The Astrological Ages explained using the "Gaia's Trident" method

david starling

Well-known member
The Ages, once a controversial subject, are now either ignored, or taken for granted by most Astrologers. They're described as being "Earth's Ages", because the reason for them is attributed to "Earth's wobble" as it rotates, and because the line of intersection of Earth's orbital plane (the Ecliptic) and Earth's equatorial plane are commonly used to locate the Age in the context of the Sidereal Zodiac. Even though the Ages, as commonly known, are a feature of only the Sidereal Zodiac, they've been of greatest interest to Tropical-astrologers, who have had no problem with locating the Sidereal Sign-boundaries to fit their personal opinions as to when the Ages begin and end; this, because Tropicalists aren't using Sidereal boundaries in their Astrological-charts. So, there are many opinions, mostly those of Tropicalists, as to when that most famous of Ages, the Aquarian Age, will begin--some declaring it's already begun, and others, that it's still a future event, all with varying dates.
Simply put, that aforementioned "line of intersection" determines the Vernal Equinoctial Point, by which Tropicalists locate the first point of Tropical Aries. And it's this point which is commonly used as the Age-Indicator as it moves extremely slowly, with Retrograde-motion, through the Sidereal-signs. So, the Tropical-Zodiac rotates with it, through the Sidereal-Zodiac. A one degree difference in the value of the "Ayanamsa", which is the gradually increasing differential between the first point of Tropical Aries, and the first point of Sidereal Aries, means a difference of nearly 72 years regarding when an Age begins. [More, later. There's still a LOT of explaining to do. Please feel free to ask questions and/or comment at any time.]
 
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david starling

Well-known member
As far as my research shows, no attempt has been made to integrate an Age-Indicator into the Chart itself. The long-standing, ongoing argument about when the Aquarian Age begins leaves that out entirely. But, in order for there to be an Age-effect, it has to be explained within the context of individual Natal-charts. The simplest version would be to use the Ayanamsa in the same way we use, say, the Ascendant. So, instead of viewing it as merely a way to correlate the Tropical-Zodiac to the Sidereal-Zodiac, the first point of Tropical Aries becomes an actual Sidereal point of interest, separate and apart from its Tropical usage. No reference to the Tropical-sign Aries is necessary, since the astronomical term "Vernal Equinoctial Point (VEP)" describes it as well.
The argument about WHEN the Aquarian Age begins is ACTUALLY an argument about WHERE the Sidereal Sign-boundaries should be located, and even about whether the Equal-Sign method should be used in a Chart at all. Noted Astrologer Robert Hand, for example, proposes that the Aquarian Age won't begin until the VEP actually reaches the CONSTELLATION of Aquarius, which is not the same thing as the Equal-Sign method's location for the boundary-point between the Sidereal-signs Aquarius and Pisces. This delays the start date for the Aquarian Age by several centuries, because it "moves the goal line". What I'm saying is, if you move the goal line for one Astrological-indicator, you're moving it for ALL of them, including Asc, Sun, Moon, and Planets--and that's exactly what the Age-pointer is, just one of many important Astrological-indicators in the Chart. The BIG question is: Does the Tropical-Zodiac ALSO have an Age-Indicator, telling us about the Astrological effect of the planet Earth in a Tropically-located Chart?
 
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dr. farr

Well-known member
The Astrological Ages-what a vast subject! Certainly my researches have more than touched on this most complex matter, but I still have a very long way to go before making even tentative hypothetical statements regarding this matter...

One thing, though-a research path I have followed for some time now: the subject of sub-periods: I have been looking into possible sub-periods, based upon individual stars coming to occupy the VEP, each such stellar influence continuing until the next star in turn comes to occupy the VEP: for example, the star Difda has been occupying this point since 1815, and will be replaced by Scheat in approx 2045. Its an interesting study...

(Note: Difda is in the constellation Cetus; Scheat in the constellation Pegasus)
 
