Christianity is the world’s leading religion with Islam a close second. Both beliefs came into effect during the 2000- year Age of Pisces. Jesus, whom adherents see as the Son of God who rose from the dead after his crucifixion and was the messiah (Christ) prophesied in the Old Testament. He was born supposedly around the turn of the new millenia, with the bright star guiding the wise men to his birth being taken by some as the Jupiter Saturn conjunction of 7 BC. But there are a legion of differing dates suggested for his birth.
What is true of Jesus is not only did he become the figurehead for an enduring religion, he was also at the time a social activist which was the reason the authorities put him to death by. The 25 December 01 BC which is one suggested birth date did have a close revolutionary Pluto in Virgo opposition Uranus in Pisces square a Capricorn Sun conjunct North Node. Which makes sense of him as a rebel leader with a strong father motif in his life.
The earlier date selected because of the Jupiter Saturn conjunction in Pisces of 7 BC in late February/early March has a Uranus in Pisces opposition Pluto as well as the Jupiter Saturn conjunction. But all is speculation since there were no written records and Jesus’s life has almost certainly been mythologised to fit in with earlier beliefs.
Islam also rose out of Piscean times with the birth of Mohammed in 570 CE only a decade before the triple conjunction of Saturn–Uranus–Pluto in Pisces square Neptune; and declared himself the leader of Islam in 622 CE under the Saturn–Uranus–Neptune conjunction in Virgo.
Carl Jung was fascinated by the symbolism of Pisces, for the Age of Pisces, coinciding with Christ’s birth. He makes the point that Pisces is associated mythologically with two hostile brothers – Christ and the anti-Christ, the spirit versus the flesh – the glyph has two fishes swimming in opposite directions. The early Gnostic Christians believed that Lucifer (the anti-Christ) created the body and the material world; and God/Christ created the soul. Life’s journey was about rescuing the soul from its leaden overcoat of the flesh.
Pisces represents the ideal as well as the shadow, eternally at war, both inextricably linked. The central motif for Christianity is one of torture in the crucifixion which is also part of Pisces’ story – dismemberment, mortification of the flesh. Risking all for the sake of heavenly redemption – which fits into the Muslim ideology as well.
When it goes wrong and the Pisces/Neptune energy leans too heavily towards the shadow, inhumane cruelty surfaces. Individuation, Jung believed, was only accomplished when you both contradictory sides are owned.
Global demographics:
Christianity (28.8%)
Islam (25.6%)
Hinduism (14.9%)
Buddhism (4.10%)
Into the age of Aquarius: the great epochs explained
Astrology’s perspective on the universe takes into account the fact that our view of the constellations shifts as the Earth tilts backwards infinitesimally slowly in the heavens. Every 2000 years approximately, the line drawn through the centre of the Earth moves into a different sign. Hence we are moving into the much vaunted Age of Aquarius, one of the great epochs, and out of the Age of Pisces which started around the time of the birth of Christ. Each of these epochs coincides with a different stage of development of mankind. Though since the constellations have no start and finish line, no accurate date can be established, but somewhere across the next century we leave Pisces to enter Aquarius.
The age of Leo: 10,000–8000bc
Leo, symbolized by the Lion, ruled by the Sun, is courageous, artistic, family-centred, giving out warmth. This is the age of the hunter-gatherer, and the dawn of agriculture, with the cultivation of wild cereals. Animals are not yet domesticated so wild flocks are rounded up to provide sustenance and for breeding. It is also the end of the last Ice Age. Rock paintings record early man’s need to create a lasting record of his presence.
The age of Cancer: 8000–6000bc
Cancer, symbolized by the crab, ruled by the Moon, is home, family and tribe-oriented, worshipping the Great Mother and the Moon as the fertility providers. This is the age when communities started to gather into protected settlements, with defensive protection against wild animals. In Jericho the people lived in huts made of sun- dried mud, which became a widespread method of construction in the Middle East.
The age of Gemini: 6000–4000bc
Gemini, symbolized by the twins, ruled by Mercury, is the communication planet, restless, versatile, wandering. This is the age of the development of written or drawn communication, starting with cuneiform, pictographs and hieroglyphs. Initially devised for trade and barter, and derived from an earlier token system, writing was increasingly used for administration.
The age of Taurus: 4000–2000bc
Taurus, symbolized by the bull, sign of the farmer, coincided with the start of settled agricultural communities, as the nomads formed together in groups to cultivate the land. Taurus is associated with culture, comfort and security. Its Venusian aspects are seen most clearly in the Egyptian civilization, which by 3500bc was flourishing in cities along the fertile Nile Delta. The great bull sarcophaguses of ancient Egypt are testament to the reverence in which this animal was held.
The age of Aries: 2000bc–ad 0
Aries, the warrior sign, symbolized by the Ram, associated with iron, coincides in the great epochs with the development of metal, which replaced stone and wooden implements and was used for agriculture, household utensils and weapons. The first European states were settled under the flourishing Minoan culture, then the Greek. Aries’ entrepreneurial talents were put to good use: trading increased dramatically. Sporting prowess became the greatest achievement in Greek culture, reflecting Aries’ competitive streak. Bronze technology gave way to iron, with an increase in military activity, which saw the construction of Europe’s massive defensive fortresses.
