Filename: RC1075.TXT
Source: "The Rosicrucian Philosophy in Questions & Answers, Vol. I"
         by Max Heindel

[PAGE 2671]

                              QUESTION NO. 148:

   IS IT POSSIBLE TO CULTIVATE CLAIRVOYANCE BY THE USE OF DRUGS,  BY CRYSTAL
GAZING  OR  BREATHING  EXERCISES,  AND DO THESE METHODS  NOT  BRING  RESULTS
QUICKER THAN THE METHODS YOU ADVOCATE?

   ANSWER:   Yes; it is possible to cultivate a certain kind of clairvoyance
by any of the methods mentioned,  but when a man cultivates the sixth  sense
by such means he is not master of his faculty; the power of producing clair-
voyance is vested in the crystal and not in the man.  He is in a similar po-
sition  to one who learns horsemanship at a riding-academy where the  horses
are trained to allow themselves to be ridden.  The pupils acquire no ability
to  deal with intractable animals,  but simply ride by permission  of  their
mount.

   If a man learns to break a wild horse he can break others,  and rides  by
virtue  of his own power to master his horse,  and when a man has used  will
power instead of drugs or a crystal to subdue his body and cultivate  clair-
voyance,  he has acquired a soul quality which enables him to  exercise  his
faculty in all future lives.   But the crystal gazer and the drug fiend have
lost their power at death, and must wait till they can obtain drugs or crys-
tals  in the new life to train the new body,  and thus a great loss of  time
and effort results from the use of such methods.   When we take into consid-
eration  the fact that drugs and breathing exercises have a  dreadfully  de-
structive effect upon the body, it will be seen that these methods are alto-
gether  undesirable.  Many  a  man  is  today in the insane asylum or in the

[PAGE 2672]

grave of the consumptive on account of breathing exercises,  and the effects
of drugs are well known.

   Besides,  there are various kinds of clairvoyants.   There are  some  who
have  a  faculty of such a nature that the clairvoyant may be likened  to  a
prisoner  who sits in his cell behind bars.   The window in his  cell  opens
upon a certain view;  he cannot escape seeing whatever comes into the  range
of his vision,  for he cannot turn away.  There is also a shutter before his
window which he cannot control either.   Thus at all times when that shutter
is  open  he must see whatever passes outside his window whether  the  sight
pleases him or not.   A faculty of that nature is an unmitigated curse,  for
sometimes  the most dreadful scenes are enacted before the vision of such  a
clairvoyant.  The writer remembers the case of a certain gentleman, who pos-
sessed  that kind of a faculty.   Lecturing before a certain society at  the
time of the War in the Phillippines,  a battle scene presented itself before
his  gaze.   An encounter was taking place at that moment between  Filipinos
and  our soldiers.   He saw horses ripped open and falling with entrails  on
the ground,  our men being hewn to pieces by the bolos of the natives,  etc.
Unable  to  shut off the vision,  he turned deathly pale,  but  exercise  of
will-power  enabled him to finish his lecture without  attracting  attention
from the general audience.

   There  are  other clairvoyants who have only a partial control  of  their
sight and who cannot count on the power at any time.   To this class belongs
the ordinary medium who prostitutes the faculty for a fee.   At times,  when
the power is on,  she may give exceedingly good readings and tell the truth,
but at other times,  when the power is off, there may be a temptation to se-
cure the fees needed for office rent  and  personal  expenses by simulating.

[PAGE 2673]

The  only safe way to cultivate the faculty of clairvoyance is by  means  of
exercises  given by the mystery schools, but these exercises and lessons  in
the development of the higher faculties are never sold for gold or any mate-
rial  consideration.   They are always given without money as  a  reward  of
merit.  The man who possesses this faculty, cultivated by their method,  has
no off days, but he will never consent to use it to gratify anyone's curios-
ity, for tests or other frivolous purpose.  He directs all his energy to aid
in uplifting humanity.

                              QUESTION NO. 149:

   WHAT TIME IN THE MORNING IS BEST FOR CONCENTRATION?

   ANSWER:   The  object of the exercises, both morning and evening,  is  to
bring the pupil into conscious touch with the invisible worlds, and there is
no  time so good as the morning, for during the night the  spirit  withdraws
from the dense body and enters the invisible world,  leaving the body asleep
upon the bed; and it is the return of the spirit in the morning which causes
the  body  to awake and focuses our consciousness upon  the  material  world
Through the sense organs.   Wordsworth says in his beautiful "Ode to  Immor-
tality":

   "Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
   The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,
   Hath had elsewhere its setting, and cometh from afar:
   Not in entire forgetfulness, and not in utter nakedness,
   But trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who
         is our home:

   "Heaven lies about us in our infancy!
   Shades of the prison-house begin to close
   Upon the growing Boy,
   But He beholds the light, and whence it flows,
   He sees it in his joy.

   "The Youth, who daily farther from the east
   Must travel, still is Nature's Priest,
   And by the vision splendid
   Is on his way attended;
   At length the Man perceives it die away,
   And fade into the light of common day."

   During  the  life of a person,  the Inner Worlds are closest  to  him  in
childhood's years, as Wordsworth says, for that is life's morning, and so it
is  with us;  when we waken in the morning we are in closer touch  with  the
Spirit Worlds than at any other time of day,  and then it is easiest to  re-
turn to them.   Therefore,  THE PUPIL SHOULD COMMENCE HIS EXERCISES THE VERY
MOMENT HE WAKENS, without allowing his mind to rest upon anything else.   He
should be particular to relax his body perfectly so that no muscle is  tense
and fix his mind upon a high ideal or upon the first five verses of the Gos-
pel of St. John, either sentence by sentence, or as a  whole.  That will put

[PAGE 2674]

him in touch with cosmic vibrations.   He should still the senses so that he
can hear nothing and see nothing in his room.   When he succeeds the  scenes
of  the  Desire World will present themselves to his  inner  vision.   First
spasmodically, later more and more clearly, as practice makes him perfect.

   For most persons,  however, the evening exercise is of the greater impor-
tance and will probably bring results quicker,  because that works upon  the
life we lead and ennobles us in a way that the morning exercise cannot.

