When reading the news these days, I have to constantly remind myself that most don’t study astrology and understand the world as a series of overlapping cycles and patterns.

The common view of the world appears to me to be a ray with a starting point (our birth) and a line extending forever in one direction (life and death).

Before we were born? Nothing.

Eternity, according to DifferenceBetween.com, is “something present at all times with no beginning or end,” while infinity is something “that can’t be measured.” The symbol for infinity is the continuous movement of circular pattern.

Those seeking “eternal life” after death are thinking of a ray. If one believes in eternal life, it’s already here and existed before birth. It’s not something that comes after something else.

Astrology is like infinity not eternity. It is not a religious belief system (although some may make it that) but an acknowledgement of the unceasing circular patterns of our existence.

Cycles

For those that read the daily horoscope, the predictions are based on the faster-moving bodies around us: moon, Mercury and Venus.

The prediction that today you will meet “a tall dark stranger” could be the moon passing your Venus or Venus over your sun.

If that tall dark stranger stays in your life this year, you are involved in an annual cycle of sun, Mars or Jupiter. With positive aspects, these planets provide energy and a sense of life and you are enjoying the tall dark stranger. If negative aspects, this tall dark stranger is meant to provide a different type of lesson such as a pattern you ought to part with.

If the tall dark stranger stays in your life permanently, then Saturn is involved. Saturn is a contracting energy and not always viewed with pleasure by astrologers but long-lasting relationships involve Saturn.

If the stranger rocks your worldly perception as a teacher or spiritual leader might do, then we’re talking about Uranus and Neptune. If you feel uncomfortable, it’s probably Uranus. If it feels comfortable, it’s probably Neptune. But both are meant to evolve you so if you’re uncomfortable with no growth or comfortable but leading toward escapism, find another teacher.

Pluto is the cycle of transformation which normally occurs with the forced removal of your personal nuclear waste. But it doesn’t have to be forceful; you can acquiesce. But we normally don’t. The tall dark stranger in this case is probably more of a force which results in a permanent change to your being.

Outer Planet Cycles

As I watch the world return to “normal” and “the new normal” which appears to be a re-branding of the old normal, I realize we’re caught in ray thinking.

Nothing started and nothing ended. Astrologically speaking, we’re in the middle of intense cycles that are pushing us to growth.

Which cycles?

The broadest, longest cycle is Pluto in Capricorn which began in 2008 and is not complete and won’t be fully finished for 3-4 more years. This cycle tore down our societal structures. We put them back together but pandemic took them down again.

Are we going put them back together the same way a second time? Right now it appears so.

Pluto takes 248 years to complete a cycle so represents the cycle of evolution. Pluto in Capricorn in 2008 is the half-cycle of Pluto in Cancer which began in 1913 when we shifted from family and community security to corporate and government security. For the United States, this represents a Pluto “return” meaning we are meant to evolve.

Our next cycle is Neptune in Pisces which began in 2011 and will last until about 2026. Neptune brings spiritual comfort but can also tend toward escapism. Pisces sun and moon Mr. Rogers has become a resurrected hero during this need for spirituality in pure form (Neptune rules Pisces). Escapism is also rampant in the form of drugs (whether deemed legal or illegal) and excessive media. Since Pisces wants to merge, social distancing creates great spiritual disturbances which are replaced by connection with our addictions.

Our next cycle is Uranus in Taurus, which started in May 2018 and will last until 2026. This is shock and awareness related to money, body, and property. This cycle is also in its early stages. Learn early and the rest of the cycle will be the pure bliss of body and material awareness.

These three outer planets are generational. Those born during it or young during it will have this imprint on the rest of their lives. They do not represent what you will have for lunch tomorrow so you won’t find them mentioned too much in your daily horoscope.

Social Cycles

This brings us to the social planets of Jupiter and Saturn where we meet society at school, work and church. Jupiter is an annual cycle and changed signs (into Capricorn) last December. Saturn just changed signs on March 23 (from Capricorn to Aquarius).

Our pandemic cycle within the larger cycles appears to be a cycle of Jupiter and Saturn. While Jupiter changes signs every year, Saturn takes 2.5 years.

While Saturn went into Aquarius, it will pop back out in July and be in Capricorn again until December. In early December, Jupiter and Saturn will join in Aquarius. The conjunction of these planets have been noted by astrologers for centuries as bringing about social change.

Astrologer Elisabeth Grace has a wonderful article What’s So Great About A Great Mutation? which describes what’s occurring in detail including the 20-year cycle of this conjunction and what it means to be in an air sign (Aquarius).

As the fates would have it, I noticed in my own bookshelves The Jupiter/Saturn Conference Lectures by Liz Greene and Stephen Arroyo that occurred in 1981 with Jupiter and Saturn in Libra. Liz Greene says in one of her lectures:

In Medieval and Renaissance astrology, the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction is always considered to herald a change in rulership – the death of a king and an interregnum of chaos and the emergence of a new king.

We will all read this differently but remember there’s a world of kings out there with many changes occurring simultaneously.

Looking at the astrology of this time for many years already, I’m fascinated by how it manifested. While other astrologers might have seen illness (Neptune in Pisces maybe?), I definitely did not; however, the effects are what was expected from theses transits – sudden and transformative changes to the structure of society, government and authority.

The Pandemic Cycle: We’ve Only Just Begun

The pandemic cycle is the beginning of a two-and-a-half year cycle of how we live as a society. Our 20th century words – democracy, theocracy, socialism, and communism – no longer apply. There are no longer any substantial differences (if there ever were) between governments. We have varying levels of freedoms and varying ruler titles (queen, prime minister, president, king) but the effects are now increasingly homogenous.

As with any cycle, it is the result of our past cycles and leads to our future cycles. We created it; astrology simply describes it. Had we come into the pandemic cycle with sustainable economies, the results would have been different because we would have been farther along in the growth that was meant to occur.

Saturn in Aquarius is the social distancing we’re being asked to maintain. Yet Saturn also crystallizes so the groups and societies formed in this cycle will be long lasting and part of the transformations that will continue to occur in 2024-2026 as Pluto moves into Aquarius, Neptune into Aries and Uranus into Gemini. Those are air and fire signs which are more extroverted and expressive. Today’s energy is earth and water which is more introverted and reflective.

The Pandemic Cycle is forcing reflection as well as the space and time in which to devise new and innovative ways to share the planet.