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3. Spiritual Effects of the Zodiacal Constellations. - Part 8

Another sign of the zodiac which is also closely related to the previous solar system is Cancer; it might be said that Cancer is an expression (in the stage of great advancement) of the first half of the life cycle in solar system one, whilst Virgo is an equally advanced expression of the second half. In an effort to grasp the situation, it should he remembered that the consciousness aspect, as we understand the ability to be aware, was lacking entirely except in such an embryonic manner that the whole process resembled the stage of the embryo in the womb, prior to the quickening at the middle point of the gestation process. It will, however, do none of you any harm to exert the imaginative faculty and thus get a vague and faint idea of the synthesis of the great evolutionary scheme which, in a cosmic sense, concerns the threefold personality of Deity. With this I attempted to deal in A Treatise on Cosmic Fire.

This is the sixth sign and of it the six-pointed star is the ancient symbol, portraying as it does the process of involution, and also that of evolution, carried to the point of balance, expressed for us in the relationship of Virgo to Libra. You will note, if you consult the dictionary, that astronomically Virgo is regarded as occupying the place in the heavens where Libra is to be found. This is all part of the great illusion which astrology finds hard to grasp. There is a constant moving and shifting in space; the precession of the equinoxes is both a fact and an illusion. The whole process and its interpretation is dependent upon the intellectual point in evolution of the race; the responsiveness of man to the planetary forces and to the influence of the [257] zodiacal signs is dependent upon man's vehicles of response and upon the mechanism of reception with which he enters into incarnation. The heavens, the constellations, signs and planets mean one thing to the Hierarchy and another thing to the astronomers and still another thing to the astrologers, whilst they are simply bewildering galaxies of light to the average citizen. I feel the need to remind you of this and to point out to you that astronomical facts are only relative as regards the true and factual nature of that about which scientific pronouncement is made; they are declarative of life and potency but not as science and the average man understand them. From the standpoint of esoteric truth, they are simply embodied Lives and the expression of the life, the quality, the purpose and the intent of the Beings Who have brought them into manifestation.

As you well know, Virgo is one of the four arms of the Mutable Cross, and—as you also know—the four energies which constitute this Cross (for the three Crosses are crossed streams of energy) are expressive of the whole goal of man in four definite stages. This Mutable Cross is sometimes called "the Cross of Rebirth," emphasising the constant mutation of which it is the symbol and also the "Cross of Changing Lives." It pictorially represents the four critical points or movements in the span of existence of the soul in manifestation:

I. Gemini.

1. Essential unrelated duality. The Twins.

2. Sensed and recognised duality through

a. Mass fusion in Cancer.

b. Individual consciousness in Leo.

The stage of Humanity.

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II. Virgo.

1. The period of the hidden germ of spiritual life.

2. The period of the active germ of spiritual life.

a. Gestation in the early stages.

b. The stage of quickened life.

The stage of Probation or Awakening.

III. Sagittarius.

1. Sense of duality ended. Fusion attained.

2. The one-pointed direct life.

The stage of Discipleship.

IV. Pisces.

1. Duality linked in synthesis. Compare symbols for Gemini and Pisces.

2. The emergence of the World Saviour.

The stage of Initiation.

Throughout this relation and as a result of the steady unfoldment of the soul principle runs the theme of service. In Gemini, the relation between the great duality of soul and body emerges in which, at this stage, the body or form serves the soul. In Virgo, matter or substance exchange or interchange their service and each serves the other. In Sagittarius, we find emerging the service of the One Life in terms of the service of the Hierarchy, the planetary expression of the idea of service, whilst in Pisces, there appears—as a result of the entire evolutionary process—the dedicated, trained and tested world Server or Saviour. It has been said that Virgo "involves the service of the immediately present" or in other words that God immanent evokes reaction from the form side and is thereby served.

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The three Crosses—cosmic, systemic and human—are profoundly interesting in their inter-relation; this we shall discover when we come to study with care their significance, position and energising effect in the zodiac—both upon our planet and upon each other. This we shall do in a later part of this section of the Treatise.