                              QUESTION NO. 150:

   IT  IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO REVIEW THE EVENTS OF THE DAY IN REVERSE  ORDER
WHEN DOING MY EVENING EXERCISES.   IS THIS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY,  AND IF SO,
WHY?

   ANSWER:   In the evening exercise the pupil reviews and judges  his  life
for  that day.   He is then doing the work ordinarily reserved to  Purgatory
and  the  First Heaven.   There the life is lived backward from  effects  to
causes in order that we may see HOW AND WHY suffering results from our  mis-
takes.   Reviewing our daily life, in reverse order, from effects to causes,
we note that our troubles and trials have all been caused  by  previous acts

[PAGE 2675]

during the past day or some other day of our life.

   It  is our task to find that cause and to analyze the reason which  leads
up to every development, so that we may know in future how to take advantage
of opportunities for soul growth and avoid evil.   Thus if we follow up  the
day's experience in reverse order we profit by the experiences gained  right
away instead of waiting until we have passed out of this life and are FORCED
to reap the fruits of our deeds in Purgatory and the First Heaven.

                              QUESTION NO. 151:

   WHAT VALUE ARE BREATHING EXERCISES IN DEVELOPING BODY AND MIND?

   ANSWER:   The value of breathing exercises depends upon the knowledge  of
the  person  who  gives them.   Breathing exercises given in  books  and  by
so-called teachers,  who advertise courses in psychic development,  are  ex-
ceedingly  dangerous and many a person is in the insane asylum today on  ac-
count of having attempted to use them, or, perhaps,  sleeps under the sod in
the grave of a consumptive.

[PAGE 2676]

   Every  human being is an individual and needs individual exercises.   The
appropriate  exercises can only be given by a person who is clairvoyant  and
also able to watch the growth of certain etheric organs in the physical body
of  his pupil.   He must also know what this growth should be in each  indi-
vidual case.   Anyone who has the ability to thus give this individual exer-
cise also knows how to check undesirable developments.   But such a  teacher
does not advertise psychic developments for so much per lesson.   Such exer-
cises are never sold for money, but are always given for merit.

   The reason is evident.   One who has the faculty of clairvoyance at  com-
mand  has  an  enormous power;  if misused it can work more  harm  than  any
earthly weapon.   it could cause a panic in the markets of the world,  bring
about wars and enmities among people anywhere and everywhere,  and thus  the
possessor  would become a scourge to society unless he were also of  such  a
mind that he would never use his faculty save for good.   The powers  behind
evolution,  the Elder Brothers of humanity who have developed  these  powers
and are capable of teaching them, take exceeding good care that no one shall
attain to this power until they have given proofs of unselfishness and  have
been bound by vows and restrictions.   Therefore it may be said that no  one
should  undertake  breathing  exercises  unless  prescribed  by  the  proper
teacher,  and neither is it necessary to run about the world seeking such  a
teacher.   The aspirant ought rather to strive to do good and use the facul-
ties which he now possesses in the environment where he is,  for that is the
only proper stepping stone towards a higher power.  When he has sufficiently
fitted  himself,  the teacher will appear in his life and he will not for  a
moment  be  in  doubt  of  the genuineness of the teaching that will then be

[PAGE 2677]

given.  In this respect we may quote a little poem that is exceedingly beau-
tiful:

   "Don't waste your time in longing
         For bright, impossible things;
   Don't sit supinely waiting
         For the sprouting of angel wings.
   Don't scorn to be a rushlight,
         Everyone can not be a star;
   But brighten some of the darkness
         By shining just where you are.

   "There's need of the tiniest candle
         As well as the garish sun,
   And the humblest deed is ennobled
         When it is worthily done;
   You may never be called on to brighten
         Darkened regions afar,
   So fill day by day your mission
         By shining just where you are."

[PAGE 2678]

                              QUESTION NO. 152:

   IS NOT THE INVISIBLE WORLD OF WHICH YOU SPEAK VERY UNREAL AND SHADOWY  IN
COMPARISON TO THIS WORLD IN WHICH WE NOW LIVE?

   ANSWER:   God is the Prime Reality.   The Desire World and the  World  of
Thought  are one and two steps nearer to that central source of  energy  and
hence they are more real.   By "real"  the inquirer presumably means that in
this world the forms are stable and do not easily change, whereas in the In-
visible  Worlds they are more than plastic and change with the  rapidity  of
thought,  but THE LIFE within is the reality and not THE FORM.  Stability is
not  a mark of reality.   Everything in the world which is now  crystallized
and stable has first existed in a plastic condition in the Invisible  World.
Everything  which has been made by the hand of man was first a thought  form
in the mind of its maker.

   When an architect desires to build a house,  he first thinks it out.   He
seeks  to  form an idea as clearly as possible of what the house is  to  be.
Could  the workmen see the thought form in the mind of the  architect,  they
would be able to work from that without plans,  but the architect's idea  is
hidden from them by the veil of flesh and,  therefore,  it is necessary  for
the architect to put his idea on paper and make a plan.   This is the  first
stage  of crystallization;  afterward the workmen build the house  in  iron,
wood and stone.

   According  to the ideas of most people this house is much more real  than
the  thought form in the mind of the architect,  but in reality that is  not
so.  The concrete house may  be  destroyed  in  a  moment  by earthquake, by

[PAGE 2679]

dynamite,  or in other ways,  but THE IDEA in the architect's mind will last
as long as he lives and from that idea a new house, or a dozen, may be built
at any time, yes, even after the death of the architect the house will still
exist as a model in the ether, and any clairvoyant capable of contacting the
Invisible Worlds and reading in the memory of nature is capable of seeing it
there at any time, though millions of years may elapse.   Thus the Invisible
World is the source and everlasting record of all that is or was here, hence
it is the prime reality.

