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3. Spiritual Effects of the Zodiacal Constellations. - Part 7

It is not my intention here to indicate the solution of the problem of sex. Humanity will inevitably work it out as the aeons slip away and as the herd instinct gives place to the premeditated and self-conscious attitudes of the aspirant and the intelligentsia. I would remind you, however, that the herd instinct in relation to sex has its basis either in normal and natural animal instinctual desire or in emotional attitudes, and of these the last category are by far the worst and carry with them by far the more deep-seated seeds of trouble. They range all the way from the stage of free love and a general promiscuity to the orthodox narrow and bigoted Christian angle, as that is normally understood though not in the sense in which Christ viewed life. This narrow viewpoint and the normal Anglo-Saxon attitude (an outcome of the teaching of the Middle Ages) regard sex as unusually sinful, ever undesirable, and as something to be lived down and overcome, and kept secretly in the background of the Christian consciousness, where it is hidden as a prurient mystery. This again is due to the influence of St. Paul but not to the teaching of Christ.

From these attitudes, there has been a violent reaction which is today at its height and this, in its turn, is both undesirable and dangerous, as are all violent reactions, for the one is as untrue as the other; it is at the centre of the Scales or at the hub of the wheel that the true perspective and indicated action can be seen correctly. When the basic "sex" relation is finally established and soul and body (negative and positive) are permanently related in the lives of the world aspirants, then we shall see the right handling of the [235] world teaching on the subject of physical sex. This teaching will come from the merging and synthesis of the best views of all the spiritually minded teachers in both hemispheres, embodying the experience of the East and of the West, and of the mystical and the scientific approaches to a mystery which is both physical (requiring scientific understanding) and mystical (requiring spiritual interpretation). It will involve the aid and conclusions of the medical profession in order to give the needed wise, physical instruction and the aid also of the cultural knowledge of the yogis of India in connection with the energy flowing through the centres—in this case the sacral centre. Finally, through the intelligent activity of the judicial and legal-minded men of the world, the search for a balanced and desirable point of view will come to an end. Out of the many sexual experiments now going on, the coming generation will arrive at a point of balance and then, as a consequence, they will tip the scales in the desired and desirable direction. Of this there is no question of doubt; there is only the point in time and this will be astrologically determined. Through the legal minds and through right legislation, sex will be seen eventually to be a proper and divine function and will then be safeguarded by right education of the young and the ignorant, and the right action of the young and highly intelligent emerging generation—the children and babies of today.

The teaching of wrong sexual habits, the example of widespread prostitution (I use this word in connection with men as well as women), the growth of homosexuality (not in its rare physiological forms and predispositions but from the angle of a perverted mentality and an unwholesome imagination, which today lie behind so much of its expression), the narrow-minded Christian inheritance of a "guilt [236] complex" where sex is concerned, and the heritage of diseased and over-or under-sexed physical bodies, have brought the race to its present chaotic and unintelligent handling of the important problem. The solution will not be found through religious pronouncements, based upon an outworn theory, or through physiological inhibition or legalised license; neither will it come through legislation, inspired by various schools of thought in any community or nation. It will be the result of the united activity of the spiritually minded consciousness, the judicial attitude, the intellectual perception and the steady urge of the evolutionary process. Nothing can prevent the inevitability of the solution and the appearance of desirable attitudes and conditions wherein sex can find right expression.

Libra, as you know, governs the legal profession and holds the balances between so-called right and wrong, between negative and positive and also between East and West. This last point of adjustment may seem to you to be a meaningless phrase, but when the true and right relationship is established between the orient and the occident (which is not yet the case) it will come about through the activity of Libra and the work of the legal profession.

