Commentary on
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I & II

RAY ANALYSIS WITH THE BIRTH CHART:

THE CASE OF F.C.D OR ROBERTO ASSAGIOLI

By M. Temple Richmond

Contents: 

 Ray Analysis with the Astrological Birth Chart

 

The Transits of Discipleship Tests and of Initiation

Part I:  Assagioli in the Pre-World War II Years

Part II: The War Years

Part III: Initiation in the Midst of Storm

Part IV: Assagioli in the Post War Years

Part V:   Insights and Techniques Summed Up

Ray analysis should be done

in conjunction with a study of the horoscope.

Esoteric Psychology II, p. 102

RAY ANALYSIS WITH THE BIRTH CHART

The matter of ray analysis is of importance to all students of the Tibetan’s teachings.  We are given to understand that knowledge of one’s ray  constitution is a key to enhanced progress on the way of discipleship evolution, hence more effective co-working relationships with Hierarchy and more effective service. ^[1]   Certainly this is because once we know our occult strengths and weaknesses, we can direct ourselves all the better toward an unencumbered reception and distribution of higher energies, avoiding the gross misuses of energies and typical glamours characteristic of the various rays.

As all students of the Bailey material know, the Tibetan presented ray analyses to the disciples who were members of his international discipleship group, the letters to which are recorded in Alice Bailey’s Discipleship in the New Age I and II.  The method by which the Tibetan obtained the information he required in order to assess individual ray characteristics was of course remote clairvoyant viewing. ^[2] As an adept and initiate of the Fifth Degree, the Tibetan Master was able to tune in on and view the energy field and past lives of any individual for whom it was necessary that he retrieve this information.  It is probable that until one possesses the type of clairvoyance DK did, no iron-clad certainty can be had in matters of ray analysis.

However, it would appear that the Tibetan intended to encourage efforts toward assessment of individual ray constitution.  He made a very strong case for the importance of knowing the rays conditioning the soul, personality, mental body, astral body, and the etheric-physical body.  For example, in Glamour: A World Problem , he stated, “…the ascertaining (by the aspirant) of his ray influence is one of the first steps towards understanding the nature of his problems and the method of release.  The psychology of the future will direct attention to the discovery of the two rays which govern the soul and personality.” ^[3]   In Esoteric Psychology I , he indicated that knowledge of one’s rays is even connected with the ability to take initiation. ^[4]   Healers in particular are singled out as those in especial need of such information. ^[5]

Why is knowledge of one’s rays of such consequence on the occult path?  It is because this knowledge is part and parcel of a science of energies forming the core curriculum of discipleship training.  In particular, such knowledge is important because it informs the striving disciple of what effect he or she may unwittingly have upon others and the environment.  This is exactly what DK was driving at when he stated, “The impact of ray force upon people embodying different aspects of ray energy will be one of the coming developments in the field of esoteric psychology….” ^[6]   The same point was made later in the same work  when DK explained, “…when I speak of the rays of the various bodies, I am referring to the dominant force which conditions them in any particular life, to the possible effect that the impact of that force – regulated or unregulated – may have upon surrounding people….” ^[7]

Wise management of effects produced on others in the environment is a critical consideration for the emerging occultist.  He or she first and foremost is pledged to a practice of ethical harmlessness, a good statement of which principle is to be found in A Treatise on White Magic. ^[8] Therefore, it is of utmost importance to know and understand one’s own forces well enough to avoid accidental detriment to others.  However, this consideration is only part of the picture.

The Tibetan explained that one’s ray constitution has relevance in three different ways over the course of one’s evolutionary path.  These he detailed in Discipleship in the New Age I , where he stated, “Upon the probationary path, the forces of man’s lower nature and their interior interplay is of paramount importance: he must learn to know himself.  On the path of discipleship, these same forces must be studied in relation to those with whom destiny, karma and vocational choice have thrown the disciple. On the path of initiation, these same forces are used in conscious cooperation with the Plan, and with adequate skill in action, due to lessons learnt on the earlier stages of the path.” ^[9]   Thus, knowledge of one’s ray constitution is in the first instance necessary for wise guidance and self control.  In the second instance, knowledge of one’s ray constitution enhances a more conscious and considered interaction with others.  In the third, knowledge of one’s ray constitution is called into play as a specific set of instruments with which to work in the scientific service of the Plan.

With these considerations in mind, it comes as somewhat of a disappointment to read in A Treatise on White Magic that accurate assessment of the soul ray is not a capacity given to humanity during the present race, the fifth or Aryan race. ^[10]   Yet, astoundingly, we find in the later volume Esoteric Healing an entirely different view of the matter, for there the Tibetan declared that ray analysis will in fact be feasible in the Age of Aquarius, ^[11] which (as will be shown) occurs a great deal sooner than does the advent of next or Sixth Race, which race would be the soonest point at which  the capacity to perform accurate ray analysis might otherwise be expected.  The Tibetan went on to say, “…men will learn some day to determine with ease their ray type, and the rays which govern their three-fold personality.” ^[12]   Is that some day at hand?  That determination depends upon when the Age of Aquarius may be said to begin.

The date for the beginning of the Age of Aquarius is indeed a matter of contention and debate amongst astrologers and esotericists.  However, there are two statements made by the Tibetan which allow us to situate the probable onset of the Age of Aquarius in the first half of the twentieth century.  In Problems of Humanity , the Tibetan stated unequivocally, “The release of the energy of the atom is definitely the inauguration of the New Age.” ^[13]   In The Reappearance of the Christ, the Tibetan all but stated flatly that the Age of Aquarius began in June 1945 with the assumption by the Christ of his Aquarian role. ^[14]   Thus, let us look briefly at the history of nuclear power and the significance of the year 1945 in particular.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the structure of the atom was discovered progressively by a number of researchers throughout the world scientific community.  Yet, it was not until 1938 that the atom was first split by German physicist Otto Hahn.  Hahn’s achievement demonstrated the possibility of sustained nuclear reaction, which ultimately was first achieved in the United States at the University of Chicago on December 2, 1942.  The world’s first operational nuclear reactor was activated at Oak Ridge, TN, USA, in 1943.  Finally, the first experimental atomic bomb was exploded at Alamogordo, NM, USA, on July 16, 1945.  Barely three weeks later, the first nuclear weapons were detonated over Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945.

Thus, key developments in the unleashing of the power of the atom occurred in 1938, 1942, 1943, and 1945.  The last of these coincides dramatically with the Tibetan’s specific identification of June 1945 as the beginning of the Age of Aquarius.  Thus, the Christ assumed what D.K. referred to as his “Aquarian role” in June 1945, and about one month later, the first massive release of nuclear power occurred, to be followed by even more titanic releases about two months after the Christ’s accession.  Bearing all this in mind, together with the facts that the Tibetan has stated that the onset of the Age of Aquarius was to be signified by the release of the energy of the atom and by the accession of the Christ to his current status, it is well nigh impossible to conclude anything other than that the Age of Aquarius is now under way and has been so for a good half century.

To all this might be added the fact that the currently used form of the Great Invocation was given in 1945.  The Tibetan called the Invocation an “inaugurating mantram” of the Seventh Ray, which is of course the ray associated with the Age of Aquarius. ^[15]   The planet Uranus, exoteric ruler of Aquarius, distributes the Seventh Ray and is the source of the strong Ray Seven energies expected and predicted to come forth during the Age of Aquarius.  Thus, the Tibetan in as much as stated that the Great Invocation is designed to jump start the Aquarian Age.

It is of consequence to note also that the Tibetan predicted that the incoming Ray Seven energies would cause great destruction of present animal forms, ^[16] and this we are given to understand, not for some arbitrary reason, but because the present forms are attuned to the departing Age of Pisces, and hence must give way to new configurations.  In this vein, consider that fact that the number of persons deceased in World War II, leading up to and overlapping the likely onset of strong Ray Seven influence, was 45 million.  If the human form can be considered a heritage from its animal past, then the end of World War II and the putative onset of the Aquarian Age contain demonstrated world events that reflect the Tibetan’s characterization of Ray Seven influence.

Here indeed is a gripping argument for the validity of the Tibetan’s claims and likewise for the fact that the Seventh Ray Age of Aquarius has already begun.  This contention is further supported by the fact that destruction of animal forms continued almost unabated throughout the twentieth and early twenty-first century, with extinction of animal species progressing at what is to many an alarming rate.  Though no esotericist can justify environmental degradation for the purposes of corporate selfishness, we can however adjust the sadness consequent upon loss of animal species with the insight at hand regarding the inherent effect of the Seventh Ray.  Further, we can advisedly know that this destruction of form will eventually make way for a liberation of the animal kingdom into higher grades of evolution.

As has been shown in regard to the advent of nuclear power, the work of the Christ, and the expected effect of the Seventh Ray upon animal form, there exists compelling evidence that the Age of Aquarius began right before the middle of the twentieth century. ^[17]   The implications of this claim are many, but among them is the fact that capacity for ray analysis should now be upon us.

Those who would argue with this contention might with considerable justification point to the Tibetan’s statement in A Treatise on White Magic ) to the effect that ray analysis will not be possible in the Fifth or Aryan Race.   To this argument the response might be made that the passage from A Treatise on White Magic was dictated by the Tibetan some time between April 1928 and April 1933, according to James Stephenson in his Prophecy on Trial. ^[18]   By contrast, the Tibetan’s other claim about the feasibility of ray analysis in the Age of Aquarius was dictated at least some eleven years later, some time after May 1942. ^[19]

Prudence might well allow that the later of these two statements better reflected what the Tibetan ultimately saw for the course of Humanity.  Why so?  Because conditions change within the human family, and as they do, new formulations of its expected future must be made.  The Tibetan even stated as much.  In The Rays and the Initiations, which was dictated late in his work with Alice Bailey (1942 – 1949, according to Stephenson ^[20] ), the Tibetan Master indicated that by that time, evolutionary advances in the Human Kingdom had forced revelations previously assessed by Hierarchy to be possible only in the Sixth Race. ^[21]   One of these revelations might be the method by which accurate ray analysis can be performed.

There are other instances in which the Tibetan revised his revelation of the Ageless Wisdom.  The information given on the Seven Cosmic Paths is a case in point.  In the first book D.K. dictated to Alice Bailey, the Paths were indeed mentioned, but (for example), concerning the Path to Sirius, it was given that “very little” could be communicated about that Path. ^[22]   Only a few years later, over three pages of information concerning this Path appeared in A Treatise on Cosmic Fire. ^[23]   Then at the end of his work with Bailey, the Tibetan dictated a full five and a half pages of information concerning this Path in The Rays and the Initiations. ^[24]   Clearly, something was in process of changing, and this something led to the continuing revelation of more information concerning the Path to Sirius.  Thus, it is not an offense against reason to acknowledge the fact that the Tibetan updated his pronouncements on specific topics, when that was deemed appropriate.

The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that earlier statements upon the inaccessibility of a technique for ray analysis may not be final in nature.   Perhaps, due to the very evolutionary advances in the Human Kingdom alluded to by the Tibetan, the ability to perform ray analysis is indeed accessible to today’s esotericist, given that she or he develops the necessary spiritual and technical skills.

Acquisition of the necessary technical skills has been hampered during the last part of the twentieth century by lack of an appropriate and reliable technical basis from which to work.  But bear in mind the simple fact that the Tibetan stated that ray analysis should be done in conjunction with a study of the horoscope. ^[25]   Possibly this statement is a clue to the formulation of an adequate technique for ray analysis. This statement might also be interpreted to mean that any attempt to deduce the ray constitution of an individual that does not take into account the indications of the astrological birth chart fails to conform to a standard methodology, which appears to have been plainly set forth by the Tibetan in this passage.

Those of us with the astrological bias can take from this injunction the notion that we should start with the indications given in the chart and work forward from there.  In simplest terms, this means that we should generate out of the indications in the birth chart options for the ray nature of the soul, personality, mental, astral, and physical bodies and then choose from these possibilities on the basis of what intuition and common sense have to add.  This might constitute an appropriate technical basis from which to develop capacity for accurate ray analysis.  The spiritual basis also needed must come from life-long dedication to the spiritual principles enunciated throughout the writings of Alice Bailey and other reputable sources.

An example of how astrologically based ray analysis might be done can be drawn from the chart of Roberto Assagioli, also known as F.C.D. in Discipleship in the New Age I and II .  Information concerning the identities of the DINA group members has been released by several organizations and individuals in the past few years.  Sources of this information include John  Cobb, Director of The School of Esoteric Studies in Asheville, NC; former Asheville residents Marion Crusselle and the late Dean Going, the latter of whom was personally associated with one of the DINA I and II disciples; and Dorothy Maver, Ph.D., also personally associated with one of the original DINA I and II group members.  The initials F.C.D. stand for a phrase given by the Tibetan to Assagioli to guide him in his spiritual evolution.  The phrase was “Freedom from Ties, Chelaship, Detachment,” as given in unpublished papers furnished by the above specified sources.  Thus, F.C.D. is Roberto Assagioli.

The only ray analyses the accuracy and reliability of which we can count on for absolute sure and certain are those rendered by the Tibetan himself for the disciples discussed in the DINAs.  And Assagioli is the only member of that sample for whom a birth time is available in the public domain.  Assagioli’s birth information is recorded in Dane Rudhyar’s Astrology and the Modern Psyche, p. 80, and Marc Edmund Jones’ The Sabian Symbols and Astrology, p. 344.  Armed with this information, it is possible to calculate Assagioli’s chart and compare it to the ray analysis given to him by the Tibetan. From such correlation and a consideration of the various hints about how to deduce ray constitution given in Esoteric Astrology, elements of an astrologically based science of ray analysis may be extracted.

Roberto Assagioli was born on February 27, 1888, at noon, in Venice, Italy, according to Dane Rudhyar, who was well acquainted with Assagioli. ^[26]    Admittedly, any noon birth is conspicuously suggestive of the technique commonly used in the twentieth century for unknown birth times, in which the hour of noon is used in what is called a noonmark chart.  The logic for using a noon birth time is that a point in the middle of the 24 hours in the day will produce an average position for the Moon.  As a well-versed astrologer, Rudhyar would have been well aware of this technique, and therefore, if Assagioli’s birth time was unknown to Rudhyar, it is highly likely that he would have recorded that fact and indicated that a noonmark chart had been used in place of an authentic chart resulting from a specific birth time.  However, this is not the case.  Instead, Rudhyar wrote, “Roberto Assagioli was born at noon, February 27, 1888, in Venice, Italy.” ^[27]   Thus, we are given to understand that the birth time reported by Rudhyar for Assagioli is not likely a noonmark chart but rather an actual birth time.

Rudhyar’s data for Assagioli produce the following positions.

Ascendant      2 degrees Cancer 29 minutes

Sun                 8 degrees Pisces 20 minutes

Moon             7 degrees Virgo 54 minutes

Mercury         18 degrees Pisces 13 minutes retrograde

Venus             4 degrees Aquarius 06 minutes

Mars               0 degrees Scorpio 0 minutes

Jupiter            5 degrees Sagittarius 29 minutes

Saturn             0 degrees Leo 32 minutes retrograde

Uranus           16 degrees Libra 39 minutes retrograde

Neptune         27 degrees Taurus 23 minutes

Pluto               3 degrees Gemini 04 minutes

Lunar North/South  Node   9 Leo/Aquarius  32  (True)

Midheaven      4 degrees Pisces 44 minutes

Turning to Assagioli’s ray constitution, we find that the Tibetan specified this information on p. 152 of Discipleship in the New Age I .  There D.K. stated that F.C.D. (Assagioli) had the following ray makeup.

Soul……………………….…Ray 2

Personality…………………Ray 4

Mental Body………………Ray 1

Astral Body………………..Ray 2

Physical Body……………..Ray 7

How might these conclusions have been drawn from Assagioli’s astrological placements?  To answer that question, let us look at some of the Tibetan’s statements regarding the manner in which the various rays are indicated through the astrological chart and compare these indications with actual placements in the chart of F.C.D.

In A Treatise on White Magic, the Tibetan stated,  “The Ascendant indicates the nature of the soul force that the incarnated son of God is seeking to wield through the medium of a particular personality….” ^[28] In Esoteric Astrology , he said that the Ascendant points the way to recognition of the force of the soul. ^[29]   Similarly, and again in A Treatise on White Magic, the Tibetan Master held that the Ascendant shows what type of force will enable the native to succeed spiritually. ^[30]   Though none of these passages comes right out and says that the Ascendant indicates the soul ray, it seems more than probable that the Tibetan meant ray quality when he used the words  “force,” and “soul force.”  Thus, we are probably on solid ground in examining the Ascendant in Assagioli’s chart for some kind of Ray 2 indicator.

Assagioli’s Ascendant is Cancer, which sign distributes Rays 3 and 7, not the Ray 2 indicated as Assagioli’s soul ray.  However, the esoteric and hierarchical ruler of Cancer is Neptune, and as to what ray Neptune distributes, we get into deep water, naturally appropriate for the domain of oceanic Neptune!  Most frequently the Tibetan stated that Neptune distributes Ray 6.  However, he also associated Neptune with Ray 2, as he did in A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 370; Esoteric Psychology I, pp. 420 – 421; and in  Esoteric Astrology, p. 341.  That each of the planets may distribute more than one ray is a likelihood spelled out by the Tibetan, for he made it clear that every planet has at least a soul and personality ray . ^[31]   He went even farther and completed the triplicity, revealing that every planet in fact is associated with three rays – the rays of its personality, soul, and monad. ^[32] Thus, to add to Neptune’s dowry the capacity to distribute Ray 2 is hardly an offense against esoteric canon.

Thus, if we use the additional ray association for Neptune, the esoteric and hierarchical ruler of Assagioli’s Cancerian Ascendant, we can in view of the Tibetan’s statements about the nature of the Ascendant rather easily arrive at a Ray 2 indication.  Some might say that 2 degrees Cancer is too early in that sign for the Ascendant to be reliable.  In that case, we might point to the fact that had Assagioli been born a bit earlier, then he would have had Gemini rising, a sign which itself distributes only the Second Ray, his soul ray as given by the Tibetan.  However, as is evident in the Discipleship in the New Age passages which pertain to Assagioli (DINA I pp. 138 – 156; DINA II, pp. 459 – 473), the Tibetan’s counseling comments to Assagioli in the DINAs point to the fact that Assagioli had personal psychological and spiritual issues much more in keeping with the Cancerian Ascendant.  Thus, from this example we can draw the conclusion that at least in some cases, the soul ray may be shown by the esoteric and possibly the hierarchical ruler of the Ascendant.

The personality ray attributed to Assagioli by the Tibetan was Ray 4, the Ray of Harmony through Conflict.  According to the Tibetan, the personality ray is in some way related to the Sun sign. ^[33] Assagioli’s Sun sign was Pisces, which sign distributes Rays 2 and 6, neither of which matches Assagioli’s Ray 4 personality.  However, note that Assagioli had Sun tightly opposite Moon and widely conjunct Mercury, both of which bodies neatly answer to the required Ray 4 indication.  Clearly and plainly, in the case of Assagioli, it was hard angle aspects to the Sun made by other bodies which contained the accurate indication.  The hard angle series (conjunction, square, and opposition – or 0 degrees separation, 90 degrees separation, and 180 degrees separation) are well recognized within the astrological field as the most potent of all aspects, producing the most obvious and dramatic effects.  Thus, from this example we might draw the conclusion that hard angle aspects to the Sun (conjunction, square, and opposition) may, according to the rays distributed by the aspecting bodies, in some cases yield the personality ray.

