"Individual human relationship-consciousness is no
respecter of persons or things. A man may love his wife and children with
tender, solicitous devotion, but if his relationship-consciousness contains an
area of hatred, fear, or prejudice toward another man — or other persons — who happens to be of another race or nationality, his
relationship-consciousness is not clear or pure."
This discourse is presented for the consideration
of students who in their studies often make inquiries regarding
the "horoscopes of animals." These inquiries are, of course, perfectly
legitimate — being germane to a familiar factor of life-experience, one which is of great interest and concern to many people.
Because astrology is essentially a study of
consciousness, as a vibratory science it is applicable to any form or
plane of life and the consciousness which ensouls and informs that life.
If our knowledge of astrology, per se, were greatly extended beyond its
present scope we could — all other factors being equal — do the horoscope of
individual animals as we do those of individual humans; we could do the
horoscopes of planets, solar systems, and galaxies as well as those of minute
forms of life which inhabit this planet. When astrology is apprehended as
being the study of those principles or laws by which all consciousness
evolves, then its useful application to life throughout the cosmos
may be perceived by correspondence with the life we know as humans.
However, and here is the rub, in order to
comprehend the astrology of other life-forms and life-waves, we have to
know the consciousness pertaining to those forms and waves. We can
observe and study the evidences of other types of consciousness than
our own but we, being "particularly and peculiarly Earthian Humans," cannot
apprehend the planes of consciousness to which other forms, sub-human and
super-human, are aligned. In fact, many humans have but a dim and distorted
comprehension of the consciousness of fellow-humans! Animal-life is
informed, from a different center than we are — we humans being much
more autonomous and the animals being much more completely under specialized
guidance.
It has been told us that of the sub-human
evolutionary lines, those that are now mammalian will make their higher
evolution through the human pattern. Thus, it is not only of interest but of
great importance that we learn to spiritualize our awareness of, and
relationship with, the members of the animal kingdom; they are fraternal to us
as inhabitants of this planet and we, as the higher evolutionary expression
have a decided responsibility to them, as older brothers and sisters
have to younger ones in a family — the correspondence in relationship is almost exact.
Therefore, though we cannot "do the charts" of animals, we can study our own charts in reference to our experiences with, and
feelings about, sub-human life and thereby expand our consciousness of
evolution on this planet. Using the astrological factors that we do use, a
chart calculated for the birth time of, for example, a pet kitten or pup would
picture the significance of the animal to our experience; the same
would apply to the timing of our decision to bring a new pet into the home, or
any animal into our personal experience. In the latter case, motivation
and purpose would represent the keynotes of the astrological reading; that
chart being correlated with our natal chart would picture the inter-related
factors of the experience we might have with the animal. A chart calculated
for the time when we select the animal could indicate basic points
concerning the suitability of the animal to our purpose. Many people find that
their relationship with an animal opens up a remarkably significant
experience, and these experience-possibilities are what we will study.
Individual human relationship-consciousness is no respecter of persons or things. A man may love his wife and children with
tender, solicitous devotion, but if his relationship-consciousness contains an
area of hatred, fear, or prejudice toward another man — or other persons — who
happens to be of another race or nationality, his relationship-consciousness
is not clear or pure. A woman may fulfill the requirements of her
professional work with unwavering conscientiousness, but if her attitude
toward her colleagues — or a colleague — is tainted with envy or false
superiority, then her relationship-consciousness toward her profession is
correspondingly tainted.
Many such hypothetical illustrations may be
considered; the point to keep in mind is this: our relationship with another
person is primarily qualified qualified by our feeling about him
or her; that area of feeling is ignited by vibratory contact with the person.
In other words, other people symbolize qualities of consciousness to us
because by the action of vibratory sympathy, any person can serve to stimulate
any point of feeling in our relationship-consciousness. We, until we
gain true understanding, tend to identify the person with the quality
stimulated in our relationship-consciousness; when we have gained
relationship-wisdom, we know that our reactions of an unpleasant nature
are to be transmuted into the spiritual potency of good-will (Love).
Therefore, all points in relationship-consciousness which we identify
as hatred, envy, jealousy, fear, false superiority, tyranny, etc., may be
apprehended as being "materials" to use for transmutative exercise.