Libra has been the "sponsor of the law." Legislation has hitherto been engrossed with the enforcing of those negations and those attitudes of fear which have been preserved for us in the Mosaic code and imposed through the medium of punishment for infringement. This has been a probably necessary stage for child races and for the preservation of a "nursery regime" for men. But mankind is reaching maturity and a different interpretation of the purposes and intents of Libra through the medium of law is now required. The law must become the custodian of a positive righteousness and not simply the instrument of enforcement. [237] Just as we are attempting to eliminate force out of our national relationships, and just as it is obvious today that the process of drastic penalties has not succeeded in preventing crime or in deterring people from violent selfishness (for that is what all crime is), and just as the social attitude (in contradistinction to the anti-social position of all law-breakers) is being regarded as desirable and taught in our schools, so it is beginning to dawn upon the public consciousness that the inculcation of right relations and the spread of self-control and the growth of unselfishness (and these surely are the goal, subjective and oft unrealised, of all legal procedure) are the needed approach to the young.

The influence of Libra should be imposed in childhood along spiritual lines. Crime will be stamped out when the environing conditions in which children live are bettered, when physical attention is given in the early formative years to glandular balance as well as to teeth and eyes and ears, to right posture and correct feeding, and when there is also a more proper apportionment of time; when esoteric psychology and esoteric astrology give their contribution of knowledge to the bringing up of young people. The old methods must give way to the new and the conservative attitude must be dropped in favour of religious, psychic and physical training and experiment, scientifically applied and mystically motivated. When I say religious, I do not refer to doctrinal or theological teaching. I mean the cultivation of those attitudes and conditions which will evoke reality in man, bring the inner spiritual man to the foreground of consciousness and thus produce the recognition of God Immanent.

I must write no more along these lines. I have enlarged somewhat upon sex and the judicial system as they are both [238] ruled and conditioned by Libra and this will be increasingly the case. The subject is too vast and too important for me to do more than indicate lines of approach. A cursory handling of the problem is of no real usefulness. In this transition period through which the world is now passing and in this interlude between two activities—that of the Piscean Age which is passing and that of Aquarius which is coming in—Libra will eventually rule, and the end of this century will see the influence of Libra steadily coming into pronounced control and into a position of power in the planetary horoscope. There is, therefore, no need for real anxiety.

A certain relationship or configuration of stars—of which one is the star Regulus, in Leo—will bring about a situation wherein the re-orientation of the attitude of the legal profession will take place; its functions and duties will be centralised for the purpose of world usefulness, and in this process legislation for children will assume great importance and be the motivating power. This legal step will be primarily advocated by Russia and endorsed by the United States of America. Before 2035 A.D. such legislation will be universal in its sphere of influence and control.

All this will come about because Libra rules the present interlude and might be regarded as "the master of no-man's land," as one of the Masters of the Wisdom called it lately.

A study of The Bhagavad Gita and of Arjuna's problem when he sat down in despair between the two opposing armies will be found most illuminating in connection with Libra. The great battle which is related in that ancient scripture of India really took place in the first instance in mid-Atlantean days and in the sign Libra. The major conflict of this present, Aryan period is being waged upon a higher turn of the spiral and is under the influence of Scorpio. [239] That in the past prepared the world probationary disciple, humanity, for the path of true discipleship. That in the present is preparing the world disciple to take initiation. During the vast interim between the Atlantean decisive happening and the present time, a great re-orientation upon the wheel of life has taken place; since then, several million men have passed from Scorpio into Libra (symbolically speaking) and there have been "weighed in the balances" and have afterwards refocussed their desire life towards spiritual aspiration and reinforced their determination to move forward and thus have returned into Scorpio upon the reversing wheel. Ponder upon this thought, for this constitutes the real problem for the masses of intelligent men at this time.

As you already know, Libra is one of the four arms of the Cardinal Cross. This accounts for our difficulty in understanding the real nature of its influence. The significance of the energies working out into our solar system through the medium of the four arms of this Cross, or from the four constellations, Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, can be summed up in the four words: Creation, Manifestation, Legislation and Initiation. Having given you these words, their very scope and meaning make it hard for you to understand.

