Esoteric Astrology

by Alice A Bailey

  A close study of all the above relations will reveal the fact that four signs of the zodiac play a dominant part, therefore, in the life of the man who is working whilst in incarnation with his Sun in Scorpio or with Scorpio rising. These are: [221]

  1. Aries . . . . . . . . . Cardinal Cross . . . Initiating impulse . . . . . . Life.

  2. Cancer . . . . . . . . Cardinal Cross . . . Focussed impulse . . . . . . Incarnation.

  3. Scorpio . . . . . . . Fixed Cross . . . . . Reversing impulse . . . . . Return.

  4. Aquarius . . . . . . Fixed Cross . . . . . Group impulse . . . . . . . . Service.

  These are signs 1-4-8-11. These numbers in themselves are most significant for they are the signs of will-desire, of human expression, of the Christ principle and of initiation. There is no need for me to enlarge upon this fourfold theme and the truth of its implied teaching, for it is obvious and clear and the history of the soul is sealed up in these numbers.

  I would like to touch upon another interesting point which will serve to demonstrate the potency of Scorpio and its energies in the life of the disciple. Scorpio is one of the four arms of the Fixed Cross of the heavens, as you well know. Upon that Cross, the correctly poised man stands right at the centre where the four arms meet and, therefore, at the point where the energy of all the four signs and of their ruling planets can pour through him and evoke the needed reactions, produce the conditions wherein test is possible and so bring about the necessary reversal of the life currents in the man's nature and place him upon the reversed wheel. The planets which will rule and condition him in some aspect or other of his nature are:

  Planet Sign Ray School

  1. Venus . . . . . . . . Taurus . . . . . . . 5th . . . . . . . Orthodox

  2. Vulcan . . . . . . . Taurus . . . . . . . 1st . . . . . . . Hierarchical. Esoteric

  3. The Sun . . . . . . Leo . . . . . . . . . 2nd . . . . . . . All three

  4. Mars . . . . . . . . Scorpio . . . . . . 6th . . . . . . . Orthodox and Esoteric

  5. Mercury . . . . . . Scorpio . . . . . . 4th . . . . . . . Hierarchical

  6. Uranus . . . . . . . Aquarius . . . . . 7th . . . . . . . Orthodox

  7. Jupiter . . . . . . . Aquarius . . . . . 2nd . . . . . . . Esoteric

  8. The Moon . . . . Aquarius . . . . . 4th . . . . . . . Hierarchical

  From this tabulation, it will appear that the influence of only one ray, that of the third Ray of Active Intelligence, [222] is missing. All the other rays pour through, vertically and horizontally, into the man's nature and his environment. Life, quality and appearance are all tested, but as the entire experience has to be fought out subjectively and lifted “up into the air” finally and raised into the world of spiritual values where all problems must be solved in the light of the intuition and by the soul, the stimulation of the intellect and the focussing of the disciple's attention upon the physical plane (the world of material values) is not desirable. Therefore, the influence of the third ray is omitted or “occultly deflected,” as it is called, except in so far that the substance of the brain is automatically conditioned by the third ray which is the subconscious ruler of matter. This pouring in of six potencies is that which provides the setting and conditions of the tests; all these ray energies express themselves as the active sub-rays of the ray upon which the soul of the disciple is found; hence the necessity to ascertain the ray of the soul, prior to casting the horoscope and setting up the chart.

  This brings me to two points about which I would like to speak a word. In dealing with the horoscope of the personality and with the average non-aspiring man, the astrologer should endeavour to discover the personality ray from a study of character, of the physical indications, of the emotional qualities, of the type of mind and the nature of the environment. He will then be able to lay out a far more useful chart with the orthodox planets ruling the life. In the case of the horoscope of a disciple, he should do the same, endeavouring to discover the ray of the soul. The soul ray only sets its mark and emphasises its quality and nature in the case of advanced people, and when that emerges clearly, the man is obviously a disciple and the esoteric planets will then govern his chart. Having determined [223] the ray of the man undergoing tests in Scorpio, the astrologer can then place the other rays in relation to him and his probable experience.

