THE MAGIC OF WISDOM

Lectures

Perth, Australia Occidental, 1951 - 1952

Perth, 18^th March, 1952

SERGE RAYNAUD de la FERRIÈRE

LECTURE BY DR. DE LA FERRIÈRE.

THE 4 IN SYMBOLISM.

Tonight, this third time that we are together, I want to speak on Symbolism. Always the number 4 is found in each religion and in each philosophy. The 4 elements, found everywhere, become more important when we go deeper thro’ the Initiations. Last week I spoke of the 4 Castes in India. These Castes are also Symbolic in meaning. They are: -

We don’t have to go to India to find the 4 Castes. It is only that in India they keep it to the fore. It is interesting that in India the worship of the Bull is still very much in evidence.

But in the West we pass through the Symbols of the 4 Castes, Priest, Militar, Commerce, Masses, each having as its sphere a period of 500 years. This evolution of Humanity we can find through the Zodiac.

The 12 Constellations tell the History of Humanity, and of the Individual also. They are as follows:-

Note: - In Scorpio, remember that we have two Constellations, whose Signs are Scorpion and Eagle. It is the mysterious Sign of Zodiac.

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In the psychology of the History of the Planets there are the 12 Signs. Here, we find the History of Humanity. According to the Precession of the Equinox, the SUN, each 72 years, makes an apparent retrograde movement of 1 degree. Thus it takes the SUN 25,920 years to make the Round of the Zodiac, the Platonic Year. The Sun remains in each Sign for a period of 2000 years.

The SUN in Gemini was the Adamic Epoch, the man and woman. In this Epoch we have the 1st man and 1st woman on Earth.

The SUN in Taurus was the Epoch of the Bull. There is Apis, the Bull of Egypt, and the Flying Bull of Assyria.

The SUN in Aries was the Epoch of Lamb. Moses commands them to worship no more the Golden Calf. This is the epoch of the sacrifice of the Lamb.

The SUN in Pisces began with the Birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the Epoch of the Fish, (mentioned 69 times in the Bible), the meaning in Latin of ‘Fish’ is Initiate.

Now, a few years ago, the SUN left the Constellation of Pisces, and enter that of AQUARIUS, 21^stMarch 1948, in Zero degree of the Water-Carrier¹. Read in Matthew 24: verse 30: -“And then shall appear the Sign of the Son of Man in heaven…”

Thus each 2000 years there is a new kind of approach to the teaching, “Love one another”. We know that the Sermon on the Mount is the same as the given 600 years before by the Buddha at his discourse at Benares. He copied Krishna, who gave it 3000 years ago. Therefore it is always the same teaching with a different approach, according to the time and the place. Therefore, each 2,500² years, there is a different standing of a different Caste. Each 2000 years there is a new philosophy.

Now, in the Little Microcosm, there are 25,920 breaths a day, ie 18 to the minute. Make the count yourself, if you wish. (laughter).

The 72 years for the SUN to move 1 degree equals the 72 pulses per minute. It is always so: The Great is reflected in the Small.

The Astronomical New Year is March 21^st, with the SUN at Zero degree in the Sign of the Ram. Aries is symbolised by the element Fire.

We can compare the Jewish New Year in September and the Profane New Year on January 1^st. But the Astronomical calendar is the only correct one. Thus it stars with FIRE, which is our first need…the Ideal for our Project. Then that Ideal must be Visualised, made Concrete, Taurus, with the element EARTH. Thirdly, we need help in our undertaking, the support of AIR, in Gemini, and fourthly comes the Obstacle, Water, to test of Strength. There is much water on our Globe, 7 of Water to 5 of Earth.

This then is sequence… Fire, Earth, Air, Water, repeated three times, 3 times 4 making the 12 Signs.

The dispositions of the 4 elements in the 4 Fixed Signs make exactly a Cross. This, we must understand deeper, means not only the cross in wood but also the Cross of Christ, the Involution of the Divine, (above), into Matter, (below), with the line between the two. This was taken in last week’s lecture. So, only by making a Cross, do we visualise all the History of Humanity, with all its Philosophy…For the 4 elements of Macrocosm are needed for Life in the Microcosm is…

The day that we can equilibriate³ these 4 with the 4 of the Macrocosm, is the Day of IDENTIFICATION, UNION, YUG. We are really a part of the Cosmos, and a CHRYSTtallization of the 4 elements comes through the Sublimation of the self through the Pineal Body.

