III. THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THE TWELVE HOUSES OF THE HOROSCOPE

Books: Light of Egypt

As a sequel to the foregoing subjects, viz., the Zodiac and

constellations, we will add the spiritual interpretation of the

twelve houses of an horoscope, which completes the triune

expression of these celestial symbols of eternal truths.



In revealing this mystery, we would impress upon the mind of the

student that the order of the Zodiac is the reverse of the

external, in its spiritual application, to th twelve houses of

the horoscope.



As the four cardinal signs, viz., Aries, Cancer, Libra and

Capricorn, correspond to the four angles of a natal figure, it is

our purpose to explain, first, the symbology of the four angles,

or cardinal points; believing the whole revelation will thus

become clear and forcible.



The four angles of the horoscope correspond to the four elements,

the four triplicities, and the four cardinal points, or epochs,

in the soul's involution from pure spirit to the crystallizing,

inert, mineral state.



The first angle is the ascendant, or House of Life. It is the

eastern horizon, and symbolized by Aries. Upon the interior, this

first angle stands for the birth, or differentiation, of the

Divine Ego, as the result of the creative action, or impulse, of

the Deific mind.



The Ego rises upon the eastern horizon of celestial states, a

glowing, scintillating atom of pure intelligence, an absolute,

eternal Ego, rising out of the ocean of Infinite Love.



The South angle, meridian, or Tenth House, pertaining to honor,

etc., is symbolized by Cancer; the highest point in the arc of

the soul's involution, as a differentiated atom of Deity within

angelic spheres.



Having evolved the first dual expression of its (the Ego's) self,

the twin souls--Sensation and Aspiration, or Love and Wisdom, the

Ego rests awhile, radiant with celestial love and wisdom, and

inspiring the Divine breath of life.



Again the restless impulse of the creative purpose arouses the

Ego to further action. The culminating point has been reached,

and now must begin an apparent downward course toward the western

horizon.



The seventh angle, or House of Marriage, etc., is represented by

Libra (the Balance), or point of equilibrium; where the two souls

are still one, balanced upon the western horizon. The alluring

temptations of material illusions draw the souls downward, and,

divorced from their celestial state, the radiance of Divine love

becomes obscured, until the twilight of consciousness of that

former state is lost in the night of material conditions.



This house signifies, also, law, and open enemies, and (Libra)

justice. Sex is the law. The antagonism is surely too apparent to

require explanation.



The fourth angle, or Nadir, the point opposite the M. C.,

signifies the frozen North, and is symbolized by Capricorn, the

crystallizing point in the soul's involution. It is death,

inertia; that is, crystallization of the soul's spiritual forces.

It is the lowest point of the are in the monad's downward

journey. It is the night, before the awakening of a new day upon

a higher plane of existence.



The remaining houses are the lights and shadows that, fill out

and complete the picture, upon this, the first round of the

Cyclic Ladder.



The Twelfth House, symbolized by Taurus, represents the first

expression of form of the human soul. It is matter in the most

etherealized state. It is the trail of the serpent; the silent,

secret, tenacious, negative principle; that ultimately draws the

soul down into the vortices of gross matter and death.



The Eleventh, or House of Friends, whose symbol is Gemini, the

Twins, expressive of the first emanation of this sublime

relationship, the dual attributes, love and wisdom, closest

friends. It is sensation and aspiration, which enable the spirit

to attain to the exalted state indicated by the Tenth Mansion.



The Ninth Mansion of the celestial map is the House of Science,

Art, Religion, Philosophy, etc., and its symbol is Leo, the

Heart, with its emotions, love, and longings, and sympathies.

Having evolved the twins, and inspiring the Divine breath of

wisdom; glowing with Deific love, the Ego aspires to know; and

all the sympathies of the soul are aroused. Dauntless and

fearless, defying all opposition and consequences, It (the Ego)

is ready to sacrifice this angelic state and explore the

boundless Universe in pursuit of knowledge, and goes forth on its

long voyage upon the ocean of Infinite, fathomless love and

wisdom.