The age of Pisces: ad 0–2000
An age of artistic and religious inspiration, with the great messiahs—Christ, Mohammed and Buddha—carrying the vision of mankind. Pisces is creative, spiritual, concerned with individual sacrifice for the greater good. Suffering for mankind is one of its traits, witnessed in the Christ myth. The early Jesus cults had the fish as their secret symbol, and the Christian New Testament story concerns itself with fishermen and feeding the multitude. Buddhism is the passive facet of Pisces, caring, opposed to killing, living a good life and aspiring to nirvana, a blissful state removed from earthly suffering. Pisces is connected to realms beyond, so revelations from God come directly to the prophets like Mohammed, who bring those revelations to the people. Pisces’ darker side is orgiastic, devouring, savage, impersonal, inhumane.
The age of Aquarius: 2000–4000
A high-tech, computer crazy age; the information revolution and genetic engineering are but two of the wild scientific developments that would have been unthinkable even 100 years ago. These are just the beginning, though, a pointer to what lies ahead. Aquarius is the sign of knowledge, scientific breakthroughs and discoveries. Man takes on god-like powers, manipulating the environment and our species. What he does runs against biology, so the old gender-specific categories and cultures will no longer hold. A world that George Orwell and Aldous Huxley uncannily foresaw.
Aquarius is detached emotionally, friend rather than family oriented, so the breakdown of the old domestic structures—already in evidence — is part of the picture. Essentially tolerant, and humanitarian, Aquarius appreciates individual differences of culture, custom and creed, so some have spoken of a golden age coming. But Aquarius can be uncompromising in its demand for complete freedom without interference. The old social glue no longer works. What the Prometheus myth, often associated with Aquarius, tells us, however, is that playing with the power of the universe carries with it dangers. There will be a physical price to pay for an over emphasis on the intellect and scientific supremacy. The emotions and the body, split off from natural roots, may rebel.
Fascinating analysis, Marjorie, many thanks.
Hinduism, too, employs the symbology of the fish. The Vaishnavism school says that the Divine is born in different forms (avatars) at the end of each age (yuga), with the purpose of cleansing the world of the evil that has grown during that age and of restoring the natural order.
Of course, there are differing versions of the story written at different times, but they all have the fish in common: in the first age, when the Earth was mostly ocean with only a small bit of land (which resonates with geological history), the Creator fell asleep and a horse-headed evil entity stole the Supreme knowledge of the world (the Vedas) from him. The Preserver of the World (Vishnu) reincarnated on earth as a tiny fish in the vessel of water that was being collected by a virtuous person ( a sage). The fish kept growing larger and larger, and the Sage kept moving it to bigger bodies of water to save it, until he finally recognized the fish to be God.
It was then that the Fish told the Sage that the land would soon be inundated by a great deluge and that he should collect herbs, seeds, animals and other virtuous people in a boat (sound familiar?). The Fish killed the horse-headed entity and retrieved the Supreme knowledge of the Vedas. The Fish then grew a large horn, to which the boat carrying the sage and animals etc. was attached, and he pulled it safely through the deluge, protecting it during that period of destruction of the old age.
Each successive rebirth of the Divine has taken a form that is evolutionarily higher than that of its predecessor (fish, followed by turtle, half-man/half-beast, dwarf-man, gallant warrior, spiritual man). Some scholars have interpreted the Vedas to predict that the current age (seems to coincide with Aquarius) will end with the next rebirth of the Divine on Earth, who will be recognized by brandishing a sword and riding a blindingly-white “horse” at light speed through the darkness of the cosmos.
Nice to remember humanity’s shared stories, at this time of year. Best wishes for the season to this community!
There is no agreement about the when the Age of Aquarius begins. But I would think that the time of the ascension of Ai, robotics and genetic engineering makes a good candidate.
Yeah, I noticed as soon as March 23 2023 came around, which was the date Pluto briefly first moved into Aquarius, even though AI existed before that, AI tech exploded into our culture at an extreme rate and has been exponential since
If Aquarius means groups of friends and communities, which in Astrology it often eludes to. Surely this could mean tribes? Leo is connected with the self. Aquarius/ Leo axis is possibly a higher self knowledge. Maybe a Star Trek encounter, meeting another’s being from another Solar System? Space travel and colonising? My favourite Aliens, although if I met one, I would probably run a mile! In politicis we are seeing activist groups form as activist families or demanding members be loyal, Gangs also! . Uranus has sometimes been described as an higher intelligence. It also spins in the opposition . Although the midpoint of the Aquarius – Air /Leo – Fire is Taurus Earth/ Scorpio Water. I suppose whichever axis appears in The Great Astrological year, all elements are invariable involved. As with all signs and planetary combinations. We will still eat, sail, travel and have Wars. Search for our individuals needs. Pisces was Romance, Uranus recognises different types of Romance, which has been more in the open since the 1960’s. We are in new searching chaos at the moment; adjusting to a new energy and finding our feet, yet this is not to say that different tribal thought, find their own communities too? Perhaps we are moving into settling down with like minded people/communities? Or being forced to choose? Will we stop idolising Icons? Even a Great Astrological Year will have Conjunctions, Sextile’s, Squares and Trines. We have a lot of Winds and Storms now I wonder if this has anything to do with moving into an Air sign – perhaps too simplistic?