The fact that many, many people have proven the law of good-will
through their transmutative efforts may be ascertained by a few moments of
considered thought.
Any magnetic focus of
relationship-attraction can be utilized to intensify existing negatives in consciousness or to
nurture the already-evolved regenerate qualities. And "relationship" is
your viewpoint of yourself in vibratory alignment with arty other person,
any creature, thing, activity, event, endeavor, or environment. Your
natal horoscope performs its greatest service to you in picturing to you
your basic tendencies of viewpoint in relationship-consciousness.
Truthfully to apprehend these tendencies and the ways of rightfully using them
is to obtain the master-key to all other phases of studying your chart. The
evolution of the Consciousness of Humanity is furthered in direct
proportion as each human learns rightfully to align himself in relationship
tofellow-humans and fellow-creatures.
Note carefully the last fifteen words of the
previous sentence. That which is now was determined by that which was; that
which is to be will be determined by that which is now. Each human of the
present period of Earth-manifestation was at one time in the "animal
status;" each creature now is potentially a human. In no
absolute sense is a human "superior" to an animal; the difference is
simply one of evolutionary timing. The truth of this statement will be
instantly perceived from considering the fact that all initiates, masters,
and adepts — the spiritual vanguard of present Humanity — serve by
inspiring and encouraging our spiritual unfoldment and progress. If they,
using an absurd hypothesis, were related to us by "absolute superiority," why
would we be encouraged in any way at all to "walk the path they have trod"?
If we were related to creatures by an "absolute superiority, " there would
be no impulse in the human heart to improve the conditions of creatures, there
would be no inspirational impetus to love them. Yet, many humans love
creatures with unselfish and sympathetic deviation. Is that not in itself
proof that we inwardly know that creatures will walk the path we
are now treading? The realization, by a human, of his con-fraternity with
creatures is a high peak in the course of his evolutionary sojourn; it
is a tremendous expansion of his consciousness of Love and such a point in
experience is inevitably attended by an increased apperception of the
nature of divine love.
Every position and aspect in your natal chart can
be studied as representing a phase of, or tendency in, your
relationship-consciousness. Therefore, your attitudes toward, and feelings about, sub-human life are also pictured by these horoscope-factors. Since relationship
with sub-human life is inextricably inter-woven into the fabric of human
evolutionary experience, we will consider this subject as it is abstractly
portrayed by the Great Astrological Mandala. For cross-reference, create a
copy: The twelve-housed circle centered by the traditional symbol for the Sun;
Aries as Ascendant-sign with thirty degrees of each sign to each house; the
planetary rulers of the signs appropriately planed in the houses which they
"rule." This is the abstract horoscope of humanity, of with your natal
horoscope is an individualized variation.
To enter into a deeper sensing of the
con-fraternity of humans and creatures, we will first consider the diameter
Sagittarius-Gemini, the signs on the ninth and third
houses of the Great Mandala which are ruled respectively by Jupiter and
Mercury. Jupiter, in the cosmic sense, is the Principle of Organic
Function and the Principle of Hierarchy. It is that power of
Divine Mind by which every factor of an archetype is conceived in perfect
relationship with every other factor, for function, expression and
use.
(It is the considered opinion of the author that Venus, as ruler of Libras is
exalted in Sagittarius; its exaltation in Pisces derives from its rulership of
Taurus.) As the Principle of Organic Function, Jupiter represents the growth
of parts of a thing in terms of their purpose and in terms of
inter-relationship with the other parts of the same thing. As the Principle of
Hierarchy, Jupiter represents the inter-related function of things in terms of
relative intelligence or relative susceptibility to the forces of
intelligence.
In these terms is seen the placement of parts of a thing in relation to other parts corresponding to affinity with
directive intelligence. Sagittarius is polarized by Gemini, the third
sign of the Great Mandala in counter-clockwise sequence from Aries, the
zodiacal significator of the root of fraternal consciousness; fraternal
consciousness being that apperception of "parallelity" or "correspondent
similarity" in relationship. All the cells of your body are fraternal to
each other, being cell-parts of the same body; but the cells of both your
eyes are fraternal by specialization. All inhabitants of this planet are
fraternal to each other, but all mammals are fraternal by
specialization, humans are "specially fraternal" to each other, quadrupeds are
"specially fraternal" to each other, birds are "specially fraternal," etc.
