The
six-pointed star, made of two interlacing equilateral triangles, is
the central image within the lotus of the heart chakra. The appearance
of this symbol within the astrological configuration of January 23,
1997 may have much significance in terms of socio-cultural planetary
changes occurring at this time. The following is a further explanation
of the chakras, their evolutionary significance, and the meaning of
the heart chakra in particular.
The heart chakra is the middle chakra in a system of seven. It symbolizes
the two polarities of body and spirit as interpenetrating in perfect
balance. The upward pointing triangle symbolizes matter rising into
spirit. The downward triangle (similar to the ancient female symbol
for birth) represents spirit descending into manifestation. To fully
open the heart chakra we need to bring into balance the various aspects
of our existence, such as male and female, light and shadow, mind and
body, practicality and spirituality.
It is my belief that the dawning Age of Aquarius heralds a socio-cultural
age corresponding to the heart chakra. This era marks the importance
of balancing the polarities of human existence within the dominating
paradigm of the collective conscious.
But first let us look briefly at the pattern of cultural evolution through
the chakras that has occurred thus far:
The period of the Paleolithic cave dwellers relates to the consciousness
level of chakra one. Here we were bound without recourse by the cycles
of the earth. Tribes roamed across the earth, lived in caves made of
earth. We hunted and gathered, taking what the earth freely offered.
Worship was of a monotheistic mother goddess, who symbolized the miracle
of birth and the fecundity of earth. The beginning of this age is hard
to fathom -- perhaps it had no true beginning, but is grounded in the
survival instincts of the animal kingdom from which we have all emerged.
The dawn of the age of chakra two, (element water, oriented to sexuality
and procreation) coinciding with the astrological age of Cancer (a cardinal
water sign) was marked by the agricultural revolution and the beginning
of ship building and travel by water, circa 10-8,000 BCE. Control of
water through irrigation allowed communities to settle in one place
rather than nomadically migrate across the land, and this new found
freedom created a giant leap in cultural creativity. There were cities
with thousands of citizens; great temples were built, with a proliferation
of art and ritual, and written language toward the end of this period.
Archeaologists believe it to have been a period of relative peace and
prosperity. Worship was of a polytheistic variety of nature gods, male
and female, oriented toward the agricultural cycles (planting and reaping)
and the life/death/rebirth cycle of human lives.
The age of the third chakra (element fire, oriented to power and energy)
coincides with the astrological age of Aries (a cardinal fire sign),
about 1500 BCE. At this time patriarchal forces controlled culture through
warlike aggression and hierarchical domination, and with but few exceptions
overthrew the peaceful agrarian communities that preceded them. With
fire, we could forge metals, make tools, and make weapons. The male
Sky Gods replaced the earth and vegetation deities, with the worship
turning toward the sun, the storm (lightning), and war gods. The collective
struggle of existence was oriented toward power and technology. Technology
freed us up from survival demands one step further, allowing populations
to continue to grow, with greater diversification of labor as well as
class status. Patterns of domination and persecution created the need
for both personal and collective power which played out in individuals,
villages, cities, and countries. These patterns have persisted through
the present day, with huge nation states, ever increasing technology,
and simultaneous increase in "sophisticated" weaponry, such
as nuclear warheads.
We have been in the latter parts of the third chakra stage through this
century. Issues of power and domination, energy and control are central
concerns on our planet. We are technologically advanced, but our technology
is also destroying the earth. Energy resources are a premium issue in
power dynamics, such as the Persian Gulf War fought essentially over
oil reserves. Much is out of balance, with the mind favored over the
body, technology favored over ecology, white over black, male over female.
The age of the heart chakra is an age where these archetypal elements
come into balance. Here the warring agressive drives begin to wane and
peace and ecological balance become the predominant concerns. Balance
between the sexes, between races, and within the Self through our conscious
and unconscious, active and passive, spiritual and material aspects
of our existence, are also elements of the heart chakra's general orientation
toward equilibrium. Increased focus on spirituality, with a simultaneous
honoring of the body and the earth, is an example of this interpenetrating
balance that is emerging today through New Age movements, therapeutic
trends in psychology, and popular literature. As the heart chakra corresponds
to the element air, so too does the sign of Aquarius, which is also
dawning at this time, both in 97 (Jan 23 is the cusp of Aquarius) and
as a larger era.
The actual moment that a new age begins is difficult if not impossible
to pinpoint. These are larger cultural shifts that take place globally
through many different activities, cultures and events over a broad
span of time. Yet we are now, for the first time, conscious enough to
see the patterns that emerge and watch for signposts that herald significant
turning points. I believe the astrological configuration of January
23, 1997 is just one of those important signposts.
Copyright 1996
Anodea Judith
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