In certain respects, the celestial vault resembles a "roulette". The planets are moving orderly in it and every now and then they are passing into a different "segment" (call it "sign"), ever creating new configurations and "celestial dynamics". Thus, the moment a planet shifts into a new segment (sign) is very significant. The most significant, though, to humanity planetary shifts are the ones produced by the so-called "outer" planets (the slow-moving ones, from Jupiter on), which necessitate entire months or even years to completely transit a sign. Now, depending on the sign they are in (and the aspects they are forming), the outer planets are the ones dictating the particular "spirit" (or "zeitgeist") that will prevail worldwide, as long as they are forming those particular configurations.
Maybe you understand now why the imminent shifting of the planet Saturn to the sign of Scorpio (that will take place on October 5, 2012) is so important! Saturn will exit then the sign of Libra and it will enter Scorpio (where it will remain until the end of 2014 - regressing back to it in the summer of 2015). What kind of new events will Saturn in Scorpio bring to humanity in the next two years? Very many for sure, but I fear none of them will be truly "new". By no means the effects of Saturn in Scorpio will provoke surges of excitement and enthusiasm to the masses. On the contrary, they might aggravate the climate of austerity that Pluto in Capricorn has already triggered (with the help of the infamous Pluto - Uranus square, which is tinging the best part of the 10's decade).
You see, Saturn and Pluto will be somehow acting now in unison, as they will form a "mutual reception" (Pluto - who traditionally rules Scorpio - is now in Capricorn and Saturn - who traditionally rules Capricorn - will move to Scorpio). Actually, in this “mutual reception” the most austere, fatal and harsh planets and signs are implicated! Therefore, a period of utter austerity and harshness may lie in front of us, a period where we may face trials and tribulations (similar to the ones we faced from 2008 on - but on a much bigger scale now). On the other hand, many things may be put in order now and our societies and countries, our governments and political systems may be radically changed and transformed. We will start "building" on more solid foundations and we will create more durable structures. I personally believe that we will intensely experience both sides of the “coin”, with its harsh side prevailing initially. We will definitely evolve - both as human beings and as societies - but only after we experience on our skin some harsh and probably extreme conditions (that’s the most direct way people and societies evolve, anyway).
At the beginning of this article, I mentioned how unique - and important - the current planetary "combinations" are. Two years ago I was doing some research on the major epidemics and pandemics that have struck mankind. Specifically, I was studying the horrendous "Plague of Justinian" that struck Byzantium in 542 CE and caused the death of tens of millions of people! Suddenly I noticed that this terrible pandemic occurred under a unique astrological "combination" which will be repeated (almost exactly the same, for the first time ever after approx. 500 years) in October 2012!
The plague was not the only evil suffered by the Byzantines in 542 CE. Almost equally nightmarish to them were the Justinian’s tax collectors - sent by him to every single corner of his empire in order to collect money (Justinian had squandered every single coin in the imperial treasury). The requirements of Justinian were so irrational and his tax collectors so tough and unyielding (if a family was wiped out by the plague then its neighbors were forced to pay the taxes ought by the perished family!) that people were publicly disinheriting their children - so that in case they die their children would not be stripped by the tax collectors but secretly keep their parents' fortune. During the reign of Justinian, a gigantic economic collapse and savage taxation occurred and I am afraid that these two phenomena will be repeated again from next autumn on…
One last thing: we will somehow estrange ourselves from the wider society! We will become more distant with our fellow humans - both physically and psychologically - and even suspicious of them! You see, Scorpio is the sign (and its ruler Pluto the planet) of the "in-depth intimacy". Thus, the entering now of the "cold", "granitic" and "restrictive" planet Saturn in Scorpio (and the simultaneous presence of Pluto in Capricorn) will entail a certain restriction over this fundamental Scorpionic / Plutonian function (so that it better structures it, in the long run). Thus, we will now become more cautious as to whom we come close and "open up", as to what kind of people we are allowing in our personal space.
Consider the fact that during the plague that struck Byzantium in 542 CE (when Saturn was again in Scorpio. Pluto in Capricorn and Neptune in Pisces) the individuals were utterly reluctant to engage in any sort of intimacy with the people around them! Therefore, we will now become pickier and we will open our souls to fewer people - mostly within the relatively safe environment of the people we know the best. Certain strong bipolar stratifications of the type "s/he is poor" - "s/he has money", "s/he is one of us" - "s/he is not one of us" might prevail now within our societies, ultimately leading to some rupture of the very societal web!
All in all, we are headed now towards some “dark ages” kind of epoch! But this will be an epoch of “grandiosity” too (with some “Greek tragedy” tinge in it, though). At times, things might get pretty nasty. But ultimately a new world will emerge out of the woes, the confusion, and the chaos! Some of the most important years of our life are lying ahead, years of profound maturation, "distillation" and empowerment - both on a personal and on a collective level!
Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis
(P.S. I have slightly edited the article in February 2020. I was expecting a pandemic mainly during the four - year period 2012 - 2015. I could clearly see that those were pandemic-prone years. Actually, I evaluated the entire 2010's decade as being pandemic-prone. I had not particularly focused back then on the 2020 Cap Climax (as this climax was seen in 2012 as a "remote future" event). The dynamics though of the 2020 "Capricorn Climax" phenomenon are eerily analogous to the ones of the 2012-2015 period).
