posted April 27, 2004 03:34 PM              

The Esoteric Astrologer Newsletter
May, 2004.
Topics

Taurus Dynamics
Buddhist Kalachakra Teaching of Shamballa
Vajrayana or Diamond Way
Kalachakra Mandala
DK and Kalachakra
The Middle East
The United Nations
America
USR Conferences
Taurus Dynamics
Friends and fellow students of Esoteric Astrology,

 The Wesak festival is upon us again at this Taurus full moon 2004 – the festival of the Buddha. The horoscope for this time is a potent one, with Sun and Moon occupying the ‘avataric’ degrees of Taurus-Scorpio respectively, creating a T-square to Neptune in Aquarius.
The avataric degree is the 15th degree of a fixed sign and is supposed to carry the most power of that sign. This relates to the culmination of energy that was released at zero degrees of the cardinal sign, in this case Aries, giving a 45 degree angle, or semi-square aspect from that emanating point. The semi-square is an aspect that carries a sharp point of tension, not as powerful as the square but nonetheless quite substantial. Hence that which was released at the impetus of the spiritual new year at zero degrees Aries finds itself anchored or ‘fixed’ most powerfully in the earthy matter of Taurus.

Or to view it more esoterically, the fresh impulses and ideas that have emanated from Aries find themselves appropriating ‘lightforms’ – Taurus being the Mother of Illumination. These ‘lightforms’ are the original ideas organising themselves into thoughtforms on their way to precipitation upon the physical plane. This is why the first three festivals - Aries, Taurus and Gemini, are the most important and esoteric as they deal with establishing these subtle potencies.
Viewed from one angle, Aries represents the mental plane from whence ideas from the ‘raincloud of knowable things’ emanate; Taurus the astral plane where the forces of desire clothe and make more ‘palatable and appetising’ the original idea; Gemini where the etheric plane completes the lower triangle as a reflection of the higher triad, preparating for its birth in the following sign of Cancer.
Taurus is one of the most materialistic signs of the zodiac, symbolised by the Moon (the builder of all forms) and its exaltation there. The quality of ‘tamas’ or inertia is most pronounced in this fixed earth sign, reflecting its great stability, dependability and stamina on the one hand, yet its most obstinate, stubborn and wilful traits on the other.

Generically speaking Taurus represents spring in the northern hemisphere and the building forces of nature in their full rising – procreation, reproduction, the building of forms in both the animal and vegetable kingdoms alike. Hence the basic instinctual desire of Taurus and its opposite sign of Scorpio where desire is satiated; also Taurus’s association with the deva kingdom and Virgo, ruled by the Moon esoterically.

There is a curious dichotomy with Taurus – on the one hand it clothes with form and hence obscures the light, yet on the other it has much to do with illumination and wisdom. This is the sign that the Buddha incarnated in, gained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, and also disincarnated in. Taurus therefore has the great potential to anchor the highest light and wisdom in form, making it spiritually as well as materially practical. The Banyan tree is a great analogy for the bringing in of light from the atmosphere and its rooting in the earth. From another angle Aries represents the seed, Taurus the trunk and Gemini the branches ramifying outwards.

Venus as the personality ruler of Taurus and ruler of the Fifth Ray of Concrete Science, gives a double-dose of form orientation, yet manages to impart beauty to that form. This relates to the fact that the only ray which passes through Taurus is the Fourth Ray of Beauty, or Harmony through Conflict. Venus relates also to the  harmony part of that Fourth Ray equation via its other rulership of Libra, the sign of harmony and peace. If we consider Libra’s polar opposite Aries, we see its Mars ruler as embodying the conflict part of the equation. These are some (third ray!) indirect relationships that can be perceived between signs, planets and rays.