Cosmically, they mean the activity of Deity when spirit and matter are brought into a definite relationship and, under divine purpose, produce that fusion of living energies which will be adequately potent in time and space to bring that purpose to its desired consummation. This is Creation, or Aries in activity. They mean also the objective appearing of the thoughtform which God has thus created and in which is embodied His desire, His will, His purpose and His plan. This is Manifestation, or Cancer in activity. They mean again the working out of the plan under [240] spiritual and natural law which is evolutionary in expression; this is the goal of evolution and its expression and is steadily revealing the nature of God, for the laws under which this solar system of ours is governed are expressions of God's quality and character. This is Legislation, or Libra in activity. They mean, finally, the processes of initiation wherein, step by step and stage by stage, under law and through the method of gained experience whilst in manifestation, the creative plan is realised in consciousness. The unfoldment of the plan is thus carried forward through a progressed series of beginnings, of manifestations, and of consummations—all relative in nature but leading to an absolute consummation. This is Initiation, or activity in Capricorn. All this is on a somewhat vast and incomprehensible scale as far as the human understanding is concerned.

But consciousness and understanding of the larger purpose which lies behind the more exoteric intent of the unfoldment of the consciousness in this solar system, in the planet and in man, has to be grasped eventually towards the final stages of the evolutionary process. When this understanding unfolds, then man becomes an initiate, vacates his position upon the Fixed Cross and begins the relatively slow process of mounting the Cardinal Cross. Then he becomes a cooperator in the great creative process and purpose. He begins to create his own body of expression upon the Cardinal Cross and the impulse of Aries begins to appear to him. As yet he understands it not. He manifests consciously in the world that which he intends to carry forward and Cancer then reveals to him its secret. He becomes his own legislator, ruling his conduct wisely, controlling his impulses intellectually and then Libra enables him to balance the material and the spiritual law. When he has done all this, [241] he discovers himself ready to enter into new and deeper experiments (should I call them experiences?) and as a participator in the divine plan and as a cooperator in the divine purpose, he then becomes his own initiator and is thus ready to take initiation. Such are the paradoxes of the spiritual life. But the secret of the Cardinal Cross is revealed only to the man who has mounted the Fixed Cross and gone through its fourfold experience. It is not possible to say more than what I have said.

Libra is an air sign; there are three air signs in the zodiac and their inter-relation makes a most interesting study and well worth the close investigation of the student as are all these major triplicities. Each of these signs is to be found in one or other of the three Crosses:

1. Gemini, the Twins........................

Mutable Cross...........

Duality.

2. Libra, the Balances.....................

Cardinal Cross..........

Equilibrium.

3. Aquarius, the Water-Carrier........

Fixed Cross..............

Initiation.

These three, therefore, stand for duality—sensed, overcome and resolved into the synthesis of the great World Server, identified with the Heavenly Man and bringing his contribution, wrested in his experience upon the wheel of life from the sum total of energy, to the service of the Whole. Forget not that initiation is but another name for synthesis and fusion.

From another angle, you have:

1. Gemini, the Twins.......................

Mind..........................

Cause of duality.

2. Libra, the Balances.....................

Supermind................

Cause of synthesis.

3. Aquarius, the Water-Carrier........

Universal Mind.........

Soul.

These three signs are pre-eminently signs of the Mind of God as it expresses itself through man; the lower mind dominates at first, causing the recognition of the Self and the Not-Self, or the essential dualism which underlies all manifestation; the higher mind, however, steadily increases [242] its power and control, producing the balancing of the pairs of opposites through the illumination which it brings to the lower mind, and then the Soul, the eternal Son of Mind, becomes the ultimate synthesis, focussing and relating the universal mind to the two lower aspects of the Mind of God.

These hints should serve to show you one of the great inter-relations which exist between the three Crosses, and with these we shall later deal when discussing them in greater detail in another part of this section on esoteric astrology.

