AQUARIUS THE WATER BEARER

Aquarius the Water Bearer

Preface:  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 may be tested in life to experience the meaning of your Sun sign’s energy.

The Sun began its transit of the sign of Aquarius at 8:10 am PST on January 20, 2012 .


“Human beings have an inalienable right to invent themselves; when that right is pre-empted, it is called brainwashing"
Aquarian Feminist Author Germaine Greer

 AQUARIAN SYMBOLISM AND RULERSHIPS

Glyph of Aquarius

Like the medieval painting shown at the beginning of this article, the symbol for Aquarius typically shows a human, either female or male, pouring water from a vessel. The Latin term “aquarius” means water bearer. The sign’s glyph, show directly above, consists of two rows of wavy lines. Among astrologers, there are varying interpretations about what these lines represent. Going back to its traditionional representation, these lines reflect rippling water, which can carry its force over a large expanse of ocean, or other body of water. Practitioner of traditional astrology Deborah Houlding theorizes that Aquarius may be a forgotten water sign, and the libation it offers the world is to cleanse, illuminate, and purify.^[1] Some astrologers view these lines as electromagnetic energy. Astrologer Bruce Nevin says these lines represent the “Water of Life” or what the Theosophists refer to as “forhat,” the vibrating electromagnetic impulses that constitute the Universe.^[2] On the other hand, astrologer Steven Forrest claims these lines symbolize the serpents of knowledge. His symbolism derives from the Bible, where the serpent in the Garden of Eden tempted Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Forrest explains that in Eve's rebellious act of eating that infamous apple, thereby causing God to extricate her and Adam from the garden, she gave birth to the precious resource of human freedom.^[3]

Aquarius is a Fixed Air Sign, and as such reflects a nature that emphasizes the use of the mental faculties in a focused way. Air signs show strong capabilities for analysis, communication, and networking. Fixed signs demonstrate the ability for steady and attentive energy directed to whatever endeavor the sign undertakes.

Traditional astrology assigned the planet Saturn as the ruler of Aquarius. Modern astrology, on the other hand, views the transpersonal planet, Uranus, as its modern day ruler. Herein lies a tremendous struggle. Saturn, as a force of containment, often symbolizes tradition and conservatism. Uranus represents the force of rebellion and unexpected change. Do Aquarians choose to align with the energy of one planet over the other? Are Aquarians a combination of these forces? Or are some Aquarians on a journey to shed the Saturnian elements in order to claim the Uranian elements? In true Aquarian style, perhaps this is a question each of us must answer for ourselves in understanding the meaning of Aquarius.

Aquarius rules the 11th house of the astrological wheel of life that relates to one’s hopes and wishes and personal goals. Traditionally it relates to our circle of friends. It encompasses memberships in groups and associations, and the networks that relate to our affinities. This is the house of “our crowd.”

According to Nevin, Aquarius rules the ankles, circulatory system, and the aura.^[4] Houlding says Aquarius governs the shins and ankles, and by its association with its Saturn rulership, relates to the bones, teeth, joints, and skeletal structure. She maintains that as an air sign, it rules the circulation of the blood and the breath.^[5]

THE TRANSITION FROM CAPRICORN TO AQUARIUS

In the sign of Capricorn, the human strives to acknowledge its own authority, and it often does so by long periods of solitude. Capricorns possess gifts for leadership, but they may also have blind spots that lead to excessive authoritarianism and adherence to the preservation of outdated systems. When we come to the sign of Aquarius, humans seek not only to become self-reliant, but to define who they are outside the indoctrination of their society and the social programming from their families.

Capricorns offer the gift of initiating action and building concrete structures, systems, or processes. Aquarius asks whether these ways of conducting business still fulfill a need, and whether they should continue to exist. Aquarius has no problem with continuing that which works, but sign natives also demonstrate the willingness to tear down those elements of society that serve no function.  Dana Gerhardt demonstrates the gift of explaining the essence of concepts in beautiful terminology, so I often quote her verbatim. Here she explains what Aquarius accomplishes in its phase of the zodiac:

“Capricorn kings inevitably get stuck in their own ideas and can’t relinquish their own authority. Creativity is stymied. Problems pile up. Fortunately, the limitations of every sign always take us to the next one’s gifts; thus Capricorn leads us to the genius of Aquarius. Altruistic, progressive, and unconventional, Aquarius brings the leap in consciousness that keeps our world from getting hopelessly mired in old dung.”^[6]

Aquarius moves beyond the reclusiveness of Capricorn, and it extends its energy externally. As an air sign, Aquarius 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.

