What the Age of Aquarius means
In astrology, the “Age of Aquarius” is a proposed era in a long cycle of astrological ages, each associated with a zodiac sign. Many New Age writers say that humanity is entering, or has just entered, an Aquarian age characterized by cooperation, spiritual awakening, technology and a shift away from old institutions. The label gave the broader movement its name, and the phrase “New Age” is often traced to this expectation of a new era.
Precession and astrological ages
The idea rests on the precession of the equinoxes, a slow wobble in Earth’s axis that moves the position of the spring equinox against the background stars. A full cycle takes about 26,000 years, and astrologers divide it into twelve “ages” of roughly 2,000 years each. The age before Aquarius is usually called the Age of Pisces, which many Western writers link to the rise of Christianity (the fish was an early Christian symbol).
When does it start?
There is no agreed date. Claims range across several centuries, and some astrologers place the beginning in the 1900s or 2000s, while others place it hundreds of years in the future. The disagreement comes from different ways of measuring the boundaries of the constellations and from the fact that the zodiac signs used in Western astrology no longer line up with the actual constellations. Some popular claims, such as a start date tied to a particular planetary alignment, are not accepted by most astrologers.
Roots in occult thought
The notion of astrological ages appears in 19th-century esotericism and was developed by Theosophy and writers influenced by it, including Alice Bailey, who spoke of a coming Aquarian era. Carl Jung also discussed the shift from one age to another in his late work Aion, though he used it in a psychological and symbolic sense. Cycle-based schemes also appear in Anthroposophy.
1960s culture
The phrase reached a mass audience with the 1967-68 musical Hair, whose song “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” was a hit for the group The 5th Dimension in 1969, with the famous opening line about “the Age of Aquarius.” The song linked astrology to ideals of peace and love, and the counterculture of the time adopted the term as a symbol of hope for social and spiritual change.
Role in New Age belief
In New Age thought, the Age of Aquarius provides a sense of historical purpose: a coming era of greater spiritual awareness. It supports other beliefs in spiritual evolution, as discussed in What Are New Age Spiritual Beliefs? Some channeled works claim to speak for guides who are preparing humanity for this age. The Aquarian theme also connects to the Hindu idea of cosmic cycles in some writers’ accounts, though the two systems are separate.
The skeptical and astronomical view
Astronomers accept precession as a real physical effect, but they do not accept that it influences human affairs, and scientific studies have found no support for astrology’s predictions. The zodiac constellations also vary widely in size, so dividing the sky into twelve equal ages is a human convention. The Age of Aquarius is best understood as a cultural and symbolic idea.