Speaking at a conference on the day of the January conjunction, I detailed the potential disruptions that we could expect as 2020 unfolded, particularly to the economy, but nobody could have prepared us for how this year has played out. A few weeks after the planets conjoined Britain challenged the authority of the European Union with their Brexit withdrawal, riots and public demonstrations have swept the world and the global economy is now in crisis. Who could have even imagined at the start of the year the chaos of the Covid pandemic and the fear and chaos that has erupted? (Perhaps, a cover for a financial meltdown or reset.)
In December, there will be another major planetary conjunction that will take us to the next transformational stage of life on Earth, when Saturn and Jupiter both move into the constellation of Aquarius within hours of each other on December 21st. Saturn and Jupiter conjoining is generally referred to as “The Great Conjunction”, but this time it will be very, very different. Many astrologers see this as the beginning of a new order, with new leadership and a shift in consciousness. Indigenous peoples have prophesised over the years that huge changes would unfold at the time of the Solstice on December 21st, so expect the unexpected.
Saturn and Jupiter conjoin every 20 years and it’s interesting to look back at some of the world events that have happened with this event. In December 1941 the US was dragged into WW2 with dramatic end results. The February 1961 conjunction happened a few days after the inauguration of JFK as US President, followed by the construction of the Berlin Wall dividing nations.
In 1981 the severe economic recession hit much of the world, and in 2000 the conjunction triggered the crash of the dotcom bubble, followed by a stock market crash. The parallels with our current world events are easy to identify, from recessions to hurtful divisions of people and nations.
To add to the drama Mars joined the cosmic party on June 28th when it went into its celestial home base of Aries, where it has been challenging Capricorn and will stay until January 7th. It is now appearing to go backwards in the heavens from our Earthly perspective in what is known as a retrograde motion. This means things all too often don’t work out the way we want, and frustration can set in. Life needs to be reconsidered a little more slowly. We will see even more dramas and unrest unfold, which will affect the US election next month.
There are those who believe that this marks the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, and for others the jury is still out. Whatever the case, it is not as if some magic button will be pressed ushering in a new golden era. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is associated with growth, expansion, opportunity and prosperity, but when Saturn joins the party it throws a wet blanket over the scene. As the major planets slowly approach each other the energies intensify, so we can expect quite a few surprises in the next couple of months.
What does this mean for civilisation and the planet itself? Although some astrologers are asserting that this is the long awaited Age of Aquarius, it is difficult to prove this is the case. However with “The Great Conjunction” about to happen we can look forward to many changes and new beginnings. The sign of Aquarius particularly relates to technology, so don’t be surprised to see rapid technological expansion in Artificial Intelligence, advanced space travel and exploration, open contact with other civilisations and quantum leaps in biotechnology.
The times they indeed are a-changing, and knowing how events are likely to unfold will help us all to prepare for living in a very different world...