What is the next big thing that will greatly impact the world?  What is a big thing?  If we start with contemporary history, 9/11 was the first big thing of this century.  As a consequence, the USA with the help of allies quickly invaded Afghanistan, found an excuse to invade Iraq in 2003 and resurrected the defacto Christian versus Islam modern Crusade against the infidels – the end result has been as abysmal as the original Crusades about a thousand years earlier.  The next big thing to appear was the sub-prime mortgage crisis (2007 – 2010) in American real estate mortgages leading to the Global Recession (Global Financial Crisis).

Following or overlapping with the above, the Arab Spring (Dec 2010 – Sep 2014) commencing in Tunisia and soon spread to Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain with unrest in Morocco, Iraq, Algeria, Iranian Khuzestan, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Sudan.  Out of the Arab Spring, or following Arab Winter (which extended to 2019 at least), evolved the Islamic State (ISIS) and by 2014 ISIS was able to drive Iraqi troops out of key cities and it even captured Mosel which it held until 2017.

Next on the scene appeared populace leaders such as Donald Trump (USA), Narendra Modi (India), Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Matteo Salvini (Italy), Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil), Rodrigo Duterte (Philippines) and Boris Johnson (UK).  These populace leaders have usually polarized their societies and depending upon which political side you take, they will make their country great again or are throwbacks to a previous uglier time in the world.  Finally, to cap off these two decades was the COVID-19 pandemic creating the greatest disruption in the world since the Second World War. Based on precedent, there is every reason to believe that the world will continue to stumble from one upset or disaster to another as was the case with the first two decades of the 21^st century, not to mention the last many thousands of years of disasters and turmoil that regularly visits our world.

The above provides a context for the extent of what the next big thing may be, but exactly what is next in line and when may it appear?  This may be answered by recognizing the hidden structure that strongly influences all of the above.  The hidden structure is the sub-periods of the current Age of Aquarius.  The most relevant sub-periods associated with the above are micro-ages and micro-age decans.  Each age of some 2150 years has 12 sub-ages of around 178 years, and these each have 12 micro-ages of slightly less than 15 years, and naturally any decan will be a third – or nearly five years.

The key common sign for the first three decades of the 21^st century is Cancer due to the Cancer micro-age and overflow (Feb 2000 – Dec 2014 – Nov 2029) (see Table 1).  Under the sign Cancer there is a strong focus on Islamic nations as Islam is a Pisces-Cancer religion compared to its sibling Christianity which is a Pisces-Scorpio religion.  This helps explain the whole Islamic orientation of world politics since 9/11 commencing with the 9/11 attack on the USA, the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the Arab Spring (and Winter) and fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban in 2021.  It also explains the spectacular rise of China in these same two decades as Cancer is the major sign for China.

The Cancer micro-age (Feb 2000 – Dec 2014) commenced with the Leo micro-age decan overflow (Feb 2000 – Jan 2005) but Aquarius is the second strongest sign in the astrological signature for the USA (age empire of the Pisces-Aquarius age).  Leo will ‘attack’ Aquarius, which played out with 9/11.  The Leo micro-age overflow is of the same timespan as the Pisces micro-age and the Pisces element focused upon the primary sign for the USA which it harnessed in its invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its success is attributable to the Pisces quasi micro-age decan (Nov 2003 – Jul 2007).  (quasi periods are not shown in Table 1 and are always based on the last half of a period combined with the first half of its overflow – see Age of Aquarius for Dummies ).

The earlier Dot.com crash of 2000 is also worth mentioning as it was due to investors’ interest in internet related companies increased to a frenzied level following massive growth and adoption of the internet.  Under the Leo micro-age decan overflow (Feb 2000 – Jan 2005) Aquarius technology is under ‘attack’ due to Aquarius and Leo being opposite signs.  In April 2000 the Nasdaq Composite index fell 25% in just one week.

The sub-prime mortgage crisis (2007 – 2010) is associated with Cancer as homes are ruled by Cancer, and its appearance in 2007 basically coincided with the arrival of the Cancer quasi micro-age (Jul 2007 – Jun 2022).  The path to the Great Recession (2007 – 09) is readily associated with the Scorpio micro-age decan and overflow (Jul 2007 – Jul 2012 – Dec 2014), and though this recession was nominally only a few years, it dampened the economies of many countries for many more years.  This same Scorpio micro-age decan and overflow also provided the revolutionary impetus for the Arab Spring (Dec 2010 – late 2014) with Cancer also playing a dominant background influence.

