What we call the “fixed stars” (as opposed to planets, known in antiquity as the “wanderers” because they moved across the sky from the vantage point of ancient humans) are actually not so fixed.  Although they appear in the same position in the sky, their apparent motion does shift by about 50 seconds of arc per year.

Regulus, the star associated with royalty, is also called “The heart of the Lion” because of its placement in the center of the Leo star system.  But Regulus is moving into Virgo for the first time since around 200 bce, creating a major shift of star energy.

The exact time of this shift is in dispute.  Solar Fire, an astrology software program used by many professional astrologers (including me) lists the entry of Regulus into Virgo in early 2011 – others say that this shift will occur in 2012, conveniently linking the transition of Regulus to the 2012 hysteria.  In any case, a shift of this magnitude typically doesn’t happen overnight but occurs slowly over time.

Leo is a “masculine” sign – yang and full of energy and enthusiasm, it tends to be concerned with issues of power and dominance and much more forceful than Virgo.  Virgo is much more reticent and desirous of order and safety, so the movement of Regulus into Virgo could change the way in which the Earth has been ruled for the past 2000 years.  Virgo is said to be a “feminine” sign, yin and receptive, so it was interesting to see that in Britain the law of succession may be changed so that women who are the first born can inherit the crown, even if there are male heirs.

All of this occurs under the larger umbrella of the shift into the Aquarian Age, but it does add an interesting layer of changing focus to be studied.