The Destiny of the Nations

by Alice A Bailey

  Again, in Italy, you find Leo appearing, thus relating Italy to France, to Great Britain and to Berlin — all of which have Leo as a ruling sign, either of the nations themselves or of their chief city. There is, consequently, no possibility of any of these four powers being able to evade relationships. Italy is more closely related to Great Britain than she is to France, because Rome is ruled by Taurus and by Leo which ties her to Great Britain through identity of vibration. This France will have to recognise as well as Italy and Great Britain.

  The personality of Italy is ruled by Sagittarius, the sign of the one-pointed disciple, and it is owing to this that we have the undeviating aim of the Italian state and its refusal to be moved from certain attitudes and determinations. Italy sees more clearly than Germany the principles involved at this time, and though Rome is blinded at times by the Taurian influence which leads to a blind rushing forward towards a goal, irrespective of consequences and implications, yet essentially the inner straight line of foreseen and planned activity will hold Italy true to the objective.

  The following conditioning forces make the story of Italy sufficiently clear: [87]

  ITALY

  1. Leo — with its ruler, the Sun. (Nation)

  2. Sagittarius — with its rulers, Jupiter, the Earth and Mars. (Nation)

  3. Taurus- with its rulers, Venus and Vulcan. (Capital)

  4. Leo — with its ruler, the Sun. .(Capital)

  5. Soul ray — Ideals, Devotion. 6th.

  6. Personality — Harmony through conflict. 4th.

  7. Ray influences of an indirect nature, coming through the planetary rulers:

  a. Ray 2. — Love-wisdom, via the Sun and Jupiter. This again relates Italy to the second ray soul of Great Britain and tends to a basic understanding. I would here point out that in this second ray influence it is the wisdom aspect more than the love aspect which is dominant. Love is in reality, understanding wisdom in active expression.

  b. Ray 3. — Active Intelligence, via the Earth. It was this Earth influence which, in the past, gave Italy her world dominion and which swayed the Italian personality towards the thought of another worldwide empire.

  c. Ray 6. — Devotion and Idealism, via Mars. I would remind you that the soul ray of Italy is also the sixth ray. You have, therefore, the influence of Mars dominating Italian and Roman history, and it is this martian tendency which lay at the base of the German Italian axis. It, however, is not today the controlling factor.

  d. Ray 5. — Concrete Knowledge or Science, via Venus. This influence is also dominant in Great [88] Britain and again closely relates the two countries. Of this there is one curious little instance, which demonstrates an almost uniform working of this scientific bent for the good of the entire world (Venus in relation with Jupiter). That is the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell and the development of the radio by Marconi.

  e. Ray 1. — Will or Power, via Vulcan, the forger and the worker in metals whose influence in this case closely associates itself with the undeveloped aspect of the Leonian influence.

  In the above hints you may find much that is explanatory and much that will clarify British-Italian relations. The destinies of the two countries are closely allied and together they can potently affect the German race and influence it towards a better adjustment to life and a wiser discrimination. It will require the backing of France, when the soul of that country controls.

  We will just look at the controlling factors in one other country, the United States of America, and indicate the influences working at this time which are in process of bringing to an end the adolescent stage in that country and enabling it to come forth in full maturity.

  This vast land is ruled by Gemini, linking it therefore closely with Great Britain and also by Aquarius as the ruler of its soul ray. This combination of a sixth ray personality, ruled by Gemini, and a second ray soul (as has Great Britain), ruled by Aquarius, is potent for future power and usefulness. The capital city, Washington, is ruled by Cancer and Sagittarius, and it is this fact which leads the United States to act like the Crab (Cancer) and be pre-occupied with its own house which it carries on its back and [89] to vanish into hiding at the first signs of trouble. Because also the Sagittarian influence is strong, there is a potent determination to stick one-pointedly to any decision made. This its sixth ray personality enforces at times almost to the point of a fanatical blindness and to the detriment of the long range vision which is needed at such times as these.

  Like Russia, this country is in the making and — as I have told you elsewhere — as the nation’s power shifts, as it will and as it now really is shifting from Washington to New York, the Cancerian influence will steadily lessen and the country will take its place as an adult among the nations. Its Gemini nature and its Aquarian soul should (when developed and balanced) provide a most remarkable channel for human expression. You will note that none of its zodiacal rulers link it with France, except indirectly through Cancer, which is the polar opposite of Capricorn, one of the rulers of Paris. It is for this reason that such a small percentage, relatively speaking, of French people migrate to the States; there is a closer link with Italy than with France, and hence the large Italian population, for Sagittarius rules both Italy and Washington. The influences are, therefore, as follows:

  1. Aquarius — with its rulers, Uranus, Jupiter and the Moon. 2. Gemini — with its rulers, Mercury, Venus and the Earth. 3. Cancer — with its rulers, the Moon and Neptune. 4. Sagittarius — with its rulers, Jupiter, the Earth and Mars. 5. The soul ray — Love-wisdom. 2nd.