It is interesting that in the note to Tabulation V both Libra and Gemini are omitted from the list. This is not an oversight but a point of true significance and an omission warranting recognition. This omission is based on two facts: First, that there was a time, as you have heard, when there were only ten signs, and in those ancient days as in the present time, there was a divergence of opinion among the astrological scientists; they differed as to which the ten signs might be and in this connection there were several schools of thought, but mainly two of importance. One group fused or made one sign out of Leo-Virgo and perpetuated their belief in the Sphinx; the other omitted Gemini and Libra altogether. They were of an earlier date than the latter who in reality had a zodiac of eleven signs. This is a fact of importance to you today. The other point of note and of a relative importance is that Gemini and Libra are the two strictly human signs; they are the signs of the ordinary man. Gemini upon the Mutable Cross stands for man's humanity, whilst Libra upon the Cardinal Cross rules man's subjective and spiritual life. The other signs in their consummation carry man beyond the stage of [243] ordinary humanity and produce the following states of consciousness:

1. Aries and Virgo.—The Cosmic Christ. Universal and individual.

2. Taurus and Pisces.—The world Saviours; i.e., Buddha and Christ.

3. Leo and Aquarius.—The world Servers; i.e., Hercules.

4. Sagittarius and Capricorn.—The world Initiates; i.e., Masters.

5. Cancer and Scorpio.—The triumphant Disciples.

The emphasis, however, on Gemini and Libra as far as humanity is concerned is on human attainment and achieving the point of balance before the other attainments become possible.

It is also peculiarly instructive to study the rulers of this sign. From the angle of orthodox astrology, Venus rules Libra, whilst—esoterically speaking—Uranus rules. Saturn is the ruler in this sign of that stupendous Creative Hierarchy which is one of the three major groups of Builders, forming part of the third aspect of divinity; Their goal is the giving of form to the Sons of Mind and thereby offering opportunity for sacrifice and service. A study of the relation of this Hierarchy to that of the human egos, the fourth Creative Hierarchy, will prove most illuminating and is handled somewhat in my earlier Treatise on Cosmic Fire. The nature and purpose of the three rulers will emerge with clarity if this is done.

This sign is consequently closely connected with the third aspect of the Godhead and hence it is a governing sign and a major conditioning factor where Law, Sex and Money are concerned. Ponder on this. All the three divine aspects [244] in themselves are triune and manifest in three manners or through three lesser aspects and this third aspect is no exception to this rule underlying all the triplicities which condition the processes of evolution and manifestation. It is through a study of Libra that light upon the third aspect will come. The first aspect of will or power expresses itself in this sign as Law, as legislation, legality, justice; the second aspect manifests as the relation between the pairs of opposites (of which the scales are the symbol) and upon the physical plane shows itself as Sex; the third aspect demonstrates as concretised energy and this we call Money. It is literally gold and this is the externalised symbol of that which is created by the bringing together of spirit and matter upon the physical plane. The third aspect is, as you know, the creator aspect and the energy which produces the outer tangible plane of manifestation—the form side of life.

If students will, therefore, make a careful study of these three—law, sex and money—as they express themselves today and as they can express themselves in the future, they will have a picture of physical human achievement and of future spiritual expression which will be instructive and most worthwhile. The whole process is accounted for by the activity of the three rulers of Libra: Venus, Uranus and Saturn.

