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Dr.
Carl G. Jung and the Age of Aquarius
 Is
the Age of Aquarius finally here? And if not yet here… do we really
have a clue as to what it'll look like when it gets here?
Astrological
Ages
For
the past 2,000 years or so, we've been living in the astrological
Age of Pisces. Each astrological age is thought to last a little
over 2,155 years.
Using this rule of thumb, a "Platonic year" takes over
25,868 years to complete the full 12 Zodiac Ages cycle. So, among
those astrologers who believe in the concept of the astrological
ages, there's been plenty of endless speculation as to precisely
when the next age, "Age of Aquarius," will begin.
For
instance, the esteemed 20th century astrologer Dane Rudhyar placed
the beginning of the Age of Aquarius at 2059 AD.
Jung and Aion, Researches
into the Phenomenology of the Self
 As
the renowned Swiss depth psychologist Dr.
Carl G. Jung, MD pointed out in the footnotes of his landmark
book, Aion, Researches into the Phenomenology
of the Self (1951), when referring to the coming astrological
Age of Aquarius:
“Starting from the star ‘O’ and assuming a Platonic
month of 2,143 years, one would arrive at A.D. 2154 for the beginning
of the Aquarian Age, and at A.D. 1997 if you start from star ‘a
113.’ The later date agrees with the longitude of the stars in
Ptolemy’s Almagest... Since the delimitation of the constellations
is known to be somewhat arbitrary, this date is very indefinite.”
I should note here that Jung was using 2,143 years for a “Platonic
Age” rather than a now more commonly accepted length of 2,155
years, 2,155 years is based on the precession of the constellations.
In the end, we can all figure out that any and all theoretical measurements
used are obviously going to be more than a wee bit arbitrary.
Premonitory
Earthquake of the New Age
Interestingly
enough, in a letter dated August 12 1940, Dr. Jung had many years
previous to Aion written: "1940 is the year when
we approach the meridian of the first star in Aquarius. It is
the premonitory earthquake of the New Age." C G Jung Letters,
Volume I, 1906-1950, p 285.
For those familiar with Jung’s fuller body of writings there is little
doubt that later in life he believed either the New Age of Aquarius
or its premonitory earthquake would begin around the turning of
the centuries from the 20th to the 21st.
Furthermore, Jung was greatly concerned about this transition from age
to age and what it might potentially mean for humankind. Although
having rethought his original dates, he never wavered from the
idea of a “premonitory earthquake” prior to the coming of the
New Age of Aquarius.
Having now passed through the initial years of the 21st century,
I think we could all agree that Jung was right to be concerned
regarding this period of time.
And
you thought that the Age of Aquarius was supposed to usher in
a magical age of peace, humanitarianism, and tranquility? Nice
try, but no cigar...
Of
Interest
It's
interesting to note that Gret Baumann-Jung (Carl G. Jung's
daughter and well-known Swiss astrologer) suggested in 1969 that
the Aquarian Age had already begun with Russia’s first space
probes in the late 1950s.
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