  The other point to which I sought to refer is the constant use of the word “relation” or “relationship” and analogous phrases. This is unavoidable for the reason that the entire Science of Astrology is, in the last analysis, the Science of Relations and there is consequently no use in avoiding the term, especially when there is no other which seems to meet the requirements as adequately. Inter-relation, inter-dependence, inter-communication, interplay—these are words governing the scientific basis of astrology, and they are beginning to be words in general use today in connection with human affairs and human conduct. This will be increasingly the case. The preparatory stages for world fusion, blending and synthesis are present at this time, and in this fact lies the hope of the world and the surety of the ultimate solution of the world problem along right lines.

  In connection with the vertical and the horizontal life of the Fixed Cross, it is instructive to note that the vertical life of the man upon that Cross (no matter in what sign his sun may temporarily find position), is ever Aquarius-Leo. This indicates that the self-centred individual in Leo learns the lesson of the Cross and becomes decentralised, group conscious, and given to service. The horizontal arm is Taurus-Scorpio, indicating that desire for materiality is finally superseded by desire for the spiritual values, and this is demonstrated through the tests in Scorpio. Earth and water (Taurus and Scorpio) must be blended and related and it is this truth connected with these two signs of the zodiac which lies behind all teaching upon baptism and purification. The earthly material desires of Taurus must in [224] due time be brought under the influence of the purifying water in Scorpio. Baptism by water (a name for the second initiation) needs a preparatory period of testing and purification, and this the experience in Scorpio is intended to give. Likewise, fire and air (Aquarius and Leo) must also be blended and thus the four elements as well as six out of the seven rays must all play their part in conditioning the man in Scorpio for the final stages of the Path.

  The place of the planets in this sign is also most revealing, and in line also with the general purpose of the experience in Scorpio, as outlined above. Uranus is exalted in Scorpio; the power of Venus is lessened in this sign, whilst the Moon falls. What do these facts symbolically portray? Let me see if I can make the beauty of these implications clear to you.

  Uranus is the planet whose characteristics are the scientific mind, which, at this stage of the disciple's career, means that he can begin to live the occult life and the way of divine knowledge can take the place of the mystic way of feeling. It means also that knowledge can be transmuted into the way of wisdom and of light. This necessarily brings in the will aspect or the influence of the first ray (Vulcan) blended with the seventh ray (Uranus) producing the desired manifestation upon the physical plane. Uranus, therefore, initiates a new order of life and conditions and this—when developed in the life of the disciple—in its turn produces an understanding of the causes of things as they are, and the desire to change the old order and the old orientation into the new. This produces the reversal of the wheel. This can be seen happening today most clearly in connection with humanity and with world processes. Carried forward to its logical conclusion, the influence of Uranus finally produces an unfolded spiritual consciousness in contradistinction to [225] the human; for this reason, Uranus is exalted in this sign and assumes a position of power and of directed influence.

  Venus, the intelligent mind, has its power lessened in this sign because the intellect—having been developed and used—must now be subordinated to a higher power of the soul, the spiritual intuition. The Son of Mind, the solar Angel, must now manifest as a Son of God. This solar Angel, when in control, must give
place eventually to the Presence. This it has hitherto veiled or hidden. Venus must wane and the Sun—as a symbol of Deity—must wax in influence and finally take its place. Such are the symbolic and esoteric significances.

  The Moon is here regarded as functioning in its true nature and, therefore, as expressing symbolically that which is dead. The Moon here stands for the personality and, in the final victory in Scorpio, the personality is entirely vanquished and defeated. Desire is killed, for it is through expressed desire of some kind that personality demonstrates life, quality, appearance. Ponder upon this, for in Scorpio the Moon falls and its influence fades out.