Virgo belongs to the earthy triplicity and an understanding of this triplicity will also be found illuminating. The three earth signs are Taurus-Virgo-Capricorn and they are related to each other in a peculiar way in connection with the non-sacred planet, our Earth. The relation with which we are concerned is that of the meeting and fusion of the energies of these three signs upon the Earth and their effect upon the kingdoms in nature which our Earth manifests. It might be said that:

1. Taurus.—Incentive behind evolution (Impulse). Desire for experience, for satisfaction.

The Light of Knowledge

2. Virgo.—Incentive behind discipleship (Goal). Desire for expression, spiritual desire.

The Hidden Light of God

3. Capricorn.—Incentive behind initiation (Service). Desire for liberation. Service desire.

The Light of Life

All these express desire as it merges into aspiration and in the process brings light and life to man. In Virgo, the purpose for which form life exists begins to be realised and the desire for personality satisfaction begins to change and the desire of man for interior recognition of the indwelling Christ begins to assume increasing control until the inner spiritual reality is eventually released from the thralldom of [260] matter and becomes manifest in its own true nature in the world. Putting the same thought in other terms, the light of knowledge of which Taurus is the custodian gives place to the light of wisdom of which Virgo is the guardian, and yields finally to the light of initiation in Capricorn. All this, however, takes place and must take place upon what is esoterically called "the radiant surface of the earth," the plane of form; the assumption or glorification of the Virgin has not yet taken place and the raising up of substance is not yet realised. It is interesting to note that Scorpio establishes the inevitability of this final assumption of matter into heaven in Capricorn, and this is pre-visioned for us in the story of Hercules in Scorpio when he raises the Hydra high above his head into the air.

Virgo symbolises depths, darkness, quiet and warmth; it is the valley of deep experience wherein secrets are discovered and eventually "brought to light"; it is the place of slow, gentle and yet powerful crises and periodic developments which take place in the dark and yet which lead to light. It is the "blinded stage" which is found in Masonic rituals and which ever precedes the gift of light. Virgo stands for the "womb of time" wherein God's plan (the mystery and the secret of the ages) is slowly matured and—with pain and discomfort and through struggle and conflict—brought into manifestation at the end of the appointed time. Today it would seem (curiously and convincingly) that we are entering into the eighth month of the gestation period; this is almost literally the case where humanity is concerned for—counting from Virgo to Aquarius, the sign into which we are now entering—we find that there are just eight signs: Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces and Aquarius, and this is surely the guarantee [261] that the birth of the new age, of the new consciousness and the new civilisation and culture is inevitable and sure.

I would like to pause here and make one point somewhat clearer in connection with the passage of human life around the zodiac. This progress or passage falls into three major divisions:

1. The passage or progress of humanity around and around the zodiac from Aries to Pisces, via Taurus, until in Virgo-Leo (for these two signs are regarded esoterically as inseparable) the mass movement releases the individual to a life of self-conscious progress and a changed mode of progression around the wheel of life. This lies far in the past.

2. The passage or progress of the individual man which runs counter to the mass advance; the individual at this stage proceeds clockwise from Aries to Taurus, via Pisces. His life is then and for long ages predominantly anti-social in the spiritual sense; he is selfish and self-centred. His efforts are for himself and for his own satisfaction and personality enterprises, and this becomes steadily stronger and stronger. This is the present situation for the masses.

3. The passage or progress of the re-oriented man from Aries to Pisces, via Taurus. In this final stage, he returns to the same directed method, rhythm and measure of the earlier mass movement but this time with changed and changing attitudes of selfless service, a personality dedicated to the service of humanity and with a voluntary re-orientation of his energies so that they are directed towards the production of synthesis and understanding. [262] This will be the situation in the future for the masses.

The astrologer of the future will have to bear these three modes of progression carefully in mind. Such is God's plan as we at present can sense it. In this plan Virgo, the Virgin, stands for the womb of time and passes the personality-soul (Leo-Virgo) through the three above stages or cycles. She stands also for the womb of form and for the nurturing mother, guarding the Christ principle within her own material substance until in "the fullness of time" she can give birth to the Christ child. There are three principal signs connected with the Christ principle in this world period:

1. Virgo.—Gestation—governing nine signs from Virgo to Capricorn, including Virgo.

2. Capricorn.—Labour—three signs from Capricorn to Pisces, until the third initiation, including Capricorn.

3. Pisces.—Birth—appearance of the world Saviour.

In the consideration of these points, another problem for astrology emerges upon which I have scarcely touched but which is determining in its results. There must be distinction made between the horoscope of the form and the horoscope of the inner, living Christ-principle. This will condition the new astrology but will be developed as astrologers work with the hypotheses which I have presented. Ponder on these facts connected with the Christ life; they are familiar to you theoretically but their implications and their esoteric meaning are abstruse and oft difficult to those who have been reared under the old order and with the old ideas and approaches to truth. They signify far more than has hitherto been grasped.

