CHAPTERVICOSMIC SYMBOLOGY

A consideration of great astronomical epochs naturally leads to the more comprehensive subject of Periodicity and the Law of Cycles. Some notes in my former works have raised special points of inquiry which may very well be dealt with in the present chapter.

What is known as the Great Year of Plato is one of those occult statements which seem to point to the existence among Initiates of some degree of special knowledge in cosmical facts. The observation of the Precession of the Equinoxes is usually ascribed to Hipparchus, who lived in the Second CenturyB.C.By comparison of the star positions in his day with those of Timocharis a century earlier, it was found that while maintaining their relative distances from one another and from the ecliptic, the stars had altered their positions in regard to the equinox, and a rough calculation showed that they were moving at the rate of about 50´´ per year. Observations of particular stars, while confirming the fact of their change of longitude, did not yield uniform results, and this no doubt was due to the imperfection of the instruments employed. Thus in regard to the star Spica Virginis we have thefollowing observations of its longitude at various dates by independent authorities—

Timocharis,B.C.293, Spica observed in Virgo, 22° 20´Hipparchus, ” 145, ” ” ” 24° 20´Menelaus,A.D.99, ” ” ” 26° 15´Ptolemy, ” 139, ” ” ” 26° 30´Copernicus, ” 1515, ” ” Libra, 17° 14´” ” 1525, ” ” ” 17° 21´Naut. Al., ” 1820, ” ” ” 21° 20´

Timocharis,B.C.293, Spica observed in Virgo, 22° 20´

Hipparchus, ” 145, ” ” ” 24° 20´

Menelaus,A.D.99, ” ” ” 26° 15´

Ptolemy, ” 139, ” ” ” 26° 30´

Copernicus, ” 1515, ” ” Libra, 17° 14´

” ” 1525, ” ” ” 17° 21´

Naut. Al., ” 1820, ” ” ” 21° 20´

Thus while the fact of Precession is very clearly defined by these observations, the amount of it is not accurately determined. Later observations with more perfect means of measurement have enabled the official astronomers to give a true value to the Precession of the Equinoxes, which is 50·2453´´ plus O·0002225´´twheretis the number of years from 1850. Thus while Hipparchus and Ptolemy found it to be 1° in 100 years, Albatani found it to be only 1° in 66 years, and modern observations seem to point the fact that it has been accelerated up to our own time. By taking a mean of all observations during the last eighteen centuries, the amount appears to be 50·062´´ and by extending the observations we can work it down to 50´´ nearly. Now if we divide the circle of the zodiac, or 360° by 50´´ we shall arrive at the figures 25,920 comprised in the Great Year. There are two theories in existence as to the cause of this Precession. At the point of time when the Sun crosses the Equator and comes to the first point of Aries, let the Sun be in line with a star in the heavens. When the Sun returns to the same position on the Equator it is found not to be in line with that star but 50´´ inadvance of it. The first theory is that this is due to the change in the obliquity of the ecliptic, or, what is the same thing, in the inclination of the earth’s axis to the plane of the ecliptic, a change caused by the action of the Moon and Sun on the equatorial bulge. The whole effect is taken to be about 50´´ as said, and of this 35´´ is due to the Moon and 15´´ to the Sun. Various observations have shown this change of axial inclination to be about 50´´ per century, or one one-hundredth part of the Precession of the Equinoxes. Of this I shall have something to say later. For the moment we may consider it as part of the theory of Precession. The other theory is that Precession is caused by the proper motion of the Sun through space, whereby it completes an arc of 50´´ of its vast orbit every year. Then the gradual increase of the Precession already noted would in terms of this theory be due to the fact that the earth is getting nearer to the Sun and consequently the angle of parallax would be greater. Here we may leave the theorists with their own material and turn to the significance of this Great Year.