According to the Tibetan’s comments, Assagioli’s mental body was conditioned by Ray One.  Generally, the mental body is linked with both Mercury and Venus, for Mercury represents the concrete and abstract levels of mind, ^[34] while Venus symbolizes mind and intellect . ^[35]   In Assagioli’s chart, Mercury is in Pisces and Venus is in Aquarius.  Pisces distributes rays 2 and 6, neither of which would yield the correct indication, but the esoteric and hierarchical ruler of Pisces is Ray One Pluto, which neatly furnishes the accurate information.  Aquarius, the sign in which Assagioli had Venus, is formally indicated in Esoteric Astrology as a distributor of Ray 5 (for an example of which, see p. 423), but this sign is also fleetingly mentioned as a conductor of energy from the Great Bear, ^[36] which constellation is an agent of the First Ray.

A Ray One association for Aquarius is imminently thinkable, as Leo, its polar opposite, also distributes Rays One and Five.  If Aquarius were to be accorded a Ray One distributorship, then a satisfying symmetry between Leo and Aquarius would emerge.  This very type of symmetry already exists in other polar opposite sign pairs, such as Taurus and Scorpio, both of which distribute Ray 4, Cancer and Capricorn, both of which distribute Rays 3 and 7, and Virgo and Pisces, both of which distribute Rays 2 and 6.  Hence, it is probable that this type of pattern will eventually emerge in subsequent installments of the esoteric astrological teaching, likely due in the first quarter of the twenty-first century.  It seems reasonable, therefore, to add Ray One to the ray characteristics associated with the sign of Aquarius.  This would render a consistent theme with the greater emphasis to be expected on understanding the Will Aspect predicted for the Age of Aquarius by the Tibetan.

Thus, if we were to have examined Assagioli’s chart without having known the ray of the mental body beforehand, seeing the Mercury in Pisces and the Venus in Aquarius, we might have asked ourselves, “What do these two positions hold in common?”  Had we listed all the possible ray involvements, we would have noticed a definite and repeating Ray One theme, with Ray One Pluto as the esoteric and hierarchical ruler of Pisces, and Aquarius itself as a distributor of Ray One.  Admittedly, such a perception rests upon an exceeding familiarity with the minor points made in Esoteric Astrology, but this may be precisely the type of close attention to detail required if the art and science of astrologically-derived ray analysis is to be developed.

In Assagioli’s case, the astral body was said by the Tibetan to have been conditioned by Ray 2.  In general, the astral body is linked with the Moon ^[37]   and with Neptune. ^[38]   It is likely also associated with Mars, for as a distributor of Ray 6, Mars has a natural affinity with the astral plane.  In addition, the Tibetan characterizes Mars as the agent of the war of the opposites, ^[39] a characterization in keeping with the nature of the astral plane as the dimension in which the pairs of opposites have their greatest grip on consciousness.

Hence, we should examine the Moon and Neptune primarily, and Mars secondarily, in an attempt to arrive at the correct ray of the astral body for Assagioli.  The Moon we find in Virgo, and Neptune in Taurus.  Mars is at 0 degrees of Scorpio.  Of these, the Moon furnishes the correct answer right away without any further searching, as Virgo distributes the required Second Ray.  But Virgo also distributes Ray 6, so how could we have known which to choose?  Further, both Mars and Neptune are in signs distributing Ray 4, and the repeating message in this configuration might easily have led us to select the Ray of Harmony through Conflict for Assagioli’s astral body.

This example suggests that a liberal emphasis should be placed on the condition of the Moon in the effort to deduce the ray of an individual’s astral body.  In Assagioli’s chart, the Moon (at approximately 8 degrees of Virgo) is closely square Jupiter (at 5 degrees Sagittarius), which planet is also the hierarchical ruler of Virgo.  Since Jupiter distributes Ray 2, a strong repeating message involving the Second Ray results.  Even with these repeating indications regarding Ray 2, this would have been a tricky call to make had one been traversing the territory without a guide.  However, we can draw from this example the general principle that hard angle aspects to the Moon (if they exist), together with the ray distributed by the sign of the Moon or one of its rulers, may in some cases clearly reveal the nature of the astral body.

Assagioli’s physical body, according to the Tibetan, was conditioned by Ray 7.  Mars plays a role again here, as the Tibetan indicated that Mars symbolizes the entire lower nature, ^[40] and the physical vehicle in particular. ^[41]   Mars in Assagioli’s chart was a key factor, the handle of a T-square involving Saturn at 0 degrees Leo 32 minutes, and Venus at 4 degrees Aquarius 6 minutes. As is painfully plain, neither Scorpio nor any of its rulers distribute the needed ray.  Ray Seven in this case might find an inlet through Saturn, linked by the Tibetan with Ray 7 in the tabulation on p. 423 of Esoteric Astrology.  Here again is a case in which an additional ray signature of a planet is a necessary item of knowledge to have in one’s arsenal in order to find the correct indication.  This same correct indication might also be extracted from the square of Mars to Venus in Aquarius, which sign has as its exoteric ruler a distributor of the Ray 7, the planet Uranus, but correct deduction by this route seems even less certain, as one would have to appeal to the exoteric ruler of the sign holding an aspected planet, not that aspected planet itself.  Perhaps a guiding principle might be extracted from all the above if we understand that in attempting to deduce the ray of the physical body, one should examine hard angle aspects to Mars (if any exist) and any repeating messages involved from the aspecting planets and rulership at any level.

As can be seen, correct astrologically based ray analysis is an exacting exercise.  Many possibilities will present themselves for consideration.  In order to distinguish between these numerous choices, it seems best to consider the rays of the sign holding the factor under consideration and then look for confirming evidence in the form of hard angle aspects to the factor under consideration and repeating themes in various levels of rulership.  Even this is only an approximate guide, but one that could well have worked in an astrologically based ray analysis for Roberto Assagioli.  In sum, it can be said with certainty that astrologically-based ray analysis is certainly difficult, but not impossible.  To those who would dismiss this hypothesis as irrelevant, it seems necessary to respond that any discussion of the matter is incomplete without consideration of the foregoing study of the chart of Roberto Assagioli.

THE TRANSITS OF DISCIPLESHIP TESTS

AND INITIATION

PART I

ASSAGIOLI IN THE PRE-WORLD WAR II YEARS

The story of Assagioli’s evolving discipleship is told in Discipleship in the New Age I, pp. 138 – 156, and Discipleship in the New Age II, pp. 459 – 473.  These pages contain letters dictated by the Tibetan for F.C.D. (or Assagioli) to Alice Bailey.  The letters follow Assagioli’s progress for a fifteen year period, from 1933 – 1948, spanning Assagioli’s ages 44 – 60.  This fifteen year period, of course, brackets World War II, a geo-political development of much significance to Assagioli, both in his personal life and in his life of discipleship service.  Assagioli was an Italian Jew ^[42] living under the Mussolini regime.  The simple fact of his religious heritage, together with his altruistic values and publicly expressed spirit of goodwill, ultimately brought him under the unwanted attention of the Nazi-Fascist Italian government.  However, though Assagioli was without question in grave danger, he ultimately maintained his liberty, as the story below will show.

A rough sketch of Assagioli’s biographical data might help place his life and discipleship work in context.  According to Assagioli’s personal friend, astrologer Dane Rudhyar, the following facts about Assagioli’s outer life are known. ^[43] Born February 27, 1888, noon, in Venice, Italy, Assagioli earned his medical degree in neurology and psychiatry at the University of Florence. Beyond his academic work, Assagioli’s interests included a broad range of philosophical, cultural, and liberal issues.   In his early years he was involved in various literary activities, directing a philosophy library and editing a scientific journal named Psyche.  He developed an innovative psychotherapeutic technique and established an institute for its practice in Rome before the onset of World War II.

When the Fascist –Nazi party took over Italy, Assagioli already had a reputation as a progressive humanitarian and liberal.  His psychotherapeutic technique was based on the existence of a higher, superconscious, or spiritual aspect of the human being, an idea clearly subversive to the materialistic Nazi position.  Not surprisingly, Assagioli was arrested during the war years by Mussolini’s troops and kept in solitary confinement for one month in 1940.  He was released, but was again hounded by Fascist security forces in 1943, during which time Assagioli evaded capture by hiding in mountain hamlets.  In 1944, Assagioli together with the rest of Europe was liberated by Allied forces.  After the war, Assagioli focused on formulating his ideas into books for public use.  He is widely known for his two works, Psychosynthesis and The Act of Will, both of which had been published before Assagioli died in 1974.

Lately another facet of Assagioli’s life has been recounted by a number of persons long associated with Meditation Mount, in Ojai, California.  It seems that during the late 1950s and the 1960s, Assagioli was quite active in making plans and laying foundations for global esoteric education.  According to Frances Adams Moore, associated with Meditation Mount since the 1960s, and others such as Davina Cox of Ojai, Assagioli was in contact with Bailey students throughout the world.  He organized an international group charged with the responsibility of setting up seven institutions of esoteric education in various countries.  One of these groups eventually settled in Ojai in the early 1960s and became Meditation Mount, at one point in its history serving some 5000 worldwide correspondents with inspired literature and organized programs of meditation on themes extracted from the Tibetan’s teaching (though this focus changed somewhat in the early twenty-first century under different leadership).  Recent developments notwithstanding, Assagioli is nevertheless considered the original point of inspiration for the founding of the Mount, though the actual original administrative work was accomplished by his associate and student, Florence Garrigue of Greenwich, CT, and Ojai, CA.

Thus, it is evident that Assagioli led a life of real relevance to world spiritual progress both exoterically and esoterically.  A rare glimpse of the inner life of this most successful discipleship expression is afforded us by the  Tibetan’s correspondence with F.C.D., so let us now turn to what the Tibetan’s remarks to him reveal about Assagioli’s spiritual strengths, human weaknesses, tests, and opportunities to work with Hierarchy in service to the Plan.

Recall that Assagioli had the Ascendant in Cancer, the sun in Pisces, and the Moon in Virgo conjunct the fourth house cusp (and thus angular).  As shall be shown, the prominence of the water element via the water signs Cancer and Pisces, and the lunar themes brought forth by an angular Moon and a Full Moon birth all aptly describe in astrological symbolism the main themes upon which the Tibetan instructed Assagioli.  Just as Cancer, Pisces, and the Moon (and Full Moon births) are well recognized even in exoteric astrology to produce a marked psychic and emotional sensitivity, the Tibetan drew Assagioli’s attention to the presence of just these very themes in his life to a troubling degree.

In fact, the Tibetan repeatedly warned Assagioli away from further cultivation of emotional hypersensitivity, ^[44] too much emphasis upon telepathic reaction to others’ states of mind, ^[45] allowing others to become too emotionally attached to him, ^[46] and about Assagioli himself being too attached to others on an emotional basis. ^[47]   These are all problems associated with the nature of the Piscean and Cancerian influences, which as water signs, produce the blurring of boundaries between self and other in psychic and emotional ways that frequently obscure a necessary higher clarity.  This was Assagioli’s problem.  True to his Cancerian, Piscean, and lunar influences, he was a profoundly compassionate and empathic human being.  Yet he was also quite nearly incapacitated by this facet of himself at times, overwhelmed by the content of his psychic and telepathic links with others.  As a disciple on the path of occult training and wise use of energy, it was necessary for him to drastically reduce his capacity for emotional identification with others, replacing that sensitivity with the less dramatic communion soul to soul.

The fact that Assagioli’s astrological chart so accurately symbolizes the very issues brought forth in the Tibetan’s remarks to him is of interest itself, for it is not in any way likely that the Tibetan had need of an astrological chart from which to derive his guidance.  As an adept of the Fifth Degree, Master D.K. (the Tibetan) had capacity for complete clairvoyance or remote telepathic viewing.  He was able to directly sense and see not only the attitudes and states of mind of those whom he guided, but also their pasts and futures.  Thus, it should be noted that the Tibetan probably did not derive his comments from study of an astrological chart such as is currently used.  Nonetheless, the degree to which his remarks tally with astrological indications tends to suggest that astrological analysis can be employed as a sufficient tool  in esoteric counseling.  The story told in the letters to F.C.D. will best demonstrate this principle, so let us turn to an examination of these letters taken in chronological order.

D.K.’s first recorded letter to F.C.D., dated January 1933, immediately informs its recipient that his etheric vehicle is dangerously devitalized and overtaxed, ^[48] the type of weakened vitality frequently associated with Piscean influence, given as it is to dissolution and the sublimation of physical plane matter into mists.  This condition was susceptible of correction, F.C.D. was advised, with solitude and outdoor exposure, ^[49] and his attention was drawn to yet another situation which also drained him of vitality.  Said the Tibetan, “You have the problem of…a heart attached to many and hence unduly strained and taxed by others. There are many demands on your sympathies.” ^[50]

Both the signs Cancer and Pisces are known for their empathic nature, emotional focus, and tendency to easily form bonds of affection with others.  But these very characteristics, according to the Tibetan, were standing right in the way of Assagioli’s discipleship progress.  “You suffer from attachment and from too rapid identification with other people.  This can be handled if you stand steadfast as a soul and do not focus as a personality in your dealing with people – both in your home circle and in your world service.  You need to bear in mind that your relation is with souls and not with temporary forms and so you must live detached from personalities, serving them but living ever in the consciousness of the soul….” ^[51]

Thus, D.K. in effect advised Assagioli not to be overcome by the characteristics of his water sign and lunar influences, all of which are known by astrologers to incline an individual toward sentimental attachments.  In fact, the Tibetan stated very forcefully the right direction for Assagioli, saying, “The perfect fulfilment of your duty and your freedom inwardly from ties will spell for you that measure of liberation which will release you to fuller service.” ^[52]   This last statement contains a key phrase from which the initials F.C.D. are derived.  F.C.D. stands for three spiritual characteristics the Tibetan would have had Assagioli develop; Freedom from Ties, Chelaship, and Detachment, the first of which three is clearly enunciated in the Tibetan’s wording in the passage above.  Why was it so necessary for Assagioli to stand free of ties?  It was because his emotional links with both family and psychotherapeutic patients embroiled him with them at the personality level, which was a lesser level of functioning than that required if Assagioli was to help others be released into the strength and wisdom of their souls.  Thus the Tibetan warned Assagioli away from the low road and encouraged him to take the high road in his relations with others.

In 1933 when the Tibetan directed such comments to Assagioli,  transiting Neptune had been passing back and forth in conjunction to  Assagioli’s Moon degree and in opposition to his Sun degree since October 1931. As god of the waters and a distributor of Ray 6, Neptune rules the astral plane and hence the astral body.  Thus, it is entirely understandable that an issue concerning the over-responsiveness of the astral body would have been current for Assagioli during this phase, during which Neptune activated two placements in his chart by hard angle transit, the most powerful kind of transiting aspect.

Neptune continued to pass back and forth over Assagioli’s Moon degree and opposite his Sun degree through August 1933, and in June of that year, D.K. wrote, “Your period of difficulty and of loneliness has not lessened for you and you have found it hard to struggle along.” ^[53]   In other words, the Neptune effect had not yet dissipated, and Assagioli was still in the midst of attempts to get a grip on his astral body, which like all astral bodies had a tendency to constantly fog his perception.  At this time Assagioli obviously felt very alone, for D.K. used the word “loneliness.”  Here indeed is circumstance easily understandable by any counseling astrologer, who knows from observation that transits of Neptune over any point in the chart frequently bring feelings of isolation, acute sensitivity, and in general a sense of being misunderstood. And here, while Assagioli was in the midst of a two year transit of Neptune over his Moon and opposite his Sun, the Tibetan alluded to just such a state of affairs.

But the Tibetan Master also offered hope and encouragement, adding the important words, “…you are coming closer to your Master…,” ^[54] healing music to the ears of any striving disciple.  This was undoubtedly good news in the midst of dreary, demoralizing circumstances, the full details about which are not given in the letters.  Nonetheless, the bright spot in it all was the advent of a closer spiritual approach to Assagioli’s Master, who was not D.K. but rather Koot Humi. ^[55]   This closer approach  of Assagioli to his Master was apparently taking place in the midst of and being signified by a transiting conjunction of Neptune to Assagioli’s Moon and the transiting opposition of Neptune to his Sun.  Thus, in this case, not only did Neptune bring increased emotional and psychic sensitivity, feelings of being alone and misunderstood, and maybe even real social, political, and professional persecution, but also an opportunity to advance toward contact with significant spiritual sources.

In fact, it might even be inferred that the reason for the acute sensitivity and the removal from previously comforting human contacts is just so that the inner plane telepathic contact with the Master might be facilitated – an important principle to remember for those times when one is confronted with the vagaries and apparently unjust conditions which frequently accompany Neptune transits.  The temptation under Neptune influence is to imagine oneself (or the counselee) as the tortured martyr to whom all sorts of unwarranted punishments are being meted out.  To the contrary, it would appear that some of these “punishments” (i.e., loneliness) may well be serious blessings in disguise. This may have been true in Assagioli’s case, for concurrent with a period of loneliness there transpired a closer approach to his Master, an approach to be understood as a closer telepathic and subjective bond, which matters are of course ruled by Neptune.

The next letter came forth in June 1934, an entire year later.  Transiting Neptune had just finished its interaction with Assagioli’s Sun-Moon opposition.  Major new astrological influences were about to enter Assagioli’s picture.  Transiting Uranus at 0 degrees Taurus was poised to begin a two year activation of Assagioli’s T-square located in early fixed degrees: Saturn at approximately 1 Leo, Mars at 0 Scorpio, and Venus at 4 Aquarius.  And transiting Saturn at 28 Aquarius would reach Assagioli’s Midheaven very shortly, in April of 1935, to hover around that point through January 1936, thus activating  a point in the chart well known to concern one’s greater responsibilities in life and one’s impact on society and the world.  Thus, with Uranus just about to jolt Assagioli’s T-square into action, and Saturn just about to thrust Assagioli into the limelight of attention, D.K.’s comment to him was, “You stand at the verge of a real expansion of your work….” ^[56]   In other words, all that astrological energy signified that Assagioli was positioned to leave behind the doldrums of the Neptune transit and get cracking for the implementation of the Plan.

Clearly, the travail of the heavy Neptune influence was not altogether bogged down in the self concern generated by the astral body.   No, this transit had also brought about certain developments of a desirable nature from the standpoint of the Teachers, and D.K. saw that the energy correlated with the fresh and incoming astrological activation could therefore be devoted to new endeavors.

