RETREAT GERMANY - 2012 RETREAT THEME: THE SEVEN CRISES OF THE SOUL The liberation of the man imprisoned in the form He becomes the triumphant, inclusive conscious disciple
CONTENT Introduction Page Crisis precedes initiation 4 Three cycles of crises 4 The Seven Crises of the Soul 4 A crisis brings basic changes in consciousness 5 Crises and the disciple s attitude 5 The crisis of Opportunity for humanity 6 1. The Crisis of Incarnation 2. The Crisis of Orientation 3. The Crisis of Initiation Humanity and the Crisis of Initiation 4. The Crisis of Renunciation 5. The Crisis of the Battlefield 6. The Crisis of the Birthplace 7. The Crisis of the Burning ground Some themes on crises 9 The triplicity of man 9 The relation between crises and initiation 9 A welcome to the crises 10 The seven crises of the soul from the astrological point of view 12 The seven crises of the soul and their qualities: 1. The Crisis of Incarnation - Cancer 2. The Crisis of Orientation - Aries 3. The Crisis of Initiation - Capricorn 4. The Crisis of Renunciation - Gemini 5. The Crisis of the Battlefield - Scorpio The crises and the German nation Scorpio, the Dweller and the Angel 6. The Crisis of the Birthplace - Virgo 7. The Crisis of the Burning ground - Leo Triangles between Cosmos and humanity 17 1. An emanating energy centre 2. A receptive force centre 3. A responsive point of negative energy I. A downflow of energy from an emanating centre. II. A return flow of this qualified energy to its emanating source or the highest point of the major triangle. Three cycles of major import in the consciousness of the reincarnating soul: 1. The evolutionary cycle 2. The cycle of aspiration 3. The cycle of initiation 2
1. The mystery of the Sphinx 2. The Mystery of the Lion and the Unicorn 3. Leo and Sirius Aries and the soul of Germany 24 Germany s rays, constellations and ruling planets What are the outstanding qualities of Aries, the ruler of the Soul of Germany? Aries and Scorpio sharing Mars and Mercury Scorpio and the soul of Berlin 26 What are the outstanding qualities of Scorpio Soul sign of Berlin? Scorpio prepares for initiation The three tests of Scorpio The three keynotes of Scorpio Two major crises The destiny of Germany 27 Soul qualities of Germany Germany, a masculine positive nation The relationship between Germany and Great Britain The influence of Germany s soul ray is growing Germany towards a new future 3
Crisis precedes initiation INTRODUCTION The crises of the soul are expansions, registered by the inflow of love and light. They are mentally recognised crises of inclusiveness. These lead one on and prepare one for the later more vast expansions, which we call initiations. It is these expansive crises in the various aspects of your nature, which we ask that you watch and register and record during the coming period. Note in which body or vehicle of experience they occur. Note your reaction to them and their after-effect in your personal life and in your service. You will find this of major interest. Three cycles of crises The moments of crisis are passed through approximately three times from the standpoint of the major life cycle and are also recapitulated in a minor sense in some particular life or group of lives. The three cycles of major import in the consciousness of the reincarnating soul are: 1. The evolutionary cycle from individualisation to liberation, from the stage of primitive man to the emergence upon the stage of world affairs of a Master of the Wisdom, a Buddha or a Christ. 2. The cycle of aspiration from the stage of intelligent integrated man to that of the accepted disciple and from the experience of intellectual expression in the three worlds to that of the probationer who is seeking trial upon the Path and is beginning to take his spiritual unfoldment consciously in hand. 3. The cycle of initiation from the preparatory stage of accepted disciple to that of the Master and the still higher grades. These seven crises are each re-enacted during the process of self-initiation into the world of meaning and of reality. They constitute the keynote or the motif of each of the seven initiations. Each of these seven initiations permits entry into the state of divine consciousness on each of the seven planes of divine experience and expression. The Seven Crises of the Soul There are seven great crises in connection with the human being upon the path of evolution. They cover the earlier, the later and the final stages of his growth. These crises are precipitated through the conditioning influences of seven great constellations. They are: Crisis Quality Constellation Cross 1. Crisis of Incarnation Individualisation Cancer Cardinal 2. Crisis of Orientation Reversal Aries Cardinal 3. Crisis of Initiation Expansion Capricorn Cardinal 4. Crisis of Renunciation Crucifixion Gemini Mutable 5. Crisis of the Battlefield Conflict Scorpio Fixed 6. Crisis of the Birthplace Initiation Virgo Mutable 7. Crisis of Burning ground Liberation Leo Fixed They are only the points of examination as to strength, purpose, purity and motive and the intent of the soul. is brought about by a certain habit of mind, developed in the vehicle. is surmounted in time only by a certain habit and rhythm of the spiritual content of the man's nature. is produced, by the establishing of a certain objective rhythm. It is the emergence of a particular subjective rhythm, which enables a man to surmount the crisis and to capitalise on the opportunity. Please bear this in mind. evoke confidence when surmounted and produce greatly expanded vision. foster compassion and understanding, for the pain and inner conflict they have engendered is never forgotten, for they draw upon the resources of the heart. release the light of wisdom within the field of knowledge and the world is thereby enriched. Shirk not these crises, hard and difficult though they may appear to be. Difficult they are. Forget not that the habit of confronting crises is a long-established one within the consciousness of humanity. Man has the "habit of crisis". 4
