Great writing polarizes people ~ Stephen King on writing

Write as if no one in the world will ever read it.
Say exactly what you feel. Don’t think. Just get your thoughts out there in all their disheveled, chaotic glory.

This is what Stephen calls writing with the” door closed.” It’s just you and your work, nobody else, and it’s the first stage of writing.

The second stage is opening the door to the rest of the world — a metaphor for pondering how the average Joe might respond to your new creation and making the changes necessary to help it survive.

And yes, there will be changes. Lots and lots of them.

To many aspiring writers, a great piece of writing is something mystical, filled with an almost frightening power, and they look at the writers who create such magic with reverence, maybe even worship, longing for the day when they can discover their closely-guarded “secrets.”

It’s silly.

Yes, there is some magic to it, but the same magic exists in every type of art, and it’s accessible to everyone. Here’s how:

Write. Every day. For years.

Is it hard work?

Yes.

But so is any job worth doing.

“You undoubtedly have your own thoughts, interests, and concerns, and they have arisen, as mine have, from your experiences and adventures as a human being. . . . You should use them in your work.”

More HERE

love and light

Trace

xoxo

Fancy popping over to the book website?

A Carpet of Purple Flowers

Booklist Online / Netgalley Reviews: 

• Fantasy fans will wait eagerly for the next installment in McCartney’s series, enchanted by the complicated love story and the surprising cliffhanger ending. — Amy Dittmeier, Booklist Intern

• This was a fabulous book, with excellent writing and a fascinating story. I would absolutely love to read anything else this author has to offer! ~ Jessie T, Reviewer

• This is a creative romance/paranormal/fantasy that takes place in London at a bookstore. I enjoyed the characters and the interaction between the different races .  Bea is a bookseller who can see both the sects of an ancient race.  They are usually invisible to humans and the fact that she can see both has them all confounded and vying for her attention.  She falls in love with both leaders and is about to prompt a war between the two factions.  She must explore her past to discover the secrets that might change the future. ~ Ann K, Bookseller

Art ~ Polyvore Creation

http://www.traceyannemccartney.com

Third Person Omniscient ~ Writing

Do people analyze the POV of books prior/while reading? 

One of the first most confusing debates I came across while writing concerned POV. I'll be honest, when I sat down to write 'A Carpet of Purple Flowers', I didn't stop to question what viewpoint I wanted to use. I just wrote the story. On editing the first draft, admittedly, a few areas needed correcting for 'head-hopping', mainly the fight scenes. Initially, it was an extremely wonderful beta-reader that mentioned the Omniscient point of view in her feedback, and I rushed to research what she meant in her comment, below:

I was very, very amazed at how the author used the third person omniscient viewpoint so naturally. I can honestly say I’ve never read a book where this technique was very effective. Usually, I like to stay in one viewpoint, as a reader. But with this novel, I think it gave credit to the grand scope of the story. Bea might be the main character, but the story is about so much more than just her. It’s about Vororbla, something that intertwines all souls together in a way – so I considered it very symbolic to use the omniscient viewpoint. ~ Dominique Diane Scott 

Isn't it strange how the inner voice knows how to tell the story? I'm glad that I didn't overthink the whole POV prior to writing, I think my head would still be spinning with all the technicalities even now!

After reading and joining in conversations about POVs with other writers, it became apparent that readers may feel more distant from the characters. So, paranoid, obviously, I went back in and edited some more in the hope that they would be reachable, connectable. I really hope that I've managed to do that. I'm still learning. :o)

I can't imagine telling this story, over three books, from just one viewpoint, or in third person limited, especially being such a big tale. If the characters have a role to play, then they must get heard. I want the reader to visit their thoughts, to truly feel the perspective of that person. Of course, minor characters are kept at bay...phew! We don't need overload.

I've provided more information below from some fab posts, links included.

Further reading via scribophile.com ~ Very informative post

Writing in Third Person Omniscient point of view lets you do many things with your story that you wouldn't normally be able to do were you to use a Limited or even a Multiple point of view.
Third Person Omniscient lets you move freely through time and space, gives more information in a smaller amount of time, and yes, even shows what multiple people are thinking within a scene.

There are a lot of advantages to Third Person Omniscient, but if you look at fiction novels written in the 20th century, most are written in Third Person Limited. Why is that?

Part of the reason is that Third Person Omniscient is considered one of the hardest POVs to master because there are a lot of places where you can go wrong.

First, many new writers confuse Omniscient with "Head-Hopping". This often happens because a writer wants to show what many or all of the characters within a scene are thinking, and then simply writes it down as if it were Third Person Multiple instead of Omniscient POV. Which will come out as a jumbled and confusing pile of perspectives mixed together.

Second, many don't quite grasp the differences between an Objective perspective and a Subjective perspective, and how to use them to their advantage.

Third, Third Person Limited (or Multiple) can be indistinguishable at times from Third Person Omniscient, which can make things very confusing.

Then come the big drawbacks of using Third Person Omniscient: The distance between the characters and the reader that's inherent in the use of an Omniscient narrator. This is something that many writers struggle to overcome.

Head-hopping is a mistake that writers usually fall in to because they want to be able to show what each character within a scene is thinking. The Omniscient narrator can indeed do that. However, this should be done with the narrator's words, not the character's.

When writing Omniscient, a writer must be very careful not to give characters information that the narrator knows but that the character couldn't know. That's incredibly jarring to the reader and could defeat their faith in the Omniscient narrator.
In order to write a scene where we know the thoughts and actions of most—if not all—of the characters, it generally requires the Omniscient narrator have a strong voice so the narrative doesn't descend into head-hopping.

Is Third Person Omniscient Best for your Story?

So now that we've discussed the common pitfalls and how to deal with them, is Third Person Omniscient really the best POV for your story?
Take a look at your story. If it's character-driven, then Omniscient might not be the best bet. Since the story stands mostly on the shoulders of the characters and requires the reader to make a strong connection with them, Third Person Limited or First Person might be a better choice.
But if your story is plot-driven and wide in scope, then Omniscient might be an attractive option. That's because you need to get the points across quicker and can move across time and space in order to bring out just how wide the story's scope is.
Another thing to think about is your grasp on the Omniscient POV. If you aren't confident in your ability in using it, then you should get some practice first. It'd be best if you wrote a few short stories to gauge your ability.

Whatever POV you end up choosing, it must ultimately allow the reader to be able to sit down and engage with the story without getting confused or lost.

