2. Triangles of Force—Planets.
At the same time, it will be obvious to you that, in relation to these simple triangles, certain interlocking triangles also emerge, as for instance the zodiacal triangle of Leo-Pisces-Capricorn and the allied planetary triangle of Saturn-Uranus-Mercury. These two triangles pour their six streams of force into our three planetary centres at this time, vitalising and stimulating the planetary triangle of Shamballa-Hierarchy-Humanity. Behind these three stands a cosmic triangle, emanating three streams of energy which pour into and through the three lesser triangles, thus potently affecting every kingdom in nature. This cosmic triangle is that of the Great Bear—Sirius—the Pleiades. This paragraph simply summarises the preceding pages and indicates the relation between four triangles of energy.
There are one or two subsidiary points which are of interest to the esoteric astrologer and these we might briefly list in connection with these effective triangles, using the word "effective" to imply conditioning and potent in results. In this present world cycle all results are of unusual significance and also unusually emphasised in human consciousness.
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1. Saturn, through which energy flows from Leo, via Shamballa, to Humanity, governs two decanates in Capricorn. Hence its extreme potency today in the triangle of Humanity. Saturn breaks up existing conditions by the force of its energy impact, thus enabling the influence of Mercury to be more fully expressed. The vision can then be intuitively perceived when obstructions have been removed.
2. Leo is one of the birth signs of the zodiac; it connotes the birth of self-consciousness, as you know. Capricorn is also a birth sign, because it is also an aspect or one of the arms of the Cardinal Cross—the Cross of that which initiates or brings into being. This has a peculiar relation to Humanity. It is the birth of the two types of consciousness—self-consciousness and Christ consciousness—which are brought to the attention of humanity by the fact of this Leo force, pouring through Saturn to Humanity and thus bringing Shamballa and Humanity into a closer relation, via Capricorn, active through Mercury.
At this point I would like to pause for a moment and interpolate a word in answer to a perfectly normal question which is liable to arise in the minds of thinking students and aspirants today. Of what use is all this abstruse and abstract information to a world in agony and a world distressed? The major usefulness of this imparted information which will condition the astrology of the future lies far ahead in the period after the war when again the field of world service opens and men have time for thought and due reflection. World service is going on now perhaps in greater volume than ever before but it is restricted to the field of releasing from slavery and alleviation of pain [443] and suffering, and, therefore, to the more strictly physical forms of help. The service to which I here refer is that educational process which will produce the coming civilisation and its attendant culture. This will be based on all the cultural processes of the past and of the present, but will discard all that has produced the disasters of today, as far as may be possible. That means a gradual future usefulness for the knowledge of the underlying potencies, for they can indicate the lines of least resistance to the emerging good and the developing crises which inevitably lie ahead in the period of reconstruction. But one potent good can emerge even at this time from a study of these matters, provided the student of esotericism rests not content with study (using it as an escape from the disastrous present) but parallels his understanding of the causes and conditions by a strenuous effort to be of aid in a practical and a definitely physical sense.
This is the dominant emerging fact to which all that I have said bears testimony: world conditions today—precipitated as they are by human greed and ignorance—are nevertheless basically conditioned by the will-to-good which is the primary quality of the energies and forces coming forth from the great Lives in which all that exist live and move and have their being. The Law of the Universe (and what is law but the working out of the purposes of these all-embracing Lives, of Their impulses and Their plans?) is to all eternity the good of the whole and naught can arrest this happening; for who can arrest the impact of these energies which play upon and through our planet. When I say this, I would at the same time point out that the attitude of many students, inevitably participants in world events, that "such is the Law and such is the Karma of people and nations and such is the pre-determined destiny" [444] is far from right. They believe—sometimes sincerely—that all that should be done is simply to wait for results to appear and for karma and destiny to fulfil itself. Then and not till then, all will be well. But they forget that karma fulfils itself in relation to the form nature upon which it expends its energy and that where there is a static condition and a quiescent attitude, the process moves but slowly; the life then within the form fails to experience the needed, forceful awakening; inevitably then there lies ahead a repetition of the process until the time comes when activity and response is evoked. This then leads to resistance to the apparent karmic necessity and this brings about liberation. Only through resistance to evil (and in this world period and in this kali-yuga, as the Eastern teachers call it, it is an essential basic attitude) can karma be brought to an end. The law of matter still governs in the three worlds of human experience and "fire by friction" must burn up that which veils the steadily increasing brilliance of solar fire. It is the recognition of "solar fire"—as it shows itself in a transcendental idealism and radiance—by the unintelligent idealist, and his simultaneous refusal to cooperate in this period of karmic necessity, that is prolonging the difficult and cruel situation and leading him individually to sink deep into glamour. The simplification of the world's problem in terms of matter comes through a recognition of the essential dualism underlying events. I commend this thought to all students, suggesting that they base optimism on the long range vision, endorsed by the Heavens and corroborated by the activity of the stars, and thus feel sure of the ending of this immediate tragic situation.
