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| Aquarius the Waterbearer |
Do You Know An Aquarian?
By Chris Gonzalez
Do you personally know an Aquarian?
Zodiac lore says they can be contrarian.
For them, it can be a rebellious streak that beckons,
Or it may be society’s sheep they strive to awaken.
It is a sign often labeled as quirky,
Unlike Leo, its opposite, it’s not perky.
Full of air, it summons the power of the brain-
Their genius inventions are society’s gain.
Waterbearers are wired to tell the truth,
Although it’s not their intent to be uncouth.
They form networking tribes with like-minded souls,
While maintaining their uniqueness is their personal goal.
The Sun moves into the sign of Aquarius on January 20, 2011 and transits this sign until February 19, 2011. As I do every month for each of the signs, I want to emphasize that if your birthday does not fall during the Aquarius timeframe for the year you were born, this DOES NOT mean that you do not experience the energy of Aquarius, because somewhere in your natal birth chart, it is present. All twelve signs of the zodiac are expressed in your being, although some signs, and therefore their corresponding energies, may be more emphasized than others.
The Sun sign is about your essence, your vitality (what makes you feel alive), and your self-image. Whatever your Sun sign, you are on a life-long journey to discover and fully embrace this sign’s energy. You will be tested in life to experience the meaning of your Sun sign’s energy.
In my previous podcast I noted that an astrological sign is a “reaction” to the sign of the zodiac that precedes it, and therefore adopts qualities that will compensate for the shortcomings of the previous sign. In Capricorn we see concentrated focus to whatever it seeks to accomplish. As an earth sign ruled by the planet Saturn, Capricorn is intent on bringing something into manifestation. Capricorn wants to achieve in the concrete world. This sign understands boundaries, restrictions, and limitations. Capricorn, perhaps more than any other sign, understands the value of hard work, i.e. reaching one’s goals may not come easy. In fact, it is the knowledge that one has applied tremendous energy to attain a goal that gives Capricorns their self-respect. The byproduct of Capricorn’s effort is mastery and power. Capricorn values conserving, and that includes traditions and structures from the past.
Aquarius, on the other hand, blends the energy of tradition with that of breaking boundaries in order to ensure necessary progress. In traditional astrology, Saturn was the co-ruler of both Capricorn and Aquarius. Modern day astrology gives the rulership of Aquarius to Uranus and subrulership to Saturn. As we learned in our discussion of Capricorn, Saturn represents the energy of contraction, of living within our means or abilities. Uranus is the planet of electromagnetic energy, innovation, sudden change, revolution, surprises, upheaval, and the force that demands authenticity and uniqueness. Hence, Aquarius must deal with the paradox of conserving and maintaining traditions, practices, and structures that still serve a worthwhile function, while at the same time being open to tearing away at anything that stands in the way of innovation.
Aquarius moves beyond the reclusiveness of Capricorn, and as an air sign, it naturally wants to network with others. Aquarius communicates on a mass scale, and this sign rules all electrical types of communication, including high tech and the Internet. Among the social air signs, Aquarius especially gravitates toward group activities with like-minded individuals. The challenge for Aquarians is to become their unique selves while flourishing within groups for which they have affinity. While Capricorn thrives on conformity, Aquarius wants to break out of this mold for its own individuation and to move society in the direction of progress. The prominent feminist author and Aquarian, Germaine Greer, once said that “Human beings have an inalienable right to invent themselves; when that right is pre-empted, is called brainwashing.”[1]
In order to achieve their state of freedom, Aquarius must constantly withstand the forces of peer pressure and conformity. Astrologer Steven Forrest says that Aquarius uses stubbornness as a resource to prevent the compromise of their individuality. While stubbornness serves Aquarius as a defense, this stubbornness can also become a difficult trait in this sign’s personality, as it may be with the other fixed signs in the zodiac (Taurus and Leo).[2]
It may help to envision some personality types that reflect Aquarian energy. Author Steven Forrest outlines five major archetypes[3]:
- The Genius
- The Revolutionary
- The Truth Sayer
- The Scientist
- The Exile
The descriptions of these archetypes that follow are my own perspectives. When I think of Aquarius the first type I think of is the Scientist archetype. The scientist is often a detached individual who utilizes his intellectual prowess to think up radically different approaches to tackle a problem, and this leads to inventions and innovations. They appreciate the body of knowledge that has been developed over time, but they are challenged by the goals of overcoming present-day problems with new knowledge and strategies. Scientists often work in teams, and they often attend symposiums and conferences where they share key findings in their field. Aquarians help their respective fields by putting forth visions of how things can be, because their thinking can be so far ahead of everyone else’s.
