Chapter IX
Astro-Philosophy Discusses
Hospital Experience
"One person's hospital-experience also provides similar
opportunity to each of his loved ones who are thus given the opportunity to
expand and impersonalize on the emotional and mental planes. In unthought-ful
pity we emphasize the painful elements of our loved one's experience because
our attention is on the pain-ful outer aspect, not on the truthful
significance of the experience as an indication of opportunity for growth,
harmonization, and realization."
We humans are inclined to identify things in terms of
the feelings we have experienced in contact, or relationship, with them.
"Pain, suffering, trouble, and sorrow" are the associations we tend to make
when "hospital" is brought to our attention. With such associations in mind
and feeling, emphasized through the years, it is no wonder that anxiety, fear,
and terror rise up in us when hospital-experience becomes imminent. We
recognize and admit, from the evidence of our conditions, that we need help;
we desperately want release from the inharmony and discomfort of disease and
injury; but, in our limited comprehension of "hospital-truth," we tend to
intensify our difficulty. We become so preoccupied with pain and fear that we
anesthetize our consciousness of health and our faith in the availability of
healing powers. It is true that people can release themselves from
physical, emotional, and mental inharmony by an internal action, a switch in
consciousness from congestion-on-inharmony to realization-of-health. These
persons give living proof that healing is internal. The primordial,
instinctive will-to-live is the basic healing agency for even those persons
who are not aware of a conscious faith in recovery. However, the conscious
intensifying of the awareness of health and healing not only hastens
the correction of the particular condition but re-establishes health on all
planes of functioning. All of these forms of service which might be called the
"paths of healing" are, in truth, means by which humans assist other
humans to diminish fear and hopelessness and to intensify their recognitions
of the nature of well-being. Pisces, the twelfth house-sign of the
Great Mandala, is the key.
There are two astrological mandalas, extracts from the
Great Astrological Mandala (twelve-housed wheel, Aries as Ascendant-sign,
thirty degrees of each zodiacal sign corresponding to each house), which may
be studied in consideration of why humans have hospital-experience. The
first one depicts the evolutionary causes. This is drawn by indicating
the symbols of the mutable signs at the cusps of the ninth, sixth,
third, and twelfth houses, the symbol for Sagittarius at the ninth cusp
drawn larger than the other three, and all four cusps connected by a sequence
of straight lines and the two intersecting diameters. This drawing results in
the mutable square and its internal complementary lines of
force. The drawing of the square should start at the Sagittarius cusp
because this sign is the "fire-sign representative" of the mutable cross; as
such, it symbolizes the apperception of truth. The fourth sign in
clockwise sequence from Sagittarius is Pisces, representing the water-element,
and the subject of this discourse. A more condensed representation of this
sequence will be seen in a vertical line of the four mutable signs with
Sagittarius at the bottom, Virgo next above, Gemini next above, and Pisces at
the top; a vertical line at the side, with the arrow-head at the top next to
Pisces will show how (because this is a "square-mandala") "default in
Sagittarius leads to negative Pisces conditions;" in other words, lack of
apperception of truth leads to twelfth house, Pisces, karmic condition. In
terms of "square and opposition aspect-interpretation," this mandala reveals
that hospitals are places of limitation, constriction, and entombment only to
the consciousness which refuses the opportunities to recognize Truth; the
conditions which make hospitalization necessary are always the results of
having expressed un-truth in the past. But, Truth is an attribute of
eternal Being; it is always available, always serviceable, and omnipotent
to help. Therefore, the karmic necessity which we call
"hospital-experience" can be regarded as an opportunity to perceive truth-of-being in greater degree than ever before.
If, in this mandala of the mutable square, Sagittarius
represents past default on cognition and expression of Truth, then Pisces — at
the top of the sequence — represents the outpicturing of that default in
terms of necessity to make atonement. We make atonement by a process of
refocalization of consciousness and the externalizing of this refocalization
is the slowed-down experience of being incarcerated in the hospital. A
hospital is a place of limitation, incarceration, sorrow, pain, and trouble
only to a person who refuses to expand his consciousness of himself in
relation to his experience. To a person who truly seeks truth, the
hospital is a place of opportunity for re-newal. Pain-experience focalizes the
great internal query of "Why?" When a person's "why?" is sincere, Truth always
and inevitably recharges his consciousness and clarifies the meaning of the
experience. Self-pity, unreasonable worry, and bitterness keep the person
aligned to the "mutable square" — and all of its implications. The sincere
desire to realize health inspires the suffering person to seek the truthful
understanding of the causes of his condition.
One person's hospital-experience also provides similar
opportunity to each of his loved ones who are thus given the opportunity to
expand and impersonalize on the emotional and mental planes. In unthought-ful
pity we emphasize the painful elements of our loved one's experience because
our attention is on the pain-ful outer aspect, not on the truthful
significance of the experience as an indication of opportunity for growth,
harmonization, and realization. Sagittarius, as the "root" of this
representation of the mutable square, states that there is an understanding
of principle to be perceived in the experience; when the opportunity is
resisted and resented, the incarceration-in-difficulty intensifies; when it is
accepted with a dissolution of self-pity and self-justification, the inpouring
of Truth not only clarifies consciousness but it also strengthens faith and
deepens the capacity for pure sympathy. One then comes into clearer and
more truthful understanding of the difficulties of others, and the powers of
right helpfulness are expanded and re-enforced.