                      QUESTIONS CONCERNING ASTROLOGY:

                                 DIAGRAM 17:

                    THE PATH OF THE UNUSED SEX CURRENTS

                                     IN

              THE MYSTIC         THE OCCULTIST               THE ADEPT


               |---------|        |---------|               |---------|
               |   THE   |        |   THE   |               |   THE   |
               |  HUMAN  |        |  HUMAN  |               |  HUMAN  | 
ORGANS OF      |   HEAD  |        |   HEAD  |               |   HEAD  |
KNOWLEDGE--------[BRAIN]------------[BRAIN]-------------------[BRAIN] |
               |         |        |         |               |         |
               |---------|        |---------|               |---------|
                  |   |    ||        |   |    ||               |   |       
LARYNX----------->| * |----||--------| * |----||----CREATIVE---| * |<--THE 
                  |   |    ||        |   |    ||     ORGAN     |   |  WORD 
                  |   |    ||        |   |    ||               |   |      
                  |   |    ||        |   |    ||               |   |       
                _/\___/\_  ||      _/\___/\_  ||             _/\___/\_     
ORGAN OF       |   THE   | ||     |   THE   | ||            |   THE   |    
FEELING--------|  HUMAN  |-||-----|  HUMAN  |-||------------|  HUMAN  |    
                \ HEART /  ||      \ HEART /  ||             \ HEART /     
                 \     /   ||       \     /   ||              \     /      
                  \___/    ||        \___/    ||               \___/       
                           ||                 ||                           
RIGHT SIDE                 ||    LEFT SIDE    ||                           
SPINAL CORD--------------->||   SPINAL CORD-->||                           
                           ||                 ||                           
                           ||                 ||                           

         THE MYSTIC:            THE OCCULTIST:                THE ADEPT: 

      UNUSED SEX FORCE         UNUSED SEX FORCE                PERFECT
      POSITIVE IN HEART        NEGATIVE IN HEART               BALANCE
      NEGATIVE IN BRAIN        POSITIVE IN BRAIN

NOTE: As it is impossible to represent in ASCII text characters all of the 
information in the original diagram, the following explanation is given:

In the Mystic, the path of the unused sex currents forms a figure eight. The 
upper part of the figure eight is in the brain and the currents are flowing 
in a counterclockwise direction if the human body is viewed from the left 
lateral position. The lower part of the figure eight includes the right side 
of the spinal cord and the heart and the forces here flow in a clockwise 
position. The two segments of this figure eight meet at the larynx. 

In the Occultist the pattern of the forces is identical to the Mystic, 
except that the direction of the forces is reversed. Therefore, in the brain 
the forces flow in a clockwise direction, and through the left side of the 
spinal cord and heart they flow in a counterclockwise direction.

In the Adept the figure eight includes the larynx, heart and brain, which 
are in perfect balance, and the original diagram does not show either 
clockwise or counterclockwise flow of the forces. 

[PAGE 2680]

                              QUESTION NO. 153:

   IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ASTROLOGY AND PALMISTRY CAN BE TRUE,  INASMUCH AS  WE
COULD AVERT COMING DISASTER BY BEING FOREWARNED IN THAT MANNER?   AND  WOULD
THIS NOT INTERFERE WITH OUR DESTINY?

   ANSWER:   The destiny which we generate under the law of causation by our
own acts may be divided into three kinds.  In the first place,  there is the
destiny  which  from the very nature of the case we cannot  expiate  in  the
present life;  for instance,  when a man commits murder,  whether he suffers
the  penalty for it here or not,  the prison life usually does not have  the
effect of making him more mellow and kind.   Sometimes it does the  reverse;
it makes him bitter and turns his hand against all.   Before nature will  be
satisfied, he must learn that he may not deprive a fellow being of his form;
he must learn to SERVE.  Thus the case is not satisfied until he has had the
opportunity at a future time to render service of importance to his previous
victim.

   A second kind of destiny we reap from day to day; it is, we might say, as
a cash transaction, we pay as we go.  If we overeat, we have indigestion; if
we go out without sufficient clothing, we take cold, etc.

   A third kind is called "ripe" or "mature"  destiny.   It is the result of
our actions in past lives or in our early years,  which has matured into ef-
fect  so  far  that  it  is  embodied  in the pictures shown a spirit as the

[PAGE 2681]

panorama of its coming life when starting toward rebirth.   Once the  spirit
has chosen a certain life with the 'ripe"  destiny allotted for  liquidation
by the Recording Angels,  it is bound by its choice.   the TENDENCIES to act
in  a manner conducive to adjustment of this mature destiny are inherent  in
the  body  and inscribed in the stars,  for the stellar influences  are  the
source of man's activity, and therefore this mature destiny may be seen from
the horoscope at birth, standing out with exceeding clearness, so that it is
very  plain and patent to the spiritually minded astrologer or palmist.   He
can  also see the other kinds of destiny and may sometimes mistake one  kind
for  the other and hence be wrong in his view as to whether an event can  be
avoided or not.   If it is "ripe" destiny, it will be impossible to avoid it
despite all warnings, as perhaps the following instance may serve to show:

   In 1906 the writer gave some lessons in astrology to Mr. L., a well known
lecturer,  in Los Angeles,  using the gentleman's own horoscope for purposes
of instruction,  as that enables the pupil to check the truth of the  inter-
pretations  of the symbols so far as the past is concerned,  and lends  more
interest than when using the horoscope of a stranger.  It was found that Mr.
L.  had had a number of accidents;  these were figured to the day when  they
happened.   An impending accident, due to occur at the time of the new moon,
July 21, 1906, was also noted.  Mr. L. was, therefore, warned to stay in the
house on that day and the seventh day after,  the latter date being regarded
as the more dangerous.   He was told that there would be danger of an  acci-
dent to the lower part of the head,  the neck,  breast and arms,  in  conse-
quence of a short journey by bicycle, buggy or electric car.

[PAGE 2682]

   Mr.  L.  was  much impressed and promised to stay at home  on  the  dates
named.   The writer went North and from there wrote reminding Mr. L.  of his
danger just before the time it was due.   He received a letter assuring  him
that Mr. L. would be careful.

   The next communication regarding the matter came from a mutual friend and
stated that Mr.  L. had gone to Sierra Madre to lecture on the twenty-eighth
of  July  and had been hurt in the places mentioned in the prediction  by  a
collision with a locomotive.   The writer wondered why his instructions  had
been  so  disregarded,  and the answer came three months later when  Mr.  L.
thanked him for the information which had been very valuable to him,  as  he
said,  in proving the truth of astrology.   The reason for the accident  was
that he had forgotten the date.  He wrote "I thought the 28th was the 29th."

