The mental principle; the three rulerships of Mercury
A triangle symbolising “father-mother-child”, with the additional sign Virgo as the focus, highlighting the fourfold activity of Mercury
in:
four signs of creative dualism and inter-related evolution presented and descriptive of the potency and objectives of the fourth Creative Hierarchy [humanity]. When Mercury… the principle of illusion and the expression of the active higher mind, has performed his mission and “led humanity into the light” and the Christ-child (human soul) out of the womb of time and of the flesh into the light of day and of manifestation, then the task of the great centre we call humanity will be accomplished.
Through Mercury, Virgo comes into close relation to three constellations—Aries, Gemini and Scorpio. Here again is a triangle of energies of great importance in the life of the Christ–child which Virgo guards and nourishes and hides within herself. Through Aries and Scorpio, the Christ–life and manifestation is integrated with that of the fourth Creative Hierarchy [humanity]; herein lies a great mystery which is concerned with the dual manifestation of the the Christ principle both in form and—upon its own plane—through spiritual manifestation; it is here that the true significance of the words found in The Bhagavad Gita appears when Krishna (the Christ principle) says to Arjuna (the world disciple, or developed form aspect): “having pervaded the entire universe with a fragment of myself, I remain”. There is here an esoteric reference to the essential identity of the Son with the Father, the “undying One” and with the eternal Mother; that is, spirit and matter.
[…]
In this triple relation… one clear characteristic can be noted… their essential duality… (EA 271-2)
The following is a listed continuation from the above, highlighting the four signs of creative dualism and inter-related evolution
related by the rulerships of the planet Mercury and Ray 4:
- Aries: spirit–matter
- the initiation of the relationship between spirit and matter.
- Gemini: soul–body
- a sign of definite duality signifying the relation of spirit and matter in human life.
- Scorpio: (the)-word–(made)-flesh
- where this dualism is emphasised in a more intimate and comprehensible manner (Alice Bailey’s mystical Christian symbolism here, as always).
- Virgo: mother–child
- matter as the successful nurturing principle of soul awareness.
This outlines the essential evolutionary journey of humanity from initial incarnation towards the full awareness of soul-consciousness.
The nine signs of the “mother” or form aspect
Cancer-Virgo-Pisces is the triangle representing the complementary “mother” (form/active intelligence) principle to the “father” (spirit/will) principle of Leo-Libra-Capricorn.
The three “crises” or breakthrough points of the will aspect (via Leo-Libra-Capricorn) are produced by the activity of the other nine signs of the zodiac or the “mother” aspect, which collectively stimulate the “life within the form” via three triangles, united by Virgo’s planetary rulers—Mercury, Jupiter, and the veiled Vulcan and Neptune of esoteric ruler the Moon:
These nine are the signs of evolving consciousness-in-form, hence the centrality of Virgo.
Esoteric Astrology: 271-3, 278