Why All the Fuss About the Omniscient POV? By K.M. Weiland

So what’s the problem with the omniscient POV? Why are so many authors confused about it? And why are so many editors delivering digital hand slaps because of it?

Omniscient POVs are tricky. I have to admit, I always wince (just a little) whenever authors tell me they’re writing in omniscient. I’ll admit this upfront: not a big fan of the technique–if only because there is so much more intimacy to be found in the tighter POVs of first-person and deep third-person. Furthermore, because omniscient is a POV that has largely fallen into disuse, it can be a harder sell to agents and editors.

However, that isn’t to say the omniscient POV can’t be wielded effectively. We definitely do still see a book here and there that uses it (usually in the literary genre). But the omniscient POV can be challenging to get right. Authors often struggle to maintain a consistent omniscient voice and figure out how the omniscient POV differs from random head-hopping (which dips in and out of multiple characters’ tight narratives without warning).

As you’re learning, this is largely because it’s a difficult concept to get our heads around in the first place!

Her Fearful Symmetry Audrey NiffeneggerThat isn’t to say editors won’t accept it (Audrey Niffenegger’s sophomore novel Her Fearful Symmetry was omniscient–and earned an advance of $5 million in a bidding war between publishing houses–largely, on the blockbuster success of her previous book, the first-person Time Traveler’s Wife).

What editors will always be looking for in an omniscient POV (or any POV, come to that) is an amazing narrative voice. That voice needs to be not just something that serves the story, but something that pops off the page and pulls readers in. That kind of voice can be more difficult to accomplish in an omniscient POV, if only because the narrator’s voice is much harder to define.

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/omniscient-pov

Read more HERE
Here and Here

What POV do/would you use? I would love to know your thoughts.

love and light

Trace

xoxo

Adele - Hello / Lacrimosa (Mozart)

Hello/Lacrimosa (or “Chello,” as it has affectionately been called in the studio) is a musical experiment bridging 18th-century spiritualism and 21st-century secularism. Imagine Mozart and Adele in the same room in an intense co-write session, quill and pen in hand, respectively. Picturing this hypothetical hangout helped to spark the creative combination of the two.

Both tunes’ divergent traits presented challenges. One wallows in a wide, painstakingly minor 12/8 time and the other drives a poignant bi-polar major/minor common time. One draws its power from the fullness of a grand chorus and orchestra, the other from the isolation of a lone voice and piano. One conforms to age-old counterpart canon and musical theory while the other is conveyed via verse/chorus pop song parlance. However, they share the same fundamental feeling — “Lacrimosa” (meaning “weeping” or “tearful”) mournfully bemoans spiritual death, while “Hello” gripes about relationship regrets. Different centuries. Different realms. Same emotion. Perhaps we aren’t as far from our predecessors as we think we are.

You’ll hear towards the end of the tune an attempt by both motifs to meet in the middle as the two textured melodies intertwine. In their respective stories both plead for reconciliation. Neither seemed to find it apart, but together they sing about a second chance.

The sounds you hear were created by 100 tracks of acoustic and electric cello, an instrument that has been emoting for centuries – an apt candidate for the task of tying together “Hellocrimosa” (our alternate affectionate title).

This video was filmed at one of our favorite locations: Tuacahn Amphitheatre, utilizing different patterns and settings of giant mirrors, diffused light, and some very cold fog. How is the camera not reflected in the mirrors? Simple. Smoke and mirrors!

love and light
Trace
xoxo

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2016

A 19th-century drawing of the arms of Ireland.

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, whose feast day is celebrated every 17 March.

The March 17 celebration started in 1631 when the Church established a Feast Day honoring St. Patrick. He had been Patron Saint of Ireland who had died around the fifth century—a whopping 12 centuries before the modern version of the holiday was first observed. But very little is known about who he actually was, according to Marion Casey, a clinical assistant professor of Irish Studies at New York University (and a regular marcher in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Manhattan).

Arms of Ireland: 1. 1607, on the frontispiece of “The Books of Heraldic Visitation"

“We know that he was a Roman citizen, because Britain was Roman then, and then he was enslaved and taken to Ireland, where he either escaped or was released,” Casey says. “And then he became a priest and went back to Ireland, where he had a lot of luck converting the Druid culture into Christians.”

A few years after returning to his homeland, he had a divine vision in which he felt God call him to be the ‘Voice of Ireland’. He subsequently returned to the country as a free man and spread his Christian faith around the pagan country, converting thousands and establishing many churches in the process.

He apparently used the three leaves contained in shamrock flowers as a metaphor for the holy trinity throughout his teaching. To this day, the shamrock is one of the symbols most associated with Ireland. It grows plentifully all over the country and takes its name from early Irish word seamair óg, or young clover. Historians believe the first link between St. Patrick and the shamrock can be found on the so-called 'St. Patrick halfpennies', coins produced in the late 1600s which were imprinted with an image of the saint holding a shamrock while preaching to a crowd of people.

It's unknown whether this legendary link between St. Patrick and the shamrock has any historical basis, especially since the link between the two appears to have been popularised over 1,000 years after his death.

Legend says St. Patrick was actually born Maewyn Succat, but that he changed his name to Patricius (or Patrick), which derives from the Latin term for “father figure,” after he became a priest. And that supposed luck of his is the root of all the themed merchandise for modern St. Patrick’s Day.

It wasn’t until the early 18th century that many of today’s traditions were kicked into high gear. Since the holiday falls during Lent, it provides Christians a day off from the prescriptions of abstinence leading up to Easter, and around the 1720s, the church found it “got kind of out of control,” Casey says. It was to remind celebrants what the holiday actually stood for that the church first associated a botanical item—customary for all saints—with St. Patrick, assigning him the symbol of the likewise lucky shamrock.

Modern-day celebrations and themes continued to take shape during the rest of the 1700s. In 1762, the first New York City parade took place. It wasn’t until 1798, the year of the Irish Rebellion, that the colour green became officially associated with the day, Casey says.

Arms of the Lordship of Ireland.

Up until the rebellion, the color associated with St. Patrick was blue, after Henry VIII turned the island into a kingdom in 1542, giving it a blue flag emblazoned with a golden harp. Prior to that, the flag of the Lordship of Ireland was three golden crowns over a light blue background. Blue was featured both in the royal court and on ancient Irish flags. The British wore red, and the Irish chose to wear green, and they sang the song “The Wearing of the Green” during the rebellion, cementing the color’s relevance in Irish history.

As for the green beer, that’s an even later addition. In fact, it wasn’t until the late 20th century that Ireland repealed a law that initially kept everything—pubs included—shut down for the day.