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The rulers of this sign are three in number:

1. Mercury.—This is the orthodox ruler. It signifies the versatile energy of the Son of Mind, the soul. It is interchangeable for the Sun (Son) and stands for the Mediator or intermediary, between the Father and the Mother, between Spirit and Matter, and yet is the result of the union of these two.

2. The Moon (Vulcan).—This is the esoteric ruler. The significance of this is similar to that of the orthodox ruler. The Moon (or fourth ray energy) is here seen as an expression of first ray energy, manifesting through Vulcan. The Moon rules the form and it is the will of God to manifest through the medium of form.

3. Jupiter.—This is the hierarchical ruler and rules the second Creative Hierarchy, that of the Divine Builders of our planetary manifestation. (See the tabulation re the Hierarchies.) This is the seventh Creative Hierarchy as well as the second, if the five unmanifesting Hierarchies are counted; in the significance of two and seven much of the mystery underlying these Hierarchies will be revealed.

Through these three planetary rulers the energies of the fourth ray pour, governing the mind through Mercury and the physical form through the Moon; the energies of the first ray, expressive of the will of God, begin their control of the self-conscious man (unfolded in Leo) and the energies of the second ray, embodying the love of God, pour through into manifestation. Will, love and harmony through conflict—such are the controlling forces which make man what he is and such are the governing and directing energies which use the mind (Mercury), the emotional [264] nature, love (in Jupiter) and the physical body (the Moon, or esoteric will) for purposes of divine expression and manifestation. It will be obvious to you that the task of Mercury in connection with humanity has gone forward most satisfactorily and has brought humanity to its present point of evolution upon the probationary path; that the energy of Vulcan is potently making its presence felt, and hence the struggles going on upon the planet between the men of will—selfish and ambitious—and the men of good-will who are desirous of the good of the whole. When the human Hierarchy is fully awakened to spiritual and not simply material possibilities, then the work of Jupiter will immediately intensify and this beneficent ruler will lead the human family into the ways of peace and progress.

Virgo is definitely related, through the medium of the various planetary rulers, to eight other signs of the zodiac and it is, therefore, with these eight signs that we are concerned because they produce an inter-related synthesis of nine signs (including Virgo). In this inter-related numerical synthesis and fruitful inter-relation lies hid the entire history of human progress and the secret of the process of divine manifestation. It is of value here to remember certain points which are:

1. Nine is the number of man. The fourth Creative Hierarchy is in reality the ninth, if the five unmanifested Hierarchies are included in our enumeration. The human Hierarchy is only the fourth among the seven which are in active or manifested expression.

2. Nine is the number of initiation as far as humanity is concerned. There are:

a. Five major planetary initiations which a man can take.

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b. Three systemic initiations of which Christ has two.

c. One cosmic initiation which relates a man to Sirius.

The relation of Virgo to eight signs has, therefore, a definite bearing on these matters and the nine united potencies play their part in developing the Christ life in the individual and in the mass of men.

From this group of signs and their attendant constellations, three are omitted. These are Leo, Libra and Capricorn. These three signs are all signs of crisis and indicate the progressive influence of the other nine and the situations which evolve out of their activity. They are the testing points in the process of the play of energies from the other nine signs as these energies affect individual aspirants. They are:

1. Leo.—The Crisis of Individualisation. This shows itself in two stages as:

a. Diffused inchoate power.

b. Personality integration.

It signifies the emergence of personality and preparation for the Christ experience. It is self-consciousness and the lower synthesis.

2. Libra.—The Crisis of Balance. The emergence of the sense of self-direction and equilibrium. It is the point of equilibrium between soul and form. It signifies the emergence of free choice. It is consciousness of duality and the effort to balance the two.

3. Capricorn.—The Crisis of Initiation. This exists in five stages and signifies the emergence of the dominating Christ life. It means the higher synthesis and the control [266] of the Christ consciousness which is group consciousness.

