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INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

We have been working for some time now upon the third part of our study of the Zodiac and the Rays. This entire section deals with the nature of esoteric astrology and, under our introductory remarks, we considered very briefly the significance of esotericism as a whole when applied to modern astrology; we considered the three Crosses and referred, again very briefly, to the relation of the signs to the centres; we gave most of our time, however, to an analysis of the meaning and inter-relation of the twelve signs of the zodiac to each other, to the planets, and to the Earth. We dealt scarcely at all with their effect upon the individual except in a general sense. Now we begin to take up the fourth and most important part of this astrological study, entitled The Science of Triangles. This study will fall into three parts as I earlier indicated:

1. Triangles of Energy—constellations.

2. Triangles of Force—planetary triplicities.

3. The Triangles and the Centres—planetary and human.

I have analysed here the point reached in our studies, as I am anxious for you to know as far as possible just where we stand in our attempt to throw the light of esoteric understanding [408] upon the present entirely exoteric study of astrology.

Before, however, proceeding with our somewhat difficult theme there are a few words I would like to say in reference to our general attitude, and certain things of which I would remind you.

In no place have I attempted to give any of the mathematics connected with my statements in this series of astrological studies. Certain basic changes in the orientation of the Earth's axis are now taking place, and these will throw much confusion into the computations of astrologers. These changes are proceeding slowly and progressively and according to cosmic law. Whilst they are in progress, accuracy of computation and deduction is unattainable. When the orientation and "pointed direction" of the Earth's pole has again been stabilised, the new conditioning, mathematical figures can be again ascertained. There has indeed been no true accuracy since ancient Egyptian days. Anything now possible along these lines can only be regarded as approximate, and, therefore, certainty in analysis, prediction and interpretation is not possible. This whole subject is one of the greatest obscurity and quite incomprehensible to the average astrologer and certainly to the average student. I would remind you, however, that several times in the great life cycle of the Earth, there have been changing "pole-stars" and that our present pole-star has not always held that position. This science itself recognises.

At each of the great shifts in the Earth's axis, there has been upheaval, confusion and cataclysm, preceding reconstruction, stabilisation and relative quiet. Of these macrocosmic events there are similar microcosmic correspondences in the lives of both humanity and individual man. Hence the present world crisis—though precipitated by human [409] error and sinfulness, by past Karma and emerging idealism (responsive to the development of the intellect and the appearance of the intuition)—is basically the result of much greater and vaster combinations of force currents in macrocosmic relations.

Briefly it might be said that the following cosmic and systemic causes are responsible for the present world crisis and the present difficult world situation:

1. A welling up of magnetic force on Sirius, which produces effects upon our solar system and particularly upon our Earth, via the Hierarchy.

2. A shift in the Earth's polarity, due to the pull of a great cosmic centre. This powerfully affects the Earth's orientation and is responsible for the present earthquakes, and for the volcanic eruptions and the many earthquakes during the past one hundred and fifty years.

3. The great sweep of the sun around the greater zodiac (a period of 250,000 years, or a complete round) came to an end when the sun entered Pisces over two thousand years ago. This process of passing out of, or entering into, a particular sign and cyclic influence covers a period of five thousand years where this greater round or cycle is concerned. This period of five thousand years covers the complete cycle of transition until complete freedom to function under the inspiration of the new sign is completed. We are, therefore, not yet free from incidental turmoil.

4. The passing of our Sun out of the sign Pisces into the sign Aquarius is another of the conditions bringing about the present confusion. This confusion of forces in the solar system is notably affecting our planet. In the process of passing from sign to sign, as for instance [410] transitting out of Pisces into Aquarius as is now the case, the period covered is approximately five hundred years.

These are points which astrologers would do well to consider. I would remind students again that when speaking of signs I am referring to the influences of the constellations as they are represented by the signs, calling to your attention that in the great evolutionary process and owing to certain shifts and astronomical-astrological discrepancies, the Sun is not in the constellation to which a particular sign refers at any given moment. This I called to your attention in an earlier part of this treatise.

5. Another factor little known is that the Moon today is disintegrating with increasing rapidity and this necessarily affects the Earth and produces terrestrial results.

Students would find it of interest to make the following applications of these great cyclic events to their own "appearance" and functioning processes in time and space:

1. The succession of the greater rounds of the zodiac or a period of cycles of approximately 250,000 years has a correspondence to the life cycle of the Monad.

2. The progress of the Sun as it passes through the signs in the zodiac during one of these 25,000 year cycles finds its analogy in the life cycle of the ego or soul.

3. The lesser zodiac covered—from the angle of extreme illusion—in the course of one year, corresponds to the life of the personality.

In considering these points it should always be remembered that great shifts in consciousness, or great expansions of awareness, are followed inevitably by upheaval in the outer forms. This is true in the life of the solar Deity, of a planetary [411] Logos, of humanity as a whole and of a man. Hence again today's world problem. A major event such as a change in the axis of the Earth is related to an initiation of the planetary Logos. Students can here note, therefore, the relation to the individual life as it shifts its consciousness steadily in the vital unfolding processes of the Path of Discipleship and of Initiation. Earlier in this treatise I referred to a fact which must always be borne in mind and that is that the great energies, playing upon our planet, exert a hindering or a stimulating effect. They are either retarding in their effects, producing concretion, crystallisation and a holding back or on to that which is old and of the past, or they stimulate and produce fluidity, enlargement and expansion. The careful student of human affairs will note this as he studies the events which are today passing before his eyes.

