 Most of us are dead to the wonderful truth outlined in the sky—truths more wonderful, more glorious than any tale of mystery or romance, truths that are continually spread before us in Nature's great book. The Greeks mapped out the geography of the heavens that is now used more than 1,400 years before Christ. Ptolemy recorded no less than forty-eight of the largest and best known constellations of stars, more than 600 years previous to this, and remember that the telescope was invented only 400 years ago. Our painted American savages, the Arab in the desert, the simple children on the banks of the Nile, the wild men of the islands of the sea have all been more observant of the mystery hid in the stars than we as a people are today. The solar system, from the highest spiritual point down to the lowest physical, is one vast organized whole, nowhere dead, nowhere unconscious, nowhere useless, nowhere accidental; but carefully gathered, ordered, and supervised to express the indwelling life and intelligence of its Creator and to subserve His plans. In fact, it is one gigantic Being, throbbing with vitality and consciousness. The distance of stars from us is so great that it conveys no impression on the mind to state them in miles; some other method, therefore, must be used, and the velocity of light affords us a convenient one. Light travels at the rate of 186,000 miles a second, and by using this as a measuring rod, we can form a better idea of the distance of stars. Thus, the nearest star, Alpha Centauri, is situated at a distance which light requires three and a half years to traverse. On the average, light requires fifteen and a half years to reach us from a star of the second magnitude, forty-three years from a star of the third, and so on, until, for stars of the twelfth magnitude, the time required is 3,500 years. How have astronomers ascertained that the star nearest to our solar system is twenty-five trillion miles away? The diameter of the Earth's orbit is 186,000,000 miles; that is to say, that in six months from today, the Earth will be on the other side of the Sun and therefore 186,000,000 miles away from its present position. Now, if we photograph the stars today and six months from now we photograph them again, the second photograph will show that some of the stars have shifted their position ever so slightly with regard to all the rest of the stars. The reason for this shift is easily understood by comparing the stars to a line of lanterns at night. If you stand just a little way off from that line, you will see the lanterns as so many points of light all close together; but if you walk off at right angles for a little distance, you will see them somewhat separated from each other and the nearest ones will appear to be separated from each other more than the farthest ones. This is termed parallax. The Earth in altering its position by 186,000,000 shows us parallax which, for the nearest stars, are great enough for the astronomer to use in calculating their distances. If he can measure the parallax of a star, it is then a slight matter to calculate the distance of that star from the Earth. The telescope on Mount Wilson, California, is 100 inches in diameter; it took seven years to grind the disk, which is coated with silver. The disk alone weighs four and one-half tons. It does not magnify as is commonly supposed, but simply gathers the light and brings it to a focus. In this case, the reflection is 250,000 times that of the human eye and enables us to penetrate 400 times further into space. Any magnification maybe used in the eye piece, a magnification power of from 3,000 to 6,000 is generally used in viewing the planets. A great clockwork motor is used to counteract the apparent motion of the heavens caused by the rotation of the Earth. The movement of this motor is so accurate that a star will remain in the same point in the eye piece as long as may be desired. The Sun and his family of planets revolve around a central sun, which is millions of miles distant. It requires something less than 26,000 years to make one revolution. His orbit is called the Zodiac, which is divided into twelve signs, familiarly known as Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. It requires our Solar System a little more than 2,100 years to pass through one of these signs, and this time is the measurement of an Age or Dispensation. Because of what astronomers call "the precession of the Equinoxes," the movement of the Sun through the signs of the Zodiac is in order reverse from that given above. For some years past, the Solar System, which includes our planet Earth, has been entering the Zodiacal sign Aquarius. An airy, mental, electrical sign, which inclines to metaphysical, psychological, progressive, and changed conditions; cooperative and equalizing in its influence. It conduces to investigation, interest in serial matters, means of transit, means of communication, of education, of hygiene, and of new forms of government. Its planetary ruler is Uranus, called "The Reformer," who destroys but to rebuild better anew. It is Uranus that "makes old things pass away, that all things may become new." It conduces to liberty, freedom, and expression. It has been called the human sign. The twelve signs are alternately positive and negative in their nature—each contains a certain specialized influence of its own, having a ruler from which the nature of its influence is obtained. The Sun radiates energy to every member of its solar family. As the central figure among the planets, its position indicates the sphere of activity in which the individual will meet with greatest success and is