There are, therefore, nine signs through which potencies pour which are creative in their effect and which produce changes which are needed in the progress of the soul towards divine expression. You have also three signs of crisis whereby the point in evolution is determined. In this connection it should be noted that:

1. Leo-Libra-Capricorn.—Constitute the triangle of the father or will aspect; they mark points of attainment, through crisis met and triumphant achievement.

2. Cancer-Virgo-Pisces.—Constitute the triangle of the Mother or matter aspect, conditioned by intelligent activity. They indicate points of opportunity of an inner kind where consciousness is concerned, and therefore you have the recognition of mass, individual and group consciousness.

A close study of the above ideas will prove fruitful in establishing methods and relationships; they should also indicate the key which astrologers can use when seeking to work with mass horoscopes.

As we have studied these various constellations, it will have become apparent to you that the main function of the planets is to be distributing agents for the energies emanating from the zodiac as they converge within our solar system and become attracted to our planet. Students need to understand more thoroughly than they do that the basis of the astrological sciences is the emanation, transmission and reception of energies and their transmutation into forces by the receiving entity. The energies of the various signs are attracted by the different planets according to their stage [267] of development and by what is esoterically called "ancient relationship" between the informing entities of the planets and of the constellations. This relation exists between beings and is founded on a Law of Affinity. It is this law of affinity which produces the magnetic pull and the dynamic response between constellations and planets within the solar system and between some particular planet and the forms of life upon another planet and the "impending energies," as they are called, which are being received from some major source. The capacity to receive and profit by the planetary energies (themselves received as emanated from some constellation) is dependent upon the point in evolution which determines the receptivity and the responsiveness of the mechanism of reception. This constitutes an unalterable law and accounts for the power of certain planets which may have hitherto remained undiscovered and which have therefore had little to do with evolution up to the present, owing to the unresponsiveness of the forms of reception. The planets, the energies and forces have existed all the time but have remained ineffective and consequently undiscovered owing to the non-existence of the needed instruments of response. They will, therefore, have no effect upon the life and history of an individual and only become potent and "magnetically informing" when a man has reached a certain point of development and is becoming sensitive to higher influences and is in preparation for the treading of the path. This readiness indicates that his response apparatus (the threefold personality) is more sensitive than is the case with the average person, and can respond to a higher range of vibrations than would otherwise be possible. Herein also lies the distinction between the sacred and the non-sacred planets. The Lords of the planets (the ray Lives or planetary Logoi) are also, on Their own level, unequally [268] developed and some of them are further advanced upon the cosmic path of spiritual unfoldment than are others; Those Who are definitely upon the Cosmic Path of Discipleship are regarded as informing sacred planets, whilst Those Who are upon the Cosmic Probationary Path are expressing Themselves through non-sacred planets. This point I shall later elaborate when we come to that part of this section in this treatise which is intended to deal with this matter. The point I seek to make here is that it is all a question of developed reception and sensitivity.

Upon the reversed wheel, through the medium of the planetary rulers (orthodox and esoteric unitedly active), the man upon the path finds himself responsive to a very wide number of energies, coming to him from many angles and directions, and hence the difficulties of the man upon the Path of Discipleship. When he becomes an initiate, this range of vibrations is rapidly increased and he becomes receptive to those energies which we have tabulated under the term hierarchical and which have reference to the twelve Creative Hierarchies. The forces of these Hierarchies (neither planetary nor systemic), then sweep into and through the initiate and awaken those major group responses which eventually give him systemic consciousness and make him a world server in Aquarius and a world saviour in Pisces. A hint is here conveyed to you anent the world period into which we are now entering and it will be increasingly apparent to you (if you reflect upon my words) why we are progressing into a sign wherein the ranks of initiates will be greatly augmented. In the stage of initiation, the energies of the signs and their constellations (shall I say attendant constellations—it expresses the situation more accurately than the usual mode of saying it) come through in a purer form and in a more direct line than upon [269] the Path of Discipleship and the earlier stages of evolutionary development. The initiate is responsive to planetary, systemic and certain cosmic influences and becomes—if I might so express it—a lens through which "the many lights which are energy itself" can stream and thus be focussed upon our planet. To these energies, the initiate tunes his consciousness and thus becomes a planetary server.