A crisis brings basic changes in consciousness In considering these crises, which take place in the life history of the soul from its first incarnation until its final release, it has been said that seven major constellations and their influences, pouring through the exoteric and the esoteric planets, stage the circumstances and condition the environment of the onward-moving, spiritual man. Certain lives will occur when one or other of these constellations will exert a predominant influence. They will produce that focussing of forces which - given a man's particular equipment at any point in time - will evoke from him the maximum of possible effort, thus enabling him to move forward into a more enlightened state of consciousness. I do not say "enable him to be victorious." A man may succeed in surmounting the testing conditions and in emerging conqueror over circumstances upon the physical plane and yet be defeated. The reason for this is that unless the struggle and the emergence produce basic changes in consciousness and a greatly extended horizon, they will prove futile to accomplish their intended task. Crises and the disciple s attitude One of the outstanding characteristics of the pledged disciple is that he learns to stand steady and unmoving no matter what may be happening to him or around him. Much is happening to disciples these days for they bear the brunt of the world's cataclysm. Remember that disciples meet the prevalent conditions on all three planes simultaneously and are at the same time endeavouring to live as souls. There is appalling suffering everywhere. Physically and emotionally, people throughout the world are handling the maximum of pain. The accepted disciple, however, is suffering also mentally and to this must be added his capacity to identify himself with the whole. His trained imagination also presents special difficulty for he can include possibilities, which others may not envisage, and his sweep or grasp of the plan is presumably greater. He is also endeavouring to apply his knowledge of this plan to the immediate environing situation and is strenuously attempting to understand and at the same time to interpret to others, no matter what he may be undergoing in his own personal life. In many cases environing conditions and chosen associates tend to complicate matters. There are many types of crisis in the lives of all aspirants, but in the case of those who are pledged disciples there are always two major crises in their lives: (1) There is first of all the crisis of opportunity and its wise recognition At some time, every disciple is faced with some determining choice, which leads eventually to the distinctive nature of his life service. This usually takes place between the ages of twenty-five and forty, usually around the age of thirty-five. It is a choice based upon the relation of the soul to the personality and only confronts disciples. (2) The second crisis is the crisis of expression This usually comes towards the later years of a disciple's life. It concerns his stabilised life tendency and puts to the test all that he believes and for which he has stood and fought throughout his life experience. It is ever a hard and bitter test, going to the very roots of his life, and for those in preparation for initiation it is peculiarly acute. The conditions of the test may apparently seem no worse than the tests and difficulties, which assault other people but they have to be met on all planes at once. Soul energy is ever involved thereby and this intensifies the response of each individual body in the lower man and also the personality as a whole, the integrated man. The stage of responsiveness, which every disciple has achieved in relation to his environment, his associates and his service greatly aggravates his difficulties. True triumph is dependent upon specific achievement upon the inner planes and upon wresting the true values out of any situation, and of these, values based upon the physical plane are by far the least important. The crisis of Opportunity for humanity The human race faces a new crisis of opportunity wherein new values can be seen as important, wherein the establishing of right human relations will be deemed desirable, not only from the idealistic point of view but also from the purely selfish angle. Some day the principles of cooperation and of sharing will be substituted for those of possessive greed and competition. This is the inevitable next step ahead for humanity - one for which the entire evolutionary process has prepared mankind. 5
1. The Crisis of Incarnation The Crisis of Incarnation is about the personality and (its) form life. Keyword is experience. It is the manifestation of Manhood. The first crisis (for humanity) was the crisis of individualisation wherein man became a living soul. At the time of this individualisation (long, long ago), the first great soul approach took place. In those days, the activity of Venus - under the influence of Gemini - produced the great crisis of individualisation, when the two kingdoms "approached" each other: the third kingdom of nature, the animal kingdom and the kingdom of God or of souls, the fifth kingdom in nature, produced the fourth or human kingdom. Venus, Mercury and the Earth then set up a magnetic field which made the intervention of the Great Lodge on Sirius and the dual stimulation of Gemini effective in producing significant results of which the fourth kingdom in nature is the expression. Cancer is the "birthplace into the life of form," the door into physical incarnation. This is the sign in which humanity, as a whole integrated unit, is born; the scene of the emergence of the fourth kingdom in nature. Humanity has "emerged from rock and water and brings its habitation with it" and mass instinctual consciousness came into being. Leo is about 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. The Crisis of Orientation The man commences in Aries until he - through many turnings of the (zodiacal) wheel of life - reaches the point of reversal and reorientation. The man progresses from the point where, in Cancer, he forms a part of the mass with the mass consciousness, inchoate and unfocussed, and with no recognition of objective (except the satisfaction of instinctual desire) until in Scorpio he becomes the triumphant disciple, having found himself in Leo. Then comes the Crisis of Reorientation, which may take a long time and constitute an interlude of many lives of struggle. The Crisis of Reorientation is about the life of the soul: The keynote is consciousness. It