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3.  The Nations and their Governing Signs.

3. The Nations and their Governing Signs.

There are many other angles from which we could approach this subject of what predisposes people, nations and races to certain lines of action, making them anti-social or cooperative, and determining their relations with each other.  The trend of events at any particular time may not truly reflect these deeper destinies.

It might be of interest here if we continued our study by a consideration of some of the countries and their governing signs.  This would be a practical though necessarily a most debatable point.  It is not related in any way to the geographical position of these countries but to the destiny (future) and karma (past) of humanity itself as it differentiates itself into nationalities, living at one period of time upon certain territories and so constituting that amalgamation of forms which we call nations or races.  Basically and fundamentally the souls, informing these nations or races, remain detached from identification with them until such time as such souls can function on earth.  Until, therefore, astrologers know more about group astrology and know also how to determine past influences as well as forecasts, it will not be possible for them to assign the correct ruling signs to the various countries and nations or to check the accuracy or the inaccuracy of the statements which I may make in the following tabulations.  That type of astrology which concerns itself with the past, we call essential astrology esoterically, in contradistinction to predictive astrology.  Past conditioning factors are basic and essential to the expression of the present and to what happens in the human family at any given moment, and from a proper understanding of the rules which should (but as yet do not) govern the processes of what is sometimes called the rectifying of [64] a horoscope when the exact moment of birth is not known will come the future science of ascertaining those past facts which produce present occurrences.

You will note that I would differentiate most carefully between countries and nations, owing to the fact that today and increasingly in the future, they will not be synonymous.  The British nation is, for instance, a great synthesis of people, as is the United States of America, and also, in a lesser extent, both Brazil and the Argentine.  Under the present situation, incident to the war and starting around the year 1900, there is a constant and ceaseless migration of peoples from one place to another and from one country to another, taking place today not only individually but also in group formation.  This tends to produce an inevitable fusion, blending and producing inter-racial life, thus constantly offsetting and negating what has been called "racial purity."  This attempt at an impossible racial segregation and purity is a misnomer, for the past renders it impossible; mixed blood runs in all veins, but the effort to produce this is the keynote of certain of the more modern cultures.  These fortunately are in a minority, for they are anti-evolutionary and their objective is quite impossible of achievement, for they do not start with any pure strain.  This tendency towards racial segregation (so noticeable in the Jew and the German) is a form of isolationism and necessarily an aspect of materialism, and is related to the personality of humanity and not to the soul aspect; it is separative in effect and normally feeds pride in the individual and the nation; it runs counter to the true progress of humanity which must lead increasingly to closer human relations, to human wholeness in the truest sense of the term; it will produce the inevitable recognition of vital human unity, placing no emphasis [65] upon individual nations and races.  This isolationist spirit was one of the dangers to which the neutral powers were at one time prone, particularly the United States, and the physical warning as to this danger was given to them in the magnetic storms which severed contact between them and Europe and dislocated their relationship between states within America itself.

The world is one world and its sufferings are one; humanity is in truth a unity, but many are still unaware of this and the whole trend of the present teaching is directed to the awakening of humanity to this while there is yet time to avert still more serious conditions.  The sins of humanity are also one.  Its goal is one and it is as one great human family that we must emerge into the future.  I would emphasise this thought:  it is as one humanity, chastened, disciplined but illumined and fused, that we must emerge into the future.  Those who do not grasp this important fact, whether they are what is called belligerents or neutrals, will suffer deeply as a result of their non-participation in the fate of the whole.  The isolationist or the super-racial attitudes of the bewildered German people are the attitudes of the separative tendencies of the form nature with its wrong emphasis; but so also is the attitude, veiled under beautiful words and misty idealism, of any neutral power who stands aloof from the happenings of the present.  The Hierarchy is not neutral.  It is one with the right element in every nation and set against all separative, isolationist and materialistic attitudes.  Such attitudes prevent the apprehension of the true spiritual values and hinder human development.  Identification with all and participation in world conditions — voluntarily and not from force — is the way out today for all peoples.  Ponder on this.

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1. The Nations and their Ruling Signs.

It is, however, obvious that nations react like human beings under the influence of their rays — personality and soul rays — and this is a fact of vital import to the esotericist and something as yet little known or intelligently realised.  What I give you, therefore, under this point is new exoterically; attention will have to be paid to the information — either as it comes from me or from other sources — if there is to be real understanding of the situation and therefore useful cooperation with the Forces of Light.

I will give you here the present personality influences of the nations, indicated by their governing signs of the zodiac, trusting that you will give due thought to what I impart and assuring you that they are of vital significance at this time, particularly if you compare them with what I gave you anent the rays of the nations in the first volume of A Treatise on the Seven Rays.  I would remind you that — over the lapse of centuries — nations are reborn several times or come into incarnation in a new form which we may call a period, if unimportant, or a civilisation if significant and dramatic enough.  Therefore, the personality ray and the governing influences change with frequency.  This is oft forgotten, because the cycles are so much vaster than those of human incarnation.  I would also point out that the tabulations which follow agree in part with the ordinary accepted assignment of zodiacal signs to the various countries, but not always.  I will give you two signs for each country.  One will be the emerging influence which will govern the ego or the soul of the country or nation, and the other that which governs at the present moment the personality ray of the individual country, and so conditions the masses.  Forget not that the soul of the people is represented by those who [68] react to the influence of the soul ray and of the sign which is affecting it (its ascendant, one might say), whilst the masses are conditioned by the personality ray and therefore by the sun sign of the specified nation.