In my mind a closely related archetype is that of The Genius. Aquarians have the gift of looking at problems in new ways and to “think outside the box” in formulating solutions. Genius is not necessarily a pure IQ factor, but it is the ability to see issues or problems from a perspective outside the mainstream. There are certainly geniuses in the scientific field where inventions abound, but this archetype can be applied to any field or discipline. Aquarian President Franklin Delano Roosevelt bucked his own social class to create social programs that addressed the pressing issues of the country. Even if some of the programs were not necessarily conceived by him, he had the willingness to be open to nontraditional concepts. Artists in the visual arts, dance, and music frequently explore and shape their creativity in radically different ways.
Another aspect of Aquarian energy can be captured under the category of The Truth Sayer. Aquarius energy demands authenticity, and if one is compelled in this direction, then speaking truth is of prime importance. Clearly, committing oneself to authenticity is paramount in any context for Aquarius, whether that is in the scientific community, in the field of mass communications, in the nonprofit service or advocacy sector, or in any other aspect of life in which this sign is involved. James Joyce, the prolific man of letters, said that “Poetry, even when apparently most fantastic, is always a revolt against artifice, a revolt, in a sense, against actuality.”[4]
Speaking truth is often not met with approval by society’s institutions, or even one’s friends. When an Aquarian finds enormous challenges to one’s perspectives, there may be no viable alternative than to become The Exile in one’s society. Countless creative people of means have fled their native environments to live in a more tolerant community. Examples might be Josephine Baker, the African-American dancer (often partially clothed) who thrived in Paris, or perhaps writer and social observer Gore Vidal who spent part of his year in Italy, where he perceived that news coverage of America’s international policies were more openly discussed in Europe. The Aquarian writer James Joyce explained this archetype as follows: “I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it call itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defence the only arms I allow myself to use--silence, exile and cunning.”[5]
Speaking truth is often not met with approval by society’s institutions, or even one’s friends. When an Aquarian finds enormous challenges to one’s perspectives, there may be no viable alternative than to become The Exile in one’s society. Countless creative people of means have fled their native environments to live in a more tolerant community. Examples might be Josephine Baker, the African-American dancer (often partially clothed) who thrived in Paris, or perhaps writer and social observer Gore Vidal who spent part of his year in Italy, where he perceived that news coverage of America’s international policies were more openly discussed in Europe. The Aquarian writer James Joyce explained this archetype as follows: “I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it call itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defence the only arms I allow myself to use--silence, exile and cunning.”[5]
The last archetype is that of the Revolutionary, where Aquarius energy can see no other alternative for the growth of society than to call for radical changes to institutions or ways of life. Clearly, in this archetype, the planet Uranus is functioning at its purest level. In this context, there is little regard for convention. . The words of Aquarian Angela Davis, the activist Professor of Philosophy, demonstrate this astrological sign’s sentiments when she claims that “Radical simply means grasping things at the root.”[6]
Although all these archetypes may be present in individuals whose natal charts may reflect an emphasis in Aquarius, please keep in mind that some members of the “Aquarius Sun Sign Club” may exhibit only one or two of these characteristics. Some Sun Sign Aquarians may seem to reflect the Saturnian side of Aquarius. Some examples of these individuals may be Ronald Reagan and Dick Cheney, who may
identify with turning societal structures on their head, but not for the good of the masses, but rather to fulfill an idealist view of dominance by the elite.
In summarizing this sign's essence, I would like to borrow the words of Rockport, Massachusetts astrologer, Bruce Nevin: “The reception and dissemination of insight for the betterment of the world is the highest expression of Aquarian energy.”[7]
Below is a list of prominent Aquarians. Can you identify the Aquarian parts of their personality?
Below is a list of prominent Aquarians. Can you identify the Aquarian parts of their personality?
- Abraham Lincoln
- Saul Alinsky
- Susan B. Anthony
- Angela Davis
- Frederick Douglass
- Betty Friedan
- Samuel Gompers
- Germaine Greer
- Langston Hughes
- James Joyce
- Sinclair Lewis
- Lewis Carroll
- Charles Dickens
- Audre Lord
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| Glyph of the astrological sign of Aquarius |
ENDNOTES
[1] Germaine Greer. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 18, 2011, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/germainegr398252.html
[4] James Joyce. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 18, 2011, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jamesjoyce157274.html
[6] Angela Davis. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 18, 2011, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www3.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/angeladavi158901.html