Source

This year is a particularly historic one as Ireland celebrates the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a key event in the country’s history.

New York and Dublin hold the biggest parades in the world. Half a million people are expected to line the streets for the Dublin parade while around 150,000 revellers will attend the New York display.

Three Crowns in History:

Practically identical to the three crowns of Sweden, is that of the flag and arms of the Province of Munster, a region in the south-west of Ireland. Like the Swedish model, it comprises two crowns above and one below. These represent the three great duchies of the province, Desmond, Ormond and Thomond. The design was used as the flag of the Lordship of Ireland between 1171-1541 following the Norman invasion of Ireland until being replaced by the flag of the Kingdom of Ireland.

In the literature, the coat of arms of the legendary King Arthur is also often given as azure with three crowns. Britain included three realms, Logres (England), Cambria (Wales) and Alba (Scotland).

The University of Oxford uses as its emblem the three gold crowns on blue accompanied by an open book. The origin of the three crowns is not exactly known but may refer to the arms of Thomas Cranley, Warden of New College between 1389 and 1396.

The first corporate coat of arms was granted in 1439 to the Drapers' Company in London with three triple crowns. Three crowns also form the logo of Coutts & Co, the London-based private bankers, but in this case, the design comprises one crown at the top, with two below.

It appears that these three crowns were adopted as the arms of Munster. The origins are uncertain and links have been suggested the three wise men who visited the infant Jesus from Mathews Gospel and even the legend of King Arthur. It should be noted that the three crowns are not unique to Ireland and feature on the current Royal Arms of Sweden.

In Scottish armory

The coat of arms of the Scot­tish Clan Grant dis­plays the three gold crowns, but on a red back­ground. This may be due to the fact that the clan's name an­ces­tor was Scan­di­na­vian, King Haakon Mag­nus of Nor­way. The clan's motto, Stand Fast, also de­rives from Haakon Magnus. The arms formed the basis of the arms of the burgh of Grantown-on-Spey, which was founded on the clan's land in 1765.

An­other Scot­tish clan that uses the three gold crowns on blue as its coat of arms is the Clan Arthur or Clan Macarthur.

In Spanish armory

The three gold crowns on blue de­sign ap­pears on the coat of arms of the Span­ish city of Bur­ri­ana in the Va­len­cian Com­mu­nity, but, like Coutts & Co, is arranged one over two in­stead of two over one. The crowns here refer to the fact that in 1901, the Queen Re­gent of Spain, Maria Christina of Aus­tria, gave the town the title of city, and was crowned three times.

In Eastern European armory

The his­tor­i­cal re­gion of Gali­cia, now di­vided be­tween Poland and Ukraine, had under the Aus­tro-Hun­gar­ian rule as its coat-of-arms a blue shield with three gold crowns as part of the de­sign. The crowns are said to rep­re­sent Lodome­ria, a his­tor­i­cal province that was united with Gali­cia while Gali­cia it­self was rep­re­sented by the black crow.

In French and German armory

The em­blem of Henri III was "Manet ul­tima coelo" with three crowns.

In modern trademarks.

A sym­bol with three crowns has been used by Chrysler on some of its New Yorker mod­els in the 1960s. A sym­bol for the mar­que's top model, the crowns were placed in a row on the ve­hi­cle rear and over each other in the front.

In the 1550s, King Gustav Vasa of Sweden found that the Danish King Christian III had added the three crowns to his own coat of arms.

Source

Eire 1597 ~ Hibernia ~ Coat of arms of Ireland in Irish Nobility, 1597-1603.

Development & History of Irish Flags HERE

It is true the harp was popular in ancient Irish music and often associated with the island. However, the harp was also widely used in neighbouring Scotland and was also the national instrument of that country before it was replaced by the bagpipes. (Or the Great Highland bagpipes to be exact as their are also versions of the pipes native to Ireland).

The harp was an instrument often played by King David of Israel, and is often associated with him before becoming King about 1000 years BC.  1 Samuel 16.23 says "Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play."

The coat of arms of Ireland

Although it was Henry VIII who was first to use the title King of Ireland, it was not until the succession of King James VI of Scotland to the English and Irish thrones in 1603 becoming James I of England and Ireland, that an Irish device appeared on the royal coat of arms. James quartered his shield with the arms of his three kingdoms. This principle is still used for the British Royal Arms today. In the third quarter of his arms is the harp proudly representing Ireland. This is probably what secured the harp as the main heraldic symbol of Ireland. (it is also worth noting that the harp on blue field is the only part of the royal coat of arms that has remained unchanged since 1603).

The harp was adopted as the emblem of the Irish Free State  when it became independent of the United Kingdom in 1922. It was registered as the national coat of arms by the Chief Herald of Ireland in 1945. 

Decorations of the Harp

The Irish harp appears in two main forms, that of a winged female pillar, and one with a more plain pillar. The early harps of Henry VIII are plain harps, however throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries various figures have been represented on the harp pillars. 

The female figure which appears to have developed at around the same time has rendered the others redundant, making the harp rather more artistically pleasing to the eye. However throughout this, the plain version of the harp has survived, and both versions are regarded as the same thing from a heraldic point of view. The female figure may have its origins from Irish mythology, where the sovereignty of Ireland is described as being symbolised by a female figure dressed in blue. It is also notable that the winged 'Made of Erin' figure is rather similar in style with that of a ship's figure head.

A late Victorian St Patricks Day greeting card (above) from the USA depicts a tower crest but the stag appears to be absent. The crest was ceased to be official after Act of Union of 1801 when the UK arms represented Ireland.

The arms of the Kingdom of Ireland did have a crest. It was a white stag coming out of a castle or tower with three turrets. However this crest was seldom used, as topping the arms with a crown seems to have been preferred.

Unfortunately unlike Scotland, Ireland was never granted its own unique version of the UK arms, if it had then the crest of Ireland might have survived to this day.

Officially the arms of Ireland is and was always without a motto or supporters.

The blue harp flag

The banner of Ireland, a harp on a blue field, represented as a blue flag with a harp. To this day, it appears on the lower quarter of the Royal Standard by the hoist and is used as the standard of the Irish President. Originally it would have been a royal banner, however, there is no evidence of it ever being used. In fact, the English and later British royal banners appear to have been used anytime the monarch visited the island.  However, the harp on a blue field does appear on other flags. It was used on flags during the Interregnum Period (1649-1653) when Oliver Cromwell deposed the monarchy and ruled as 'Lord Protector.'