As the whole Year consists of 25,920, during which the Equinoxes precess an entire circle, there will be a period of 2160 occupied in traversing one sign, that is to say, a twelfth part of the circle. Now this period is 72 periods of the planet Saturn, otherwise known as Kronos, the god of Time. From this again we derive the foundation of the great Yugas or Ages known to the Indians and referred to in the Vishnu Purana as the Four Ages, Satya-yuga,Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. They correspond with the four ages known as the Gold, Silver, Copper and Iron ages. Thus—

72 × 6 equals 432 multiplied by 1000 = 432,000 years.72 × 12 ” 864 ” ” = 864,000 ”72 × 18 ” 1296 ” ” = 1,296,000 ”72 × 24 ” 1780 ” ” = 1,728,000 ”————-Total number of years in the Maha-yuga, 4,320,000 years.

72 × 6 equals 432 multiplied by 1000 = 432,000 years.

72 × 12 ” 864 ” ” = 864,000 ”

72 × 18 ” 1296 ” ” = 1,296,000 ”

72 × 24 ” 1780 ” ” = 1,728,000 ”————-Total number of years in the Maha-yuga, 4,320,000 years.

72 × 24 ” 1780 ” ” = 1,728,000 ”

————-

Total number of years in the Maha-yuga, 4,320,000 years.

At present the Vernal Equinox is at the very end of the constellation Aquarius, and there was a time when the equinox fell in the middle of Taurus, and the solstices in the middle of Leo and Aquarius respectively. Thus we find Varaha Mihira, an Indian astronomer of the fifth century, stating that in his day the solstices fell in Katakam (Cancer), and Makaram (Capricornus), but that according to former shastras they were once in the middle of Aslesha (Leo) and Kumbha (Aquarius) respectively. This tells us that some two thousand years before Mihira’s time there were Indian observations which determined the positions of the solstices among the asterisms, and it cannot have failed to strike Mihira that there was such a fact as Precession, even supposing that he had no knowledge of it from the Greek and Egyptian astronomers. It was about this time, namely 2000B.C., that the Babylonian empire was at its height, and accordingly we find the astronomical facts written in all their records and built into their architecture. We find it in the Assyrian Bull and in the Egyptian Sphinx, wherein the four constellations which then held the cardinal pointsare found to be compounded. They comprise Taurus the Bull, Leo the Lion, Aquarius the Man, and Scorpio (Aquila) the Eagle.

In connection with the position of the Vernal Equinox in the constellations, there are a number of very interesting myths and symbols which form an essential part of Occultism. We find, for instance, that at the time when the equinox was in the constellation Taurus the worship of the Bull as a symbol was closely associated with the Spring festivals. The Egyptians at this time decked a white Bull with garlands of flowers and set a golden discus between his horns to represent the entry of the Sun into the constellation of the Bull. Later, when the signs of the zodiac became confused with the constellations by the fact of their coincidence, the same myths and ceremonies were transferred to the signs, and remained associated with them in the popular use. Hence the May Day festival, which had its origin with the Sun in the constellation Taurus at the Vernal Equinox, came to be associated with the entry of the Sun into the sign Taurus in the month of May.

History brings to us a curious confirmation of the astronomical basis of the Bull ceremonials. The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is stated to have taken place in 1491B.C.Now we have already seen that Mihira, the Indian astronomer, noted the Vernal Equinox at his time to have been coincident with the first point of the constellation Mesham (Aries), and, as his date is fixed by calculation to have beenA.D.536, the interval would consequentlybe 1491 plus 536, or 2027 years. And if we multiply this by 50·1´´, the mean precession per year, we shall have as result 28° 12´ 35´´, which, added to the first point of Aries, takes us to the end of that constellation on to the verge of the constellation Taurus. Hence we conclude that about the time of the Exodus the Equinox was passing out of Taurus into Aries, and consequently we find the institution of the Jewish Passover (Pasach), to have been inaugurated by Moses who was “learned in all the lore and language of the Egyptians” and who, as the adopted son of the Egyptian Princess, would be initiated by the Priests of Isis into all the mysteries of the cosmos to which at that time they had access. When, therefore, the Israelites were found to be perpetuating the worship of the Golden Calf which they had witnessed in Egypt, the great Lawgiver admonished them, reduced their idol into anaurum potabileby his alchemical skill and gave it them to drink. Thereafter the symbol of the Ram became paramount in Israelitish worship. The Pasach or transit was none other than that of the Vernal Equinox from the constellation Taurus into Aries. Occultists have identified the sign Taurus with the age of the Patriarchs, the age of husbandry and the ascendancy in Egypt of the Hyksoi or Shepherd Kings. The age of Aries marks the cycle of militarism, extending to Assyria, Persia, Egypt and Greece, and culminating in the Roman Empire. Pisces marks the age of Combination, culminating in the federation of the Anglo-Saxon peoples. The present-day transit into the constellation Aquarius is held to inauguratethe dawn of the age of Baptism, the pouring out of the Spirit of Truth upon all flesh, and the age will therefore be one of spiritual regeneration.