   This  case,  in the estimation of the writer,  shows that MATURE  destiny
cannot be interfered with and that we may safely do anything we can to avoid
impending  danger  without fear of interfering with the  law  of  causation.
There are invisible agencies around us to counteract any move upon our  part
which  would interfere,  and in the opinion of the writer they were  respon-
sible for Mr. L.'s confusion of dates.

[PAGE 2683]

                              QUESTION NO. 154:

   IS IT WRONG TO USE PALMISTRY, ASTROLOGY OR PHRENOLOGY AS A MEANS OF LIVE-
LIHOOD?

   ANSWER:   What is right or wrong depends upon the viewpoint of the  indi-
vidual.  Less than 150  years  ago it was thought right to kill a refractory
Black slave.  His master could do so with impunity as he may nowadays kill a
hog or a horse. Today we would consider that murder. Some people today  look
upon  astrology  as merely a matter of calculation and  upon  palmistry  and
phrenology  as material sciences,  without any spiritual significance.   Who
thus  views these sciences would be blameless if he used them as a means  of
livelihood,  while anyone who had obtained an idea of the spiritual side  of
these sciences would,  in the estimation of the writer,  be prostituting his
knowledge.   Besides, no one who thus belittles these spiritual sciences can
ever  give the highest and best advice to his clients,  for the  glimmer  of
gold will always obscure the judgment.   Such has been the experience of the
writer and many others who hold the same views.  The inquirer,  at any rate,
would do wrong to use his knowledge of these spiritual sciences for a  live-
lihood,  for his question shows that he must have misgivings; and then he is
already judged from within if he prostitutes his talent.

   There is a reward that is much more than gold.   If we use our  knowledge
to heal and to help we shall never lack means of living and we shall be lay-
ing up treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupt.   Greater and
better  opportunities for service will be ours if we devote our  talents  to
unselfish service.

[PAGE 2684]

                              QUESTION NO. 155:

   ARE MARS,  JUPITER AND OTHER PLANETS INHABITED;  IF SO,  ARE THOSE PEOPLE
SUPERIOR TO THE PEOPLE ON THE EARTH;  DO THE SOULS FROM THE EARTH EVER REIN-
CARNATE ON OTHER PLANETS AND VICE VERSE?

   ANSWER:  All the planets in the solar system are inhabited and are fields
of evolution for different classes of spirits at various stages of  develop-
ment.   The  planets nearest to the sun support the beings  which  are  most
evolved.  Jupiter forms an exception to this rule; it is peopled by a human-
ity slightly higher than that of the earth.

   The principle is this:   The highest vibrations exist in the central sun,
which  at one time contained all the beings now dwelling upon the  different
planets.   But not all were able to sustain the terrific vibrations of  that
central  firemist;  therefore,  a crystallization took place at  the  poles;
gradually the crystallized matter gravitated toward the equator and was  ex-
pelled,  with  the spirits dwelling thereon.   That first  emanation  became
Uranus.   Later on other classes of spirits have crystallized a part of  the
sun  and been expelled to move in orbits at varying distances from the  cen-
tral source, according to the rate of vibration necessary for the unfoldment
of the spirits upon them,  forming eventually the solar system as we know it
now.

   Each  class of spirits stays in its environment,  being under the  direct
tutelage  and  guidance of one of the Planetary Spirits whose  body  is  the
planet where they dwell.   As the spirits have been incarnated on  different
planets because they are at widely different stages of spiritual unfoldment,

[PAGE 2685]

they  do not usually incarnate upon the other planets,  save that  at  times
some  from  the inner planets are sent as teachers'  to the  outer  spheres.
This, at least, was the case when our humanity needed teachers, embodied and
visible.  Then some of the beings from Venus and mercury were brought to the
earth to guide nascent humanity.   They were known as messengers of the Gods
and  these lords from Venus were the first kings and rulers over  the  human
race.   Later on the most precocious among human beings were turned over  to
the  lords  of mercury who initiated them into the mysteries and  these,  in
turn,  became the rulers over their brethren.  They were then truly kings BY
THE GRACE OF GOD,  ruling the people for their upliftment and good,  regard-
less of power and self aggrandizement.

                              QUESTION NO. 156:

   DOES NOT THE NEBULAR THEORY ACCOUNT FOR THE EXISTENCE OF THE UNIVERSE  IN
A MUCH MORE SCIENTIFIC MANNER THAN THE CREATION STORIES OF THE BIBLE?

   ANSWER:  THE NEBULAR THEORY WAS REJECTED BY HERBERT SPENCER BECAUSE, LIKE
THE BIBLE, IT POSTULATES A FIRST CAUSE.

   Viewed briefly,  the theory is this,  that at one time there appeared  in
space a firemist,  SPONTANEOUSLY.   Within that firemist,  currents started,
ALSO  SPONTANEOUSLY,  and  that  under  the  impact  of  these currents, the

[PAGE 2686]

firemist took a spherical shape, revolving with intense rapidity.   The cen-
trifugal force caused it to throw off a ring which disintegrated,  the frag-
ments coalesced and became a planet revolving in an orbit around the central
mass.  Thus different planets were brought into existence one after another.
They cooled gradually, and at last the solar system was complete.   Upon one
of these planets at least, there appeared,  SPONTANEOUSLY,  Life,  or proto-
plasm,  which gradually evolved through the different classes  of  Radiates,
Mollusks,  Articulates and Vertebrates, finally flowering in man, who is the
highest Intelligence in the Cosmos, lord of all he surveys.

   This the scientist says, with a wise mien, and may also add:   "Don't you
see how simple and reasonable this is?  If not,  let me show you by a demon-
stration."   He  may then take a basin full of water and pour a  little  oil
upon the surface, the water to represent space and the oil the firemist.  He
may then take a needle and commence to stir the oil in imitation of the cur-
rents generated in the firemist,  and under his stirring the oil will take a
spherical  shape.   Gradually the sphere will bulge at the equator,  a  ring
will be thrown off and shape itself into a planet which will revolve  around
its primary and the scientist will then triumphantly say:  "There, don't you
see how natural it is, not the slightest need for your God!"