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david starling

Well-known member
"Gaia's Trident" expands the Age concept by separating the effect into three categories. The lead point, in the direction of motion (in conventional case, the VEP), is accompanied by a trailing point 30 degrees behind, and the geometric center point. For convenience, the lead point is "the" Age-Indicator. But it's an Age Interval, and all three points matter. Depending on the circumstances, the lead point might be of less importance than one or both of the other two. The first point is "First World", the center point "Second World", and then, "Third World". Not in the political sense, although there are some correlations, but in how they affect one's World-view in one's Chart, and the aggregate result of everyone having nearly the same Trident position in their Charts at once. So an Astrological "Age", in this evaluation, is a simultaneous, three-phase effect in each Natal-chart, which plays out as a shared World-view. The categories are: Individually (lead point); Socially (center point); and, Traditionally (last point). So, each lead point, "foreground Age", occurs together with a trailing point "background Age". This takes into account the "overlapping" of Ages, which many who study them have noted. Halfway through an Age (referring to the Trident's lead point), the center point, Societal Age, enters the lead point Age-sign, and leaves behind the trailing point, Traditionalistic Age-sign. This is when an Age begins to break from the past in a more fundamental way than at its beginning. By the third decant, the changes are well underway, as individualistic views allied with same-Sign societal attitudes push traditional beliefs aside.
 
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dr. farr

Well-known member
The concept of a "multi-phase" (multi-level) Age (as outlined in the above posting) is a very workable practical hypothesis, and has something in common with the "sub-period" idea which I briefly mentioned in my earlier post. This general idea of "levels" or "gradations" is widely applicable to interpretive astrological analysis in general, and I think failing to take this concept (of levels or gradations) into account has frequently been a stumbling block to better astrological analysis and to our achieving more reliably accurate predictive results.
 

david starling

Well-known member
The concept underlying this Age-Trident method is, that Earth's Astrological effect upon us can be ascertained by using an interval of one Sign's length, measured along Earth's orbital path (the Ecliptic). With 12 equal Signs, "the Part representative of the Whole", where the "Whole" is the Ecliptical Circle as viewed from Earth, "the Part" is a measured interval of one Sign's length (30 degrees). This in turn must be both located using a quality of the Ecliptic, and circumnavigating the Zodiac due to a Terrestrial movement. This "Age Interval" has two boundary-points and the center-point for Age-markers.
In the conventional setting, the Zodiac is Equal-Sign Sidereal, and the Age Interval is located by placing its first-point (leading boundary in the direction of motion) at one end of the line of intersection of Earth's Ecliptical and Equatorial planes--the Equinoctial-line. It then moves through the Zodiac at the incredibly slow rate of one degree every 71.6 years due to Earth's "wobble". The end of the Equinoctial-line used is the VEP (Vernal Equinoctial Point), marked by the Sun's position at the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. With this placement, the Age Interval moves into and out of convergence with a Sidereal-sign every 2148 years.
 
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Cap

Well-known member
Hi David!

Very interesting stuff, I hope my questions are not completely off topic. :smile: I must say, I find "binary system" hypothesis very logical. If it's just the Earth's "wobble" then what would be the actual cause behind the effect of Astrological Ages (in binary model this is due to the distance between Sun and companion star)?

Since both Vedic model of Yugas and western model of Astrological Ages essentially describe the same thing they can be integrated together so that certain Astrological Ages correspond to exact parts of Yuga cycle. When I moved into this direction I ran into many diagrams like this one:

autumn_equinox.jpg


Is there any underlining logic behind the Vernal Equinox of the Northern Hemisphere being the reference point for determining Astrological Ages or this is completely arbitrary? If the Autumnal Equinox of the NH is used (and that is the Vernal Equinox of the SH) we would be in the Age of Virgo right now.
 

david starling

Well-known member
Hi David!

Very interesting stuff, I hope my questions are not completely off topic. :smile: I must say, I find "binary system" hypothesis very logical. If it's just the Earth's "wobble" then what would be the actual cause behind the effect of Astrological Ages (in binary model this is due to the distance between Sun and companion star)?

Since both Vedic model of Yugas and western model of Astrological Ages essentially describe the same thing they can be integrated together so that certain Astrological Ages correspond to exact parts of Yuga cycle. When I moved into this direction I ran into many diagrams like this one:

autumn_equinox.jpg


Is there any underlining logic behind the Vernal Equinox of the Northern Hemisphere being the reference point for determining Astrological Ages or this is completely arbitrary? If the Autumnal Equinox of the NH is used (and that is the Vernal Equinox of the SH) we would be in the Age of Virgo right now.

