The Destiny of the Nations

by Alice A Bailey

  The world is one world and its sufferings are one; humanity is in truth a unity, but many are still unaware of this and the whole trend of the present teaching is directed to the awakening of humanity to this while there is yet time to avert still more serious conditions. The sins of humanity are also one. Its goal is one and it is as one great human family that we must emerge into the future. I would emphasise this thought: it is as one humanity, chastened, disciplined but illumined and fused, that we must emerge into the future. Those who do not grasp this important fact, whether they are what is called belligerents or neutrals, will suffer deeply as a result of their non-participation in the fate of the whole. The isolationist or the super-racial attitudes of the bewildered German people are the attitudes of the separative tendencies of the form nature with its wrong emphasis; but so also is the attitude, veiled under beautiful words and misty idealism, of any neutral power who stands aloof from the happenings of the present. The Hierarchy is not neutral. It is one with the right element in every nation and set against all separative, isolationist and materialistic attitudes. Such attitudes prevent the apprehension of the true spiritual values and hinder human development. Identification with all and participation in world conditions — voluntarily and not from force — is the way out today for all peoples. Ponder on this. [66]

  The Nations and their Ruling Signs.

  It is, however, obvious that nations react like human beings under the influence of their rays — personality and soul rays — and this is a fact of vital import to the esotericist and something as yet little known or intelligently realised. What I give you, therefore, under this point is new exoterically; attention will have to be paid to the information — either as it comes from me or from other sources — if there is to be real understanding of the situation and therefore useful cooperation with the Forces of Light.

  I will give you here the present personality influences of the nations, indicated by their governing signs of the zodiac, trusting that you will give due thought to what I impart and assuring you that they are of vital significance at this time, particularly if you compare them with what I gave you anent the rays of the nations in the first volume of A Treatise on the Seven Rays. I would remind you that — over the lapse of centuries — nations are reborn several times or come into incarnation in a new form which we may call a period, if unimportant, or a civilisation if significant and dramatic enough. Therefore, the personality ray and the governing influences change with frequency. This is oft forgotten, because the cycles are so much vaster than those of human incarnation. I would also point out that the tabulations which follow agree in part with the ordinary accepted assignment of zodiacal signs to the various countries, but not always. I will give you two signs for each country. One will be the emerging influence which will govern the ego or the soul of the country or nation, and the other that which governs at the present moment the personality ray of the individual country, and so conditions the masses. Forget not that the soul of the people is represented by those who [68] react to the influence of the soul ray and of the sign which is affecting it (its ascendant, one might say), whilst the masses are conditioned by the personality ray and therefore by the sun sign of the specified nation.

  It would, I feel, also be of value if I indicated the ruling sign of some of the capital cities of the countries dealt with in the table below.

  CountryRuling SignEgoic RayRuling SignPersonality Ray

  Argentina Cancer 4th Not given Libra 7th Not given

  Austria Libra 7th Fourth Capricorn 10th Fifth.

  Belgium Sagittarius 9th Not given Gemini 3rd Not given.

  Brazil Leo 5th Fourth Virgo 6th Second

  China Taurus 2nd First Libra 7th Third

  Finland Capricorn 10th Not given Aries 1st Not given

  France Pisces 12th Fifth Leo 5th Third

  Germany Aries 1st Fourth Pisces 12th First

  Great Britain Gemini 3rd Second Taurus 2nd First.

  Greece Virgo 6th Not given Capricorn 10th Not given.

  Holland Aquarius 11th Not given Cancer 4th Not given.

  India Aries 1st First Capricorn 10th Fourth.

  Ireland Virgo 6th Not given Pisces 12th Not given.

  Italy Leo 5th Sixth Sagittarius 9th Fourth.

  Japan Scorpio 8th Not given Capricorn 10th Not given.

  Poland Taurus 2nd Not given Gemini 3rd Not given.

  Roumania Leo 5th Not given Aries 1st Not given

  Russia Aquarius 11th Seventh Leo 5th Sixth.

  Scandinavia (4 Nations) Libra 7th Not given Cancer 4th Not given.

  Spain Sagittarius 9th Sixth Capricorn 10th Seventh.

  Switzerland Aries 1st Not given Aquarius 11th Not given.

  Turkey Cancer 4th Not given Scorpio 8th Not given.

  U.S.A Aquarius 11th Second Gemini 3rd Sixth.

  Note: This tabulation is arranged alphabetically and not in the rate of importance and influence of a country and nation.

