Though so many issues are contentious or disputed, there are two aspects of the astrological ages that have virtually unanimous consensus-firstly, the theorized link of the astrological ages to the axial precession of the Earth and commonly referred to as precession of the equinoxes secondly, that, due to the nature of the precession of the equinoxes, the progression of the ages proceeds in reverse direction through the zodiacal signs. Consensus approach to the astrological ages Ray Grasse states in Signs of the Times - Unlocking the Symbolic Language of World Events that "there is considerable dispute over the exact starting and ending times for the different Great Ages." Paul Wright in The Great Ages and Other Astrological Cycles believes that much of the uncertainty related to the astrological ages is because many astrologers have a poor understanding of the meaning of the astrological symbolism and "even poorer historical knowledge". Derek and Julia Parker state that it is impossible to state the exact date for the start of any astrological age and acknowledge that many astrologers believe the Age of Aquarius has arrived while many say the world is at the end of the Age of Pisces. Spencer singles out the astrological ages as being "fuzzy", "speculative", and the least-defined area of astrological lore. In 2000 Neil Spencer in his book True as the Stars Above expressed a similar opinion about the astrological ages. The 20th century British astrologer Charles Carter stated that "It is probable that there is no branch of Astrology upon which more nonsense has been poured forth than the doctrine of the precession of the equinoxes." Ĭontentious aspects of the astrological ages ĭefinitive details on the astrological ages are lacking, and consequently most details available about the astrological ages are disputed.
There are three broad perspectives on the astrological ages:
7.1 Alternative approach to calibrating precession.6.3 Sub-period direction (forward or retrograde?).3.1 First point of Aries alignment - the fiducial point.2.2 Possible pre-Hipparchian recognition of precession.1.5 Other opinions on the astrological ages.1.2 Consensus approach to the astrological ages.1.1 Contentious aspects of the astrological ages.