  6. Personality ray — Idealism Devotion. 6th. [90]

  7. Indirect influences via the planetary rulers are many, and the rays conditioning this country are consequently many, owing to the mixture of races found there. Of these influences there are eleven in all, for the Earth presents two aspects and the Moon veils both Vulcan and Uranus.

  a. Ray 7. — Order and Magic, via Uranus. This influence is inherited from the Atlantean world, which still rules the territorial aspect of the States, which is a remnant of old Atlantis. It is this that produces the many magical, spiritualistic and occult groups which flourish today in the States.

  b. Ray 2. — Love-wisdom, via Jupiter, thus linking the States closely with Great Britain and indirectly with France.

  c. Ray 4. — Harmony through Conflict, via the Moon, veiling in this case the planet Vulcan. Vulcan here “forges on his anvil, through fire and blows, that linking network which covers all the nation and makes it hold together.” This ray produces the condition which brings together Germany and the States, for the fourth ray is the German soul ray and the first ray, which Vulcan transmits via the Moon, links the German soul and personality to the United States. Hence the vast numbers of Germans who come to the States in order to escape from the personality activity of Germany as it expresses itself through its first ray destroyer aspect.

  d. Ray 4. — I enumerate this ray for the second time because it expresses itself here through Mercury, [91] the Messenger, and emphasises the harmony aspect in contradistinction to the conflict angle which the Moon and Vulcan together have precipitated. It is the Moon-Vulcan relation which produces the political conflict which always rages in the States.

  e. Ray 5. — Concrete Knowledge and Science, via Venus. This confers the intelligence which is so marked in the American people and will eventually determine the lines along which their education will run and their religious organisations.

  f. Ray 3. — Active Intelligence or Adaptability, via the Earth, thus `grounding’ the American people and basically making the soil their problem. Hence the prominence of agriculture in the public consciousness and the pre-occupation of the government with the cotton problems, the corn problem and many other issues of moment.

  g. Ray 6. — Idealism or Devotion, via Mars. This greatly augments the sixth ray personality of the States, thus presenting very real problems in a young people who are apt always to be fanatical and exclusive. Exclusiveness is
one of the major weaknesses of the sixth ray type.

  h. Ray 4. — This influence appears, as you see, frequently, but this time it is through the Moon as it veils Uranus. This produces a conflict of a different nature than that which takes place when the Moon veils Vulcan or transmits the energy of the fourth ray direct. Uranus is the medium for the 7th ray and the function of its blending with the fourth, via the Moon, is to bring about a magical relationship between the many diverse nationalities [92] found in the States and so fuse and blend them into an homogeneous whole — which is not the case at this time.

  Thus the influences pouring into the United States today are very many; they relate the country practically to every country in Europe; this leads at times to chaotic conditions and to much confusion of thought. Yet it produces a richness in the national life which is a good augury for the future. A study of what I have said and a consideration of the various tabulations will prove how utterly impossible it is for the American people to dissociate themselves from Europe and the rest of the world.

  THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CERTAIN CITIES.

  These energies which we have been considering are released into our planetary life through the medium of certain great inlets. At this time there are five such inlets, scattered over the world. Wherever one of these inlets for spiritual force is found, there will also be present a city of spiritual importance in the same location. These five points of spiritual influx are:

  1. London For the British Empire.

  2. New York For the Western Hemisphere.

  3. Geneva For Europe, including the U.S.S.R.

  4. Tokyo For the Far East.

  5. Darjeeling For India and the greater part of Asia.

  Later, two more points for energy will be added to these but the time is not yet. Through these five places and the areas in their neighbourhood the energy of the five rays pours forth, conditioning the world of men, leading to results of profound significance and determining the trend of events. These five points of conditioning energy (in spite of the [93] fact that the energy pouring through Darjeeling has not yet reached its full strength) produce two triangles of force in their inter-relations:

  1. London New York Darjeeling.

  2. Tokyo New York Geneva.

  Geneva and Darjeeling are two centres through which pure spiritual energy can be directed with more facility than through the other three; they, therefore, constitute the higher points of their respective triangles. They are also more subjective in their influence than are London, New York or Tokyo. Together they form the five centres of “impelling energy” today.

  It may interest you also to know the governing rays and the astrological signs of these five centres, but it must not be forgotten that the personality rays change from period to period in connection with countries and cities just as with individual human beings:

  CitySoulPersonalitySign

  London 5th ray 7th ray Gemini.

  New York 2nd ray 3rd ray Cancer.

  Tokyo 6th ray 4th ray Cancer.

  Geneva 1st ray 2nd ray Leo.

  Darjeeling 2nd ray 5th ray Scorpio.