is the manifestation of Christhood. Through the effect of the energy flowing from the zodiacal signs the man is prepared for the "crisis of orientation" wherein he slowly and gradually reverses his mode of progress upon the wheel of life and begins consciously to travel back to his source. He then goes from Aries to Pisces, via Taurus, Scorpio and Capricorn, instead of moving from Aries to Taurus via Sagittarius, Leo and Cancer. The triplicity of constellations mentioned in these two great routes around the zodiac has a definite and momentous effect and are called "paramount signs of influence." During this process the mental principle, the discriminating mind, is developed and in this specific connection the emphasis is laid upon the influence of Aries, Gemini and Libra. Under that influence the man learns to overcome desire through experiment with and experience of every kind of desire and selfish impulse. Thus gradually, and with infinite pain, the human soul learns to function first as a member of the human family, and, secondly as a spiritual entity, the divine soul. Libra is about 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. The Crisis of Initiation Capricorn is about 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 of the Christ consciousness, which is group consciousness. 6
The Crisis of Initiation is about the Life of the Spirit. It is the manifestation of Divinity. Capricorn brings this Crisis of Initiation, which exists in five stages (five initiations between the animal kingdom and the kingdom of souls) and signifies the emergence of the dominating Christ life. In this particular world cycle Capricorn is producing the moment of crisis - a crisis of initiation plus a crisis of destruction (related primarily to the mineral kingdom) paralleled by a crisis of mental perception, precipitated by Mercury. It is this mental perception plus world participation in the "crumbling of the mountain load of karma" which heralds the vision of the new day from the top of the mountain. So, we indicate the three streams of energy, which meet in the centre called Humanity: 1. The active intelligence of man, latent in the human centre. 2. The initiatory activity of Capricorn. 3. The illumining radiance of Mercury. Humanity and the Crisis of Initiation Today, Capricorn is producing a third crisis in the long, long history of mankind - a crisis of initiation, and the possibility of this crisis proving effective and producing the appearance of a new kingdom of nature on Earth is steadily becoming more and more possible. The combination of the influences of Sirius, Leo and Uranus has been much needed at this time to foster and bring about those conditions which will enable mankind, under the steady influence of the Hierarchy, to take the first initiation and "give birth to the Christ," thus revealing and bringing to the light of day the inner, hidden, spiritual Man. In Leo man undergoes the preparatory stages of this first initiation. 1. He finds himself and becomes self-conscious; 2. Then he arrives at the stage of intelligent discipleship; 3. He formulates a conscious inner programme or purpose under the steady pressure of the life of the indwelling Christ. 4. He begins to exhaust and deny the demands and desires of the lower nature. 5. This cycle of experience is followed by a painful life of conscious re-orientation - a cycle wherein he achieves balance and begins to "stand in spiritual Being" as a result of constant trial and testing. 6. Finally he stands ready for the ordeal and the accolade of fire, preceding the first initiation. At that final stage, Humanity today stands. When (as is now the case) the influence of Uranus is added to the other influences and the seventh ray is at the same time entering into a major cycle of activity on the Earth, there is then present the energy needed to precipitate the crisis of initiation and produce a great rhythmic awakening. 4. The Crisis of Renunciation From the standpoint of the man upon the probationary path, seeking the light, struggling through the signs (as the Old Commentary expresses it): "He turns from right to left, and then again from left to right. He revolves in giddy fashion upon an axis of desire. He knows not where to go or what to do. The sky turns black." At this point, the sign Gemini begins potently to play its part in the life of the disciples, with Sagittarius (opposing Gemini) gradually "piercing the heart with his arrows, and then upon the flight of the arrow, the man reaches Capricorn." Then comes the Crisis of Renunciation. At first, the soul, during many incarnations descends into the ocean of matter. Then, reversing itself, the soul renounces the life of form, the personality centre. Upon this reversal of the wheel, it proceeds to detach itself from the personality and re-attach itself in consciousness to the One Who sent it forth (the Monad). Renunciation is detachment. When renunciation is experienced and the disciple or initiate renounces all for the love of humanity and its service, and lays himself upon the altar of sacrifice then he achieves, as a result, the final liberation. 7
5. The Crisis of the Battlefield Leo has frequently been described as the "battlefield of the Forces of Materialism and the Forces of Light." It is occultly regarded as one of the most material signs, in-as-much as selfish desire for possession of material objectives can be peculiarly present and the display of the possessive spirit can violently control. Yet, at the same time, the advanced Leo person can function as the "inspired spiritual Sacrifice." He is then sensitive to world conditions and freed from personal desires. The crises of the battle field leads to the culminating battle in Scorpio and the liberation into life in Capricorn, the place of the higher initiations, after the reversal of the wheel. 6. The Crisis of the Birthplace Mercury (esoteric ruler of Aries) leads Aries to Virgo (speaking symbolically) where the idea or Word of God begins to take form, and consequently the latent life in Aries comes to the "crisis of the birth hour," prior to the birth of the Christ, cosmically considered, though the birth of the individual Christ takes place in Capricorn, at the close of the needed gestation period. The crisis of the birthplace in Virgo, brought about through the activity of Mercury, leading through Leo to the birth of the Christ in Capricorn. The self-conscious individual in Leo becomes the Christ-conscious Initiate in Capricorn. 