However, Assagioli was not yet entirely free of the tentacles engendered by the lunar and water sign inclinations, for in this same letter, D.K. went on to admonish Assagioli all over again on the same points, saying , “Relinquish that close attention to the lives of those around you which is the easy way of working for all who are second ray disciples.  Their sense of responsibility is so great and their desire to shelter and to guard so strong that they unduly cherish those who are linked to them by karmic obligation and whose lives touch theirs in the life of every day.  Go your own way with strength and silence, and do that which your soul demands.  Let not the lesser voices of the loved and near deflect you from your progress upon the path of service.  You belong now to the world, and not to a handful of your fellowmen.” ^[57]

This is as much to say, “Cease over-attachment to and meddling in the affairs of others and get your mind on the bigger picture,” a comment undoubtedly apt for any individual influenced by meddlesome, trivia-oriented Virgo.  In this case, it was Assagioli’s Moon which was in that sign.  Since the Moon, after all, in esoteric astrological doctrine is nothing but an impeding veil, the psychological characteristics, patterns, and drives associated with the sign where it’s located can be discarded without regret.  And that’s exactly what the Tibetan urged here in the language of ray psychology, drawing to Assagioli’s attention the troublesome side of behavior associated with Ray 2, which ray characterized Assagioli’s astral body, described by his Moon sign, Virgo, a distributor of Ray 2.

The letter of June 1934 also contained specific directions for a project which would foreshadow the type of more broadly relevant world service the Tibetan hoped to see Assagioli undertake.  D.K. asked Assagioli to write an article upon the power of the dedicated will, which topic would eventually flower into a significant portion of Assagioli’s psychological theory, as demonstrated in his well-known treatise, The Act of Will.  D.K.’s comments directing Assagioli toward a consideration of the consecrated will were made just as transiting Uranus, which is sometimes associated with the Ray of Will and Power ^[58] (in addition to its more frequent association with the Ray of Magic and Ceremonial Order), was beginning to activate Assagioli’s Saturn in Leo by transiting square.  Leo, of course, distributes Ray One, and Saturn is sometimes associated as well with that ray, according to the Tibetan. ^[59]

Thus, the Tibetan drew Assagioli’s attention to the Ray of Will and Power just as several astrological indicators associated with that ray were releasing their influences into Assagioli’s energy field.  In fact, D.K stated to Assagioli in this letter, “It is the use of the will aspect that second ray disciples have to acquire and this, for you, is an immediate problem.  The will of persistence you have.  The dynamic will which breaks down barriers and carries all before it is your next achievement and unfoldment.” ^[60]   The immediate problem was thus directly related to the next major transiting planetary aspects Assagioli was to experience.  But this theme of developing the will aspect would last well beyond the approaching Ray One planetary transits, remaining central throughout Assagioli’s discipleship career, as the letters show.  The method by which this was to be accomplished was constant meditation upon the will, consecrated to active loving service, which constant meditation the Tibetan specifically recommended to Assagioli. ^[61]   It is interesting to note here that the Tibetan urged a movement in consciousness which would automatically pull Assagioli’s attention out of his tendency toward sentiment–based relationships and into his greater work by substituting for his Ray 2 astral body habits the preoccupations associated with the ray of his mental body.

And there was urgent good reason that this should be done.  The January 1935 letter makes it clear that Assagioli’s physical health and consequent freedom to serve were still seriously hampered by his continuing etheric devitalization.  Said the Tibetan, “The physical weakness has its seat in constant draining and leakage of the etheric body.” ^[62]   In turn, that leakage of the etheric body, said the Tibetan, was a direct result of Assagioli’s outgoing care for others, a good thing in proper measure, no doubt, but devastating in large doses.

The Tibetan laid this out plainly to Assagioli, the ever-empathic Piscean, in saying, “Forget not that a weakened etheric body is easily drained by other people though they do this quite unconsciously.  Therefore, for you, close contact with others is not desirable – not only from the standpoint of your health but from the angle of the status which you have reached upon the path of Discipleship.” ^[63]   D.K. went on to say, “Close mingling with the auras of other people causes in your case a constant seepage of vitality, for you are constantly oriented to giving.” ^[64]

There, in a nutshell, was the problem.  Assagioli was giving out all the energy he had to the (relatively small) concerns of the individuals in his personal circle of acquaintances.  This is a classic problem of the water sign psychology and particularly of Pisces, persons influenced by which sign seem to know little about appropriate boundary setting and consequently are frequently exhausted, wasted, drained, and vitiated by the extent to which they pour themselves out for others.  This sort of “bleeding to death” for others has certainly been condoned by the misguided theologies which arose as a distorted statement of values to be integrated during the Age of Pisces.  Such a behavior pattern, however, was never productive, and in Assagioli’s case, it was well nigh destroying his health.

As a sun sign Pisces, Assagioli is a particularly good example of the whole Piscean complex and paradigm which must be repudiated if disciples are to be effective world servers and competent, wise managers of energies.  The non-emotional, soul directed, and scientific use of energy is one of the main objectives of the Hierarchical teaching, and particularly of the esoteric astrological teaching given by the Tibetan. ^[65]   This teaching promotes a conscientious use of all incoming energies.  And this was exactly what D.K. wanted Assagioli to see.  He wanted Assagioli to think more carefully about the uses to which he put his quota of energy, and to look beyond his comfort zone of individuals and their personal problems at the larger horizon of world service and the efforts needed in that context.  Said D.K. to Assagioli,  “You must take the attitude of a disciple whose work and time is needed by the world in this hour of urgency.” ^[66]

This is not to say that Assagioli was to completely ignore the needs of those around him (which would have gone against his kindly nature and the discipleship principle of right human relations), but instead that he was not to allow himself to exhaust all his vital resources in an attempt to deal on the personality level with the needs of those around him.  This issue is of course one that all of today’s servers can readily understand, and thus appreciate Assagioli’s position as he battled those tendencies within himself that were not bad in any real sense, but which were lesser than what was needed for effective Hierarchical cooperation.  D.K. led Assagioli away from a life path in which every passing sentiment called the shots, toward a deliberately constructed vehicle of soul expression and service.  The critical ingredient in getting this done was the activation of the spiritual will in Assagioli.  Along these lines, the Tibetan stated to Assagioli, “It is the use of the will that is of importance to a disciple, for the rightly directed will is the controller of force and the disciple works in the realm of forces.” ^[67]

The July 1935 letter begins with a statement indicating that Assagioli had been recently going through a period of testing and consolidation. ^[68]   Just at that time, transiting Saturn in Pisces had been activating Assagioli’s Moon-Sun opposition at 8 Virgo/Pisces, had been doing so since April of that year, and would continue to do so through January 1936.  As all well-versed astrologers know, both the words “testing” and “consolidation” are associated with the effects of Saturn, and thus here again the close conformity of the astrological indications with those given by D.K.’s clairvoyant analysis is demonstrated.

The July 1935 letter also contains comments that were certainly good preparation for an important astrological influence that Assagioli was soon to experience.  Reference to Assagioli’s chart shows that he had Mercury in the 10^th house at 18 degrees of Pisces and in retrograde motion.  Transiting Saturn would reach that point and hover around it from April 1936 through January 1937.  Again, as all well versed astrologers know, the 10^th house concerns one’s impact on the world through career and social standing, and Mercury rules all communication processes.  Thus, with an angular Mercury emphasized by both house position an retrogradation, Assagioli certainly had it in him to become a well-known writer or lecturer, and he was due to enter a period of time in which such facets of his potential could be actualized.

Right in keeping with astrological indications, the Tibetan’s remarks to Assagioli at this time were, “…you must acquire an increased ability to voice truth through the medium of the written word.  Opportunity will come to you to reach the world with ideas that are relatively new; that which you write can be printed and circulated…. But, my brother, you must work for a year at the organising of your thought and material, so that you can reach the thinkers of the world with the new ideas in the field of that oncoming major science, the newer field of service – the field of psychology….” ^[69]

Thus, the Tibetan here focused upon the potential for the upcoming conjunction of transiting Saturn to Assagioli’s natal 10^th house Mercury.  To exoteric astrologers, Jupiter is the planet of opportunity.  But according to the Tibetan’s presentation of the esoteric astrological doctrine, it is Saturn which brings real opportunity, in the sense of a definite opportunity to make a significant contribution to the manifestation of the Plan.  D.K. called Saturn the planet of discipleship and opportunity, ^[70] the planet under whose influence one may shoulder personal responsibility, ^[71] the stager of situations which make choice and determination inevitable, ^[72] and the presenter of opportunity. ^[73]   Undoubtedly, the Tibetan could see ahead to the circumstances that would  present themselves to Assagioli, specifically the window in time in which he could begin to make his destined impact on the field of psychology.

But, true to the well-recognized character of Saturn influence, such an opportunity would amount to nothing without application of self to the serious work at hand.  Thus, the Tibetan said that Assagioli must work for a year at organizing his ideas, a classic expression of Saturn (which exacts effort as well as imparting structure and organization) in combination with Mercury (ideas, verbal expression, written material).  D.K.’s direction to Assagioli just before transiting Saturn would activate his Mercury was, “You must know with clarity what is the new thing which you seek to give to the world.  Then and only then will the many true ideas which ferment so facilely in your mind drop into place….” ^[74]   Truer Saturnian words were never spoken, especially to a Piscean with a retrograde Mercury in a water sign – all of which influences would have inclined Assagioli toward vague, diffused and disorganized thinking if not disciplined rather severely.  Here it is evident that the Tibetan Teacher was well aware of Assagioli’s weaknesses, and gave him the key to overcome them at a critical juncture in time.

That Assagioli should compose and order his mind around the predicted writing project was one of the Tibetan’s main points to Assagioli in mid 1935.  D.K. stated, “The writing of this book should be your main, subjective endeavor during the next few years.” ^[75]   Those next few years were largely to be colored by major transits to Assagioli’s Mercury.  Transiting Saturn in Pisces would conjunct Assagioli’s Mercury degree in April 1936, September 1936, and January 1937.  Transiting Neptune in Virgo would oppose Assagioli’s Mercury broadly from October 1936 through July 1938.  Thus, Assagioli’s Mercury would be heavily accented by transit from the spring of 1936 through the summer of 1938, neatly describing the “next few years” during which the writing of a book, a decidedly Mercurial activity, was to claim Assagioli’s attention.  Here is yet another case in which the Tibetan’s clairvoyant and spiritual advice matched up with what might have been deduced astrologically as well.

The literary challenge before him notwithstanding, Assagioli was still struggling with his inherently sensitive equipment.  D.K. urged Assagioli once again in July 1935 to detach himself from “too close a contact with the auras of others,” ^[76] and in December 1935, D.K. acknowledged that Assagioli’s telepathic facility had led him to suffer much in sensing the distress of those of importance to him. ^[77]   This, the Tibetan brought out in the December 1935 letter, was as a consequence of the fact that Assagioli chosen the path of the World Saviors, ever a hard one, due to the ability of the “Divine Sensitives” to suffer in the sensing of world pain.  Pisces, Assagioli’s sun sign, is of course associated with the work of World Saviors.

D.K. sought to help Assagioli manage his sensitivity in this direction in a practical way, recommending a temporary discipline constituted of divine indifference and close concentration upon service matters at hand. ^[78]   This advice came as transiting Saturn made a conjunction to Assagioli’s Sun, an opposition to his Moon, and a conjunction to his Midheaven from December 1935 to January 1936.  Such advice is certainly in keeping with the requirements of Saturn, which frequently force the individual to deal with pragmatic concerns.  Usually this works out for the good, even though it seems drastic at the time.

The June 1936 letter continues with guidance consistent with the strong Saturnian influence acting on Assagioli’s chart at this time.  D.K. told Assagioli, “…the future holds for you much successful work, if right elimination of non-essential activities (with a consequent intensification of the essential and a certain measure of physical discipline) becomes possible to you.” ^[79]   Streamlining, cutting back, and reduction of involvements are all associated with the influence of Saturn transits.  Undertaking these measures willingly would allow Assagioli to derive the most spiritual benefit from this interval in his life.

In the same letter, D.K. once more brought Assagioli’s attention to the need for him to curb the etheric leakage causing his physical debilities, which again D.K. pointed out could be done by proper attitude.  “Your problem,” the Tibetan explained to Assagioli, “has far less to do with your own individual equipment than it has to do with your environing conditions.  It is in these conditions that you have to serve.  You are excessively sensitive to impacts from those surroundings, both from the mass and from individuals, and you know not yet how to give in fullness and yet retain, how to go out others and never leave your own poised position.  To stand in spiritual being…is the clue to your problem.  You need thus to stand and with greater poise.  A dynamic, mental focussing will save you from much depletion.  If, my brother, you dwell ever on the plane of the mind, you cannot so easily be reached by the majority who contact you and who at present drain you of your strength.” ^[80]

As before, the centerpiece of the Tibetan’s advice to Assagioli hinged on accenting the disciple’s mental body and its ray, while simultaneously playing down the mediumistic, instinctual telepathic tendencies of Pisces, so easily expressed through Assagioli’s 2^nd ray astral body.  It is easy to see in this approach a general principle that might be applied in various esoteric counseling situations.

The theme changed slightly in the January 1937 letter, in which the Tibetan announced to Assagioli, “You are about to enter upon a period of fuller service.” ^[81]   This expanded service was to include the location of those individuals who showed discipleship promise, communication with the intelligent masses, and the inspiring of others who could value ideas, but not “…to reach the unawakened, or to write that which is popular.” ^[82]   Here D.K. is urging on Assagioli a degree of discrimination not native to the Piscean psychology, which  wants to accept everything and everybody, no questions asked.  This was Assagioli’s sun sign predisposition, but the esoteric astrological doctrine teaches that the sun sign is nothing but a veil.  Thus, the deliberate shedding of certain sun sign characteristics is in line with esoteric astrological principles.

D.K. also directed Assagioli to greater attention to his subjective work, ^[83] such as various forms of occult meditation and specifically directed attempts to make telepathic contact with persons advancing on the path.  The major transits to Assagioli’s chart at this time included the opposition of transiting Neptune from the 4^th house to the natal 10^th house Mercury, an apt signature for a subjective focus, which is certainly symbolized by both the 4^th house and the planet Neptune.  D.K.’s advice to Assagioli under this transit gives us a clue to the productive use of all Neptune transits, which frequently end up being lost spiritual opportunities for a lack of understanding regarding their spiritual purposes.

It is apparent that Assagioli was familiar with his astrological chart, for in the January 1937 letter, the Tibetan referred to Assagioli’s mention of his own “lack of fire.” ^[84]   Actually, Assagioli had two planets in fire signs, Jupiter in Sagittarius, and Saturn in Leo.  All the same, Assagioli’s Midheaven, Sun, and Mercury in Pisces seemed to characterize much of his expression, and so the water element appeared to dominate.  In fact, his chart had a pretty good distribution of all the elements represented, with two planets in fire signs, two in earth, three in air, and three in water.  Additionally, his overall chart pattern was just about a splash, so he had diversity and universality well within his grasp.  Assagioli had it in him to understand all conditions and all people and to be flexible when that was necessary, a reflection of the splash pattern way of being.

The January 1938 letter, issued in the midst of transiting Neptune’s long opposition from Assagioli’s 4^th house of home and family to his 10^th house Mercury, makes mention of the fact that Assagioli had been forced to move and accept a change of environment. ^[85]   Caused on the outer level by the conditions of World War II, such an occurrence is of course also predictable under an astrological influence of this nature.  A factor in Assagioli’s forced move was no doubt the fact of his Jewish ancestry, for which “sin” millions of European Jews were truly persecuted.  Here is a case in which a Neptune transit did not merely generate illusionary feelings of persecution and martyrdom, but actually correlated to very real political developments.

Nonetheless, it was in the midst of such conditions that Assagioli was to again enter “a period of intensified service.” ^[86]   The astrological indicators of this upcoming period of intensified service bear a remarkable similarity to those involved in the Tibetan’s June 1934 announcement to Assagioli that he then stood at the verge of a significant expansion of his work.  Just as in 1934 when Assagioli’s fixed sign T-square composed of Mars (0 Scorpio), Saturn (1 Leo), and Venus (4 Aquarius) was activated by transiting hard angles from Uranus, so now in January 1938 with a “period of intensified service” looming ahead, transiting Pluto was in the midst of activating the same group of planets in Assagioli’s chart.

PART II

THE WAR YEARS

Between October 1937 and May 1943, transiting Pluto in the early degrees of Leo would square Assagioli’s Mars, conjunct his Saturn, and oppose his Venus.  D.K. advised Assagioli that he could use this period to become clear and decisive in his thoughts and actions, overcoming the uncertainty and lack of positive direction which had plagued him before, and which had created a vibrational situation in which it had been impossible for Assagioli to attract to himself those clear-minded, committed co-workers with whom he could reliably build an Hierarchically ordained enterprise.  Thus, the upcoming hard angle transits from Pluto correlated to an interval in time in which certain key developments in Assagioli’s discipleship career could take place.

Here indeed is an interesting and novel view of Pluto transits, which are universally viewed with trepidation by all astrologers, their attempts to cast a positive light on such matters notwithstanding.  In fact, behold the first aspect Pluto would make – transiting Pluto square natal Mars!  And to the Tibetan’s clairvoyant perception, this signified conditions under which Assagioli could begin to master certain personality liabilities and karmic hindrances in such a way as to break through into a much greater degree of usefulness to Hierarchy.  Next, transiting Pluto would conjunct Assagioli’s Saturn.  D.K. described this as “…an interlude wherein to think with clarity, to subject yourself to self imposed discipline, and to heighten your magnetic vibration.” ^[87]   That, no doubt, comes from the Saturn involvement, with Pluto greatly intensifying its powers.  Finally, transiting Pluto would  oppose Assagioli’s Venus in Aquarius, the sign of friendships, group relations, and organizational affairs.

In seeking to prepare Assagioli for the period ahead in which this Pluto-Venus opposition would become exact, D.K. discussed in the January 1938 letter the problem of finding right associates and the need to avoid selecting persons who had not yet demonstrated spiritual alignment for co-working posts.  Said the Tibetan bluntly,  “…draw to yourself cooperators in the Plan and not consumers of your energy.  Go through the lists of those you have sought to help and relinquish them to their souls.  Mind not their criticism but dedicate yourself to more important work – a work which will appear when you have freed yourself from the clinging hands of well-meaning but weak-minded aspirants.” ^[88]

If this isn’t preparation for the social and relational clearing out inevitable with a transiting Pluto opposition to Venus, what is?  Yes, looking ahead to the energy configurations down the road for Assagioli, the Tibetan could see the goring, destructive effect that inappropriate co-working relationships would have on Assagioli and his service potential if he did not do something drastic ahead of time.  Hence, the recommendations to release to their souls all whose evolutionary needs at that time were more focussed on their own integration and less on Hierarchical cooperation, a fact making them inherently incompatible with the tenor of Assagioli’s life as it was to become.

