NOTE: I first wrote this article in 1985 and then again in 1997 for the previous Jupiter in Aquarius transit.
Jupiter rules the Relating Principle— or what people relate to and connect with most easily. It is the process of reaching out to gain experience. Betty Lunsted states that “Jupiter is how we open up, how we expand our consciousness, how we receive new information and how we react to the opportunities presented to us.” In the natal chart, it indicates how and to what the individual relates. For example, people born with Jupiter in Gemini relate to anyone with whom they can talk or communicate. If you are not a communicator, they cannot really relate to you. I personally have Jupiter in Libra. I related to anyone with a smile on their face. I withdraw from angry or contentious people. Balance, harmony and cooperation are the themes for Jupiter in Libra.
As Jupiter transits through the signs (12 months per sign and 12 years to circle the zodiac), it influences how and to what people in general will relate. It describes what appeals to mass consciousness. The sign in which Jupiter begins to transit on January 5, 2009, is Aquarius. During this cycle, people will relate to and connect with anything that is unusual and unorthodox. People will seek to be inspired mentally with the out of the ordinary.
In 1961, when Jupiter entered the sign of Aquarius, I was in high school. The horoscope column in “Glamour” magazine suddenly caught my eye, firing my imagination and intuition. This idiosyncratic subject of Astrology was very appealing, not only to me but to my classmates for whom I told their fortune. On the national scene, young people where inspired by the young president, John F. Kennedy. This marked a great societal shift in consciousness.
In 1973, when Jupiter once again returned to Aquarius, I found myself inspired by an ephemeris for a new planet, Transpluto. That year I completed my most extensive research on Transpluto at a behavioral level. The following year, when Jupiter entered Pisces, I embarked upon a study of the medical aspects of Transpluto, wherein I found a correspondence with blood sugar disorders, hypoglycemia and diabetes. It is interesting to note that, whenever Jupiter transits the two health signs of Virgo and Pisces, I always embark upon some new astro-medical research.
I have observed peek cycles of consciousness of Jupiter for metaphysical and New Age interests. These interests often begin during the transit of Jupiter in Libra through Sagittarius (1969-1971, 1981-1983 and 2005-2007). Consciousness contract in Capricorn, followed by a renewed awareness at a higher level when Jupiter transits the signs of Aquarius through Aries (1973-1975, 1985-1987 and now from 2009 until June 2011). Many professional astrologers practicing today took their first astrology courses during the expansion cycles. The transit of Jupiter through Capricorn (1992, 1984 and 2008) seems to be a hibernating, grounding and “reality” cycle whereby people relax their enthusiasm for progressive subjects and interests before starting up again at a higher level when Jupiter enters Aquarius (through Aries).
Interests and attractions are fairly mundane in the other signs. I wrote in 1985 that, when Jupiter transited Gemini and Cancer in 1976-77, I took time off from my work to experience the Bicentennial events and later to form a surrogate family with study groups. In 2001-2002, I traveled a great deal and I found a new family with the astrological yahoo groups. It was not until the 1981-83 expansion cycle that I found myself immersed for the first time in metaphysics and esoteric subjects (as opposed to the traditional astrology of the personality). As Jupiter entered the bridging sign of Libra, a small group of exoteric and esoteric astrologers coordinated their expertise, formed a group called Amethyst, and began giving free lectures in Washington, D.C., bridging the exoteric and esoteric concepts of astrology and psychology. Our audiences were large with esoteric astrology and psychology reaching its highest point of popularity during the three-year cycle from 1981 through 1983.
Suddenly, something happened as we approached 1984 and Jupiter entered Capricorn (I find that the shift in consciousness begins about three months before the actual sign change). Audiences at astrological lectures began decreasing in numbers, interest waned quickly and even our regular metaphysical speakers at Amethyst began to seek out more practical avenues of expression. This growing tendency towards astrological apathy was not singular to Amethyst. As 1984 drew to a close and the new, more dynamic cycle of Aquarius began to manifest, we could see that all metaphysical and New Age groups were affected by the decreased membership and poor attendance. The Association for Research and Enlightenment in Virginia Beach, founded by Edgar Cayce, had scheduled a large symposium in 1984 when Jupiter was transiting the middle (and strongest) degrees of Capricorn. It was canceled due to a lack of interest. This had never happened in the history of the local symposiums! Subjects popular in 1984 were practical how-to courses and books where in the individual could apply the knowledge and techniques immediately. Psychic fairs grew in popularity because people did not want to do the work themselves. They wanted someone else to give them the answers quickly.