The other point upon which I might here touch is that certain of the rays express themselves through two planets. For instance, the fourth Ray of Harmony through Conflict reaches us both through the Moon and through Mercury, whilst the first Ray of Will or Power reaches us through Vulcan and through Pluto. The real reason for this is one of the secrets of initiation and is hidden in the destiny of the fourth Creative Hierarchy and in the will-to-manifest of the Lord of our Earth, Who is Himself upon the third Ray of Active Intelligence; of Him it is said that "when the third great energy is related to the fourth Creative Hierarchy, the mystery of the perfected Seven will be understood." One of the more obvious of the significances of this statement is to be found in the unfoldment of intelligence and love in the initiate, at which time of manifested expression and at the last major initiation, he will be responsive to the synthesis of energies which emanate from the "seven spirits before the throne of God." These are the representatives of the seven Rishis of the Great Bear and Their other pole, the seven Sisters of the Pleiades, symbolically recognised as the seven wives of the Rishis of the Great Bear. Here again, in relation to our solar system, do we find another great triangle of energies, of which the focal points on our Earth are the seven Spirits before the Throne. With this triangle we shall later deal; I simply want to refer to it here:

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1. The seven Spirits responsive to the seven sacred planets. They are:

a. Expressions of divine life upon the Earth.

b. Focal points for the Lords of the seven rays.

c. Rulers of the seven planes of consciousness and manifestation.

d. Representatives because responsive to

2. The seven Rishis of the Great Bear Who are:

a. Expressions of the life of the One About whom Naught May Be Said.

b. The positive focal points for the seven major cosmic energies.

c. Rulers of the seven Creative Hierarchies.

d. Related as positive poles to

3. The seven Sisters or the seven Pleiades who:

a. Are expressions of the dualism of manifestation in their relation to the seven Rishis.

b. Provide the negative pole to the positive aspect of the seven Rishis.

c. Fuse with the positive energies of the Great Bear and, unitedly, work through seven of the zodiacal signs.

Here again the complexity of the forces playing upon our planet and increasing in their number and their potency as the vehicles of response upon our planet become more highly developed and sensitive and are, therefore, capable of a truer reaction and a more rapid response to the many forces impinging upon our planetary forms of life. It has been remarked by a profound astrological expert Who [271] works with the Masters of the Great White Lodge that "when humanity comprehends the distinction between the signs and the constellations, understands the nature of the polarity of energies and responds to the three cosmic Realities, the twelve cosmic Energies and the seven planetary Impacts and the interplay of the twelve Creative Hierarchies, then and not till then, will a radiant light be seen and the destiny of our solar Logos be finally determined." Behind this statement are to be found three meanings: one for average intelligent man, another for disciples, and a third one for initiates above the third degree.

As I earlier pointed out to you, the sign Virgo is related to nine constellations and in this fact lies both prophecy and guarantee. That which this sign veils and hides is potentially responsive to nine streams of energy which—playing upon the life within the form and evoking response from the soul—produce those "points of crisis" and those "moments of demonstrated development" to which we have referred in speaking of Leo-Libra-Capricorn.

Through Mercury, Virgo comes into close relation to three constellations—Aries, Gemini, and Scorpio. Here again is a triangle of energies of great importance in the life of the Christ-child which Virgo guards and nourishes and hides within herself. Through Aries and Scorpio, the Christ-life and manifestation is integrated with that of the fourth Creative Hierarchy; herein lies a great mystery which is concerned with the dual manifestation of the Christ principle both in form and—upon its own plane—through spiritual manifestation; it is here also that the true significance of the words found in The Bhagavad Gita appears when Krishna (the Christ principle) says to Arjuna (the world disciple, or developed form aspect): "Having pervaded the entire universe with a fragment of myself, I remain." [272] There is here an esoteric reference to the essential identity of Son with the Father, the "undying One," and with the eternal Mother; that is, with spirit and matter. This is the fundamental mystery of Virgo and will be revealed when the energies pouring into Virgo from Gemini, via the planet Mercury, have done their destined work; for Gemini is an expression of the fourth unmanifested Creative Hierarchy—one of the higher group of Lives which stand just beyond the seven Who condition our systemic lives. These Lives have achieved Their goal, but Their energies are still directed towards and focussed upon our planet. They are not unmanifested in the case where such developed planets as Uranus, Jupiter or Saturn are concerned.