   We  only wonder that the men who have a mind capable of  conceiving  this
splendid demonstration can at the same time be so dull that they do not  see
that they,  themselves,  take the place of God,  who thought out and brought
into being the universe as the scientists conceived their demonstration, and
carried  it  into execution.   God by his power preserves our  universe  and
moves  the planets as the scientist moves his oil-planet,  and were  God  to
cease  his  activity  for  a  single  moment, cosmos would instantly resolve

[PAGE 2687]

itself  into a conglomerate chaos as the oil-sun and planet cease to be  the
moment the scientist discontinues his operation.

   Therefore,  so far from refuting the assertion of the Bible that  God  is
the Creator and sustainer of the cosmos, the nebular theory demonstrates the
necessity for divine interference most thoroughly,  and when properly under-
stood,  there is no essential difference between the scientific and religion
conception.

                              QUESTION NO. 157:

   WHAT ARE COMETS?

   ANSWER:   Contemplating the wisdom of the Great Creative  Hierarchies  as
compared with our own,  we would naturally feel inclined to think that  they
are  above mistakes;  but upon second thought it appears reasonable that  as
they are yet evolving,  though learning lessons far beyond us,  they must at
times make mistakes.   They are active in the Macrocosm,  the "Great World,"
the  Body of God,  as we are working in the Microcosm,  the "Little  World,"
composed of our different vehicles, and just as we make mistakes in handling
our affairs and in learning the lessons we are learning,  so also the  Great
Creative hierarchies at times fail in their labors.

   We know that when bringing a child  to  birth there may be a miscarriage.

[PAGE 2688]

The foetus is then expelled from the system and at once commences to  decay.
There is a similar risk when a world is in the making, namely, that it crys-
tallizes or sets before it has completed the period of gestation in the  De-
sire  World.   Then it has not been properly molded,  and may be likened  to
plaster of Paris mixed by a sculptor to form a beautiful statue, but set be-
fore  it was molded--a shapeless,  useless mass.   When this happens in  the
making of the world, we have what is known as a comet,  and the elliptic or-
bit which it travels is the path of a current in the Desire World.   We have
something  similar to the comets in the appearance of the Ego before it  en-
ters  the womb of the mother.   Then that is also such a  bell-shaped  thing
with  a  nucleus at the top and a great deal of material flowing  behind  it
similar to the tail of the comet.   And these bell shaped reincarnating Egos
also  traverse elliptic orbits around the earth,  until it is necessary  for
them to enter the womb of the future mother.

[PAGE 2689]

                              QUESTION NO. 158:

   DOES THE MOVEMENT OF A PLANET THROUGH SPACE CREATE A NOISE?

   ANSWER:   Pythagoras spoke of the harmony of the spheres,  and he did not
use that expression simply as a poetical allusion.  There is such a harmony.
We are told by John that in the beginning was the word . . .  and without it
was  nothing  made that was made.   That was the creative fiat  which  first
started the world into being.   The familiar experiment of placing sand upon
a  glass  plate and creating geometrical figures by bowing the edge  with  a
violin bow,  illustrates the creative ability of sound.   And we hear of ce-
lestial music,  for from the point of the heaven World,  everything is first
created in terms of sound,  which then molds concrete matter into the multi-
tudinous forms which we see around us.

   In the occultist's sphere of vision,  the whole solar system is one  vast
musical instrument,  spoken of in the Greek mythology as "the seven-stringed
lyre of Apollo, the radiant Sun God."  As there are twelve semi-tones in the
chromatic scale, so we have in the heavens, twelve signs of the zodiac,  and
as we have the seven white keys or whole tones on the keyboard of the piano,
we  have  seven  planets.   The signs of the zodiac may be said  to  be  the
sounding-board  of  the cosmic harp and the seven planets are  the  strings;
they  emit  different  sounds as they pass through the  various  signs,  and
therefore they influence mankind in diverse manner.  Should the harmony fail
for one single moment,  should there be the slightest discord in that  heav-
enly  band,  this  whole  universe  as  such  must  crumble.  For  music can

[PAGE 2690]

destroy  as well as build.   This has been well proven by  great  musicians.
For instance, the grandson of the immortal Felix Mendelssohn has for several
years been experimenting with the power of sound in that direction.   He has
come  to the conclusion that once we find the keynote of a building,  bridge
or  other structure,  we may raze that structure to the ground  by  sounding
that not sufficiently loud and long.  An illustration in point occurs to the
writer:

   "A  few  years ago a band of musicians were rehearsing near an  old  ruin
outside  the city of heidelberg,  Germany.  At one point in their  exercises
they came to an extremely high pitched and long continued note,  and as they
sounded it the massive wall of the nearby ruin tumbled to the ground with  a
tremendous  crash.   They had struck the keynote of that wall and it  fell."
In view of these facts,  our supercilious smiles of bygone days when listen-
ing to the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho are no longer in  place.
The  sound of the ram's horn undoubtedly struck the keynote of  those  walls
which had been much sensitized by the rhythmic tramp of his army in prepara-
tion  for this final climax.   The rhythmic tramp of many feet will  destroy
any bridge,  and therefore soldiers are instructed to break step when cross-
ing a bridge.  So that we may say in answer to the question that every plant
gives  out a certain keynote which is the sum total of all the  noises  upon
it,  blended and harmonized by the indwelling Planetary Spirit.   That sound
can be heard by the spirit ear.  As Goethe says:

   "The sun intones his ancient song
   Mid rival chant of brother spheres;
   His prescribed course he speeds along
   In thunderous way, throughout the years."

[PAGE 2691]

This, from the first part of Faust, the prologue in heaven.  And also in the
second part of Faust, spirits of air greet the rising sun with the words:


   "Sound unto the spirit ear proclaims the new born day
         is here;
   Rocky gates are creaking, rattling,
   Phoebus' wheels are rolling, singing--
   What sound intense the light is bringing."

                              QUESTION NO. 159:

   WHAT  IS THE ESOTERIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE USE OF THE NAMES OF THE  TWELVE
SONS  OF  JACOB IN CONNECTION WITH THE TWELVE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC,  AND  ARE
THESE  USED  IN CONNECTION WITH THE EARTH'S ZODIAC OR THE SUN'S  ZODIAC,  OR
BOTH?