Thus, the hard angle transits of Pluto to Assagioli’s fixed sign T-square occurring from 1937 through 1943 signified much.  One might justifiably argue that this fixed sign T-square was the most important internal aspect structure in Assagioli’s chart, the mainspring driving the critical dynamics of his discipleship evolution.  Support for such an argument could be found in the fact that the Fixed Cross, according to the Tibetan, plays such a critical role in the discipleship stage of evolution. ^[89]   Further evidence for the importance of this T-square in Assagioli’s chart can be found in the fact that it is partly composed of a Mars-Saturn square.  These two planets are singled out by the Tibetan as “exceedingly potent in connection with initiation into the life of the Hierarchy.” ^[90]

In just what way Mars and Saturn are to indicate potential for initiation into the life of Hierarchy the Tibetan did not specify in technical astrological terms.  However, clarification may come from the fact that H.P. Blavatsky, undoubtedly an initiated Hierarchical representative, had Mars conjunct Saturn in Virgo.  And here is Assagioli, one of the Tibetan’s correspondents, with Mars square Saturn.  Perhaps Mars-Saturn hard angles (i.e., conjunction, square, and opposition) are one way in which such potential is signified astrologically.

Does this mean that every person with a Mars-Saturn hard angle is material for initiation into the life of Hierarchy?  No, only those who make it so by dint of hard effort, which of course is what the Mars-Saturn hard angle aspect signifies in the first place!  Astrological circuitousness aside, it is important to note that the esoteric view of hard angle aspects between Mars and Saturn in the natal chart varies significantly from its exoteric counterpart, which sees in such symbolism the makings of frustrated efforts, delayed accomplishments, and a very troublesome unresolved issue with the father and all authority figures in general.  In contrast, counseling esoteric astrologers can be bearers of good news in regard to Mars-Saturn hard angles in the chart, for such symbolism may very well signify that the individual is in the midst of the rigorous training for or even the exacting conditions consequent upon close association with Hierarchy.

Certainly the promise of a continued co-working relationship with Hierarchy must have been encouraging to Assagioli, who in not too long would be temporarily in the clutches of armed forces acting under the Axis Powers.  Likely this coming event was known to the Tibetan, who told Assagioli in the January 1939 letter, “I would ask you – as far as you possibly can – to insulate yourself from fear and from the effect of the world situation and its allied problems.  The future for you is planned….” ^[91]   Then D.K. gave Assagioli a simple visualization meditation that would protect him. ^[92]   Undoubtedly, both the knowledge that a future work was planned and the protective meditation served to help Assagioli maintain his poise in the coming challenge, one which he handled masterfully and safely.

Resuming our study of the chart of Roberto Assagioli, we can now proceed to a further examination of the ways in which various significant phases of Assagioli’s life correlated to easily identified planetary transits.

As previously indicated, the story of Assagioli’s evolving discipleship is told in Discipleship in the New Age I, pp. 138 – 156, and Discipleship in the New Age II, pp. 459 – 473, which contain letters from the Tibetan to F.C.D. over a fifteen year period, Assagioli’s ages 44 through 60.

In the two previous installments of this study, we learned that Assagioli evidenced tendencies and problems classically associated with his Pisces Sun, angular Moon, and Cancerian Ascendant.  We read that the Tibetan advised Assagioli repeatedly to curb the innate emotional and psychic sensitivity which  flowed forth abundantly from the personality centered expression of these factors in Assagioli’s chart.

We found that the Tibetan recommended as an antidote that Assagioli call upon his spiritual will.  This spiritual will, we found, was largely symbolized by Assagioli’s Venus in Aquarius, indicating his Ray One mental body.  As it so happens, Assagioli’s Venus is configured by hard angle with Saturn in Leo and Mars in Scorpio, thus creating a redoubtable T-square in fixed signs.  It was precisely this imposing arrangement in his chart which was activated by transit during the period when the Tibetan predicted that Assagioli could achieve a definitive victory over his astral sensitivity through the activation of the spiritual will.

We thus saw that if we were to translate the Tibetan’s spiritual guidance and advice to Assagioli into astrological terms, the instruction imparted would amount to an admonishment for Assagioli to minimize the potentially worst manifestations of his Sun, Moon, and Ascendant signs, and by contrast to emphasize and enlarge upon the potentially best manifestations of a particularly challenging planetary configuration.

Such advice would be in the main consistent with the principles of esoteric astrology, which on one hand state that the Sun and Moon signs are in fact nothing but a veil or impediment, while on the other that planetary force (such as that found in Assagioli’s T-square involving Venus, Mars, and Saturn) must be mastered and put to use for soul purpose. ^[93]   The Ascendant, by contrast, is never mentioned by the Tibetan as representing a potential point for regression.  However, the Tibetan does say that right management of the energies represented by the Ascendant can lead to alignment with the soul. ^[94]   Thus, even the corrections urged upon Assagioli in regard to those characteristics which might be symbolized by his Ascendant can fit amicably well under the umbrella of esoteric astrological principles.

When we last left off with the story, Assagioli had just received the letter of January 1939, as recorded in Discipleship in the New Age I.  The story resumes on p. 459 of Discipleship in the New Age II, which opens with a letter from D.K. to F.C.D. dated August 1940.  This letter was of course written against the backdrop of deeply disturbing world events, as Nazi Germany seized Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Norway, waged the blitzkrieg over London, and signed pacts with Italy and Japan, thus solidifying the intentions of the Axis Powers.

Within this context, the Tibetan acknowledged that the past few months had been extremely difficult for Assagioli.  Then D.K. stated ominously, “The future also holds for you much of anxiety and of this I warn you….” ^[95]   Undoubtedly, the Tibetan here alluded in general to the anti-Semitic policies taking root under the Axis Powers and in particular to the coming capture of Assagioli by the Italian Fascist regime due to happen in that same year. ^[96]

Much can be learned from an examination of the astrological transits under which Assagioli labored during 1940.  The “past few months” to which the Tibetan referred were largely conditioned by hard angle transits of Pluto and Saturn to Assagioli’s natal Saturn and Mars.  Let’s look first at the Pluto transits.

Transiting Pluto in Leo was conjunct Assagioli’s natal Saturn from October 1937 through May 1940, a much longer time than it currently takes Pluto to pass over a position in the zodiac.  Likewise, transiting Pluto was square to Assagioli’s Mars at 0 Scorpio during the same two and a half year period.  The very slow zodiacal motion of Pluto back in the first half of the twentieth century produced protracted periods of duress.  Assagioli certainly had one of these, for as a Jew and an altruist, he was living and trying to survive in a political climate that sought the eradication of everything for which he stood, precisely while these difficult Pluto transits affected his chart.

This long conjunction of transiting Pluto to his Saturn began in late 1937, and shortly thereafter, anti-Jewish legislation was passed in Italy (in 1938).    In 1942, the Holocaust began, just as Assagioli was in the midst of a two and half year opposition of transiting Pluto to his natal Venus, which as stated earlier, is configured with Saturn and Mars in Assagioli’s chart.  The historical context of Assagioli’s life makes clear what a long term activation of  Pluto to a major planetary configuration can in fact signify.  And the Tibetan was candid with Assagioli about it all.  His comments to Assagioli during August of 1940 were consistent with the implications of the transits under which Assagioli labored in that year.

Those transits included the interaction by transiting hard angle from Saturn to Assagioli’s Saturn and Mars as well.  In March of 1940, transiting Saturn in Taurus made a square to Assagioli’s natal Saturn and an opposition to his natal Mars.  Transiting Saturn went on to square Assagioli’s natal Venus in April 1940.

Thus, “the past few months” to which the Tibetan alluded in his August 1940 letter to Assagioli were characterized by powerful activations to various parts of Assagioli’s T-square.  Specifically and primarily, these activations involved Pluto, Saturn, and Mars, either by transit, natally, or both.  Two out of these three are non-sacred planets (Pluto and Mars), and as such, have the potential to kick up much greater difficulty.  The power of the personality world is intensified under the influence of the non-sacred bodies, while Saturn (a sacred planet but still the “Lord of Karma”) brings the full repayment of karmic debts, so the combination of non-sacreds with Saturn can exhume ancient karma established by one-time wayward personality choices.  What exactly such ancient personality missteps may have been (if indeed there were any), in Assagioli’s case we do not know.  Yet we are given to understand that he met and mastered the forces released by this transit, for he not only survived this period handsomely, but also went on to continue his world discipleship work for an additional three and a half decades.

Today’s seekers and servers seem to have just as much trouble in their own ways with Pluto and Saturn, even though Pluto transits clear out in approximately one year nowadays, thanks to the place of Pluto in its very elliptical orbit (and  perhaps this is indicative of a significant increase in the momentum of Humanity’s evolution).  Just the same, all astrological counselors would do well to remember the potential for grave difficulties under Pluto transits, or a combination of Pluto and Saturn.  Under such configurations, something may come which severely tests the spiritual determination of the individual, just as Assagioli was tested, both by sociological-political intimidation and real physical danger.

Such considerations are timely.  The whole world currently labors under a transiting Saturn-Pluto opposition, just as, oddly enough, the whole world labored under a transiting Saturn-Pluto square in late March of 1940.  That Saturn-Pluto square of 1940 coincided with the persecution of the Jewish people in Europe, while the Saturn-Pluto opposition of 2001-2002 witnesses a world crisis in which the situation of Israel is central.  Further, the very existence of Israel as a modern political state has its roots in yet another Saturn-Pluto aspect.  During the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 1947,  the United Nations decided to divide up what once was Palestine in such a way as to provide land for a newly created Jewish country.

Thus, the waning square of 1940 coincided with the persecution of European Jews, the following conjunction of 1947 saw the decision to create the Israeli state, and then an opposition over 50 years later brought to a head the conflict which has raged since the founding of Israel between that nation and the entire region in which it is (perhaps unwisely) situated.  It is clear enough from this brief history that the fate of the Jewish people is linked to the Saturn-Pluto cycle.

In the case of Assagioli, an Italian Jew, the link between his personal astrological chart and the group karma in which he partook is equally clear, for his planetary aspects were arranged in just such a way as to receive the otherwise general impact of the Saturn-Pluto square of 1940 in a very direct and personal way.  Thus, Assagioli’s story provides a revealing case history of the ways in which group karma and individual destiny can be entertwined.  And we must not forget that the Tibetan knew of and acknowledged the gravity of Assagioli’s personal situation (or individual destiny) in the midst of the challenges of the Saturn-Pluto square of the World War II days (or group karma).  Nowhere did the Tibetan seek to soft-pedal or downplay the severity of the moment.

The Saturn-Pluto opposition in effect broadly from mid 2001 through mid 2002 aggravated many of the scars left in the world from previous Saturn-Pluto aspects, the Jewish people being only one of the several groups affected.  It might also be noted that during the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 1947, India reclaimed its independence and was divided in such a way as to create Pakistan.  Both these countries, India and Pakistan, emerged as central to the world crisis of 2001-2002 under yet another Saturn-Pluto hard angle transit, evidence that the group karma of these two countries is also linked to the Saturn-Pluto cycle.

We might wonder what esoteric astrological principle underlies the link of the Jewish people, certain of the Palestinians, India, and Pakistan with the planets Saturn and Pluto.  In the case of the Jews, the connection is obvious and straightforward.  According to the Ageless Wisdom teaching, Ray Three is the personality ray of the Jewish people, while Ray One is that of the soul of the Jewish people collectively. ^[97]    Rays One and Three are the dominant rays brought into play by the Saturn-Pluto opposition, for Saturn distributes Ray Three, and Pluto distributes Ray One.  Thus, it is easy to see the esoteric reason why the Jewish people have been so potently affected by events and conditions of the Saturn-Pluto cycle.

India, too, is much affected.  Again according to the Ageless Wisdom, India’s soul ray is Ray One. ^[98]   Information for the ray rulerships of Palestine and Pakistan lacking, no definitive statement can be made about their linkages to the Saturn-Pluto cycle other than those revealed by the historical correspondences.  However, the signs in which today’s opposition is occurring offer a rich set of possibilities for ray affiliations, as Gemini, the sign through which Saturn now moves, distributes Ray Two, and Sagittarius, the sign through which Pluto now moves, distributes Rays Four, Five, and Six.  Certainly something here must fit the groups involved.  Ray Six looks conspicuously appropriate, as many of the groups involved in the current  world crisis derive their identities from a religious basis.

Thus, as we can readily see, because of the influence of the Saturn-Pluto cycle, Assagioli’s situation as described in the letter of August 1940 was in some very fundamental and essential ways just like the situation of the server today.  Now as then, the conscientious disciple seeks to navigate a course through a threatening world situation and distressing group karma, all the while keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel of relationship to Hierarchy and the rudder of service to the Plan.  Our situation today thus being roughly analogous to that of Assagioli in the 40s, it would seem fitting that we study the advice given by the Tibetan to Assagioli in some of the gravest hours of peril that disciple would ever face.

Interestingly enough, the spiritual guidance offered by D.K. to Assagioli in August 1940 was much the same as it had been before.  Assagioli was admonished yet again to restrain the habits of his astral body, the Tibetan writing that Assagioli’s “…extreme psychic sensitivity and impressionability…must be overcome.” ^[99]   Of course, this extreme psychic sensitivity came naturally to Assagioli, with his Sun in Pisces, angular Moon, and Cancerian Ascendant.  Yet, the Tibetan urged Assagioli to direct his psychic impressionability away from the personality world and more forcefully toward the world of the soul.  “Register only those impressions and contacts which concern your service…,” D.K. advised Assagioli. ^[100]

Further, D.K. wanted Assagioli to completely release the sentimental type of emotional response for which the water signs are so well known, this being especially true of Cancer.  Putting the matter quite plainly, D.K. stated to Assagioli, “Learn…the futility of emotional feeling as a means of salvaging your brothers.” ^[101]   Assagioli was encouraged to develop a “divine indifference,”  untrammeled by personality reactions, which the Tibetan reminded him, were only solar plexus responses. These solar plexus responses, as the Tibetan pointed out, were incapable of lifting others out of their troubles, instead just multiplying the emotionalism in the situation.

Of importance to this discussion is the fact that the solar plexus is ruled, according to the Tibetan, by the planet Neptune ^[102] and Ray Six, which ray it distributes.  Observing the principle of numeric correspondence, this ray links to the Sixth or astral plane, the zone of emotion and glamour.  Neptune was to be a life-long factor in Assagioli’s energy field, for it was the esoteric and hierarchical rulers of his Ascendant, the exoteric ruler of his Midheaven, Sun, and Mercury, and involved in a wide conjunction with his Pluto.  Thus, any astrologer of the time would have made a good bet that management of Neptune and its related ray would constitute a main feature of Assagioli’s evolution.

Certainly the issues of Neptune and Ray Six were addressed by the Tibetan in his clairvoyantly based spiritual and occult recommendations for Assagioli.  At the time the August 1940 letter was written, such considerations were becoming even more important and timely, for Assagioli would in June 1941 begin to experience a one year activation of his natal Neptune by transiting Uranus, which would conjunct Assagioli’s Neptune degree until the following spring.   In preparation for that coming energy condition and in view of Assagioli’s already demonstrated life tendencies, D.K. minced no words but stated forthrightly that the main factor holding Assagioli back in his service and evolution as a disciple was “the glamour of an extreme sensitivity” caused by a “solar plexus wide open to all impressions.” ^[103]

What was to be the cure for this indiscriminate absorption of astral currents?  The Tibetan told Assagioli to take drastic measures, some that might be seen as hard-hearted by certain seekers of the huggy-feely persuasion.  D.K. told Assagioli the following.  “Insulate yourself, “ he said, “ from too close a contact with those in distress.  Aid them; love them; but do not identify yourself with them.  I speak of an astral insulation and not a refusal to meet and contact suffering humanity upon the physical plane.” ^[104] That was tricky advice, for Assagioli was to remain available yet resist the old habit of joining others in their anxiety and unrest.  Instead, Assagioli was to connect with them at the level of the soul, rightly identifying with others through an intuitive recognition of the underlying soul purpose as it was working out for any individual with whom he interacted. ^[105]   Here is good advice for us all in this day and age of potent world events and high anxiety in the public.  How can we best help?  By not joining them in their agitation, but rather by meeting them at the level of the soul, which is in full knowledge and wise understanding of the plan for each incarnation.

In order to help Assagioli move into this kind of thinking and a consequent new relationship with his social and psychic surroundings, D.K. gave Assagioli a meditative exercise designed to draw energy out of the solar plexus upward to the heart and head, then outward through the throat chakra.  Such an exercise was in keeping with the life direction into which D.K. hoped to encourage Assagioli – away from disabling sentiment and grim forebodings (wide open solar plexus) and toward the articulation (throat chakra) of a message of universal love (heart center) and right use of the spiritual will (head center).

Such an aggressive strategy in correcting Assagioli’s life long problem with astral sensitivity was urgent given the upcoming transits, likely sensed by the Tibetan clairvoyantly, who well knew what invitations to deadly levels of fear Assagioli might experience in the coming years.  The potential for fear, plus the very detrimental effect of the unguarded solar plexus on Assagioli’s health, had to be addressed if Assagioli was to stay on course in the very near future.  Thus, in the process of supplying Assagioli with abundant reasons why he should deal decisively with the solar plexus situation, D.K. told Assagioli one more time in the August 1940 letter that the potency of Assagioli’s astral activity was depleting his physical and mental bodies, thus leading to inertia. ^[106]   We are given to gather that all this “scolding” must have accomplished its purpose, for Assagioli was able to say of his potentially terrifying incarceration that it had proven a valuable interlude during which he was able to attend to his meditations and inner exercises. ^[107]

As previous sections of this study have shown, Roberto Assagioli’s spiritual and occult development flourished under the watchful eye and able guidance of the Tibetan Master, who encouraged Assagioli in ways that much enhanced that disciple’s ability to serve the Plan.  Let us continue to follow the story of Assagioli’s progress as he evolved from a well-intentioned but somewhat ineffective Hierarchical co-worker, to a clear thinking disciple whose efforts have borne significant fruit, together with the astrological and ray influences that played into his issues and transformations.

When we last looked in on our brother Roberto Assagioli, he had just received the letter from the Tibetan dated August 1940.  In this letter, D.K. once again advised Assagioli to exert himself toward achieving a thorough   reorganization of his energy field.

The whole matter was situated in a context which Assagioli could not ignore.  Placing Assagioli’s gaze upon the distant goal of his efforts, D.K.  stated,  “You are, my brother, upon the path of the Christ, and in preparation for treading this path of aiding and salvaging humanity, you have to learn (through intense feeling) the futility of emotion and feeling as a means of salvaging your brothers.  You need to acquire that divine indifference which leaves the soul free to serve – untrammelled by personality reactions….” ^[108]

Photographs of Assagioli reveal a brooding, pensive appearance made the more dramatic by his gentle, compassionate eyes, which were encircled by deep, dark shadows strongly reminiscent of those depicted in traditional portrayals of “The Man of Sorrows.”  That Assagioli felt and identified with Humanity’s suffering is evident.  This sensitivity to suffering was to be both his stumbling block and his password to the mount of ascension.