What are called the Four Fixed Signs of the zodiac, those which enter into the composition of the Sphinx, are found to be in the forefront of national symbolism among the ancient Chinese. The four cardinal constellations are associated with the four colours, black, red, white and blue. The constellation of the Lion was called by them “the Black Warrior,” Taurus was called “the Azure Dragon,” Scorpio the “White Tiger” and Aquarius “the Red Bird.” In the time of Wan Wang there was built a palace whose four walls were of these colours, and we find them represented in the heraldry of the Yellow Empire.

In both Egypt and Assyria we find the Bull used as a sacred symbol, even as it is to this day in India. There is a connection of a subtle nature between the Bull and the Bee—Apis. In the most ancient Mithraic monument of Assyria there is shown in bas-relief the figure of a lion out of whose mouth a bee is coming forth. This at once brings to mind the riddle of Samson, himself associated with the Solar myth. He is made to say: “Out of the eater came forth meat, out of the strong came forth sweetness.” And when they gave him the answer: “What is stronger than a lion, what is sweeter than honey?” the key to the symbology is supplied in his answering words: “If you had not ploughed with my oxen (Taurus), you had not found out my riddle.” Here there is an obvious association of the symbolof the Bull with that of the Bee, and it is here that we get the affiliation of the two signs Taurus and Leo. A lion trampling on a snake and a bull in the folds of a snake are to be found among the symbolical monuments of the past. The lion-headed man, Abraxas, is a symbol which links the sign Aquarius to that of Leo, and is of great antiquity: among the Persians we find this word Abraxas or Abracax engraved on magical stones. It stands for the 365 days of the year and the virtues corresponding to them.

But this Taurean key to the riddle of Samson is not merely a cosmical symbolism. It is also a spiritual one. For the four Fixed Signs of the zodiac stand for the basic elements or what are known as the Four States, and these in their turn have analogy with human principles. Thus—

Leo represents Fire, which stands forSpirit.Aquarius ” Air ” ”Mind.Scorpio ” Water ” ”Soul.Taurus ” Earth ” ”Body.

Leo represents Fire, which stands forSpirit.

Aquarius ” Air ” ”Mind.

Scorpio ” Water ” ”Soul.

Taurus ” Earth ” ”Body.

In this paradigm we have Spirit above and Matter beneath, linked together by the Human Soul or Mind in relations with Spirit, and the Animal Soul in relations with Matter. The riddle of Samson therefore may be read kabalistically thus: Out of Spirit proceeded Matter, as from Fire the element of Earth was evolved. To which we may add the rider in corresponding terms: Save by incarnation you could not attain to spiritual liberation, which is equivalent to the saying: If you had not ploughedwith my oxen, you had not found out my riddle. Here we have the process of differentiation covertly referred to by the propounder of the riddle, showing that Matter is the ultimate expression of Spirit, its negative pole. It stands for the female principle in Nature, and hence the tradition involves the woman who betrayed Samson’s secret. Thus in cosmical symbology some of the great secrets of cosmogenesis and anthropogenesis lie concealed. The ancient wisdom conceived the two schemes as involved in the complete arc of life, which holds good for any planet, and for the system to which it belongs.

The Four states of matter and their corresponding evolutes may be thus figured—

Figure 3.Figure 3.

Figure 3.

In a subsequent section we may profitably consider the analogy existing between the cosmical and anthropological evolutions, and the consequent relations of the human soul with the planet to which it is related in the scheme of things.

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