Cultural Evolution - The Pluto-Neptune 500 Year Cycle

So much of our time as astrologers is spent onour living conditions - including the ability of a
personal application of astrology as natal andgeographic area to support population growth - or we
predictive charting. We have a variety of tools tocan no longer sustain ourselves and our loved ones in
choose from, such as progressions, directions, transits,the manner to which we would like to become
planetary returns, eclipses and lunations. We can loseaccustomed - we will move (migrate). The general
sight of those larger, longer cycles which describe andtrend is westward - and new areas which have not
influence the actual evolution of human society andshown full development or which can support a
culture and even broader in scope to include themigrational influx are scouted, opened and occupied.
development and experience of our world and all of itsWe will continue to develop that area until the next
species. Astrologically those cycles are defined in timemigrational wave hits and then we repeat the move
and meaning by the conjunction between the outerpattern. Now that the migrational pattern stands on the
planets.western shores of the Americas, west means across
The seven astrological bodies, the Sun, Moon and 5the Pacific Ocean - back toward what we term the
inner planets were the basis for astrology for milleniaeast, which already has development (a billion people in
even though some of the ancients were aware of theChina alone and a billion people in India after that).
presence of other bodies. The Sun is the star aroundWhere do we go now? Have you noticed in recent
which the planets in our solar (Sun) system commonlyyears that we are looking off-world to the Moon, Mars
orbit. The Moon is the satellite of the Earth that weand beyond? Desire for expansion and movement can
inhabit. These two were thought to be the cosmicbe described as migration. (For future discussion: China
mom and dad and the five inner planets - Mercurydid cling to the earlier Taurus influence and
through Saturn - were thought of as their progeny, ordevelopment did stagnate and it is just now coming
children. These seven bodies are termed "the planets"into Gemini expansion and expression, Pay attention: a
for ease of reference.sleeping giant is awakening to what much of the rest
The outer three bodies in our current list were Uranus,of the world already knows and the Chinese people
Neptune and Pluto, taught in modern science classesdo learn quickly).
as planets of our solar system until the last couple ofThe uniting of Neptune and Pluto at the conjunction
years. Ancient artifacts illustrated the presence ofphase is the beginning of each cycle - the planting of
additional occupants of our solar system. The bodiesthe seed. The first half of the cycle will have to do
were depicted as round and distinct. There has beenwith the initiation, exploration, development, and
much controversy about whether the Sun or the Earthexpansion of the overall purpose. The last half of the
was in the center, but eventually, science proved thecycle will have to do with fruition, dissemination,
Sun was in the center and is astronomically true.distribution and conclusion of the cycle itself as well as
Recently Pluto has been demoted to dwarf planetpreparation for the new cycle to come. Previous
status with the recent discovery of other bodies in theNeptune/Pluto conjunction cycles occurred in 83-82
vast outer regions of space beyond Pluto. ThisBCE and 411-12 and 905 AD, all located in Taurus. The
demotion is controversial to say the least. I continue tofollowing cycles were 1398-9 and 1891-2 AD however
use Pluto in my work and teachings based on my 35+the sign had switched to Gemini. The next cycle will
years of useful experience.not occur until circa 2380 AD and will also occur in
The orbits of the three outer bodies are so large thatGemini. Think about these periods as both migratory
they take many years to complete. Even though theyand initiating cultural impact as well as the sign
are literally racing through their orbits, from ourinfluence.
perception they are barely moving, so we refer toAt the turn of the millenia between BCE and AD, the
them as the slow-moving planets. For any two ofRoman Empire held sway over Europe and controlled
those outer planets to appear to join together in themuch of the known and developed world. Similar
same relative area of space (conjunction) happensprocesses were occurring in other cultures. The
only occasionally. For the two outermost planets in ourarmies ranged far and wide, opening new areas and
list, Neptune and Pluto, this occurs only once in aboutforcing occupants to look for new places and ways to
500 years. During that time, Pluto will have completedlive. Taurus is very physical, practical and
its orbit twice - about 248 years each orbit. Neptune,down-to-earth. It is the tender of the fields and the
which is closer to the Sun, will have completed its orbitbuilder of cities and countries. Life was difficult and
three times - about 166-7 years each orbit. The figuressurvival was primary.
are approximate because they describe the roughlyThe Neptune/Pluto unions of 411-12 and 905 AD were
circular orbit of Neptune, which must coincide with thealso both in Taurus. Our history is full of battles for land
really eccentric and elliptical orbit of Pluto to produce aand territory, for riches. The lives of most of the
union (conjunction).people were desperate for physical survival and life
These are the two evolutionary planets that affect ourwas not easy. Efforts had to be practical and down to
world and its inhabitants dramatically through migrationearth. Migration was often for, or driven by, military
patterns and cultural impact. It may further influence ourpurposes.
planet through weather such as global warming orThe Neptune/Pluto union of 1398-9 switched to Gemini
cooling, famine/plenty harvests, disease or plagues,and a different influence opened. This was near the
religion or philosophy events, or other large physical ortime of the Renaissance and the printing press where
cultural influences. There is much research to be donecommunication and social interaction took center stage.
or completed in these areas so I will refer to the mostThis heralded the flowering of the intellect and society.
easily observed for this article.This was the era of the world ocean navigations that
Mythical Pluto ruled the underworld, so the nature ofopened up the Americas and worldwide travel. From
Pluto is to uncover what is beneath the surface. Plutothe turn of the century at the 1400 AD mark, the time
exposes the next arena of transformation and resolveperiod is under and will continue to be under a Gemini
in the human evolution. The nature of Neptune is toinfluence. The world stage was set in 1398 and
inspire, to stir the imagination, to yearn, to dream.reinforced in 1891 and will be again reinforced in the
Between these two energies - that which needs to be2380s again under a Gemini influence. Think of the
exposed, revealed or uncovered is subjected to thehuman and industrial revolutions that have transpired
vision of a better way, a better solution, a better life.since we moved into the Gemini influence, the printing
There is nothing easy about any of this.press, the steam engine, the automobile, the car, the
As humans, we keep things in our psychologicalplane, the rockets, computers, internet and all the
basement because we don't want anyone else to seecommunications that have mobilized us and the
our personal can of worms Often we don't even wantamazing intellectual skills that have developed.
to see them ourselves. I, like many people, could liveThe mind, education, social skills, communication mark
my life quite nicely without admitting to my ownthe current evolutionary pattern of this world and will
inadequacies, I certainly don't want to know ourcontinue to do so. We have circumnavigated this globe.
collective inadequacies because then I mustThe northern hemisphere has been developing at a
acknowledge my own part in such inadequacies.rapid pace and the southern hemisphere is working
Avoidance of knowledge is common. Once thesehard to develop as well. There is much to discover
hidden agendas are revealed in all their dark glory,about our water world in years to come. And there is
Neptune can inspire us find a new way, a newmuch to discover about our inner-verse as well, such
treatment, a new solution and we are collectivelyas medical research, DNA and the genome. As
moved forward in our evolution. Conversely, Neptuneevidenced by the efforts of recent space research
can try to cover up, lie, and create plausible deniabilityand experimentation, we are already reaching into
to maintain the veil between what was and what weouter space to support our migratory nature. Our
must do to move forward. Pluto digs it up. Neptune isburgeoning world population is putting great pressure
the veil we must pierce to handle it, learn from it, andon our existing resources. We will either need to
grow beyond it. Did I say any of this was easy orexercise more stringent birth control or find new
comfortable?spaces to occupy and resources to support such
What does that have to do with migration patterns?population increases. Off world does hold exciting
When we are dissatisfied with our lot in life, particularlypossibilities for the human race.