The Destiny of the Nations

by Alice A Bailey

  A careful analysis of the idealism of Russia and of the Untied States may reveal no resemblances in the goal of their idealism; the Russian is driven by his seventh ray soul towards the imposition of an enforced ceremonial of ordered rhythms, leading to an idealised order and a community of interests. Because of this and because of the enforced work, some forces are present and active in Russia which need most careful handling by the spiritual Hierarchy of our planet. These forces working in Russia are concerned with the magic of form whereas pure white magic is concerned only with the soul or with the subjective aspect, as it conditions the objective. The “black forces,” so called, are nowhere rampant in Russia any more than in other parts of the world, but the Russian reaction and attitude to enforced rule and order has in it more of the magical seventh ray influence than is the case in other countries; Germany also enforced a standardised order and way of living but this was definitely submitted to the control of the black forces.

  You will note that of the major nations only Brazil, Great Britain and the United States of America are definitely under the influence of the second Ray of Love-Wisdom. An interesting fact thus emerges: Great Britain is the custodian of the wisdom aspect of this second ray energy for the Aryan race; the United States will fulfil the same office for the world of the immediate future, whilst Brazil will eventually — many thousands of years hence — supersede both of them. These three races embody the attractive cohesive aspect of the second ray and will demonstrate it through wisdom and right government, based on true idealism and love.

  Great Britain represents that aspect of the mind which expresses itself in intelligent government, based on just [55] and loving understanding. That is, of course, the ideal before her, but not as yet the exactly fulfilled achievement. The United States represents the intuitive faculty, expressing itself as illumination, plus the power to fuse and blend. Brazil will — at some distant date — represent a linking interpreting civilisation, based on the unfoldment of the abstract consciousness which is a blend of the intellect and the intuition and which serves to reveal the wisdom aspect of love in its beauty.

  It is too dangerous in these days of difficulty and world turmoil to express myself more definitely as to the future lines of unfoldment. The destiny and the future functioning of the nations lie hid in their present activities. The majority of my readers are far too nationalistic in their thinking, and too deeply engrossed with the prime importance of their own nation and its supreme significance, for me to be able to do more than generalise and indicate the major lines of progress. The role of the prophet is a dangerous one, for destiny lies in the hands of the people and no one knows exactly what the people will do — once aroused and educated. The time has not yet come when the bulk of the people of any nation can see the picture whole or be permitted to know the exact part their nation must play in the history of nations. Every nation — without exception — has its peculiar virtues and vices which are dependent upon the point in evolution, the measure of control of the personality ray, the emerging control of the soul ray, and the general focus of the nation.

  It is useful to bear in mind that some nations are negative and feminine and others are masculine and positive. India, France, the United States of America, Russia and Brazil are all feminine and constitute the nurturing mother aspect. They are feminine in their psychology — [56] intuitive, mystical, alluring, beautiful, fond of display and colour, and with the faults also of the feminine aspect, such as over emphasis upon the material aspects of life, upon pageantry, upon possession and upon money or its equivalent as a symbol of the form side of existence. They mother and nurture civilisation and ideas.

  China, Germany, Great Britain and Italy are masculine and positive; they are mental, political, governing, standardising, group-conscious, occult by inclination, aggressive, full of grandeur, interest in law and in laying the emphasis upon race and empire. But they are more inclusive and think in wider terms than the feminine aspects of divine manifestation.

  National relationships and the major intellectual cleavages are based also upon the governing ray influences. Spain, Austria and France, being governed by the seventh, fifth and third rays, have a close inter-relation. This worked out in a most interesting manner in the Middle Ages, and the destinies of these three nations were closely related. The newly forming country of the United States is likewise spiritually and intimately associated — in its form aspect — with Brazil, Russia and Italy; hence the early influx of certain types of emigrants into the country and hence also the pull of the South American countries upon the American consciousness, and the growth (rightly or wrongly) of the ideal of Pan-America. These relations are all on the form side and emerge out of the personality rays or energy of the nations concerned. The Ray of Love or Inclusiveness, the Ray of Active Intelligence showing itself so predominantly in the electrical civilisation of modern times, and the fifth Ray of Exact Science are all potently active at this time, for they are all pouring their energies onto our planetary life. The incoming seventh [57] Ray of Order is surely, even if slowly, imposing order and a new rhythm of life upon mankind. The effect of these incoming energies and of the rays which are active at any one time is felt in the following sequential order:

