Cosmic Cycles and the Great Years
. . . Even if the Great Year, typically described as a roughly 25,920-year cycle caused by the precession of the equinoxes, is best known today from Plato’s writings and later Hellenistic astrology— the concept of long cosmic cycles was shared across ancient cultures and their astrological systems: it is part of a shared ancient understanding of time as cyclical rather than linear. Astrology is part of only a handful of cultural traditions. Each astrological system reflects the distinct worldview and philosophical foundations of its culture. These systems can generally be categorized as either solar-based or lunar-based, which reflects the broader cosmological emphasis of their respective traditions. The connection between planetary positions and personality traits for instance, is mostly emphasized in Western astrology, which is a very recent system compared to all others. It is rooted in Greco-Roman thought, later influenced by Renaissance humanism, and the modern field of psychology...