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Things We Know About Our Current Season of Crisis, by Jo Graham

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

There is no longer a question of whether the Crisis of 2020 will happen—we are deep in it. The question has now become what will happen. Impeachment, which a few years ago would have been the event of the decade, is now totally eclipsed by the COVID-19 epidemic. By the end of the year, that, too, may be eclipsed by the next crescendo of the crisis. This is how the saecular season of Winter unfolds: one storm after another batters us.

The concept of the saeculum, the Great Year, comes to us from the Etruscans. Like the Wheel of the Year, the Great Year has four seasons, each about twenty years long, with the entire cycle taking about eighty years—the length of a long human lifespan. In other words, every eighty years or so, we pass through an era of crisis, our saecular Winter.

Let's count backwards. Eighty years back from 2020 is 1940, with the world at war and the US on the brink of World War II. Eighty years beyond that brings us to 1860 and the beginning of the Civil War. Eighty-four years beyond that brings us to 1776 and the American Revolution. And so on back: the rhythm of our lives is the rhythm of the long seasons. Winter comes, a crisis comes to a head and is resolved. Spring comes and we expand in optimism and hope. Summer comes and we are laden with passionate uncertainty as society undergoes social change. Autumn comes and we grow cynical at the same time that the pursuit of wealth becomes paramount. Each season repeats in its turn throughout history.

Therefore, it's no surprise that 2020 is a year of crisis in a season of crisis. While we cannot ever entirely predict the exact form of the crisis, we can absolutely predict there will be crises, just as we can predict cold weather in winter. We may not be able to say months ahead that it will snow on a particular date, but it's no surprise if you live in Minneapolis that it snows in January!

In other words, we might not have been able to exactly predict COVID-19, but we could certainly see the signs that our medical systems and infrastructure have been stressed for a long time, leaving them vulnerable to an outside event that would test them to the max. Sooner or later, some event would. It's like driving on a tire that's low. It might not blow this time, but sooner or later it will unless you fix the tire. When it does blow, it's not a shock.

History tells us that each crisis era lasts 4-7 years before it reaches resolution. Based on our Pagan understanding of the Great Wheel, in mid-2020 we have perhaps five years of Winter ahead of us. What can we expect in the next months? What is our long-range forecast?

In the summer and autumn of 2020 we can expect an increase in climate-related natural disasters. Record warmth over the winter has left sea temperatures unusually high, which often presages an active hurricane season with strong storms. What storms will reach the US and when is entirely variable, but it is likely that at least one major hurricane will come ashore in the Gulf or Eastern Seaboard with serious consequences. Likewise, the corresponding dry and hot temperatures in the West make an active fire season probable. It's no secret that fire season has been getting worse. We can expect that to continue.

The Election of 2020 will be unlike any other in our lifetime, perhaps unlike any other in American history. Bluntly, if Donald Trump loses, do you think he will shake hands, say the best man won, and quietly retire? Or do you think he will challenge the legitimacy of the election, refuse to relinquish power, and ask his supporters to rise in his defense? How this plays out depends on many things, including the makeup of state legislatures who will choose electors to the Electoral College and certify/refuse to certify their states' returns, the exact nature of election day disruptions, and whose orders various military and civil authorities decide to obey. Astrologically, we are headed for enormous upheavals in late December, just at the point when the election may finally be decided. By January 2021 we may have either president or multiple claimants to the presidency, each recognized by different states or different groups of people. The dice are rolling. The only certainty is crisis.

Early in 2021 we will be in the thick of it. As with hurricanes, it's impossible to predict this far out exactly which communities will see major disruption, though it's safe to say some will. Will this simply be a few armed radicals having stand-offs with local law enforcement? Or will it be official bodies squaring off—ICE against the Coast Guard, Blackwater-style companies against urban police departments, or National Guard units against militia? We don't know. But we do know that tempers are high, guns are available, rhetoric is increasing in intensity, and the cohesive bonds that prevent violence are waning. The momentum is running toward a change as profound as the American Revolution or the Civil War.

Spring will come. Somewhere around 2025 Winter will end. We will pass into the next season with this crisis resolved. What that resolution will be depends on the events of the next few years, but inevitably, certainly, Spring will come.

So how do we, as individuals and responsible members of society, weather these crises? First, we bear in mind that others always have. Because the Great Wheel is 80 years long, few people experience the same season twice except as very young children and again in old age. Today, those who took an active part in World War II are few and far between. We feel that our era of crisis is unique because we literally cannot remember the last time this happened. However, those who came before us left us road maps to the season, something I explore in my book, Winter: Rituals to Thrive in the Dark Cycle of the Saeculum. We can find and follow the maps our ancestors left us.

Second, we must each do our part. No one can sit this out. Whether it's by creating a haven for people displaced by wildfires and hurricanes or taking care of the children of medical professionals fighting an epidemic or by taking an active role as guardians of our communities ourselves, the way to the best resolution of the crisis is by being the heroes we need.

Third, we must conserve the things of value, protect the things that make life rich and beautiful so that in the Spring we will have nice things. Whether through the arts or through scholarship, whether through virtual curation of music or actual protection of cultural treasures, we can't lose sight of the things that make our lives and communities joyful.