  Extremes ever meet in the disciple who stands at this midway point or at the centre of the Fixed Cross in Scorpio. The spiritual imagination, which is the factor of greatest service to man, begins to take the place of the ancient glamour by means of which we have fabricated the untrue world in which we appear to live and move and have our being. The self-indulgence which was initiated in Taurus gives way in Scorpio to the selfless attitude of the disciple; ambition gives place to the executive activity of the soul, whilst attachment to personality desires, likes and dislikes is transmuted into the tenacity of soul purpose. The hidden powers of the soul nature—secret and misused because misunderstood and misapplied and, therefore, misdirected—are [226] superseded by the mysteries of initiation, and the practical understanding of the energies thereby conferred upon the recipient. Such are some of the great transformations which take place in the life of the disciple who submits intelligently to the tests and difficulties in Scorpio.

  The three decanates and their rulers are given very differently by various astrologers. One group posits Mars, the Sun and Venus as ruling the decanates of Scorpio whilst another regards Mars, Jupiter and the Moon as the three rulers. Perhaps the truth lies in both conclusions, if we view them from the esoteric standpoint or from that of the undeveloped man. This will be an interesting point for astrologers to investigate and study. Some day they will arrive at a clear decision as to the position of the five planets suggested as ruling the decanates (they agree on one); I cannot indicate to you the essential truth because a new planet is arising in this sign and it is for man to discover and rightly place it within the circumference of the Great Wheel.

  The keywords of this sign are significant and illuminating. Deception and triumph—control by Maya and control by the soul—conflict and peace—such are the hidden secrets of this sign and these are summed up for all disciples in the two keywords. Upon the ordinary wheel, whereon the soul is found, blind and apparently helpless, the Word goes forth in the following terms: “And the Word said, Let Maya flourish and let deception rule”; upon the reversed wheel, the soul chants or sings the words: “Warrior I am and from the battle I emerge triumphant.”

  LIBRA, THE BALANCE

  The sign Libra is one of peculiar interest, but in a most paradoxical manner, for much of its interest is based upon [227] the fact that it lacks spectacular interest of any kind—except in the case of disciples or those nearing the Path. It is a sign of balancing, of careful weighing of values, and of achieving the right equilibrium between the pairs of opposites. It might be regarded as the sign in which the first real vision of the Path appears and of the goal towards which the disciple must ultimately direct his steps. This Path is the narrow razor-edged Path which runs between the pairs of opposites and which—if it is to be safely trodden—requires the development of a sense of values and the power to utilise rightly the balancing, analytical faculty of the mind. It is also the sign of intuitive perception and, on the ordinary way of progression around the zodiac, it comes after the normally drastic experience of the man in Scorpio; this is usually of such a nature that the instinct to self-preservation has been aroused to such an extent that in the dire need of the man (not the disciple, at this time) a call to the soul has gone forth and has evoked response. The first few faint flashes of the intuition have been sensed and vaguely recognised. Then follows the experience in Libra wherein a life is spent in quiet, thoughtful reflection or in a condition of static unresponsiveness; it may be a life of balancing, of weighing this and that, and of determining which way the scales shall fall so that in the next sign certain designed results will occur. The following Virgo life will be either one of a personality, materialistic nature, lived under the influence of the material aspect of Virgo, the Mother, or there will be evidenced a slowly emerging soul vibration, indicating that hidden spiritual life of which the Virgin Mother is the fore-ordained custodian. As progress is made, recurrently or cyclically, around the wheel of life, these experiences and vibratory activities intensify in character until the time comes when the reversal of the wheel [228] takes place. Then Libra leads on to Scorpio and the active soul life (active through the medium of the personality nature and not simply on its own plane) is registered, recorded and noted in Virgo, and balanced and assessed in Libra, eventually bringing about the tests and trials between the soul and the personality, which latter fights with power and determination to preserve the status quo of the balanced expression of these two where the preponderance of the personality influence is not possible.