7. The Crisis of the Burning ground At different points along the Path of Life, Aries forces the soul on to the burning ground and subjects it to a purifying process during incarnation. The crisis of the burning ground is brought about through the activity of Uranus (ruler of Aries and Libra). This is entered through the free choice of the initiate who makes his choice in Libra, the point of balance where usually - the moment for the reversal of the wheel takes place. There the man has to decide whether to proceed as usual and according to custom or, reversing the wheel, to pass through the burning ground to liberation. Libra is the polar opposite to Aries and therefore closely related. Through the fiery processes of war and strife, brought to the individual through the influence of Mars, the God of War, (planetary ruler of Aries and Scorpio) a needed purification takes place. The same purification, but this time through vision, comes to the developed man through the activity of the subjective ruler of the planet Mercury (planetary ruler of Aries and Scorpio), who is the illuminating principle which releases the mind, directs the way of man through life and enables him to become aware of the divine Plan which underlies all his fiery experience. Before the Door of Initiation lies the burning ground which all disciples and initiates must tread. 8
Some themes on crises For the retreat in Germany, close to its capital of Berlin, we considered a few themes, which are related to the seven crises of the soul, which is our main theme, with a focus upon the German nation and its people, being aware of the fact that the German government resides in its capital of Berlin. These themes were: 1. The Seven Crises of the Soul 2. Triangles between Cosmos and Humanity 3. Aries and the Soul of Germany 4. Scorpio and the Soul of Berlin 5. On the destiny of Germany This involves the crises ruled by Scorpio on the Fixed Cross of Discipleship, knowing that humanity is presently under test and trial in Scorpio. In the case of Germany we will consider the Soul-ruler Aries of Germany and the Soul-ruler Scorpio of Berlin. Important to this is the Science of Triangles applied upon the extra-planetary energies for the seven crises of the soul. It may somewhat clarify the inflow of cosmic, systemic and planetary energies and forces into the world of man. The triplicity of man We know that the true man is triple. He is a spirit or Monad. Man is a living soul and man is a personality, when in physical incarnation. We focus here upon the crises of the soul, of which the crises of the personality is a consequence. Or to say it on a larger scale: There is a crisis in the spiritual Hierarchy, and thus a crisis in humanity. Or even on a still much larger scale: Our Solar Logos and our planetary Logos are presently involved in processes of Cosmic initiation. And this also affects us, as souls in incarnation. But, returning, what are those crises in general? We present a few quotes. The relation between crises and initiation The crises of the soul are expansions, registered by the inflow of love and light. They are mentally recognised crises of inclusiveness. These lead one on and prepare one for the later more vast expansions, which we call initiations. Watch and register and record these expansive crises in the various aspects of your nature. Note in which body or vehicle of experience they occur. Note too, your reaction to them and their after-effect in your personal life and in your service. It is of major interest. It is wise to note that an initiation is in reality a crisis, a climaxing event, and is only truly brought about when the disciple has learnt patience, endurance and sagacity in emerging from the many preceding and less important crises. An initiation is a culminating episode, made possible because of the self-inspired discipline to which the disciple has forced himself to conform. Initiation has been defined as "a progressive sequence of directed energy impacts." These impacts are characterised by points of tension, and these lead inevitably to points of crisis. This whole process is governed by the Law of Cause and Effect Crisis means change. Change implies the death of forms that are old, to be replaced by new ones. For which death is the man preparing? Is there an imminent crisis at hand, which indicates a birth into some new state of consciousness? The crucial question to be determined in every case, is the direction in which the man is progressing around the wheel of life. Does he travel along the zodiac as a personality or, reversed, as a soul? Physical death means that the individual enters into a fuller state of life. Basically, death means the removal of that, which is old and to replace it by that, which is new, and which is more suitable for the expression of the life within. 9
Death here, is the death of all limiting aspects of the personality nature, giving place to the free inflow of the energies of the soul. The crises of the soul are important moments for the soul to come into the full possession of its personality instrument in the three lower worlds. The question is: Do you live as a personality or are you (more or less) living as a soul. Astrologically: When you live as a personality, you proceed along the zodiac from Pisces to Aries. When you live as a soul, you proceed along the zodiac in the reverse direction. From Aries to Pisces. When we speak about the crises of the soul, we consider aspirants, disciples and initiates who are (more or less) soul-infused. A welcome to the crises It might be profitable to consider the next thoughts upon the subject of crises: a. A crisis is brought about by a certain habit of mind, developed in the vehicle. b. A crisis is surmounted in time only by a certain habit and rhythm of the spiritual content of the man's nature. c. A crisis is produced, by the establishing of a certain objective rhythm. It is the emergence of a particular subjective rhythm, which enables a man to surmount the crisis and to capitalise on the opportunity. Please bear this in mind. d. Shirk not these crises, hard and difficult though they may appear to be. Difficult they are. Forget not that the habit of confronting crises is a long-established one within the consciousness of humanity. e. Man has the "habit of crisis". f. Crises are only the points of examination as to strength, purpose, purity and motive and the intent of the soul. g. They evoke confidence when surmounted and produce greatly expanded vision. h. They foster compassion and understanding, for the pain and inner conflict they have engendered is never forgotten, for they draw upon the resources of the heart. i. They release the light of wisdom within the field of knowledge and the world is thereby enriched. 10