Venus rules in Taurus, Libra and Capricorn, and is the source of the intelligent mind, acting either through desire (in the early stages) or love (in the later stages). In Taurus, this means the mind expressing itself through intelligent desire, for that is the goal of knowledge for ordinary man. In Libra, the point of balance or equilibrium is attained between material personal desire and intelligent spiritual love, for the two qualities of cosmic desire are [245] brought to the fore in the consciousness in Libra and balanced one against the other. In Capricorn, it stands for spiritual love, expressing itself perfectly when the work in Taurus and Libra has been accomplished. Thus can the golden thread of evolutionary progress be traced throughout the zodiacal path from sign to sign, and thus the history of humanity can be seen and its goal visioned. At some later date, the same golden thread can be traced in connection with the other kingdoms in nature, but the time is not yet and such a theme would prove profitless and unimportant. When, however, the consciousness of man is opened up in such a manner that it can register that which is proceeding and taking place in the three lower kingdoms in nature, then further light and information will be given. This will take place in a period of human history when Libra is dominant and the three divine aspects of the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, the Creator—law, sex and money—will give the clue to the three lower kingdoms. Law, natural law (the externalisation of the subjective spiritual law) will give the clue to the animal kingdom; sex or the consciousness of affinity will reveal the mystery of the vegetable kingdom; money will unveil the secret of the mineral kingdom and all this will come about through the activity of Venus and when this activity in the three signs of Taurus, Libra and Capricorn is better understood. This I shall further elucidate when we come to study the Science of Triangles at a later date. Suffice it to say here that each of these three signs is related to one of these three aspects of divine life:

1. Taurus—animal kingdom—law—natural law.

2. Libra—vegetable kingdom—sex—natural affinity.

3. Capricorn—mineral kingdom—money—concrete expression of the Law of Supply,

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and all these form a triangle with Libra at the apex and dominating.

Uranus is the esoteric ruler and is of supreme importance in this sign for the seventh ray works through this planet and is the embodiment of the principle of concretion and the materialising of that which is in need of objective manifestation, through the bringing together of spirit and matter. It is here that the whole mystery of money lies hid and the creation and production of money. I would like here to point out to you that it is with the third aspect of divinity and the third aspect alone that the creative process is concerned. It is through the relation of the three aspects of the third divine manifestation—law, affinity and concretised energy—that money is created.

It is here that many mystics and world servers prove futile. They work from far too high a level and from the standpoint of spiritual incentive. They normally and naturally (because that is where their focus of consciousness is placed) work from the standpoint of the second aspect, whereas it is the third aspect (equally divine and equally important) which must be invoked and evoked. Ponder upon these words. It is not the bringing together of spirit and matter as occultism understands those terms but the relating of physical need and physical supply and the bringing together of two tangibles through the power of the creative imagination. It is for this reason that so many schools of thought prove so successful in materialising that which is required and why other schools of thought so signally fail. They work from too high a plane and have not the ability to carry through. I have here given you hints which can be fruitful of result if interpreted correctly and acted upon from right motive, in group formation and with selfless purpose.

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Through this planet, Uranus, Libra is related also to Aries and Aquarius and it is through Uranus that the great pair of opposites, Aries-Libra, are brought into touch with each other in a very deep sense. Through its activity, an intense interplay takes place, making for the attainment of equilibrium in Libra of that which had its beginning in Aries. Aries, Libra and Aquarius constitute therefore another triangle of power which must later be considered; these triangles will, as I have earlier hinted, dominate the new astrology in a most interesting manner and condition the charts of those whose horoscopes are being considered.

Libra is related, therefore, to five signs of the zodiac—Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Capricorn and Aquarius.

1. Aries........

Beginning....

Creation.......

Evolution.

2. Taurus......

Desire.........

Incentive......

Progress.

3. Gemini.....

Duality........

Condition.....

Interplay.

4. Capricorn..

Synthesis...

Initiation.......

Attainment.

5. Aquarius...

Objective...

Inclusion......

Service.

This relation is established by the three rulers: Venus, Uranus and Saturn. These five, with Libra at the point of balance, create one of the six-pointed stars of evolution and also bring into relation with them three planets which are peculiarly concerned with the expression of the Christ consciousness in the world. These three planets are (through the rays of which they are the medium) all to be found upon the first major line of force, the line of will or power and of purpose and visioned goal.

1. Uranus.—7th Ray of Ceremonial Magic. God the Father. He who relates. The Source of Duality. He who perceives the end from the beginning. Spiritual consciousness.

Intuition to Inspiration.

