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2012: The Changing of the Guard

ver the last few years there has been the distinct impression, growing over time, that we
are in the midst of a period of great transition. The German term Zeitgeist loosely
translated as the spirit of the times or the spirit of the age refers to the
general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual, or political climate within a nation or collective
grouping. It is considered to be reflective of the general ambience, morals, mood and sociocultural direction associated with an era.
Since 2008, the collective mood swing has been reflected in the heavens by several planetary
ingresses and patters. To begin with, the three outermost planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have
ingressed into different signs. Ingresses have always been seen as astrological tipping points given
that literally the flavor of planetary expression is changing. The important point about the outer
planets ingresses is that they spend an inordinate amount of time in a sign: Uranus sends 7 years in
a sign, Neptune between 10-15 years and Pluto up to 20 years. These planets last changed signs as
a group between the years 1995-1998: Pluto into Sagittarius in 1995, Uranus into Aquarius also in
1995 and Neptune into Aquarius in 1998.
The pattern this has set up is that approximately every 12-16 years in the last century or so, we
have had Uranus, Neptune and Pluto changing signs concurrently within a 3-4 period. This gives
us a collective mood change and coupled with the emerging planetary cycles and patterns; there is
a strong indicator of a changing zeitgeist.

While these topics in themselves are not new, what we have is a repetition of a theme that brings
these together in a way in which it draws a picture for the world and the forces that surround us.
If we look back through the last century and examine the periods in question when these planets
made their ingresses into different signs within the window of a few years, we witness massive
changes that come as a result of either man-made or natural cataclysms which have wrought
changes to national and collective consciousness.
The periods in question are as follows and while there are other astrological indicators such
planetary cycles and patterns which will define and refine the expression of these times, I believe it
is interesting to consider these periods with the broad brush stroke of the ingresses.
1912 -16 [Uranus into Aquarius 1912, Pluto into Cancer1 1914, Neptune into Leo 1915]
This is the period of course leading up to the events that erupted into the First World War. While
it was not the first time that there had been a European conflagration (the Napoleonic Wars of the
19th century were just as disruptive) the difference was that the impact of the First World War
totally changed the way in which wars were fought. Technology in the form of machine guns,
aerial warfare, and poison gas caused injuries which in turn led to the development of medical
technology to deal with them. The social and political impact saw a changing of the guard with
Victorian and Edwardian mores being discarded, the rise of ideologies such as communism and it
also saw the rise to prominence of new world powers.

2012: The Changing of the Guard Copyright M Garcia 2012

The nature of the zeitgeist is never easy to pinpoint however by drawing on what has been
emerging we can postulate about emerging issues by looking at the nature of these outer planets.
Uranus describes technology and we have the emergence of technologies both industrial and
biological that have and will continue to increase their impact of individual and collective
existence. Neptune as the significator of suffering and dissolution suggests greater
disenfranchisement of peoples through economic, political or natural instabilities while Pluto
brings upheaval and crisis through power whether it is human influence or the harnessing of
power sources such as nuclear energy.

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1939 1942 [Pluto into Leo 1939, Uranus into Gemini 1941, Neptune into Libra 1942]
No coincidence that the next period also dovetails with World War II. Again a period in which
terrible devastation is inflicted but this time on a much greater scale and affecting two hemispheres
and three continents. The emergence of total destruction in the form of nuclear weapons, the
birth of new nations and the dismantling of colonial powers and one of the greatest population
movements from Europe in the form of displaced persons.
1955 1958 [Uranus into Leo 1955, Neptune into Scorpio 1956, Pluto into Virgo 1957]
This was the period of the Cold War and when the threat of nuclear war was at its highest. The
emergence of post war tensions not only between nations but also between ideologies. Ideologies
like communism became the framework for both political and social change and division. The
catchphrase of reds under the bed became an excuse for the persecution of many who
questioned Government policies. In the USA, there was the rise of McCarthyism (named after
Senator John McCarthy) and involved the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion,
or treason without proper regard for evidence. As a consequence, thousands of citizens were
questioned and many suffered the injustices perpetuated by hysteria.
1970 1975 [Neptune into Sagittarius 1970, Pluto into Libra 1972, Uranus into Libra 1975]
The modern world experienced the reality of the energy crisis which hit Europe and the Americas
very hard as a consequence of the Middle East embargos on oil exports. This period also saw the
beginning of social progressive values such as the political awareness and political and economic
liberty of women resulting in the birth of the feminist movement.
The environmentalist movement started to become an important force. Economic and social
structures were again changing and the results eventually manifested in the development of equal
opportunity legislation as well as recognition of environmental impact of human activity. Middle
Eastern unrest started to become a very important factor in political and economic decisions.

