As I read Mockingjay, my excitement that Katniss had escaped to District 13 diminished rather quickly as the realization dawned that District 13 was actually kind of terrible. Sure, it's a far cry from the hedonistic detachment of the dying Capitol, (Age of Pisces) But it's pretty unpleasant all the same. Their whole regimented all-are-equal-but-none-are free vibe has an unfortunate Orwellian feel to it. To some Astrologers, this dystopian future bears the hallmark of the darker possibilities of the Age of Aquarius.
Last week, we talked a little bit about the Astrological Ages. For the past 2,000 years or so, we've been experiencing the Age of Pisces, and now we're transitioning into the Age of Aquarius. Our current reality has elements of both. Reality television, extreme plastic surgery, prescription painkiller abuse and religious fundamentalism are all symptomatic of The Age of Pisces. Smart phones, online dating, The Occupy Movement, the LGBTQ civil rights advancements, and the evolution of marriage are all indicators that The Age of Aquarius is dawning.
What is The Age of Aquarius, and what will it bring? Aquarius is the sign of the Individual and also the Rebel. The early years of the Age of Aquarius will see many revolutions and people fighting for collective and individual freedoms. Aquarius also rules computers, so our dependence on them won't be going away anytime soon. Aquarius is opposite Leo, the sign that rules Ego, so as we evolve as a people we always need to make sure we're balancing our collective needs (Aquarius rules Communities, Political Parties and other Large Groups) against the needs of the Self. (Katniss runs afoul of this in District 13 when all she wants is to go hunting by herself to clear her head. She's granted permission, but is only allowed to hunt at scheduled hours, for prescribed lengths of time.)
We can glean further insights about what The Age of Aquarius holds for our future by meditating on the qualities of the Astrological Sign Aquarius. Aquarius is a communicative Air Sign, so communication and information gathering will continue to be part of our day to day existence. Aquarius is a fixed, idealistic sign, so as a culture we'll hold on tightly to our collective values about equality and personal freedom. I mentioned before that Aquarius rules computers. This explains our culture's ongoing fascination with with speculative fiction about a dark, dangerous future where computers have acquired consciousness and are waging war on humans. (Personally, my spirituality does not allow for this possibility, but I do love Battlestar Galactica!) Aquarius is symbolized by the Water Bearer, and The Age of Aquarius will allow opposing beliefs to flow together like never before. This is evidenced by the Lutheran Church in my neighborhood offering Meditation classes that are welcome to all, not to mention all the Protestant Churches that now offer Yoga classes. It won't happen in our lifetime, but I do believe that eventually Religious Fundamentalism will crumble under the influence of the Age of Aquarius because it's an institution that limits personal freedom and no longer serves us.
So how does all this relate to The Hunger Games? Well, The Age of Aquarius is Humanity's future, and at the Beginning of Mockingjay, District 13 represents the future of Panem. I already mentioned some of the Aquarian qualities of District 13, but there are more. Aquarius' Ruler Uranus, rules Nuclear Power, the industry of District 13. District 13 had an uneasy alliance with the Capitol for decades because of the Nuclear Warheads in their possession. Aquarians are the Revolutionaries of the Zodiac as we've mentioned before, so it's no surprise that they were never fully under the thumb of the Capitol and were the first to rebel. Aquarius is the least emotional sign, and a typical District 13 wedding involves two people signing papers, and then being reassigned to shared living quarters. President Coin of District 13 exhibits many lower vibration Aquarian qualities. She views her people as pawns, a means to a (bloody, violent) end, and their happiness is not her concern. During her time in District 13,Katniss rescues her former stylist from a prison cell. Her crime is taking an extra piece of bread. Katniss is horrified, but none of the District 13 natives think the punishment is too extreme. Which has the reader thinking, "I guess this life is better than a miserable hand-to-mouth existence where children are regularly forced to fight each other to the death, but it's not that much better, right?"
Fortunately, for the people of Panem and the human race in general, we can all do better than that. The stress and the strife of District 13, represents the very beginning of a a shift into a beautiful New Age. We actually have a lot to look forward to! We've already talked about how Freedom will continue to be an important concept in the Aquarian Age, and while world politics are shifting faster than we can keep up with, I think another form of Freedom that this Age will bring is a liberation of the Highest Self. Self-Esteem is another Aquarian keyword and more people are acknowledging their self-worth and have less need for external validation than ever before, and these numbers will continue to increase. My belief is that the Age of Aquarius will continue to present us with opportunities to develop our collective and individual character. We'll all have opportunities to develop our Light Within, and we can choose to allow that Light to be our guide.