Cancer is also the sign of populace leaders because Cancer is the sign of the common people and is opposite Capricorn – the sign of wisdom of the elders or wise people – something that populace leaders appear to lack.  Though elements of populace leaders appeared before the Cancer micro-age overflow such as Sarah Palin, it was not until the Cancer micro-age overflow commencing December 2014 that they became a worldwide phenomenon. For example Donald Trump won the US presidential elections in November 2015 and Rodrigo Duterte became president of the Philippines on 30 June 2016.

The nascent Aquarius element from the Aquarius micro-age decan (Dec 2014 – Dec 2019) also fed into these populace leaders (as it did in the 1920s and 30s under the Aquarius micro-age and overflow) as community, social and political norms are radicalized by Aquarius – Aquarius and Cancer are also both associated with mental instability and helps explain the rise of conspiracy babble around the world (that behaves like a virus)!

Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic came to international attention the very same month that the Aquarius micro-age decan (Dec 2014 – Dec 2019) entered its more powerful Aquarius micro-age decan overflow (Dec 2019 – Nov 2024).  Aquarius is the sign of disruption, and the greatest disruption that human society has withstood to date was under the Aquarius micro-age and overflow (1910 – 2025 – 1940) which saw the First World War, Spanish flu, Great Depression, communism and the beginning of the Second World War.

To gain a tighter understanding of what the next big thing may be, it is necessary to see what follows the Aquarius micro-age decan.  What ‘follows’ in macro-astrology is always an overlapping influence. Firstly, since December 2014, the world entered the Cancer micro-age overflow (Dec 2014 – Nov 2029) but in December 2014 also arrived the overlapping Gemini micro-age (Dec 2014 – Nov 2029) which commenced with the Aquarius micro-age decan and overflow (Dec 2014 – Dec 2019 – Nov 2024).  The next cab off the rank is the overlapping Libra micro-age decan and overflow (Dec 2019 – Nov 2024 – Nov 2029) and as usual, the second half is always the most powerful half.  It is Libra that provides the nexus for the next big thing with the emphasis on November 2024 to November 2029.

You may be in for a big surprise with Libra – I certainly was!  I have just completed extensive research on every Libra micro-age and Libra micro-age decan that has appeared in the world since the arrival of the Age of Aquarius in 1433.  A naïve expectation of a Libra micro-age decan is that it may focus upon art, women, justice, parties, alliances, parks and gardens and so on.  Well, I can confirm that all these are associated with nearly every Libra micro-age or micro-age decan, but the most notable and strongest element associated with these Libra periods is not only war and conflict, but war and conflict at the upper level of possibilities and that usually breaks new ground in its extent and destruction. 

Following are some abbreviated extracts from my research with the focus upon the details of war and conflict in previous Libra micro-ages or micro-age decans since the arrival of the Age of Aquarius:

Libra micro-age and overflow (March 1463 – March 1478 – March 1493)

• Granada War (Reconquista) to expel Muslims from Spain.
• Resolution of the War of the Roses in England (Libra can bring peace if war or conflict is already present)

Libra micro-age decan and overflow (December 1527 – December 1532 – November 1537)

• The ‘divorce’ of England from the Roman Catholic Church over the issues of multiple (Libra) marriages by King Henry VIII. 
• Beginning of the Protestant movement in earnest spearheaded by Martin Luther in Germany leading to a major religious-political schism in Europe.
• Spain and Portugal were dividing the world in two in preparation for the invasion and subjugation of the New World
• Austrian and Turks commenced a bitter 150 years of conflict.

Libra micro-age decan and overflow (August 1582 – August 1587 – July 1592)

• Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) which included the famous Spanish Armada (1588) with 130 ships and 30,000 men when Catholic Spain attempted to invade Protestant England
• The War of the Three Henrys (1587-89) was one of a series of French civil wars under the umbrella of the French Wars of Religion (1562 – 98).
• Japanese invasion of Korea (1592 -1598) was really the beginning of a proxy war between Japan and China with Korea the stepping stone from Japan to China.