The period was marked by changing economic circumstances which saw the birth of a decade in
which the catchphrase was greed is good. Conservatism in politics and as well as economic
liberalization saw the emergence of multinational corporations who saw the advantage of
transferring production to developing nations. Market driven economies in the USA and the UK
on the other hand saw the closure of many industries and the dislocation of communities
especially those associated with manufacturing and mining. The AIDS pandemic and the major
civil discontent and violence in the Middle East had widespread impact on social, scientific and
political imperatives. The Iran-Iraq War, the Soviet-Afghan war and the Palestinian Intifada
consolidated the concern of world leader on the Middle East and the impact this would have on
oil supplies. The seeds sown in this period resulted in the economic meltdown of 1987 and the
eventual disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc. The beginning of the
dissolution of boundaries between nations and communities was also a feature of this period as
the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) was standardized and the concept of a world-wide network
of fully interconnected networks called the Internet was introduced.
1995 1998 [Pluto into Sagittarius 1995, Uranus into Aquarius 1995, Neptune into Aquarius
1998]
There was a reconsolidation of economic and political power across the world and within
countries as a result of technological advances especially when the Internet was commercialized in
1995. As a consequence of technological advances, the ability to communicate in cyberspace

2012: The Changing of the Guard Copyright M Garcia 2012

1981 1984 [Uranus into Sagittarius 1981, Pluto into Scorpio 1983, Neptune into Capricorn
1984]

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which had previously only been available within scientific or industrial environments was now
available to the general public. The growth of the digital age impacted on social, political and
ethical standards as the world has had to grapple with mobile phones being used to detonate
bombs, Facebook becoming a tool for pedophiles while the world becomes more digitally
connected yet emotionally distant.
2008 2012 [Pluto into Capricorn 2008, Uranus into Aries 2010, Neptune into Pisces 2011]
What can we then postulate for this next period which started in 2008 with the ingress of Pluto
into Capricorn, followed by Uranus into Aries in 2010 and Neptune into Pisces in 2011-12? As I
said earlier, these ingresses cannot be seen simply in isolation because additionally, some major
cycles provide added detail to the backdrop. These include:
R a U K 2009
R b SAG 2010-11
R a T A 2010-11
S b T GA 2008 -10
S d V GJ 2009 -10 waning
T d V AJ 2012-14 waxing
R d U CL 2012 waxing

What is then this changing of the guard? We may have a hint of things to come as the world
grapples with the most major world economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has resulted in the collapse of large financial institutions,
the bailout of banks by national governments and downturns in stock markets around the world.
Housing markets have suffered, resulting in numerous evictions, foreclosures and prolonged
unemployment. The GFC continues as it has segued into a European debt crisis which threatens
the stability of the European Union as nations such as Greece, Spain, Ireland and Italy teeter on
the brink of reneging on debt repayments.
The importance of the environment has become even more prominent. Questions are now
continually raised in every corner as to the ethics and morality associated with a variety of activities
including whaling, the inhumane slaughter of animals for consumption, the pollution of the
oceans and the effects of industrial agricultural practices which include the use of pesticides and
hormones. The carbon tax and related environmental issues will continue to push up against the
economic cost and how these must be borne.
We have also seen some major displacements of peoples and the resultant economic and social
impacts especially with the tidal wave and the Fukoshima disaster in Japan, the earthquakes in New
Zealand and Haiti, devastating floods and bushfires in Australia as well as the ongoing famine and
internecine strife in Africa. The rise of the Arab spring has also brought unrest, violence and civil
war to Egypt, Syria, Yemen and other Arab nations with the population reacting to the excesses of
power.