   ANSWER:   There is only one zodiac,  the twelve constellations  which  we
call Aries,  Taurus,  etc.   These are the stars,  located in a narrow  belt
about eight degrees each side of the ecliptic, or the sun's path,  as viewed
from  the earth.   The twelve sons and one daughter of Jacob are  identified
with the twelve constellations,  because Josephus mentions that the  Israel-
ites  wandering in the wilderness carried emblems of these twelve groups  of
stars on their banner.   In the 49th chapter of Genesis and the 33rd chapter
of Deuteronomy, are pronounced blessings upon his twelve sons in such a man-
ner  that  it  is  impossible  to  one  who  knows  astronomy  not  to see a

[PAGE 2692]

resemblance  between the description of these sons and the twelve  signs  of
the zodiac.

   Also,   if   we  regard  the  manner  of  pitching  the   camp   of   the
Israelites--grouping the twelve tribes around the tabernacle where the seven
branched candlestick was--we see again a reference to the astronomical  dis-
position  of  the twelve signs of the zodiac outside of the  seven  planets,
which are the lights of the solar system, the House of God.

   The spiritual reason of the analogy between Jacob, his wives, their chil-
dren and the cosmos, may be found in the hermetic axiom, as above, so below.
Jacob,  with his four wives,  symbolize the sun and the four phases  of  the
moon,  which are the givers of life to all that live upon earth;  the twelve
sons  and one daughter symbolize the Creative Hierarchies,  which have  been
active in the evolution of our solar system and have brought not only human-
ity but also all the various other kingdoms to their present stage of evolu-
tionary attainment,  and are working with them now in order to still further
develop them into spiritual beings.  It was they who made man in their like-
ness.   Even to this day humanity is stamped with the characteristics of the
twelve celestial signs.   Therefore the original Semites, who were to be the
progenitors of a new race, were divided into twelve classes by their leader,
each class representing one of the constellations.
          
[PAGE 2693]

                              QUESTION NO. 160:

   CAN  YOU GIVE AN IDEA OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HELIOCENTRIC AND  GEOCEN-
TRIC ASTROLOGY?   IS THE GEOCENTRIC CONCERNED ONLY WITH THE AFFAIRS OF  THIS
EARTH THE MATERIAL LIFE, AND THE HELIOCENTRIC WITH THE SOUL OR THE SPIRITUAL
SIDE?   THE SUN,  BEING THE SPIRITUAL PLANET AND THE RULER OF OUR SOLAR SYS-
TEM,  WOULD LEAD TO THIS CONCLUSION,  INASMUCH AS WE USE THE SUN'S ZODIAC IN
HELIOCENTRIC  ASTROLOGY AND THE EARTH'S ZODIAC IN GEOCENTRIC.   CAN  PREDIC-
TIONS IN THIS LIFE EVER BE MADE BY THE SUN'S ZODIAC, OR IS THE LATTER SIMPLY
CONCERNED WITH THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF A PERSON'S NATURE?

   ANSWER:   One of the objections raised to the ancient system of astrology
is  that it regards the earth as the centre of the solar system in the  same
manner  as the ancients did,  and that since Copernicus showed us  that  the
planets  move around the sun,  many people regard astrology as "an  exploded
science,"  a palpably proven fallacy,  and in order to overcome this  objec-
tion,  certain  astrologers  in modern times have invented  what  is  called
"heliocentric Astrology,"  which regards the sun as the centre of our  solar
system and the planets as moving about it.

   It is perfectly true that, scientifically speaking, the geocentric system
of astrology,  which regards the earth as a centre, is incorrect.  And it is
wrong  when  we say that the sun is in Cancer when it is  really  the  earth
traveling  in its orbit that has come to the sign Capricorn and,  therefore,
it appears to us here upon the earth as if the sun were in Cancer.  But that
is  not  the crux;  it really does not matter which of the  two  bodies  has
moved, THE ASTROLOGER JUDGES BY THE POSITIONS OF THE PLANETS RELATIVE TO THE
EARTH.  And it is much more convenient to regard the planets as moving round

[PAGE 2694]

the  earth as the center than it is to use the opposite system,  for in  the
geocentric  system we note the relationships of the planets AS  THEY  APPEAR
FROM  OUR  EARTH and note the effects upon various people at the  time  when
such planetary influences were felt, and so, BY EXPERIENCE,  we have come to
our present system of judgment,  which is,  therefore,  as true today as  it
ever was.   "The proof of the pudding is in the eating," says the homely old
proverb.   The proof of astrology is in the truth of its predictions, and no
one who has honestly studied this science and has tried to test it for  him-
self can fail to find this truth.

   Predictions sometimes fail because the astrologer misinterprets, but even
allowing for the fallibility of the astrologer, there is, nevertheless, such
a mass of predictions which come true that it is quite beyond explanation as
a coincidence.

   The geocentric system is correct and takes in all sides of man's  nature,
not  only  the  material manifestation but also  the  spiritual  side.   The
heliocentric system,  on the other hand,  has been trumped up by people  who
aim to conform to science and have no concern with the spiritual side of na-
ture,  therefore that is the least satisfactory.   Besides,  while those who
have  used the geocentric astrology for many centuries have  recorded  their
observations  of the effects of the planets from that standpoint,  there  is
very  little  of  such  empirical  knowledge  from  the  standpoint  of  the
heliocentric system, which we would advise the inquirer to leave alone.

[PAGE 2695]

                              QUESTION NO. 161:

   HOW  IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET ON GOOD TERMS WITH SATURN?   THE INQUIRER  HAS
BEEN  UNDER  HIS  INFLUENCE  ALL  HIS  LIFE.   SICKNESS,  POVERTY,  LOSS  OF
INHERITANCE  AND  ACCIDENTS  ARE BAD ENOUGH, BUT CAN SATURN  ALSO  CAUSE  US
TROUBLE  SPIRITUALLY;  CAN HE PUT BARRIERS UP FOR OUR  UNFOLDMENT  WHEN  OUR
SPIRIT IS STRUGGLING FOR THE GOOD,  AND ARE WE LIBERATED FROM HIS  INFLUENCE
WHEN WE PASS OUT AT DEATH?

