On a clear night, the stars seem fixed. They are not, quite. Year after year, the sky turns by a tiny fraction, too slowly for a lifetime to notice. Astrologers read great eras in this slow drift. Kundalini yoga tells a story about the one we are said to be entering: the Aquarian age.
This article presents the Aquarian age as it is understood in two traditions: astrology, and the teachings of Kundalini yoga as transmitted by Yogi Bhajan, who brought this yoga to the West in 1969. These are beliefs and teachings, not scientific facts. They can still be a beautiful lens for looking at the times we live in, and at our own practice.
The astrological ages
The idea of astrological ages rests on a real astronomical phenomenon: the precession of the equinoxes. Because the Earth's axis wobbles slowly, like a spinning top, the position of the Sun at the spring equinox moves backwards through the constellations of the zodiac. A full cycle takes about 25,800 years.
Astrology divides this cycle into twelve "ages" of roughly 2,150 years each, named after the constellation in which the spring equinox falls. According to this view, we are leaving the age of Pisces and entering the age of Aquarius. Astrologers do not agree on the date of this transition: estimates range from the 20th century to several centuries from now, partly because the constellations have unequal sizes and no fixed borders in the sky.
In astrology, Aquarius is associated with the air element, with community, with freedom, with innovation and with the sharing of knowledge. The phrase "the dawning of the Age of Aquarius" became famous in the late 1960s through the musical Hair, and with it the hope for a more open and united world.
The precession itself is astronomy. The meaning given to each age belongs to astrology, and is a matter of belief.
The Aquarian age in Kundalini yoga
In the teachings of Kundalini yoga, the Aquarian age has a precise place. It is taught that a 21-year transition began in 1991, and that the Aquarian age itself began on 11 November 2011. The group morning practice called the Aquarian Sadhana takes its name from this teaching (read more in our article on sadhana).
The contrast between the two ages is often summarised like this in Kundalini yoga classes:
- The Piscean age is described as an era of hierarchy and of knowledge held by a few: one had to find a master, a book, an institution, in order to learn.
- The Aquarian age is described as an era of shared information and networks: knowledge is everywhere, and the challenge becomes to experience it directly, and to stay steady under the pressure of speed and constant change.
In this teaching, Kundalini yoga is presented as a technology for this new era: a practice meant to strengthen the nervous system, clarify the mind and help each person find inner stability amid change. You can read more about this vision in Kundalini yoga as we know it today and the magical powers of Kundalini yoga.
The five sutras of the Aquarian age
Yogi Bhajan summarised his teaching for this era in five short sentences, known in Kundalini yoga as the five sutras of the Aquarian age:
- Recognise that the other person is you.
- There is a way through every block.
- When the time is on you, start, and the pressure will be off.
- Understand through compassion or you will misunderstand the times.
- Vibrate the Cosmos. The Cosmos shall clear the path.
Each one can be read as an invitation for daily life: to see oneself in others, to trust that a way exists, to act without waiting, to choose compassion, and to use the voice, as in the chanting of mantras.
Living the times with a practice
Whether or not you believe in astrological ages, the teaching points to something we all feel: an accelerated world, saturated with information. Here is what the Kundalini yoga tradition suggests in response.
- A daily practice. A short sadhana, every morning, as an anchor.
- The breath. A few minutes of Breath of Fire or of long deep breathing to come back to the body.
- Community. Practising, chanting or meditating with others, in the spirit of the first sutra.
- Openness. Welcoming new ideas while keeping your feet on the ground.
- Rest. Slowing down, sleeping, eating simply: steadiness also grows in stillness.
To explore the inner side of this practice, read unlock your inner potential with Kundalini yoga and our guide to the seven chakras.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Aquarian age begin?
There is no agreement. Astrologers propose dates ranging from the 20th century to several centuries in the future. In Kundalini yoga, it is taught that the Aquarian age began on 11 November 2011, after a transition that started in 1991.
Is the Aquarian age a scientific concept?
No. The precession of the equinoxes is a real astronomical phenomenon, but the division into ages and the meaning given to them come from astrology, which is a belief system.
What are the five sutras of the Aquarian age?
They are five sentences taught by Yogi Bhajan: recognise that the other person is you; there is a way through every block; when the time is on you, start, and the pressure will be off; understand through compassion or you will misunderstand the times; vibrate the Cosmos, the Cosmos shall clear the path.
Do I need to believe in astrology to practise Kundalini yoga?
No. The breathing techniques, postures, mantras and meditations of Kundalini yoga can be practised without adopting its view of the Aquarian age.
The sky turns slowly. The breath, right now.