Libra micro-age and overflow (April 1627 – May 1642 – April 1657)

• The British Civil Wars (1639 – 1653) included rebellions, civil wars and invasions which ended when the English parliamentarian army won followed by the execution of the king.

Libra micro-age decan & overflow (Jan 1692 – Jan 1697 – Dec 1701)

• The Nine Years’ War (1688–1697) with the fiercest fighting in 1692-3.  It was a conflict between France and an opposing European coalition which included England, Spain and Portugal with theaters also in North America and India. This war is considered to be the first global war
• The Nine Years’ War encompassed Ireland and Jacobite risings in Scotland (with some later elements of the Jacobite risings partly portrayed in the TV series Outlander), and North America between French and English settlers and their respective Indigenous allies. 
• War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) due to unresolved issues of the Nine Years’ War with a focus on maintaining the (Libra) balance of power between different European countries.

Libra micro-age decan & overflow (Sep 1746 – Sep 1751 – Aug 1756)

• Seven Years’ War (1756 – 1763) and some historians call it World War Zero as many considered it a world war harking back to the Nine Years’ War (1688–1697) of the previous Libra period. 
• The Seven Years’ War in the North American theater was called the French and Indian War (1754 – 1763).

Libra micro-age and overflow (June 1791 – April 1806 – March 1821)

• The French Revolution was already underway before this Libra period but the frenzy of beheadings was delayed until after the arrival of the deadly Scorpio sub-age in 1791 with Scorpio’s focus on death. 
• Napoleonic Wars (1805 – 1815) and included the minor War of 1812 between the UK and the USA.  More French soldiers were casualties in the Napoleonic wars than in the First World War.

Libra micro-age decan and overflow (May 1856 – May 1861 – Apr 1866)

• American Civil War (1861 – 65) with around 600,000 killed
• Taiping Rebellion in China – the bloodiest civil war in world history with 30 to 50 million killed

Libra micro-age decan and overflow (Dec 1910 – Nov 1915 – Oct 1920)

• First World War (1914 – 18) with around 22 million deaths, it was one of the largest wars and deadliest conflicts in history.

Each and every Libra micro-age or micro-age decan since the arrival of the Age of Aquarius has a focus on upper level major conflicts with ever increasing violence and destruction, and if the current Libra period  follows form, a major conflict is on our doorstep and most likely more extensive than any conflict experienced since the Second World War. The most likely timeframe is from December 2024 onward for almost five years in parallel with the Libra micro-age overflow but it could commence any time between now and December 2024.

Who will be the combatants in this new conflict?  The most likely scenario is the USA, its NATO allies and other Anglo-Saxon nations against China and Russia as these two blocs represents the current strongest international balance of power.  With the two main protagonists probably being the USA and China, a brief examination of both may provide relevant insights into their performance in such an international tussle associated with these small Libra periods. 

China

Libra is a major sign in China’s astrological signature as Libra is associated with the whole of the Far East.  In the Libra micro-age decan and overflow (Dec 1527 – Dec 1532 – Nov 1537) China experienced an enormous drought (1528 – 1530) in Henan province coupled with a gigantic swarm of locusts which deprived the region of harvests for the next two years, killing off half the people in some communities, due to starvation and cannibalism.  The following Libra micro-age decan and overflow (Aug 1582 – Jul 1592)  saw the first Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592 which was really the beginning of a proxy war between Japan and China with Korea the stepping stone from Japan to China.

China was also a major focus within the next Libra micro-age and overflow (Apr 1627 – May 1642 – Apr 1657) when in 1627 the Manchus took advantage of Korea’s war-weakened state and invaded in 1627 and 1637.    In 1641 a massive epidemic struck in northern and central China with some local areas and towns having 90% of the local populace wiped out, which may have contributed to the fall of the Ming Dynasty just three years later. In 1644 the invading Qing army captured Beijing marking the beginning of Manchu rule over China proper. 

China’s affinity to Libra was again on display in the Libra micro-age and overflow (Jun 1791 – Apr 1806 – Mar 1821)when in 1793, the isolationist Chinese government rebuffed an attempt by the British to sell their manufactured goods to China and install a British ambassador in the Chinese court.  Finally in the Libra micro-age decan and overflow (Dec 1910 – Nov 1915 – Oct 1920) commenced with the formation of the Republic of China in 1912 after a revolution which overthrew the Qing dynasty, ending 5,000 years of monarchy in China and 267 years of the Manchu dynasty. 