MORE ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF AQUARIUS

Bruce Nevin says, “The reception and dissemination of insight for the betterment of the world is the
highest expression of Aquarian energy.”^[7] Perhaps this statement gets to the essence of Aquarius, and we don’t need to concern ourselves with any more details about the sign’s struggles, goals, and paradoxes. But what fun would that be?

Steven Forrest sees freedom as Aquarius’ endpoint. In order to achieve their state of freedom, Aquarius must constantly withstand the forces of peer pressure and conformity. Forrest says that Aquarius uses both stubbornness and genius to become their true selves. He uses the term genius to mean the independence of mind to view old problems from a fresh perspective, unhindered from preconceptions. Forrest identifies the various expressions of Aquarian energy, which are outlined below[8].

       The Genius           
           The Truth Sayer
           The Scientist
           The Exile
       The Revolutionary

The following descriptions are my own elaborations of the types outlined by Forrest.. 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 he did not personally conceive of these programs, he was 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.”[9]

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.”[10]

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.”[11]

Although all these archetypes may be present in individuals whose natal charts 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 might be Ronald Reagan and Dick Cheney, who

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.

SNAPSHOT PROFILES OF SUN SIGN AQUARIANS

Lewis Carroll
Born January 27, 1832

Known by the pen name of Lewis Carroll, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson authored the classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking Glass. The Englishman served as an Anglican deacon, a tradition he carried on from his clergyman father. Among his other interests were mathematics and photography. Carroll’s works, including his poetry, reflect the genre of literary nonsense, which he crafted with word play and fantasy.

The eldest child in a family of nine children, Carroll frequently entertained his own siblings, as well as the children of visitors to his father’s rectory. Although naturally shy and speaking with a stutter, Carroll interacted comfortably with children. He became a popular storyteller, creating elaborate fantasies, which he illustrated with pencil and ink drawings. Eventually, Carroll recorded these storytelling sessions in writings, and others encouraged him to publish these works.

Some observers of Lewis Carroll claimed that he maintained a serious and conservative values system and demeanor. Others stress that this characterization of him is erroneous and not substantiated. Some also speculated that he demonstrated pedophile tendencies, but modern analysts claim there is no reliable proof for this claim. [12]Although it is unclear how Carroll expressed his philosophy of life, it is conceivable that he incorporated both a traditional (Saturn influenced) and the nontraditional (Uranus influenced) personality, which often typifies Aquarians.

Lewis Carroll demonstrates that Aquarian quality of genius for science subjects, as well as that sign’s ability to think in innovative or quirky ways, as reflected in his gifts for fantasy and nonsense. Carroll epitomizes the sign’s ability to deviate from a characteristic norm and create something unique.

Here is an excerpt from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter X: The Lobster Quadrille:

'"Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail. "There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail. See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance! They are waiting on the shingle--will you come and join the dance?

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?

"You can really have no notion how delightful it will be When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!" But the snail replied "Too far, too far!" and gave a look askance-- Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance. Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance.

'"What matters it how far we go?" his scaly friend replied. "There is another shore, you know, upon the other side. The further off from England the nearer is to France-- Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance? Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?"'

Langston Hughes
Born February 1, 1902

Born in Joplin, Missouri, Langston Hughes lived in many locales as a youth, including Kansas, Illinois, Ohio, and Mexico. The writer later recalled that his early life was characterized by lonliness, and that he found comfort in the world of books. Hughes attended Columbia University after publishing his first poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” He immersed himself in New York’s local African-American culture of music. In the 1920s, Hughes co-founded the Harlem Renaissance movement, which encouraged pride in the African heritage, serving as an inspiration for the arts and intellectual thought. The adventurous Hughes left Columbia after a year, and worked his way to destinations in Africa and Europe. He returned from his travels abroad to the U.S. a few years later, winning a scholarship to Lincoln University, where he wrote and published his first book of poetry, The Weary Blues.