THE TWELVE CONSTELLATIONS OF THE ZODIAC and THE TWELVE ESOTERIC PLANETARY RULERS CAN- CER GEMINI LEO NEPTUNE TAURUS VENUS SUN veiling NEPTUNE VIRGO VULCAN MOON veiling VULCAN ARIES MERCURY URANUS LIBRA PLUTO MARS PISCES JUPITER SATURN EARTH SCOR- PIO AQUA- RIUS SAGIT- TARIUS CAPRI- CORN Each of the seven crises of the soul is related to one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac, which is on esoteric levels ruled by its esoteric planetary ruler. This is presented in the picture above. 11
The seven crises of the soul and their qualities There are seven great crises in connection with the human being upon the path of evolution. They cover the earlier, the later and the final stages of his growth. These are precipitated through the conditioning influences of seven great constellations. They are: Crisis Quality Constellation Cross 1. Crisis of Incarnation Individualisation Cancer Cardinal 2. Crisis of Orientation Reversal Aries Cardinal 3. Crisis of Initiation Expansion Capricorn Cardinal 4. Crisis of Renunciation Crucifixion Gemini Mutable 5. Crisis of the Battlefield Conflict Scorpio Fixed 6. Crisis of the Birthplace Initiation Virgo Mutable 7. Crisis of Burning ground Liberation Leo Fixed Practical lessons have to be learnt from the seven crises through which man, the individual, and humanity, the larger whole, must pass. In considering these crises which take place in the life history of the soul from its first incarnation until its final release, it will be found that seven major constellations and their influences, pouring through the exoteric and the esoteric planets, stage the circumstances and condition the environment of the onward-moving, spiritual man. Certain lives will occur when one or other of these constellations will exert a predominant influence. They will produce that focussing of forces which - given a man's particular equipment at any point in time - will evoke from him the maximum of possible effort, thus enabling him to move forward into a more enlightened state of consciousness. We know that every planet is the incarnation of a Life, or an Entity or Being. Every planet, like a human being, is the expression of two ray forces, - the personality and the egoic. Two rays are therefore in esoteric conflict in each planet. So, the major conflict in humanity is between Soul and personality. Next we will consider five crises rather shortly, and the two remaining crises, the one related to Aries, but especially the one related to Scorpio, in more detail. The reason is, that this document has been used for the Retreat in October 2012 under Scorpio in Germany. This nation is esoterically ruled by Aries and its government is seated in Berlin, with Scorpio as its soul sign or rising sign. Hence the importance of Aries and Scorpio for Germany and its future soul-expression. 1. The Crisis of Incarnation (Cancer) The Crisis of Incarnation (in Cancer) is about the personality and (its) form life. One keyword is experience. It is the manifestation of Manhood (the race of man). The first crisis (for humanity) was the crisis of individualisation wherein man became a living soul. 2. The Crisis of Orientation (Aries) Through the effect of the energy flowing from the zodiacal signs, the man is prepared for the "crisis of orientation" wherein he slowly and gradually reverses his mode of progress upon the wheel of life and begins consciously to travel back to his source. From the standpoint of commencement in Aries, man - through many turnings of the wheel of life - reaches the point of reversal and reorientation, which is related to the opposite sign of Libra, the Scales. This cycle of experience is followed by a painful life of conscious re-orientation - a cycle wherein he achieves balance and begins to "stand in spiritual Being" as a result of constant trial and testing. Then, in Scorpio he becomes the triumphant disciple and he meets the Crisis of Re-orientation, which may take a long time and constitutes an interlude of many lives of struggle. Suffering, deprivation, anxiety and distress can lead to a reversal of human orientation upon the wheel of life, just as it does in the case of the individual aspirant. 12
Finally he stands ready for the ordeal and the accolade of fire, preceding the first initiation. At that final stage, Humanity today stands. When (as is now the case) the influence of Uranus is added to the other influences, and the seventh ray is at the same time entering into a major cycle of activity on the Earth, there is then present the energy needed to precipitate the crisis of initiation and produce a great rhythmic awakening. This process of re-orientation leads to a passage around the wheel in which, steadily and persistently, the inner subjective man comes into outer manifested expression and the personality recedes into the background. We might here indicate the influence of Uranus, being the highest planetary ruler of Aries. Keeping an eye as well upon the German nation and its capital Berlin, we might express that: Uranus, expressing the ray seven of Ceremonial Order, is the soul ruler of Germany. Uranus dominates Aquarius, which is the zodiacal ruler of the coming Age. Uranus brings about the crisis of the burning ground, which is a crisis in the sign of Leo. This is interesting, because (1) Aquarius, the Water-of-Life carrier or the World disciple, (2) Leo, the self- or soulconscious man, (3) Taurus, the bringer of illumination and (4) Scorpio, the tested and tried victorious disciple, together create the so-called Fixed Cross, which is known as the Cross of Discipleship. Uranus is exalted in Scorpio, which is the sign of trial and the ruler of Berlin. Uranus