On 5 March 1649 the ruling military Council ordered "that the Flagg that is to be borne by the Admiral, Vice-Admiral, and Rere-Admiral be that now presented, viz., the Armes of England [Red St. George Cross on white] and Ireland [gold harp on blue] in two severall Escotcheons in a Red Flagg, within a compartment." A similar flag consisting of the St George Cross and Irish Harp was used as the naval jack.

While harps were used as an Irish symbol in this period it was not the only one.
There was a device of a King seated on a throne, although the exact form seems to differ depending on the source, but most French and Spanish rolls of arms depict the King figure holding a sceptre in one hand and a lily in the other. This is believed to be the arms of the ancient province of Meath .

More HERE and HERE

A mythical piece of Ireland ~ Hill of Tara 

Tara Hill was one of the most venerated religious spots in early Ireland and the seat of the High Kings of Ireland from the 3rd century until 1022.

The Hill of Tara, known as Temair in Gaelic, was once the ancient seat of power in Ireland – 142 kings are said to have reigned there in prehistoric and historic times. In ancient Irish religion and mythology Temair was the sacred place of dwelling for the gods, and was the entrance to the otherworld. Saint Patrick is said to have come to Tara to confront the ancient religion of the pagans at its most powerful site.

This small cluster of megaliths represents a single component of an extended prehistoric landscape which would have provided the ability to recognising specific moments of the lunar and solar cycles throughout the year. In the case of Tara, the chamber of the 'Mound of hostages' is aligned to mark the November 8th and February 4th, quarter days (along with Dowth and Cairns L and U at Loughcrew). Tara is only 10 miles distant from The Boyne Valley complex, which is clearly visible from there.

The 'Mound of the Hostages' - The most prominent and oldest monument on the hill is the Mound of the Hostages, upon which stands the 'Stone of destiny' (below). The Mound of Hostages dates back to the Neolithic period and is contemporary with the Boyne Valley structures.

The passage, 4m in length and 1m wide, was subdivided by sill-stones into three compartments each containing cremated remains. The engraved stone inside the mound of Hostages has been likened to a map of Tara hill itself.

The Stone of destiny - Originally stood on top of the Mound of Hostages.

Despite its importance, the expectant visitor may be disappointed in what he sees as, at Tara there are no signs of regal past, nor impressive remains, only the remains of  earthworks. 

On the Hill of Tara there are the remains of many other earthworks. To the South of the Mound of the Hostages, inside the bank and the ditch of the so-called Royal Enclosure, stand two linked ring-forts known as the Royal Seat and the Forradh. The Forradh has two banks and two ditches around it. In its centre lies the Lia Fáil, the Stone of Destiny, the most obvious phallic symbol of ancient Ireland. It once stood near the Mound of the Hostages, and it is said to be the stone of the coronation of the kings of Ireland. It roared three times when the future king stood on it. Other legends say it was the pillow of Jacob or the coronation Stone of Scone of Westminster Abbey.

This monolith is called the Lia Fial, The Stone of Fal or the Stone of Destiny. The tradition is that the High Kings of Ireland would be crowned here, and that the Stone would roar or cry out loudly if touched by the true High King. Some believe that the original Stone of Fal was taken to England and placed under the Coronation Throne in Westminster Abbey, then in the current Century stolen, taken into safe keeping in Scotland. Who now knows which is the true Lia Fial or where it lies!

To the south of the Royal Enclosure are the remains of another circular earthwork known as the Fort of King Laoghaire, where the king is said to be buried fully armed and in an upright position in order to see his enemies coming. To the north of the Royal Enclosure there are other round earthworks, two of them known as Sloping Trenches and one Gráinne's Fort, named for King Cormac's daughter who was the heroine of the tragic love tale of Diarmuid and Gráinne.

Rath Maeve Henge - Half a mile to the South of Tara Hill there is a henge called Rath Maeve (after the legendary goddess-queen Maeve or Medbh). It is about 230m (750ft) in diameter, part of its bank and ditch is well preserved near the road.

Source HERE

love and light

Trace

xoxo

. Book Two ~ Awake in Purple Dreams ~ visual inspiration

Awake in Purple Dreams

Photography ~ Miina Anahita

Early Book Blurb

Photography by Predrag Pajdic

Calageata (Swangate) ~

Weeping Sakura Tree of Hanazono at Tanagura Town with Mist 

~ Takumi Nasuno Photography

love and light

Trace

xoxo

☆ Astrological Age ☆ Mythology

The stars and us

Astrological Ramblings

One of my favourite constellations is the Cygnus ~ A northern constellation lying on the plane of the Milky Way, deriving its name from the Latinized Greek word for swan. The swan is one of the most recognizable constellations of the northern summer and autumn, it features a prominent asterism known as the Northern Cross (in contrast to the Southern Cross). Cygnus was among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.

Cygnus contains Deneb, one of the brightest stars in the night sky and one corner of the Summer Triangle, as well as some notable X-ray sources and the giant stellar association of Cygnus OB2. One of the stars of this association, NML Cygni, is one of the largest stars currently known. The constellation is also home to Cygnus X-1, a distant X-ray binary containing a supergiant and unseen massive companion that was the first object widely held to be a black hole. Many star systems in Cygnus have known planets as a result of the Kepler Mission observing one patch of the sky, the patch is the area around Cygnus. In addition, most of the eastern part of Cygnus is dominated by the Hercules–Corona Borealis Great Wall, a giant galaxy filament that is the largest known structure in the observable universe; covering most of the northern sky.

Cygnus is one of the constellations that the Kepler satellite surveyed in its search for extrasolar planets, and as a result, there are about a hundred stars in Cygnus with known planets, the most of any constellation.

The Kepler-22 system is also notable, in that its extrasolar planet is believed to be the first "Earth-twin" planet ever discovered.

In Greek mythology, Cygnus has been identified with several different legendary swans. Zeus disguised himself as a swan to seduce Leda, Spartan king Tyndareus's wife, who gave birth to the Gemini, Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra; Orpheus was transformed into a swan after his murder, and was said to have been placed in the sky next to his lyre (Lyra); and the King Cygnus was transformed into a swan.

My favourite myth ~ The Greeks also associated this constellation with the tragic story of Phaethon, the son of Helios the sun god, who demanded to ride his father's sun chariot for a day. Phaethon, however, was unable to control the reins, forcing Zeus to destroy the chariot (and Phaethon) with a thunderbolt, causing it to plummet to the earth into the river Eridanus. According to the myth, Phaethon's brother, Cycnus, grieved bitterly and spent many days diving into the river to collect Phaethon's bones to give him a proper burial. The gods were so touched by Cycnus's devotion to his brother that they turned him into a swan and placed him among the stars.