Speaking with a wide generalisation, it might he said that the three major groups of forces affecting our planet are zodiacal, systemic and planetary in nature and—again generalising—it might also be said that:

1. Zodiacal energies pass through Shamballa and are related to the first Ray of Will or Power and affect the Monad.

2. Systemic energies pass through the Hierarchy and are related to the second Ray of Love-Wisdom or (as it is oft called in esoteric astrology) the Ray of Attractive Coherency and affect the soul.

3. Planetary forces impinge upon and pass through humanity and are related to the third Ray of Active Intelligence and affect the personality.

To this I earlier referred, but have restated it here as I seek to have it definitely in your minds as we go forward [412] with our new studies. You have here a major trinity of energies, emerging out of a vast and incomprehensible aggregation of forces and energies which stands to them as the One Life stands to this lesser important triangle.

It must also be remembered that this triple group of energies produces differing effects according to the type of mechanism (itself dependent upon the point in evolution and the stage of development) upon which it impinges. The effect, for instance, of zodiacal and systemic force upon a sacred or a non-sacred planet is widely distinctive, just as the effect of these energies as they make their impact upon man will depend upon whether response is evoked from the monad, the ego or the personality, whether they impinge upon the mass consciousness, the self-conscious unit or the illumined consciousness of humanity, or whether in fact—as far as man is concerned—they play upon unevolved man, upon evolved man or upon disciples and initiates. The type of mechanism, and the quality of the consciousness determines reception and response. This is a statement of basic importance and until astrologers can arrive at the point of development where the world of true meaning is open to them and where the scope of their consciousness is widely inclusive, it will not be possible for them to be truly accurate in their interpretations of group or individual horoscopes. I am bringing this point up as the whole science of Triangles relates entirely to subjective energies as they condition the consciousness and not to the conditioning brought about by the same energies upon the outer forms upon the physical plane.

You may here rightly remark that "as a man thinketh so is he" and that this expression of energy will amount to the same thing in the last analysis. But this is not exactly true. The response of humanity or of the individual man [413] to the inner thought life and to the subjective consciousness is not immediate. It takes much time (especially in the early stages), for an idea to work through into the mind and from thence to the brain, conditioning the emotional nature in its progress and processes. Several lives may, therefore, be given to the registering of the effects of these energies upon the thought life and the response of the physical plane life once they are comprehended. It is for this reason that I have stated that the Science of the Triangles underlies the whole system of astrology and is only now in process of revelation. Bear in mind that the effect of these energies which we shall be considering and of their triple relationship will be in the realm of ideas and in the world of consciousness and its expansion, and will embrace, therefore, the sentient thought life of a solar Logos, of a planetary Logos, of humanity and of man.

It will not, therefore, deal with the producing of events except in so far that all ideas work out into expression upon the plane of manifestation—such working out being, I again repeat, dependent upon the quality and nature of the apparatus of response, be it a solar system, a planet, the fourth kingdom in nature, or a human being.

I would add here a sixth reason for the present strain and stress in the response of the human family in this world crisis because it is related to the entire question of conscious response to subjective forces, expressing themselves as ideas and vast thought currents. This is the fact that humanity as a whole is today reversing itself upon the great zodiacal wheel just as the individual disciple does; the point of reversal and the sign or signs in which it takes place mark a momentous point of crisis in the life of this kingdom in nature, producing upheaval, difficulty and a whole gamut of readjustments, necessitated by the re-orientation. [414] If you add this reason to the other five, you will not be astonished that the situation is today almost fantastic in its difficulty and the extent of the involvement.

In every triplicity, there are three major qualities manifesting or three basic energies seeking expression and influence. As he manifests in time and space, man discovers this to be true and to constitute a law in nature, and it might be said that the task of the disciple is to become consciously aware—like a detached onlooking Observer—of these energies and their expressing qualities as they function within himself. This he does upon the Path of Probation, the Path of Discipleship and the Path of Initiation. He has to become aware of:

1. The threefold energy which is the personality, and of which the vital body is the synthetic expression.

2. The threefold soul of which the egoic lotus is the expression.

3. The triple monad of which a great diffusion in time and space in three streams of creative energy is the expression.

This last definition is somewhat meaningless to the uninitiate but must suffice. There is a manifesting aspect in all these triplicities which is the result of, and conditioned by, the interplay of the three forces. It is their full expression and the result of their successful activity.

1. In the personality, it is the physical body.

2. In the soul, it is the unfolded central bud within the egoic lotus.

3. In the monad, it is the "sound which geometrically forces itself into the vision of the beholder"—a deeply esoteric mode of symbolising that which cannot be expressed or reduced to the tangibility of form.

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If students will bring this idea to the study and understanding of the astrological triangles and will refuse to lose sight of the related triple energies, they will greatly simplify their studies. The microcosm, when known, holds ever the clue to the Macrocosm. The Macrocosm eternally reflects itself in man, the microcosm, and hence man has within himself the possibility and the potentiality of total comprehension.

Therefore, in all the many triplicities which we shall study, we shall find correspondences to the monad, the soul and the personality in man; we shall find one line of the triangle embodying determining and dominating force and two lines which—during a particular cycle—are conditioned by it. For instance, you have an interesting illustration of this in the nature of fire, esoterically understood, in its triple expression in time and space during a cycle of manifestation, for—as you know—the Ageless Wisdom teaches that there is:

 

1. Electric fire. . . . . . . .

will. . . . . . . . . . . 

monad. . . . . . . 

Initiatory fire.

2. Solar fire. . . . . . . . . .

love-wisdom. . . .

soul. . . . . . . . . 

Qualificatory fire.

3. Fire by Friction. . . . . 

activity. . . . . . . . .

personality. . . .

Purificatory fire.
Intellectual.

 

I point out this triplicity as it is one which is familiar to you and at the same time constitutes a good illustration of a basic law.