Obviously Libra is a sign of ferment for China and suggests that major calamities are often on its doorstep and often indicates dynastic/regime change.  If Cancer is the primary sign for China, Libra activated the lowly 4^th house and detracts from its 10^th house of government and authority.  If the approaching conflict deeply involves China, it does not portend a favorable result for China, unless a regime change turns out to be favorable?

The current Gemini sub-age decan and overflow (1970 – 2029 – 2059) is not favorable to China (especially in the second half) as Gemini sits at the 12^th house position to China’s Cancer.  However, within this Gemini age-decan is the Cancer micro-age and overflow (2000 – 2014 – 2019) and we have seen China’s rise to the second strongest superpower in the world under this micro-age and overflow.  This rise is so potent, many pundits have claimed that China will become the number one superpower soon.  However, there are only a few more years of the Cancer micro-age overflow concluding in November 2029 with a waning influence over China for the following 10 years as it confronts the opposing Capricorn micro-age decan and overflow (Nov 2029 – Oct 2034 – Oct 2039).  This will not be a fortuitous period for the world, and specifically Cancer-orientated regions such as China, Russia, the Middle East and Islamic countries.

USA

What is the astrological environment for the USA in the possible approaching major conflict?  The American Civil War demonstrated that the USA was and remains like conjoined twins, who can never get away from each other, and often detest each other.  This is again the reality in the USA when the rural voters throughout the USA voted for Trump, while urban areas voted Democrat.  The end of 2021 is equivalent to 1858 – only three years before the beginning of the American Civil War.  Does this mean that the USA is heading for another civil war?

A very good argument can be made that the USA is heading towards a period of even greater internal conflict than has been experienced over the last five years, but the world is no longer in the Pisces sub-age decan as was the case with the Civil War.  In place of Pisces, the world is currently under the influence of the Gemini sub-age decan and overflow (1970 – 2029 – 2088) but Gemini is not part of the astrological signature for the USA. 

The American Civil War also occurred at the highpoint of the Cancer sub-age decan and overflow (1791 – 1851 – 1910) and Cancer is opposite Capricorn, the third strongest sign in the USA’s astrological signature. The current Cancer micro-age and overflow (2000 – 2014 – 2029) will also provoke tensions in the USA but compared to the 18^th century, this Cancer influence is very mild.

With Pisces the strongest sign for the USA, and Cancer opposed to Capricorn, the third strongest sign in the astrological signature, the current Gemini SAD&OF is not of the same league.  However, Gemini is probably detrimental to the USA on the world stage, as Gemini sits at the lowly 4^th house position to Pisces which detracts from its 10^th house authority, and shifts the focus to domestic over international issues – which was played out by Trump through avoiding new foreign wars or conflicts, and extracting US troops from ongoing international conflicts whenever possible.  President Biden has continued this trend with the withdrawal of American military from Afghanistan in 2021. 

We can certainly expect a period of greater lack of social and political cohesion in the USA, especially in the Libra MADOF (Nov 24 – Nov 29) with the situation deteriorating beforehand, but it should be nowhere near the level of stress that existed in the buildup and execution of the American Civil War.  If the major problem the USA is faced with is not civil war or vigorous internal dissent, how will it handle a major external conflict?

It cannot be overstressed that the USA is the age-empire of our time, and once an age-empire gets established, they don’t like to be kicked around, and they tend to have longevity – at least for the first half of the age, which means the USA should retain its international position until at least the midway point of the Age of Aquarius around 2507 AD.  In contrast, China has a far more resilient history for cultural longevity, but not for its ruling dynasties or regimes that come and go regularly (similar to the lunation cycle).  If China is the main protagonist in any approaching international military polarization, it will continue to exist afterwards, but it may be restructured – as has been the case for the previous thousands of years. 

The Libra age-decan and overflow (1433 – 2149 – 2865) does not suggest the eradication of opponents, as Libra is the sign of balance.  For most of the current millennia, a major polarization in the world is indicated, and this polarization will strengthen over the coming centuries.  This is in strong contrast to the last two ages at least.  This strongly suggests that China, for better or worse, will remain as the yin balance to American yang for most of this Millennium.  Therefore any approaching conflict may represent one of a number of international adjustments of this very long term geopolitical situation?