It is interesting to note that the seventh Ray of Ceremonial Law and Order works through Uranus which is today the transmitter of Sirian force via Pisces to the Hierarchy. [445] From that "middle centre" it passes to that sensitive band of disciples, aspirants and workers to whose hearts and hands is committed the heavy task, incident to the re-organisation and the rebuilding of the shattered world structure. The seventh ray has sometimes been called a peculiar name by Knowers. It is regarded as the "Ray of Ritualistic Decency." It aids and inaugurates the appearing of a new world order, based on a spiritual drive and on aspiration, mental freedom, loving understanding and a physical plane rhythm which provides opportunity for full creative expression. To bring this about, energy from Shamballa (embodying the will-to-good) is fused and blended with the organising energy of the seventh ray and then carried to humanity along the stream of love which emanates from the Hierarchy itself. Pisces governs this effort of the Hierarchy because the highest aspect of Pisces which humanity can at this time in any way comprehend is that of Mediatorship. This is the energy of mediation, of right relationship. Today as never before the Hierarchy stands as a "mediating transmitter" between:
1. Humanity and the will of God. The revelation of the true significance and purpose of that will as it stands behind all world events is needed now as never before. This can come through a closer relation between the Hierarchy and Humanity.
2. Humanity and its karma, for it is equally essential that the laws for the transmutation of karma into active present good are clearly grasped.
3. Humanity and cosmic evil, focussed for many millenia of years in what has been called the Black Lodge. Speculation anent this Lodge and its activities is both fruitless and dangerous.
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The latter fact is responsible for the widespread attack made upon Masonry during this century. Masonry—inadequate and corrupt as it has been and guilty of over-emphasising certain forms of symbols—is nevertheless a germ or seed of future hierarchical effort when that effort is—at some later date—externalised on Earth. Masonry is governed by the seventh ray, and when certain important changes have been made and the spirit of Masonry is grasped instead of the letter, then we shall see a new form of hierarchical endeavour appear to aid in the restoration of the ancient and sacred Mysteries among men.
The energy of Uranus, pouring upon and into humanity, produces the urge to better conditions to provide better forms for the occult and esoteric life and to blend more adequately the inner and the outer man. This is one of the reasons why the Moon is spoken of so often as veiling Uranus. The Moon is frequently used as a blind when Uranus is meant. Today the Moon is a dead world and the reason is that the Uranian urge became so strong in that far distant time when there were living forms upon the Moon that it led to the complete and final evacuation of the Moon and the transfer of its life to our planet. Such a transfer is not necessary today as the consciousness of humanity is such that the needed changes can be brought about without such a drastic procedure. It is, however, this Uranian influence which lies behind the present shift of populations throughout Europe and Great Britain and which is responsible for the steady movement of peoples from East to West, from Asia to Europe in the earlier history of that continent and from Europe to the Western hemisphere in more modern times.
In the study of the interlocking of these triangles, it [447] it will become apparent to the student that the combination of the influences of Sirius, Leo and Uranus has been much needed at this time to foster and bring about those conditions which will enable mankind, under the steady influence of the Hierarchy, to take the first initiation and "give birth to the Christ," thus revealing and bringing to the light of day the inner, hidden, spiritual Man. It is in Leo that man undergoes the preparatory stages of this first initiation. He finds himself and becomes self-conscious; then he arrives at the stage of intelligent discipleship; he formulates a conscious inner programme or purpose under the steady pressure of the life of the indwelling Christ; he begins to exhaust and deny the demands and desires of the lower nature. This cycle of experience is followed by a painful life of conscious re-orientation—a cycle wherein he achieves balance and begins to "stand in spiritual Being" as a result of constant trial and testing. Finally he stands ready for the ordeal and the accolade of fire, preceding the first initiation. At that final stage, Humanity today stands. When (as is now the case) the influence of Uranus is added to the other influences and the seventh ray is at the same time entering into a major cycle of activity on the Earth, there is then present the energy needed to precipitate the crisis of initiation and produce a great rhythmic awakening. Astrologers would find it of interest to note similar combinations in the individual horoscope.
It must not be forgotten that Leo marks the height of achievement for the human soul, and this is today stimulated by the Shamballa force now flowing into the centre of humanity. This inflow will continue its critical work until in the Aquarian Age, so rapidly coming into expression, the one-pointed attitude of the Leo person (or shall I call it [448] the self-centredness?) becomes the expanded consciousness and the decentralised attitude of the Aquarian man. You can, therefore, see how full of promise is the future.
In the Aquarian Age, the power of the planet Venus becomes a dominant factor in the last decanate. This I have already told you when we were studying that sign. Upon the reversed wheel in the case of the spiritually oriented man and the disciple, it is the first decanate under whose influence he comes which is governed by Venus; this should be remembered. Venus was the planet which we are told was responsible for the appearance of the individualised consciousness in man—this in combination with other influences and forces. In the Aquarian Age, Venus will again have an analogous influence only with this difference that the emergence into manifestation of an increased individualism and self-conscious realisation will be subordinate to the appearance of the first stages of an expanded consciousness throughout all mankind—the consciousness of group responsibility. It will be perhaps better expressed as a form of group individualism.
