Zodiacal Symbology

In occult philosophy a Solar system is said to consist of ten Planetary Schemes. Each Scheme, Each Scheme, generally named according to its physically visible representative, consists of seven Chains of Globes. In terms of time a chain consists of the passage of the life-wave seven times around its seven Globes. Each such passage is called a Round, the completion of the seventh ending the life of the Chain. The Globes of a Round are both superphysical and physical and are arranged in a cyclic pattern, three being on a descending are, three on an ascending arc and the middle, the fourth Globe, being the densest of all and the turning poin. The active period of each of these units, from Solar System to Globe, called Manvantara, is succeed by a passive period of equal duration, called Pralaya. The completion of the activity of the seventh Globe of the seventh Round of the seventh Chain brings to an end the activity of a Planetary Scheme. Our Earth’s Scheme is now in its fourth Round of the fourth Chain, and the life-wave is half-way through its period of activity on the fourth Globe, the physical Earth. Thus the densest possible condition of substance is now occupied by Spirit, and so by the Monads or Spirits of men. The resistance of matter is at its greatest in this epoch, and this offers an explanation of the difficulties of human life at this period. The occupation of a physical planet by man consists of seven racial epochs and phases of evolutionary development. Throughout this work these are reffered to as Root Races.

The Chaldeans were the specialists amongst the Initiates of the planet in the twin sciencesof Astronomy and Astrology, the latter being regarded as the “soul” of the former. Since the Hebrew Patriarchs derived their esoteric wisdom largely from the chaldean Mysteries, the authors of the Pentateuch (The first five books of the Old Testament.) were informed of, but dare not directly reveal, the essential elements of the two sciences, as well as their mutual relationship. In their allegories, however, they disclose a great deal of information and in the strange and apparently repugnant stories of Jacob’s polygamy and concubinage, resulting in the birth of twelve children, certain elements of both Astronomy and Astrology are indirectly indicated.

In this sense Jacob is the Sun itself, Leah is the psycho-spiritual Solar System, and Rachel is its etheric-physical aspect. Their handmaidens are merely attributes and aspects of themselves, being personifications of gunas (The three qualities inherent in matter: Rajas, Sattva, and Tamas. These correspond to the three aspects of the Trinity –Father, Son and Holy Ghost), planes and sub-planes. The products of the effect fructifying solar rays upon the different types of matter are symbolised by the offspring, their natures being portrayed kabbalistically by their names and their Zodiacal correspondences by their characters and ways of life.

In this reading Jacob represents the sun, physical and superphysical, source of the fohatic energy of the Solar System. The women with whom he associates stand for the planes of Nature with their subdivisions and attributes. The children, in their turn, are the products of the interplay between solar energy or Fahat and tattvas and sub-tattvas of which, in both its superphysical and physical aspects, Prakriti consists.

In another possible interpretation Leah represents the combined Dhyan Chohans of the formless or arupa and Rachel those of the form or rupa planes, whilst their handmaidens represent the shaktis therefore, the auric forces and substances or free matter of the planes; for during Cosmogenesis and throghout cosmic evolution- in this case applying especially to our Solar System-the primary Dhyan Chohans are in the highest spiritual sense “married” to the First Logos and fructified by its outpoured fohatic energy.

Jacob, who became the Patriarch of Israel, and his eleven sons and one daughter whose names were applied to the twelve Tribes, macro-cosmicale represent the whole of creation. This includes the totality of all beings resulting from all possible combinations of the One, the Three and the Seven Cosmocratores (“World Architects”), the Dhyan Chohanic (Lords of Contemplation) creative principles, Rays, Powers and Intelligences.

Twelve, in the deepest occult sense, is the true whole number, the totality of the Orders of creative “seeds” or potential powers and attributes  resident in the First Emanation from Parabrahman (Beyond Brahman). Ten is the number of evolutionary culmination and indicates the about-to-be-reborn Crown or Kether at the close of the cycle when all sinks back into the primary Pair, primordial Spirit and Matter, making in all twelve Principles.