While watching a period piece set in WWII recently, I was struck by a strange nostalgia. Nostalgia for what, I wondered? How could a war movie create nostalgia?

The nostalgia, I realized, was simply for a time when you (mostly) knew your enemies, could identify them, could see their faces. Your allies, too, were recognizable, mostly. Obviously this wasn’t 100 percent but there’s a camaraderie that occurs in this situations, no matter how horrific. You at least have a basic idea of friend and foe.

Today’s “wars” are increasingly moving from the physical realm to the air realm. The shift of Saturn (Dec 17) and then Jupiter (Dec 18) from 29 degrees of Capricorn (earth) to 0 degrees of Aquarius (air) revealed that computers in the US government, with its natal Pluto in 27 degrees of Capricorn, had been hacked by a foreign state, possibly Russia.

The Cold War of the 1950s-1980s created a fear of physical annihilation from nuclear war, especially between the US and Russia (then The Soviet Union). Interestingly, in the 1990s as the Berlin Wall fell the fear of nuclear holocaust disappeared. This should tell you all you need to know about human nature. Nuclear weapons still exist. Today, unlike the Cold War, they may be in the hands of people we don’t know, can’t see. We clearly put this out of our minds.

Global conflict has shifted from physical threat to cyber threat including computers, and other forms of wave warfare such as directed sound waves. This is warfare you can’t see, can’t smell, can’t touch. The enemies are elusive, maybe have political motivations, maybe are just having fun and showing off their skill, or maybe just trying to steal stuff.

No wonder I’m nostalgic for a good old-fashioned war.

Information Age

The Dark Ages refer to a period of deliberately-suppressed intellectual growth where dominants beliefs (mostly religious) were forced upon people as the only avenue of knowledge. Different types of “Dark Ages” have occurred throughout our history. Some cultures continue that today by prohibiting information outside of government-structured belief.

Many nations don’t prohibit the free flow of information. Ironically, however, suppression and removal of information isn’t the only way to keep people in the dark. The opposite will also work – a flood of information of different types:  deliberately misleading or incendiary; entertaining and distracting; frequent and conflicting; overwhelming and useless.

In the United States, we are in an ocean of information while simultaneously in a Dark Age. The flood of information of the above-mentioned types has created a culture of no common understanding. The difference between a fact and opinion is completely dissolved which makes communication meaningless. It is like each person has his/her own personal foreign language. The inability to agree on facts means there is no way to collectively set a course of action. As we live in a time when issues are global and must be solved globally, this is concerning.

The Shift to Air

Jupiter and Saturn have just moved into air-sign Aquarius to lay the red carpet for the larger shifts of Neptune and Pluto into air (Gemini and Aquarius respectively) in the next few years. The distinction between physical world (fact) and mental world (opinion) is breaking down.

Mentally we are each in our own “reality” in many ways. But the physical world is much more connected than ever so this disconnect between physical and mental is going to create physical issues.

The air trine consists of Gemini (mutable), Libra (cardinal) and Aquarius (fixed). The air signs process through the thinking function, are smart and mentally agile, seek education and stimulation, are social, seek identity, and reflect off of others to define self. Air is not emotional and tends to “think” its feelings rather than feel them.  Air must flow so you can’t bore it with regularity and routine, trap it in a room or put it on a shelf to look at. Air must move.

Gemini is where we are young and learning as described by the mutable energy. We know that when children are born, there is (generally) a belief that a stimulating environment is needed for growth. Mobiles that move above their cribs; toys with sounds; blocks of different colors and shapes – all are important to become a human. We start the learning process young as the mind is open and ripe. Ruled by Mercury, Gemini generally remains open to new ideas throughout its life – it is rarely rigid or dogmatic in belief. It’s also usually fun and cheerful.

Libra is where we seek the “other” as described by the cardinal energy. Known for partnership, Libra tends to marry young. Like Gemini, Libra likes people but may be more selective in choice being ruled by Venus which has a focus of pleasure. The Libra birthright seems to be talent in some creative area of life from arts/crafts to poetry/writing to music/dancing. As Libra likes to be in a relationship, the universe also provides Libra with the gift of charm. Libra creates the aura of beauty in all environments, even the most adverse.

Aquarius is where we want our friendships, ideas and goals to stick, to be permanent, as represented by the fixed energy. Being open to new ideas can sometimes make the world think you are fickle and inconsistent. Aquarius in contrast to the mutable and cardinal air signs is focused on ideas of the perfect society, the perfect group, the perfect person. Aquarius is the “demos” and “isms” of social belief systems and is loyal to friendships – for Aquarius, friends that share goals are “family.” The fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) are the leaders of the zodiac due to the consistency of their behavior and force of conviction which makes them strong and charismatic. Aquarius is also known for its rebelliousness, futuristic ideals and general eccentricity.

Air Games

When Uranus and Neptune transited Aquarius in the 1990s-early 2000s, we saw a rise in technology and a great glamorization of it. The Gemini in us likes the constant stimulation and expression; the Libra in us likes the connection to others (including dating sites); the Aquarius in us likes that we can find and connect with those of like mind and share ideas.

It’s all good for humanity; the challenge is that on earth technologies are always weaponized as well. The tech giants are seeking as much profit as possible as were the railroad tycoons in their day. Businesses are created for profit, not social improvement. We might have forgotten that.

The challenge of air is that when confronting physical issues, air can often dissociate, or feel disconnected from body and sense of self.  Air can rationalize rather than respond. Debate involves rational dissection of another’s viewpoint, not simply the manipulation of words.

Uranus is currently transiting Taurus which is the fixed earth sign and very physical. As Jupiter and Saturn transit the early degrees of Aquarius, they will be square to Taurus. The clash of fixed belief (Aquarius) and fixed physical life (Taurus) will continue. Ideas form reality but ideas can also be disconnected from reality.

Where are you demonstrating leadership and where are you having delusions of grandeur? Only the reactions of others will let you know.

Because threats are not physical does not mean they do not exist. That will be the challenge of moving from physical to digital life. We won’t step on a physical landmine (which is a nice thing), but we also won’t understand if and when we have stepped into a digital one. And if we don’t share a common understanding of the world, we will be walking through the minefields alone.