Therefore: behind all these events, the dim outline of a lesser triangle of energy can be seen; this is a blend of the energy of three planets:
These produce a combination of the energies of
Ray 3.—Active intelligence.
Ray 7.—Ceremonial order or magic.
Ray 5.—Concrete mind.
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It can be noted how this combination of energies when playing upon Germany's soul Ray of Harmony through Conflict and her first ray personality, on the Ray of Power and the Destroyer (responsive to Shamballa) is responsible for much of the present conflict, for the reason that the reaction of that country (under the influence of its present rulers) has been in terms of the material aspect and not of the spiritual.
Students would find it useful to re-read some of the foregoing instruction anent the signs Leo-Pisces-Capricorn, so as to familiarise themselves with the nature, quality and influences which this great triangle (see page 435) expresses and through which humanity is being led at this time forward along the path of return. In this connection it is well also to remember that the series of triangles with which we have been dealing refer to and produce changes in the human consciousness. Another series of triangles was also given (on page 416) involving the Great Bear, Sirius and the Pleiades. These triangles concern the spiritual aspect of the planetary life and of humanity, as well as of the other kingdoms in nature. Humanity is of peculiar importance in relation to these triangles because it is the destiny of humanity to transmit life to the subhuman kingdoms. With these triangles of supernal forces I shall not deal because conscious response to their influence will not be possible till the time cycle of the third initiation arrives. I simply mention this influence so that you will realise that there is no real contradiction or discrepancy. Still another enumeration of the triangles of energy emanating from the three major constellations are given earlier by me (on page 435) and this again is correct and not a contradiction. In this group of three sets of triangles—making nine all told—with their interlocking analogies and lesser triangular relationships and with also their points of fusion, you have [450] held in a "mystery of potencies" the entire story—past, present and future—of human evolution. It accounts for the changing emphases of that story, its shifting kaleidoscopic pattern, its recurrent points of fusion and its steady progress, through changing process, towards an ultimate revelation.
Very briefly I would like to touch upon the fact that, as might be expected, the influences of Leo-Pisces-Capricorn which dominate the present world situation, via Shamballa, the Hierarchy and Humanity, are potent in their oft unrealised effect upon the individual people. They bring about changes in his life focus and in his centres just as they have wrought corresponding changes in the three planetary centres. In view of this certain basic ideas can here be emphasised:
1. The influence of Capricorn, via Mercury, will have a dominant effect in the human kingdom—itself a planetary centre.
2. The individual disciple will, therefore, respond to this Capricornian influence most easily. It will constitute a line of least resistance, offering opportunity, as well as the chance of possible disaster if wrongly handled. Right response will lead the disciple nearer to the door of initiation; wrong response will take him back into the depths of crystallisation and of concretion.
3. Disciples who respond to the influences above mentioned will necessarily be largely conditioned by their rays, egoic and personal. First ray disciples will, for instance, respond to the Shamballa influence, transmitted from Leo and Saturn, more easily than will second ray disciples. These will in their turn react more rapidly and consistently to the Hierarchy, transmitting energies from Pisces and Uranus.
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4. The above facts will demonstrate the nature and quality of the response of disciples on Rays 1. 3. 5. 7. and Rays 2. 4. 6. and this must always be borne in mind as being true of disciples, of all men and also of nations.
5. According to the response so will be the evocation of the activity of the centres, or a centre. But—and this is a point of major importance—all disciples must at this time seek to find their dominant reaction in a planned response to the influence of the Hierarchy and the energies transmitted by it. As a general rule, the impact of Shamballa force (particularly in the case of a disciple on Rays 1. 3. 5. 7.) will be of a personality nature. It is the stimulation of the heart centre with a consequent control of the solar plexus centre which should be the planned result. The heart must dominate the solar plexus by the withdrawing of its energies to the heart.
6. The time has not yet come when it is safe for the aspirant or the disciple to relate the head centre and the base of the spine in response to a definite and conscious appropriation of Shamballa force. Whatever may take place automatically, normally and naturally and through the development of the disciple can and should be permitted to take place, provided there is no conscious intent and that there is also a close and careful scrutiny and control of the personality life.
7. The awakening of the ajna centre with the consequent and subsequent conscious control of the throat centre must inevitably take place provided the disciple fulfils two conditions. He can then become consciously, safely and correctly creative. These two conditions are:
a. A conscious orientation towards the soul and towards the Hierarchy.
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b. A deep love for humanity, present and based on mental perception and intuitive understanding and not on emotional reaction.
8. Where the above conditions are fulfilled, then the impact of the inflowing energies will produce the required stimulation and awakening.
This is all that I have to say about the response of the centres in the human being to the activity of the planetary centres under systemic and zodiacal stimulation. I am not here writing a treatise on the individual training of the disciple but am attempting to demonstrate the fact of cosmic, zodiacal, systemic, planetary and human interplay which in its turn constitutes a great and living Whole—the life expression of a Being of Whom we only know that love and the will-to-good, expressed through the Universal Mind, are the outstanding characteristics and that these are steadily emerging into increasing radiance.