The Fourth Ray generically rules Humanity via the so called Fourth Creative Hierarchy. The ‘harmony’ part of the Fourth Ray can also be seen as Mercury, a greater light-bearing planet than Venus and said to be far more occult. The ‘conflict’ part is of course the Moon co-rulerhsip of the Fourth Ray and its representation of the shadow or ‘dweller’ part of our natures.
Taurus relates very much to the world aspirant who is seeking to control desire and appropriate light. The Four Noble Truths of the Buddha never cease to lose their impact on new aspirants or older disciples alike:

“1. Existence in the phenomenal universe is inseparable from suffering and from sorrow.
2. The cause of suffering is desire for existence in the world of phenomena.
3. Cessation of suffering is brought about by eradicating all desire for existence in this universe of phenomena.
4. The way to the cessation of suffering is by treading the noble Eightfold Path, wherein are expressed right belief, right intentions, right speech, right actions, right living, right endeavour, right-mindedness and right concentration.”

The following of these guidelines can lead to complete Liberation from the earth plane. Yet we can see that the aspirant Humanity is on the whole still deeply immersed in matter with all its clamouring desires. It is for this reason that Taurus is associated with sex for the world aspirant, but as DK says:

“Esoterically, however, it is in Libra that the whole question comes up and will increasingly come up for answering, and it is in Libra that the balancing of the pairs of opposites must take place and reach solution through the activity of the judicial mind and the establishing of a point of equilibrium between the male and the female principles.” [1]
 
Note again the relation of Taurus to Libra via their shared exoteric ruler, Venus. Also bear in mind that Taurus has much to do with gold and money as does Libra, where the scales are a symbol of trade and exchange. Hence both of these signs relate to sex and money, two predominant themes with which Humanity deals.

There is another planet that relates these two signs – Uranus. Uranus is the soul ruler of Libra, ruler of the sacral (sexual) chakra and ‘falls’ in Taurus:

“Uranus, the planet of the hidden mystery and one of the most occult of the planets "falls" in this sign, producing the accentuation and the sharp division between body and soul which is so marked a characteristic of the Taurian subject. It prepares the inner man for the sharp interplay and conflict in the next sign, Gemini. The presence, therefore, of the exalted Moon and the fallen Uranus gives a marvellous picture of man's history during the stage of personality development and power. The task of Uranus, hidden in the depths, is to awaken and evoke the intuitive response of Taurus to an ever-increasing light until such time that full illumination is achieved and also the development of the spiritual consciousness—substituting these higher soul aspects for the lower form reactions. It is interesting to note that in Scorpio, Uranus is exalted which gives indication of the success of the task which the Uranian forces undertook. Achievement is attained.” [2]
 
As the Taurean at a basic level is acquisitive of material possessions and needs to unburden that load at some point, so its insatiable thirst for knowledge must be released at some time. Paradoxically it is this light of illuminating knowledge which contributes greatly to the Taurean’s emergent wisdom. In both cases this letting go is achieved through the forces of destruction and death represented by polar opposite Scorpio.
Venus rules the Fifth Ray of Knowledge and relates to the very concrete and material nature of Taurus, hence much knowledge can be appropriated and illumination conferred. Yet this can prove a great impediment at some point and can imprison rather than illuminate. The tangible can be all that is acknowledged and the play of the intuition is blocked as a result.

The accumulated knowledge must find an outlet and one most obvious one is through communication and speaking, passing on that knowledge. It is here that the Taurean has the opportunity to not only pass on knowledge and wisdom but to also engage the heart.  According to DK the love quality is ‘notably lacking in the Taurean subject’, the wisdom aspect being more predominant. Taurus rules the physical throat we are told, which governs the vocal chords and the speaking processes. Interestingly, Saturn rules the throat chakra and governs the organising of ideas into thoughtforms, something that was touched up earlier in relation to the precipitation of ideas through Aries and Taurus.
Also fascinating is that most of those born in Taurus will have their progressed Sun in Gemini for a great part of their lives, the sign which rules communication and the dissemination of information. Hence,
 
“The right use of the organs of speech gives the clue to the processes whereby the disciple must bring about certain basic changes. The Taurian upon the way of liberation would do well to employ the method of directed and motivated speech of an outgoing and explanatory nature in order to transform himself from one who goes wilfully on his personality way into a wise cooperator with the Plan.” [3] (Author’s italics)