The Fall Of Phaethon Painting by Gustave Moreau

Sodoma. Fall of Phaethon. Oil on canvas (Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA)

In Ovid's Metamorphoses, there are three people named Cygnus, all of whom are transformed into swans. Alongside Cycnus, noted above, he mentions a boy from Tempe who commits suicide when Phyllius refuses to give him a tamed bull that he demands, but is transformed into a swan and flies away. He also mentions a son of Neptune who is an invulnerable warrior in the Trojan War who is eventually defeated by Achilles, but Neptune saves him by transforming him into a swan.

Together with other avian constellations near the summer solstice, Vultur cadens and Aquila, Cygnus may be a significant part of the origin of the myth of the Stymphalian Birds, one of The Twelve Labours of Hercules.

The astrological age.

An astrological age is a time period in astrologic mythology which astrologers claim parallels major changes in the development of Earth's inhabitants, particularly relating to culture, society, and politics. There are twelve astrological ages corresponding to the twelve zodiacal signs in western astrology. At the completion of one cycle of twelve astrological ages, the cycle is claimed to repeat itself  every 25,920 years.

There are two myths about the effects upon the world due to the astrological ages. Some astrologers believe the changes upon Earth are caused and marked by the influences of the given astrological sign associated with its Age, while other astrologers think that the ages simply happen in that sequence.

Astrologers cannot agree upon exact dates for the beginning or ending of the ages, with given dates varying hundreds of years.

There are three broad perspectives on the astrological ages:

• Archeoastronomers are interested in the ages because some researchers believe that ancient civilizations often depicted cultural references to the ages. Archeoastronomers in general do not 'believe' in astrology, but they study the cultural traditions of societies that did refer extensively to astrology.
• Astrologers have been interested in relating world history to the astrological ages since the late 19th century; however, most astrologers study horoscopes, not astrological ages.
• The general public has become aware of the Age of Aquarius since it was publicized in the musical Hair.

Contentious aspects of the astrological ages:

Definitive details on the astrological ages are lacking, and consequently most details available about the astrological ages are disputed. 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." (precession of the equinoxes as the root cause of the astrological ages).

In 2000 Neil Spencer in his book True as the Stars Above expressed a similar opinion about the astrological ages. Spencer singles out the astrological ages as being "fuzzy", "speculative", and the least-defined area of astrological lore. Derek and Julia Parker claim 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 claim the world is at the end of the Age of Pisces.

Consensus approach to the astrological ages:

Though so many issues are contentious or disputed, there are two aspects of the astrological ages that have virtually unanimous consensus—firstly, the claimed 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.

Other opinions on the astrological ages:

Many astrologers find ages too erratic based on either the vernal point moving through the randomly sized zodiacal constellations or sidereal zodiac and, instead, round all astrological ages to exactly 2000 years each. In this approach the ages are usually neatly aligned so that the Aries age is found from 2000 BC to AD 1, Pisces age AD 1 to AD 2000, the Aquarian Age AD 2000 - AD 4000, and so on.[24] This approach is inconsistent with the precession of the equinoxes. Based on precession of the equinoxes, there is a one degree shift approximately every 72 years, so a 30-degree movement requires 2160 years to complete.

Ages involving the opposite sign ~ An established school of thought that an age is also influenced by the sign opposite to the one of the astrological age. Referring back to the precession of the Equinoxes, as the Sun crosses one constellation in the Northern Hemisphere's spring Equinox (March 21), it will cross the opposite sign in the spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere (September 21). For instance, the Age of Pisces is complemented by its opposite astrological sign of Virgo (the Virgin); so a few refer to the Piscean age as the 'Age of Pisces-Virgo'. Adopting this approach, the Age of Aquarius would become the Age of Aquarius-Leo. Ray Grasse also claims that each sign of the zodiac is involving with the opposite sign.

History of the Astrological Ages

Hipparchus

The great demarcation point in the history of the astrological ages is around 127 BC when the Greek astronomer-astrologer Hipparchus from observation discovered that the great immovable sphere of fixed stars was not fixed but slowly moving eastwards due to what is now known as precession of the equinoxes. It is possible that some other astronomers before Hipparchus had also noticed the phenomenon, but it is Hipparchus who is credited with this discovery. This discovery by Hipparchus is not entirely unexpected as Hipparchus is considered to have been the greatest observational astronomer in his time and up until Tycho Brahe in the 16th century AD. What is highly contentious in modern times is the claim by many that observation of the effects of precession of the equinoxes was known well before the time of Hipparchus and his contemporaries in Greece or even Mesopotamia. The academic answer is no – precession of the equinoxes was unknown in earlier times.

Did the Ancients Recognise Precession Before Hipparchus?

Giorgio de Santillana (1902 – 1974) became professor of the History of Science in the School of Humanities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1954 and along with Hertha von Dechend they published a book entitled "Hamlet's Mill, An Essay on Myth and the Frame of Time" in 1969.

Santillana and von Dechend state that ancient myths have no historical basis but a cosmological one based on a primitive form of astrology. They recognized the importance of the heliacally rising constellation as markers for the astrological ages and claimed that knowledge of this phenomenon had been known for thousands of years previously. They claim that to understand ancient thinking it is necessary to understand astrology, not the modern sun-sign or horoscopic astrology, but the astrology of ancient times which was the lingua franca of ancient times. They go further and state that our knowledge of the dawn of astrology and its relationship to ancient myths and star names is limited to about 2100 BC during the Renaissance of Sumerian Culture instead of being able to examine the real old material on the subject. In "Hamlet's Mill" it is claimed that the ancient Greeks knew of three successive destructions that correlate to three ages and that since the beginning of history the vernal point has moved through Taurus, Aries, and Pisces. Hesiod in "Works and Days" refers to five successive ages.

As early as 1811, modern researchers were examining evidence for knowledge of precession of the equinoxes and astrological ages before Hipparchus. Sir William Drummond published "Oedipus Judaicus - Allegory in the Old Testament" in 1811. Drummund expounds on his hypothesis that a greater part of the Hebrew Scriptures are merely allegorical writings that hide the true content. Furthermore, the Orientalists were mainly concerned with astronomy and most of their ancient myths are really disguised astronomical records.

Drummond believed that the 49th chapter of Genesis contains prophecies allied to astronomy and that the twelve tribes of Israel represented the 12 zodiacal signs. Drummund makes his case that at the time of Abraham, the Amorites first recorded the shift from the Age of Taurus to the Age of Aries as represented by the year commencing with the Ram (Aries) rather than the bull (Taurus).

The Book of Joshua indicates that by the time of Moses the equinoxes had already shifted from Taurus to Aries as Moses had ordained that the civil year should commence with the month of Nisan (Aries) rather than the month of Taurus.

The feast of the Passover is probably a celebration of the Age of Aries with the Paschal Lamb representative of Aries, traditionally associated with the symbol of the ram or sheep.

Drummond also hypothesizes that most number references in ancient texts were coded to hide their real value by their multiplication by 1000 or multiples of 1,000. For example, in the Old Testament Joshua commanded 30,000 men and he slew 12,000 inhabitants of the city of Ai. The historian Berosus stated the Babylonians commenced astronomical observations 49,000 years (7 x 7 x 1000) before Alexander the Great.

Most early references were related to 7 (Sun, Moon, and five visible planets), 12 (number of zodiacal signs and months per year), 30 (degrees per sign of the zodiac), and higher combinations of these numbers and other numbers associated with astronomical observations and astrology.

The problem of understanding the exact nature of ancient astrology is that it was only partly documented, leaving the question of the extent of their undocumented astrological knowledge. Michael Baigent in "From the Omens of Babylon: Astrology and Ancient Mesopotamia" suggests that there is evidence that there was probably an older or parallel oral tradition of astrology at the time of publication of Enuma Anu Enlil believed published over the period (1595–1157 BC). The ancient Mesopotamians believed that history repeated itself after a massive cycle of many years.

Anno Domini

There exists evidence that the modern calendar developed by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century AD commencing with the birth of Jesus Christ at AD 1 was influenced by precession of the equinoxes and astrological ages. Dionysius' desire to replace Diocletian years (Diocletian persecuted Christians) with a calendar based on the incarnation of Christ was to prevent people from believing the imminent end of the world. At the time it was believed that the Resurrection and end of the world would occur 500 years after the birth of Jesus.

The current Anno Mundi calendar theoretically commenced with the creation of the world based on information in the Old Testament. It was believed that based on the Anno Mundi calendar Jesus was born in the year 5500 (or 5500 years after the world was created) with the year 6000 of the Anno Mundi calendar marking the end of the world. Anno Mundi 6000 (approximately AD 500) was thus equated with the resurrection of Christ and the end of the world. Since this date had already passed in the time of Dionysius, he therefore searched for a new end of the world at a later date. He was heavily influenced by ancient cosmology, in particular the doctrine of the Great Year that places a strong emphasis on planetary conjunctions. This doctrine says that when all the planets were in conjunction that this cosmic event would mark the end of the world. Dionysius accurately calculated that this conjunction would occur in May AD 2000. Dionysius then applied another astronomical timing mechanism based on precession of the equinoxes. Though incorrect, some oriental astronomers at the time believed that the precessional cycle was 24,000 years which included twelve astrological ages of 2,000 years each. Dionysius believed that if the planetary alignment marked the end of an age (i.e. the Pisces age), then the birth of Jesus Christ marked the beginning of the Age of Pisces 2,000 years earlier. He therefore deducted 2,000 years from the May 2000 conjunction to produce AD 1 for the incarnation of Christ.


Today the stars no longer guide our navigation, orchestrate our time-keeping, or pace our planting and harvesting but nearly all ancient civilizations shared this wisdom of time as a cyclical higher  power and thus organized themselves to best survive by keeping the uncertainty and chaos away through acts seeking harmony with this cosmos. Western culture's linear march- of-time model, moved beyond the wisdom of these past civilizations.

Past ages

The Age of Leo (The Leonian Age)

Symbol for Leo: 

Zodiacal sign: the vernal equinox (northern hemisphere) is occurring in Leo.

NGc 3190 is a spiral galaxy with tightly wound arms and lying in the constellation Leo.

Timeframe:
Zodiacal 30 degrees:
Patrick Burlingame interpretation: began ca. 10,006 BC and ended ca. 8006 BC
Common interpretation: ca. 10,500 BC to 8000 BC

Overview
"The Golden Age". The major event in this age was deglaciation of what now constitutes much of the modern habitable world. The deglaciation ultimately caused a 300-foot (90 m) rise in the sea level. The sign Leo is a Fire sign and is mythically ruled by the Sun in astrology.

The Age of Cancer (The Cancerian Age)

Symbol for Cancer: 

Zodiacal sign: the vernal equinox (northern hemisphere) is occurring in Cancer;

Timeframes:
Zodiacal 30 degrees:
Neil Mann interpretation: began ca. 8600 BC and ended ca. 6450 BC
Patrick Burlingame interpretation: began ca. 8006 BC and ended ca. 6006 BC

Overview
"The Age of the Great Mother." Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and is associated with the process of bearing, birthing, nurturing, and protecting. In astrologic mythology this age marks the beginning of civilization, with domestication of farm animals and nomadic people settling down to living in permanent dwellings.

Religious similarities:
Widespread evidence of the mother goddess in the Near East (the 'mother' archetype in all shapes and forms is always related to the sign Cancer).

The Age of Gemini (The Geminian Age)

Symbol for Gemini: 

Zodiacal sign: the vernal equinox (northern hemisphere) is occurring in Gemini;

Timeframes

• Zodiacal 30 degrees:
  • Neil Mann interpretation: began ca. 6450 BC and ended ca. 4300 BC
  • Patrick Burlingame interpretation: began ca. 6006 BC and ended ca. 4006 BC

Overview
"The Age of Communication, Trade and the Twins"

Historical similarities
During this mythological age writing developed, and trade started to accelerate. The constellation can be seen as two people holding hands (thought to be twins), believed by some to be symbolic for trade and communication of peoples. In myths associated with the constellation of Gemini, both writing (including literature, newspapers, journals, magazines, and works of fiction) and trade (including merchants) are traditional archetypes belonging to the sign of Gemini.

Most forms of local transportation are archetypes mythologically linked with the sign of Gemini.

Religious similarities:
Multiple gods, such as the pantheon of gods in Ancient Greek literature, are believed to have appeared in this Gemini age probably in Sumer (Mesopotamia). (Gemini is not only associated with the archetype of 'twins' and 'duality' but also 'multiplicity').