Langston Hughes brought innovative dialect and jazz-influenced rhythms to his creative writing. He incorporated Marxist concepts in his early works and he never abandoned his concern about injustice against African Americans. Although his works were the subject of academic study, Hughes wrote for the average person. For over four decades, Langston Hughes wrote prolifically, one of the first African-Americans to earn a living through his literary works.[13]

Langston Hughes reflects the Uranian side of Aquarius, where revolutionary perspectives and innovation serve as inspirational fodder. In true Aquarian spirit, he believed that art should be accessible to all the public. The following is an excerpt from the Oxford Companion to African American Literature: “He could sometimes be bitter, but his art is generally suffused by a keen sense of the ideal and by a profound love of humanity, especially black Americans. He was perhaps the most original of African American poets and, in the breadth and variety of his work, assuredly the most representative of African American writers.”[14]

This Langston Hughes poem is a favorite of mine:

Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes[15]

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--
And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Michael Apted
Born February 10, 1941

British director Michael Apted’s works span the gamut of traditional television and film to more innovative works. Initially a law student, Apted changed course and became involved in television, directing the popular British soap opera Coronation at the age of 22. His film credits include his early works of Echo and Stardust. Apted later directed more commercially successful films like Coal Miner’s Daughter, Gorillas in the Mist, Extreme Measures, Enigma, and the latest, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Trader.[16]

                                                              

Early in his career, Michael Apted started a documentary project that would consume a major part of his career, and from his perspective, would become his most important work. Beginning in 1964, he collaborated with Paul Almond to film a documentary series that appeared on British television. The Up series chronicled the lives of several British children from various socioeconomic backgrounds, beginning at the age of seven. The creators postulated that because British society is entrenched in its class structure, this Up documentary would illustrate how social strata affects how the participants live their lives. Each film begins with the Jesuit maxim: "Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man." The documentary became a longitudinal sociological study, interviewing and filming the subjects every seven years. In a lecture to USC film students, Michael Apted observed, “I don’t think there are many shows that have given so much time to ordinary people with ordinary lives.” [17]

From an astrological perspective, Michael Apted reflects the Aquarian’s desire for using technology for widespread communication. His documentary series echoes the Aquarian concern for representing the ordinary citizen.

Anonymous
Born ?

Anonymous is part of Aquarius’ crowd in the 11^th House. As you know Anonymous is a symbol of defiance against the megastructures of government and corporations that control the average citizen through their business policies or social control practices.

The personality of Anonymous resembles many of the qualities exhibited by the Uranian energyof the sign of Aquarius. Anonymous hacks into computer systems, sometimes transferring money from business accounts into the accounts of organizations involved in various social causes. Disruption is one of the key words of Uranus, and it certainly matches the energy of Anonymous. Anonymous also takes part in various civil disobedience demonstrations. Participants in Anonymous have used the Guy Fawkes mask popularized in the movie V for Vendetta.

Rosa Parks
Born February 4, 1913

Now viewed as a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement, Rosa Parks grew up in segregated communities in Alabama in the early part of the 20^th century. As an adult, she and her husband lived in Montgomery. In December of 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus at the end of her workday as a seamstress, as was her usual routine. When the bus began to fill up, the bus driver noticed that white passengers were standing, and he went to the Black section to ask African-American passengers to give up their seats for Caucasian riders. As Rosa Parks later explained it, she refused to surrender her seat not because she was physically tired, but because she was tired of giving in to racist behavior. Parks was charged, and her arrest caused a great furor in the African-American community, which organized a one-day boycott in protest. Following that successful one day of support, the community decided to institute an on-going boycott, with the goal of eliminating segregation on the bus system. After more than a year’s boycott, the local government was forced to end bus segregation because of new court decisions, and because the public transportation system was in financial ruin.[18]

Although Rosa Parks may have lived a rather traditional life, her quietly rebellious (Uranus) stance demonstrates the power of one action. This one moment of resistance had a ripple effect leading to a series of actions that led to momentous results. As any student of history knows, this does not mean immediate success. The more traditional (Saturn) forces are there to resist change. Rosa Parks and her husband both lost their jobs because of her action. This forced the family to move to Detroit, Michigan. Although it may have caused some immediate family setbacks, Rosa Parks did have many more opportunities in her new environment. Congressman John Conyers hired her to work in his office. This Uranian side of Park’s Aquarian nature changed not only her life for the better, but also the future course of a people.

Gertrude Stein
February 3, 1874

In the progressive fashion of an Aquarian, writer Gertrude Stein lived openly in a relationship with a female partner, Alice B. Toklas. The daughter of a wealthy American merchant, Gertrude Stein was born in Pennsylvania, but the family moved to Europe and later to Oakland, California. Stein attended Radcliffe College where she studied with William James. She continued her studies at Johns Hopkins Medical School.