Students may also note that many Taureans (Sun or rising) are great singers and artists. This is due to the aforementioned combination of the Venus rulership and the Fourth Ray.
We can see then the relation of the forces between the sacral (procreative) chakra whose reproductive area is ruled by Scorpio, and the throat (creative) ruled physically by Taurus. Hence the raising of the forces from the sacral to the throat and the balancing of the pairs of opposites upon both the astral and mental planes. Note also the effectiveness of Taurus in manifesting upon the physical plane – the powerful utilisation of both the throat and sacral chakras.
The First Ray is closely associated with Taurus via Vulcan, co-ruler of this ray and higher ruler of Taurus. It is interesting that this ray is associated with the first two festivals of the spiritual year, Aries and Taurus, whilst the Second Ray of Love-Wisdom is the only ray associated with the Gemini festival.

The avatars of Love and Wisdom, the Christ in the West and the Buddha in the East, came forth in Aries and Taurus respectively. Both had the First Ray strong in their make-up, the Christ with a first ray mind, and the Buddha a first ray personality.
The First Ray also connects with the planetary centre Shamballa, the seat of the Lord of the World who directs forces throughout the planet with the assistance of his Chohans. For those have heard of the Kalachakra (The Wheel of Time), His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama of Tibet will confer the Kalachakra Initiation for World Peace for the first time in Toronto, Canada from April 25-May 5 2004. May 4th and 5th are the dates for the full moon of Taurus depending upon where you live. The following excerpt [4] from explains some of this tradition:
 
“Buddhist Kalachakra Teaching of Shamballa
 
Shamballa is mentioned in many Buddhist texts, such as the White Vaidurya, the Sphere of Shambhala (Shambhala Sin–bkod–pa), the Blue Annals (Deb–ther Snon–po), the Kanjour and Tanjour, and the Route to Shambhala (Lam–yig).
The Kalachakra Tantra, however, has been intimately connected with the country of Shambala – its ninety–six districts, its kings, and retinue. Still, if you lay out a map and search for Shambala, it is not findable; rather, it seems to be a pure land which, except for those karma and merit have ripened, cannot be immediately seen or visited. As is the case, for example, with the Joyous Pure Land…, Sky Territories, the Blissful Pure Land, Mount Da-La, and so forth, even though Shambala is an actual land – an actual pure land – it is not immediately approachable by ordinary persons such as by buying an airplane ticket. Perhaps, if, in the future, spacecrafts improve to the point where they can proceed faster than light, it might be possible to arrive there, but the tickets might be expensive! In fact we can consider the tickets to be meritorious actions, and thus it takes someone rich in merit to arrive there.

According to Buddhist teachings, Suchandra is the King of Shamballa, who requested the Buddha to disseminate its teachings. To the Buddhist, Shamballa is three things: A yogic symbol of the state of Kalachakra attainment, a pure land, and an actual physical place. Shamballa stands resplendent as a place where those of clear heart and positive karma can take rebirth in an environment of happiness and enlightenment.
The Kalachakra Tantra first entered Tibet from India in the eleventh century and has been handed down in an unbroken lineage to the Dalai Lama and other eminent lamas of today. The Dalai Lama constructs the Kalachakra mandala privately and publicly.
Kalachakra is an aspect of Buddha–mind representing Time and Space; past, present, future come together in a timeless union of wisdom and compassion.

Sand mandalas of the Kalachakra are constructed as part of an ‘empowerment’ or initiation given by a Ritual Master. The Dalai Lama ‘grants permission’ to students who wish to practice the meditation of a particular deity associated with that mandala. This is called ‘Deity Yoga’ in the Tibetan Vajrayana or Tantric practice of Buddhism. Kalachakra empowerment given by the Dalai Lama usually takes twelve days.
The Kalachakra practitioner aims for transformation of body, speech, mind and consciousness into pristine awareness; the enlightened bliss consciousness of the deity being visualised. At the end of Kalachakra retreats, the sand mandala is swept up and the sand is offered to a local body of water in order to share the blessing with all beings. Sand is a universal symbol of time—the sands of time, the sand in the hourglass.