Each Libra period appears to outstrip the previous one in ferocity, and so if this is literally taken to be the case in the coming conflagration, the use of atomic weapons cannot be ignored as nations have historically used every means of weaponry available to defeat their enemies.  This is reinforced by the fact that the world remains in the most potent quarter (1970 – 2059) of the Scorpio sub-age and overflow (1791 – 1970 – 2148).  The risk level for atomic weapons remains very high until 2059 at least.  The only other viable possibility is that in place of open warfare, the world descends to all out cyber warfare, as Scorpio is a key driver for the internet (along with Gemini).

The Pisces age overflow and Pisces quasi-age provides the base environment for the world until around 2507.  This therefore promotes the possible precipitation for conflict could be the South China Sea as the oceans and islands are ruled by Pisces.  For the rest of the world, a bunch of islands and reefs recently occupied and claimed by China in the South China Sea may seem a ridiculous precipitation for an international conflict but not according to Daniel Yergin, author of The New Map:

“ China’s efforts to assert sovereignty in the South China Sea is perhaps the most volatile foreign policy issue in the world today.  Through its waters pass $US3.5 trillion of world trade — two-thirds of China’s maritime trade, and over 40 percent of Japan’s and 30 percent of total world trade. Eighty percent of China’s oil imports pass through it. Its waters are crucial for food security. It provides much of the seafood consumed both in China, the world’s largest consumer of fish, and Southeast Asia.

Those waters are also fraught with risk. ‘A single irresponsible action or instigation of conflict,’ warned Vietnam’s prime minister, ‘could well lead to the interruption of these huge trade flows, with unforeseeable consequences not only to regional economies but also to the entire world.’”

China’s main sign is Cancer, the sign of perimeters and thus borders, and China does not have a history of military engagements with countries not on its borders – unlike the Europeans and their offspring’s who historically have marauded everywhere possible.  But the South China Sea is on China’s borders, as is Taiwan, Tibet and India.  Any coming conflict with China is bound to be on its ‘edges’.

The astrology indicates that the next big thing should be war or some alternative style of major conflict – above and beyond what the world has experienced since the end of the Second World War, and I have provided some speculative scenarios of the combatants and details which may or may not be correct. The most likely alternative to this is the major existential crisis facing the world – Climate Change. 

The necessary international alliance required to tackle Climate Change is also more likely to take shape under the Libra micro-age decan and overflow (Dec 2019 – Nov 2024 – Nov 2029) with the second half (Nov 2024 – Nov 2029) the more likely timeframe. This may deteriorate into a bipolar approach to Climate Change with two intractable opposing sides, or it could be a success as Libra can bring peace or accord in a time of disagreement. A major conflict in parallel to a Climate Change accord is also a possibility.

There is one more hurdle between the world in 2021 and the approaching Libra highpoint around November 2024 and that is the replacement of the Cancer quasi micro-age (Jul 2007 – Jun 2022) with the Gemini quasi micro-age (Jun 2022 – Jan 2037) in June 2022. A quasi micro-age cusp is really a gear change, and the approaching cusp in June 2022 indicates a change down in gear for Cancer and a rise in gear for Gemini making their respective influences about equal.

Perhaps Greta Thunberg significantly increases her influence amongst students? Maybe the European Union struggles to retain all of its existing members as Gemini promotes fragmentation? Does an internet crash or incident become a major liability in some way? Will the internet be militarized? Cities may start to flex their influence at Climate Change talks? Or the extraction of vehicles from fossil fuels radically accelerates? China comes off the boil and starts showing early signs of political fracture? My first choice is the internet. Unfortunately the track record of the human race is that governments will use any newly developed or created technology for war – and so we may expereince some kind of militarization of the internet which is already showing this tendency.

We cannot expect astrology to provide a high definition video with stereoscopic audio of the future as its track record does not support this.  Much fanfare was made of the predictions of the COVID-19 pandemic by the French astrologer, the late Andre Barbault, but even in his predictions, he could not be definitive and he certainly did not get the major supporting detail correct. However, merely defining the outline of the next big thing is an achievement in itself if it comes to pass! 

An extended version of this post is available.