initiates a new order of life. So, in the case of Germany, we may well assume that Germany has a great future and that the German nation is in a process of initiation during the present and coming times. The above was about the crisis of Orientation in Aries, which brings a man or a nation to the crisis in Scorpio, which basically is the fight between the personality and his soul. And as we may know, the victory achieved in Scorpio leads to full discipleship in Sagittarius ad next to initiation in Capricorn. This leads us to: 3. The Crisis of Initiation (Capricorn) In this particular world cycle Capricorn is producing the moment of crisis - a crisis of initiation plus a crisis of destruction (related primarily to the mineral kingdom) paralleled by a crisis of mental perception, precipitated by Mercury. It is this mental perception plus world participation in the "crumbling of the mountain load of karma" which heralds the vision of the new day from the top of the mountain. 4. The Crisis of Renunciation (Gemini) First, the soul, during many incarnations descends into the ocean of matter. Then, reversing itself, the soul renounces the life of form, the personality centre. Upon this reversal of the wheel, it proceeds to detach itself from the personality and re-attach itself in consciousness to the One Who sent it forth. Renunciation is detachment. 5. The Crisis of the Battlefield (Scorpio) The crises of the battle field, leads to the culminating battle in Scorpio and the liberation into life in Capricorn, the place of the higher initiations, after the reversal of the wheel. It is the battlefield of higher relations - those between the soul and the personality, and between what you are in this life, and the environment in which you find your chosen field of service. Your personal release lies in the production of harmony through conflict, and your best technique is to produce this harmonising influence within your environment as the result of your inner conflict, silently waged in the shrine of the mind. The mark of the true aspirant is that all the three parts of the lower nature are linked more or less to the higher (nature), thus producing a unity. This results in two things: 1. All the three parts of the personality can react simultaneously in some measure to the life and energy of the soul. 13
2. All the difficulties and trials (karmic or educational, testing or purifying) are felt in all the three bodies at once. This is good, but it complicates the disciple's progress - for he has to fight on all three battlefields at once. This means that the tests and trials of Scorpio are on three levels at the same time: physical, emotional and mental. This covers the three aspects of the personality nature. The emotional test is the most difficult one, and has much to do with what we call glamour. There are various types of glamour. The battlefield (for the man who is nearing accepted discipleship or who is upon the path of discipleship, in the academic sense) is primarily that of glamour. That is the major problem and its solution is imminent and urgent for all disciples and senior aspirants. It will be apparent why the emphasis has been put, during the Aryan age, upon the necessity for the study of Raja Yoga, and the cultivation of submission to its discipline. Only through Raja Yoga can a man stand steady in the light, and only through illumination and the achievement of clear vision can the fogs and miasmas of glamour be finally dissipated. Only as the disciple learns to hold his mind "steady in the light," and as the rays of pure light stream forth from the soul, can the glamour be discovered, discerned, recognised for what it essentially is and thus be made to disappear, as the mists of earth dissolve in the rays of the rising sun. So, pay more adequate attention to your meditation, cultivating ever the ability to reflect and to assume the attitude of reflection - held steady throughout the day. The crises and the German nation In the case of Germany, it seems that the present great challenge for the German nation is a period of crisis, a period of testing and trials, in which the Piscean personality of Germany learns indeed to step into the background and Germany s soul to come forward, working through this purified personality. (Remember that we just have left the Piscean Age.) The crisis of orientation (Aries) is connected to the crises and re-orientations in Scorpio. Important is, that here the soul ruler Aries of Germany is directly related to the soul ruler Scorpio of Berlin, city of the German government by Uranus as we already expressed. This direct relationship is also clear, when we consider the planet Mercury, ray 4, being the esoteric ruler of Aries and the hierarchical ruler of Scorpio. So, we see that Uranus and Mercury link Aries and Scorpio. In our case, we say that the German people and nation is closely related to its government in Berlin along the rays four (Harmony through conflict) and seven (Ceremonial Order). It seems that Germany is in the process towards discipleship as a nation. Mercury, the messenger of the Gods, including the messenger between the government (Berlin and Scorpio) and the German nation (Aries) may increase in influence more and more, since ray four will come into manifestation around the year 2025. Remember that the soul ray of Germany is ray four as well. Germany may well rise in this century! The keynotes of Scorpio are, therefore, test, trial and triumph. Another angle of the experience in Scorpio can be covered by two words: re-capitulation and re-orientation. In Scorpio, two most occult factors emerge from the past and begin to engross the attention of the disciple. One is memory and the other is, as a consequence of the memory, the Dweller on the Threshold. Scorpio the Dweller and the Angel This Dweller is the sum total of all the personality characteristics, which have remained unconquered and unsubdued and which must be finally overcome before initiation can be taken. Each life sees some progress made; some personality defects straightened out and some real advance effected. But the unconquered residue and the ancient liabilities are numerous and excessively potent and - when soul contact is adequately established - there eventuates a life wherein the highly developed and powerful personality becomes, in itself, the Dweller on the Threshold. Then the Angel of the Presence and the Dweller stand face to face and something must then be done. Eventually, the light of the personal self fades out and wanes in the blaze of glory, which emanates from the Angel. Then the 14