Buddhists regard the Kalachakra mandala at Shamballa as a blueprint for the planet. The sages of Shamballa (Kumaras, Chohans and Masters) perform its meditational practice, or Sadhana, to implement the Plan on Earth.
There is a further belief that the Kings of Shamballa are incarnate Bodhisattvas who guard the spiritual wisdom through the darker Kali Yuga cycle, and will return to re–establish a golden age.”
 
“Vajrayana or Diamond Way
 
Tantric Buddhism is the pinnacle of Tibetan Buddhism, representing the teachings of the Kalachakra Tantra. Tantras are religious scriptures dealing with magical rites, rituals and ceremonies. The Tantric teachings are divided into four classes, each more advanced than the preceding one—beginning with purification of mind and body, leading to a ‘realisation of emptiness’ and eventually to the final ‘liberation’.
Kalachakra tantra is the highest class (Anuttara Yoga) and the most involved and complex of tantric teachings. Kalachakra tries to embrace all phenomena in the universe—astronomy, geography, history, prophecy. Its major emphasis is upon time and astrology, and the mathematics needed for calculations.

The Kalachakra practitioner seeks to find the cyclical patterns of forces that regulate existence, from which are derived the Tibetan calendar and astrology.
The primordial Buddha gives rise to the Wheel of Time, the cycle of creation and destruction, of unceasing change, that defines our existence. Through practice of Kalachakra, the yogi comes to understand this wheel and to realise the emptiness of time and space.
Kalachakra symbolises the timeless nature of time seen as a whole. Shamballa is engrossed in the Eternal Now, and from this emanates the peace of Shamballa.”
 
“Kalachakra Mandala
 
The Kalachakra mandala is a cosmogram of the outer and inner worlds in idealised form, free from imperfections. In Sanskrit, ‘kala’ means ‘time’ and ‘chakra’ is ‘wheel’. ‘Kala–chakra’, therefore, is ‘The Wheel of Time’; it is a process and an event.
The Wheel of Time implies cycles and therefore astrology, the Science of Cycles. Saturn of course, rules astrology and cycles generally, and is also the Lord of Karma. When the Wheel turns full circle, karma is reaped by Saturn’s ‘sickle’; perhaps there is a connection here with the word ‘cycle’: Saturn harvests karma with his sickle, which delineates the end of one cycle and the start of a new one. It is interesting that Saturn is exalted in Libra, a sign intimately related to Shamballa, as described later.

The Wheel of Time is also known as a Peace Mandala, or a road map to the universe, and is the most complex of Buddhist mandalas. It describes the interrelationship of heavenly bodies, the workings of the human body/mind—the macrocosm and the microcosm. It also describes the stages of meditation followed on the path to inner peace. That inner peace attained is the Peace of Shamballa, and hence relates to Libra the Peacemaker.

It is not just the peace attained through the right relationship of nations, but the peace that is cultivated within every individual through relationship between the soul and that which is unredeemed in the personality: the pairs of opposites—love/hate, dark/light, anger/joy, fear/courage etc. This guarantees eventual peace in the world through ‘meritorious action’ and so an ‘airplane ticket to Shamballa’.”
 
“DK and Kalachakra

The basic text of the Kalachakra system is the Kalachakra Tantra, first of the Books of Kiu Te. This latter text happens to be the skeleton of ancient stanzas upon which The Secret Doctrine is based. (Apparently there is also a voluminous commentary by Vimalaprabha on the Books of Kiu Te.) It is generally acknowledged that DK is one of the foremost Kalachakra masters of Tibet:
 
“He [DK] is profoundly learned, and knows more about the rays and planetary hierarchies of the solar system than anyone else in the ranks of the Masters.”
 