The Yugas are very unequal in length, and I haven't found enough reference material to explain them relative to Precession of the Equinoxes (the movement of the VEP through the constellations).
But, I have worked with both ends of the Equinoctial-line in regard to the Age Interval concept. I call it Gaia's Hourglass, because the boundary-lines of two 30 degree intervals on opposite sides of the Sidereal-zodiac cross over, forming an hourglass shape. So, the Ages within historical reach become Taurus/Scorpio, Aries/Libra, Pisces/Virgo, and, next up, Aquarius/Leo. I refer to each pairing as "Primary" and Supporting". For example, the Primary Age of Taurus was supported by a concurrent Age of Scorpio. Each Primary and Supportive Age, using the Age Interval concept, has both a foreground Age-sign and a background Age-sign (30 degrees apart), which correspond to Earth's Astrological effect on our individuality (foreground) and on our traditionalism (background). In order to see the mundane development of Northern Hemispheric cultures as being in sync with the Sidereal Ages, I found it necessary to use both intervals, not just the one located at the VEP. That's if you demand MUNDANE correlations from the Sidereal Ages. I no longer do, since the Tropical Ages I'm going to delineate take care of that for me, whereas (something I got from R. Zoller) the Sidereal Ages are about Spiritual influences, rather than our temporal, materialistic lives. So, I'm now using the single Trident for both Sidereal and Tropical configurations, and using only the VEP for the location of the Sidereal Trident.
The "clock-face" of the Zodiac can be viewed from the Northern Hemisphere and applied to the Southern Hemisphere as well, IMO. In other words, I don't think it's necessary for the Zodiac to be read from both sides and interpreted differently from one Hemisphere to the other. Some disagree.
 
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dr. farr

Well-known member
Like the Yugas, the zodiacal constellations yield various time-lengths for their respective Astrological Ages, since the zodiacal constellations themselves are not uniform but vary significantly in "length" (longitudinal length)...only if we use the 30 degree SIGNS for determining duration of Astrological Ages, will we find uniformity of time lengths; if the starry zodiacal constellations form the basis one uses to determine the Astrological Ages, each Age will vary (often significantly) from each other age in lengths of time involved (much as the Yugas do)...I am thinking of starting a thread giving these various constellational lengths, determinant stars (and when they entered the VEP), as a reference source for further investigations of this subject...
 
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david starling

Well-known member
Since an "Age" is the aggregate effect of the Earth's influence on each of our Charts, we each respond to it in our own particular way. From the perspective of the Trident method, some prefer the 3rd point Traditionalistic-age to the (simultaneous) 1st point Individualistic or the center point Societal Ages; or, vice versa. But it's best [IMO] to achieve a balance regarding all three phases of Earth's Astrological effect.
 

david starling

Well-known member
Like the Yugas, the zodiacal constellations yield various time-lengths for their respective Astrological Ages, since the zodiacal constellations themselves are not uniform but vary significantly in "length" (longitudinal length)...only if we use the 30 degree SIGNS for determining duration of Astrological Ages, will we find uniformity of time lengths; if the starry zodiacal constellations form the basis one uses to determine the Astrological Ages, each Age will vary (often significantly) from each other age in lengths of time involved (much as the Yugas do)...I am thinking of starting a thread giving these various constellational lengths, determinant stars (and when they entered the VEP), as a reference source for further investigations of this subject...

Yes. With one caveat, since I believe the results of the Ages are products of the Earth's Astrological effect on each Chart: If you're using unequal Signs based on the varying lengths of the Constellations for the EARTH'S Astrological effect, you should [IMO] use that same unequal-Sign configuration for ALL of the other indicators (including the Sun, Moon and Planets). AND, with equal Sidereal-signs, whatever Ayanamsa is being used for the Age should be used for everything else, as well.
 
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dr. farr

Well-known member
Yes. With one caveat, since I believe the results of the Ages are products of the Earth's Astrological effect on each Chart: If you're using unequal Signs based on the varying lengths of the Constellations for the EARTH'S Astrological effect, you should [IMO] use that same unequal-Sign configuration for ALL of the other indicators (including the Sun, Moon and Planets) as well.


Yes, I agree!

(NOTE! In practice I am a TROPICALIST and I use SIGNS rather than zodiacal constellations as the primary tool in delineation-however, I also extensively use stars, and occasional starry asterisms, in making a full analsyis of many charts)

Without meaning to be critical (to our vedic and western siderealist frieds), it has always seemed (to me) to be artificial to divide the starry zodiacal constellations into precise 30 degree sectors when in fact these constellations vary significantly in their actual longitudinal degree lengths-so I fully agree with you when you state that if- once accepting the fact of the unequal zodiacal constellational sizes-the placement of Sun, Moon and planets should be keyed to the ACTUAL AREA of the starry zodiacal constellation, rather than to the artificial 30 degree "designated area" of that constellation.
 