greater glory obliterates the lesser. This is, however, only possible when the personality eagerly enters into this relation with the Angel, recognises itself as the Dweller and - as a disciple - begins the battle between the pairs of opposites and enters into the tests of Scorpio. These tests and trials are ever self-initiated. The disciple puts himself into the positive or conditioning environment wherein the trials and the discipline are unavoidable and inevitable. When the mind has reached a relatively high stage of development, the memory aspect is evoked in a new and conscious manner and then every latent pre-disposition, every racial and national instinct, every unconquered situation and every controlling fault rises to the surface of consciousness and then - the fight is on. The keynote of Scorpio is, however, Triumph. This is its major expression upon the physical plane. Such is the outcome and the reward of the experience in Scorpio. In the case of Germany, the Dweller on the Threshold is the German personality. The Angel of the Presence represents the victorious soul of Germany. Scorpio indicates that this intense conflict, this crisis of the battleground has to be initiated and worked out amidst and through the German government in her capital of Berlin, working out through the whole nation. Again, the essence of the outcome of this great challenge and crisis is the stepping into the background of the personality of Germany and the coming forward of Germany s soul, working through a purified personality. Especially the influence of the rays four and seven will be important. During the vast interim between the Atlantean decisive happening and the present time, a great re-orientation upon the wheel of life has taken place. Since then, several million men have passed from Scorpio into Libra (symbolically speaking) and there have been "weighed in the balances" and have afterwards re-focussed their desire life towards spiritual aspiration and reinforced their determination to move forward and thus have returned into Scorpio upon the reversing wheel. Ponder upon this thought, for this constitutes the real problem for the masses of intelligent men at this time. For Germany, this may mean, that a great number of intelligent men and women of the German nation are increasingly coming under the influence of their souls. This may be of immense importance for Germany towards victory in Scorpio and a re-orientation from personality life (of Pisces) towards the soul-expression of the German nation (inspired by Aries, the one who brings divine ideas). The reorientation preceding discipleship produces changes and opportunity for the disciple. So, Germany has to orient and to re-orient. Because of this, it seems that Germany s challenge is to tread the Path of Discipleship as a nation. The people in the world today are coming to realise (through suffering and its consequent reflection) that there is something greater than peace and that is the good of the whole, and not just individual, peaceful conditions or national peace. This re-orientation of the human consciousness is brought about by the determined attitude of the souls of men, massed and blended, organised and focussed by the vision of the general welfare of humanity. It seems that Germany s signs of Aries and Scorpio both, foster the re-orientation of the nation towards her soul. This is truly hopeful. Some suggestions here could be expressed like: a. Crises should be handled from a higher mental perspective, hopefully aided by spiritual values. b. The right handling of crises may result in a deepened consciousness and a wider understanding. c. As said, an important principle here is the good for the whole. Germany may well come to serve the international community of nations, by striving for the good for the whole of all nations. After the integration of its eastern and western parts at the ending of the Cold War, the European Union could well be a field for fostering right international relations. 6. The Crisis of the Birthplace (Virgo) The sign Virgo is one of the most significant in the zodiac for its symbology concerns the whole goal of the evolutionary process which is to shield, nurture and finally reveal the hidden spiritual reality. Virgo, the mother 15
protects the germ of the Christ life; matter guards, cherishes and nurtures the hidden soul. The keynote, which embodies the truth as to the mission of Virgo most accurately is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." There is no clearer or more adequate definition of this sign than that. 7. The Crisis of the Burning ground (Leo) The crisis of the burning ground is brought about through the activity of Uranus (ruler of Aries and Libra). This is entered through the free choice of the initiate who makes his choice in Libra, the point of balance where usually - the moment for the reversal of the wheel takes place. There the man has to decide whether to proceed as usual and according to custom or, reversing the wheel, to pass through the burning ground to liberation. Libra is the polar opposite to Aries and therefore closely related. Uranus leads the soul to the burning ground during the final stages of the Path, when the fire of Aries and the fires engendered through the potency of Uranus produce the flaming heat of the final burning ground. Through this burning ground, the initiate has finally to pass. Uranus rules the occult Way and is, in an esoteric sense, connected with the Hierophant of the Mysteries of Initiation. 16