In this triple relation of three major constellations, one clear understanding characteristic can be noted, and that is their essential duality—the effect of which is obvious and so dramatically present in Virgo. Aries sees the beginning or initiation of the relationship between spirit and matter. Gemini is definitely a sign of duality and signifies the relation of these two major energies in the human or fourth Creative Hierarchy; this dualism is emphasised in a still more intimate and comprehensible manner in Scorpio, in which the note of the evolutionary cycle which it dominates is "the Word made Flesh." It is the sign wherein the Christ demonstrates His control over matter in the guise of the triumphant disciple. Spirit and matter (Aries ), soul and body (Gemini), the mother and the child (Virgo), the Word and the Flesh (Scorpio)—here are the four signs of creative dualism and inter-related evolution presented and descriptive of the potency and objectives of the fourth Creative Hierarchy. When Mercury, the divine Messenger, the principle of illusion and the expression of the active higher mind, has performed his mission and "led humanity into the [273] light" and the Christ-child out of the womb of time and of the flesh into the light of day and of manifestation, then the task of that great centre we call humanity will be accomplished. Ponder on this for the significance of esoteric astrology will emerge more clearly in your minds if you can understand this fourfold activity of Mercury and the inter-relation of these four signs of the zodiac—connected as they are with the logoic Quaternary.

It is in this sign also that the Moon in its own right of antiquity and of ancient thoughtform control, and also as veiling both Vulcan and Neptune, connects the force of Virgo with the energies of Taurus, of Cancer and of Aquarius. This is of peculiar importance for it relates the form building aspect with the consciousness aspect which, at a high stage of development, produces the manifestation of the Christ principle or Christ-child. It has been said esoterically that four of the names by which the Christ Avatar is ever called are:

1. The Desire of All Nations . . . Taurus . . . Fixed Cross.

2. He Whom the masses sense or He Whom they anticipate . . . Cancer . . . Cardinal Cross.

3. He Who is, for Her, the purpose of existence . . . Virgo . . . Mutable Cross.

4. He Who shows the light and gives the water . . . Aquarius . . . Fixed Cross.

All these signs indicate forms of consciousness, which are conditioned and manifested by the energies of these signs, performing cyclically and ceaselessly their appointed task. They, therefore, are primarily concerned with the stage of discipleship and the manifestation of a solar disciple. Hence the two energies which come from the Fixed Cross. This is consequently one of the intermediate crosses which relate the major three and there are many such.

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Virgo is related to Taurus through Vulcan which brings in what might be called the endurance aspect of the will-to-be which carries the incarnated Son of God through the experiences of the dark time wherein the personality becomes the Mother in the stage of gestation, through the period of infancy upon the physical plane and through the stage of adolescence until the initiate attains full maturity. This necessitates persistence, endurance and continuity of effort and is one of the characteristics imparted or stimulated by energies pouring from Vulcan. You can realise that these are first ray attributes and are the reverse side of those usually emphasised, namely, death or the activity of the Destroyer aspect. Taurus is an expression of the third unmanifested Hierarchy and of this Hierarchy we know nothing beyond the fact that it is concerned with the light which liberates from death. Therefore, you have:

Taurus—Illumination.

Vulcan—First ray or endurance.

Third Creative Hierarchy—Liberating Light.

Virgo—The Christ-life, latent and unexpressed (as is the 3rd Creative Hierarchy).

The Moon—The form nature, the substance of the flame which lights the way.

A vast field of psychological research in connection with all the constellations, the planets and Hierarchies is indicated above, but it is of too vast a nature for me to consider in this treatise. It will constitute the astrology of the future and will begin to be understood when group awareness and continuity of consciousness are established among men. However, as a form of mental gymnastics and as indicating possibilities, the concept is of use to you, for it widens your [275] horizon and indicates the marvellous scope of the divine plan and the synthesis underlying manifestation.

