The cycles of Neptune correlate well with major changes and reforms in the areas of medicine and our philosophical context within nature. That is, our relationship with the rest of nature. A retrospective look over the last eight hundred years or so, the beginnings of modern science with the introduction of the Hindi decimal numeric scheme, the last five transits of Neptune around the Sun, takes us back to the commencement of the reign of King John (Plantagenet). Here we come to a time when the Magna Carta was signed, forfeiting the ultimate power of the king to be subject to his lords. In all it proved to be more of a gesture than any lasting reform but set in train the idea of the king being of service to his subjects rather than the other way around. In this same era, Oxford University first opened its doors where previously education was attained through the Cathedral Schools and before this through the double monasteries. The professors at university, like monks, took a vow of chastity in order to devote themselves totally to the holy work of discovery. A funny aside to this was that the development of university education led to the development of societal prostitution. Oxford university’s first vice chancellor, Robert Grosseteste, championed the development of science with pioneering work into the nature of light and optics and he tutored Roger Bacon. Aside from these endeavours, he was extremely strict about the chasteness of his academics and religious men, targeting nuns who were suspected of promiscuity. In his regular inspections of the nuns where he would have his priests to squeeze the nun’s nipples for signs of lactation. He felt the perfect life at Oxford university would be one where women and families were entirely absent, to not distract and exclusive male world.
Within society there were many other upheavals including the expulsion of the Jews from England and Europeans being first introduced to the compass, a Chinese invention, leading to the first European attempts to sail across the Atlantic beginning with the Vikings. The new era marked the birth of Genghis Khan and the expansion of the Mongol Empire. The largest the world had seen. The Tartars or Mongols also invaded Europe with small field guns utilizing the Chinese invention of gunpowder which they had used for mining. The Mongols were well organized, had spies and so knew the state of Poland and Hungary prior to overtaking them. They came in swiftly on horseback and despite their success they left owing to many factors including the tricky mountainous terrain where they had been used to the plains. Also the reign of Manco Capac who founded the Inca Empire. Then within the Catholic Church, the orders of the Franciscans and the Dominicans were established, challenging the church leaders to accept the broader principles of charity, chastity and poverty as well as notions of extending love and compassion to all creatures.
Towards the end of this cycle came the Black Plague, the purging of Western society in which half the population died in the space of two years. The following cycle further challenged the Catholic Church with the Western Schism where the power of the church was divided and the Renaissance began. The fall from grace of the Catholic Church though would take much longer although the divide had commenced and such leaders as Martin Luther helped to secure the split within the Catholic Church between northern and southern Europe with the Reformation. In this cycle came the initial colonial expansion of Europe and the fall of the Incan Empire under the Spanish with Pizarro. The Reformation gave rise to Puritanism where the ordinary life had to encompass the glory of God. With this came personal responsibility for one’s own salvation and so one’s moral duty to save themselves and not rely upon pardons given by the Church for their sins.
Puritanism also compelled the necessity to stamp out disorder within society providing the ruling elite with the justification to enforce this when necessary in the face of the unruly masses. Towards the end of this cycle the final showdown between Science versus Renaissance Magick and the Occult Arts played out. The Occult held a model of the universe where everything was connected by a universal soul, operating like a single organism. As the Occult Arts were the precursor to natural philosophy and science, it was necessary for science to distance itself from its murky past in order to rise within society to become the sovereign holder of truth. It achieved this through two men, Mersenne and Gassendi, who developed a mechanical model of the universe to counter the one held by the Occult. This image found great favour with the Church and so was then accepted by the broader community.

The Astrology for September 2024
It is the Solar month of Virgo where the challenge lies in reconciling social responsibility with personal needs for your own growth and development. We also enter the final eclipse period for the year. The month begins with you better accepting your personal needs...

The Astrology for August 2024
This month we have Mercury turning retrograde and Jupiter square to Saturn. This is a month relating to crisis of meaning. In the solar month of Leo, we become more focused upon self actualisation. So questions such as “Am I living in the manner that is the best fit...

The Astrology for July 2024
As we approach the halfway mark through the year, the point of opposition between the Sun and Pluto, the examination of our progress, or lack thereof, continues. What I mean by this relates to the internalised tension with how our daily affairs match the yearnings of...

The Astrology for June 2024
At the end of May, Pluto turned retrograde and so marking a three month period when you begin to focus upon how to let go of what you thought to be absolutely essential to your life when it isn’t. This marks a time of truth as it becomes increasingly more difficult to...

The Astrology for May 2024
This month proves to be challenging with the shadow of economic hard times being felt a little more. Along with this is the threat of further epidemics and outbreaks, although not like what we have seen in more recent times. Just a bit more than we have seen over the...

The first ecliptic month for 2024
This starts on March 25 with the penumbral lunar eclipse. The Moon at 5 Libra and the Sun opposite in Aries. All planets form a tight wedge around the Sun with the Moon being the extreme point of the cluster. This is the eclipse of letting go. What do my ideals call...

The Astrology for April 2024
This month plays out in our psyches more than in the outer world. It involves personal adjustments. There are plenty of shocking external events taking place but the impact for us as individuals is felt very deeply and subtly changes our value systems, our wants and...

The Astrology for March 2024
As with the end of February, March begins with a similarly subdued energy although minor aspects begin to predominate whereby there is more of a compulsion to make emotional adjustments which align with your personal values. With these minor angles the tone for the...

The Astrology for February 2024
While the month begins with Jupiter in a positive aspect to Saturn, which augurs a positive atmosphere for the world in general, not that things are going well for all areas in the world, there are still some frustrations. The Sun is compromised by Neptune bringing...

The Astrology for January 2024
We enter the new year with the focus upon how we are working in the world and find ourselves at peace with this to begin with. You may feel a sense of understanding at a greater depth of how you can achieve what it is you want. There is a though a certain...