  Libra can also be spoken of in terms of the meditation process as taught both in East and West. It can, therefore, be regarded as the “interlude between two activities,” which is the explanation given to that stage in meditation which we call contemplation. In the five stages of meditation (as usually taught) you have the following: Concentration, meditation, contemplation, illumination and inspiration. These five stages are paralleled in the five strictly human signs of the zodiac:

  1. Leo—Concentration—Soul life focussed in form. Individualisation. Self-consciousness. Undeveloped and average man. Human experience.

  2. Virgo—Meditation—Soul life, as sensed in man, the gestation period. The stage of the hidden Christ. Intelligent man. Personality, as hiding the Christ life.

  3. Libra—Contemplation—Life of soul and form is balanced. Neither dominates. Equilibrium. An interlude wherein the soul organises itself for battle and the personality waits. This is the probationary path. Duality known.

  4. Scorpio—Illumination—The soul triumphs. Experience in Taurus consummated. Astral glamour dissipated. [229] Soul light pours in. The Path of Discipleship. The Disciple.

  5. Sagittarius—Inspiration—Preparation for initiation. Soul inspires personality life. Soul expresses itself through personality. The Initiate.

  I would here remind you that, though initiation is taken in Capricorn, the man is an initiate before he is initiated. This is the true secret of initiation.

  You have, therefore, the activity wherein the personality grows and develops, and yet at the same time it veils and hides the hidden “man of the heart,” which is the Christ, within each human form. You have then the interlude wherein the point of balance is reached between these two and neither is dominant. The “scales tip back and forth” in either direction or—as it is sometimes expressed—man swings between the pairs of opposites. Hence the importance of this sign in the life expression of the man and hence also its peculiar difficulty; it provides the curious see-saw experience which proves so distressingly bewildering first to the man who seeks to be entirely human but finds within himself impediments and urges which drive him on to something which is higher than the human and, secondly, to the aspirant or the disciple. His focus of interest and his aim is soul life, yet he finds within himself that which seeks ever to draw him back to the old ways, the old habits and the old desires.

  This sign is sometimes called “the place of judgment” for it is here that the decision is made and the die is cast which separate the “sheep from the goats” or those constellations ruled by Aries (the Ram or Lamb) and those ruled by Capricorn, the Goat. It really marks the distinction between the ordinary wheel of life and the reversed [230] wheel. In the days before Leo-Virgo were divided into two signs, Libra was literally the midway point. The situation was then as follows:

  Aries. Tau
rus. Gemini. Cancer. Leo-Virgo.

  LIBRA

  Scorpio. Sagittarius. Capricorn. Aquarius. Pisces.

  and in this round of the zodiac (as far as humanity is concerned) you have depicted the entire history of the race. This involves its mental beginnings in Aries (the will to manifest) and the start of the outgoing life; you have its directed desire in Taurus, producing manifestation; then emerges its dual consciousness in Gemini or the soul-body realisation; the processes of physical incarnation go forward in Cancer, followed by the dual development of the soul-body, or the subjective and objective consciousness, and the God-man in Leo-Virgo. Next comes Libra, wherein the point of balance is eventually reached between spiritual man and personal man and the stage is laid for the final fivefold process which is, in reality, the subjective correspondence to the outer externalisation upon the Path of Outgoing and which is carried forward upon the Path of Ingoing, or the Path of Return. Then takes place the reversal of the wheel and the beginning of the new orientation and of discipleship in Scorpio, the directed, controlled life of the disciple in Sagittarius, initiation in Capricorn, followed by service in Aquarius and the work of a world saviour in Pisces and final liberation.

  In this world period we have the division of the sign of the Sphinx into two signs (the Lion and the Virgin, soul and form) because the state of human evolution and conscious realisation is that of a recognised duality; it is only at what is called the “final judgment” that another fusion [231] will take place and Virgo-Libra will form one sign, for then man's sense of antagonistic dualism will be ended and the scales will have been turned finally in favour of that which the Virgin-Mother has hidden from expression for aeons.