Out of balance

We seem to live in a time that is out of balance, where extreme viewpoints are espoused and the central, moderating voice finds it difficult to be heard. ‘Strong’ leaders arise and force through measures opposed by a majority; populists dominate political and media debate with simplistic extreme talking points. Wars arise because the extremes are not interested in maintaining a peace that is ‘unjust’ from their perspective. Inequality is rampant and the rich and powerful have no concern for the ‘little people’.

Harmony through conflict

Yet is all this conflict really so bad? In the esoteric teachings we are told that humanity is on the fourth Ray – the Ray of ‘Harmony through conflict’¹. It is through conflict that we reach some sort of synthesis between the extremes. It seems that some sort of conflict is ‘in our bones’, giving the spice to life that might otherwise be merely balanced and boring.

Polarity in the birth chart

Of course, this is not just an external thing, it applies to what goes on within us. The birth chart is full of polarities, extremes, which we navigate between throughout life. For example, the chart hemispheres – inner/outer, individual/collective; the house axes – 1/7 Encounter, 2/8 Possession, 3/9 Thought, 4/10 Individuality, 5/11 Relationship, 6/12 Existence². Additionally, these are interlinked with the similar polarities between the signs: Aries/Libra, Taurus/Scorpio, Gemini/Sagittarius, Cancer/Capricorn, Leo/Aquarius, Virgo/Pisces.

Polarity, then, is the spice of life. The discomfort of conflict between the extremes is what pushes us to grow forwards. The Age Point in the birth chart can give some indication of what might be the pressing polarities for us to attend to at this point in time.

Libra is seen as the ultimate sign of balance, contrasting with the initiatory urge of Aries. But the balance is always temporary, before the initiation of new conflict and the need for a further balance.

Changing zeitgeist

It seems to many people that there is something more fundamental ‘going on’ in the human collective. The reality is that we are collectively living beyond our means and slowly polluting and destroying our beautiful living planet. The current world political/economic system seems unstoppable in continuing this trend, and that is magnifying in increasing levels of dissatisfaction and political instability. The whole world ‘system’ is ripe for change and renewal.

It is probably not a coincidence that astrologers have been predicting dramatic changes for some time. For example, in a 2023 post astrologer Jessica Davidson³ summarises the exceptional major forthcoming changes in the sign and configuration of the Outer Planets, with Pluto having entered Aquarius for the third time in November 2024, Neptune entering Aries 2025-2028 (and conjunct Saturn 2025-26), and Uranus entering Gemini 2025-2032. She states that these planets also form a small Talent Triangle⁴ 2025-2027.

The need for change in the zeitgeist is clear, the astrological indicators of change from the ‘heavy lifting’ planets is clear, and we see before our eyes major changes in the world political architecture being provoked by the new US president, who may be the unwitting agent of this major change.

So what?

What can we individuals do, in this turbulent environment on the threshold of a new zeitgeist? We can be part of the change and move towards the more harmonious living world that we wish to see, particularly supporting those organisations and individuals that are seeking change in the direction that our intuition tells us is ‘right’. Maybe there is some particular task that we came here to do, that we have not so far done. Another look at our chart might help…

Or maybe just (re)dedicate ourselves to always seek Plato’s three major qualities, goodness, truth and beauty, in everything we do… Surely that’s the world we all would like to live in.

Footnotes

1. See eg Astrology and the Seven Rays, page 38. ↩︎
2. See eg The Astrological Houses, page 70. ↩︎
3. The Uranus Neptune Pluto Triangle of 2024–2028, Jessica Davidson, November 2023. ↩︎
4. Small Talent Triangle. See eg Aspect Patterns in Colour, page 14-15. ↩︎

The featured image is of Libra from the Book of Hours by the Fastolf Master,
Bodleian Library, Oxford, via Wikimedia Commons.