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2. Venus.—5th Ray of Mind. God the Son. The Son of Mind. He who includes. Egoic consciousness.

Intellect to Intuition.

3. Saturn.—3rd Ray of Intelligence. God the Holy Spirit. He who knows. Mind. Human Consciousness.

Instinct to Intellect.

It is for this basic reason—founded upon the above triple relationship—that Libra is the "point of balance" in the zodiac. In most of the other constellations, at some stage or other, there comes a "point of crisis" wherein the effect of the energy pouring through the sign (via the ruling planets) to man is at its highest point of effectiveness. This in time precipitates the crisis which is required to release the man from the planetary influences which condition his personality and bring him more definitely and consciously under the influence of the sign of the zodiac. But in Libra there is no such point of crisis any more than there is in Aries. There is only the interlude of balance as a prelude to a more effective and sensitive progress upon the path. It is the same in Aries. As it is esoterically said: "Before creation, silence and the stillness of a focussed point." This applies to both Aries and Libra—the one in a cosmic and creative sense and the other in an individual and progressive evolutionary sense.

The following planets and their rays govern the Cardinal Cross of which Libra is one of the points:

1. Mars........

6th Ray......

Idealism...Devotion...Struggle.

2. Mercury...

4th Ray......

Harmony through Conflict.

3. Uranus....

7th Ray......

Ceremonial Order, Law or Magic.

4. Venus......

5th Ray......

Concrete Knowledge or Science.

5. Saturn.....

3rd Ray......

Active Intelligence.

6. Neptune..

6th Ray......

Idealism...Devotion...Struggle.

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Here we have six planets and five rays of energy and the expression of the two lines of spiritual energy; Love-Wisdom in two of the rays and planets, and three of the rays and planets upon the first major stream of energy, will or power. You will note how three of these rays definitely predispose the Libran subject to concrete understanding, to intelligent will and to knowledge: the first ray (functioning through the 3rd and 5th rays) the fifth ray and the third ray. Hence the effectiveness of Libra upon the physical plane and the power of the developed Libran to project the inner spiritual purpose or intended will into physical expression. An instance of a person, equipped to do this, can be seen in H. P. Blavatsky.

In this sign, Saturn is exalted for—at the point of balance—opportunity comes and a situation is staged which makes a choice and a determination inevitable. It is a choice which has to be made intelligently and upon the physical plane, in the waking brain consciousness. It is only now that the full purpose and the work of Saturn for humanity can reach a point of group usefulness, for it is only now that humanity has reached a point of general and widespread intelligence which can make any choice a definite conscious act, entailing responsibility. Prior to the present time, only a few pioneering disciples and a handful of intelligent people could be regarded as freely choosing at the "point of balance" the way that they intend "to tip the scales." Today, there are countless numbers and hence the intense activity of Saturn as we enter into the first decan of Aquarius and hence the same activity because humanity itself now stands upon the probationary path. This, Libra governs and controls, therefore the path of choices, of deliberately applied purificatory measures and the turning point [250] before Scorpio, which governs the path of discipleship, can properly play its part.

The power of Mars is lessened in Libra; this is the sign of interlude and Mars is temporarily quiescent, prior to gathering his forces for a renewed effort in Scorpio or for the "quickening" of the spiritual life in Virgo, according to which way the wheel is turning for the man.

The Sun "falls" in this sign because again neither the personality nor the soul dominates in the man who is a pure Libran; a balance is achieved and thus they esoterically "tune each other out." Neither the voice of the personality nor of the soul is heard particularly but, as the Old Commentary puts it, "a gentle oscillation now proceeds. No strident note is heard; no violent colouring of the life affects (I know not how else to translate the original phrases) and no upsetting of the chariot of the soul." The significance of the place of the planets in this sign will emerge clearly in your consciousness when you study them with care and the meaning of Libra will become definitely formulated in your mind. The characteristics of this sign are not easy to define or comprehend because they are in reality the synthesis of all past qualities and achievements and any clear presentation of the pairs of opposites is difficult to get. As regards man upon the probationary path or upon the verge of treading it, it might be said that his characteristics and qualities in this sign are:

BALANCE OF THE OPPOSITES IN LIBRA 

Fickleness and variability.................

