I have been meditating recently on the archetype of Aquarius and the symbol of The Water-Bearer. I know that many people are surprised when they first learn Astrology to find that Aquarius is not a Water sign, but an Air sign. "Water is right there in the name and symbol! AQUArius, the WATER Bearer! And there are pictures of water spilling out of a jug! How is this an Air sign?" It can be perfectly reasonable to be confused about the symbolism; why does this AIR sign have so much reference to water?
Simply put, the archetype here is less about the water, and more about the one who is carrying the water. "The Water Bearer" is not the water itself, it is the one who is carrying the water.

During the season of Aquarius - in the Northern Hemisphere it is the middle of winter and there is often a lot of rain as the earth prepares for Spring. In the Southern Hemisphere Aquarius season is the middle of Fall - also often a rainy season! So we have a seasonal connection to Aquarius season as the "Bringer of Rain". In this context we understand on a basic level that the rain is delivered by the sky. The Air carries the clouds and weather events to us, bringing the Rain Storms on the Winds. The element of the AIR is the sky; the delivery system which brings the rains.
However, the symbol of the Water-Bearer is more specifically about mankind and the human force who "carries the water". There was a time in our human history when we depended fully on the heavens to supply the rains to the places we needed. Water is life, and our survival was connected to the generosity of the Gods or the spirit of nature to bring us rain and fill the rivers and lakes. Through mankind's gradual evolution and growth, we learned to use tools and create items, such as baskets and clay vessels to hold water, and we could carry the water to where we needed it to go. In this way we rose up above our dependency upon the fickleness and randomness of nature, and could bring water to our communities whether or not the rains came on time. This story of Humans developing the ability to think for ourselves and solve our own problems is reflected in many mythologies; most commonly we can see this story in the Greek mythology of Prometheus giving mankind the knowledge of fire, and the Hebrew mythology of Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of Knowledge. Humans are the Water-Bearer, with the ability to rise above our base animal dependencies, to rise up and INVENT things so that we can be our own Gods, decide our own fates, carry our own water.
Water here isn't simply water. In Astrology and other esoteric traditions, the element of Water is symbolic of Spirit. It is our intuition, our feelings, our ability to connect with each other through emotion and feeling and love. Water is life - both literally and metaphorically we need Water to survive. When mankind evolved complex brains that allowed us to problem solve, philosophize, and develop complex languages for communication, we increased our ability to survive and therefore granted ourselves the gift of "Carrying our own Water".
The Archetype of Aquarius is about our potential to rise up, to overcome the boundaries and limitations (Saturn) of our lives. We use our minds to solve problems (the element of Air) and rise up to new levels of existence with our inventions. The Archetype of the Water-Bearer isn't about the water, it is about the invention of the vase that is used to carry the water to new places, and the human mind that solved the problem of "how do I bring the water from the lake to my village?" We invented the clay pots to hold the water, and to share the water. Eventually we invented aqueducts and canals to bring the water to larger groups of people for agriculture and survival - because the Air signs are about SOCIAL DYNAMICS and communities.
Aquarius is a sign of Humanitarianism and social connection, and community. The Water-Bearer recognizes it isn't enough to carry my own water for my own needs. If I can, I should carry water to those around me as well. Or even better, I should teach others how to make their own jugs and vases, so that more of us can carry water. We invented aqueducts and canals to move the water and shape the growth of entire civilizations that no longer needed to follow the rain but could bring the river to our own crops: our ability to invent and build water-moving technology is directly responsible for the growth of civilizations and entire societies - the ultimate Social Expression of AIR energy.
Humans have the ability to rise up, but this also means that we must take responsibility for our own choices and inventions. "With great power comes great responsibility" - here is our reminder that Aquarius is ruled by Saturn. For every invention and every solution that we come up with, there will be more boundaries, and more consequences. None of this power comes without a price, and Saturn teaches us maturity and responsibility.
With all of humanity's growth and evolution, there are new problems that arise, and we must always be seeking new solutions. And we do best to remember to ask ourselves, "Who can I bring the water to? What seeds do I need to water? Who needs help repairing or building their aqueduct or making new clay vases to hold water?" (Remember that water is a metaphor, and while sometimes this can be literal, I am also talking about so much more. Water is Life, and Spirit, Emotion and Intuition, Connection and Love)
Aquarius invents and rises up to carry the water - not simply for the self, but for the social group, the family, and the community. When the power of the Water-Bearer is corrupted to be self-serving or hoarding resources, humanity and communities suffer. If humans can rise up to "be their own gods," then we have to decide what kind of gods we are and face the consequences of the way we use our power and where we carry the water. Eventually, Saturn brings the lessons of maturity and responsibility to all, and the order is restored. Some Humans will work hard to bring that restoration, to bring water to the people in ways that are fair and just and uplift us all. You have knowledge and awareness and a beautiful mind that can learn and solve problems and invent solutions. What kind of Water-Bearer are you?
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Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed, please share! ~ Rev. Lilliana Blackstar @ Hestia's Muse
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