Nineteen eighty-seven was the year of the Harmonic Convergence. For me, as for many, it was the year of my awakening. I bought my first “New Age” book(s), attended my first channeling session, first past life regression workshop and first session with a Karmic Astrologer. I’d been through a very difficult period and was searching for answers. Evidently, I was in my Saturn opposition (the mid-life crisis) which was why my life was predictably turning upside down. After my enlightenment, however, things did begin to turn around. I had a new-found purpose, a “soul mission”, having to do in large part with disseminating information about the New Age and helping others to understand the changes that would be coming. This assignment resonated with me on some very deep level. However, I was stepping into virgin territory and I felt overwhelmed and unsure how to begin. Shortly thereafter, I signed up for a basic astrology course. It was to be the first of many. I was an Aquarian Messenger under construction. I would spend the next decade formulating my message.

 The Shifting Landscape

According to dire predictions circulating during the nineteen nineties, sometime before the turn of the millennium, California was destined to fall into the Pacific Ocean, New York City to sink beneath the Atlantic and massive earth changes would decimate 90 percent of the world’s population. In hindsight we know that didn’t happen. However, after last December’s tsunami in East Asia it might appear to some that the schedule was just a bit delayed. Recently, too, parts of California are slip sliding away, and sending a lot of expensive real estate down the slippery slopes. Earthquake activity around the globe is increasing and floods, hurricanes and blizzards are more numerous, forceful and unpredictable. This winter witnessed a bizarre first snowfall in the Saudi Arabian desert. Threats of global warming, arctic meltdown, rising sea levels, etc. are now a part of our daily consciousness. Oh, my.

We owe this upheaval, in large measure, to the fact that we are transitioning between two Great Precessional Ages, Pisces and Aquarius. Change is in the air; it’s also in the water. On New Year’s Day of 2004, the planet Uranus, agent of sudden, unexpected, disruptive change, moved into the water sign of Pisces. Pisces’ ruler, the sea-god, Neptune, is residing in the Uranus-ruled sign of Aquarius. This condition, known as a “mutual reception” will endure until 2011. The collaboration of Pisces, steward of the “Old Age” and Aquarius, harbinger of the “New Age” promises to produce some interesting chemistry. We have recently been treated to displays of their handiwork.

 Messages from Water

Meanwhile, in my own personal universe, a miracle has occurred. All those years of star gazing have finally paid off! As we find ourselves in the thick of the transition, when many are wondering “what’s happening?”, I have discovered that I actually do have a message(s!) to deliver. In fact, this newsletter is one of my delivery vehicles. I don’t have all the answers; I don’t have a complete set of blueprints for what appears to be God’s plan. However, as an astrologer, I have an understanding of where we are heading and an appreciation of the means to the desired ends. We have entered The Age of Aquarius, billed as a 2000 year “Golden Age of Peace”. Glance at a description of Aquarius in any astrology book and you will find words like, “humanitarianism, brotherhood, social reform, equality, holism, community, egalitarianism, vision, etc.” The comparison between this utopian vision and current reality begs the question “How do we get there from here?” Some powerful catalytic forces are required to push us forward into the new paradigm.

The evolution of human consciousness has driven the creation of culture and civilization from earliest times to the present. We are now standing on a precipice, and contemplating a quantum leap forward. Over the last century, leading-edge physicists have shown us a new picture of reality. We live in a conscious, non-material universe of energy and human consciousness interacts as a co-creative force with the three dimensional world. The success of the recently released metaphysical movie “What the Bleep Do We Know?” is evidence that the “we create our own reality” message is filtering into the mainstream. The ability of our thoughts to influence matter was dramatically illustrated by the film’s featuring of photographs from the book “Hidden Messages in Water” by Masaru Emoto. It is no longer a stretch to imagine that the collective consciousness of humanity (albeit unconsciously), in concert with the consciousness of Mother Earth, Gaia, is catalyzing the changes we are witnessing today.

