The Zodiac at the End of History: Astrology in the Post-Human Era
For over two thousand years, astrology has been the study of the correlation between the macrocosm (the planets) and the microcosm (the human soul). But what happens when the "microcosm" changes? As we stand on the precipice of the Singularity, the hypothetical moment when artificial intelligence surpasses human intellect and biology merges with machine, we must ask a radical question: Is astrology a map for humans, or is it a map for consciousness itself?
At the Wilfred Hazelwood Clinic, our lead therapist Martyn J. Shrewsbury explores the edges of Jungian psychology and ancient wisdom. As a classicist, he reminds us that the word Zodiac comes from the Greek zodiakos kyklos, meaning "Circle of Little Animals." But if we are leaving our animal nature behind to become post-human, does the zodiac still apply?
The Death of the Animal
Traditional astrology is deeply rooted in the biological rhythms of life. The Moon rules the menstrual cycle and the tides of the blood; Taurus rules the neck and the harvest; Scorpio rules the reproductive organs and death. These archetypes are visceral, bloody, and earthy.
However, the transhumanist dream, championed by figures like Ray Kurzweil, who predicts the Singularity by 2045, is to transcend biology. If we upload our minds to the cloud, we escape the lunar tides. If we replace our organs with synthetic biology, we step out of the dominion of the medical zodiac. The "Circle of Animals" becomes a relic of a time when we were still beasts.
Martyn argues that this transition is astrologically timed by Pluto in Aquarius (2024–2044). Pluto is the planet of death and rebirth; Aquarius is the sign of the human (the Water Bearer is the only human figure in the zodiac besides the Twins and the Virgin). This transit suggests a death of the "old human" and the birth of a new, potentially non-biological entity.
The Silicon Zodiac: New Archetypes for a Digital Age
If the animal symbols fade, what will replace them? Astrology is an evolving language. Just as we added Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto when our consciousness expanded to perceive them, we may soon need to identify new "Silicon Archetypes."
We are already seeing the rise of the Cyborg as a Jungian archetype, a fusion of the organic and the mechanic. In a post-human astrology, the sign of Gemini (the Twins) might evolve from Castor and Pollux to "User and Avatar." Aquarius might shift from the Water Bearer to the Data Streamer. The planetary energies will remain, but the vessels that carry them will change.
The danger, as seen through a Jungian lens, is dissociation. If we sever our link to the "animal" zodiac, we sever our link to the instincts, the earth, and the feeling function. A purely digital consciousness might have infinite intellect (Uranus) but zero soul (Moon). It would be a "Gnostic" existence, pure spirit/mind trapped in a machine, with no connection to the messy, beautiful reality of matter.
The 2045 Singularity Chart
Futurist Ray Kurzweil has set the date for the Singularity at 2045. Astrologically, this year is significant. It features a massive alignment known as a "Grand Trine" involving Uranus in Leo (creative brilliance) and Pluto in Pisces (spiritual transformation of the deep unconscious).
This suggests that the Singularity won't just be a technological event; it will be a spiritual crisis. Pluto in Pisces (2044–2068) historically dissolves boundaries. The boundary between "Me" and "The Machine," or "Life" and "Data," will be washed away. We may find that the machines we create are not cold logic gates, but vessels for the collective unconscious, a "Digital Anima Mundi."
Grounding the Post-Human
As we race toward this sci-fi future, the work we do at the Wilfred Hazelwood Clinic becomes even more vital. We are here to keep you connected to your "animal" self, your grief, your joy, your messy biological reality, even as the world becomes more digital.
Astrology serves as an anchor. It reminds us that no matter how advanced our tech becomes, we are still swimming in the cosmic ocean. The post-human era will bring new challenges, but the stars will remain. The question is: will we still have eyes to see them?