  1. The sensing of an ideal.

  2. The formulation of an theory.

  3. The growth of public opinion.

  4. The imposition of the new and developing pattern upon the evolving life.

  5. The production of a form, based upon that pattern.

  6. The stabilised functioning of the life within the new form.

  It should be remembered that each ray embodies an idea which can be sensed as an ideal. The rays in time produce the world pattern which moulds all planetary forms and thus bears witness to the inner potency of the evolutionary processes. This pattern-forming tendency is being recognised today by modern psychology in connection with the human being and his emotional or thought patterns are being charted and studied. So it is with the nations and races also. Every ray produces three major patterns which are imposed upon the form nature, whether it be that of a man, a nation or a planet. These three patterns are: the emotional pattern, embodying the aspiration of a man, a nation or a race; it is the sum total of the desire tendency at any one time; the mental pattern, emerging later in time and governing the thought processes of a man, a nation or a race. The emotional and mental patterns are the negative and positive aspects of the personality of a man, a nation or a race. The soul pattern is the pre-disposing and spiritual goal, the ring-pass-not or destiny which the spiritual principle succeeds eventually in imposing upon the [58] personality of a man, a nation or a race. This soul pattern eventually supersedes and obliterates the two earlier pattern-producing processes.

  If, for instance, the energy of the fifth ray, which is the soul ray of the French nation, can make its potency felt in the stress and misery of the present world condition, then to France may be given the ultimate glory of proving to the world the fact of the soul and of giving a demonstration of soul control. The soul pattern may be translated by the genius of the French intellect into terms which humanity can understand and a true psychology of the soul may come into being. The genius of Germany has often in the past been expressed along the line of its fourth ray soul, and through its power Germany has given much of music and philosophy to mankind. That soul is not at present expressing itself; a rampant personality has expressed the greatest evil, but as time goes on and Germany learns the lessons which she must learn, the soul pattern will again be impressed upon the German consciousness; Germany must be helped to get again the vision of this ideal. If England’s ideal of justice (which is the pattern of its personality ray) can be transformed by her soul ray of love into just and intelligent world service, then she will give to the world the pattern of that true government which is the genius of the soul quality of the British. If the idealism of the United States of America can be illumined by the law of love and not by personality self-expression,
then the pattern which underlies the structure of the States may be seen in lines of light and we shall look for future racial light instead of the many separative national lines. At present it is the personality ray of the United States which controls. [59]

  A close study of that for which each nation stands will be most revealing and their pattern will emerge — a pattern of personality selfishness or a pattern of soul goals.

  Italy has a sixth ray soul and hence her devotion to her past and to the ancient “glory which was Rome” (for this is closely tied up with the memory aspect of the soul) and to the concept of the restoration of the Roman Empire. But as it is the soul ray which is upon this stream of ray influence, it is interesting to note that Italy carries forward her plans with very little hate and with the minimum of persecution and of resentment; she stands steadily for peace, no matter what the people may believe under the influence of national propaganda and the theories of the newspapers. Her motto, esoterically stated, is, as you know: “I carve the Paths.” This will be true eventually in the spiritual as well as in the literal sense. Rome was the great road builder and road maker of Europe in the far distant past; today the British race (who are largely re-incarnated Romans and hence the friendly feeling which basically exists between the two countries in spite of outward appearance) are the original railroad makers. This is all upon the material side. Upon the spiritual side, as I told you in an earlier book, the whole field of religion will be re-inspired and re-orientated from Rome because the Master Jesus will again take hold of the Christian Church in an effort to re-spiritualise it and to re-organise it. From the chair of the Pope of Rome, the Master Jesus will attempt to swing that great branch of the religious beliefs of the world again into a position of spiritual power and away from its present authoritative and temporary political potency.