A secure and settled position.

Imbalance........................................

Balance.

Bias. Prejudice................................

Justice.  Judgment.

Dull stupidity....................................

Enthusiastic wisdom.

Untrue, showy outer form life..........

True correct expression.

Intrigue............................................

Straightforward conduct.

Materialistic attitudes......................

Spiritual attitudes.

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It is the balancing between the pairs of opposites which makes the man in Libra sometimes difficult to understand; he appears to vacillate but never for long and often unnoticeably, for there is always the final balancing of the qualities with which he is equipped.

The rulers of the decanates in this sign are again dual in their presentation by different schools of astrologers. Sepharial gives us the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter, whilst Alan Leo posits the controlling planets as Venus, Saturn and Mercury. In this case, as in some others, the truth lies between the two or in a combination of both. The true rulers of the decanates in Libra are Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury. I need not enlarge upon their effect except to point out that the result of the Jupiterian influence is to "open the door of the womb" in Virgo—a planet which we shall consider when we study that sign of the zodiac, which is our next undertaking.

The words or keynotes of this sign are so clear and plain that any elucidation of mine would serve but to confuse the issue. They speak straight to the heart and without obscurity. To the average man with no developed spiritual consciousness, the word goes forth again and again throughout the aeons: "And the Word said: Let choice be made." The response eventually comes back as a result of the evolutionary process and from the soul: "I choose the way which leads between the two great lines of force."

VIRGO, THE VIRGIN

The sign Virgo is one of the most significant in the zodiac for its symbology concerns the whole goal of the evolutionary process which is to shield, nurture and finally [252] reveal the hidden spiritual reality. This every form veils, but the human form is equipped and fitted to manifest it in a manner different to any other expression of divinity and so make tangible and objective that for which the whole creative process was intended. Gemini and Virgo are closely related but Gemini presents the pairs of opposites—soul and body—as two separate entities whereas in Virgo, they are blended and of great and supreme importance to each other; the mother protects the germ of the Christ life; matter guards, cherishes and nurtures the hidden soul. The keynote which embodies the truth as to the mission of Virgo most accurately is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." There is no clearer or more adequate definition of this sign than that; I would have you bear it in mind throughout our discussion upon this sixth sign of the zodiac (or the seventh if one is not considering the reversed wheel).