   ANSWER:   Materialistic astrologists speak of Uranus, Saturn, and Mars as
evil,  while Venus and jupiter are called good.   in God's kingdom there  is
nothing  evil.   That which appears so is only good in the making.   Neither
must  it be imagined that the influences from any of the planets operate  TO
HARASS  MEN.   We have come into this world in order to get certain  experi-
ences necessary to our spiritual unfoldment, and when we seek to  understand
the stellar influences we shall find that they are potent factors in helping
us  to gain just that experience.   Saturn is the chastener.   When we  have
gone astray from the path of righteousness, wilfully or unwittingly,  we are
not allowed to continue in evil,  for Saturn comes to stop us.   Perhaps  we
have  gained an inheritance;  we misuse and squander it in every  direction.
In  doing so,  we usually abuse our body as well.   Then comes an aspect  to
Saturn, a sickness ensues and we are laid low.  We are forced to diet and to
give our system a rest, and as a result we arise from our sick-bed a new man
or a new woman.   But the question is,  have we learned our lesson?   During
our  repose upon the sick-bed,  we have had time to think over the  life  we
have  been leading.   Have we analyzed our life,  so that we understand  the
causes  that  brought  us  low?  If so, we have profited.  For then we shall

[PAGE 2696]

know how to do better and avoid the pitfalls that caused our sickness in the
future.  Or, our inheritance being altogether squandered we stand with empty
pockets upon the street.  Perhaps we can turn nowhere for help;  we are then
forced to think and to break a way for ourselves.   Our talents were useless
while we were squandering our money.  In poverty they are turned to account,
we are forced to use them in doing our share of the world's work.   We  have
lost  our inheritance,  but the world has gained a worker,  and if  we  have
learned  our  lesson in that way,  then the influence of Saturn has  been  a
blessing in disguise.

   And so it is with everything in the horoscope that may appear evil.   Be-
sides, the more spiritual we grow the less will these so-called evil planets
or  evil aspects affect us adversely.  They are transmuted to good.   Saturn
will not give disaster to the spiritual man, but persistence;  not sickness,
but strength;  and thus, by conforming to the laws of nature,  BY LIVING OUR
LIVES IN HARMONY WITH THE STARS, we rule them and change our lives as we de-
sire.

   The  greater part of humanity drifts with the tide and acts according  to
the  tendencies  implanted by the stellar influences.   Therefore,  the  as-
trologer  can  predict what they will do with wonderful accuracy.   But  the
more a man or woman lives the spiritual life the more he becomes a factor to
be taken into consideration, and the predictions of the astrologer will fail
as far as he is concerned in a measure corresponding to his attainment.

   The stars are our helpers in evolution.  They are not dead bodies of mat-
ter but the living, throbbing and vibrating bodies of great spiritual intel-
ligences  called  in  the Christian religion the Seven  Spirits  before  the
throne.  As we change, their influence upon us changes, but we do not escape

[PAGE 2697]

from  that influence by the mere incident of death.   When the morning of  a
new life dawns for us,  we shall arise with a new horoscope,  and if we have
aimed to grow spiritually,  to learn the lessons that the Star Angeles  have
aimed to teach us in the past life, we shall have new aspects and new  posi-
tions of the planets to help us further along the path of evolution.  On the
other hand,  if we have "kicked against the pricks"  in a previous life,  we
shall  find that THE SCREWS WILL HAVE BEEN PUT ON A LITTLE HARDER,  that  we
will have been placed under influences a little stronger, so that in the end
we must learn the lessons.  And the quicker we do so, the better for us.

                              QUESTION NO. 162:

   HOW MAY WE PRAY TO OR ADDRESS SATURN WHEN HE IS IN THE RULING STAR  CAUS-
ING US TROUBLE AND SORROW?

   ANSWER:   To understand what prayer is, let us use the illustration of an
electric  power  house with wires to the different houses in the  city.   In
each  house  there is a switch and when we turn that,  the power  which  was
hitherto outside in the wires and in the power house,  enters our  dwelling,
illuminates it or runs motors,  ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF ITS  MANIFESTATION.
We  may say that God primarily and the Seven planetary  Spirits  secondarily
correspond to the power house  which  is wired to everyone of us, and prayer

[PAGE 2698]

may be said to be the switch whereby we put ourselves in touch with the  di-
vine light and life,  allowing it to flow into us and illuminate us for  our
spiritual uplifting.

   It is a law that electricity will flow readily along copper or other met-
als,  but is barred by glass, and before we can get the electricity into our
houses  we  must have a switch MADE IN CONFORMITY WITH THIS  LAW,  a  copper
switch.  If we used a glass switch we would obtain no electricity; the glass
switch  would  be a most effective way of altogether  barring  the  electric
fluid from our dwelling.   In similar manner,  if our prayers (which  corre-
spond to the switch) are in conformity with the laws of God, the divine pur-
pose  can manifest through us and our prayers are answered,  but if we  pray
contrary  to the will of God,  naturally, such a prayer would operate  in  a
similar manner to a glass switch in an electric circuit.

   As a great nation sends its ambassador and plenipotentiaries to other na-
tions,  so there are also ambassadors from each one of the great Star Angels
present upon our earth.  Their names are as follows:

   Ithuriel is the ambassador from Uranus.
   Cassiel is the ambassador from Saturn.
   Zachariel is the ambassador from Jupiter.
   Samael is the ambassador from Mars.
   Anael is the ambassador from Venus.
   Raphael is the ambassador from Mercury.
   Michael is the ambassador from the Sun.
   Gabriel is the ambassador from the Moon.

   The moon is our satellite and is not in the same position as those of the
other  planets.   The ambassadors from those planets are  Archangels,  while
Gabriel is an Angel.

   Ordinarily humanity prays to God.  These  prayers are at the present time

[PAGE 2699]

mostly SELFISH and ignorant.   The prayers of such people cannot receive at-
tention from the ambassadors who have charge over the different  departments
of life,  but are generally attended to, as far as may be,  by the Invisible
Helpers  who  work  for the upliftment of their brethren.   The  occult  as-
trologer,  however,  who knows what he wants and is able to work in  harmony
with  the stellar forces,  addresses the ambassadors of the Star Angels  di-
rectly  and  obtains  his desire more easily in that way.   He  studies  the
planetary hours when those stars have rule and at that time proffers his re-
quest which is usually for someone else,  or for spiritual illumination con-
cerning certain matters to be used for the common good.