I did not sense that there were any fresh ideas or inspired thinking in 1984. The typical astrological books published in 1984 were astro-economics, counseling techniques and astrological philosophy. No one felt like being inspired mentally and, as a result, nothing inspiring was produced. It seemed more important for people to stay home, fix up the house, work in the yard, make money and plan IRA accounts. Everyone seemed to be in a period of mental and psychological hibernation. Looking back over the period, I can see that we were attempting to ground ourselves as an innermost level— a spiritual pralaya— before spiraling forward into the new Jupiter in Aquarius cycle.
By the end of 1984, a new electricity and expectancy of change could be perceived in the ethers. Out of hibernation came former students showing up at the astrological lectures, membership increased, and new faces began appearing at lectures. Dusting off the sheaths of conservatism, people started looking for something out of the ordinary to inspire them mentally. Fresh new ideas were being presented and people responded enthusiastically. Coming out of hibernation, people look for something new and exciting. With this awakening come new ideas, inventive thinking and inspired reasoning.
Our current Jupiter in Capricorn cycle (2008) is colored with the economical Saturn in Virgo. Earth signs depress the economy because they demand a correction of the excess generated by the preceding Fire sign cycle. Currently, the important issues are the economy, how to save money, the environment, “green” technology and efficiency in fuel and energy. We are coming out of a long cycle of war and conservatism— not just in the United States but globally as well.
The hibernation is over and consciousness is once again awakening.
Jupiter in Aquarius rules networking activities between groups rather than activities of the individual. On the day that Jupiter entered Aquarius in 1985, I received three telephone calls inquiring about the possibility of getting together with a group of people who shared a common purpose (astrology, meditation, psychic development). In 1997, I received telephone calls from National and International organizations offering the opportunity to work together. For the upcoming cycle, remember, Jupiter enters Aquarius on January 5, 2009. This date is already significant for me as I will start my online medical curriculum on this day. I am not teaching this myself. I am working in cooperation with Ena Stanley at the Online Astrology College. Networking is a theme under Aquarius and it marks of time for pooling our energies to support collective activities. The Aquarian energy is too powerful to be contained by any one organization, although each organization will be energized by it.
With Jupiter in Aquarius, the lesson for the individual is to quickly leave your hibernation in the material, in your fears, and connect with groups and organizations that help expand your consciousness, stimulate your awareness and stretch the mind to a higher level. Starting when Neptune entered Capricorn in 1984, our country has become polarized to extremes— between the people who are afraid and the people who have hope. In Aquarius, we need to find a middle group, see ourselves as planetary citizens and work towards a common vision. Groups must extricate apathy, work through inspired leadership, gear towards meeting the intense consciousness needs of the people whom they wish to serve. This is a dynamic cycle and it will not return again until 2021.
Politically, the shift has started with the election of the first black American president, a man with Aquarius on the Ascendant. While in Europe at the time of the election, Europeans were ecstatic by this shift in American consciousness. Considering the number of people expected for the Inauguration on January 20, 2009, many Americans are feeling the new energy. Even Caroline Kennedy, whose father inspired the masses in an earlier Aquarius cycle, is stepping into the political scene, feeling that new change is now possible.
In my article on Pluto in Capricorn (on this website), I quoted Bill Meridian in his discussion on the Inauguration 2009 horoscope. “The horoscope for the 2009 Inauguration, showing the course of the presidency, will have a rare conjunction of the Sun-Jupiter in Aquarius. This conjunction has only occurred twice before— the Sun in Aquarius was conjunct Jupiter in Capricorn in the 2nd inauguration of Reagan and the 2nd inauguration of Clinton. He feels that this pattern is indicative of a Democratic President who implements great social programs.”
In 2010, Jupiter will align in the sign of Aries, at Zero Degrees, or the World Point. As Catherine Grant told me in 1966, when this alignment occurs in either Aries or Libra, every 42 years, there is a great scientific breakthrough that impacts the world, facilitating an even greater shift in consciousness. Where this conjunction falls in the natal horoscope shows where we feel compelled to take a risk with our lives, to experience adventure, to explore our creative potential and to overcome the fear of life. There is something within the human psychology that resists change. There are still some people who are not ready to let go of fear and isolation. There are some “old dinosaurs” who will never change but they are about to become extinct. There are Creative Spirits at large who are willing to take a leap of consciousness, a leap of faith into a new dimension of being. Our world is changing and we must be a part of this change. To quote Jane Batt, “If you want to understand diversity in the multi-cultural society, learn to value and respect the opinions of others, even if you do not agree.”
NOTE: My interpretation of Jupiter-Uranus through the Houses of the natal horoscope can be found on my website to download for free on this website.