DK maintained that the teachings on Shamballa were the most important that he had transmitted. Approximately three fifths of the Kalachakra’s system is in the works of HPB and AAB. The Seven Rays teachings are the Tibetan tantras unveiled. 
The Kalachakra is about utilisation of the primary energy—the energy of fire (Sanskrit: ‘agni’), hence the newest yoga emerging for humanity, Agni Yoga. DK calls Agni Yoga the ‘yoga of synthesis’ and has hinted that, “A very interesting period will come about the year 1966 and persist to the end of the century.”

1966 saw the first publication of the Kalachakra tantra outside of Tibet, opening up scholarly access. In 1985 three books on the Kalachakra were published in English for first time in the West. 1966 coincides with another important date given by DK:
 
“In the time of the Buddha and through the stimulation He produced there was a great gathering in of Arhats.  These were men who had achieved liberation through self-initiated effort.  This period, in our Aryan race, marked a climax for the East.  Since then the tide of spiritual life has steadily flowed westward, and we may now look for a corresponding climax in the West, which will reach its zenith between the years 1965 and 2025.  Towards this end the adepts of the East and of the West are unitedly working, for they follow always the Law.”
 
The 2000 Shamballa impact was right in the middle of this period, and calls to mind a further comment by DK:
 
“The Buddha and His 900 arhats struck the first blow at the world glamour when He promulgated His Four Noble Truths. The Christ struck the second blow with His teaching of the nature of individual responsibility and of brotherhood. The next blow will be struck by the New Group of World Servers, acting under the direction of Christ and His disciples, symbolically described as "Christ and His 9000 initiates."
 
There is a connection between the Shamballa teachings and the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Tibet, founded in the fifteenth century after the death of Tsong Ka Pa, said by HPB to be a reincarnation of the Buddha. The Panchen (Tashi) Lama of Tibet is known to be one of the foremost practitioners of the Kalachakra teachings. He constructs each year a large Kalachakra mandala at a private retreat attached to his residence—said to be the seat of the secret school of the Masters of Wisdom. The Panchen or Tashi Lama is the head of this monastery and is the inner equivalent to the Dalai Lama whose work is more exoteric.
Tashi Lhunpo is located near Shigatse, abode of several of the Masters of Wisdom, and may be the monastery to which DK refers when he mentions himself as holding the office of Abbot. HPB also mentions this monastery in her writings.” [5]
 
This Taurus festival of 2004 is regarded by many as the high point of the spiritual year and can be participated in on the inner planes by those who to choose to align themselves. It is a time of great opportunity, to participate in the downflow of forces said to emanate from a triangle formed by Sanat Kumara, the Buddha and  the Christ, who in turn step it down to the assembled Hierarchy who further step it down to the disciples and initiates of the world and the rest of Humanity.

The Middle East

It is well to also bear in mind that we are only still coming to terms with the forces released at the fifth Shamballa impact in 2000. Its ‘destructive constructiveness’ is still clearing much that is crystallised in the world - no less so at this full moon in 2004.
Taurus Moon Ariel Sharon has decreed that fellow Taurus Moon Yasser Arafat will no longer be protected from being killed. The force of Taurus both in the Sharon and Israel personality (Sun in Taurus) seeks to exert its will yet again. Indeed, Sharon’s nickname is ‘bulldozer’, a classic description of both Taurus and the first ray.
The intractable and fixed forces of the Taurus Moons (their dwellers) are so pronounced in both these leaders that there will probably never be any peace progress until they are both out of office. Indeed, Sharon getting rid of Arafat may set up his own demise. The full moon degrees of Taurus-Scorpio fall directly on Arafat’s and Israel’s nodal axis, indicating a ‘fated’ event. The full moon itself falls upon Arafat’s progressed Sun in Scorpio.

