The Yugas: An Attempt at an Explanation

[Marion Jenis]

My thoughts about the cycle of the yugas parallel those of Sri Yukteshwar Giri, the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda. In his book The Holy Science he synchronized the “Great Year” of the zodiac with the four yugas in a descending cycle from Satya to Kali and an ascending cycle from Kali to Satya, giving us seven stages in all. Accordingly the Satya Yuga, which in his system is centered upon Virgo, proceeds to the Treta Yuga, the Dwapara Yuga, and finally the Kali Yuga, which is centered upon Pisces. Then the yugas ascend through the Dwapara and Treta back to the Satya Yuga in Virgo again. The entire cycle takes 25,800 years.

The cycle of the yugas, proceeding in an even, clock-like motion, is obviously natural and independent of human causation. Therefore those moralists are wrong who say that a particular person or particular event led to the end of the “golden age” of the Satya Yuga. We may as well say that the evil acts of men caused the bright day of noontime to fade in its glory, finally to end with the dark, cold midnight. Neither does the cycle of the year, from the bright Summer Solstice to the dark Winter Solstice, depend upon human moral action---and this cycle too resembles the cycle of the yugas in miniature.

It is accordingly wrong to blame human sexuality for the degradation of the golden age, as many commentators do. Compared to the daylight of the Spirit in the Satya and Treta yugas sex is a small light indeed, but it is a candle in the darkness and may be the only way that most people can experience love in the dark, brutal Kali Yuga. In the night of the world the light is within and is not to be found in the world, and this shapes the habits of men.

If the cycle of the yugas is independent of human causation, it might be possible to say that good and evil can both be found in the Satya Yuga as in the Kali Yuga. Only the evil of the Satya Yuga will not present itself as an obvious evil. It will probably manifest itself as a excessive extravagance and a lack of inwardness. The next Kali Yuga will be burdened by the “seed” of evil that that extravagance produces and the people of that dark age must find the proper response to it. In similar fashion the character of the Satya Yuga will depend upon how well the burdens of the Kali Yuga were managed.

I would now like to suggest a possible cause for the cycle of the yugas. We do not believe that the sun orbits another star, as Sri Yukteshwar claimed. I have noticed, however, that there are two “poles” in our part of the galaxy which are light and dark respectively. One is the center of the galaxy at 26 degrees Sagittarius and the other is the star Algol at 26 degrees Taurus. Significantly, the midpoint between them in the “dark” part of the Great Year is 15 degrees Pisces, and the midpoint in the “light” part of the Great Year is 15 degrees Virgo. Therefore the light decreases as we enter the Age of Pisces until 1080 years have past, bringing us to the half-way point. At that time we have come to the midnight of the world. The light then increases for another 1080 years and continues to increase as we enter the Age of Aquarius and the ages that follow it.

It is not an easy matter, however, to determine when the Age of Pisces began, for different astronomers and astrologers provide us with different dates. These dates range from several hundred years before the birth of Jeshua (Jesus) in 6 BCE to several hundred years after his birth. Let us suppose, for the sake of argument, that the Age of Pisces began with the birth of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 215 BCE. Antiochus desecrated the Temple of Jerusalem by instituting the sacrifice of pigs there in honor of himself as an incarnation of Zeus. This act provoked the successful rebellion of Judas Maccabeus. Hanukkah celebrates the miraculous preservation of the sacred oil when the Temple was purified. 1080 years after Antiochus' birth places us within the 9^th century, the time that historians call the “Dark Ages”. The exact year was 864 CE. Viking raids were common in the British Isles and the “Great Heathen Army” of the Danes conquered much of England. But there was also an event that marked the birth of the light, in 860 CE. This was the founding of the Buddhist University of Nalanda by Maharaja Balaputra in India.