the essential impulse and driving force that urges him to do it. The Sun is the ruler of all life, the Moon is the giver of all form, and as life manifests through form, the relationship of the Sun and Moon is inseparable, and it becomes the task of everyone to subject the Moon or form side of his existence to the Sun or life side, and the degree of success that he attains in doing this will be the measure of his ability to rule his stars. As the Sun is the Life-giver of the Solar System and the heart is the Life-giver of the Body, it is easy to see why the Sun's influence is the greatest in the nativity of Man, as it operates directly through the heart. The influence of the Moon is greatest in the first half of life, and the influence of the Sun is the greatest in the second half. Every planet has definite characteristics that impress themselves upon the child at birth. This is due to the electrostatic condition of the atmosphere at the time of the child's first inspiration of air, by which a vital change takes place in the nature of the blood. For this reason, those who are born under the influence of a particular planet portray the characteristics of that planet most strongly in their mental temperament, and this finds reflection in both motive and action. In addition to the influence of particular planets, there is the influence of the various constellations. They are usually divided into Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable signs. The cardinal will make the character acute, active, restless, aspiring, and changeable. The mutable, indifferent, slow, vacillating, and hesitating; yet tractable and impressionable. The fixed will make it determined, decisive, firm, ambitious, and unbending; slow to move, yet irresistible when started. The constellations easily fall into the following divisions:
The influence of the cardinal-sign is to stir the latent forces into action, promote change, and create initiative. The influence of the fixed-sign is for stability. The individual may be slow and plodding, but he will be persistent; he will know no defeat; he will concentrate upon one point and pursue it to the end; his seal will be almost fanatical. The influence of the mutable-sign is flexibility and change. This influence is purely mental or spiritual and gives purpose and incentive to action. The cardinal type, therefore, is active; the mutable type restless; and the fixed type rigid. As material success depends upon action, the important factors in the world's work are derived from this type. As stability is a necessary factor in important industrial undertakings, the fixed type frequently share the material and financial success with the cardinal type. The mutable type is, however, adverse to effort—they want adventure, change, travel; they are therefore the promoters who bring manufacturer and inventor together; they are the vendors and middlemen and the agents who negotiate between buyer and seller. They are also the sensitives, and react more keenly to the experiences of life; they carry the heavier burden because they feel more. They participate in the issues of life to a greater degree because they carry not only their own burden, but the burdens of those around them. The greater possibilities of inner unfoldment, understanding, and development are always with the sensitive. The sensitive uses not only reason, but imagination, vision, intuition, and insight. The fixed types are usually the materialists who are content with objective possessions and attainments. They use their reason and are interested in that only which can be measured or can be seen, felt, and handled. They are the doers rather than the dreamers and are utterly stable; they fill many responsible positions with great success, and are valuable members of society. Neither type is superior, they are simply different—both are necessary. The fixed signs represent something ingathered, collected together, accumulated, and relatively unified; something definite and uniform; a center of power and possibility, relatively quiescent and unchanging in itself receiving from outside and giving back again when required. They resemble violent explosives, which are inert while they are undisturbed, but contain large stores of energy locked up within them, and produce sudden and violent effects when stimulated to liberate it. The cardinal signs are always on the surface, never inert, never still, full of activity, ever busy and changing—they attract the most attention in the world. The mutable signs are intermediate between the two extremes, fluctuate between them, and can ally themselves with either; but they are never so steadfast as the one nor so active and open as the other. In accordance with this, it may be noted that three out of the four mutable signs are described as "double." In terms of character as applied to the average age man of today, fixed signs indicate persons in whom feeling, desire, or emotion is strong in one or more of the many forms this phase of consciousness can assume. It may be selfish or unselfish according to the impression given their being at the moment of birth by the planetary vibrations prevailing at that time and place. Such persons are averse to change and have settled views and habits that are very difficult to alter whether good or bad. They vary from the patient and enduring to the obstinate and determined. They sometimes follow one occupation or way of life for a longtime without a change. They make faithful friends and unrelenting enemies. Cardinal signs signify persons who are full of activity, either of body or mind, often of both. They are restless, busy, venturesome, daring, bold, can