In all the great world religions, the Virgin Mother appears and this a study of any book upon comparative religion would prove. I cannot trace for you at length this universal recognition of the task of Virgo; it is needless for me to do so as it has been adequately done by many research scholars. I would, however, point out that four of the names whereby the Virgin is called are familiar to all of us, and tell us much as a whole concerning the form nature of which the Virgin is the symbol. The word Virgo itself is a descendant of and a corruption of an ancient Atlantean root name which was applied to the mother principle in those far off times. This Virgin was the founder of the matriarchate which then dominated civilisation and to which various myths and legends bear evidence and which have come down to us concerning Lilith, the last of the Virgin Goddesses of Atlantean times; the same thought is also to be found in the traditionary accounts of the ancient [253] Amazons, whose queen Hercules defeated, wresting from her what he sought. This is an allegory, teaching the emergence of the spiritual man from the control of matter. Three of these goddesses are Eve, Isis, and Mary. They are of peculiar and significant importance where our civilisation is concerned for they embody in themselves the symbology of the entire form nature, which, when integrated and functioning as a whole person, we call the personality. This personality is (as far as humanity is concerned) the developed and qualified expression of the third aspect of divinity, that of God the Holy Spirit, the active intelligent and nurturing principle of the universe. This aspect we shall study in Leo and see there the unfoldment of that self-conscious entity and personality which in Virgo becomes the mother of the Christ child. Eve is the symbol of the mental nature, and of the mind of man attracted by the lure of knowledge to be gained through the experience of incarnation. Eve, therefore, took the apple of knowledge from the serpent of matter and started the long human undertaking of experiment, experience and expression which was initiated—from the mental angle—in our Aryan times. Isis stands for this same expression down on to the emotional or astral plane. Eve has no child in her arms; the germ of the Christ life is as yet too small to make its presence felt; the involutionary process is yet too close; but in Isis the midway point is reached; the quickening of that which is desired (the Desire of all nations, as it is called in the Bible) has taken place and Isis consequently stands in the ancient zodiacs for fertility, for motherhood and as the guardian of the child. Mary carries the process down to the plane or place of incarnation, the physical plane, and there gives birth to the Christ child. In these three Virgins and these three Mothers of the Christ, you have the history [254] of the formation and the function of the three aspects of the personality through which the Christ must find expression. The sign of Virgo itself stands for a synthesis of these three feminine aspects—Eve, Isis and Mary. She is the Virgin Mother, providing that which is needed for the mental, emotional and physical expression of the hidden but ever present divinity. These three expressions are brought to the needed perfection in Leo, the sign of the individual, developed self-consciousness and personality unfoldment.

Virgo is, therefore, the opposite pole of spirit and stands for the relation of these two after they have been brought together originally in Aries and have produced a recognised duality in Gemini.

I would here remind you of something which may at first serve to add to the possible confusion already existing in your minds but which lies behind all that I have given you. We have talked of the two ways of proceeding around the zodiac:—the ordinary way from Aries to Taurus, via Pisces, and the esoteric way from Aries to Pisces, via Taurus. These refer to human evolution, which is the only one which we are considering in this treatise. But in the major involutionary cycle which concerns the mass movement of spirit-matter, and not the individualised progress of man, the movement is from Aries to Pisces, via Taurus. The secret of the original sin of man is hidden in this truth, for a wrong orientation took place at one stage in human history and the human family went—as a whole—against the normal zodiacal current, so to speak, and it is only upon the path of discipleship that right orientation is achieved and humanity swings into the correct rhythm of progress. I would ask you, therefore, to differentiate between the involutionary process which affects the great Creative Hierarchies [255] and the evolutionary processes which affect the fourth Creative Hierarchy, the human. This, however, we are not really in a position to study, because when the evolutionary cycle is upon us, we ourselves are too closely identified with the process to be able to distinguish clearly between the cosmic Self and Not-self; we are only as yet learning to distinguish the Self and the Not-self on a tiny scale in connection with our own unfoldment. It is only when we are identified with the Hierarchy of our planet and with that centre of spiritual force which it is the immediate objective of those upon the path of discipleship to contact that it becomes possible for us to grasp—on the evolutionary arc—those broad outlines and those major sweeps of divine energy which are present upon the involutionary arc. It is for this reason that a study of the zodiac in connection with the subhuman kingdoms of nature is not as yet possible.

Virgo is, therefore, the cosmic mother because she represents cosmically the negative pole to positive spirit; she is the receptive agent where the Father aspect is concerned. In a previous solar system, this matter aspect was the supreme controlling factor, just as in this solar system it is the soul or the Christ principle which is of paramount importance. Virgo is, from certain angles, quite the oldest of all the signs, which is a statement I am quite unable to prove to you. In that first system, the faint symptoms (if I may use such a word) of the duality which is a proven fact in this system are to be found, and this truth is preserved for us in the words that "the Holy Spirit overshadowed the Virgin Mary." The life of the third divine aspect played then upon the ocean of quiescent matter and prepared that substance (over untold aeons) for its work in this solar system. It is in this system that the Christ Child, the expression [256] of the divine consciousness and the result of the relationship of Father-Spirit and Mother-Matter, must he brought to the birth.