david starling

Well-known member
I've noticed that many, if not most of those Astrologers interested in the Ages, especially the Aquarian Age, are Tropicalists. This creates a sort of disconnect, because the Ages APPEAR to be exclusively Sidereal, involving the constellations. Since the VEP is used to locate the Tropical-zodiac itself, it can't move through the Tropical-signs at all. Tropicalists have been forced to use the VEP for both purposes and to "go Sidereal" to "get in on" the Age of Aquarius concept, even though they're reading Tropical-charts. As a Tropicalist, my solution to this conundrum is to place Gaia's Trident differently for Tropical purposes. This shortens the Mean length of an Age (ignoring Nutation) to 1743 years. The Trident in this case is centered on the Line of Apsides (the center-line of Earth's elliptical orbit) at the Mean point of Earth's perihelion. Earth's wobble is still what causes the movement (which is Direct, through the Tropical-zodiac), and the shape of the orbital path is a quality of the Ecliptic itself. The Mean beginning date for the Tropical Aquarian Age is 2149. With Nutation, the first contact of the Age Trident with the FIRST point of Tropical Aquarius (since it's Direct-motion) will be in the year 2033.
 

muchacho

Well-known member
Is there any underlining logic behind the Vernal Equinox of the Northern Hemisphere being the reference point for determining Astrological Ages or this is completely arbitrary? If the Autumnal Equinox of the NH is used (and that is the Vernal Equinox of the SH) we would be in the Age of Virgo right now.
I'd say Virgo makes a lot more sense than Aquarius. In this day and age we heavily rely on technology and things keep accelerating. Which means we are in an upward movement. If we were in the age of Aquarius then we would see a movement to more density and things decelerating instead, a downward movement. But that's obviously not the case.

Also, if you read the myths about the Golden Age then it's pretty clear that humans then way surpassed today's humans in terms of spiritual understanding and psychic powers and they didn't rely on technology at all. They didn't need that intermediary step, there was next to no time lag between thinking a thought and manifesting that thought. What we would call magic today was perfectly normal then.
 

muchacho

Well-known member
Like the Yugas, the zodiacal constellations yield various time-lengths for their respective Astrological Ages, since the zodiacal constellations themselves are not uniform but vary significantly in "length" (longitudinal length)...only if we use the 30 degree SIGNS for determining duration of Astrological Ages, will we find uniformity of time lengths; if the starry zodiacal constellations form the basis one uses to determine the Astrological Ages, each Age will vary (often significantly) from each other age in lengths of time involved (much as the Yugas do)...I am thinking of starting a thread giving these various constellational lengths, determinant stars (and when they entered the VEP), as a reference source for further investigations of this subject...
If you look at the chart Cap posted you'll see that the beginnings and endings of most ages don't really match the beginnings and endings of signs/constellations.

Without meaning to be critical (to our vedic and western siderealist frieds), it has always seemed (to me) to be artificial to divide the starry zodiacal constellations into precise 30 degree sectors when in fact these constellations vary significantly in their actual longitudinal degree lengths-so I fully agree with you when you state that if- once accepting the fact of the unequal zodiacal constellational sizes-the placement of Sun, Moon and planets should be keyed to the ACTUAL AREA of the starry zodiacal constellation, rather than to the artificial 30 degree "designated area" of that constellation.
I'd say it's the other way around. The division into 12 equal parts is not arbitrary, sacred geometry confirms that; the length of the actual signs, however, seems arbitrary.
 
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david starling

Well-known member
The Age Trident method has applications regarding two opinions about the Sidereal Ages that are otherwise at great odds with the conventional version and with one another. Cyril Fagan, famed for his work on Modern-siderealism, rejected the VEP as an Age-pointer, because he believed the conventional Age of Aries seemed more like an Age of Taurus, and that the Age of Pisces was more like that of Aries. So, in his opinion, the Age of Aquarius, in sequence, would actually be an Age of Pisces. Another Astrologer, who has written books on the subject of Sidereal-ages, and has a website and a Facebook page is Terry MacKinnell. He's a Vedic/Western-fusion Astrologer, who uses Ancient-Babylonian, helical Astrology to locate an Age-Indicator about 15 degrees in ADVANCE of the VEP. His version of the Ages has the Aquarian Age beginning in the 15th Century A.D., which correlates with the Renaissance.
Now, applying the Trident method, with the first point of the Trident at the VEP, the THIRD point, the one most concerned with our Traditional beliefs, is one Sign back from the conventional Ages. So, Cyril Fagan could be said to have considered the Traditional Ages more important than Individualistic or Societal. And, with this setting of the Trident, he was, in effect, correctly tracking the TRADITIONAL, Sidereal Ages--that is, for him, the "background" Age overshadowed the simultaneous "foreground" Age.
To apply the Trident to Terry MacKinnon's method, simply CENTER the Trident on the VEP, and focus entirely on the Age-effect on first point Individualism, as in the case of the conventional Ages, except it's then 15 degrees in advance of convention. The Equinoctial-line can function both as a center-line AND a boundary-locator (as it does for the locations of the first boundaries of Tropical Aries and Libra). Fagan and MacKinnon are in fairly close agreement on the Ayanamsa, and the equal Signs, but are very far apart on which Sign's Age occurs when. So, different opinions on WHEN the Sidereal Ages begin and end, are mostly, but not ENTIRELY due to different Ayanamsas.
 
