According to Sri Yukteswar this Great Cycle has a duration of 24,000 years and corresponds to the twelve zodiac signs. Therefore, the influence of each zodiac sign lasts for about 2,000 years. Modern astrologers and astronomers believe that this Great Cycle has a duration of about 26,000 years. MCKS would take the opinion of Sri Yukteswar more seriously than that of the modern astrologers or astronomers, since he is a great yogi, a great sage and a great seerer.

The following materials, computations and numbers are based on information provided by Sri Yukteswar in his book, The Holy Science, from page 3 to page 20.

As stated earlier, from the lowest point of the Dark Age to the highest point of the Golden Age takes 12,000 years. This is called the ascending arc. The ascending arc is divided into four periods.

The Dark Age is called Kali Yuga. Since it is on the ascending phase it is called Ascending Kali Yuga, which has a duration of 1,200 years. The initial ascending age which corresponds to the Lower Mental Ascending Age is called the Ascending Dwapara Yuga. It has a duration of 2,400 years. Then the Ascending Higher Mental Age is called Ascending Treta Yuga, which has a duration of 3,600 years. Finally, the Golden Age.

The Golden Age corresponds to the Spiritual Age and is called Satya Yuga.

Since it is on the ascending phase it is called Ascending Satya Yuga, which has a duration of 4,800 years. The total duration of these four yugas is 12,000 years.

The Descending Golden Age or Descending Satya Yuga Age has a duration of 4,800 years. Then it is the Descending Higher Mental Age or Descending Treta Yuga, which has a duration of 3,600 years.

Next, the Descending Lower Mental Age or Descending Dwapara Yuga has a duration of 2,400 years. Finally, the horrible Dark Age, this is called the Descending Kali Yuga which has a duration of 1,200 years. The four descending yugas have a duration of 12,000 years.

The Golden Age is divided into two parts. The Ascending Golden Age lasts for 4,800 years. The Descending Golden Age or Descending Satya Yuga has a duration of 4,800 years. The entire Golden Age or the entire Satya Yuga has a duration of 9,600 years. It is easier to achieve oneness with the higher soul, even up to achieving God realization during the Golden Age or Satya Yuga.

The Higher Mental Age or Treta Yuga is divided into two phases, the descending phase and the ascending phase, each with a duration of 3,600 years. The Lower Mental Age is also divided into two phases, the ascending phase and the descending phase, each with a duration of 2,400 years.

The Dark Age or Kali Yuga is divided into two phases, the Ascending Kali Yuga and the Descending Kali Yuga, each with a duration of 1,200 years. The entire Dark Age or the entire Kali Yuga has a duration of 2,400 years. The way to overcome the influence of the Kali Yuga or the Dark Age is to encourage the entire population to do yogic meditation or the Meditation on Twin Hearts. If this is done, the impact of the Kali Yuga or Dark Age will be substantially minimized.

The Meditation on Twin Hearts activates the heart chakra and the crown chakra. The activation of the crown chakra increases the degree of spiritual oneness. Kali Yuga has an effect only on people who are not spiritually developed or whose crown chakras are not significantly active. A yogi in a state of spiritual oneness is not substantially affected by the farther distance from the center of the galaxy.

According to Sri Yukteswar, the lowest point of the Dark Age was in about 500 A.D. (The Holy Science, page 13)

The Descending Dark Age started in 700 B.C., with its lowest point in 500 A.D. when the sun is farthest from the center of the galaxy. This is the descending phase of the Dark Age or the Descending Kali Yuga. This period encompasses 1,200 years of Aries and reaches the start of the Age of Pisces.

The Ascending Dark Age or Ascending Kali Yuga lasted from 500 A.D. to 1,700 A.D., encompassing 1,200 years of Pisces.

The Ascending Lower Mental Age or Ascending Dwapara Yuga started from 1,700 A.D. to 4,100 A.D. This yuga will encompass 800 years of Pisces and 1,600 years of Aquarius.

The Ascending Higher Mental Age or Higher Treta Yuga will start from 4,100 A.D. to 7,700 A.D. This will encompass 400 years of the Aquarian Age, 2,000 years of the Age of Capricorn and 1,200 years the Age of Sagittarius.

The Ascending Golden Age or the Ascending Satya Yuga will start from 7,700 A.D. to 12,500 A.D. when the sun is nearest the center of the galaxy. This will encompass 800 years of Sagittarius, 2,000 years of Scorpio and 2,000 years of Libra.

The Descending Golden Age or the Descending Satya Yuga will start from 12,500 A.D. to 17,300 A.D. This will encompass 2,000 years of Virgo and 2,000 years of Leo, and 800 years of Cancer.

The Descending Treta Yuga starts from 17,300 A.D. to 20,900 A.D. and will encompass 1,200 years of Cancer, 2,000 years of Gemini and 400 years of Taurus.

The remaining Descending Dwapara Yuga will start from 20,900 A.D. to 23,300 A.D. and will encompass 1,600 years of Taurus and 800 Aries.

The Descending Kali Yuga will start from 23,300 A.D. to 24,500 A.D. This will encompass 1,200 years of Aries.

On the ascending arc, there are four yugas. On the descending arc, there are another four yugas. Technically there are a total of 8 yugas.