The Tibetan ever drew Assagioli’s attention to this fact.  Putting it plainly, D.K. wrote to Assagioli in the letter of August 1940 that Assagioli would be overcome by his emotional sensitivity if measures were not taken to protect himself from that region of consciousness, to which he was inordinately responsive.  On this point, the Tibetan stated to Assagioli,  “Your problem this life has been…the transfer of energy from the solar plexus to the heart.  The first stage of that process is, esoterically speaking, the discovery of how potent is the astral polarisation of all our personality forces; the entire focus of your life is upon the highest level of the astral plane.” ^[109]

In other words, before Assagioli could move forward in his occult development, it was necessary that he admit to himself the actual nature of his preoccupations and dominant thought streams.  This fact was brought to Assagioli’s attention just as transiting Uranus in Taurus was about to make its first conjunction to Assagioli’s Neptune, which was located at 27 degrees and 23 minutes of Taurus.  In August of 1940, transiting Uranus was moving through the 26^th degree of Taurus, due to make a retrograde station in early September in that same degree.  This is as close to the transiting conjunction that Uranus would get until it made the exact conjunction in June 1941, December 1941, and March 1942.

Given that Neptune :

1)  distributes Ray 6,

2)  correlates to the astral or sixth systemic plane (counting downward from the first or logoic plane),

3)  and rules the emotionally-driven solar plexus,

it makes sense that this very issue of emotional polarization should be brought to light when Assagioli’s natal Neptune was soon to be activated by transit.  Here is an important principle that might be used by all astrologers with esoteric leanings.  Whenever an individual is experiencing a strong activation to his or her natal Neptune, issues concerning the solar plexus and astral sensitivity may appear.

Certainly this was the case for Assagioli.  Present too, were the matters of the higher octave of sixth ray Neptune, with its link to refined spirituality and even saviorship, for D.K. notified Assagioli not only of his astral vulnerability, but also of his abiding karmic connection to the Christ, the head of Hierarchy.  Keeping the discussion in this context, the Tibetan stated straightforwardly to Assagioli, “Before you can take the initiation for which you are being prepared, there must be a change of life focus and a transfer of energy from the astral body into the mental body, and consequently from the solar plexus to the heart.” ^[110]

Assagioli was just past 52 ½ years of age when this letter was written.  Though he likely received it some time later, imagine how he must have felt when he realized that his entire 30 plus years of adult living had been dedicated to the service of a region of consciousness which, though part and parcel of divine expression, represents a very small fraction of the potential universe of consciousness to which any serious disciple aspires.  However disheartening this realization may have been, it is evident that Assagioli overcame any moment of deflation he may have experienced  (which would itself have been an astral reaction), for in a few short years, D.K. was to commend Assagioli thoroughly for his discipleship progress.

PART III

INITIATION

IN THE MIDST OF STORM

Speaking of Assagioli under his group name of F.C.D., D.K wrote the following in a June 1946 letter to the entire group of disciples to which D.K. addressed his teachings in the 1930s and 40s.  Said the Master, “I have no criticism of F.C.D., who has come through deep waters to heights from which he can do most effective work.  I am happy to be associated with him and have asked the Master K.H. to leave him a little longer in my group.”

This single statement reveals a number of points worthy of notice. First, it should be noted that D.K. phrased Assagioli’s spiritual success in imagery completely connected with Neptune, god of the waters, for he stated that Assagioli had “come through deep waters.”  Spiritually and occultly considered, the deep waters to which the Tibetan alluded can be none other than those of the astral plane.  Quite evidently, Assagioli had, by the year 1946, successfully re-oriented his astral body and put into place those shifts of emphasis and activity previously recommended by the Tibetan.

The subduing of astral impulse is, of course, characteristic of preparation for the Second Initiation, also called the Baptism Initiation in reference to the fact that the initiate must know the waters of the astral plane and how to rule them constructively.  It is in preparation for this initiation that the candidate must demonstrate an ability to renounce the reactions of the lower astral subplanes, which are the breeding grounds of all “bipolar”  emotions, such as attraction versus aversion, liking versus hating, and so on.  Further, the toxic sentiments of possessiveness, anger, blame, and guilt have their genesis in the lower subplanes of the astral.  Tendencies to depression, pessimism, debilitating sorrow, loneliness, and general dissatisfaction also emanate from the lower and intermediate levels of the astral plane.

The higher subplanes of the astral plane contain a more refined version of astralism, such as genuine sentimentality, protectiveness toward loved ones, and some authentic desire for higher realizations.  It is these better forms of astral impulse which can operate as a conduit for the universal love vibrations of the buddhic plane.  The buddhic plane, being fourth among the seven, must find its way into expression through a similarly constituted  plane of an even number. Thus, as the buddhic or Christ love seeks to make its way into the seventh plane of manifested material existence, it must do so through the higher levels of the second or astral plane.

The preparation for the Second Initiation involves the transformation of the candidate’s astral patterns so that they can accommodate and vibrate to the incoming, higher love impulses of the buddhic levels.  Both the astral and buddhic planes are connected with Neptune, ^[111] which symbolizes the spectrum of vibrations represented at the lower level by the astral plane with its misleading, confused perceptions warped by a tendency to refer all things to one’s own likes or dislikes, and at the higher end by the buddhic plane with its appropriately selfless and universal perspective.  The Second Initiation marks the moment when the individual has learned how to impose the higher, universal love impulses upon the astral body, so that his or her personal sentiments come into line with the Christ or Buddhic principle.

It is thus of use to note the prominence of Neptunian symbolism in the natal chart of Roberto Assagioli.  First, Neptune rules the Cancerian Ascendant esoterically and hierarchically.  Second, Neptune is the exoteric ruler of Assagioli’s Pisces Midheaven together with his tenth house Sun and Mercury.  Third, Assagioli’s natal Neptune is involved in a wide conjunction with Pluto.  All these factors might be considered astrological hints about the region of work intended by the soul for at least part of that incarnation.  Hindsight shows us that the prominence of Neptunian symbolism in Assagioli’s chart might have alerted an intuitive and esoteric astrologer to the fact that Assagioli’s soul had slated this incarnation for a serious effort at mastering the astral level, incorporating the divine love nature of the buddhic plane, and completing the Second Initiation.

Thus, D.K.’s statement that Assagioli had “come through deep waters” strongly suggests that Assagioli had, between 1940 and 1946, overcome his sentimental nature and painfully potent psychic sensitivity well enough to have stabilized the astral body and to have taken the Second Initiation.  Some may recoil at the idea that Assagioli, so great a world server as he proved to be, could have been taking only the Second Initiation at this time in his life, and not the Third or Fourth.  However, the evidence points strongly toward the notion that Assagioli was in preparation for the Second Initiation in the early 1940s.  Note that in the August 1940 letter, the Tibetan stated that Assagioli needed to shift his focus from solar plexus to heart center.  This is precisely the movement associated with the Baptism Initiation, a fact which further supports the contention that it was indeed the Second Initiation, symbolized by Neptune, toward which Assagioli was marching in the early 1940s.

Given all this, it would seem that something very significant happened in Assagioli’s inner life and occult development between late 1940, when the Tibetan was still urging Assagioli to contend with an essentially astral orientation, and the summer of 1946, when the Tibetan described Assagioli as having made his way successfully through “deep waters.”  Thus, the period from roughly mid 1940 through mid 1946 merits careful study.

During this interval, there is published record of just three communications from the Tibetan to Assagioli, and these are dated August 1942, September 1943, and November 1944.  The next letter, dated August of 1946, begins with these telling words: “You will have, by now, read and absorbed the papers and communications which have been held for you until the close of the war and the attainment of physical safety for you.” ^[112]   From this statement of the Tibetan’s, it is clear that Assagioli was not able to receive at least some of the letters intended for him in a timely fashion, but exactly which letters were held in safe keeping is not indicated in the published Bailey material.

However, it is certain that between 1940 and 1943, Assagioli’s life was significantly disrupted by the wartime political situation in Italy and Europe.  According to astrologer Dane Rudhyar, a personal associate of Assagioli’s both before and after World War II, there were at least two particular periods during which Assagioli’s life and liberty were severely threatened.  First, Assagioli was seized and held in solitary confinement for approximately one month by the Italian Fascist government some time in 1940.  Second, Assagioli was again pursued by Mussolini’s agents in 1943, during which time Assagioli maintained his safety by fleeing to a remote mountain region. ^[113] As Rudhyar’s describes it, Assagioli in 1943 “…had two narrow escapes from the Nazi-Fascists who were after him personally and who sacked and destroyed his family’s country house near Florence.” ^[114]   It is clear, then, that the evil powers behind the Axis had every intention of disabling Assagioli before he could bring to the world the spiritualized form of psychology and the esoteric organizations he was destined to establish.

As is evident, at least part of what Assagioli confronted during the critical period of mid 1940 through mid 1946 was a very real, immediate, and physical confrontation with authentic forces of evil.  We can be very sure of this because of what the Tibetan has revealed regarding the actual powers behind the Axis countries during World War II.

During this time, Assagioli was experiencing several important astrological transits.  Transiting Pluto in Leo activated his Saturn-Mars-Venus T square throughout 1940 and continued to do so through mid 1942, returning to square the Venus position of the T square in the spring of 1943.  Meanwhile, Uranus began an almost year long transiting conjunction of Assagioli’s Pluto in July of 1942, becoming exact also in October-November of 1942, and April-May of 1943.  On top of this, transiting Saturn in Gemini conjuncted Assagioli’s Pluto, opposed his Jupiter, and squared his Midheaven, Moon, Sun, and Mercury from June 1942 through early July 1943.

These are the astrological indicators of the tremendous obstacles that Assagioli encountered from 1940 through 1943.  Transiting hard angles from Pluto, Uranus, and Saturn tell the astrological end of the story, indicating that Ray One, which is associated with all three of these planets, was a significant conditioning energy, and certainly Assagioli was imperiled at the hands of grossly misqualified Ray One energy in the form of a murderous totalitarian government.

Yet on the inner level, the application of Ray One energies was another matter.  Recall that Assagioli had been encouraged by the Tibetan to diminish his astral responsiveness by developing his spiritual will, a Ray One correlate.  Thus, under the Ray One activation brought forth by Assagioli’s transits from 1940 through 1943, this desired objective could be more readily attained, and perhaps it was indeed facilitated by the very same transits linked to the horrific geo-political conditions under which Assagioli labored during this period of his life.

And consider the earthly conditions under which this achievement was made!  Hounded by one of the most heinous forms of evil known to have stalked our planet, driven from his home and his professional position, existing on the run and under near constant threat to his life, Assagioli was still able to heed the words of his spiritual mentor.  No wonder the Tibetan would say in 1946 that he had “no criticism” of F.C.D.!  Rather, one might think that such a display of fortitude as demonstrated by Assagioli at one of the then most trying points in the history of the planet might well indeed inspire some degree of utmost regard from the onlooking teachers, and we are given to understand that this was so.

Evidence to this effect might be found in yet another important development in Assagioli’s life which took place during the critical period of 1943 through 1946. This important development is reported in the September 1943  letter, which chronicles a direct contact between Assagioli and his Master.  This connection transpired some time in or around September of 1942. ^[115]   According to the Tibetan’s recapitulation of the event, Assagioli was received for interview in his Master’s Ashram in some way, but whether this event took place on the mental, astral, etheric, or physical level is not revealed.  Nonetheless, it is known that a conversation of some sort took place between the Master Koot Hoomi and Assagioli.  In this conversation, K.H., then a Master of the Sixth Degree and therefore a Chohan, is reported to have asked Assagioli if Assagioli was ready to being certain work in preparation for a definite assignment upon the Path of World Saviors.

The exact nature of the assignment offered to Assagioli is not made clear in the published form of the letter, yet it is evident enough from the wording that Assagioli was given the opportunity to undertake a definite task of world-influencing dimensions.  Such tasks are only offered to those who have proven a capacity to discharge them correctly, so here again is strong evidence that Assagioli had risen to the challenge of his moment in time.  The Tibetan underscored this fact near the end of the September 1943 letter, in which he offered immense encouragement to Assagioli.  D.K. wrote to Assagioli, “You can now go forth from where you are with the endorsement of your Master, with the aid and backing of myself and of A.A.B., and, at all times, the protective aura of K.H.; and – with reverence I would call your attention to this – an aspect of the aura of the Christ is incorporated in that lesser aura.” ^[116]

Among the many glittering gems of significance contained in the above passage is the certification that Assagioli was indeed a disciple of the Master Koot Hoomi, a fact to which D.K. alluded in the group letter of June 1946, quoted earlier.  In that letter, D.K. divulged that he had asked K.H. to allow Assagioli to stay in D.K.’s group for a time yet.  K.H. is of course Koot Hoomi, who was at that time the primary Master of the Second Ray Ashram.  Djwhal Khul was and is a member of this Ashram as well, and it was at that time his duty to oversee a portion of K.H.’s work.  Thus, K.H. was at that time D.K.’s Master, ^[117] and Assagioli’s as well.

How sweet must have been those words, “You can now go forth with the endorsement of your Master.” In that acclamation rests all the assurance any striving disciple would ever need.  Such an utterance would have brought peace, certitude, and confidence to its recipient.  In that Assagioli received such commendation, it is certain that he conquered his tests between 1940 and 1946 masterfully.  In fact, he probably did so early in that interval, for it was September 1942 during which the pivotal interview with K.H. occurred.

That month there was a transiting conjunction between Mars and Neptune at 29 degrees of Virgo (tropical), which would have affected everyone on the planet. The strong Sixth Ray impact arising from the conjunction of these two Ray Six distributors would have been significant.  For those responsive, it may have injected a moment of sacred consideration in and amidst the din and fury of World War II, then ongoing with ferocity.

This strong influence from the Ray of Aspiration and Devotion may well have created a vibrational environment in which Assagioli could register the summons from his home Ashram and answer the call by undertaking a journey in the astral body, the astral body being linked generically with the Sixth or astral plane.

Assagioli’s personal transits were another matter at that time, though.  As mentioned earlier, he was in the midst of an activation to two potent configurations in his natal chart – one from Pluto to his T square in fixed signs, the other from Saturn to his T square (and other placements) in mutable signs.  On top of this, transiting Uranus was activating his natal Pluto in Gemini from July 1942 until May 1943.  In fact, it is this latter transit which was most nearly exact in September of 1942, the approximate time of his definite contact with Master K.H.

Assagioli’s natal Pluto placement in the air sign of Gemini shows that he was part of a large karmic soul grouping which came into incarnation to highlight the nature of the mind, its workings, and the reality of telepathy.  This portion of his destiny was in process of conversion from latency to active expression under the transiting conjunction from Uranus, for Uranus precipitates inner forces into form, esoterically considered. ^[118]

Hence, though Assagioli’s contact with K.H. may have contained an element of the astral, it probably drew heavily upon an established  telepathic communication between the earnest and impressionable disciple on one hand, and the far-reaching mind of a Chohan on the other, as indicated by the involvement of mentally oriented Gemini in this event.

Telepathic interplay between two minds is symbolized by the twins or brothers of Gemini, in which sign occult Uranus was transiting at the time of Assagioli’s contact with his Master.  Hence, we can look to the transiting conjunction of Uranus over Assagioli’s Pluto in 3 degrees Gemini as the indicator of a tremendous breakthrough in the life of this disciple, signifying a point in time in which he may have not only broken the hold of the astral upon him, but also advanced to the functioning of the mental plane, the frontier of the Third Initiation.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Returning to that important laudation of Assagioli issued by the Tibetan, let us note that not only had F.C.D. “come through deep waters,” but also had he arrived at “heights from which he can do most effective work” by June of 1946.   Use of the word “heights” most certainly suggest mountains and peaks, geological features associated not with the watery Second Initiation, but with the airy Third Initiation, or mastery within the world of the mental plane.  Hence, we are given to contemplate that the Tibetan was informing his disciples in code that Assagioli had at some point not only passed the astral tests of the Baptism, but that he had also progressed to the next level of endeavor – which would of course have been the Third Initiation with its emphasis upon the mind, the ajna center, and the purposeful direction of thought energy.

We are thus left with a satisfying implication in regard to Assagioli’s probable initiatory progress.  This picture might by some be thought to better match the intellectual and organizational heritage left by this great server at the conclusion of this particular incarnation.

When we last left Assagioli in 1943, he had just been commended by the Tibetan for hard-won spiritual progress. ^[119]   The Tibetan had even reminded this striving and successful disciple of the content of Assagioli’s inner plane interview in 1942 with Koot Hoomi, Master to Assagioli and D.K. alike.  We learned that Assagioli had not only proven competent to overcome much of the astral and psychic over-sensitivity characteristic of his earlier years, but that he had also received offer of a significant service opportunity directly from Koot Hoomi.  We further gleaned that, parallel and coincident with these definite evidences of progress, an initiation may have been taken by Assagioli in the early 1940s.  Exactly which initiation that may have been is to some a matter of debate.  This installment of the Assagioli study will address that question as it follows Assagioli’s progress in the middle and late 1940s.

A degree of ambiguity enshrouds the precise sequence of events in Assagioli’s 1940s wartime communications with the Tibetan as recorded in DINA II, and this fact precludes absolute certainty as to which of the letters Assagioli received while he was still in Italy.  The reason for this ambiguity centers upon statements made by the Tibetan in two letters, one being the September 1943 letter already considered, the other being a communication dated August 1946.

In the earlier letter (September 1943), D.K. wrote to Assagioli, “I am not telling your co-disciples whether you are on this side of the separating veil or not.” ^[120]   An obvious allusion to the mortal peril in which Assagioli was to be found during the final years of the war, this statement plainly reveals the fact that others in the discipleship group wondered if Assagioli had perhaps already been killed.  Plainly, there was some question as to Assagioli’s physical whereabouts.  Perhaps only the Tibetan knew for sure that Assagioli was indeed still attached to his earthly body.

This prevailing question about the exact status of Assagioli is further reflected in the August 1946 letter to F.C.D.  There, the Tibetan wrote to Assagioli, “You will have, by now, read and absorbed the papers and communications which have been held for you until the close of the war and the attainment of physical safety for you.” ^[121]   Obviously, then, at least some of the group communications and/or Assagioli’s personal letters were not even mailed to him during the 1940s.  This was likely a cautionary measure designed to avoid calling any attention to Assagioli, who endured various degrees of enforced seclusion at certain points in the 1940s.

Thus, we can not be certain that Assagioli received and read his letters in any timely fashion during the war years.  All we can safely assume is that he did in fact have the benefit of the Tibetan’s advice and commendations at some point later, which is to say nothing of the possibility that Assagioli may have been in direct telepathic communication with D.K. throughout the war years.  Even though we can not be sure about these points from the material published in DINA II, still the letters tell the story of Assagioli’s discipleship career from the inner perspective, and so they remain a priceless key to the nature of discipleship tests and opportunities.

So it was that in September 1943 when the Tibetan reminded Assagioli of his calling along the Path of World Saviours, ^[122] transiting Neptune in the first few degrees of Libra was in the midst of an approximately two year long square to Assagioli’s Ascendant at 2 degrees Cancer.  Neptune is of course associated with saviourship and all manner of self-sacrificial spiritual attainments.  But here Neptune had particular relevance, for its activation of Assagioli’s natal ascendant by transiting square indicated the time during which this disciple’s major service avenue would be made apparent to him.

