As a cycle, some believe that "Man" goes through four eons or "ages". This is illustrated:
One interesting theory is that Jupiter (the planet that still radiates more energy than it takes in) was like a second sun during the Past Golden Age. The Earth never really got dark.Winter never came with snow i.e. Persephone had not yet been kidnapped by the King of the Underworld. Saturn was still golden like his unborn son would become (not leaden as father time). As the theory goes; Sol (the sun) became black in the Iron Age without the polarizing influence of the Jupiterian "sun." Today, shadows are possible...which did not occur in the golden age.
The New Golden Age can happen/is happening now with the discovery of the stone within us and with the ability to turn coins to gold. As the old alchemists pictured it, Saturn throws up the stone he has swallowed in place of his son Jupiter. It falls to earth for men to use and Saturn becomes again cured as before he begot Jupiter. Jupiter radiates as a second sun and men once more may decide what is important. Physical gold becomes less important because there is plenty for all.
People have plenty to eat, ease of life and free time to meditate and increase their understanding. Some expect that the length of life will increase to thousands of years. There won't be overpopulation because fractured spirits will rejoin and cause a "Rapture" effect as two or more people are completed and transformed into a more "whole" person who is greater that the parts.