The transition from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius did not involve an instant change in the zeitgeist or character of the time. Aquarian qualities can be discerned as early as the 16th century when two events occurred simultaneously on opposite sides of the earth. In the Punjab, India, Nanak founded the Sikh religion. When he neared the time of his death he did not give the leadership of the new religion to his son Sri Chand---who founded the ascetic Udasi movement---but to Bhai Lehna, who as Guru Angad, the second Sikh guru, continued to emphasize the importance of family and community just as Nanak had done. At approximately the same time the former monk Martin Luther married the former nun Katherina von Bora. The couple had six children and adopted four more. In place of monastic life the locus of the worship of God for all Protestants would henceforth be family and community. In this regard Martin and Katharina returned to the ideals of Judaism that preceded the Age of Pisces. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven could be found within us---but the Greek word for “within” can also be translated as “among”. It is a characteristic of the “light” yugas that the Kingdom of Heaven can be found “among us”. In the dark Kali Yuga the Kingdom of Heaven is noticeably absent from the world and can only be found “within us”.

To continue with my example, if the Age of Pisces began in 215 BCE, the Age of Aquarius began in 1944. This year roughly marks the development of the atomic bomb. The beginning of the Age of Aquarius is also the beginning of Dwapara Yuga, in which mankind will come to understand and use the hidden energies of the natural world. Atomic energy was the first of these---but that is unfortunately not a happy precedent.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Marion Jenis

[Marion Jenis]

In Sri Yukteshwar's system the Kali Yuga coincides with Pisces in the Great Year of the zodiac, but this does not mean that people who are born with planets in Pisces in their horoscopes are inferior in any way.

[Piney]

Still trying to start your own cult Loren? 

Have you learned to read or speak any Asian languages yet or at least German. 

[jaylemurph]

Hmmm. Maybe if I WRITE MY TOPIC IN A LARGE, DIFFERENT FONT PEOPLE WILL NOT NOTICE HOW VAGUE MANY OF MY POINTS ARE.

--Jaylemurph

[Kismit]

This appears to be something far more suited to a blog entry, as it does not really have much scope for discussion.

[Piney]

13 minutes ago, Kismit said:

This appears to be something far more suited to a blog entry, as it does not really have much scope for discussion.

The things he spouts in here is the same nonsense he tries to spout at Buddhist and Sikh Temples in SoCal. If you read his past posts you'll realize he is trying to start a cult with him as the "Savior?" . I would think this would be against forum rules......

[kmt_sesh]

I agree with Kismit. I don't see much productive discussion here. This is better suited to a blog.

[jmccr8]

6 hours ago, Kismit said:

This appears to be something far more suited to a blog entry, as it does not really have much scope for discussion.

Hi Kismit

So you don't think that Viking stones in Minnesota would be relevant, or geyser powered flying machines. I thought we might even be able to work in some of the reworked pyramid texts that have been recently brought to our attention as well. Hmm well I guess for those with limited imagination it might seem like there is little debate potential but I'm even seeming potential for Irish pyramids in this thread.

jmccr8

 

 

 

[Kismit]

1 hour ago, jmccr8 said:

Hi Kismit

So you don't think that Viking stones in Minnesota would be relevant, or geyser powered flying machines. I thought we might even be able to work in some of the reworked pyramid texts that have been recently brought to our attention as well. Hmm well I guess for those with limited imagination it might seem like there is little debate potential but I'm even seeming potential for Irish pyramids in this thread.

jmccr8

 

 

 

Jmccr8,

did you forget where the pm box is?

[DingoLingo]

whats a Yagus .. is it some kind of Yogurt.. does it come in different flavors.. i miss banana Yogurt.. can you get Banana Yagus? 

[Marion Jenis]

I think that Piney's statements that I am using this article to set myself up as a cult figure should be challenged. Where in this piece do I call attention to myself, other than the fact that I use the first person pronoun. That is a matter of convenience. It's not about me. I get the impression that Piney just wants me to go away.

[Marion Jenis]

Anyone who thinks that there is no room for discussion in this post apparently agrees with the extremely controversial statements that I made---for example, that the star Algol and the galactic center determine the timing of the yugas. To tell the truth, I don't have any evidence for that idea. But at least it is an idea. When I surveyed the literature I failed to find any proposals whatsoever about the causation of the yugas, except for Sri Yukteshwar's concept that our sun orbits another star. We can be fairly certain that he was wrong because astronomers would have found that star decades ago if it existed.