The epilogue to Mockingjay shows us a much more peaceful, balanced way of life. Katniss and Peeta's relationship is a partnership. (The Age of Aquarius is already redefining/questioning marriage and will continue to do so.The energy of Aquarius demands equality.) Their decision to become parents was mutual. The citizens of Panem have returned to and rebuilt their Districts. Some people like Gale, ended up in a different district than the one of their origin. (Aquarius celebrates freedom of choice!) Panem has evolved into a Global Village of sorts, with the people of the various Districts trading and sharing goods and services fairly. Small Communities that stay connected through the miracle of technology is a commonly predicted scenario for the Age of Aquarius. Katniss' voice tells us that she knows she will someday have to tell her children about her brutal experiences with The Games. Let that be a message to all of us who have the privilege of being alive for this exciting shift: To not discard the lessons of the past 2,000 years in The Age of Pisces, but instead to remember and honor our collective past as we move into this exciting New Age.
What is The Age of Aquarius, and what will it bring? Aquarius is the sign of the Individual and also the Rebel. The early years of the Age of Aquarius will see many revolutions and people fighting for collective and individual freedoms. Aquarius also rules computers, so our dependence on them won't be going away anytime soon. Aquarius is opposite Leo, the sign that rules Ego, so as we evolve as a people we always need to make sure we're balancing our collective needs (Aquarius rules Communities, Political Parties and other Large Groups) against the needs of the Self. (Katniss runs afoul of this in District 13 when all she wants is to go hunting by herself to clear her head. She's granted permission, but is only allowed to hunt at scheduled hours, for prescribed lengths of time.)
We can glean further insights about what The Age of Aquarius holds for our future by meditating on the qualities of the Astrological Sign Aquarius. Aquarius is a communicative Air Sign, so communication and information gathering will continue to be part of our day to day existence. Aquarius is a fixed, idealistic sign, so as a culture we'll hold on tightly to our collective values about equality and personal freedom. I mentioned before that Aquarius rules computers. This explains our culture's ongoing fascination with with speculative fiction about a dark, dangerous future where computers have acquired consciousness and are waging war on humans. (Personally, my spirituality does not allow for this possibility, but I do love Battlestar Galactica!) Aquarius is symbolized by the Water Bearer, and The Age of Aquarius will allow opposing beliefs to flow together like never before. This is evidenced by the Lutheran Church in my neighborhood offering Meditation classes that are welcome to all, not to mention all the Protestant Churches that now offer Yoga classes. It won't happen in our lifetime, but I do believe that eventually Religious Fundamentalism will crumble under the influence of the Age of Aquarius because it's an institution that limits personal freedom and no longer serves us.
So how does all this relate to The Hunger Games? Well, The Age of Aquarius is Humanity's future, and at the Beginning of Mockingjay, District 13 represents the future of Panem. I already mentioned some of the Aquarian qualities of District 13, but there are more. Aquarius' Ruler Uranus, rules Nuclear Power, the industry of District 13. District 13 had an uneasy alliance with the Capitol for decades because of the Nuclear Warheads in their possession. Aquarians are the Revolutionaries of the Zodiac as we've mentioned before, so it's no surprise that they were never fully under the thumb of the Capitol and were the first to rebel. Aquarius is the least emotional sign, and a typical District 13 wedding involves two people signing papers, and then being reassigned to shared living quarters. President Coin of District 13 exhibits many lower vibration Aquarian qualities. She views her people as pawns, a means to a (bloody, violent) end, and their happiness is not her concern. During her time in District 13,Katniss rescues her former stylist from a prison cell. Her crime is taking an extra piece of bread. Katniss is horrified, but none of the District 13 natives think the punishment is too extreme. Which has the reader thinking, "I guess this life is better than a miserable hand-to-mouth existence where children are regularly forced to fight each other to the death, but it's not that much better, right?"
Fortunately, for the people of Panem and the human race in general, we can all do better than that. The stress and the strife of District 13, represents the very beginning of a a shift into a beautiful New Age. We actually have a lot to look forward to! We've already talked about how Freedom will continue to be an important concept in the Aquarian Age, and while world politics are shifting faster than we can keep up with, I think another form of Freedom that this Age will bring is a liberation of the Highest Self. Self-Esteem is another Aquarian keyword and more people are acknowledging their self-worth and have less need for external validation than ever before, and these numbers will continue to increase. My belief is that the Age of Aquarius will continue to present us with opportunities to develop our collective and individual character. We'll all have opportunities to develop our Light Within, and we can choose to allow that Light to be our guide.
The epilogue to Mockingjay shows us a much more peaceful, balanced way of life. Katniss and Peeta's relationship is a partnership. (The Age of Aquarius is already redefining/questioning marriage and will continue to do so.The energy of Aquarius demands equality.) Their decision to become parents was mutual. The citizens of Panem have returned to and rebuilt their Districts. Some people like Gale, ended up in a different district than the one of their origin. (Aquarius celebrates freedom of choice!) Panem has evolved into a Global Village of sorts, with the people of the various Districts trading and sharing goods and services fairly. Small Communities that stay connected through the miracle of technology is a commonly predicted scenario for the Age of Aquarius. Katniss' voice tells us that she knows she will someday have to tell her children about her brutal experiences with The Games. Let that be a message to all of us who have the privilege of being alive for this exciting shift: To not discard the lessons of the past 2,000 years in The Age of Pisces, but instead to remember and honor our collective past as we move into this exciting New Age.
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