  The focus of the immediate response of the peoples of the nations is frequently to be distinguished in the quality (if I may so call it) of their capital city and by the decisions there made. I would like to point out that in the British Empire there are several major and distinctive sections which are themselves definitely governed by certain ruling signs; therefore, before giving the rulers of the capitals, I would like to indicate the influences which control the British Empire through the medium of its component parts; they are an important factor in present events, owing to the major and powerful nature of the part Great Britain is playing in the present situation. As you will have noted Great Britain is ruled by Gemini and Taurus, and consequently the principles of multiplicity and integration are simultaneously present. Duality, triplicity (England, Scotland and Wales) and also differentiation are the conditioning aspects of the empire. Under the major control of Gemini and Taurus you have the following potencies active:

  Egoic Ruler Personality Ruler

  Australia Virgo 6th Capricorn 10th

  Canada Taurus 2nd Libra 7th

  India Aries 1st Capricorn 10th

  New Zealand Gemini 3rd Virgo 6th

  South Africa Aries 1st Sagittarius 9th

  [69] These are the major divisions. There are lesser divisions but with these I am not here concerned. These countries are related to the mother-country through their planetary rulers, and in this statement you have a definite hint conveyed. The zodiacal signs relate, but the planets are more influential at this stage of evolution.

  It is not my intention to give you the ruling signs of the capitals of all the countries; I have dealt with but only the more important:

  CountryCapitalSoul RulerPersonality Ruler

  Belgium Brussels Gemini 3rd Capricorn 10th

  France Paris Virgo 6th Capricorn 10th

  Germany Berlin Scorpio 8th Leo 5th

  Great Britain London Leo 5th Libra 7th

  Italy Rome Taurus 2nd Leo 5th

  Poland Warsaw Capricorn 10th Pisces 12th

  Russia Moscow Taurus 2nd Aquarius 11th

  United States Washington Cancer 4th Sagittarius 9th

  An analysis of the signs ruling the different countries will make certain outstanding conditions apparent and even with the small knowledge of esoteric astrology now available will make certain definite information emerge in your minds as vitally explanatory. Capricorn, for instance, seldom appears as a sign governing the egoic expression of any nation but quite often as governing the personality manifestation, or the exoteric country. Austria, Greece, India, Japan and Spain have Capricorn as their personality rulers, indicating age, crystallisation and materialism; a little study of conditions and the present point in evolution will make this apparent. In the next great and succeeding race to this, Capricorn will appear as ruling the egoic expression, for the soul will then be in greater control and certain great groups of human beings (those who now compose the present nations) will be ready for initiation upon the mountain top of Capricorn. [70]

  I cannot spend m
uch time analysing this but would like to indicate one or two points which would serve to guide your thoughts and to clarify the issue. In this manner I can point the way for the future guidance of astrologers who have an esoteric bias. The subject is, however, sufficiently abstruse to deter most people. The relations to be established cannot be based upon some definite starting point, as is sometimes possible in casting the individual horoscope, but upon energy effects, coming direct from the signs themselves, or via certain planetary rulers (again either exoteric, esoteric or hierarchical); these effects are again conditioned by the interplay between the energy of the rays which govern the soul or the personality of the nation or country under consideration. The problem is likewise complicated because there will be the need to distinguish between the horoscope of the territory, housing the nation, and the people themselves who compose that unit which we call a nation. Some nations are fluid and not properly integrated as are the masses of people everywhere; others are integrated entities, or fully expressing personalities; others are crystallised and have nearly run their course as personalities; others again are coming under the influence of their soul ray, leading to another cycle of fluidity, before the definiteness of the initiate-entity becomes apparent; a few again are purely embryonic. Thus the extreme difficulty of the science becomes increasingly apparent. There is, however, no need for discouragement, for this is a science, subject to moments of intense illumination when the intuition will suddenly reveal determining laws and when the capacity to think abstractly and synthetically will pour floods of light upon the most difficult and complex of problems. When the world again settles down to a cycle of peace and with opportunity for further conscious unfoldment, it will be [71] found that that embryonic factor which we call the intuition will flower forth into as recognisable an expression of human consciousness as the present intellectual grasp and mental perception of the race. Until this time comes, the searching astrologer must proceed hopefully but cannot yet expect full understanding of what I here impart.

  AN ANALYSIS OF CERTAIN COUNTRIES

  The horoscope of a country can, therefore, be either that of the soul of the nation or of the personality of the nation, based on the form aspect; there are no means, as yet, of determining the date, for instance, of the birth of a nation or of a race. Boundaries are not determining factors nor is history itself, as now given, an adequate guide. As said above, some nations are entities and demonstrably so, as, for instance, France or Japan; others have been great and powerful nations but are so no longer, but the strain is there, and of these, India and the Jewish race are illustrations. Other nations are, relatively speaking, very modern, as for instance the German nation, yet the strain is very ancient. Strains, types, races, nations, branches and sub-branches produce a bewildering kaleidoscope before which astrology necessarily stands confused. But to the eye of the enlightened esotericist, certain entities emerge clearly and form the nations of the world; the important factor always to remember is that it is humanity as a whole which is the factor to be considered. The simile of the human body with its definitely recognised areas of expression, and the organisms which, in their turn, control and condition these areas will be helpful here. The important and non-important appear; the developing and the vestigial also emerge and under the Law of Correspondences aid in elucidating. In the great body of humanity there are certain areas [72] which vibrate in unison and which attract to themselves souls of a certain quality and keynote; there is a magnetic interplay between countries (territories) and the nations which occupy them. This is not an arbitrary matter but due to magnetic interplay. It is also vibratory interplay, under the great Law of Attraction and Repulsion which has much to do with the intercourse and relationships between nations. Let us now look at a few of them.

