The Age of Aquarius

On Nov 11, 2008, we will have exactly four years until the Age of Aquarius is upon us.

What is the Age of Aquarius? Many of us have become familiar with the term from "Hair", the musical.

When the moon is in the Seventh House
and Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius....Aquarius! Aquarius!
Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius! Aquarius!

Many of us have also heard prophecies and talk of the year 2012 being the Armageddon or the end of the world. It is in fact going to be the end of the world as WE know it and the beginning of a new world .... a world ruled by awareness, information, and energy.

We have probably all been noticing the shift in energies of the world, from the economy, wars, and energy crisis. Mental illnesses have also been on the rise for years. The World Health Organization has said that one in four people suffer from various forms of mental, behavioral, and neurological disorders. It has also been estimated that depression will be the second largest illness by 2010. The Annals of Internal Medicine recently reported fatigue and stress as two of the top reasons people seek a doctor. People are losing their sense of balance. In comes the Aquarian Age... an age where we are meant to shift our awareness and consciousness and focus on humanitarian efforts rather than expansion efforts.

How does this relate to each of us? I can speak for myself, before I even had heard of any of this, I too had fallen into depression and chronic fatigue. I spent months trying to understand how I got to that point. Why was this happening to me? Once I stopped fighting the changes that I was going through, I realized that in every dark moment is a ray of light, an opportunity to learn.

The secret to learning is forgetting...

- Guru Singh

As I started getting more and more engaged in my books as well as kundalini yoga, I saw how I had to forget what I knew in order to accept this new awareness. Nothing proves so hard as trying to convince your ego to let go of everything its held on to. A shift in awareness is a very tough thing to handle. Your ego fights with it tooth and nail. Nevertheless, I make baby steps, such as entering my Teacher's Training for Kundalini Yoga.

People asked me why I entered the training. Did I want to teach yoga? I hadn't really thought about teaching really. I was looking for more of a spiritual guidance, and up until then, nothing had spoken to me more than my yoga. Kundalini yoga was one of the very few things that allowed me to feel safe and sane. I also believed that I was led there by forces beyond me. However the decision to enter the training was not an easy one. Not only had I not even considered it more than a week prior to my registration, but I actually thought I was crazy to commit to something that I could potentially not endure physically due to the issues I had with my spine.

The Friday before I registered, I attended Guru Singh's class at Yoga West. Guru Singh started his lecture by explaining to us that we were all there for a reason. None of us ended up there by accident. "All of you have always known you were ... different," he said. He was right, I always felt that I was different, since I was a child. "You have always been a little much for people to handle." Yes yes.. that would be me again. Looking around at the class, it was obvious that he was right. Everyone in there was a bit... different. You have to be a little different to spend hours a week chanting and breathing like a freight train. I had been feeling a little spaced out since I returned from Amsterdam. Guru Singh's lecture was about the only thing that could knock me on my ass and get me back on track.

The energy of love and acceptance permeated the room as we all sang Aap Sahaee Hoa Sachay Daa Sacha Doaa, Har Har Har; a meditation meant to help you penetrate the unknown without fear as well as give protection and mental balance. I let my voice soar and sing, as I sent the love out to the world. I sent the energy to my beloved sister... to my beloved Palestine... and to all humanity. Tears rolled down my face as I felt the healing energy. Somehow the decision had been made for me to be there... to sign up for teachers' training. My ego fought it for a few more days. I even started having massive abdominal spasms that week that prevented me from going to yoga. I did make it in to sign up for the training and got my textbooks: The Aquarian Teacher.

Five Sutras for the Aquarian Age (by Yogi Bhajan)

1. Recognize that the other person is you.
2. There is a way through every block.
3. When the time is on you, start, and the pressure will be off.
4. Understand through compassion or you will misunderstand the times.
5. Vibrate the Cosmos, the Cosmos shall clear the path.

We are all one collective consciousness. This is what the Aquarian Age is about, realizing this consciousness and reaching out to help each other. It is time to make those changes in ourselves that we KNOW we need to make. Each breath we take is an opportunity to achieve that awareness. Start by breathing consciously at every opportunity you get. Be AWARE of your breath. Breathing consciously declares you are awakening.

Any time we see something around us that we do not like, it is our indication to make that change within ourself. Awaken to those changes in preparation for the Aquarian Age.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

-Mahatma Gandhi

I will finish this with our Kundalini yoga farewell blessing:

Long Time Sun

May the long time sun

Shine upon you,

All love surround you,

And the pure light within you

Guide your way on.

Sat Nam