Each specialization has further specialization but all specializations
are grouped in the unity: Earthian Inhabitant. The planets of our
system are "fraternal to each other" and our system is specially fraternal to
the six other systems which comprise our immediate galaxy. On whatever plane
of dimension you care to consider, organic function in terms of hierarchy
and fraternity is illustrated. That means that the human's
consciousness of fraternity is not complete until he has perceived the
value of this inter-related togetherness on this planet with all other
creatures, sub-human and super-human. A question naturally arises from
this point: what can we humans do, and what must we do, concerning our
feelings about the inhabitants of other planets? This question can be
solved by each human for himself, in date time.
Service is also a "two-way thing;" he who desires
to be well served must in his turn serve well. Animal life has been utilized
for service by humans for countless ages of time and in the abuse of
service-principles, Man has engendered much uncomfortable karma. The sixth house and
the sign Virgo symbolize the human's consciousness of the principle of
service; it is externalized by his experiences as a server and by his
relationships with those who serve him, animal as well as human.
Animal life has been and is sacrificed to serve as food for the human kingdom,
but what of the human who abuses the (unconscious) service of animal-life by
senseless, wanton destructiveness? The sixth house is polarized by the
twelfth house and the sign Pisces; can you see the possibility that many
humans, through an act of uncontrolled passion in this life, spend many years
confined in prison as a karmic result of malicious destruction of, or hurt
to, sub-human life in a previous incarnation? Malice and destructiveness
are in consciousness and whether they are directed in action toward humans or
toward sub-humans does not invalidate the karmic potency.
Life, through some means or
other, provides
restraint for those who have, by action, proven themselves unqualified
to enjoy freedom. Therefore, if you contemplate the purchase — or other
means of admission into your experience — of animal-life for service, make it
part of your project to give good service to those who are to serve you. If
you are dependent on them for the fulfillment of work-programs, they are
correspondingly dependent on you for care and protection. If your attitude
toward your sub-human server is one of respect — which is Love you will
not fail your responsibility and it will be enabled to perform its maximum of
service for you. Also, by mutual experience in Love, you will further the
creature's evolution in training and it will further your mundane requirements
without your engendering retributive karma.
Many people give devoted care to
creature-companions who, at the same time, reveal very limited and constricted
attitudes toward fellow-humans. It would appear that karma to the
animal-world is being expiated by this type of life-program. These persons are being
focalized in the present life on a specialization of the consciousness of
life and love; it is possible that only through expressing love to, and
giving service to, their "creature-companions" can these persons
spiritually polarize their relationship-consciousness so as
subsequently to unfold richer and higher apperceptions of respect and
good-will toward humans. This facet of human experience would be illustrated by
the diameter Leo-Aquarius being cross-polarized by the diameter
Scorpio-Taurus. The regeneration of negative emotional residues, represented by
Scorpio, being externalized by the stewardship of the creature-life,
represented by Taurus, being the way by which the temporarily
restrained Leo-Aquarius consciousness of Love is inwardly repolarized
for subsequent better releasement.
In conclusion, we will consider the significance
of the air-trine to the relationships of humans to creatures. Libra,
cardinal-air, ruled by Venus, is the apperception of relativity, the basic,
essential core of relationship-consciousness; it is the apperception
which makes it possible for any human to realize relationship with
sub-human, human, and superhuman life. Aquarius, the fixed air-sign, ruled by
Uranus, is the resource of impersonal, transcendental consciousness of
love by which a human realizes an impulsion and a capacity to love life
itself, through any of its external forms. Aquarius illustrates the
love felt by Luther Burbank for plant-life, the love-bond which
unites a blind human to his or her seeing-eye dog; it is the regenerated
consciousness of love which unites humans in groups to serve the furthering of
sub-human welfare. Gemini, the mutable air-sign, ruled by Mercury, and
ninth sign from Libra, is the apperception of relationship as
fraternity — that en-wisdomed consciousness of similarity by
which humans perceive their togetherness with other humans and any or all
other forms of life. St. Francis, the inspired and life-loving mystic, called
all creatures by the terms "brother" or "sister;" he knew that he was "older
brother" to those who crawl and fly and in loving them as he did he
apprehended God 's love for him. May Light and Love permeate our
consciousness of all of our fellows in life.
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