My idea does not accord with the facts because there are no facts. It is symbolically true, that is all. Sometimes I think with symbols, and I am aware that symbolic thinking is not scientific. But why can't I try it to see what the result is? The very basis for the "constellations" is symbolic thinking, because they do not exist anywhere except in our minds. Does that mean that we should never talk about astrology?

 

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

On 07/03/2018 at 11:46 AM, Piney said:

The things he spouts in here is the same nonsense he tries to spout at Buddhist and Sikh Temples in SoCal. If you read his past posts you'll realize he is trying to start a cult with him as the "Savior?" . I would think this would be against forum rules......

Sheesh Piney, SOMEONE has to be the messiah, why not the person who wants the job? We all know what happened to the last one (spoilers if you’re only half way through the Bible .... he gets nailed to a tree by the Romans), anyone willing to do the job after that has to have moxie.

[+Not A Rockstar]

1 hour ago, Marion Jenis said:

Anyone who thinks that there is no room for discussion in this post apparently agrees with the extremely controversial statements that I made---for example, that the star Algol and the galactic center determine the timing of the yugas. To tell the truth, I don't have any evidence for that idea. But at least it is an idea. When I surveyed the literature I failed to find any proposals whatsoever about the causation of the yugas, except for Sri Yukteshwar's concept that our sun orbits another star. We can be fairly certain that he was wrong because astronomers would have found that star decades ago if it existed.

My idea does not accord with the facts because there are no facts. It is symbolically true, that is all. Sometimes I think with symbols, and I am aware that symbolic thinking is not scientific. But why can't I try it to see what the result is? The very basis for the "constellations" is symbolic thinking, because they do not exist anywhere except in our minds. Does that mean that we should never talk about astrology?

 

Honestly, what IS a yuga? 

Is this some sort of astrology thing wrapped in different words?

nvm it seems to be a 7 house system overlaid on top of the 12 house one with other stars tossed in. 

Edited March 8, 2018 by Not A Rockstar
added the nvm.

[+Not A Rockstar]

27 minutes ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

Sheesh Piney, SOMEONE has to be the messiah, why not the person who wants the job? We all know what happened to the last one (spoilers if you’re only half way through the Bible .... he gets nailed to a tree by the Romans), anyone willing to do the job after that has to have moxie.

dang it SWoH use a spoiler tag or something >.<

[Orphalesion]

1 hour ago, Marion Jenis said:

Anyone who thinks that there is no room for discussion in this post apparently agrees with the extremely controversial statements that I made

 

No, nobody agrees with that.

It's just that your threads seem to follow a pattern: You write a chunk of your personal opinions on several topics (often in a pretty stream of consciousness manner), then people write critique of that and you rarely, if ever respond to that. No discussion possible.
That's pretty much how a lot of blogs work... and this forum actually offers the option to write blog entries. Just look take a lock at the feature, you might find it to your liking.

Edited March 8, 2018 by Orphalesion

[Piney]

2 hours ago, Marion Jenis said:

I think that Piney's statements that I am using this article to set myself up as a cult figure should be challenged. Where in this piece do I call attention to myself, other than the fact that I use the first person pronoun. That is a matter of convenience. It's not about me. I get the impression that Piney just wants me to go away.

Right here

Quote

This is my 1,250th lifetime as a Bodhisattva. My teachers waited for the “round number” to tell me this, as I became aware of several dozen lifetimes stretching into the distant past. I began my career as a Bodhisattva 200,000 years ago when “Mitochondrial Eve” lived. (She is the physical ancestor of all humanity, according to the recent science). Clearly a reconsideration and reevaluation was in order, especially since violent deaths twelve times in the Age of Pisces alone have traumatized me.

and here

Quote

On October 24, 2016 Tara, who also called herself Sophia, descended into my body and I became one with her. On March 31, 2017 Maitreya came to me in the company of the Maha Chohan, Kuthumi, Djwal Khul, Morya, and (as a witness) the Master of the Dark Brotherhood. Maitreya told me that he could no longer stay in London because of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and finally Yemen, which the US Air Force had bombed extensively in the first week of March. At that meeting and a month later he gave me a certain title and responsibility. He departed to return to the Himalayas but reemerged in August thanks to my satisfactory work. But he went to Mt. Shasta, not London, in order to be close to me, for I live in Los Angeles, California. There will not be a special “Day of Declaration” as Benjamin Creme foretold, but Maitreya’s work will continue without the publicity of that event.

