Fall 2006 Zodiac and Ray Cycles in Esoteric Astrology: The Beginning of the Age of Aquarius Phillip Lindsay Summary The exact time for the beginning of the Age of Aquarius has been debated amongst astrolo- his article aims to establish the date for the gers for years. For students of Esoteric Astrol- Tt rue astronomical beginning of the Age of ogy (the Science of the Seven Rays), discrimi- Aquarius, based mainly upon the writings of nation must be applied between zodiac cycles the Master Djwhal Khul through his amanuen- and ray cycles. sis, Alice A. Bailey. It was born from many dialogues within the esoteric community, some From the greatest manvantaras to the lesser of which revolved around an “unpublished let- daily round, the mystery of cycles has pre- ter” from the Master D.K. that indirectly gave occupied this author for some time. I am re- the date in question. Nevertheless, the author minded of the illusory nature of this sacred has endeavoured to prove the 2117 date by science and the limited personal veil through other means, several of which lay in Bailey’s which I perceive time. Any attempt at pene- published writings. This article seeks to work trating its arcana solely through my concrete from the greater view to the particular, remind- mind is always soundly repelled by a veil of ing us that the Science of Cycles is extremely protection that surrounds it. This method is complex and intricate, giving pause for thought applied to several other areas of the Ageless about the illusory nature of time. Wisdom to “safeguard them from the profane;” the “profane” being simply the degree of my Introduction unregenerated substance—or ignorance. “ ne of the secrets of initiation is con- None of us is free from illusion, glamour and O cerned with the apprehension of cycles, maya, nor do we possess the clear vision of the and with their duration … before a man is con- Master who has been liberated from these sidered a true occultist.”1 This is a quote with trammels. The tendency for the western eso- which many students of cycles and Esoteric teric student with well a equipped concrete Astrology may resonate, particularly from the mind, is toward a linear and literal perception viewpoint of the complexity and sheer number of time. Ultimately the buddhic intuition is the of cycles. Time is an illusion—there is no be- only factor that can be invoked to accurately ginning or end. Yet the science of cycles as- (and safely) perceive the true nature of time sists us in understanding the unfoldment of and its cyclic unfoldment; many of us still consciousness, the evolution of races and civi- work at their comprehension via a combination lisations; ultimately comprehension of the Eternal Now. There are ray, planetary and zodiac cycles, all About the Author of which have various contexts within the greater “yugas” or wheels; or according to the Phillip Lindsay has been a teacher of the Ageless rays of soul groupings, races, subraces and Wisdom and esoteric astrology for over 20 years. He has lectured in New Zealand, Europe and Amer- branch races. No wonder that even the Master ica as well as in his native Australia. He is the au- Koot Hoomi once stated, “I had to study for thor of several books. Further information is avail- fifteen years before I came to the doctrines of able at: www.esotericastrologer.org, and he can be 2 cycles and had to learn simpler things at first.” contacted at [email protected]. Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2006. 15 The Esoteric Quarterly of the concrete mind and the developing bud- that revealing light only finds Location dhic faculty. when the seventh Ray of Ceremonial Order is active and in process of manifestation in The Greater Wheel of Aquarius the three worlds, and necessarily, therefore, upon the seventh plane, the physical plane. orking as ever from the greater to the Such a manifestation inevitably takes place particular, let us examine a passage W in moments of planetary crisis, when the which points to two Aquarian cycles: seventh ray is active and when the Sun is in This is, therefore, the most amazing period Aquarius. Such a combination of relation- in the history of humanity. Added to this, it ships is being established now, for the sev- must be borne in mind that we are entering enth ray is rapidly coming into manifesta- another greater round of the Zodiac, and this tion and the Sun is in Aquarius, for the coincides with the lesser zodiacal activity Aquarian Age is just beginning. The Objec- because Aquarius governs the greater im- tive of this combination (which has occurred mediate cycle of 25,000 years and is also the six times during the period of the fifth root- sign into which the sun is now moving for a race) is to bring about illumination and the period of 2300 years—a most amazing hap- establishment of order upon the Earth.5 pening and full of import in our planetary history.3 This passage has been taken literally by some to mean that the “Sun is in Aquarius” for the The Sun is entering Aquarius on a greater and 2,160 year lesser cycle—when it more likely a lesser cycle: 25,000 upon the greater wheel refers to the greater 25,000 year cycle. Why and 2,300 upon the lesser wheel. (More on else would the Master D.K. have made the in- this lesser wheel later.) Having been informed direct reference to the time-span of the Fifth that a greater cycle exists (this applies to all Rootrace? Students of Esoteric History should signs), other passages about any astrological note that the duration of the Fifth Rootrace is age in the Tibetan’s books must be examined at least 1,000,000 years,6 referring only to its by the careful student for ambiguity or hints— physical appearance, not to its nascent emer- as to whether they refer to a greater cycle. The gence closer to four million years ago.7 Either greater wheel of 25,000 years is also part of a figures of one or four million could be com- 250,000 year cycle: puted to have had this combination of sign and The great sweep of the sun around the ray cycle occurring six times. greater zodiac (a period of 250,000 years, or If the small wheel is calculated, Aquarius a complete round) came to an end when the comes around full circle every precession cy- sun entered Pisces over two thousand years cle of 25,920 years—for a period of 2,160 ago. This process of passing out of, or en- years. One type of ray-seven cycle is 2,500 tering into, a particular sign and cyclic influ- years8 and it is said to be never out of incarna- ence covers a period of five thousand years tion for more than 1,500 years.9 It is probable where this greater round or cycle is con- therefore, that its cycle would coincide with cerned. This period of five thousand years that of the lesser Aquarian wheel every 25,920 covers the complete cycle of transition until years. Multiplying this precession figure by complete freedom to function under the in- six yields only 155,520 years—well short of spiration of the new sign is accomplished. the duration of 1,000,000 years for the Fifth We are, therefore, not yet free from inciden- 4 Rootrace. tal turmoil. If the greater wheel is considered, even with a In other words, the two lesser cycles of Pisces coinciding greater seventh ray cycle of 7,000 and Aquarius constitute approximately the years,10 then Aquarius comes around every 5,000 year cuspal period of the greater 25,000 250,000 x 6 = 1,500,000 years, much closer to year cycle. Let us examine another passage both the shorter and longer durations of the which refers to the Sun in Aquarius: Fifth Rootrace mentioned earlier. 16 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2006 Fall 2006 It is now the seventh time that this combina- diacal cycles—the Piscean and the Aquar- tion of the seventh ray and the greater Aquar- ian.14 ian cycle has occurred in the history of the As an aside, when Djwhal Khul refers to the Fifth Rootrace. There is something momen- full moon of June he usually means the full tous about the 7 x 7 that relates to the 7 x 7 = moon period of Gemini as this is Christ’s own 49 ashrams—that may accelerate their exter- unique festival accompanied by powerful sec- nalisation process during this next cycle. The ond ray of love-wisdom forces. seventh ray is certainly about the precipitation of the Plan upon the physical plane. (Note all However in June 1945 it was the Cancer full the “p”s in this sentence have a numerical moon which fell in June (the Gemini lunation value of seven.) was in May that year), and Cancer may cer- tainly be appropriate in terms of the birthing Another point to reflect upon is the passage, upon the physical plane of Christ’s mission. “the seventh ray is rapidly coming into mani- Indeed, Neptune (as the soul ruler of Cancer) is festation.” A greater seventh ray cycle started one of the names that Christ is known by in the in 167511 (related specifically to the Piscean West.15 Yet it may well be academic as to Age) and whether it is a cycle of 700, 2,500 or whether it is the Gemini or Cancer full moon.