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Each Constellation is in vibratory accord with a certain part of the Body:

So, going through the 4 great Castes: Brahmines, Khshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras, we have this history also in our body. In the Western World, our Castes interpenetrate. In India the normal evolution goes through the 4 ASHRAMAS:

1. Brahmacharya

2. Grahasta

3. Vanaprastha

4. Sannyasa

1. A young boy has to study alone without contact with the opposite sex, a perfect emanation of the Divine, without the mixture of another Vibration. During Brahmacharya, a man must learn to study and reserve himself only for God. Ref. the teaching of Christ: Luke 14: 28… “If any man come to me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes and his own life also, cannot be my disciple”. Of course this is a Symbol, but we know that form one moment of life there must be only the Divine.

2. During Grahasta Ashrama the man may marry, have a household, family life (but it is not necessary). He has to study ritual and ceremonial and the traditional religion.

3. During Vanaprastha, he isolates himself and goes into the forest. He now meditates on what he has studied and experienced. He tries to have the Great Illumination. (Some are certainly very strict and ask 9 years in each Ashrama, but 3 years is enough.)…

4. The Ashrama of Sannyasa is abnegation; man has no more attachment; He gives himself to the World; he wears the Gerrua, the saffron robe, composed only of two cloths, and carries but the Lotha, the drinking vessel, he carries no money. He eats or not as it is given him, sleeps or not as circumstances allow, worships or not… YUG.

All can go through these 4 states, outside the question of Caste. Indeed, all do go through these states in life. If the Hindu does not get thro’ the 4 in one life, then he must start again in the next life. Thus the Hindu tries to do it in one life.

In our own lives the line of thought goes through an evolution little by little, though the stages are not named. There is need to make some discipline, some experiment in this life. We believe in a future life, even though we don’t accept Reincarnation. If we DO come back, it is under the law of Karma for more difficulties and for more experience.

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The Symbolism of the 4 Evangelists is still seen in some of the old churches of Europe. There are statues of the 4, and animals with them:

a. Luke is with the Bull, because Luke taught about sacrifices.

b. Mark is with the Lion, because he taught about the journey in the desert and the lion is the king of the desert. In the Vanaprastha Ashrama, the man goes into the desert.

c. John has the Eagle on his shoulder, (Notre Dame of Paris, and an old wooden church in Norway with the painting on the altar.) The Eagle is for revelation, transmutation… Ye must be born again.

500. Matthew talks of the coming back of the Christ.

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These four animals are found in Rev. Ch.4: 4-7……The 24 seats refers to the 2 months in each Sign⁴, thus making 24 in the Zodiac. The 4 animals with faces of Bull, Lion, Eagle and Human, are all found in the Sphinx of Egypt….the Body of the Bull, the monied people: the Claws of the Lion, the fighters; the Wings of the Eagle, those who travel for commerce; the Human Face, the Sudras, of which there are so many.

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The U.G.B. takes for its Symbol a Cross where we find the Synthesis of all these Symbols. It gives the symbol that we see, and one which we do not see, but which we must find for ourselves. (Diag,1.) The 4 Races, Black writing UP, (Inspiration), Semite writing from EAST, (Religion), White, writing from WEST, (Progress), Yellow, writing DOWN, (Attainment or Enlightenment). These form the Cross. Diag.2. The Design on the Chalice embodies all the Symbols of the Planets. Diag,3.

Diag. 1

Diag.2

Diag.3

The 4 Races, the 4 Scriptures, the 4 Evangelists, the 4 Writings, make a Cross in the centre of the Grail, the Chalice, the Amphora. Symbol to receive the teaching, and when full, to give forth, in teaching. Rev. 3: 12……”Him that overcometh…..”

The Symbol of the Planets in the centre of the Chalice means Transmutation through Experience, from Scorpio (spiritually blind), to Eagle, (fly in Spiritual Planes). It is Transmutation from Material to Spiritual.

In reality there are 13 Constellations, -the Mystery of the 12 disciples and the Christ. Thus we must leave the mental Zodiac of 12 Signs in order to transmute from the Bull to the Eagle. We are helped by the two polarities of Science, (Aquarius), and Religion. (Leo),..We must learn to try to be open to receive the great Intuition. Thus the Chalice must be made in Matter as a Symbol to receive something. Ref. the Consecration of the Host….before consecration the photo shows only a Circle, whereas after it there are the Rays. The Divine Force of the Cosmos is attracted to the Cup.

If we open the self we shall receive Divine revelation, and REALISE why we are here. Our means of escape from this Spiral of the Zodiac is by KUNDALINI.