As Pagans, we have an intuitive understanding of cyclical time. The Great Wheel is simply the Wheel of the Year writ large. We can use that understanding, and our connection with the gods, to do what needs to be done to resolve the crisis era well. In Winter I provide examples of rites for each of these actions, calling upon Classical deities such as Diana Nemorensis in her role as protector of the vulnerable, Mars the warrior who guards the community, and Mercury who aids clear and accurate communication. With their help, we can be our best selves and rise to the occasion of our times.

The main thing to remember is that while we may not be able to predict the exact events of the next five years, we know that they will challenge us. We are already in the Crisis of 2020. We are deep in Winter. It is going to get worse before it gets better. But it will get better. Just as winter inevitably comes, so does Spring. It's on us to make our Winter choices wisely so that when the time comes we can step into Spring unafraid.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2020. All rights reserved.

I'm having a hard time sorting out my feelings about marriage, and am wondering what you two think. What is your spiritual view of marriage? Do you think it's an outdated concept or an institution that works for some people and not for others? Of course, it's not something people should enter into lightly, but are there certain people who should avoid marriage all together? To prevent divorce, what do you think both partners should bring (or in some cases not bring) to a marriage to create a lasting partnership? Does Spirit have anything to say about marriage, why it seems to be a dwindling institution, and how it fits into the "New Age?" Thanks very much! - B.

Dreamchaser:

As my regular clients know, I am not married because I personally do not believe in marriage. I have studied this subject myself, however, so I will tell you what I learned.

There are all kinds of belief systems for all kinds of different nationalities or religions. For example, some Native American tribes used to believe that every year, couples should come together and decide if they wanted to stay together for another year or not. If they did not, they would simply gather their belongings and go back to their parents' tent. No big fuss was made about the decision.

As you know, Mormon men used to take multiple wives, as did other groups of people. We have all heard about harems in stories read to us when we were children. So our current beliefs about marriage are just that - our current beliefs. They don't necessarily reflect any divine or unchanging truth.

I personally believe that marriage is a completely outdated system. I think that since women can now work, vote, drive, pay our own bills, etc., we no longer need to marry for protection or to provide for our daily needs and personal care. We can take care of ourselves and do not NEED a husband anymore. Marriage arose the meet the needs of people living in social situations vastly different from the modern world.

If two people do choose to get married, they need two things, or the marriage will fail. They need to be willing to work HARD on the marriage on a daily basis with tools like listening, caring, thoughtfulness, putting the other before themselves, etc.

They also need to openly communicate. So many people do not know how to communicate before they get into a relationship. I always wonder how they think that any relationship will last if they can't communicate their needs, fears, desires, etc. When I talk to clients who are cheating in their relationship, the most common reason they give is, "We just do not communicate anymore" or "He/She does not really talk to me any more."

I do not think that Spirit has an opinion on marriage, since marriage is a human idea. I think Spirit will bring us love, and what we do with it is up to us. Spirit totally believes in LOVE - after all, "God" is love.

The New Age belief system is based on what is best for your personal soul. If you believe in marriage and want to experience it, then by all means, find the best partner for you and go at it. If you do not believe in marriage and would prefer to foster your own spiritual development in this life, then do that.

I wish you a happy relationship either with someone else or with yourself, whichever you choose.

*****

Astrea:

I believe marriage is a Holy Union between two people. People who get married should be prepared to live with one another for the rest of their lives and love each other as unconditionally as possible.

Some people are much better at this than others. I went through a few husbands before I found the right one, but once I did, I finally understood all that marriage can be. I think there are lots of people who will say that they didn't grasp the true value of marriage when they wed for the first, second, or even the third time, yet they continued to long for this union of Spirit and Body.

Besides, I need help around the house! I could take care of my life alone, but why should I when I can have this perfect, gorgeous, kind, gentle, intelligent man by my side? Grumpy has his moments, but for the most part, I FEEL HAPPY being married. I wouldn't feel this happy without someone to share my joy. I know myself: I need outside input just to know I'm not crazy, and I need it daily.

People who can't commit to one person for life should obviously avoid marriage altogether. That is a very simple statement that covers LOTS of ground, but if one marrying thinks even for a moment that he or she can't be faithful, that's the time to say "No." A person who knows himself will tell his partner if he isn't ready for marriage. Further, if a person can't be TOTALLY HONEST with her partner before she marries him, she shouldn't marry him at all.

I'm not saying you have to lose every bit of emotional baggage before getting married. Love can overcome a LOT of issues. In fact, love can overcome everything when it's real and true.

I'm not sure where you got the idea that marriage is a "dwindling institution." While lots of people divorce, the reason is simple: we're in too big a hurry to know what's going to happen in relationships; we want everything supposedly settled for good. I don't think marriage is going to disappear, however, for as long as people love one another, they're going to seek a committed union on paper and from God.

As for what Spirit says, I "hear" that it's unfortunate that everyone can't be legally married here in the U.S. Men and men, women and women - ALL OF US should be able to enjoy the benefits of marriage. Anyone who wants to join together with God to celebrate their union should be able to do so without fear of hatred and discrimination.

Spirit says the same thing about marriage as Spirit says about life, and that is that we're here to love one another, have a nice time, and work through our karma. As long as we meet each other with LOVE, we're on the right track.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.