Gertrude Stein joined her brother in Paris, the two becoming patrons for Impressionist artists. The siblings formed a famous salon of writers and artists, where colleagues appreciated Stein’s strong and witty personality. She nurtured the careers of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. When her brother moved to Italy, Stein remained in Paris with her companion Toklas. Her writings utilized techniques analogous to Cubism and abstraction in painting, creating an innovative approach to literature. Many found her works to be difficult to understand. Her only commercial success was The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.[19]

Gertrude Stein reflects the mental genius of an Aquarian, competent in both the sciences and the arts. She wielded considerable influence in the modernism movement in literature, a rarity for women to provide leadership in the field of arts and letters in that era. Gertrude Stein broke conventions of femininity with her mannish garb, and she was open about her partnership with Alice B. Toklas, a lifestyle far ahead of her time.

Yoko Ono
Born February 18, 1933

Best known as the spouse of Beatle John Lennon, Yoko Ono had already established herself as a prominent artist when the two first met at her multimedia art exhibit in London in 1966. Born in Tokyo to a wealthy aristocratic family, Yoko lived her youth in Japan as well as the United States, since her banker father was assigned to offices in San Francisco and New York. She lived in Japan at the time the U.S. struck her native country with atom bombs.

Yoko Ono pursued her interests in poetry and visual art in the early 1960s, but many considered her work as too radical. Her art often incorporated participatory elements, where viewers were encouraged to become involved in the creative projects on display. After her marriage to Lennon, the two collaborated on projects involving music, art, and film. The couple staged events to encourage world peace, like their “bed-in” in Amsterdam, where they sang “Give Peace A Chance.”

Characteristic of Aquarians, Ono can appear detached and unfeeling. Labeled by some as the “Dragon Lady” who caused a rift between members of the Beatles, Paul McCartney remarked in his memoir, “I thought she was a cold woman. I think that’s wrong. She’s just the opposite. I think she’s just more determined than most people to be herself.”[20]

After John Lennon’s death, Yoko Ono continued exhibiting her art internationally. She composed two off-Broadway musicals, recorded albums, and performed concert tours. Ono also engaged in philanthropic efforts, particularly honoring the memory of John Lennon and his dedication to world peace.[21]

Yoko Ono possesses that Aquarian quality of uniqueness, where, if in her company, one might say to her, “You are one of a kind, dear.” She was a forerunner in feminism, in both Asia and the U.S., demonstrating an independence of mind in her beliefs and values, as well as art expression.

ENDNOTES

Note: the opening quote by Germaine Greer was extracted from Brainy Quotes.com

---

1 Deborah Houlding (December/January 2006) Aquarius the Water Bearer. The Mountain Astrologer, Issue #124, pp.77-82.

[2] Bruce Nevin (1982). Astrology Inside Out. Rockport, Massachusetts: Para Research, Inc., p.84.

[3] Steven Forrest (1988). The Inner Sky. San Diego: ACS Publications, p86-91

.

[4] Bruce Nevin, Op. Cit.

[5] Deborah Houlding. Op. Cit.

[6] Dana Gerhardt (February/March 2010). Aquarius Cleans the Stables. The Mountain Astrologer, Issue #149, pp.13-17.

[7] Bruce Nevin, Op. Cit.

[8] Steven Forrest, Op Cit.

[9] James Joyce (2012) BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 21, 2012 from: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/james_joyce_2.html

[10] James Joyce (2012) Quoteland.com Retrieved January 22, 2012 from: http://www.quoteland.com/author/James-Joyce-Quotes/1834/

[11] Angela Davis. (2012) ThinkExist.com. Retrieved January 22, 2012 from: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/radical_simply_means-grasping_things_at_the_root/343449.html

[12] Lewis Carroll. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 03:57, Jan 18, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/lewis-carroll-9239598

[13] Langston Hughes. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 06:01, Jan 18, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/langston-hughes-9346313

[14] Langston Hughes (2012). Howard University Library. Retrieved Jan 18, 2012 Stfrom http://www.howard.edu/library/reference/guides/hughes/default.htm

[15] Langston Hughes (2010) FamousPoemsandPoets.com. Retrieved Jan 18, 2012 from http://www.famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/langston_hughes/poems/16947

[16] Michael Apted. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 07:15, Jan 18, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/michael-apted-9542578

[17] Michael Apted (2011) USC News (October 21, 2011) http://uscnews.usc.edu/arts/looking_up_to_director_michael_apted.html

[18] Parks Rosa. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 11:54, Jan 18, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/rosa-parks-9433715

[19] Gertrude Stein. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 11:52, Jan 18, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/gertrude-stein-9493261

[20] Dana Gerhardt, Op.Cit.

[21] Yoko Ono. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 01:04, Jan 19, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/yoko-ono-9542162