In that the Christ and Master Koot Hoomi are both linked with the Path of World Saviours and with Second Ray functions within Hierarchy, it would seem that Assagioli’s notification coincident with a Neptune transit that he too was on that same arc certainly suggests that Neptune carries a Second Ray influence as well as the more usually mentioned Sixth Ray impact.  Here is an important collateral implication of the timing of the message given by D.K. to Assagioli, an implication that might be used generally in both counseling and prediction.  Hence, whenever Neptune acts, both the Second and Sixth Rays are likely to come forth.  This is of course more likely to be so when the activation from Neptune is by hard angle (i.e., conjunction, square, and opposition), since hard angle emphasize planetary influences and hence their ray effects.

In fact, it was precisely the potentially troublesome facets of Neptune and its associated Sixth Ray about which the Tibetan admonished Assagioli yet again in September 1943.  As esoteric students well know, Neptune and Ray Six connote the effects of the solar plexus center, the astral body, and the entire astral plane.  Notorious for their glamorizing, bewildering, and misleading effects, these Sixth Ray correlates were just the very thing still gumming up the works for Assagioli, even on the dawn of his greatest world service assignment.

We know this had to be the case because the Tibetan pointedly brought Assagioli’s attention to this matter, writing that on this path of aiding and salvaging Humanity which Assagioli was destined to walk, Assagioli had to learn the futility of “emotion and feeling,” (certainly well known attributes of the astral zone) as a means of salvaging others.  Instead, Assagioli was exhorted to “…acquire that divine indifference which leaves the soul free to serve – untrammeled by personality reactions, for that is what all solar plexus conditions basically are.” ^[123]

This is simple to understand.  It’s an issue experienced by many servers today, especially those who are primarily motivated by empathy and caring, reflections of Rays 2, 4, and 6.  How easy it is to mistake emotional resonance for genuine light on the way!  Counseling astrologers are especially vulnerable to this glamour, which arises from kindly motives but which lands the counselor squarely in the same morass with which he or she is faced by the distraught client.

What’s the remedy?  Here’s what D.K. said to Assagioli, who was a Ray Two soul and a Ray Four personality, and hence driven by the impulse toward a sympathetic response to others.  D.K. said  “…insulate yourself (for selfless purpose) from too close a contact with those in distress.  Aid them; love them; but do not identify yourself with them.” ^[124]   D.K. went on to clarify this notion, saying, “Disciples are apt often to think that the injunction to identify themselves with other people must involve complete identification with all their experiences, moods and reactions.  It does not.  It should not.  It involves identification (through the intuition) with underlying soul purpose and a consequent ability to interpret and explain the present.” ^[125]   (A similar directive can be found in A Treatise on White Magic, p.320.)

We might thus gather that the best defenses against the potentially misleading effects of Neptune, the Sixth Ray, and the astral plane in general are constituted of a divine indifference or detachment which leads us not into an arrogant disregard of others’ suffering, but instead into a loving gaze (even if only a mental one) fixed upon the soul nature of the person or persons at hand.  This “divine indifference” (or perhaps we might call it right focus) prevents ensnarement in others’ moods on one hand, while on the other   encourages an investment of energy in the higher aspects of human nature.

This is a relatively elementary notion with which all esoteric students are familiar, but it is instructive to see that a fairly advanced disciple was reminded about the whole matter on the eve of his greatest opportunity to contribute to the advancement of the Plan.  We should take heed accordingly, and gather from this interchange between D.K. and Assagioli that the energies of Neptune are not to be underestimated.  For Assagioli this was the case throughout his incarnation, for his chart was strongly attuned to Neptune, which was the esoteric ruler of his Ascendant and the modern ruler of his Pisces Midheaven, Sun, and Mercury.

Fortunately, the effects of Neptune are not all bad!  As a sacred planet, it also connotes things of the soul and spirit.  Thus, the Tibetan said in September of 1943, which was right in the middle of the long transiting square of Neptune to Assagioli’s Ascendant, that Assagioli had “trodden upon and passed the burning ground, through the Portal into the Presence.” ^[126]   Smacking of reference to the taking of initiation, this statement certainly implies meaningful progress toward integration into Hierarchy.  Indeed, this is exactly what appears to have happened under the Neptune influence, for contained in D.K.’s next letter to Assagioli, which was written at the very end of the long transiting square of Neptune to Assagioli’s Ascendant, there is a straightforward statement to this effect.  Thus, in the November 1944 letter to F.C.D., D.K. stated he was at that time taking definite steps to draw Assagioli into an even closer relationship with the Ashram over which he presided ^[127]   and to which Assagioli was on loan from the Ashram of Koot Hoomi. ^[128]

Certainly such a development results from many long years of application to spiritual effort, and is not simply the outcome of one transit lasting only two years.  Nonetheless, it is probable that the fusing, Ray Two forces of Neptune facilitated Assagioli’s advancement into a state of consciousness which would permit the Tibetan to draw him into an even closer relationship with the Ashram.  The nearly two year Neptune influence may have been instrumental in this development, putting the finishing touches  upon many lives of effort.  This point might well be remembered when assessing what might be at stake under a Neptune transit (or natal aspect) for any relatively advanced client with whom the esoteric astrologer is working.  Simply stated, the principle to be learned from Assagioli’s case is that Neptune transits, if managed correctly, may set the stage for closer affiliation with Hierarchy.

………………….

Beyond what might be called a strategy for wise management of Neptunian energies as discussed in the September 1943 letter, yet another enhancement that would lead to greater alignment with Hierarchy was urged upon Assagioli in the November 1944 letter.  This time the matter concerned the awakening and further development of the heart center.  The November 1944 letter contained five specific recommendations to this end:

1) use the creative imagination

2) apply self to “the way of the head”

3) engage in constant group activity

4) increase the capacity to detach

5) diminish identification with individual consciousness. ^[129]

In some parts, these recommendations appear to be nothing but a variation on themes already taken up by the Tibetan in regard to Assagioli’s right occult development.  For example, we see the now familiar injunction to detach from others’ demands and moods articulated once again in item #4, and possibly implied by item #5 as well.  But earlier in the list we find also a new emphasis, an emphasis not confined to what must be relinquished, but instead founded upon what must be embraced and cultivated.  Thus, Assagioli was adjured to replace intense individual sentiment, stemming from the solar plexus, with its heart centered counterpart – group consciousness.

According to the Tibetan, the heart center never even reacts or responds save under group impetus. ^[130]   Thus, for true unfoldment of the heart center, engagement with group concerns is necessary.  Of course, Assagioli was already part and parcel of the DINA group, so all he had to do was to turn ever more earnestly in that direction through the many group meditations (to be carried out from his location) designed to encourage telepathic linkage amongst the group members.  Too, Assagioli knew that he was part of the world-wide network of servers linked to Hierarchy, and indeed, a part of Hierarchy itself.  In all these contexts, there were subjective, telepathic, soul-based contacts to be made and recognized.  This was the turf to which Assagioli’s attention was directed, and fortunately, he had abundant opportunity to explore it.

Thus, there was no real obstacle to Assagioli’s immediate application of the Tibetan’s advice in this regard.  Given the nature of the Tibetan’s comments concerning F.C.D. in what would be a mere year and a half later, we are given to understand that Assagioli responded satisfactorily.

What’s interesting to note from the astrological angle is that in November 1944 when D.K. drew Assagioli’s attention to the necessary increase in the functioning of the heart center, transiting Pluto at 10 degrees Leo had just begun a nearly two year conjunction to Assagioli’s true lunar North Node, positioned at approximately 9 ½ degrees Leo.  As all good astrological students know, Leo rules the heart, as do the exoteric, esoteric, and hierarchical rulers of Leo, the Sun itself, heart and soul of our solar system.

The overwhelmingly literal meaning of this astrological synchronicity is hard to ignore.  The message is simple.  It’s this: A big transit in Leo =  time to genuinely open the heart.  Now there’s a concept with immediate applications for all counseling astrologers of any stripe. From the standpoint of the Ageless Wisdom as represented by the Tibetan, under such an activation it’s the HEART which needs to flower, not the solar plexus (in spite of the obvious etymological connection)!  Hence, we might do well to simply follow in D.K.’s footsteps.

So, returning to Assagioli, we see that in the middle 1940s, the Tibetan had steered him once again away from the solar plexus and toward the higher centers.  What this implies in terms of Assagioli’s initiatory standing at this point remains a question, but that question is ultimately to be resolved in the next letter, which was dated August 1946.

By the time the Tibetan dictated this letter to F.C.D., the Allies had brought the Axis Powers to their knees, bringing World War II to a close.  Assagioli was by now 58 years of age, the time period of his 50s decimated on the outer level by the European fascists, but radiant on the inner level as a result of his application to spiritual principle.  Looking back on this period, the Tibetan mused to Assagioli, “You have come through a period of great difficulty and danger with no loss of your spiritual grip upon essential reality or of your spiritual vision; your strength has been such that you have lifted your family with you and safeguarded them also all the time.” ^[131]

Indeed it was a great accomplishment that Assagioli had been able to remain spiritually centered during all that the war years brought to him, and on top of that, hold his family together both morally and materially.  This truly extraordinary ability to measure up under stress was undoubtedly proof to the Masters of Assagioli’s fitness for further advancement on the path of discipleship and initiation.  D.K. confirmed that this was so in a subsequent letter dated November 1948.  There he again commended Assagioli with these words.  “You have proceeded with your Ashram work, your thinking and your service in spite of all that has been going on.  This has been noted by us and it is for this quality of spiritual stability that we watch.” ^[132]

The ability to persevere in the face of tremendous obstacles is written into Assagioli’s chart in the form of a T square in fixed signs, composed of Saturn at 0 Leo 32 (Rx), Mars at 00 Scorpio 00, and Venus at 4 Aquarius 06.  Redoubtable enough on its own, this T square describes a firm attitude, ability for self discipline,  control of temper and emotions, as well as the capacity to do without comforts for a time.

Add to this the Mars-Saturn square contained within the T square, mentioned so long ago in this study.  Readers may recall that according to the esoteric astrological doctrine of Alice Bailey and the Tibetan, Mars and Saturn are “potent for integration into Hierarchy.”  If an aspect between these two planets is a legitimate representation of the way in which this principle can manifest, then Assagioli is a prime example of why this is so.  He proved with his demonstrated life trend that he possessed the ability to withstand enormous adversity (Mars-Saturn), all the while retaining (Saturn) his essential values (also partially a Saturn manifestation).  This is the sort of tenacity required if a disciple is to demonstrate absolute, unfailing competence in meeting karmic tests.  Further, this is the stuff of which mastery is made, quite the opposite of a frightfully delicate constitution which shrinks from each and every unpleasant duty and episode.

Perhaps we might all take a lesson from the experience of Roberto Assagioli, a key portion of whose discipleship tests manifested as the brutal conditions of World War II.  That is the milieu in which he was challenged to demonstrate his unswerving commitment to Hierarchical principles.  While it is true that the tests and challenges of today’s seekers generally pale by comparison, that is not the essential point to be grasped.  The essential point to be grasped is that the horrific nature of the circumstances in which Assagioli labored were not interpreted by him as some awful condemnation issued against him by the Lords of Karma, sure indication of his unworthiness as a human being.  As laughable as that last proposition may sound, it is nevertheless characteristic of the thinking of many of today’s seekers when  confronted with untoward conditions.

While certainly there were elements of karmic backlash in Assagioli’s World War II experience, the key factor is the way in which he responded, not the nature of the misadventures (if there ever were any) which spawned the experience in the first place.  In fact, one suspects that if D.K. were asked his opinion on why Assagioli’s discipleship tests manifested in the form they did, D.K. might very well have said that it was for the purpose of giving Assagioli an opportunity to prove himself fit for advancement on the Path of World Saviours.  Note that missing in such an analysis would be any prevailing sense of punishment or recompense for past misdeeds.  No, instead there is a steadfast visioning of current challenges as opportunity to demonstrate mastery.

Isn’t this viewpoint entirely consistent with D.K.’s characterization of Saturn as the planet of opportunity?  What kind of opportunity?  Discipleship opportunity!  That’s what!  The chance to prove one’s mettle and to demonstrate to the onlooking Teachers that of which one is capable.  This is how They can know how any server can best be used.  Thus, hurray for the tests, for by them do we grow!  Or, as Morya has said, “Smile at the obstacles, for by them do we grow.”  Astrologers might say, “Smile at Saturn (or Pluto, or whatever), for by its forces do we prove mastery!”  (Alas, easier said than done, always.)

At any rate, Assagioli had done the near-impossible.  He had kept his head when he might have lost it.  Or, stated in astrological terms, he had held on to his vision and idealism in the face of relentless hard angle transits from Pluto over the course of the war years, particularly during the years 1939 – 1942.  And now, as a result of his steadiness under fire, even greater work lay ahead of him.  In the context of discussing just this, F.C.D.’s next major service assignment, D.K. brought out some important considerations that may help settle the question of what initiation Assagioli faced at the time.

In the August 1946 letter, D.K. wrote that he and K.H. had been evaluating Assagioli’s remaining physical and spiritual strength in the attempt to determine just how demanding a service assignment Assagioli could handle in the post-war years.  K.H. argued for less than an exhausting burden, saying that there was no need to ask a disciple always to drink the cup of sacrifice to its very last drop until the Crucifixion Initiation was at hand for that individual. ^[133]

The implication of this statement would seem simple enough on the face of it.  It seems to say rather straightforwardly that unless a disciple is at the threshold of the Crucifixion Initiation, which is the name for the Fourth Initiation in the Bailey material, the complete exhaustion of all inner resources and karmic vulnerabilities is not necessary, and since Assagioli needed not be asked to drain such a cup, then it follows that he was not at the threshold of the Crucifixion at that time.

Each student of the Ageless Wisdom should examine the original passage in DINA II (p. 470) for herself or himself to be personally sure about the matter, but it would appear that this reported comment from K.H. might be seen as conclusive proof that Assagioli was not in the midst of taking the Fourth Initiation either during World War II or immediately thereafter.  To state the matter simply, if the statement attributed by D.K. to K.H. regarding Assagioli is to be taken at face value, then Assagioli was not approaching the Fourth Initiation in late 1946.  Thus, we might with reasonable certainty glean that Assagioli was working on either the Second or the Third Initiation during World War II, but he could not have completed the Third Initiation by 1946 or else he would in fact have been preparing for the Fourth.

Thus, by a process of elimination, it would seem that Assagioli could not have been striving for anything beyond the Third Initiation in 1946, and he may have in fact still been striving for the Second.  Given the ample discussion of issues pertaining to the solar plexus and the right management of astral reactions, it would appear to common sense that the initiation for which Assagioli strove in the pre-war and early war years must have been the Second, or the Baptism, which initiation may have been consummated either in 1942, when Assagioli is known to have had a direct contact with Koot Hoomi, or in 1946, permitting the Tibetan to say in his 1946 letter to the group ^[134] that Assagioli had come through deep waters (the astral plane, zone of testing for the Second Initiation) to heights (the mental plane, zone of testing for the Third Initiation) from which he could do his greatest work.  Assagioli’s greatest work would prove to be decidedly intellectual and organizational, telltale fruits of a well functioning ajna center, which is the target of much stimulation at the Third Initiation.

The astrologically inclined mind will immediately wonder about the astrological influences at work during the periods when Assagioli may have been taking initiation.  In the late summer and early fall of 1942, the main astrological activation was transiting Uranus in early Gemini hovering around Assagioli’s natal Pluto in Gemini.  In 1946, the main action was transiting Pluto passing back and forth over Assagioli’s true lunar North Node.  Both of these cases are interesting, the first the more so, for a tabulation in  Bailey’s Esoteric Astrology lists Uranus and Pluto (also Vulcan) in connection with initiation. ^[135]   Thus, in 1942 we know for sure that two of these planets were acting in combination – transiting Uranus acting on natal Pluto.  (About Vulcan we do not know, since ephemeredes for this invisible planet are of questionable reliability at this time.)  And in 1946 one of these planets potentially associated with initiation was in action upon Assagioli’s chart.  What we can glean from this in a general way is that transits of Uranus and Pluto, distributing Rays Seven and One respectively, may pack more punch than is generally expected.

Whether or not either 1942 or 1946 (or both) were initiatory years for Assagioli, we can nonetheless be sure that some type of identifiable astrological indication will be active when a disciple passes such a momentous stage as an initiation, for the Tibetan has told us in so many words that this is the case.  He went on record early in his dictations to Alice concerning the timing of initiations, remarking in two passages in his first book given through her that initiation ceremonies are performed at astrologically determined times. ^[136]   The factors which are used to determine the timing of ceremonies are of two kinds, according to the Tibetan: general solar considerations, such as season of the year, and specific indications in the horoscope of the individual concerned.  Here’s how he said it.

“The sun is the source of all energy and power, and the work of the Initiator is facilitated when advantage is taken of favourable solar conditions.  The times and seasons are ascertained through esoteric solar and cosmic astrology.…” ^[137]

“The horoscope of the initiate is also invariably cast so as to check the time for an individual initiation, and only when the individual signs blend and coincide with the ceremonial chart by which the Initiator is guided, is it possible to perform the ceremony.  This is the reason why sometimes initiation has to be postponed to a later life, even when the initiate has done the necessary work..” ^[138]

As usual, here the Tibetan has told us much, but has told us little.  It’s clear that some mechanism for astrological timing is involved, but exactly what isn’t revealed.  We can guess that probably the first statement above means that initiations occur when solar power is on the increase, which would be the interval between Winter and Summer Solstices (in the northern hemisphere), with a definite preference for the period from Spring Equinox to Summer Solstice – which period, by the way, corresponds to the period of the Three Linked Spiritual Festivals so emphasized by the Tibetan.

The second statement above could mean a number of things.  It may mean that certain arrangements and zodiacal signs must be present in the horoscope, and that these somehow resonate to solar or cosmic conditions.  It might also refer to transits, progressions, or even solar returns!  Not a hint, really, is adduced here, so it is hard to say.  What we can do in the absence of hard, cold information on the timing of initiatory ceremonies is to study those periods during which it appears an initiation has been taken and correlate them to various types of cyclic influences in an effort to identify the most likely indicator. This study is in part a contribution in that direction.

Whatever the case turns out to be in regard to the specific factors indicating the times of initiation, we can be very sure (because the Tibetan has told us so) that the whole process is astrologically driven.  This one point alone ought to drive all resistance among esotericists to the study of astrology into hiding forevermore!

PART IV

ASSAGIOLI IN THE POST WAR YEARS

Speaking of astrological timing, the next step in Assagioli’s life looks like nothing if not direct evidence of this very thing.  With transiting Saturn, the grim taskmaster whose emblem is Father Time and whose watchword is economy, bearing down fast into a conjunction with the IC and the Moon, and into an opposition to the 10^th house Sun and Mercury, Assagioli was told in November 1948 that what lay inevitably before him was “…the drastic reorganizing of your time, irrespective of personality claims, or the hindrances of an etheric body which is too loosely knit.” ^[139]   Transiting Saturn would grip Assagioli’s T square in mutable signs from November 1948 through August 1950, and the proper response to that Saturnian call was laid out plainly by the Tibetan.  Simply stated, Assagioli was to cut out the fat, get down to the bone, and spare no feelings about it.   Does this sound like the voice of Saturn to anybody we know?  Once again, esoteric guidance and astrology concur.