This is certainly indication that your setting up a cult.

I know exactly who and what you are Loren. I hunted Newage fraudsters for a very long time.

Now go away. You give real Buddhists and Sikhs a bad name...

[jmccr8]

2 hours ago, Marion Jenis said:

Anyone who thinks that there is no room for discussion in this post apparently agrees with the extremely controversial statements that I made---for example, that the star Algol and the galactic center determine the timing of the yugas. To tell the truth, I don't have any evidence for that idea. But at least it is an idea. When I surveyed the literature I failed to find any proposals whatsoever about the causation of the yugas, except for Sri Yukteshwar's concept that our sun orbits another star. We can be fairly certain that he was wrong because astronomers would have found that star decades ago if it existed.

My idea does not accord with the facts because there are no facts. It is symbolically true, that is all. Sometimes I think with symbols, and I am aware that symbolic thinking is not scientific. But why can't I try it to see what the result is? The very basis for the "constellations" is symbolic thinking, because they do not exist anywhere except in our minds. Does that mean that we should never talk about astrology?

 

Hi Marion,

Just so that you don't make erroneous assumption that I agree by silence I thought that I would clarify my position for your. I will attempt to illustrate that for me your presentation is batsheet crazy without actually saying it's batsheet crazy and defer by saying that it is not well founded or grounded in reality.

jmccr8

[Kenemet]

2 hours ago, Marion Jenis said:

Anyone who thinks that there is no room for discussion in this post apparently agrees with the extremely controversial statements that I made---for example, that the star Algol and the galactic center determine the timing of the yugas. To tell the truth, I don't have any evidence for that idea. But at least it is an idea. When I surveyed the literature I failed to find any proposals whatsoever about the causation of the yugas, except for Sri Yukteshwar's concept that our sun orbits another star. We can be fairly certain that he was wrong because astronomers would have found that star decades ago if it existed.

My idea does not accord with the facts because there are no facts. It is symbolically true, that is all. Sometimes I think with symbols, and I am aware that symbolic thinking is not scientific. But why can't I try it to see what the result is? The very basis for the "constellations" is symbolic thinking, because they do not exist anywhere except in our minds. Does that mean that we should never talk about astrology?

 

As far as I can tell, it's not even symbolically true.

And symbolic thinking is neither scientific nor non-scientific.  Mathematicians and physicists more often think symbolically and so do anthropologists who study semiotics and linguistics (off the top of my head.  I'm aware there are others but it's been a long day and I'm going for the low hanging fruit.)

 

[jaylemurph]

6 hours ago, Marion Jenis said:

I think that Piney's statements that I am using this article to set myself up as a cult figure should be challenged. 

I don't. In all my years of posting here, I've never seen him write anything that wasn't perceptive and useful. I think you're just smarting at being called out with such searing accuracy.

--Jaylemurph

[+Not A Rockstar]

On ‎3‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 1:44 AM, jmccr8 said:

 I'm even seeming potential for Irish pyramids in this thread.

That sounds cool. I like Irish Pyramids  

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

4 hours ago, Not A Rockstar said:

dang it SWoH use a spoiler tag or something >.<

Sorry Dude, I’ll do better next time.

[kmt_sesh]

6 hours ago, Not A Rockstar said:

Honestly, what IS a yuga? 

...

I thought maybe it meant pajama bottoms, but I was wrong. Try this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuga

[+Not A Rockstar]

5 minutes ago, kmt_sesh said:

I thought maybe it meant pajama bottoms, but I was wrong. Try this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuga

that is depressing, another 430k years of this present mess down here. I have decided not to believe it. Irish pyramids are more fun.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

4 hours ago, Not A Rockstar said:

that is depressing, another 430k years of this present mess down here. I have decided not to believe it. Irish pyramids are more fun.

An Irish Pyramid: