SYMBOLISM OF LIBRA. (Written for Tam Fsorzmic.) BY GERTRUDE LOVE. God is One; yet all the diversity of life is included in that unit. even av the number one in its mystical sense includes the namber seven or complete cycle vital of energy which is interior, and the number five or round of sense deduction which is exterior ; thus incorporating in unity the number twelve. The unit includes the seven, yet is not perfected as all that is—Isis the twofold Yes of being—until it bring the seven creative factors into harmonious action and equilibrium of force, one in purpose and ideal, the unit of cause; and conjoining them to the five exterior modes of experience, unitize the master powers with the serving powers,—spirit with matter.—producing the sphere of a perfect character in the ratio of seven—inner—to five—outer. The less or finite perceptions or experiences as compared with the infinite, acting in the unity of twelve, equal seven and five in one. As in Astrology the first house is that of the person of the native, so in the true order of the zodiac it is the house of (Libra); for in the reins are conserved the elements which tend to the production of the individuality or ‘+I,”—the focalized power of life in human form,—which is governed by the planet ¥ (Mercury), the sex principle or Logos of the physical realm, both mind und body, upon which growth and reproduction depend. Pictured among the constellations as the scales, with the bowl of one side weighed down by the scorpiou’s claws, the condition of the world to-day is brought to mind; for the treas- ure house of A (Libra) is despoiled, the poise of the twofold power of production disturbed, and the life forces of the microcosm unbalanced. The ancient names all point to the signification of the price. the redemption, the gain; the Greek Zugos, is the crossbar by which two animals draw, the yoke, which expresses the power of equalized forces of the inner and outer uature: and the principle stars of this constellation are so named as to indi-114 Symnouiem oF Lipra. [October cate a price to be paid, as, “the price deficient,” “the price which covers,” “the price of the conflict.” There is so much in a name: one who is wise says that names indicate the mission of the person, and that he or she will personify its true meaning or the opposite of it. The learned mystics of past ages had reduced to a science the possibilities of a word to express quality, and the latent ultimates enshrined within the quality. ‘The ancient Hebrews in the word Yahveh infolded the mys tery of the “I” in: progressive unity of development, and within its sphere of power liés the twofold ». (Libra) forces, in perfect balance of adjustment. Modern systems of thought teach the power to be gainied: by dwelling in thought upon the “I,” and aiwerting the “I am,” but'a danger lies here of resting in the assurance of the ego, which is but as'five compared to seven ‘of the whole faculty of the being; to dwell in satisfaction here is to stand without the veil, blind, and poor, and wretched, compared with the glory which fills the inner sanctuary. In the temple of the body the A (Libra) function is the “Ark of the Testament,” the reveptacle of the psychie perception, which is fovalized in.the “eye” of the-soul, situated in the middle of the orebeadl in the organ of individuality. lato. this: holy center the seraphim—flaming ones—descend i and their six (sex) powers of flight in twofold uses which is expressed in the rod, the golden pot of wuanna, and the tables of ‘stone. These three correspond in dueaning to the three deeans of -. (Libra), Lupus, the Southern Coss, and Covona Borealis. ‘The first of these is called in modern astromony the wolf, but in the ancient system it was called the lamb, or the nameless “vietinr af the cross shaped spear of Centaurus. In the attainment of the Christ fullness of individuality the first step is ‘to being the will of desire up from the animal into the spirit ual nature: in doing this the neophyte will pass through all the stages or phases of the ministry as given in the history of Jesus, from the baptism and temptations, to the ascension to the Father. This decan of the wolf-lamb shows the animal nature in the first process of change from ruler to servitor, and conscivits of its passover feast and of the approaching betrayal aud cracifixion of the higher nature —through one whom it nurtures iu its bosom—unless it agree to be sacrificed for this higher attainment,1898.) Symsouism oF Lipra. 116 With this thonght in mind the master enters the garden and watches through the dark hours alone; for in this experience the senses sleep in supposed security of enjoyment, for the vitality is centered in the “I” of self or the ego, and in this beantiful garden, filled with nature's vital essence, her love offering of fragrance and bloom and fruition, the soul waite the travail of the senses. In Gethsemane the “I” must denude itself of all it has gathered and cherished; every desire for self-gratification must be overcome, one by one, even though the agony be great and the effort expend the animal forces and deplete the body and cloud the mind; for here the “I” must say from every faoulty and sense of the outer mind, “The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?!” In this experience the realiza- tion of what it is to have every motive misconstrued, every act appear that which it is not; to have within » deep fountain of love which, divine in its desire for expression, meets but the commonplaces of conventionaliam; naked, despised. forsaken if need be,—tried in every weak point until the weaknesses become strength, and every particle of the desire is gathered up into the central ideal Christ and becomes the silent outbreathing of a love which asks naught and gives all love, an intelligence which possesses naught yet gives all knowledge, the soul waits “The dayspring from on high which visiteth us.” , Within each mind is the traitor who would betray the “Mas- ter” to ignominy and death and free the robber. The Judas within betrays with a kiss—a love or desire of the flesh, which the “I” that guards the things of bodily or intellectual desire has nourished and cherished to its own undoing. If the innate nature be strong in devotion to the idea of God as In- telligence, then personal sense may betray by the use of knowl- edge for a selfish purpose, as to bring wealth or honor to the person; while if interiorly the being worships God as Love, the passion nature may betray through the desire for sensuons enjoyment. Here, a thought as to the word and state designated passion may not be amiss, since it expresses the crowning delicacy of desire. It is a word which has been grossly used, as relating to the desire for quality, as in sex passion, yet expresses but the outermost degree of the deep interior love which so fills us that some radiance from the central sun reaches the circumference. When this messenger of the goda176 Syanoniem oF Lrara. [October is misused, onr life is darkened and the flame on the altar is extinguished; and ashes of burnt hopes lie there, instead of the vestal flame of sweet incense and pure adoration which should ascend from the life altar of our being: thus, this angel of light, who would translate the material elements to a higher plane, may be betrayed by the kiss of the personal desires. The overcoming of the animal (wolf) desire or soul, ix shown in the first labor of Hercules, in which he subdues the Nemean lion in Ais den and invests himself with the skin. The den or hiding place of the darkened loves and sympathies is the reveptacle of the sex life elementals, for in the reins are the personalized qualities of the individual preserved until the “Master builder” may invest himself with their vitality. The Coptic md Egyptian races depicted this decan of ~ (Libra) asa naked youth—the son of the creative deity and the virgin—whose names indicate the bringing of life and blessedness through humiliation and death. He stands with his finger on his lips, indicating the submission and acquiescence of the desires to the higher will, and holds in bis hand a horn filled with fruit and flowers, as a symbol of the abundance of frnition when this aequiescence is attained. For sorrow for the senses is ever joy to the soul, nntil sense and soul are indis- solubly united. It is said of the Nazarene when he was subjected to trial,“ But Jesus held his peace: so, though in the throes of Gethsemane the lower nature writhes and cries out “Let this cup pass from me,” the “1 who is master, must hold his peaceful state and wait with faithful love the time when all the outer has become as the inner, and the perfect balance of the life forces is attained. Ofttimes to remember the triangular figure with the words, “Thon canst if Thou wilt,” as the lower left hand corner, “Thou wilt” as the lower right hand corner, and “Trust” as the apex, isa reminder to faith. This apex of trust was voiced many times by Jesus, for he often said,I thank thee that Thou hast,” before his prayer was uttered. Far to the south gleams the four brilliant stars of the South- ern Cross beneath the armed Centaurus: he who slays the as the evolutionary process which disintegrates and molds into more perfect lines of beauty, human life. In the cross ix the mystery of life in manifestation, and in this constellation is expressed the fourfold mystery of the twofold1893.] Symroxrsm oF Lrpra. UT positive and negative forees, which comprise all the energies of creation. In this ongoing toward the summit of the hopes and aspirations which would use all things for self, from the first effort to subjugate the personal desires, to the crucifixion of the pre-eminent desire of all desires of the ego, the one seeking knowledge and attainment, ever asking as did Pilate, “What is truth?” must bear the cross through the dark passage, which begins at Gethsemane and culminates in the crucifixion and three days of death-like inactivity in the tomb. Each one who essays this narrow path will have the especial weak point of the nature brought out, and will realize that there is no guide but memory and experience —though experi- ence is apt to bea thorongh teacher,—and that from Gethsemane to Calvary are scourgings, trials, te wearing of the scarlet or (as given by John from his superior insight) purple robe of the physical sense of life, in which is obscured the fermentations and transmutations which are the episodes of this ongoing toward the at-one-ment of the inner and outer life forces. The crown of thorns must be placed upon the brow. though it pierce with a hundred points the previous reasonings and conclusions of the mind. Thus, clothed in sorrow, pricked by the petty points of superficial supposition and judgment, the cross is borne to the place of death. or ultimation of self-desire. All the longing of the ego consciousness is centered in the cry “TI thirst,” for isolated from all who might cheer or comfort, separate from the realization of inuer power,—that “very pre- sent help in time of trouble,”—lost in the mist of sense delusion and pain, the cup of bitterness—aud it is ever the most bitter that can be held to the lips—is tasted, as the individual hangs upon the cross of his own personality. Here, with bowed head and crushed heart, he awaits the thrust of the spear into the very seat of the animal soul, which is a test whether the center of vitality be there or in the spiritual soul or desire: for “A house divided against itself can not stand,” and an equili- brium of power can only be attained when the fuleram is trans- ferred from the lunar plexus to the solar plexus. In accomplishing this, the body of desire is laid in a sepulchre where “never man laid:” for as “Many are called and few chosen” so of the chosen, few will become willing to relinquish all personal sense and let the sensations of the self-nature die, which they must du ere they van be resurrected. When178 Srunouiew oF Lrpra. [October that point is reached the cross of atonement becomes a crown of light and the at-one-ment of the animal and spiritual nat ure; for this third decan of ~ (Libra)—Corona Borealis—is of the North or light realm. With its 21 stars it expresses the three sevens or perfection of manifestation. The symbol of ¥ (Mereury) is the cross of the two forces of evolution upholding the crown, surmounted by a crescent—growth of new powers. The cross of the positive and negative or masculine and feminine humanity is no longer the heavy burden borne with heartlonging and patient waiting, but the culmination of two in one unbroken round of fulfillment, the unending circle of fruition: for when this point is reached, the central desire, laid down with the pangs of renunciation, is raised in renewed strength, and becomes the insignia of the royal dignity or calling. As the animal natnre becomes a lamb, and its desires no longer those of death but of life,—expressed in the preserved rod which budded,—the cross of the ego, as divided from the Christ. becomes the manna of life substance which feeds the soul in the unity of life forees, and this same cross becomes the perception of the individual work for humanity which is to be done. This is the law of God; the Father's uame written in the forehead. “And they shall see his face: and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after one’s own: but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitudle.— Zmerson. Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful. Wel- come it in every fair face, every fair sky, every fair flower, and thank Him for it who is the fountain of all loveliness, and drink it simply and earnestly with your eyes; it is a charmed draught, a cap of blessing.— Charlex Kingsley.