Aquarius by Common Feat. Bilal
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Aquarius: The Next Stage of Human Development! In Greek mythology Aquarius is known as Ganymede, a mortal so handsome he was chosen by the gods to be their cup-bearer. This young man ascended to the heavens and learned duality represented by the two wavy lines that represent the Zodiac sign. One wave is positive and the other is negative. Ganymede represents the potential intelligence & physical beauty of the human race.
The sign of Aquarius represents individuality, friendship, uniqueness, unity and higher thinking. Aquarius’ classical association with the planet Saturn and contemporary association with the planet Uranus, makes its philosophical influence about unification and humanity (Uranus) over the necessity of boundaries and authority (Saturn).
There are at least two songs about Aquarius that come to mind: a version by the 5th Dimension, a similar version on the soundtrack for the movie and Broadway play “Hair” and the more contemporary and original song by Rapper/Singer Common.
While the original song from the 1960s speaks about astrological aspects and transits that were said to be changing the behavior of humanity, one can’t help but notice the many social changes that began in the previous decade. Common’s contemporary idea of the Age of Aquarius is expressed using urban slang and lingo that may not be so flower-like to some, but the message is the same as the 5th Dimension version with completely original lyrics. It is as if Common recoded the song so that the current generation of urban youth will actually listen to, and maybe even respect the knowledge that he shares in the song. The 5th Dimension may have been talking about rejoicing in the ambience of the Age of Aquarius, but Common’s version is more of a wake up call for youth to take action. Clearly such action could create this new utopian world of equity, harmony and understanding, provided we can stay away from reality tv long enough for that to happen.
The Abduction of Ganymede by Zeus 1611-1612. Zeus is known for turning himself into something desirable to capture his prey.
In 1954, the landmark Brown Vs the Board of Education verdict overturned the Plessy Vs Ferguson case that established a “separate but equal” policy in 1896. The original case allowed for the legally segregation of all people of color from public bathrooms, water fountains, restaurants, schools (and much more) provided that there were comparable “equal” facilities available for people of color.
As you can imagine, the Brown case proved that while many facilities were separate, they were far from equal. Rosa Parks’ refusal to move to the back of the bus, the subsequent Montgomery bus boycott and the march on Washington D. C. headed by Martin Luther King, are great examples that the “Age of Aquarius” may indeed have already been at work.
Social, political, economic, religious and spiritual changes appear to be the common threads that have been weaving together the “Age of Aquarius” for many decades. Female leadership such as Gloria Steinem and Angela Davis emerged and began to take on racial causes and gender equality with no apologies for the patriarchy. As a result, women such as Oprah Winfrey, Hilary Clinton, Toni Morrison, J. K. Rowling, Maya Angelou, and Barbara Walters have now demonstrated that women can do any job as well as a man; and in some cases, better. In order for such women to make the impact that they have on our current global culture, women such as: Ida. B. Wells, Susan B. Anthony, Madame C. J. Walker, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman had to make sacrifices and take on risk because the Piscean Age was centered around the traditionalism of the many different denominations of Christian churches.
Quetzalcoatl
Church and religion by themselves may have been a good thing. However, when the First Council of Nicaea (325 A. D.) is defining and interpreting what The Church and Bible are with no women or people of color present, it is very easy to see why religion and spirituality is now expanding in a more inclusive way in this NEW AGE of Aquarius.
In modern times, many people from different religions and spiritual paths may or may not attend religious ceremonies regularly and many new places of worship think this is perfectly acceptable. The East Bay Church of Religious Science is a good example of a new age place that is inclusive of such diversity. Generally speaking, in today’s world, many people are more open-minded about their faith. Most manage to integrate the knowledge and wisdom of Taoism, Buddhism, Sufism and other non-western spiritual practices. Many may know medicine men/women, curanderos, wiccans, or santeros. Now, they are no longer seen with the same sting of intolerance and contempt that such differences inspired last century. In fact, many are finding out that many of these people are the aunt, uncle, mother or brother in a family that we adore. Such people are nothing like the stereotypes created in the collective mind of the general public. A common denominator seems to be that many new age or people of alternative beliefs know more about other cultures than just the one they were raised with. It certainly makes embracing and celebrating the diversity in our world a much more feasible and sustainable pleasure instead of a social obligation.
Mayan-Calendar
The 23-½ degree tilt of our planet’s axis creates a cycle of change called the seasons. The seasons perhaps remind us that change is the only constant that we must always expect in life. The Book of Changes, or the I-Ching, is a whole system of divination that manages to give philosophical advice about what changes to look out for and how to manage them gracefully. The wisdom is connected to philosophy so even people whom are agnostic, atheists or curious can find value from its use. The emergence of Yoga studios, acupuncture schools and practices demonstrate that the world in the west will try many approaches to get a higher quality of life. See how far we have come technically speaking at the Chabot Space & Science Center.
Precession of the Equinoxes
Like the cycle of seasons on the earth, our galaxy also has a cycle. It takes approximately 25,920 years for our galaxy to make one complete turn. The galaxy goes backwards through each of the zodiac signs over the course of this cycle in a process called precession. Since our earth wobbles just like a toy spinning top, the North Pole points to each of the zodiac signs for about 2150 years. This is called an “Age.” We are now on the cusp of Aquarius in the cycle of the galaxy.
“a man will meet you carrying an earthen pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he goes in” (Luke 22:10; Mark 14:13.)
The Age of Aquarius is supposed to be a time of great change, inclusion, equity, higher knowledge, ideals family and community. It is supposed to be a fantastic time for the growth of humanity, yet there is some belief that indicates that there will be a catastrophe that ends the world that we know it. The current buzz is the apocalypse from the Book of Revelation and the countdown to the end of the Mayan Calendar on December 21, 2012. While the Book of Revelation is clear about what to expect, perhaps there is no agreement on how to interpret the countdown of the Mayan Calendar.
What are your thoughts on the New Age?
Is it real, or simply a practice in self-delusion?
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[...] 11-11-11. Some of these theories include but re not limited to: The first official cusp day of the Age of Aquarius, Stargate for Conscious Ascension, Spiritual Illumination, alignment of lower and higher chakras [...]