In the course of this study, a clear picture of Assagioli’s spiritual situation has emerged through the comments made by the Tibetan to this striving disciple.  Beset and besieged by the extraordinary difficulties of conditions before and during World War II, in addition to his own personal issues, Assagioli nonetheless maintained a sure grip upon the discipleship responsibilities which were his to correctly discharge.

Of this we can be certain, for the Tibetan said of Assagioli in a letter of June 1946 directed to the entire discipleship group of which he was a member,  “I have no criticism of F.C.D., who has come through deep waters to heights from which he can do most effective work.  I am happy to be associated with him and have asked the master K.H. to leave him a little longer in my group.” ^[140]   This comment was in sharp contrast to the Tibetan’s assessments of other members of the group, several of whom earned plain statements of displeasure from the Tibetan for their failure to seize the spiritual opportunity before them.  The difference in performances emphasizes all the more the potency of the spiritual victories won by Assagioli during his years of severe testing.

When we last left the story, Assagioli had just been advised by the Tibetan that the work which lay ahead of him would require a drastic reorganization of his time. ^[141]   This advice was given in November of 1948, just as transiting Saturn had begun an approximately  two-year activation of Assagioli’s grand square in mutable signs.  Over the period from October 1948 through August 1950, transiting Saturn would square Assagioli’s natal Pluto, conjunct his IC and fourth house Moon, and then oppose his tenth house Sun and Mercury.

Saturn transits like this are known by contemporary astrologers for their emphasis upon pragmatism, bottom line results, measures of stringency, and a general concern with right use of time and resources.  Those under Saturn influences frequently find it necessary to severely discipline themselves in order to complete a project or to meet the conditions of the moment.  And this is just the sort of thing advised by the Tibetan as Assagioli entered a two year Saturn activation.  The Tibetan could clairvoyantly read the energy fields of both Assagioli’s personality and soul, and in so doing, could readily see exactly what Assagioli had to do in order for his personality to conform to the soul imperatives coming into play.  Although D.K. had no need for an astrological chart to extract this insight, it is clear once again that the astrological indications of the moment were right in line with the Master’s evaluations.

D.K. knew well Assagioli’s tendency to become enmeshed and embroiled in the personality issues of family members and others around him, and it was exactly this potential for social distraction that the Tibetan sought to eliminate from Assagioli’s picture in the interests of greater world service.  Thus, the Tibetan stated squarely and plainly to Assagioli in the November 1948 letter, “You do not, my brother, belong to your family any more.  You belong to humanity….” ^[142]

When this comment was made to Assagioli, transiting Saturn was precisely conjunct his IC or fourth house cusp, the beginning point of that house which deals with family matters and the most personal aspects of one’s existence.  Just at the moment Saturn touched that point, D.K. gave voice to the necessity for Assagioli to curb or reduce the amount of time and energy poured out in the strictly nuclear family environment, in favor of honoring Assagioli’s greater responsibilities to the family of humanity.

To a large extent, this is the voice of Saturn, for Saturn ever limits whatever it contacts, doing so in the interests of attention to duty.  Duty in this case was not to be rightly defined as exclusively that to the biological family, but rather to Ashramic commitments and service to the greater evolutionary plan.  Making such a determination can be quite excruciating for the individual.  Thus, D.K. spelled it out to Assagioli, lest Assagioli feel guilty about reducing his emphasis upon certain relationships.  No, the Tibetan said to Assagioli in so many words, this is no longer the time in your life when you should primarily vision yourself as a support to family and close friends.  Instead, at this time you must cut back on that sort of thing and put much more time and energy into projects of an Hierarchical nature, which for Assagioli would prove to involve structuring several organizations and their programs of activity.

As the letters to F.C.D. have shown, the Tibetan worked with Assagioli over more than a decade to pry Assagioli off his attachment to extreme psychic sensitivity and emotionally based linkages with those around him.  Guidance in regard to this issue came forth from the Tibetan when transiting Neptune was slowly making its way through Assagioli’s fourth house, ^[143] which house deals with family, intimate emotional connections with others, and psychic sensitivity in general.

Thus, it is apparent that Neptune’s activation of the fourth house in Assagioli’s chart corresponded to the period in his life during which these issues were most potentially debilitating, because of Assagioli’s underlying tendency toward undue psychic impressionability.  Hence, the Tibetan’s continued exhortation of Assagioli to manage his energy fields differently.  Then, along came transiting Saturn to cinch the deal, indicating the final installment in the necessary detachment and re-orientation of Assagioli to his wider field of service.  Again the astrological indications prove their relevance and validity.

We are given to understand that Assagioli completely understood and assimilated the Tibetan’s advice, for in a March 1949 letter directed not to Assagioli alone, but rather to his entire discipleship group, the Tibetan said of Assagioli, “F.C.D. is doing well, but he is an old and trained disciple, and about him no anxiety has been needed.” ^[144]    This is as much to say, yes, he’s on target, but then we the Masters expected that, as Assagioli long ago proved his dependability!  So, apparently the outcome was never in doubt, and all that Assagioli had needed was a bit of fine tuning.

Though there are no more letters on record from the Tibetan to Assagioli, it is known that after World War II, Assagioli went on to an active program of writing, organizational supervision, and planning for the future of esoteric education. ^[145]   After three decades of such vigorous work, including the writing and publication of books ^[146] originally inspired by the Tibetan’s spiritual direction, Assagioli was released from his physical body in August 1974, ^[147] just prior to the Shamballa Impact of 1975.

Archival material recently examined at the School of Esoteric Studies in Asheville, NC, reveals additional details about Assagioli’s life during and following World War II.  Of particular interest is the fact that Assagioli was liberated by Allied forces from a continuing oppression under the Italian Fascist party in August 1944, at which time transiting Jupiter in Virgo was moving to conjunct his Moon, and transiting Saturn in Cancer was moving to trine his Piscean Sun.  Here we can plainly see the reduction of tension and concern brought by the transiting conjunction from Jupiter and a transiting trine, these being yet additional factors in timing and prediction which can therefore be productively used in counseling other striving seekers.

Further information about Assagioli’s life after the war comes from a curriculum vitae apparently written in the mid 1950s.  This document shows that following World War II, Assagioli devoted himself to the cause of Reform and Liberal Judaism, as well as to the further development of his theory of psychosynthesis.  At the same time, he proved a prolific author of esoteric articles, papers, and lectures, continuing his pre-war efforts in this direction.  From 1926 through 1949 (the year of Alice Bailey’s passing) Assagioli had more than 20 articles of interest to Bailey students published in The Beacon.

Of considerable interest to the esoteric astrological community is the following.  The Assagioli file at the S.E.S. contains abundant evidence that Assagioli was deeply versed in not only the generals but also the particulars of astrology.  In the 1960s, Assagioli wrote a number of papers intended for Bailey students which dealt with the major transiting planetary configurations of that decade, such as the multiple planet conjunction in Aquarius of February 1962, and the Uranus-Pluto conjunction (opposed by Saturn) of the mid 1960s.  These were the years of tremendous public concern about nuclear armament and the possibility that the human race on this planet might be extinguished.  Assagioli addressed this point, offering hope and encouraging stability, while also urging the adoption of a cosmic perspective that would obliterate the fear of death. ^[148]   Assagioli’s papers on the transiting configurations of the 60s focused upon the meaning of the astrological symbolism and positive ways in which to express and apply the energies consequently released.  He was a thinker whose thought patterns run in the same veins as do those of esoteric astrologers some fifty years later.  He might well be in some fashion our patron saint.

As the DINA letters and Alice Bailey’s personal comments show,  Assagioli was one of Bailey’s most treasured co-workers.  So also was Regina Keller, to whom Alice dedicated DINA I.  Keller and Assagioli, with others, were part of the group which founded the School for Esoteric Studies some eight years after Alice had passed.  At that point, the Arcane School entered into a critical moment.  A divergence developed between a faction which felt the A.S. should focus almost entirely upon coursework drawn from The Problems of Humanity, and another faction which felt the esoteric studies were of the essence.  The latter group, including Keller and Assagioli, broke off and formed The School for Esoteric Studies, the impetus for the name of which is obvious.

Assagioli maintained a vital involvement with the S.E.S. from its founding in 1957 until his death in 1974.  In that context, he wrote numerous Full Moon papers and talks intended for circulation to the S.E.S. membership.  These papers, many original copies of which are in the Assagioli file at the S.E.S., all consistently urge and encourage unflagging work for the Plan.

Assagioli’s many personal letters of the 50s and 60s to the administrative staff of the S.E.S. reveal a dedicated, profoundly insightful server who was deeply immersed in the Tibetan’s teaching and very much involved with contemplating and laying plans for future evolutionary times.  In particular, Assagioli’s personal communications reveal that he was keen to see the Will Aspect better understood, in preparation for both the New World Religion and the next incarnation of the solar system.  In fact, Assagioli’s interest along this line formed the nucleus of a major portion of what is now the well-established curriculum of the S.E.S.  This “externalized idea” might well be seen as a reflection of Assagioli’s Ray One mind, the power of which was no doubt enhanced by the transit of Saturn over his Venus degree in 1962, and the transit of Uranus over his Moon degree in 1963 and 1964, since both Aquarius and Uranus can be distributors of the First Ray.

At the time of Assagioli’s passing, transiting Neptune was in the midst of a long lasting square to his natal Sun and Moon. ^[149]   In addition, Jupiter, planet of distant lands and long journeys as well as the great Second Ray agent, had just made a retrograde station on his Mercury degree only a month before, setting the stage for “the great journey.”  Thus, the fruitful incarnation of this devoted Hierarchical co-worker came to a close under activation from astrological agents of his soul ray.   It was Neptune in particular, the very planet which had timed so many other great moments in his life, which wrote the final chapter in Assagioli’s life, thus ushering Assagioli’s soul onward to his Ashramic home within Hierarchy.

PART V

SUMMING UP

Let us look back now at what has been learned from this study of the Tibetan’s communications to Assagioli.  Many are the lessons to be gleaned, but prominent among them are several themes which should be restated here for purposes of clarity and retention of valuable concepts.

It seems that there are basically eight major themes upon which this study ultimately centered.  Enumerated in the following list, each will be reiterated and explained below.

Main Themes Emerging from the Assagioli Study

1. The viability, reliability, and importance of transits in analyzing and forecasting the circumstance of spiritual seekers.
2.  The significance of Neptune transits in particular.
3. Potential astrological indicators of initiations.
4. A method for ray analysis based on the horoscope.
5. Principles of esoteric counseling.
6. The relevance and viability of a psychological reading of the chart as a key to discipleship issues.
7. Various general observations regarding ray qualities.
8. The possible timeliness of astrologically based ray analysis.

The Viability, Reliability, and Importance of Transits

As the entirety of this study has shown, the activation of points in the natal chart by the slower moving planets serve to highlight incarnational issues coded into the chart.  Transits therefore appear to function as reliable indicators of issues on the discipleship path and as relevant timing devices for the emergence of both tests and service opportunities (which may in some cases be one and the same thing).

This power to reveal the nature of the path ahead is especially characteristic of the transiting conjunction, square, and opposition from Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn.  These transits seem to be such good indicators that the counseling esoteric astrologer can rely upon them to plainly reveal emerging discipleship challenges.

The study has further shown that transits generally thought by exoteric astrology to be exceedingly difficult may indicate windows in time during which genuine seekers can make the most progress in eliminating problematic habits, while simultaneously establishing right orientation.  This mastery of the energies presented by even difficult planetary transits would appear to be right in line with the Tibetan’s statement that those who aspire to advance along the path of discipleship and initiation must learn to bend planetary force to the purposes of the soul. ^[150]   Transits therefore present a unique opportunity for the seeker to manage and master planetary force.  The counselor can do much to help by making plain the nature of such force and the time period when it is in effect for the individual.

Even general transits, which affect everyone, could be put to this use.  It might be pointed out that Assagioli intuitively accomplished this in regard to the transiting conjunction of Saturn and Uranus in 1942, the energies of which can cause the breaking up of previous patterns.  For Assagioli, it was under this general transiting configuration that he made great progress in breaking up his own previous pattern of astral dominance.

Thus, there are at least two levels of planetary influence which an individual may bend to the purposes of the soul: 1) personal transits from the slower moving planets, and 2) general transit configurations, which affect all persons.  Both of these levels of influence can therefore be used by the counseling esoteric astrologer as interpretive tools for clarifying the nature of the issues being faced.

The Significance of Neptune Transits

In the case of Assagioli, transiting Neptune activated his chart during at least three spiritually significant phases.

1. Transiting Neptune was conjunct his Moon and opposite his Sun during  1931 – 1933 when D.K. told Assagioli that he was “coming closer” to K.H., his Master.
2. Then transiting Neptune was square Assagioli’s Ascendant in 1943 when the Tibetan indicated that Assagioli was being drawn closer to the Ashram of D.K.
3. And finally, transiting Neptune was square Assagioli’s Sun in 1974 when Assagioli  relinquished the body and returned to the relative freedom of the other side of the veil.

If it is accepted that Neptune distributes Ray Two as well as Ray Six, it is easy to see that Assagioli, a Ray Two soul, surely resonated to the call of this great Ray Two influence.

Even though Assagioli appears to have consummated great strides forward under the influence of Neptune transits, the study shows that those same transits of Neptune brought disturbingly increased levels of emotional and psychic sensitivity, feelings of isolation, and even real political persecution.  The inescapable conclusion is that even for the relatively advanced seeker, transits of Neptune may involve difficult karma and at the same time energies that render the astral body even more vulnerable than ever to the invasions and influences of the surrounding psychic atmosphere.  In other words, the astral body may suffer troublesome overstimulation under hard angle transits (conjunctions, squares, and oppositions) from Neptune.

The same principle may be stated in terms of the solar plexus, the inlet for astral energy, which center may be overly active during hard angle Neptune transits, thus opening the door for untold emotional turbulence, wild imaginings, and various distorted perceptions to enter.  As a result, it is the better part of wisdom that the counseling esoteric astrologer urge much drastic detachment from glamour and drama during such events, if that seems necessary.

Then, if the Neptune energy is managed correctly, its presence may very well set the stage for closer affiliation with Hierarchy, which situation was certainly the case for Assagioli.  Thus, there are certainly good developments which may come of Neptune transits, which are neither solely misleading nor exclusively causes of destabilizing hypersensitivity.

Neither is the type of psychic sensitivity encouraged by Neptune energies altogether undesirable.  Although Assagioli was warned away from the drama of connections heavily based in the astral or emotional zone, that was because he was so innately and inordinately sensitive in that direction by constitution, as his natal chart shows.  It was necessary that he downplay that aspect of himself if the energies of his soul were to dominate, but other persons may be in just the opposite circumstance, needing to soften their perceptual fields in order to allow relational energies to supervene where insulation had ruled before.  In fact, there is a definite use for right astral registration, as the Tibetan stated, ^[151] and the right use of emotion, according to the Tibetan, is the duty of the Second Degree Initiate. ^[152]

Add to this the fact that not all psychic sensitivity was seen by the Tibetan as untoward!  See what he had to say on the matter, as follows.

“There is a real danger to the earnest student in the widespread attitude of mind which regards the world of the emotions and of sensitive response to subtle psychic phenomena as necessarily retrogressive in effect.  It can (and often does) mark a pathway fraught with psychic disaster.  At the same time, it can indicate a newly awakening response and sensitive awareness to other aspects of the divine life which are – in their place and rightful use – as divine and as needed and as expressive of divinity as any of the aspiration objectives of the devotee.

The psychic life of a disciple is a definite part of his spiritual expression.  It is only when it is uncontrolled, over – emphasised and overestimated that it is undesirable. It is a hindrance when it is misused or regarded as a substitute for other forms of divine expression.  Then it produces that which is undesirable and immerses the disciple in the world of glamour and illusion.  The psychic powers are valuable aids to service when rightly developed and sanely used; they can be unfolded safely by the man who is mentally polarised and rightly oriented towards service.” ^[153]

As is evident from this passage, there exists no one-size-fits-all spiritual guidance in regard to psychic functioning (and hence, Neptune transits).  While some disciples will need to rein the Neptune force and all it connotes,  others need Neptune’s touch to soften and round out their development.

Thus, even though Assagioli in particular was urged most assiduously to limit the type and amount of impressions received through his solar plexus and hence his psychic channel of perception, this admonishment does not necessarily apply to all seekers.  In fact, as it turns out, psychic and even astral sensitivity in general have a meaningful part to play in the proper functioning of the disciple.  This the Tibetan made clear in a letter to one of the other disciples in Assagioli’s group.  The remarks of D.K. on this topic occurred in context of teaching this individual (and in fact the whole group) to telepathically sense or register vibrations of varying types.  Here is what the Tibetan had to say on the subject.

“In connection with this matter of sensing vibration, it is of value to remember that all sensing is naturally and normally an astral or an emotional reaction. …I am…somewhat amused…by the effort of some of you…to repudiate emotional or astral sensitivity.  Some of you admit it [into your energy field – MTR] but regard it as undesirable; others consider it as something to be inhibited…and ignored.  Few of you…look upon the astral body as a divine expression of reality with its definite and specific uses.” ^[154]

Here the Tibetan plainly indicated that the registrations of the astral body are needed and not simply detritus worthy only of immediate obliteration.  In fact, we are given to understand from this declamation that there must be such a thing as right astral sensitivity.  And so there is, as indicated by the Tibetan’s assertion that one of the requirements incumbent upon the Second Degree initiate in our world cycle is, as he put it, “the right use of emotion.” ^[155]

All this should serve to make evident the principle that not all individuals are as vulnerable to disturbances entering from the astral body as was Assagioli.  And, as far as Assagioli himself goes, not all of his astral sensitivity was a bad thing, either, for as the Tibetan stated, Assagioli’s incarnation was specifically intended for just this very thing, in right proportion of course.

Said D.K. to Assagioli in a letter dated December of 1935,  “For you, this present life is primarily one of training and of unfoldment in connection with the sensitive…response apparatus. ” ^[156]   As has been seen, this dominant life theme was well represented in Assagioli’s astrological chart through the prevalent influence of the planet Neptune.  Certainly the powers of Neptune can make an individual more impressionable, whether by influence in the natal chart or by transit, and this was certainly the case with Assagioli.

The Astrological Timing of Initiations

Yet another theme to be drawn from Assagioli’s life story is the possible use of astrological timing to deduce when initiations may have been or will be taken.  As the previous installments of the Assagioli study have shown, it is possible that Assagioli took the Second Initiation in either 1942 or 1946.  In 1942, transiting Pluto moved in and out of opposition to Assagioli’s natal Venus position, and transiting Uranus passed over his natal Pluto degree.  In 1946, transiting Pluto moved back and forth over the degree of Assagioli’s true lunar north node, while transiting Uranus made a square to his natal Mercury.   All this might be generalized in the statement that initiations may occur when two or more outer planets make transiting hard angle aspects (conjunctions, squares, and oppositions) to points in the natal chart.  Counseling astrologers can use this information to temper their thinking when working with those who are experiencing multiple hard angle outer planet transits.