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david starling

Well-known member
Regardless of whether the Yuga sequence corresponds directly with the Astrological Ages, the current Yuga ("Kali Yuga") describes a separation between the Mundane and Spiritual World-views. Gnosticism tells us the same thing. The problem with blaming this on the Sidereal Age of Pisces, is obvious: Pisces is extremely spiritual, as Signs go. Pisces even links the material with the spiritual, rather than separating them (the symbol of the two fish, connecting material and spiritual Awareness). Aries, a Fire-sign, is also innately spiritual, so even with a Foreground Piscean Age accompanied by a Background Age of Aries, we should expect a good rapport between our mundane and spiritual lives.
 

Cap

Well-known member
The Yugas are very unequal in length, and I haven't found enough reference material to explain them relative to Precession of the Equinoxes (the movement of the VEP through the constellations).
But, I have worked with both ends of the Equinoctial-line in regard to the Age Interval concept. I call it Gaia's Hourglass, because the boundary-lines of two 30 degree intervals on opposite sides of the Sidereal-zodiac cross over, forming an hourglass shape. So, the Ages within historical reach become Taurus/Scorpio, Aries/Libra, Pisces/Virgo, and, next up, Aquarius/Leo. I refer to each pairing as "Primary" and Supporting". For example, the Primary Age of Taurus was supported by a concurrent Age of Scorpio. Each Primary and Supportive Age, using the Age Interval concept, has both a foreground Age-sign and a background Age-sign (30 degrees apart), which correspond to Earth's Astrological effect on our individuality (foreground) and on our traditionalism (background). In order to see the mundane development of Northern Hemispheric cultures as being in sync with the Sidereal Ages, I found it necessary to use both intervals, not just the one located at the VEP. That's if you demand MUNDANE correlations from the Sidereal Ages. I no longer do, since the Tropical Ages I'm going to delineate take care of that for me, whereas (something I got from R. Zoller) the Sidereal Ages are about Spiritual influences, rather than our temporal, materialistic lives. So, I'm now using the single Trident for both Sidereal and Tropical configurations, and using only the VEP for the location of the Sidereal Trident.
The "clock-face" of the Zodiac can be viewed from the Northern Hemisphere and applied to the Southern Hemisphere as well, IMO. In other words, I don't think it's necessary for the Zodiac to be read from both sides and interpreted differently from one Hemisphere to the other. Some disagree.

I'll keep it short because this thread belongs to Gaia's Trident technique and btw. very interesting and innovative approach.


Binary_01.gif


IF "Binary System" hypothesis is true

(and there is a growing evidence that support it

http://binaryresearchinstitute.com/bri/introduction/)

then both one full Yuga cycle and one full cycle of VEP movement through constellations can be described by Sun's movement along elliptical path around the barycenter of the binary system. There is evidence that the rate of precession is accelerating because Sun's movement is accelerating (as it should according to Kepler's laws of planetary motion) so one full cycle of VEP movement through constellations should take around 24000 years. So, both Yuga cycle and VEP cycle are in sync and both are caused by Sun's movement. In this way, there is a correlation between Astrological Ages and Yuga cycle. Eg., the outermost position of the Sun would be the middle of Kali Yuga or what we in the west know as the Age of Pisces, the innermost position of the Sun would be the middle of Satya Yuga or the Age of Virgo as per western view.

And I have to add, quality of our "temporal materialistic lives" for humanity as a whole is directly related to our spiritual level. This doesn't need explanation, the evidence is all around us.
 

david starling

Well-known member
Cap, where would the Trident be placed in the geocentric Astrological-chart to track the Yugas? And, what Vedic Signs would the the Trident be in, using that placement? That's what I'm not clear on, regarding the Yugas.
 
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