 Tsunami!

Considering the recent Asian tsunami, one must wonder why we would create such mass chaos, destruction and loss of life and property. Perhaps there are messages hidden in the water. Compared to the apocalyptic (end of the world) prophesies that have come from many quarters, even this tidal wave is localized. Nevertheless, it is having a global impact; and therein lies its import.  Setting aside our predisposition to feel victimized, without demeaning the horrific human dimensions, we may come to appreciate it as a galvanizing force and marvel at the perfection of its timing and scope.

 As an astrologer, my knee-jerk response to the news of December 26, 2004 was to rush to the website of the U S Geological Survey Earthquake Information Center and locate the exact time and coordinates needed to cast an event chart. I felt certain the chart data would confirm my theory that the tsunami was a catalyst of global transformation. (View the chart at http://www.creativechoices.com/TsunamiQuake.pdf.)

 Charting a Course for the Future

In the chart, a descriptive symbolic picture of the event is readily apparent. More importantly, the chart gives insight into its purpose and lessons. The Aquarian-ruled eleventh house is a focal point, containing as it does a stellium (large grouping) of planets in philosophical Sagittarius. This blending of energies invites us to rise above our separate national identities (Sagittarius) and perceive ourselves as citizens of the world (Aquarius). The strong connections of Venus and Pluto to the Libran Midheaven (top of the chart) speak about emerging possibilities for cooperation in the world. Even Mars, at zero degrees (always indicates a new beginning) is urging a redirection of energy to this cause. The transformational potential in this chart is symbolized by the moon’s nodes. The massive death and destruction (south node in Scorpio in the 10^th) are clearly meant to shift the basic foundation of our values (north node in Taurus in the 4^th ).

Beyond the mundane symbols, lies an even deeper message. Capricorn rising, confers rulership of the chart upon the planet Saturn —a clear geo-cosmic signature for a karmic event. Saturn, Lord of Karma, sends us the lessons we need in order to evolve spiritually. When gentler hints fail, he brings out the big guns. In this case, he needed a bigger than usual cosmic two-by-four to wake up the world. Saturn’s rulership supports the supposition that those individuals who were directly affected were making good on pre-incarnation soul contracts. The placement of Saturn (residing in the sign of Cancer) in the seventh house indicates that these souls performed a vital public service, energizing a wave of compassion felt around the world. The power and magnitude of that wave rivals the strength of the physical wave. These so-called “victims” gave us the opportunity to experience our dependence on and relationship to each other as one human family. We may honor their sacrifice by building on this foundation.

 Forging Ahead

To date, the Asian tsunami is the farthest reaching natural disaster in recorded history. It also unleashed a tidal wave of potential change.  Rather than bemoan the widespread destruction, it behooves us to focus instead on the opportunities for personal and global transformation. Among these: Heart opening compassion for total strangers allowing us to experience our oneness; Community bonding and re-building, both locally and globally, breaking down barriers and shifting societal structures; The forging of new (non-corporate) networks between people, humanitarian organizations and governments; Raising consciousness about the plight of underprivileged populations and corrupt governments; And, in the wake of so-called “natural” disasters, the destruction of war appears even more senseless.

Aquarius, harbinger of the New Age, is also the sign of the water-bearer. We have witnessed a dramatic spectacle of water’s power—and also experienced water as a bearer of messages. By integrating and applying these lessons we may mitigate the necessity for more dramatic wake-up calls. It is, after all, our responsibility to anchor the paradigm shift that will give birth to the world of the future. Hopefully, over time, with clear intentions and committed actions, we will empower the emerging vision of a world united in peace.

Copyright Judith Goldberg, 2005. May not be reproduced without permission.

Chart data: United States Geological Survey Earthquake Information Center http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2004/usslav/

 Judith Goldberg, MFA is a Karmic Astrologer in Baltimore MD, specializing in “Right Livelihood” vocational counseling. She can be reached at judith.goldberg@verizon.net.