Our present-day experience of Communism is an example of when the ideal Aquarian group utopia is implemented before people are ready. Camels cannot do it, and the result is a faceless collective in which individualism is suppressed. Individuality is squashed and people are not allowed to make waves. This is where our lovely Leo will stand up and roar: What about ME? There is a real Self and a false Self, and it is Leo’s job to figure out which is which, by exploring the Self.

The opposite polarity is always a clue to the ‘medicine’ – if Leo went to far into Self-importance, our Aquarian friends would say – yes, but what about everybody else? Bring the two together and something magical happens. By continually being challenged to recognize that he/or she isn’t any more important than anybody else, Leo eventually realizes that there is a Self that does matter – that is very important- and every ONE matters. By constantly being reminded that individuals do matter, and that individual experiences are important, Aquarius begins to steer away from the idea of the faceless collective and through personal (individual) experience wakes up to the warmth and humanitarianism that flows forth from groups of individuals.

The false self stems from externally imposed ideals and ideas of how we should be, our true self is a recognition of that which already is – the reality of our spiritual self. We only realize this reality, and set our spiritual Child free, by walking our individual spiritual path, the path of self-realization: the path of Leo.

At this point in the evolution of human consciousness, our Lions are only just waking up. After thousands of years of slavery and oppression, humanity is beginning to realize what it means to be an individual, to roar, to stand up and be counted. To make mistakes, to take responsibility, to fall down, only to get up again. We are nowhere near the free spirit of the child, and to say we no longer need an individualized Astrology, is a mistake at this stage. We are not ready. If we think we can only focus on the collective consciousness we may be deluding ourselves: we may still be Camels in danger of creating a communist-type society in which individuality is suppressed. It is indeed an Aquarian ego-trap to point the finger: to look at where ‘humanity’ needs to improve while conveniently ignoring our own role in the current state of affairs.

The Age of Aquarius is the ‘new age’ that we are entering. We are on the cusp of that age now as we leave the Piscean age that began in AD 1. Each age lasts approximately 2,160 years². Esoteric Astrology tells us that during this new age we will each experience our own Soul. This will be a gradual process and not a sudden, blinding revelation. It is important to note that we re not in the Age of Aquarius yet, we are still in the Piscean Age, but on the cusp. So our minds are still fogged by the illusion, fear, and confusion, of lower Piscean consciousness.

The Soul is our individual link to the essential substance of the Creative Source… Astrology is a system that seeks to interpret the nature of the Universal Life Force as It moves, shapes, and creates human life and all events. The planets, signs, and houses, are not the causal elements of manifestation. They are, rather, the reflections of a transcendental synchronicity manifesting through the rhythms and timing of a cosmic clock.

– Alan Oken, Soul-Centered Astrology

Every individual matters. Every Lion who has the courage to stand up and choose an individualized path, that breaks free from the old patterns of ‘tribal thinking’ will make a difference. Especially when those individuals have begun to walk the path of their own inner truth. Look at some of the most ‘radical’ people of our age: Nelson Mandela, and most recently Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi. People who stood alone and stood out, were persecuted for it, and yet on a personal level radiate such warmth, love and peace. It is through such heart-centered and courageous individuals that the Aquarian dream of equality and humanitarianism will be realized in the Age of Aquarius. Each one of us is a Lion.

Know thyself. If thou canst learn the true nature of thine own self, thou wilt know the reality of the Universe.

– Abhedananda

Our collective spiritual awakening will be a gradual process, that will take place over the next 2,200 years. The Age of Aquarius will bring ‘mystic revelations and the mind’s true liberation’ (just as the song said!) But we aren’t there yet. We need a bridge and Soul Astrology can be just such a bridge for those who resonate with it.

Soul Astrology³ is a bridge between personality Astrology and the future ‘esoteric’ Astrology of Unity Consciousness and Oneness. It is the Astrology which honors the individual’s journey home to their own soul. It is an Astrology of Self-Realization, and of oneness, through individual experience. It truly is the Astrology of our inner journey as it supports individuals in waking up and embarking upon their own unique spiritual path. It is a bridge between the old world and the new age. It allows us to read a natal chart from a conventional perspective and from a spiritual perspective.  It is a vehicle which can ferry us across the river on our journey to higher consciousness. LCM

1. I use the word channel, but it is often thought that the Tibetan (who later became known as the Master DK) was alive and well and the Abbot of a monastery in Tibet at the time. So this could have been an example of telepathic transmission between their two minds. Highly accomplished Tibetan Yogi’s are said to be able to split their consciousness to incarnate into more than one physical body at once, so it is also possible that the Tibetan and Alice Bailey could have shared consciousness in this way.
2. The earth makes a 25,625 year orbit through the 12 constellations of the Zodiac – the precession of the equinoxes. This is known as a ‘Great Year’. During this time it spends about 2,160 years in each sign. In addition the ‘Great Year’ can also be divided into five ‘World Ages’ which last approx 5,125 years. These are the ‘World Ages’ of the Mayan calendar, however sometimes a world age is referred to as the Astrological 2,160 year period. There are also other systems which refer to ‘world ages’ like the Yugas in Hindu cosmology. Although this seems potentially confusing,  all becomes relevant in terms of Soul Astrology. While the dates vary, the conditions they describe do not. So if we are speaking less in terms of a physical tangible time period, and more in terms of a ‘developmental stage in consciousness’ they become meaningful and make more sense.
3. ASTROLOGY literally means ‘study of the stars’ from the Latin ‘astron’ (constellation or star) and ‘logia’ (the study of). While  Newtonian physicists found it hard to explain how stars, billions of light years away, could influence life on Earth, Astrologers followed the Hermetic aphorism: “As above, so below”. It is the new sciences of quantum physics (nonlocality and superposition) and holograms that are demonstrating how one part, does indeed, affect the whole. In its ignorance, 20th century science dismissed Astrology as superstition, yet in ancient time it was recognized as a spiritual science that could lead us to the most profound Universal Truth. To this end Pythagoras required all his students to practice ‘self-examination’ so they would know this Universe through their own inner journey by recognizing the energies within themselves.

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