Agree, since v didn’t have aquarius ahe before so v don’t have any history to lean onto but writers and astrologers did leave some glimpses.
Aquarius age of friendship nicest thing is asexual love or friendship between different genders. Today man n woman or friendship between PRIDE gender n conservative genders is not seen as threat to society like earlier times. People had to be married and festivals were needed to bw friendly with other gender, PRIDE gender kids were forced to live as square or abandoned. Artists were not allowed in society, living alone was seen as mental illness and open for predators,incase of a woman. Authorities were never to be questioned and demanded of accountability, they lived as Gods, untouched so govts today find it toughest to face fear of being fired by people. Gadgets ofcourse weren’t friendly n safe as one can filter other end despite all darkness before entering into danger zone of in person meeting, gadgets save time and self care gets its hours. It’s no longer of elite women with rich husbands. Women r today equal to men so men can heave relief of being burdened unlike past n now,men flaunt successful better half else earlier it was shame as symbol of men who cannot provide n protect his family n depends on its women’s income.
Enjoy good times ahead…
Merry Xmas and May all have a pleasant , splendid 2026 ahead.
The 25 December date for the birth of Jesus is obviously political. It was chosen centuries later by the Church to overlay with some approximation the winter solstice, the day of the rebirth of light, which had been celebrated for millennia by various cultures. Much as the Christian churches were built over ancient Roman or pagan sanctuaries. The alternate date of 7 BCE is more convincing. What is interesting is that this exceptional child perhaps began to be aware of his special destiny at age 7, which would make that moment also important.
As a practicing Buddhist, I am more interested in the Age of the Ram, which may have more long-term effects, since it is the first sign even though precession, for some reason, goes backwards. It is fascinating that the most current representations of the Buddha are of his head, which is ruled by Aries, the Ram. The Buddha is said to have lived around 500 BC, at about the same time as the first enlightened Greek and Chinese philosophers. No outline of workd history can be complete without them. I would expect a religion born in the Age of Aries to flourish in the Age of Aquarius, a compatible and friendly sign. The Buddha’s teachings certainly had a fresh boldness for its time, and remain revolutionary if deeply studied. Indeed, the Uranian component in the Jesus chart also retains this dimension.
On Islam, there could not be two Saturn-Uranus conjunctions in opposte signs during Mohammed’s lifetime.
Finally, one linguistic note. In French, the words for fisherrman and sinner sound the same. They are distinguished only by different accents: pécheur and pêcheur. Pêcher is fishing; pécher is sinning. I wonder if this has religious meaning in other languages. In French, the Fisherman came for lost souls. The first apostles, Andrew and Peter, were fishermen. As far as I know, there is no reference to fishing in Islam.
Euripides play, the Bacchae, warns that unbending reason and logic (Aquarius) detached from emotion or feeling is a form of madness quite as destructive as the uncontrolled, wild, chaotic and demented behaviour of the Maenads under the influence of the God Dionysus.
Too much of anything, excess, untethered, I can see how it can be ghastly cruel in some respects.
I’ll hold out hope for us all to grow into the better parts of Aquarius, which seems to be the opportunity/challenge of this age as well (my earth stellium isn’t enjoying the energy to out it mildly).
Thanks for all of your thoughts this year, Marjorie, and all the best to you and yours as well as everyone reading here.
I always thought it was fascinating to see the symbol of the fish arise as a way to denote the faith secretly during the period of persecution – another Piscean theme. Some of the early fish symbols denoting Christian faith show two fish between what appears to be an anchor, such as one seen on a Funerary stele with the inscription ΙΧΘΥϹ ΖΩΝΤΩΝ (“fish of the living”) from the early 3rd century (National Roman Museum). Icthus, the greek word for fish is actually an acronym. From the Greek: Ἰησοῦς Χρῑστός Θεοῦ Υἱός Σωτήρ”
Iēsoûs Khrīstós, Theoû Huiós, Sōtḗr – Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.
Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-215). In his work Pedagogus he gives the following advice to Christians on the use of symbols or images to be used on a signet ring:
“And let our seals be either a dove, or a fish, or a ship scudding before the wind, or a musical lyre, which Polycrates used, or a ship’s anchor, which Seleucus got engraved as a device; and if there be one fishing, he will remember the apostle, and the children drawn out of the water.”
Many thanks, Marjorie.
I’ve always read Jesus was born in the later half of July based on when taxes were due which was the reason for them traveling.
Didn’t they travel for the Census, not Taxes?