                        QUESTIONS CONCERNING ANIMALS:

                              QUESTION NO. 163:

   WHY DO ANIMALS, WHICH ARE A LOWER EVOLUTION, HAVE AN INSTINCT WHICH SEEMS
SO MUCH MORE RELIABLE THAN THE REASON OF HUMAN BEINGS?

   ANSWER:   The answer to that question has to do with the descent  of  the
Ego into matter,  but in the first place,  we must differentiate between the
separate animal spirits and the group spirit, which is their guardian.   The
separate animal spirits are as yet not SELF-conscious,  hence they act with-
out question according to the suggestions of the group spirit.   The  latter
is an entity belonging to a different evolution, and it functions in the In-
visible  Worlds where things are much more apparent than they are here.   It
follows,  therefore, that what we call instinct is really the suggestions of
the group spirit in the Invisible World which guides the animals.

   The human spirits,  on the other hand,  have descended directly into  the
Physical  World and are,  consequently,  blinded to a certain extent by  the
denser matter of this plane of existence.  An illustration may perhaps serve
to elucidate the reason of the fact that although the spirit is  exceedingly
wise in the higher worlds, the increased materiality which it attains on ac-
count of its descent necessarily obscures that wisdom.

   The  hand  is  the  most  valuable instrument of man and its dexterity is

[PAGE 2700]

perhaps nowhere more apparent than in the case of a musician.   A master mu-
sician may produce from his beloved instrument the most soul stirring melody
by  the caressing touch of his well trained and sensitive fingers,  but  let
him put on a pair of gloves and at once the delicate touch has vanished;  if
he  adds a second pair of gloves over the first pair and these  are  thicker
and  of  heavier  material,  he will probably be unable to  produce  even  a
melody,  and should he finally put a pair of mitts over the gloves, he would
be unable to play at all,  but would produce discord should he make the  at-
tempt.   The various gloves on the hand of a musician find their counterpart
in the different vehicles which the spirit puts on in its descent into  mat-
ter.  The mitt corresponds to the physical body.

   Anyone seeing the musician attempt to play with the mitt on his hand, and
who had not heard him play before he put on gloves,  might suppose him inca-
pable of playing,  but the inference would be wrong.   The human Ego is in a
similar position, its spiritual powers have been obscured by the vehicles in
which  it  is at present incased,  but there will come a time  when  it  has
learned how to use these vehicles properly and then its spiritual power will
shine forth in a splendor at present unimaginable.

[PAGE 2701]

                              QUESTION NO. 164:

   CAN  YOU THROW SOME LIGHT ON WHAT OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE LOWER FORMS  OF
LIFE SHOULD BE?

   HAVE WE THE RIGHT TO KILL ANYTHING HARMLESS,  SINCE EVERY LIVING THING IS
IN A SENSE OUR BROTHER?

   HOW ABOUT THE VENOMOUS INSECTS AND REPTILES?

   ANSWER:   There is only One Life in the Universe,  which is  God's  life.
"In Him we live,  and move and have our being."   And not only we,  but  all
that  lives is thus a manifestation of God.   We are in time to become  cre-
ators,  as He is a Creator.  But so long as we brutally destroy the forms of
other beings we are hindering ourselves.  The inquirer is right when he says
that the lower animals are our brothers, but, sad to say,  instead of caring
for  them and inspiring them with confidence and love,  we have  managed  to
make  ourselves  feared by every animal upon the face of the  earth  by  the
ruthless destruction we have spread among them, and it seems but a just ret-
ribution that we,  ourselves, should be in constant fear of microscopic life
in the form of bacilli, which cannot be killed by gun or knife.

   As  for the destructive insects and reptiles,  they may in many cases  be
said  to be an embodiment of our own evil thoughts and produced by  our  own
unclean  habits.   Science has shows us how by proper sanitation we may  get
rid  of them,  at least in a very great measure,  without the  necessity  of
killing them.   The larger reptiles, such as snakes, are not as dangerous as
they  are  often  thought to be.   In the temples in  India,  where  certain
classes  of people have cultivated an attitude of absolute  harmlessness  by
refusing to kill even the smallest thing,  one may see as a daily occurrence

[PAGE 2702]

venonmous  snakes crawling among the people congregated there,  never  doing
them the slightest harm,  and if we would cultivate a harmless attitude  to-
ward the lower creatures they would soon learn to trust us as they now  fear
us.  Stories are on record of sailors who went to desert islands where man's
foot had never before trodden, and found the birds there perfectly devoid of
fear  until  a number had been killed by the invading  ruffians.   Then  the
birds learned to fly away at the approach of man.

   We  have also made human beings into beasts of prey--thieves and  robbers
we  call them--who waylay their fellow-men, deprive them of their goods  and
often harm them bodily,  even to committing murder,  and all as a result  of
our  harsh treatment which is dictated by fear.   If we had love  we  should
have  no fear,  "for perfect love casteth out all fear";  and if we  had  no
fear,  nothing could harm us,  for the fearless and trusting attitude  is  a
safer protection than pistol and lock.  Therefore,  we should cultivate that
attitude  of love for everything that lives and breathes;  we  should  cease
killing the lower animals by the million for food,  and for sport,  which is
the worst form of cruelty.   An attitude of love toward our fellow men would
generate  in them similar emotions and locksmiths and gunmakers  would  very
soon be useless.   We complain of the enormous taxes necessary to support  a
strong police force,  the machinery of the courts,  great jails and peniten-
tiaries,  but all of these institutions would disappear as if by magic IF WE
WOULD REPLACE FEAR BY LOVE.   The Bible pictures to us a time when the  lion
and  the ox,  the little child and the venomous reptile shall all  play  to-
gether in peace.  That may indeed become a fact, for the beasts of prey have
not always been carnivorous.  In the far past man had his share in their de-
velopment, and in the future it will be his task to change these conditions.

Continued with file "RC1076.TXT"

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