  If students will study this information in connection with that given elsewhere in connection with the nations and other cities, the inter-relations now emerging in world affairs will be seen as the result of the play of these forces and energies and as, therefore, to a certain extent, unavoidable. The use of the energy may be along wrong lines, producing separation and trouble; it may be along right lines, leading [94] to eventual harmony and understanding; but the energy is there and must make its effects felt. As in the individual life, as the results of the play of soul energy upon the form aspect, one or other of the rays will dominate. If the person or the nation is spiritually oriented, the result of the energy impact will be good and will lead towards the working out of the divine plan, and thus be wholly constructive. Where personality force dominates, the effects will be destructive and may temporarily hinder divine Purpose. Nevertheless, even force which is turned to destructive ends can and does finally work towards good, for the trend of the evolutionary force is unalterable, being based on the Will-to-good of Divinity Itself. The inpouring soul energy can be slowed down or speeded on its way according to the purpose, aspiration and the orientation of the entity (human or national); it can express soul purpose or personality selfishness, but the innate urge to betterment will inevitably triumph.

  This entire question of the planetary centres and the energy which they release is naturally of great interest and, could we but realise it, of supreme importance. Some great truth lies veiled behind the tendency of all peoples to regard certain cities and places as holy and as set apart for their spiritual value; they make them the goal of their pilgrimages; in connection with the human being, the same analogy holds good and the heart, for some reason, is regarded as holier and more desirable in its expression than the head. All this indicates an innate recognition by humanity that behind the outer form is ever to be found the intangible, the real and the holy.

  I would like to enlarge somewhat upon this subject of the centres through which spiritual energy is today flowing, but it must be remembered that the theme with which we [95] are now occupied is one of general interest but not of individual moment. Arguing as one ever should from the universal to the particular, it is essential that humanity relate its own mechanism to the greater mechanism (our entire planetary life) and view what is called “one’s own soul” as an infinitesimal part of the world soul. It is necessary also for man to relate his soul to his personality, viewing both as aspects and integral parts of the human family. This will be increasingly the case. This process is beginning to demonstrate in the steadily expanding group, national and racial consciousness which humanity is today demonstrating — a consciousness which shows as a spiritual inclusiveness or as an abnormal and wicked attempt (from the standpoint of the soul) to fuse and blend all nations into a world order, based on material issues and dominated by a material vision. There was nothing spiritual in the vision of the leaders of the powers which were called the Axis powers, and the vision of the masses of people has not proved adequate to arrest, as yet, the materialising of this vision. But the spiritual intent of mankind is slowly growing and the great Law of Contrasts will eventually bring illumination.

  The Lord of the World, the “Ancient of Days,” is releasing new energies into humanity, transmuted in the present furnace of pain and fiery agony. This transmutation will bring about a new power of sacrifice, of inclusive surrender, a clearer vision of the Whole and a cooperative spirit hitherto unknown and which will be the first expression of that great principle of sharing, so sorely needed today.

  I am not here speaking idealistically or mystically. I am pointing out an immediate and possible goal; I am giving a clue to a scientific process which is going on under our eyes and which is, at this time, at a point of crisis. [96]

  As this is the Aryan race (the term is not used in the German or materialistic sense) these five centres to which reference has been made, these five focal points of spiritual energy, are being abnormally and deliberately stimulated and vitalized. The energy which flows from them is profoundly affecting the world and the United Nations; this holds great hope for the future. It is for the reason that New York is one of these five centres that the United Nations organisation is to work here.

  There are two centres on our planet which are as yet relatively quiescent as far as any world effect is concerned. To them I assign no other focal point beyond hinting that within the continent of Africa one will some day be found, and later still (many millions of years later) another will be discovered in the region of Australia. It is, however, with these five centres in this fifth rootrace that we are concerned.

  The force which the centre at Geneva is expressing (at present ineffectually, though later a change will come) is that of the second Ray of Love-Wisdom, with its major emphasis at this time upon the quality of inclusiveness. It is concerned with the “binding together in brotherly
love” and with the expression of the nature of service. This planetary centre, which conditions the little country of Switzerland, has had a most potent effect upon that country and a study of these effects will demonstrate future possibility for the world, once the flow of its energy is less obstructed. It has produced the fusion of three powerful racial types in group formation and not through admixture as in the United States; it has enabled two relatively antagonistic divisions of the Christian faith to work together with a minimum of friction; it has made Geneva the seat of the Red Cross — that world activity which works truly [97] impartially with and for the nationals of all countries and for the prisoners of all nations; it housed that sad but well-intentioned experiment which was called the League of Nations, and will again house a more true league to meet the world need; it is that which protected the small country from the aggressive sweep of the Axis powers. The motto or note of this centre is “I seek to fuse, to blend and serve.”

  The force which is centred in London is that of the first Ray of Will or Power in its building aspect and not in its destroying aspect. It is the service of the whole which is being attempted and at great cost, and the effort is to express the Law of Synthesis which is the new emphasis pouring through from Shamballa. Hence the fact that the governments of many nations found asylum in Great Britain during the war. Also, if the Forces of Light triumph because of the cooperation of mankind, the energy expressing itself through this powerful empire will be potent in establishing a world order of intelligent justice and a fair economic distribution. The keynote of this force is “I serve.”