  The United States of America has for its personality ray the sixth ray and hence much of its personality difficulties. Hence also its strong desire life, impelling it to sex [60] expression and to materiality but to a materiality which is very different from that of the French, for the citizen of the United States values money only for the effects on his life which it can bring and for what it makes possible. Hence also the rapid response of the American continent to every form of idealism, to the need of others, even of its enemies, to compassion for all suffering and to a pronounced progress towards a well defined humanitarianism. This they may call the democratic ideal but it is in truth something which grows out of and eventually supersedes democracy—the ideal of spiritual government—a government by the highest and the most spiritual to be found in the land. Hence also their unrealised esoteric motto: “I light the Way.” All the various forms of government, prevalent in the world today, will—after making their great experiment and its resultant contribution—proceed upon the way of enlightened rule by the illumined minds of the age. This development is certain and inevitable and the indications of this happening can be seen today by those who have eyes to see and a developed inner vision.

  Russia is peculiarly interesting at this time from the angle of humanity because she comes under the influence of both rays. Her egoic ray is the seventh and her personality ray is the sixth. Hence the tremendous conflict which is going on between the fanatical sixth ray cruelty of her sixth ray regime and the spiritual harmlessness which is the basic principle of the national ideology. Hence also the materiality of several important sections of her populace and the essential brotherliness which is imposed by the idealism and the mystical aspiration of the Russian genius, expressed through its people as a whole. Hence also the correctness of their spiritual motto which is as yet unrealised by them but which is working itself out noticeably to those of [61] us who can see upon the inner side of life. That motto is: “I link two ways.” Their task, which will develop as they come to truer understanding, is the linking of the East and of the West, and also of the worlds of desire and of spiritual aspiration, of the fanaticism which produces cruelty and the understanding which produces love, of a developed materialism and a perfected holiness, of the selfishness of a materialistic regime and the unselfishness of a mystically and spiritually minded people, and all this in a most pronounced and peculiar manner. Behind the closed borders of that mysterious and magnificent country, a great and spiritual conflict is proceeding and the rare mystical spirit and the truly religious orientation of the people is the eternal guarantee that a true and living religion and culture will finally emerge. Out of Russia—a symbol of the world Arjuna in a very special sense—will emerge that new and magical religion about which I have so often told you. It will be the product of the great and imminent Approach which will take place between humanity and the Hierarchy. From these two centres of spiritual force, in which the light which ever shineth in and from the East will irradiate the West, the whole world will be flooded with the radiance of the Sun of Righteousness. I am not here referring (in connection with Russia) to the imposition of any political ideology, but to the appearance of a great and spiritual religion which will justify the crucifixion of a great nation and which will demonstrate itself and be focussed in a great and spiritual Light which will be held aloft by a vital Russian exponent of true religion — that man for whom many Russians have been looking and who will be the justification of a most ancient prophecy.

  Spain has a sixth ray ego and a seventh ray personality — thus reversing the forces which are expressing themselves [62] through the Russian spirit. Spain, too, acts as a link in world adjustment but this time the link is between Europe and Africa, and in this capacity Spain has earlier served. It will be apparent to you also how inevitable has been the relationship between Spain and Russia and how the ideology of the latter country has influenced the national government. It will also be apparent why the battleground of the two great ideologies — the Fascist and the Communistic — has been found inevitably in Spain. The triumph of the Fascist part has been equally inevitable from the start because of the egoic relation existing between Spain and Italy and also to the proximity of the two countries which has enabled the telepathic impress of Fascist idealism to be easily impressed upon the prepared and sensitive Spanish consciousness. As to the fanaticism, the natural cruelty, the fervent idealism, the arrogant pride and the religious and mystical quality of the Spanish character, they are obviously of sixth ray origin and are highly crystallised. The intense individualism of the people can be noted also as a definite part of their seventh ray personality equipment. Their spiritual motto: “I disperse the clouds,” is indicative of the magical work for which Spain will eventually be responsible and sooner than is perhaps anticipated, thus balancing in that highly intelligent and individualistic country the field of scientific magic and the magical work of the Church of the future. This is a prophecy which lies at present too far ahead to be capable of verification, either in this generation or the next, but it is rooted in national characteristics and the law of probability.

  We have been considering the rays of the Great Powers and the two Axis Powers, Germany and Italy. But the same methods can be applied to any nation and race and should prove of deep interest to every student of history.

  THE NATIONS AND THEIR GOVERNING SIGNS

  [63] 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 fundament
ally 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.