Neptune is as you know, the God of the waters, and the term "water" covers many angles of the esoteric wisdom, such as:

1. The whole concept of matter—universal and itemised.

2. The "waters of substance."

3. The ocean of life.

4. The world of astral glamour and reaction.

5. The astral plane as a whole.

6. The desire and the emotional nature.

7. The world of focussed incarnation for the masses.

8. Mass existence, as in Cancer.

Of all these attributes or conditions of the feminine pole in existence (the material aspect), the constellation Cancer is outstandingly symbolic. It precedes Leo, the sign of individuality and of self-conscious effort, and is concerned with the slow rhythm of mass life—either instinctually active or the reactions of an imposed consciousness which is a result of chosen experience after initiation. It connotes mass life, leading to group life after the experience of initiation, for which its polar opposite, Capricorn, stands and which finds full expression in Aquarius which completes the experience of Leo and fuses it with that of Cancer and Capricorn. These six signs:

 

Cancer. . . . . . 

 Leo. . . . . . . . 

 Virgo

Capricorn. . . .

Aquarius. . . . 

Pisces

 

form another six-pointed star of profound significance which is the subjective counterpart of the six-pointed star (the interlaced triangles) which we call King Solomon's seal. This interlacing of the two above triangles constitutes what [276] is called a triangle of humanity and—under the theories of the Science of Triangles—it concerns the relation of the individual to the mass of humanity and of the disciple to the group. These triangles warrant most careful study. It is the planet Neptune which is predominantly active in bringing about such an activity in Cancer that adequate momentum can be set up which will produce progress (through the intervening signs) to Aquarius.

I would like here to add something more to the teaching about the wheel of life and its reversed motion which occurs at a particular stage of evolution. I want to call your attention to the fact that the difficulty of the problem and the intensification of the life of conscious duality which marks the earlier stages of the Path of Discipleship, up to and immediately preceding the third initiation, is based upon the wheel of the zodiac contributing its influences to the life of the form nature in a normal manner; the myriads of lives which constitute the form are conditioned by the signs of the zodiac proceeding in its normal manner—clockwise, due to the precession of the equinoxes, whilst the life of the disciple, focussed in the soul consciousness, is governed (or should I remark, should be governed?) by the wheel, proceeding anti-clockwise. Both motions are in potent opposition and, symbolically speaking, produce eventually that "tearing asunder" which always precedes initiation and illumination and which is testified to by all the mystics and initiates. This is in reality that which produces the destruction of the veil of illusion and is symbolically referred to in The New Testament as "the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom." This constitutes the result of the dual activity of the Great Wheel. It precedes the dark night of the soul wherein the man stands pendant between heaven and earth and then cries:

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"Where is the one God Who has forsaken me? He is nowhere to be seen and all other gods have gone. I stand alone, bereft yet unafraid. I see the dark of form; I see the dark of distant spirit. And all the light of soul seems gone." Then comes the cry triumphant: "I know I am the Light of God. There is naught else."

Through the Moon and also through Jupiter, Virgo is brought into relationship with Aquarius which means, in this case, with the seventh Creative Hierarchy, or with the atomic substance out of which the dense body of manifestation has to be constructed if the Christ life (which the Virgin nurtures) is to be brought to successful manifestation. The cause of manifestation is, esoterically speaking, the stimulation of the "dead lives" (the so-called inorganic substance) into activity and into usefulness to the positive Christ life, which is the agent of the stimulation. Hence the Moon is the symbol of the response of the dead lives to the outer spiritual impact. The central idea of occultism that even the smallest atom of substance has in it the germ of that which can respond to spiritual energy is preserved for us in the teaching anent the influence of Jupiter, the second ray agent of the Christ spirit.

In connection with Jupiter, as might be expected from a study of the rays, Virgo is related both to Sagittarius and to Pisces. This is an exoteric impact but produces a constant stimulation of the life of the indwelling Christ. Sagittarius rules or conditions (for that is what the word means) the activity of the lunar lords who build the body of man out of their own substance. It will, therefore, be obvious to you why, when a man begins the one-pointed activity of Sagittarius and becomes the earnest disciple, it [278] is possible for him to rule his personality and to govern it so that eventually it becomes the vehicle of the soul. It accounts also for the reaction of the personality against this control. It is because of facts such as these that astrology is bound to become one of the major sciences of the future, and when this is so the control of the personality will be scientifically carried forward; full use will be made of the planetary influences and the energies coming from the signs as they cyclically make their appearance, and special effort will be made, for instance, to gain certain aspects of control during the month in which the Sun is in the sign Sagittarius.

