Post by Philemon on Jan 14, 2017 16:54:28 GMT
Dear Glenn and Fr. Kevin,
I believe in the cycle of the ages, that certain ages are more materialistic and other ages more spiritual. I see this as a continuous flow rather than discontinuous, as least in manifestation. I find Sri Yukteswar's account of the cycle of the ages in the Holy Science makes particular sense, and that it accords with the traditional dating of the great year as 12,000 years (e.g. in Hesiod and the Laws of Manu) as approximating a half precessional year. The traditional measure of the precessional year as 360 x 72 years (25,920 years) is a very close approximation of the modern measure and, so a half year is 12,960 years. On this view we have a 12,000 year descending period and a 12,000 year ascending period. Astrologically, the low point corresponds the first degree of Ares/last degree of Pisces. This is precessional midnight, and, not coincidentally, the Christian nativity occurs in this historic period (symbolically at midnight on the winter solstice). The corresponding zenith or precessional midsummer is at the last degree of Virgo/first degree of Libra. Interestingly, Virgo is traditionally the goddess Astraea in Greek mythology, the last of the gods to leave the world in the last golden age and the first to return in the next golden age. Libra of course symbolizes justice. The maiden bearing a scales (Virgo and Libra) and a sword as a symbol of justice appears to me a clear astrological symbol. Correspondingly the maiden mounted on a lion, bearing a sword (Virgo on Leo) is seen in the symbology of Sri Durga, who purifies the world of wickedness in the golden age. The sphinx, as lion maiden, seems to me a related symbol.
Guénon, as I understand it, arrived at his own distinctive measure of the cycle of the ages as ten quarter precessional years by combining the 10 avatars of Vishnu with the steps of Vishnu (which are linked to the fixed zodiac signs in the Rig Veda). 10 quarter precessional years is equal to 5 times 12,960 years, or 64,800 years. This is the measure I believe the Madrians and Aristasians adopted. The traditionalist scholar Joscelyn Godwin has a detailed discussion of this measure at www.newdawnmagazine.com/articles/when-does-the-kali-yuga-end. Another discussion of interest that covers a multiplicity of views on the great year is at baharna.com/karma/yuga.htm
Another interesting text regarding cyclical time is A Vision. This book is included in W.B. Yeats's collected works, but I understand it was primarily composed through automatic writing by Yeat's wife, George. This text focuses on alternating cycles of 1/10 of a precessional year (2,160 years), and the metaphysical system involved, and the particular concept of the gyre, was hugely influential on Yeat's poetry.
The Mayan long-count is another precessional measure, lasting 1/5 of a precessional year with a high degree of accuracy. The longer measure of "five suns" making a full precessional year.
Both Guénon and Sri Yukteswar agree that the current era is at or about the end of the Kali Yuga. The big difference in these perspectives is that for Guénon, the transition is directly to a new golden age in which ancient knowledge is recovered and justice and virtue restored. For Sri Yukteswar, the transition is to an ascending cycle and we won't reach the golden age again for thousands of years. There is a difference in perspective between seeing our time as the late Kali Yuga, or as the dawn period of the Dwapara Yuga, but I think this is a matter of perspective. Either way, I believe we are in a transitional period.
As I understand the Bible, there's a clear descending and ascending cycle, so this would correspond at one level to a single great-year, but at another level, to a longer and more fundamental cycle of material manifestation. The Bible focuses on one cycle, not many, but is not otherwise inconsistent with traditions that emphasize cyclical time.
I believe in the cycle of the ages, that certain ages are more materialistic and other ages more spiritual. I see this as a continuous flow rather than discontinuous, as least in manifestation. I find Sri Yukteswar's account of the cycle of the ages in the Holy Science makes particular sense, and that it accords with the traditional dating of the great year as 12,000 years (e.g. in Hesiod and the Laws of Manu) as approximating a half precessional year. The traditional measure of the precessional year as 360 x 72 years (25,920 years) is a very close approximation of the modern measure and, so a half year is 12,960 years. On this view we have a 12,000 year descending period and a 12,000 year ascending period. Astrologically, the low point corresponds the first degree of Ares/last degree of Pisces. This is precessional midnight, and, not coincidentally, the Christian nativity occurs in this historic period (symbolically at midnight on the winter solstice). The corresponding zenith or precessional midsummer is at the last degree of Virgo/first degree of Libra. Interestingly, Virgo is traditionally the goddess Astraea in Greek mythology, the last of the gods to leave the world in the last golden age and the first to return in the next golden age. Libra of course symbolizes justice. The maiden bearing a scales (Virgo and Libra) and a sword as a symbol of justice appears to me a clear astrological symbol. Correspondingly the maiden mounted on a lion, bearing a sword (Virgo on Leo) is seen in the symbology of Sri Durga, who purifies the world of wickedness in the golden age. The sphinx, as lion maiden, seems to me a related symbol.
Guénon, as I understand it, arrived at his own distinctive measure of the cycle of the ages as ten quarter precessional years by combining the 10 avatars of Vishnu with the steps of Vishnu (which are linked to the fixed zodiac signs in the Rig Veda). 10 quarter precessional years is equal to 5 times 12,960 years, or 64,800 years. This is the measure I believe the Madrians and Aristasians adopted. The traditionalist scholar Joscelyn Godwin has a detailed discussion of this measure at www.newdawnmagazine.com/articles/when-does-the-kali-yuga-end. Another discussion of interest that covers a multiplicity of views on the great year is at baharna.com/karma/yuga.htm
Another interesting text regarding cyclical time is A Vision. This book is included in W.B. Yeats's collected works, but I understand it was primarily composed through automatic writing by Yeat's wife, George. This text focuses on alternating cycles of 1/10 of a precessional year (2,160 years), and the metaphysical system involved, and the particular concept of the gyre, was hugely influential on Yeat's poetry.
The Mayan long-count is another precessional measure, lasting 1/5 of a precessional year with a high degree of accuracy. The longer measure of "five suns" making a full precessional year.
Both Guénon and Sri Yukteswar agree that the current era is at or about the end of the Kali Yuga. The big difference in these perspectives is that for Guénon, the transition is directly to a new golden age in which ancient knowledge is recovered and justice and virtue restored. For Sri Yukteswar, the transition is to an ascending cycle and we won't reach the golden age again for thousands of years. There is a difference in perspective between seeing our time as the late Kali Yuga, or as the dawn period of the Dwapara Yuga, but I think this is a matter of perspective. Either way, I believe we are in a transitional period.
As I understand the Bible, there's a clear descending and ascending cycle, so this would correspond at one level to a single great-year, but at another level, to a longer and more fundamental cycle of material manifestation. The Bible focuses on one cycle, not many, but is not otherwise inconsistent with traditions that emphasize cyclical time.