The Age of Taurus (The Taurean Age)

Main article: Sacred bull

Symbol for Taurus: 

Zodiacal sign: the vernal equinox (northern hemisphere) is occurring in Taurus;

Timeframes

• Zodiacal 30 degrees:
  • Neil Mann interpretation: began ca. 4300 BC and ended ca. 2150 BC
  • Patrick Burlingame interpretation: began ca. 4006 BC and ended ca. 2006 BC
• Constellation boundary year:
  • Shephard Simpson interpretation: began ca. 4525 BC and ended ca. 1875 BC

Overview
"The Age of Earth, Agriculture, and the Bull" This age is claimed to have occurred approximately around the time of the building of the Pyramids in Egypt.

Religious similarities:
Bull worshiping cults began to form in Assyria, Egypt, and Crete during this mythological age.

• Ankh: thoracic vertebra of a bull - Egyptian symbol of life
• Worship of Apis, the bull-deity (see also Bull (mythology)), the most important of all the sacred animals in Egypt, said to be instituted during the Second Dynasty of the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt and worshipped in the Memphis region until the New Kingdom (16th century BC).
• When Moses was said to have descended from the mountain with the ten commandments (c. 17th – 13th century BC, the end of the Age of Taurus), some of his people or followers were found by him to be worshipping a golden bull calf. He instructed these worshippers to be killed. This represents Moses "killing" the bull and ending the Age of Taurus, and ushering in the Age of Aries, which he represents.
• Marduk
• Tauroctony

More Here

The Age of Aries (The Arian Age)

Symbol for Aries: 

Zodiacal sign: the vernal equinox (northern hemisphere) is occurring in Aries;

Timeframes
Zodiacal 30 degrees:
Neil Mann interpretation: began ca. 2150 BC and ended ca. 1 AD
Patrick Burlingame interpretation: began ca. 2006 BC and ended ca. 6 BC
Constellation boundary year:
Shephard Simpson interpretation: began ca. 1875 BC to ca. 100 AD

Overview
"The Age of War, Fire, and the Ram"

Historical similarities:
Aries represents a Fire symbol as well as bold actions, a lot of these behaviors can be seen during any age. However, the themes emphasised during this age relate to courage, initiative, war, and adventure. Nations during this age such as the expanding empires of China, Persia, Greece, and Rome, are often cited as examples of the archetypes of Aries in action. Also the Aries constellation shows a ram running. This could correspond with the sacrifice of Abraham's Ram. While the number of names containing the sound of the ram during this period is noted: Ra (Sun God), Ram, Rama, Brahman, Brahma, Abram/Abraham, Amon Ra, and Ramesses I. The battering ram was employed by the Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans with great success during this time.[dubious – discuss] (The symbol of Mars, the planetary ruler of Aries, evokes this interpretation.) According to the Roman state religion, the Roman people were the "Sons of Mars".

Aries is associated with the metal iron, and iron ore was for the first time smelted and worked into iron swords in Anatolia during the early phase of this era, replacing the heavier, softer-metaled, duller-edged bronze swords of the previous Taurus Age.

Traits of Aries such as 'initiative' may suggest the explosion of originality in the development of social aspects, sciences and arts in regions such as Ancient Greece but at the same time traits such as 'Impulsivity' may be attributed to the various Wars of the time.

Religious similarities:
The Age of Aries ushered in efforts to replace polytheism with monotheism. The earliest known attempt was by the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten, who, in about 1350 BC, decreed the Sun God Aten to be the supreme deity, apparently in reaction to his earlier lack of inclusion in religious rites by his family. After his death, however, power reverted to the original polytheistic priests, who re-established the old religion. Speculation (including that of Freud) has it that later, during the reign of Ramesses II, Moses was influenced by rumour of Akhenaten's revolutionary idea, and grasped the idea of a single supreme God, who especially favoured his people, as an inspirational mechanism that best suited his people held in bondage. The symbol of Aries can be seen as representing the power of multiple gods streaming down into a single god-head.

Moses (born c. 16th–13th century BC; 7 Adar 2368 – 7 Adar 2488 in the Hebrew calendar), an early Biblical Hebrew religious leader, lawgiver, prophet, and military leader, condemns his own people upon finding them worshiping a 'golden calf' (a symbol of the previous Age of Taurus and of the worship of the bull deity) after coming down Mount Sinai. These events may have occurred during the Age of Aries (see also dating the Exodus).

See also:

• Mithraism
• The Mithraic Question and Precession

"The Mysteries of Mithra, which came to flower in the near east during the Hellenistic age as a kind of Zoroastrian heresy, and in the Roman period was the most formidable rival of Christianity...
Celebrants wore masks representing animals of the Zodiac: for astronomy was undergoing a new development in this period through an application of Greek thought to the data of the centuries of Sumero-Chaldean observation. In all religions of the age,Download the Zodiac had come to represent the bounding, ever revolving sphere of time - space - causality, within which the unbounded Spirit operates unmoved yet moving in all." Joseph Campbell

More HERE

Mithraism was a mystery religion with devotees sworn to secrecy. Nothing could be spoken or written down. What little is known of Mithra, the god of justice and social contract, has been deduced from reliefs and icons found in temples. Most of these portray Mithra clad in a Persian-style cap and tunic sacrificing a white bull in front of Sol, the sun god. Sol's wife Soma, the moon, begins her cycle and time is born. The letters 'VSLM' that are inscribed on many Mithraic stones are part of a secret code thanking Mithra for his good deeds and are recognizable only to the faithful. Mithraism and Christianity competed strongly because of the striking similarity in many of their rituals.

Both involve shepherds, an ark built to escape a flood and a form of baptism. Devotees knelt when they worshipped and a common meal - a communion- was a regular feature of the liturgy.

HERE ~ THE MYSTERIES OF MITHRA
by Franz Cumont

Present and future ages

The Age of Pisces (The Piscean Age)

Symbol for Pisces: 

Zodiacal sign: the vernal equinox (northern hemisphere) is occurring in Pisces;

Some astrologers claim the Age of Pisces is the current age and they believe it will remain so for approximately another 600 years.^{[citation needed]} At that time, the vernal equinox point will have moved into the constellation of Aquarius, thus beginning the Age of Aquarius. Other astrologers claim the Age of Pisces ended with the great cosmic alignment of 12/21/12, thus beginning the Age of Aquarius.