cut out paths in life for themselves; are innovators, pioneers, abandoning the old and seeking after the new. They are self-reliant and ambitious; often make noticeable, popular, or notorious figures in their sphere of life; may be found occupying public positions, or exercising authority over others. They are generous and impulsive, move and act quickly. They have not the plodding perseverance of the fixed signs, but can work hard and quickly, and achieve much in a short time. They seek rather to mold circumstances to their will than to adapt themselves to circumstances as do natives of mutable signs, or to overcome by dogged persistence as the fixed signs can. They are quick both to love and hate, easily make both friends and enemies, but their feelings may change as quickly. Activity is the keynote of their character, no matter in what channel it may run, whether practical, emotional, or intellectual—and whether for good or evil. Mutable signs are more difficult to delineate. Adaptability may perhaps express their meaning. In the practical affairs of life, the natives of these signs show neither the activity that molds circumstances to their will (characteristic of cardinal signs) nor the perseverance and endurance of the fixed signs; but rather seek to gain their ends by adapting themselves to circumstances by intelligent discrimination and the avoidance of extremes. They take the circuitous path when the direct road is not open, and sometimes even when it is open. This tendency shows itself in a great variety of ways. They can adapt themselves to the habits and moods of other people, they can easily see both sides of a question, and can honestly sympathize with quite contradictory opinions and principles. In the sphere of the emotions, this may make them sympathetic, humane, and charitable, and lovers of peace and quietness. Intellectually, it may give a very impartial, subtle, penetrating, and discriminating mind. They are to some extent natural managers, messengers, travelers, or intermediaries, in a general sense; interpret or express the feelings and ideas of others, make writers and speakers of all grades, from clerk to author, from lawyer to preacher. In the individuality, the cardinal signs give executive ability, and action that is unifying in nature and in accordance with divine law; the mutable signs cognize likenesses, synthesis, and draw together; and the fixed signs give stability and realization of the unity underlying apparent separateness. These signs may be further differentiated as follows: Earthy—Practical and material, commercial, intellectual, and scientific. Watery—Emotional and plastic, sympathetic and resolvent; reproductive. Airy—Refined and artistic, given to abstract ideas. Fiery—Spiritual and idealistic, energizing and creative. They are defined as follows:
Earth is the lowest and outermost of the states of matter: the most differentiated, limited, and complex: and the farthest removed from the state of pure spirit. In its reference to a cosmic plane, it signifies the physical plane; as a state of matter, it means the solid; in reference to man, it means the physical body; as a state of consciousness, it represents action, doing, volition as distinguished from feeling or thinking. Persons in whose nativity the Earth is predominant show as many modifications and classes as do natives of other elements; but they are generally practical, matter-of-fact people of the world who are better at doing than at thinking or feeling; or who try to reduce thought and emotion to practical applications. They may be said to be natural executants, but their service varies from that of the prime clerk, the shop assistant, and the laborer; and they range from the wise to the foolish, from the actively ambitious, selfish, or unselfish to the passive, inert, and unenterprising. Water, as a state of matter, means the liquid state. In its application to a cosmic plane, it signifies the next interior one to the physical, called variously the astral or psychic plane. It expresses consciousness through feelings, emotions, desires, instincts, passions, intuitions; and those who are born under it show both the strength and the weakness of this side of human nature. They vary from the sympathetic, affectionate, charitable, imaginative, sincere, and religious to the indolent, luxury-loving, passionate, selfish, listless, and inert. Air, as a state of matter, means the gaseous state. It corresponds to sunset and expresses consciousness through thought and understanding. Those who are born under airy signs show many and various gradations of intellect, from the literary to the scientific, from the metaphysical to the poetic, from the busy, practical, and executive to the profound, comprehensive, and solid. The imagination, whether expressed through poetry, music, or art, seems to belong partly to the air and partly to either fire or water. Fire corresponds to sunrise and to individualization. People coming under fire signs are impulsive, energetic, enthusiastic, positive, impetuous, and active. They seem to resemble the natives of watery signs more than those of earth or air, for they live more in the feelings, emotions, and passions than in the intellect. In so far as it is represented by the Sun, fire may stand for the energizing and all-permeating life of the Universe everywhere, the main-spring of all evolution—all progress. This, then, is the laboratory in which Nature is forever combining the spiritual forces that result in the infinite diversity on every side, for "All are parts of one stupendous whole." |
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