2012: The Changing of the Guard Copyright M Garcia 2012

One interesting point about this time is that together with the ingresses, apart from Neptunes
ingress into Pisces, most of the above-mentioned cyclical patterns and the ingress of Uranus and
Pluto all take place in cardinal signs. In traditional astrology, the cardinal signs are also known as
the moveable signs and were often considered, in mundane work, as periods of instability. This is
because the cardinal signs are the hinges of the year. It is at these times, when the Sun moves
into the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn that we have a change of season.
Hence, the nature of the cardinal sign is one of initiative and beginning but also one of instability
and uncertainty. Transition is always a dangerous time.

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All these incidents result in the other side of the question - this is the elephant in the room of
which all nations are aware but not many discuss - the question of refugees fleeing famine and
violence in Africa, state sanctioned repression in China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and other nations,
those from third world countries seeking economic stability, political asylum or family reunion in
the nations of the first world. The spectre that they bring with them is the fear of the unknown.
The refugee is the post-modern worlds most serious threat and also its most important resource.
The main issue we have to grapple with is how to blend compassion with control, sympathy with
security, social cohesion versus social fragmentation and economic imperative versus humanitarian
objectives.
The ingress of these three planets into new signs over the last three years has not caused these
things to happen; many of the issues have been extant in our societies for decades. However, it is
now their time to rise to the surface and to be seen and dealt with by the collective. How we deal
with them or ignore them, remains to be seen. The changing of the guard suggests that this is a
time when old paradigms can no longer be forced to fit current situations. The old ways of doing
things have lost their credibility, impact or usefulness and we must look to another way of dealing
with these matters. Those who consider themselves the guardians of these paradigms whether
they are the scientists, the industrialist and financiers, the politicians or religious leaders will be
placed in situations where they will be tested: whether to fall back on the tried and true way of
doing things or take a risk and change. Many will cringe and stay with what is known but some
will take the plunge at the risk of criticism or censure.

The prognosis then for the time to come as a result of these ingresses can be summed into a few
words: we need to deal with the health of the planet and the health (intellectual, physical, social,
and economic) of the people, regardless of national boundaries. Collective concern and
responsibility for these must transcend national boundaries and cultural ideologies. It will not be
easy and there will be resistance from entrenched interests which range from government,
business, science and major religions right down to individuals sworn to uphold particular
paradigms at all or any cost. Without that imperative for change, we condemn our world to simply
repeat the mistakes of the past and reap a future of continued if not increased uncertainty and
divisiveness.
Mari Garcia
Copyright Mari Garcia 2012. Mari Garcia is a consulting astrologer who has been involved with astrology since 1990. She has
lectured widely both in Australia and the USA and has published articles in Australia and overseas and writes for several local and
national publications. She runs a consulting practice in Adelaide and is co-principal of ASTRO MUNDI, which offers a four year
course in astrology, a Traditional Astrology course as well as special interest workshops and Master Classes. Mari can be contacted on 08
8563 9182 or check out the website at www.astromundi.com. Keep abreast of developments at Astro Mundi on Facebook.

2012: The Changing of the Guard Copyright M Garcia 2012

This is where we are at and astrology is part of this process. Many of you will have seen the
continued growth of interest in astrology while at the same time seemingly attracting greater
censure, criticism and attack from the rational branch of society whether it is from the scientific,
intellectual social or religious streams. On the other hand, there are many in positions of influence
that are revisiting astrology from different perspectives and attempting to bridge the gap in their
understanding. This is where the astrological community must be prepared intellectually,
professionally and socially to be able to breach the divide rather than simply turning our backs. We
need to reach out and continue the education of society because the more we realise the
connectivity of as above, so below, then the greater likelihood that we can extend this to dealing with
the issues that arise.