Triangles between Cosmos and humanity Basically, esoteric astrology is the science of relationship, which relates the macro-cosm to the micro-cosm. The energies and forces flowing to, in and through the myriads of relationships primarily create triangular patterns. This pattern is an expression of the three aspects of Deity, as they express themselves in the three rays of aspect, working themselves out in the seven rays known to us. To clarify somewhat the nature of these energy streams we present a short introduction on the Science of Triangles a subject of huge importance in the macro- and in the micro-cosmos. In the study of this Science of Triangles, there is always one point of the triangle, which - in a particular crisis or "event in consciousness" - is the emanating, dynamic, conditioning energy. During the cycle in which it thus controls, the other two points express receptivity and are regarded esoterically as embodying forces. Every triangle is, therefore, the expression of one fundamental energy and of two secondary forces. This is a basic statement of importance. You have consequently: 1. An emanating energy centre - An energy on planetary, systemic, zodiacal and (or) cosmic levels. 2. A receptive force centre - A synthesis of two forces - the emanating and the receptive one. 3. A responsive point of negative energy - A major centre, completing the grounding of the emanating energy. Responsive mainly to the second point of the triangle. This distributing centre can be a solar system, regarded as a cosmic centre, a planet, which is a systemic centre, one of the planetary centres, a nation, or an individual, or one of the centres in the human etheric body. 17
A close study of these energy streams will demonstrate two major movements: I. A downflow of energy from an emanating centre. The three types of energy form a reservoir of descending and balancing energies. Some light on this most abstruse subject can be gained if the student will attempt to realise that the above diagram and subsequent statement describes his own involutionary and evolutionary history. It depicts the interplay of his monadic life, soul energy and personality force, as these three focus on the physical plane, producing manifestation and appearance. II. A return flow of this qualified energy to its emanating source or the highest point of the major triangle. This produces the completion of the two triangles - the Real and the unreal. The building of the antahkarana is an aspect of this completion. This concerns the final building of the later stages of the antahkarana by the initiate. In order to elucidate this somewhat, we present some examples, how cosmic energy by means of triangular energy patterns reaches humanity and even the individual man. COSMIC DIVINE REALMS THE GREAT BEAR SIRIUS THE PLEIADES RAY TRIANGLES OF THE ZODIAC TRIANGULAR ENERGY STREAMS FROM COSMOS TO MAN THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND 12 PLANETS PLANET EARTH (SHAMBALLA HIERARCHY HUMANITY) To this we may add an example of human Triangles. Here, we may notice an important relationship between cosmic, zodiacal, solar planetary and human triangles. Basically and symbolically, it presents a way, how the macro-cosmos and the human micro-cosmos are interrelated. 18
1ST ASPECT MONAD 2ND ASPECT ATMA BUDDHI SACRIFICE LOVE MENTAL 3RD ASPECT MANAS KNOWLEDGE SPIRITUAL TRIAD 3 X 3 PETALS OF THE EGOIC LOTUS PERSONALITY TRIANGULAR ENERGY STREAMS THROUGH MAN ASTRAL PHYSICAL HEAD CENTRE ETHERIC BODY OF THE DISCIPLE HEART CENTRE THROAT CENTRE TO OTHER CENTRES + THE PHYSICAL BODY Now we present two examples of Groups of cosmic triangles important for humanity. 19
GREAT BEAR SIRIUS PLEIADES ARIES LEO CANCER PLUTO JUPITER VENUS SHAMBALLA HIERARCHY HUMANITY All three zodiacal constellations are ruling one of the crises of the soul. 20
ASTROLOGICAL ENERGY RELATIONS FOR THE TRIPLE PATH OF RETURN I - THE GREAT BEAR II - SIRIUS III - THE PLEIADES ARIES LIBRA CANCER GEMINI CAPRICORN SAGITTARIUS THE SUN SATURN MERCURY PATH OF PROBATION PATH OF INITIATION PATH OF DISCIPLESHIP EARTH For the advanced part of humanity, the aspirants, the disciples and the initiates, the ruling constellations and their related planets, found in our solar system are arranged in triangular patterns, working out on planet Earth. We complete these pictures with three other zodiacal Triangles, which are all directly related to the seven Crises of the Soul. 21
THE THREE CYCLES OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE IN THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE RE- INCARNATING EGO CANCER ARIES GEMINI SCORPIO CYCLE I EVOLUTION CYCLE II INSPIRATION CAPRICORN VIRGO CAPRICORN VIRGO CYCLE III INITIATION LEO Three cycles of major import in the consciousness of the reincarnating soul There are seven crises of the re-incarnating soul. These seven crises are passed through approximately three times, from the standpoint of the major life cycle and are recapitulated in a minor sense in some particular life or group of lives. This brings us to three interrelated triangles of zodiacal constellations, ruling the seven crises of the soul. These three cycles of major import in the consciousness of the reincarnating ego are pictured in their triangular patterns above. 1. The evolutionary cycle from individualisation to liberation, from the stage of primitive man to the emergence upon the stage of world affairs of a Master of the Wisdom, a Buddha or a Christ. 2. The cycle of aspiration from the stage of intelligent integrated man to that of the accepted disciple and from the experience of intellectual expression in the three worlds to that of the probationer who is seeking trial upon the Path and is beginning to take his spiritual unfoldment consciously in hand. 3. The cycle of initiation from the preparatory stage of accepted disciple to that of the Master and the still higher grades. These seven crises are each re-enacted during the process of self-initiation into the world of meaning and of reality. They constitute the keynote or the motif of each of the seven initiations. Each of these seven initiations permits entry into the state of divine consciousness on each of the seven planes of divine experience and expression. The influences of these seven constellations is symbolised by three triangles and a final synthesis or focal point. Esoterically, these triangles are usually depicted as superimposed but for the sake of clarity we separate them. As indicated, we have here three triangles but, at the same time, only seven influences for the effects of the conditioning forces of the two triangles predominantly active in the first two cycles are fused and blended in the third. These blended influences (with the aid of the remaining five constellations, Sagittarius, Libra, Taurus, 22