Ray Assessment and Consequent Counseling Techniques

As promised in the opening pages of this study, there will now be extracted certain principles that may be used with reasonable confidence for ray analysis and esoteric astrological counseling based on the suspected ray constitution of the individual.

First, it can be concluded from the Assagioli study that the soul ray may in certain cases be indicated by the esoteric ruler of the Ascendant.  This formula works for the Assagioli chart, if one accepts the additional ray signature for Neptune.

This formula also appears to yield the correct soul ray for the Jewish people as a whole, of whom the Tibetan spoke in Esoteric Psychology I.  There the Tibetan stated that the Jewish people collectively have a Ray One Soul and what he referred to as a “Virgo Ascendant.” ^[157]   Of course, this Ascendant is something other than the Ascendants calculated by astrologers on the basis of birth times, for who knows the time at which an entire soul grouping was created?  All the same, we can tentatively treat this group Ascendant of which the Tibetan speaks in the same manner as we would any Ascendant calculated in the normal way from a known birth time.

Thinking in this vein, we immediately see that Virgo does not distribute Ray One, nor does its esoteric ruler, which is the Moon.  However, the Tibetan stated plainly that the Moon as esoteric ruler of Virgo veils both Neptune and Vulcan, ^[158] the latter of which distributes the needed Ray One.  Yes, Vulcan, veiled by the esoteric ruler of Virgo, neatly answers to the Tibetan’s assertion, suggesting that perhaps we are indeed on the right track in looking for the soul ray in either the esoteric ruler of the Ascendant or that planet which it veils (if there is any such).  Thus, putting the clues together, it appears that at least in some cases, the ray of the soul is connected with the esoteric ruler of the Ascendant.

The ray of the personality is, of course, another matter.  According to the Tibetan, the “secret” of the personality ray is hidden in the Sun sign. ^[159]   Thus, it would seem that the Sun sign should in some fashion reveal the personality ray.  Perhaps the matter might be simple in certain cases, with the ray (or one of the rays) distributed by the Sun sign constituting the personality ray of the individual concerned.

The case of the Jewish people is instructive in this regard.  Just as the Tibetan spoke of the soul ray of this group, he also assigned it a personality ray.  In Esoteric Psychology I, D.K. stated, “The personality ray…of the Jewish people…is the third ray [and]…their astrological sign is Capricorn….” ^[160]   If by this he meant to say that the Sun sign of the Jewish people as a group is Capricorn, then we can readily see from whence comes the Third Ray personality, since Ray Three is one of the rays distributed by Capricorn.

However, this straightforward approach did not yield the right ray for Assagioli.  In his case, the correct personality ray could only be deduced from the rays of bodies making hard angle aspects to the Sun.

Thus, from all this we might conclude that the personality ray is indicated either by the ray (or one of the rays) distributed by the sign in which the Sun is posited, or by the rays of bodies making conjunctions, squares, or oppositions to the natal Sun degree.

Nailing down the ray of the mental body entails even greater complexity.  Even so, it appears from the Assagioli study that the ray of the mental body may be indicated by agreement in ray natures between the esoteric and hierarchical rulers of Mercury and the rays distributed by the sign containing Venus.  Common sense suggest that variations of this pattern should also hold, such that the ray of the mental body may in some cases be shown by common or repeating ray natures derived from any combination of the rays distributed by the esoteric and hierarchical rulers of Mercury and Venus, plus the rays distributed by the signs in which these planets are placed. ^[161]   Exceptions to this pattern are bound to exist, however, and so the indications of this study should be used as an approximate guide.

When it comes to the astral body, ray analysis continues to be challenging.  We know that the Tibetan has linked the both the Moon ^[162] and Neptune ^[163] with the astral body.  Further, we might surmise that Mars exerts some bearing upon the astral nature, as Mars distributes the Sixth Ray, which ray is inherently connected with the sixth or astral plane.  Indeed, the Tibetan did state that Mars symbolizes the entire lower nature, ^[164] and so since the astral body is part of the “lower nature” (or lower quaternary) it may have some relevance to the character of the astral vehicle.  However, D.K. associated Mars more specifically with the physical body, ^[165] so perhaps primary emphasis should be given to the Moon and Neptune in the effort to determine the astral ray of the individual on the basis of indications in the natal chart.

In Assagioli’s case, it was one of the rays distributed by the sign holding the Moon, plus hard angle aspects to the Moon, which yielded the correct ray.  Further, the ray of the hierarchical ruler of the sign in which Assagioli’s Moon was placed also happens to yield the correct ray. Thus, it might reasonably be said that in at least some cases, the ray of the astral body may be revealed by a ray distributed by the sign in which the Moon is contained or the ray of any of its rulers, together with any hard angle planetary aspects made with the Moon, especially if any of these agree or present repeating ray signatures.  Exactly what role, if any, is played by Neptune is yet to be revealed.

As indicated just above, Mars is connected with the physical body.  In Assagioli’s case, however, the matter was not simple, for the ray distributed by the sign in which we find his Mars did not yield the correct ray.    However, if  an additional ray attribution for Saturn is accepted, then the right physical ray is indicated by a hard angle aspect to Assagioli’s Mars.  Some have also suggested that the right ray for the physical body might have been obtained by using the ray of the planet exalted in the sign in which Assagioli’s Mars is positioned.  Thus, Assagioli’s Mars in Scorpio might be considered to point toward Uranus, exalted in that sign, and distributor of the needed Seventh Ray.

In sum, it appears that the ray of the physical body may be indicated by hard angle planetary aspects involving Mars, and/or any repeating ray natures from rulership on any level, or from the planet exalted in the sign in which Mars is found.

Perhaps a very general rule of thumb which might ever be held in mind when attempting ray analysis is as follows.  Always consider the ray or rays distributed by the sign holding the factor under consideration.  Then look for confirming evidence in the form of hard angle aspects to the factor under consideration and/or repeating themes in the various levels of rulership of the  sign concerned.  Once the choices generated by this procedure have been duly noted with their justifications, then observe the individual to determine if the tentative ray assessment is borne out.

Once all this is done, and a tentative ray analysis is in hand, counseling based on the ray profile may be undertaken.  What we have learned from the Assagioli study in this regard is that the nature of the rays distributed by  planets prominent in the horoscope suggest both the dominant weaknesses and strengths of the individual concerned.  Esoteric astrological guidance therefore frequently consists in wisely shepherding the individual away from the problematic expressions of the ray or rays dominant in the horoscope, and toward the higher, more refined expressions of those same rays.  In some cases, it may be necessary to draw out an entirely different ray characteristic  by recommending meditations or spiritual exercises linked to one of the vehicular rays of a different nature.  Above all, a psychologically based reading of the chart, as clearly shown in the case of Assagioli, will certainly suffice to outline the major issues faced by any disciple, a fact upon which the counseling esoteric astrologer can rely in the effort to assist the striving disciple to manage his or her tests as conscientiously as possible.

The Timeliness of All This

There is under discussion today in the esoteric community the proposition that neither astrologically derived ray analysis nor ray analysis in general can be done at this time because the Age of Aquarius is not to begin until the year 2117.  This date comes from a letter (not published in the Bailey books) allegedly written in 1940 by D.K. and addressed to Assagioli, in which the Tibetan is said to have placed the onset of the Age of Aquarius 177 years forward.  It is this letter which is the basis of the assertions being made by various sources in the esoteric community that the Age of Aquarius has not yet begun.

Though it is certainly possible that this putatively private letter from D.K. is genuine, the Tibetan made other remarks at a later date which are published for all to see in the Bailey material.  The Problems of Humanity  and The Reappearance of the Christ are the two volumes in which can be found the pivotal statements placing the onset of the Age of Aquarius in the mid 20^th century, as discussed earlier in this study.  These two works were both published after 1940.  Reappearance was published in 1947, while Problems was dictated in the period 1946 – 1949 and published in 1949. ^[166]   Thus, these later dictations are likely to represent the Tibetan’s last word on the matter, and are therefore updated information.

The idea that information can be and in fact must be updated was advanced by the Tibetan himself.  In The Rays and the Initiations, which was dictated between 1942 and 1949 and first published in 1951, the Tibetan revealed that profound changes in Hierarchical methods had been instituted by the middle of the 20^th century because of the unexpected and sudden forward progress of Humanity.  “It is humanity,” he stated, “which has forced these events of so far-reaching a nature; mankind has also forced revelations which it had been believed could not be given to men for thousands of years or until the sixth rootrace had come into being.” ^[167]

Recall that the capacity to do ray analysis was one of those things originally slated for a period some time after the close of the fifth rootrace.  That statement was made by the Tibetan in A Treatise on White Magic, which was dictated between 1928 and 1933, to be first published in 1934. ^[168]   Approximately eleven years later, D.K. flatly stated that some of the revelations originally scheduled for the sixth race had been forced by the progress of humanity into an earlier time frame. ^[169]   It seems entirely possible that methods for ray analysis may be one of those revelations, in which case it is a knowledge whose time has indeed come.

Likewise, the legacy of Roberto Assagioli has arrived at a moment of  significance itself.  At the very moment this study was completed, transiting Saturn sat at 2 degrees and 26 minutes of Cancer, tightly conjunct Assagioli’s proposed Ascendant at 2 degrees and 29 minutes of Cancer.  Certainly this seems a fitting signature for a retrospective study concerning the timing of discipleship tests and the lasting message of a life well lived.

^[1] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, p. 8.

^[2] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 98.

^[3] Alice A. Bailey, Glamour, A World Problem, p. 118.

^[4] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology, p. 404.

^[5] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Healing, pp. 650, 701.

^[6]   Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 295.

^[7] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 446.

^[8] See, for example, Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, p. 320.

^[9] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 447.

^[10]   Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, p. 113.

^[11] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Healing, p. 77.

^[12] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Healing, p. 383.

^[13] Alice A. Bailey, Problems of Humanity, p. 81.

^[14] Alice A. Bailey, The Reappearance of the Christ, pp. 82 – 83.

^[15] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology II, p. 145.

^[16] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, p. 415.

^[17] See also Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 425, where the Tibetan stated that the Age of Aquarius is already underway.  DINA II, according to Stephenson, was written between 1940 and 1949, so this means that  as early as the 1940s, the Tibetan regarded the Age of Aquarius as having already begun.  His exact statement was, “…the Sun is in Aquarius, for the Aquarian Age is just beginning.”  This is shorthand for the more astronomically correct formulation that the Sun at the vernal equinox point is now seen (according to Hierarchy) against the backdrop of the constellation Aquarius.  However, the meaning is plain enough, for he followed up the statement  about the position of the Sun with the unambiguous “for the Aquarian Age is just beginning.”

^[18] James Stephenson, Prophecy on Trial, p. 23.

^[19] James Stephenson, Prophecy on Trial, p. 23.

^[20] James Stephenson, Prophecy on Trial, p. 23.

^[21] Alice A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, p. 424.

^[22] Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 188.

^[23] Alice A. Bailey,  A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, pp. 1258 – 1260.

^[24] Alice A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, pp. 413 – 419.

^[25] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology II, p. 102.

^[26] Dane Rudhyar, Astrology and the Modern Psyche, pp. 77 – 82.

^[27] Dane Rudhyar, Astrology and the Modern Psyche, p. 77.

^[28]   Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, p. 436.

^[29]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 18 – 19.

^[30]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 435.

^[31]    Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, p. 335; Esoteric Astrology, p. 651.

^[32]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, p. 191; Esoteric Astrology, p. 619.

^[33]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 16 – 17.

^[34]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 281.

^[35]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 126, 247 – 248, 323.

^[36]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 349, 351.

^[37]    Esoteric Astrology, pp. 297 – 298.

^[38]   Esoteric Astrology, pp. 219 – 220, 275.

^[39]   Esoteric Astrology, p. 365.

^[40]   Esoteric Astrology, p. 211.

^[41]   Esoteric Astrology, p. 210.

^[42] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 155.

^[43] Dane Rudhyar, Astrology and the Modern  Psyche, pp. 77  – 78.

^[44] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 138; Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 459.

^[45] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, pp. 147, 149; Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 460.

^[46] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 154

^[47] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, pp. 139, 140, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 154, 155; Discipleship in the New Age II, pp. 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 473.

^[48] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 138.

^[49] DINA I, p. 141.

^[50] Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 138.

^[51] DINA I, p. 139.

^[52] Ibid.

^[53] Ibid.

^[54] Ibid.

^[55] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 140; Discipleship in the New Age II, pp. 463, 465.

^[56] DINA I, p. 140.

^[57] DINA I, pp. 140 – 141.

^[58] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, pp. 420 – 421; A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 370.

^[59] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 610, 621.

^[60] DINA I, p. 141.

^[61] DINA I, p. 144.

^[62] DINA I., pp 142 – 143.

^[63] DINA I, p. 143.

^[64] Ibid.

^[65] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 5.

^[66] DINA I, p. 143.

^[67] DINA I, p. 144.

^[68] DINA I, p. 145.

^[69] DINA I, p. 146.

^[70] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 19, 20, 249.

^[71] Esoteric Astrology, pp. 19, 20.

^[72] Esoteric Astrology, p. 249.

^[73] Esoteric Astrology, p. 323.

^[74] DINA I, pp. 146 – 147.

^[75] DINA I, p. 147.

^[76] Ibid.

^[77] Ibid.

^[78] DINA I, p. 148.

^[79] Ibid.

^[80] DINA I, p. 149.

^[81] DINA I, p. 150.

^[82] Ibid.

^[83] Ibid.

^[84] Ibid.

^[85] DINA I, pp. 152 – 153.

^[86] DINA I, p. 153.

^[87] Ibid.

^[88] DINA I, pp 154 – 155.

^[89] See the discussion on the nature of the crosses in Esoteric Astrology, pp.  553 – 575.

^[90] Esoteric Astrology, p. 199.

^[91] DINA I, p. 156.

^[92] Ibid.

^[93] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 23.

^[94] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 18 – 19.

^[95] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 459.

^[96] Dane Rudhyar, Astrology and the Modern Psyche, p. 78.

^[97] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, p. 394.  In this same passage, the Tibetan adds that Capricorn is the “astrological sign” of the Jewish people, and that collectively they have Virgo rising.  Here is an interesting view of how ray analysis may work ,  for if by the phrase, “astrological sign,” the Tibetan means the sun sign, then indeed it is easy to see that  Ray Three, one of the rays distributed by Capricorn, may indeed be the personality ray of the Jewish people.   Likewise, more can be learned about the manner in which soul rays may be indicated by the fact that the Tibetan indicates Virgo as the Ascendant of the Jewish people, and yet states that their soul ray is Ray One.  Virgo does not distribute Ray One, but its esoteric ruler (the Moon) is said by the Tibetan to veil Vulcan in Esoteric Astrology, p. 273, and Vulcan does distribute Ray One.  Therefore, from this example it can be concluded that the Ascendant’s esoteric ruler (or that which it veils) may yield the correct soul ray.

^[98] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, p. 382.

^[99] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 460.

^[100] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 460.

^[101] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 460.

^[102] Alice  A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 517.

^[103] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 459.

^[104] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 461.

^[105] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 463.

^[106] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 460.

^[107] Dane  Rudhyar,  Astrology and the Modern Psyche, p. 78.

^[108] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 460.

^[109] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 460.

^[110] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II. p. 461.

^[111] For the association of Neptune with the astral plane, see Bailey’s Esoteric Astrology, pp. 219- 220; for its association with the Buddhic principle and plane, see Bailey’s A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 899.

^[112] Alice  A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, pp. 469 – 470.

^[113] Dane Rudhyar, Astrology and the Modern Psyche, p. 78.

^[114] Dane Rudhyar, Astrology and the Modern Psyche, p. 78.

^[115] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 463.

^[116] Alice  A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II.  p. 466.

^[117] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II. p. 466.

^[118] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 539.

^[119]    The letter of  June of 1946 which further substantiated that praiseworthy achievement  can be found  in DINA II on pp. 73 – 78.  See especially  p. 75.

^[120] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 463.

^[121] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, pp. 469 – 470.

^[122] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 464.

^[123] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II. p. 460.

^[124] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II. p. 461.

^[125] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 463.

^[126] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 466.

^[127]   Alice A. Bailey,  Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 466.

^[128] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 470.

^[129] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 469.

^[130] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 469.

^[131]   Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 470.

^[132]   Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 472.

^[133]   Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 470.

^[134]   Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 75.

^[135]    Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 166.

^[136]   Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, pp. 95, 143.

^[137]    Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, pp. 142 – 143.

^[138]    Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 143.

^[139]    Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 473.

^[140] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 75.

^[141] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 473.

^[142] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 473.

^[143] By Koch house measurement, transiting Neptune passed through Assagioli’s fourth house from October 1930 until August 1954.

^[144] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 93.

^[145] Information to this effect has been gathered by the author from several sources, including individual persons who knew of Assagioli and archival material held by the School of Esoteric Studies in Asheville, NC, USA.

^[146] The Act of Will and Psychosynthesis.

^[147]   Biographical information held by the School of Esoteric Studies in Asheville, NC, provided the month of Assagioli’s death.  The year is published in Rudhyar’s Astrology for the Modern Psyche.

^[148]   As all who have studied the Plan know, the dissipation of the fear of death is one of the projects of the Second Ray Ashram, to which we know Assagioli belonged, as K.H. was his Master.  See Esoteric Healing, 390.

^[149]  This long lasting transiting square occurred from February 1973 until Assagioli passed in August 1974, and then on through November 1974.

^[150] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 23.

^[151] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 118.

^[152] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 119.

^[153] Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 111.

^[154]   Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 118.

^[155]   Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 119.

^[156]   Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age I, p. 148.

^[157]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, p. 394.

^[158]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p.273.

^[159]   Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 16 – 17.

^[160]    Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I, p. 394.

^[161]   Example:  Mercury in Capricorn and Venus in Sagittarius.    As the esoteric ruler of Sagittarius is Earth, distributing Ray Three, and Capricorn also distributes this ray, the common or repeating theme is Ray Three.  This example represents the reverse of the pattern used in the Assagioli case, but the same type of reasoning.  There may be some cases in which the principle of repeating themes overrides the particulars of how such themes are shown.

^[162] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 297- 298.

^[163] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, pp. 219 – 220, 275.

^[164] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 211.

^[165] Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 210.

^[166]   James Stephenson, Prophecy on Trial, p. 23.

^[167]   Alice A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, p. 424.  Yet another instance of changed information in later portions of the Bailey dictations in contrast to the earlier is found in the same volume, pp. 389 – 390.  There the Tibetan stated that although in 1922, senior members of Hierarchy had determined that Humanity was prepared for only the most rudimentary information on the Seven Cosmic Paths, only a few decades later, senior members changed that estimation and allowed for the release of substantive information on the Seven Cosmic Paths in the Rays and the Initiations.

^[168]   James Stephenson, Prophecy on Trial, p. 23.

^[169] As stated above, The Rays and the Initiations, p. 424.