Timeframes

Zodiacal 30 degrees:
Neil Mann interpretation: began ca. AD 1 and ends ca. AD 2150.
Heindel-Rosicrucian interpretation: began ca. AD 498 and ends ca. AD 2654
Patrick Burlingame interpretation: began ca. 6 BC and ended ca. AD 1994
Mayan: ended 21 December 2012
Newland: began 25 January 1989
Constellation boundary year:
Shephard Simpson interpretation: began ca. 100/90 BC and ends ca. AD 2680.
12/21/12 Great Cosmic Alignment interpretation: began ca. 138 BC and ended 21 December 2012

Overview
"The Age of Monotheism, Spirituality, and the Fish"

The age of Pisces began c. 1 AD and will end c. 2150 AD. With the story of the birth of Christ coinciding with this date many Christian symbols for Christ use the astrological symbol for Pisces, the fishes. Jesus bears many of the temperaments and personality traits of a Pisces, and is thus considered an archetype of the Piscean. Moreover, the twelve apostles were called the "fishers of men," early Christians called themselves "little fishes," and a code word for Jesus was the Greek word for fish, "Ikhthus." With this, the start of the age, or the "Great Month of Pisces" is regarded as the beginning of the Christian religion. Saint Peter is recognized as the apostle of the Piscean sign.

Historical Similarities

The Age of Pisces is characterized by the Christian age. The fish is thought[by whom?] to have been chosen as a symbol for Christianity by the early Christians primarily because Jesus' ministry is associated with fish; he chose several fishermen to be his disciples and declared he would make them "fishers of men." The Age of Pisces corresponds with the Christian Era. Pisces is associated with the continuous research of humanity about the truth hidden behind what is perceived by five senses, which corresponds with the mysteries associated with Christ's life.[citation needed] Also, like with the previous transition into the Age of Aries, the people were reluctant to evolve into the new thinking of the transitioning age symbolized by the Passion of Christ narrative.[citation needed]

Religious Similarities

Jesus Christ is said to be the "Alpha and Omega," the first and last, Aries and Pisces. In Christian religion he is seen as the sacrificial Lamb of God (end of Age of Aries) and the "Fisher of Men" (dawn of the age of Pisces). His symbol is the ichthys or ichthus, from the Greek ikhthýs (ἰχθύς, "fish"), and he calls to him "fishers of men" as his disciples. His communion food is designated as fish, when he asks for as much after his resurrection. His early Christian followers were called the "little fishes" and represented by two fishes – a symbol for Pisces.

The fish was also the symbol of the early Church (Catholicism). Its shape was used in the catacombs in order to identify the first Christians. In this respect, "Ichtus", a Greek word, represented a fish. The first Christians made an ideogram out of it: that is, they took each letter of the word "I-ch-th-u-s" to form other words related to Christ, "Iesus Christus Theou Uios Sôter". This expression can be translated into "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior".

The sign of Pisces is a sign of sacrifice, charity, mercy, compassion, and pardon. The entire Christian religion therefore strives in this way. The annual religious period that corresponds to the sign of Pisces is Lent, a period of sacrifice.

Christ named his disciples "Fishers of Men", alluding to fish, to fishing. The sign of Pisces is the symbol of forgiveness, of secrecy, of reclusion. This is why, for centuries, Christians have confessed their sins, in secret, in a reclusive place (a confessional). It was the Sacrament of pardon or penance. The sign of Pisces is also associated with mercy: this is why Christians often asked God to have mercy on them. The "Kyrie Eleison" is in fact sung ("Lord, have mercy upon us") at mass on Sundays.

The Pope still wears a mitre, which is in the shape of a fish.

The Twelfth House

The sign of Pisces also corresponds to the twelfth house of the zodiac (a cadent house), house of prayer, of the recluse. During the Age of Pisces, we witnessed the creation of monasteries: for a greater part, the lives of monks and members of numerous religious communities consisted of meditation and praying to God. There were even cloistered religious communities whose members refused any contact with the outside world, preferring to devote themselves to spiritual activities.

The Age of Aquarius (The Aquarian Age)

Main article: Age of Aquarius

Symbol for Aquarius: 

Zodiacal sign: the vernal equinox (northern hemisphere) is occurring in Aquarius;

More  HERE

Popular culture:

In popular culture, the expression "Age of Aquarius" usually refers to the heyday of the hippie and New Age movements of the 1960s and 1970s. The 1967 successful musical Hair, with its opening song "Aquarius" and the memorable line "This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius", brought the Aquarian Age concept to the attention of a huge worldwide audience. This New Age phenomenon is seen by some astrologers to be marked by the conjunction of the planet Uranus, ruler of the sign Aquarius, and the coming age, with Pluto, ruler of the masses, bringing radical change, in the 1960s. However, as the song relates, it is only considered by astrologers as the "dawning" or "cusp" of the Age, with the full strength of the Age not occurring until some time in the future.

A little extra ~ Brief Overview

The oldest structures on earth are fertility goddess temples on the island of Malta honoring the annual cycle of life. Their beginning and end between 4400 -2200 BCE holds a remarkable coincidence or synchronicity with the  Movement of  the Age of Taurus. This esoteric knowledge of a 26,000-year cycle of earth moving through the heavens was known in ancient Egypt and Babylonia where written records have survived. There will never be irrefutable proof that the knowledge has its source in India but the Vedic texts written in the 2nd millennium BCE after a longer period as an oral legacy do reference prior ages before Taurus. The Chinese are said to have adopted around the same time Egypt was first rising as the dominant culture of the Mediteranean. Taurus is  city-states] The greatest reference to prior ages is considered  the Great Sphinx and the age of Leo  [10,715 - 8,572 bce] in Egypt.

Pre-history beginning with The Age of Cancer =8,572 - 6,429 BCE
Age of Cancer Beetle or Sacred Scarab of Egypt, later the Crab, Isis (Eve)

The Sign Cancer is also the sign associated with the Great Mother, the creator of the Universe.
This same mother can be seen manifesting in various ancient cultures: the Isis of Egyptians, Nana of Chaldeans, Rhea of the Romans, Spiderwoman of the Hopi, and Shakti of the Vedic scriptures, but they all arose from the early Mother goddess cults of the Age of Cancer.

Astrology signs, associated with body parts.

Sun worship of Leo gave way to Moon The age of moving from caves to fixed dwellings.

The Butterfly Nebula - NGC 6302 (also called the Bug Nebula, Butterfly Nebula, or Caldwell 69).

The Sword Of Orion.

The largest known structure in the universe ~ below

Earth and moon interconnected with starfield (by Johan Swanepoel)

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has recently spotted a galaxy estimated to be over 60 million light years away from the Earth.

Possibly the Youngest Galaxy Ever Seen, an irregular dwarf galaxy about 45 million light-years away is seen in this image from NASA. NASA/ESA/A. Schaller.

love and light

Trace

xoxo