Along with the continuing unrest in Iraq, the Middle East has never looked so unstable. Arab anger escalates daily as does hate toward the Israelis and American administration. The world still teeters on the brink and DK made the still ominous remark 50 years ago,

“If none of these things happen, humanity is headed towards a religious war which will make the past war appear like child's play; antagonisms and hatreds will embroil entire populations and the politicians of all the nations will take full advantage of the situation to precipitate a war which may well prove the end of humanity. There are no hatreds so great or so deep as those fostered by religion.” [6]
 
United Nations

Yet the Taurus festival forces are also behind the United Nations esoteric chart:
 
“It was realised that there was an ascertainable measure of hemispheric unity upon which statesmen could count and thus a foundation could be created for the far more difficult international conference to be held in San Francisco.  Not for nothing, brother of mine, is this conference being held during the five days of the Wesak Full Moon [1945].  It will be a time of supreme difficulty in which the Forces of Light will face what I call ‘the forces of selfishness and separativeness’. . .  Subjectively speaking, the conference will be under the direct influence of the Hierarchy.  The consequent stimulation of both the selfish and the unselfish aspects will evoke a tremendous emotional and mental potency.  It is, therefore, essential that all aspirants and disciples throw the weight of their spiritual development and the light of their souls on the side of the forces which are attempting to plan for the good of humanity, and who regard the welfare of the whole as of far greater importance than any national situation or demand . . . A supreme effort will be made [by the Buddha and the Christ] this year during the five days of the Full Moon (April 25-30) and a major test of the effectiveness of Their activity will be given at the San Francisco Conference.” [7]
 
This fact was driven home to me recently when visiting San Francisco’s Muir Woods, home to the giant redwood and also a special ceremony of the delegates of that conference in 1945. That horoscope is described elsewhere and has a Sun-Moon T-squaring Pluto. [8] The T-square to Neptune in this 2004 chart has to do with the challenge to manifest Neptune’s love and pacifying qualities, yet it could also as easily manifest itself as Neptunian fog, glamour and deception – it all depends upon the people involved and perhaps the power of the New Group of World Servers to offset these tendencies through meditation and holding their own alignment. In this respect also, the United Nations can provide a focus of power, love and light through which energies can be directed.
On the imminent Saturn return of the United Nations, the Taurus full moon chart set for New York shows Libra rising, indicating the potential for peacemaking, whilst Saturn in Cancer dominates the chart from the midheaven. Saturn is also excellently aspected in a grand trine to the Moon in Scorpio and Uranus in Pisces, perhaps allowing some sort of empathy to prevail at this crucial time. Transiting Pluto also oppose Venus, ruler of Libra rising, indicating major regeneration of relationships at best, or their complete annihalation at worst.
 
America

Currently America is in the thick of transiting Pluto opposite its natal Mars in the seventh house. She is starting to be bogged down in a war not unlike Vietnam, with a high casualty rate amongst her soldiers and difficulties in following through on her intention. This is so critical in terms of the sixth ray personality of America, ruled by Mars.
This transit may very well prove to be a landmark in terms of the transformation of the American sixth ray personality from one that is characterised by Mars to one expressing more the higher aspects of Neptune, as well as the second ray soul of the nation – love and compassion. Mars is square to Neptune in the ninth house of the American chart, indicating the possible achievements of her transformed sixth ray personality.
 
USR Conferences

Whilst on this nation and on a final personal note, I would like to thank all those that I met at the yearly conference of the University of the Seven Rays and elsewhere in America for making my visit so thoroughly enjoyable. The note that was sounded forth by individuals and the conference as a whole was both inspiring and uplifting. The keynote was on the New World Religion.

Tapes of various talks can be obtained at: www.sevenray.com/AudioTapesIndexhtml/audioindex.html. My talk on religion “Become as Little Children” can be found at: www.esotericastrologer.org/AW%20Essays/AWessaysPGL2.html.

I look forward to contributing in the future and would encourage all those on this list to make the effort to go in future years. Next year’s theme at the nineteenth annual conference is “Building the Temple of Humanity: Magically Manifesting Heaven on Earth”. For more information, visit: www.sevenray.com/conference2005/About2005Conference.html.

Natasha
Taurus