  France is a Pisces-Leo country, and is expressive egoically of the fifth Ray of Concrete Knowledge or Science and the personality Ray of Active Intelligence. The soul of France, subjectively ruled Europe for the most important and influential part of the Piscean Age, now passing out; she coloured and dominated, by her Leo personality, a large part of the happenings in Europe during the Middle Ages and for centuries; she mediated the Piscean quality to the civilisation of the then known world and her definitely Leo personality — self-conscious, self-centred, brilliantly intelligent and individual — conditioned Europe. It is this Leo personality which is responsible for the intensely nationalistic spirit of the modern French and which negates in them the more Aquarian tendency to universal consciousness or to the expression of the advanced Piscean soul to save the world; France comes before the world. The lesson France has to learn today is that the salvation of others is the goal of her Piscean soul and in this the self-interest of Leo precipitates conflict — one to which France is slowly awakening.

  The egoic ray of France is that of Concrete Science and this, working in conjunction with the energy of the fifth zodiacal sign, Leo, has given the French people their intellectual brilliance and their scientific bias. The forces of crystallisation pour through Paris which is ruled by Capricorn in its personality and yet the soul of the French nation [73] is nurtured in that great capital through the soul of the city, energised by Virgo and, forget not, that Virgo is the polar opposite of Pisces and the infant Christ in Virgo comes to full flower in Pisces. Here lies the hope of France. You will remember perhaps that some years ago I indicated that from France will come a great psychological or soul revelation which will bring illumination to world thought. If the true Piscean element can be drawn forth and the selfishness and the self-protective interests of the French nation can be offset, France then stands free some day to lead the world spiritually as she has effectively in past history from the more political and cultural aspects, but this can only happen when the personality ray is subordinated to the soul ray and Leo can respond to the Aquarian influence in the coming new era when Aquarius is dominant. The Sun, as the ruler of Leo, made France what she was, irradiating Europe for centuries; but it was the personality and not the spiritual aspect, and her influence at no time was spiritual, as that word should be understood. Esoterically, Pluto, one of the rulers of Pisces, must work, bringing in the death of the personality influence, fostered by Leo; this can be done without any great outer dissolution of the form of the nation through the beneficent influence of Jupiter, the exoteric Ruler of Pisces. What is needed in the national life of France is the more spiritual expression of the second Ray of Love-Wisdom, which has in the past led to material success but which can flood the world, via France, once she dies to self. Capricorn, ruling Paris, signifies both death and initiation into the spiritual life, and here lies the choice for France. With the cooperation which Pluto can give in bringing about those conditions which will lead to the revelation of Virgo (ruling the soul of Paris) there is possible — in connection with this powerful and influential country — a [74] contribution to the life of humanity which will be effective in bringing about the new desired conditions in Europe, but France’s demand for her personal security must give place to the security of the whole from aggression and evil and fear, and all thought of revenge upon or the dismemberment of other countries in the interests of France will have to end, if the true soul of France is to find expression.

  Therefore, the following signs (cosmic energy) and planets transmitting solar and cosmic energies, are the conditioning factors of France in incarnation at the present time:

  FRANCE

  1. Pisces — with its rulers : Jupiter and Pluto.

  2. Leo — with its ruler : the Sun.

  3. Virgo — with its rulers : Mercury, Moon, Jupiter.

  4. Capricorn — with its rulers : Saturn and Venus.

  5. Ray influences of an indirect nature, coming via the planetary rulers:

  a. Ray 2. — Love-Wisdom, via Jupiter and the Sun. These are the most powerful.

  b. Ray 1. — Power or Will, via Pluto. This is also the Destroyer Ray and can bring the death of the Leo influence.

  c. Ray 3. — Activ
e Intelligence, via Saturn. This cooperates with the third ray personality of France, and at this time Saturn offers most definite opportunity through the focus of power now to be found in Paris.

  d. Ray 4. — Harmony through Conflict, via Mercury. Can France work for world harmony in the post-war period?

  e. Ray 5. — Concrete Science or knowledge, via [75] Venus. In this a realised cooperation with the soul ray, which is also the fifth ray, can bring about, through the French nation, a consummation of the Piscean influence or genius.

  f. Ray 4. — This time through the Moon, thus aiding the work of Mercury and producing that needed internal conflict which will release France from Leo and from the control of her self-centred personality.