The relation existing between Virgo and Pisces (between the Virgin Mother and the Fish Goddesses) is well known, for they are polar opposites and their functions are interchangeable in a peculiar manner. In the revolution of the ordinary wheel, Aries and Scorpio mark the beginning and the end, and consummate in the rounded out and equipped personality. They are, exoterically, Alpha and Omega. In the life of the disciple, Virgo and Pisces stand in the same relation. Pisces consummates the work carried forward in this major world cycle. Some idea of the creative story above indicated can be gained if the tabulation of the nine constellations with their signs is studied.

 

1. Aries. . . . . . . .

Beginning. . . . . . . . . 

Cardinal Cross.

2. Gemini. . . . . .

Relation. . . . . . . . . . 

Mutable Cross.

3. Taurus. . . . . . .

Desire. . . . . . . . . . . 

Fixed Cross.

4. Cancer. . . . . . .

Movement. . . . . . . .

Cardinal Cross.

5. Scorpio. . . . . . .

Test—Trial. . . . . . . .

Fixed Cross.

6. Sagittarius. . . . 

Direction. . . . . . . . . .

Mutable Cross.

7. Aquarius. . . . . .

Service. . . . . . . . . . . 

Fixed Cross.

8. Pisces. . . . . . . .

Salvation. . . . . . . . . .

Mutable Cross.

9. VIRGO. . . . . . . 

THE MOTHER. . . . . .

MUTABLE CROSS.

 

One point of interest emerges: All the four arms of the Mutable Cross are represented in this interrelation, indicating [279] the completed activity of the Mutable Cross or of the preparatory stage of evolution which has successfully prepared the man for mounting the Fixed Cross. The personality is prepared to be the mother of the Christ.

If we consider the two solar systems (the past and the present) as a unity, it might be said that:

1. The Mutable Cross governed the first solar system. In that system and in this solar system, and to humanity en masse, this Cross rules or governs the path of probation (which in reality is the entire life experience, prior to treading the path of discipleship).

2. The Fixed Cross governs the present solar system and corresponds to the path of discipleship.

3. The Cardinal Cross will govern and rule the next solar system and in this system governs the path of initiation, which is trodden by the flower of the race.

The fact that all four energies of the Mutable Cross, three of the Fixed Cross and two of the Cardinal Cross pour into the sign Virgo in relative degrees and potencies indicates the fundamental importance of this "sign of reception" as it is called. All nine energies are required to bring a man to the point where the world and influence of the two solar systems have done their task in:

1. Preparing the vehicle of reception and protection, which is the personality, the form, the self-conscious man.

2. Bringing into manifestation thereby the hidden man of the heart, the Christ within, the soul, the group conscious man.

What will be the objective and the consummation of the activity of the Cardinal Cross during the next solar system [280] is hidden in the revelation which comes to the man who has taken the third initiation. It is connected naturally with the Spirit or first aspect of divinity, or with the Monad and with the expression of the divine consciousness. Until a man has, however, taken this initiation, he profits not from anything that I could tell him in this connection. For its impartation also, words are useless and in fact do not exist.

As I have told you, Virgo is regarded by the esoteric teachers of the Hierarchy to be identified with the third aspect of divinity, with the mother principle and is believed to be the director of the energies, developed and recognised in the first solar system. It is for this reason in this solar system that Virgo is subjected predominantly to the influence of the second, fourth and sixth ray energies through Jupiter (second ray) the Moon and Mercury (fourth ray) and Neptune (sixth ray). The Moon and Mercury together indicate the activity of the higher and lower mind and are, therefore, related to the third Ray of Active Intelligence which controlled the first solar system. There is consequently only one planet, Vulcan, which is distinctly and purely first ray energy. These are points which advanced astrologers will later elaborate but which at the present time mean little.

There is another point in connection with the planetary influences which I would like to mention here because it emphasises again the synthetic position of Virgo and its contribution as a major focal point for the distribution of energy to the fourth Creative Hierarchy. Jupiter rules four signs and each of them represents a different element out of the four which are expressing themselves in the three worlds of human evolution. The following tabulation will make this somewhat clearer:

[281]

 

Virgo

Pisces

Sagittarius

Aquarius

Earth. . . . . . . . . . .

Water. . . . . . . . . . . 

Fire. . . . . . . . . . 

Air

Hidden Christ. . . . 

Hidden Saviour. . . .

Hidden Master

Hidden Server.

Jupiter—ruler and the conveyor of EXPANSION