第 16 节
作者:      更新:2021-02-18 21:16      字数:9322
  into   which   the   subtle;   magical   teachings   of   the   Orient   would   lead   the
  student。
  All   the   monster    sphinx;    half   human;     half  animal;    etc。;  which    the
  ancients     have    preserved;     are   simply    records    of   the   past。   They    are
  chronological tables of cosmic time; and relate to eras of the past; of the
  Sun's   motion;   and   not   by   any   means   to   living   creatures   of   antediluvian
  creations;     as  some     wiseacres     have   imagined。     Many     of   these   ancient
  monuments; monstrous in form; are records of that awful period of floods
  and devastation known as the Iron Age; when there was a vertical Sun at
  the   poles;   or;   in   other   words;   when   the   pole   of   the   Earth  was   ninety
  degrees   removed   from   the   pole   of   the   ecliptic。   To   those   who   can   read
  aright; every lineament tells as plainly as the written word the history of
  that awful past; marking the march of time; recording the revolutions of
  the Sun in his orbit of 25;920 years; and relating with wonderful accuracy
  the    climatic   changes;     in  their   latitudes;   which    took   place    with   each
  revolution of the Sun and corresponding motion of the Earth's pole of less
  than four degrees。 All the greater myths of the dim past were formulated to
  express cosmic time; solar and polar motion; and the phenomena resulting
  therefrom。 These monuments of antiquity prove that; the ancients knew a
  great deal   more of   the movements of heavenly  bodies and   of our   planet
  than modern astronomers credit them with。
  Madame Blavatsky; in her 〃Secret Doctrine;〃 seriously states that   all
  these    monstrous      forms    are  the   types   of   actual;   once   living    physical
  56
  … Page 57…
  THE LIGHT OF EGYPT
  embodiments;   and;   with   apparent   sincerity;   asserts   that   the Adepts   teach
  such insane superstitions。
  Such; however; is not the case; neither is there anything true; or even
  approaching the truth; in the cosmogony given in the work in question。
  And;   lastly;   we   have   but   one   more   aspect   of   the   grand   old   Astro…
  Mythos   to   present   to   your   notice。   This   aspect   reveals   the   whole   of   the
  ancient classification of WORK and LABOR; and gives us a clear insight
  into the original designs; or pictorial representations; of the twelve signs
  and   the   twelve   months   of   the   year。   It   also   clearly   explains   many   things
  which are to…day attributed to superstitious paganism。
  As each month possesses its own peculiar season; so are; or were; the
  various labors of the husbandman; and those of pastoral pursuits; altered
  and diverted。 Each month; then; bad a symbol which denoted the physical
  characteristics of climate and the temporal characteristics of work。 As the
  Sun   entered   the   sign;   so   the   temple   rites   varied   in   honor   of   the   labors
  performed; and the symbol thus became the object of outward veneration
  and   worship。   So   we   see   that   the   twelve   signs;   and   principally   the   four
  cardinal   ones;   became   Deities;   and   the   symbols   sacred;   but   in   reality;   it
  was the same Sun to which homage was paid。
  There is a large sphere of study in this direction; as; of course; each
  climate   varied   the   symbol   to   suit   its   requirements。   In   Egypt   there   were
  three months when the land was overflowed with water; hence; they had
  only nine working months out of doors; and from this fact sprang the Nine
  Muses; while the Three Sirens represented the three months of inactivity
  in work; or three months of pleasure and festivity。
  Mackey tells us that the great leviathan mentioned in the Book of job
  was the river Nile。
  In   nearly  all   mythologies;   we   find   that   the   gods   assembled   on   some
  high   mountain   to   take   counsel。   The   Olympus   of   the   Greeks   and   Mount
  Zion of the Hebrew Bible mean the same; the Pole…Star; and there; on the
  pictured planisphere; sits Cephus; the mighty Jove; with one foot on the
  Pole…Star      and   all  the  gods    gathered     below    him。    The    Pole…Star    is  the
  symbol of the highest heaven。
  With   this   we   close;   leaving   the   endless   ramifications   of   this   deeply
  57
  … Page 58…
  THE LIGHT OF EGYPT
  interesting subject to the student's leisure and personal research;   trusting
  the keys we have given in this chapter and their careful study may induce
  the reader and student of these pages to search out for himself the meaning
  concealed in all Astro…Mythologies。
  58
  … Page 59…
  THE LIGHT OF EGYPT
  CHAPTER VI。
  SYMBOLISM
  At this point of our study it is necessary to make a halt; and; before
  proceeding further; to attempt to formulate and realize that; which; so far;
  we have been pursuing。
  First;   then;  we    have   passed    in  review    the  Zodiac;    and   then   the
  constellations。 From this we mentally surveyed both Astro…Theology and
  Astro…Mythology; and now; it is our first duty to realize these in their real
  significance; and this consists in a clear comprehension of the Grand Law
  of Correspondences。
  What is this law? It is the law of symbolism; and symbolism; rightly
  understood;   is   the   one   Divine   language   of   Mother   Nature;   a   language
  wherein all can read; a language that defies the united efforts of both time
  and space to obliterate it; for symbolism will be the language of Nature as
  long as spirit expresses itself to the Divine soul of man。
  No matter where we turn nor where we look; there is spread out to our
  view a vast panorama of symbolic forms for us to read。 In whatever form;
  angle;   or   color   they   present   themselves;   the   true   student   of   Nature   can
  interpret and understand their symbolic language aright。 It has been by the
  personification of Nature's symbols; that man has become ignorant of their
  language。   There   is   no   form;   sound;   nor   color   but   what   has   its   laws   of
  expression; and only a perfect knowledge of symbolism will enable man
  to know the law; power; and meaning; lying behind such manifestations。
  The law of expression is exact; and as unalterable as Deity Himself。 The
  physical senses cannot vibrate to these interior forces; and through them;
  comprehend        their   law。   The    physical    senses    vibrate    to  the   spirit's
  expression; not to the powers; forces; and laws; which brought them into
  objective existence。
  Countless     numbers     of  mystics;    if  such  they   deserve    to  be  called;
  among   present…day   students;       speak    and   write  very   learnedly   upon    the
  〃Law of Correspondence;〃   and few;  if any;   of them  really understand   or
  know   anything   at   all   of   that   law。   The   intellect   alone   cannot   solve   the
  59
  … Page 60…
  THE LIGHT OF EGYPT
  problems       of   this  law。   It  cannot     grasp    the  true;   interior    and   spiritual
  meaning; except in just so far as intellect is capable of externalizing them。
  The   inmost   spiritual   truths;   that   cannot   be   demonstrated   to   the   outward
  senses;   never   have;   nor   never   will;   appeal   to   any   one   who   has   not   the
  interior ability to comprehend them。
  There      was   a   time   when     men     ruled   by   pure    intellect;   without     its
  accompanying           other     half;    intuition:     they    were      looked      upon     as
  monstrosities。       This    state   of  purely    intellectual     development       has    been
  brought   about   by  the  positive;  masculine  principle;  reason;  absorbing its
  counterpart;       the   intuition;    the    feminine      portion;    and    the   result;    by
  correspondence; is as fatal as upon the interior plane; where the positive;
  masculine   soul   denies   the   existence   of   his   mate;   thus   setting   upon   his
  throne; only a portion of himself as his idol; and then; reasons himself into
  the    belief   that   he   is  complete。     Love     has   been    cast   out;  ignored     and
  forgotten until at last she departs; leaving a vacancy; that eternity cannot
  fill。
  This is somewhat similar to their illusive Devachan; an ideal; a mere
  mystical   sentiment   to   gush   over;   but   a   something   they   do