*Whether astrology is science or magic, we’re open to most things, if they may be of benefit. ~ Ed.

Although we are well into 2021, it still feels as though this year is just a continuation of 2020.

If you have been feeling that there is something bigger going on in the world, you are not alone. Many people in the spiritual community are feeling as though this global situation is a part of a shift in consciousness, which is why it feels so incredibly epic and challenging.

If you are familiar with the song, “Aquarius,” this is precisely the shift that I am writing about—we are in the dawning of this new age. Being a spiritual psychologist and writer, I believe when we understand what is occurring on a deeper spiritual level, this assists us in coping with the day-to-day experience of life. If you believe that you are more than just a material being and that something more significant is transpiring, hopefully, this article will give you a deeper understanding as to what we are witnessing to help us navigate this challenging time.

Because the spiritual world talks to us in symbols, it utilizes several languages; two of which are astrology and numerology. Although most people know their astrological sign and have read their horoscope, astrology is so much more. Your natal chart, for example, is your spiritual blueprint.

At the precise moment you are born, all of the planets are aligned in a certain position. The interpretation of this position provides you with useful information about your life’s purpose, the challenges you will face, and aspects of your personality. From a spiritual perspective, we are all in a constant state of evolution both individually and collectively.

On a macro level, Astrology explains what we are experiencing as a collective. Astrological patterns serve to amplify certain aspects of life to make sure we are doing our work. You are probably aware of some astrological concepts such as the full moon and Mercury retrograde. Although we feel a heightened emotional state during a full moon, the full moon does not cause this. Because astrology primarily operates on a subconscious level, it merely assists in amplifying the tension that is already there in hopes of bringing it into conscious awareness.

When Mercury goes into retrograde, we are aware of technological and communication glitches. This occurs because Mercury is symbolic of communication, and retrogrades assist in bringing up subconscious patterns related to whatever planet is in retrograde.

Numerology is another language of the spiritual world. The premise is that everything can be reduced to a number and each number has its own symbolic significance. The number of our birth date, for example, is quite significant. When you add up all the numbers from the day, month, and year you are born, until they reduce to a single or double-digit in the case of 11, 22, and 44, this number is called your life path. Additionally, each year has its own number as well, which has its own significance.

Now that we have a basic understanding of two spiritual languages, let’s look at the spiritual significance of 2020:

On the winter solstice in 2012, you may remember that this was the ending of the Mayan—as well as other ancient civilizations—calendar. At that time, we began moving from the Age of Pisces into the Age of Aquarius. During the Age of Pisces, which lasted approximately 2,500 years, we created hierarchical systems to provide structure and guidance for our lives. This resulted in the creation of most religions, political ideologies, and the world as we know it. This period was dominated by hierarchy and power because we believed that we needed something or someone to believe in.

As we shift into the Age of Aquarius, the world is changing its focus by emphasizing freedom, personal responsibility, and doing what is best for humanity. Many spiritualists anticipated that 2020 was going to be a significant year because of some significant astrological patterns, as well as numerological significance.

We began the year with a rare planetary alignment, which set the tone for the year. Pluto aligned with Saturn in Capricorn for the first time in 500 years, which indicated that we would be headed toward a major paradigm shift. Saturn represents our obstacles, challenges, and restrictions. Pluto is the planet of fears, the unknown, and secrets. Capricorn represents hierarchy and responsibility. Several historical events, including World War I and World War II, occurred when Pluto and Saturn aligned. This was just the beginning of the rare and intense astrological patterns that occurred within 2020.

The year ended with the grand finale of the Grand Conjuncture when Jupiter and Saturn aligned at zero degrees Aquarius to designate the official start of the Age of Aquarius. Numerologically, it was the year four, which symbolized structure and foundation, and a master number 22, which emphasized its spiritual significance. Additionally, it symbolized 20/20 vision or seeing things clearly. Taken together, 2020 served to illuminate the foundation of our society precisely because it is transforming, which is why things appear to be falling apart because they just might be.

Shortly after Pluto and Saturn aligned, COVID-19 made its appearance. In many languages, the word corona means crown. If you are familiar with the chakras, these are our seven energy centers. The seventh or crown chakra is the energy center that connects us to the spiritual world. I interpret the “corona” virus as another symbol of this spiritual awakening.

The universe put us into a quarantine right at the same time we entered a highly charged retrograde storm that lasted for most of the year. A retrograde storm occurs when several planets are in retrograde at the same time, which does not happen frequently. It creates an energetic environment as we are all asked to examine things that have been hidden in the subconscious. Pluto was the first planet to go into retrograde, then all of the planets followed and overlapped. Pluto also kept making an appearance all year which explains why fear was amplified for most of last year.

The universal force behind 2020 quarantined us in order to examine some painful realities we were either denying or minimizing—not only in our lives, but globally. These intense astrological patterns propelled most of us to experience, what spiritualists call, “The dark night of the soul,” which involved our deepest fears and wounds to be brought to the surface in order to be examined, processed, and healed. It was allowing us to access trauma and belief systems that were no longer serving us because we are all called to rebuild our lives and the planet. If you have done any personal growth work, you are probably aware that there must first be a breakdown in order to have a breakthrough.

Because the main themes of the Age of Aquarius are spirituality, free-spiritedness, and self-reliance, the spiritual agenda behind 2020 was to illuminate our fears in order to transcend them and let go of victim-consciousness. This is important because, in spiritual terms, fear is the opposite of love. I believe most of us would love to transform and rebuild the world on the foundation of love, which begins by confronting and letting go of our own fears.

In 2020, we were all asked to look at our fears directly in the eye and work through them. This forced us to dig deeper than ever, which prompted many of us to reexamine our careers, relationships, and other lifestyle choices. From a collective perspective, we also examined with greater scrutiny our systems such as government and corporations.

We are seeing that the systems we have created are becoming increasingly more corrupt and no longer serving us, which is why, more than ever, we are questioning these systems and exposing the truths behind them. We know that there are significant problems with the foundation of our world because it is not based on spiritual principles.

As we shift into the Age of Aquarius, we may no longer be looking to government or big corporations for guidance and support, but shifting to more community-based living. Many of us, for quite a while, have been dreaming of going back to community-based living. The idea of living off the grid in tiny houses on sustainable farms is now more of a reality than ever before. In order for the world to transform into something better, the old system must fall apart. Therefore, the world does, indeed, feel uncertain and precarious.

We are now in 2021. We will also be experiencing yet another rare planetary alignment throughout this year that occurs not just once, but three times. In mid-February, we experienced the first Saturn and Uranus square. Remember: Saturn is our challenge. Uranus is the planet that rules Aquarius, which symbolizes freedom, innovation, and change. It will align again in June, and then at the end of the year in December.

This pattern is asking us to resolve the conflict between our need for freedom and security. Numerologically, 2021 is the year number five, which symbolizes freedom and creativity. Last year, we illuminated the matrix. This year we will be rebuilding it.

I believe the universe never gives us anything we cannot handle and that everything we are experiencing is for our greater good and spiritual growth. If we are rooted in material constructs and the old ways of doing things, this shift will likely be painful. However, if we are spiritually aligned, there is nothing to fear. Hopefully, we are each doing our part to work through our fears and rebuild our lives in a life-affirming way.

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, it’s not the end.” ~ John Lennon