The Eighth, or House of Death and Legacies, is symbolized by

Virgo, the virgin wife, standing before the "Tree of Knowledge of

Good and Evil," fascinated by the flattering prospects of greater

power and wisdom. Desire and sympathy draw the soul down into

realms which lead to death, and the beginning of a heritage of

sorrow,



The Sixth, or House of Sickness, Menials, and Sorrow, is

symbolized by Scorpio. The fall, from Libra through Scorpio

(sex), created the first condition of what we recognize as

sickness and affliction. It is evident that this house is related

to the elementals of the astral plane, which become the servitors

of man.



The Fifth, or House of Children, etc., symbolized by Sagittarius,

signifies the offspring of sex (Scorpio), entities sent forth to

people the Earth, to take their chances of life, speculating on

its future course, fearlessly eager for the struggle, gaining

pleasure in its migrations and activities.



The Third House is symbolized by Aquarius. This is the first step

of the upward journey, or evolution, from the inert mineral

state. The changes are now rapid; the journeys innumerable;

through mineral, vegetable, and animal planes, of existence.

Here, the Soul Monad brings into actual practice the knowledge

gained on its long voyage. The magical powers of the soul are

brought into action to effect these changes in form and function,

conquering material forces and planes of life, transmuting

Nature's elements to its uses and purposes, and writing its

history, as it journeys ever onward, step by step.



And further, this house stands in opposition to the Ninth House,

symbolized by Leo; longing to expand its (the Ego's)

possibilities through trial and suffering; gaining knowledge

through bitter experience; yet fearlessly braving all things;

guided and sustained by the imperial will of spirit. The

recompense promised by that supreme sacrifice has been won in

Aquarius--the Man--consecrated now to a higher existence,

baptized in the waters of affliction (experience), ready to be

transmuted into actual knowledge. This is Aquarius, and the Third

House.



The Second House, signified as Pisces, the House of Wealth, that

which has been accumulated on the long and toilsome journey--the

wealth of experience, acquired through trials and struggles. And

now, with higher, greater possibilities, the soul eagerly awaits

the hour when it shall be born again, a conscious, responsible

human being, to begin the second round of the Cyclic Ladder; on

this second round, to externalize the knowledge gained, to evolve

the involved attributes and forces of being,--a creature of will

and intellect, to work out its destiny, as the lord of material

creation.



Observe, the order of the Zodiac is reversed upon the external

human plane. But, Aries is always symbolical of the first angle,

and Libra of the seventh, being the point of equilibrium, while

the tenth, or South, angle becomes Capricorn and the fourth

Cancer. The mission of the soul now is to evolve the positive,

spiritual attributes.



Aries rules the brain and the fiery, imperial will. It signifies

courage, daring, etc., the first qualities necessary for the

battle of life. Ruling the head, the sign and house show us the

ability of man to view the field of action, to mark his chart,

and arm for the war (which will be incessant); responsible for

his acts, a creature of unfolding consciousness, an individual,

whose measure of free will enables him to wander so far North or

South of his celestial equator, within his orbit, or Zodiac.



The South angle, or Tenth House, now ruled by Capricorn, tells of

the honor, position, fame, etc. (or the reverse) acquired by

patient labor. The crystallized material gains, the concrete

result of ambition, skill, and talent, which will, at the close

of his earthly career, become liquefied by the universal

resolvent; symbolized by Cancer upon the opposite angle,

symbolical of the grave, the end of mundane affairs; when they

will be mirrored forth in new forms in that great white sea,

according to the manner in which he gained his worldly

accumulations and prestige.



The seventh angle is Libra, House of Marriage; that all-important

relation which may make or mar a life, the Balance is so easily

disturbed in its equilibrium. To preserve its harmony, equality

must reign, blending love and wisdom. It is the perfect poise of

body, mind, and soul, achieved by loving obedience to the higher

laws of our being and the true union of intuition and reason.