See Table (Page 67)

Note:  This tabulation is arranged alphabetically and not in the rate of importance and influence of a country and nation.

It would, I feel, also be of value if I indicated the ruling sign of some of the capital cities of the countries dealt with in the above table.  The focus of the immediate response of the peoples of the nations is frequently to be distinguished in the quality (if I may so call it) of their capital city and by the decisions there made.  I would like to point out that in the British Empire there are several major and distinctive sections which are themselves definitely governed by certain ruling signs; therefore, before giving the rulers of the capitals, I would like to indicate the influences which control the British Empire through the medium of its component parts; they are an important factor in present events, owing to the major and powerful nature of the part Great Britain is playing in the present situation.  As you will have noted, Great Britain is ruled by Gemini and Taurus, and consequently the principles of multiplicity and integration are simultaneously present.  Duality, triplicity (England, Scotland and Wales) and also differentiation are the conditioning aspects of the empire.  Under the major control of Gemini and Taurus you have the following potencies active:

                                     Egoic Ruler                                  Personality Ruler

Australia...................... Virgo............... 6th.............................. Capricorn........ 10th

Canada....................... Taurus............. 2nd............................. Libra............... 7th

India............................ Aries............... 1st............................... Capricorn........ 10th

New Zealand............... Gemini............. 3rd.............................. Virgo............... 6th

South Africa................ Aries............... 1st............................... Sagittarius........ 9th

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These are the major divisions.  There are lesser divisions but with these I am not here concerned.  These countries are related to the mother-country through their planetary rulers, and in this statement you have a definite hint conveyed.  The zodiacal signs relate, but the planets are more influential at this stage of evolution.

It is not my intention to give you the ruling signs of the capitals of all the countries; I have dealt with but only the more important:

    Country             Capital                      Soul Ruler                  Personality Ruler

Belgium................. Brussels........... Gemini............. 3rd............ Capricorn........ 10th

France................... Paris................ Virgo............... 6th............ Capricorn........ 10th

Germany............... Berlin.............. Scorpio........... 8th........... Leo................. 5th

Great Britain.......... London........... Leo................. 5th........... Libra............... 7th

Italy....................... Rome.............. Taurus............. 2nd.......... Leo................. 5th

Poland................... Warsaw.......... Capricorn........ 10th.......... Pisces.............. 12th

Russia................... Moscow.......... Taurus............. 2nd.......... Aquarius.......... 11th

United States......... Washington..... Cancer............ 4th........... Sagittarius........ 9th

 

An analysis of the signs ruling the different countries will make certain outstanding conditions apparent and even with the small knowledge of esoteric astrology now available will make certain definite information emerge in your minds as vitally explanatory.  Capricorn, for instance, seldom appears as a sign governing the egoic expression of any nation but quite often as governing the personality manifestation, or the exoteric country.  Austria, Greece, India, Japan and Spain have Capricorn as their personality rulers, indicating age, crystallisation and materialism; a little study of conditions and the present point in evolution will make this apparent.  In the next great and succeeding race to this, Capricorn will appear as ruling the egoic expression, for the soul will then be in greater control and certain great groups of human beings (those who now compose the present nations) will be ready for initiation upon the mountain top of Capricorn.

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I cannot spend much time analysing this but would like to indicate one or two points which would serve to guide your thoughts and to clarify the issue.  In this manner I can point the way for the future guidance of astrologers who have an esoteric bias.  The subject is, however, sufficiently abstruse to deter most people.  The relations to be established cannot be based upon some definite starting point, as is sometimes possible in casting the individual horoscope, but upon energy effects, coming direct from the signs themselves, or via certain planetary rulers (again either exoteric, esoteric or hierarchical); these effects are again conditioned by the interplay between the energy of the rays which govern the soul or the personality of the nation or country under consideration.  The problem is likewise complicated because there will be the need to distinguish between the horoscope of the territory, housing the nation, and the people themselves who compose that unit which we call a nation.  Some nations are fluid and not properly integrated as are the masses of people everywhere; others are integrated entities, or fully expressing personalities; others are crystallised and have nearly run their course as personalities; others again are coming under the influence of their soul ray, leading to another cycle of fluidity, before the definiteness of the initiate-entity becomes apparent; a few again are purely embryonic.  Thus the extreme difficulty of the science becomes increasingly apparent.  There is, however, no need for discouragement, for this is a science, subject to moments of intense illumination when the intuition will suddenly reveal determining laws and when the capacity to think abstractly and synthetically will pour floods of light upon the most difficult and complex of problems.  When the world again settles down to a cycle of peace and with opportunity for further conscious unfoldment, it will be [71] found that that embryonic factor which we call the intuition will flower forth into as recognisable an expression of human consciousness as the present intellectual grasp and mental perception of the race.  Until this time comes, the searching astrologer must proceed hopefully but cannot yet expect full understanding of what I here impart.