The Second House, now represented by Taurus, shows us that

personal wealth and possessions must come through patient

servitude, steady application, and diligence, in being able to

choose and assimilate the knowledge, that will enable man to

battle with material conditions, and wrest from the abundant

sources of Mother Nature his share of treasure and experience. It

is the battle-ground to which humanity, armed with brain and

will, life and energy, goes forth to battle with material forces

for the bread he must earn by the sweat of his brow, and through

the silent, subtle forces of mind and soul conquer matter, thus

storing up a wealth of knowledge and experience.



The Third House is ruled by Gemini, the Twins, Reason and

Intuition, the brethren who aid and guide us on our many journeys

in the pursuit of knowledge. As this sign governs the hands and

arms and the executive forces of humanity, we see, that, the

hands become the magical agents of mind, moulding into outward

form the ideas conceived in the mind, projecting these into the

field of active life, that he may write a bright record in the

Book of Life. The hands should be kept clean, the images pure;

and the perfect poise gained by the equal exercise of love and

wisdom, intuition and reason, making the basis of education; the

evolution of the interior or real self. This is the true meaning

of this house upon the external plane. it is Occult, because it

means projecting the powers of the soul into conscious life,

externalizing the qualities and magical forces of spirit, as

shown in the first instance by Aquarius. This can be accomplished

only through pure desire and aspiration. Otherwise, the

unbalanced scales, with floods and cataclysms, will be the

results.



The Fifth House, ruling children, etc., is symbolized by Leo (the

Heart). The joys and sorrows that offspring of every kind bring,

all belong to this House of the Heart. The sacrifice indicated is

too obvious for comment.



The Sixth House governs sickness, disease, etc., and its symbol

is Virgo, an Earthy sign, clearly showing us that the material

form is the matrix, out of which are born disease and suffering.

But, the perfect assimilation of the fruit of the "Tree of

Knowledge of Good and Evil;" transmuting the trials, experiences,

sorrows, and suffering of the physical and external life into

true wisdom; makes man master of his material universe; and the

blind forces of Nature become his servants. Having accomplished

the task, and attained the harmonious poise, or balance, in

Libra, the individualized soul arrives at the eighth step in the

journey.



The Eighth House, or House of Death and Legacies (Scorpio). The

old Adam dies. The sensuous has no place in the balanced,

harmonious being, but recognizes sex as the law, the door to

regeneration now, and that a new legacy is awaiting him.



The Ninth House, Sagittarius. where, with the knowledge acquired,

self sits in judgment upon the works of the hands and mind,

whether or no they have been well done; the sacrifice of the

lower nature properly made, control of the triune being

established, the transmutations correct and accurate,

assimilation perfect and free from dross, harmony gained by

loving obedience to the higher law of being, and thus becomes

ruler of his kingdom; the long journey almost accomplished, so

far as Earth is concerned, perceiving and understanding that all

sciences, philosophies, and religions, have their origin from one

primal source. Having penetrated the depths in reverent obedience

to the Divine law of creation, and evolved the attributes of the

dual constitution, the forces of his being become crystallized.

He has reached the culmination of his earthly pilgrimage, and

stands forth the perfected human reflection of the higher self.



The Eleventh House is represented by Aquarius on the human plane.

Friends surround and welcome him. These friends are the pure

thoughts, noble impulses, lofty ideals, and generous deeds. The

bread cast upon the Waters of Life returns to nourish and sustain

him in his encounter with the secret foes, symbolized by the

Twelfth House and Pisces. The idols, false ideas, and vampires of

his own creation, are to be cleansed and washed away by the

Waters of Love, the universal solvent that is ever seeking to

bring about change and new forms; born again of water to make the

round of the astral Zodiac, until, having again reached the

equator of the ascending are, where he is reunited to the missing

half of his soul, the true friend of the Edenic state; the

highest point in the arc of human progress won; the honor and

glory of a perfected soul; the Lord and Master, the "I am that I

am," to rest in peace in the heart of Infinite Love and Wisdom.