The path of humanity's evolution is traversed by two
principal "modes." One is the mode of mysticism; this is the "Heart
Path" of sympathy, inspiration, instrumentation, impersonal devotion, prayer,
and dedication. It is basically symbolized by Pisces as ruler-ship sign of
Neptune and exaltation-sign of Venus. The other is the mode of
esotericism, the radiative power and mind Path. It identifies the path of
scientists, inventors, creative artists, magicians, and alchemists. All humans
who serve through healing activities incline, basically, to one or the other
of these modes, but both modes are essential for the identification of a
Master Healer.
The mystic path of healing-activity is well
illustrated by such persons as Bernadette Soubirous, through whose inspired
instrumentation the Grotto of Lourdes was established; Father Flanagan, who
established Boys' Town, and all persons who pray for humanity's healing
also illustrate the mystic mode. Research scientists, inventors,
administrators, surgeons, and dentists illustrate the esotericist mode. Florence
Nightingale, primarily an example of the esotericist mode, was a wonderful
example of the combination of both modes.
In the type of healer who most closely is associated
with the correction of the patient's illness will be found an important clue
as to the karma cause of the illness. The healer stands as a
personalized representative of an expansion of consciousness which the patient
needs to make — truly to correct the cause of his illness. The skill of
a surgeon (esotericist) may correct the external aspect of the condition, but
the devoted and loving tenderness of the nurse (mystic) may be the power which
most completely inspires the patient with renewal of his consciousness of
the truth of health; a nurse who is careless, indifferent, and without
sympathy may discourage the patient and increase his preoccupation with his
trouble. His surgeon, however, may inspire him by his command of knowledge and
skill, and this form of inspiration may stimulate in the patient a
deeper-than-ever desire to know the truth of his condition. It is sincerely
felt by the author that the healer-as-esotericist is basically symbolized by
Neptune being exalted in Leo, the Sun's sign and arch-symbol of power.
The second mandala of hospital-experience is the
water-trine mandala: an equilateral triangle formed by straight line
connecting the cusps of the twelfth, eighth, and fourth houses; the symbols
for Pisces, Scorpio, and Cancer appropriately placed; the symbol for Pisces
drawn larger than the other two sign-symbols, and the symbol for Neptune
placed in the twelfth house. Prepare three of these. In the first, indicate
the diameter Pisces-Virgo; in the second, indicate the diameter
Scorpio-Taurus; in the third indicate the diameter
Cancer-Capricorn. These mandalas illustrate the fullness of the
significance of each of the water-signs to hospital-experience by application
of the Principle of Polarity. The symbols for the three water-signs arranged
in a vertical line with Pisces at the top, Scorpio second, and Cancer at the
bottom, will clearly picture the sequence which is appropriate to this
discussion.
First mandala — Pisces-Virgo: This is the diameter of
consciousness of health, the depletion of which makes therapy or
hospital-experience necessary. Virgo is health as the basic potency which makes
serviceable activity possible; Pisces is the needed redemption of that
potency. The person whose consciousness of physical potency or ability is
less than its natural fullness cannot express the fullness of his serviceable
activity, even though he may make heroic efforts in spite of his limitation.
Those efforts, made as an expression of his will, are in effect redemption
from within, but if therapy can assist to unfold expansion of ability,
then the person "asks for help from Pisces" — he enters a hospital, "cuts off"
from his previous activity for a time, accepts limitation of activity, and, at
the same time, he accepts the opportunity more fully to improve his physical
condition and his capacity for serviceable activity. The hospital-building
which he enters for help and regeneration is an externalization of the
overshadowing powers of divine grace. Think about this.
No one is immune from the action of the Law of Cause
and Effect, but, though every individual must face and resolve his karmic
residues, the powers of Divine Grace are inherent in every activity by which
humans receive help in the resolution of their difficulties. The presence of
Divine Grace in the human heart is evidenced by any hospital, from the small
tent-ward on the field of combat to the gigantic and complex institutions of
metropolitan cities; all hospitals, from smallest to largest, are
continually over-shadowed and recharged by healing agencies from higher
dimensions. The most inspiredly dedicated of our healers are those who
are, consciously or unconsciously, most sensitive to the directive
stimulus of these Higher Agencies. Humans, seeing only the surface of
things, interpret hospitals as being places of pain, sorrow, and darkness. The
exact opposite is true: Hospitals are focalizations of the healing powers
of light and love. When suffering humanity realizes this, the whole
attitude toward their necessary hospital-experience undergoes a drastic and
illuminating change. Faith, gratitude, hopefulness, and reassurance neutralize
the constricting effects of pain, and both consciousness and body expand to
make a more efficient adjustment to healing treatments. The power of Divine
Grace transforms a hospital from being a place where ripe karma of pain,
sorrow, and limitation must be endured to being a place where redemption
and at-one-ment may be experienced.
If the first mandala, headed by Pisces, is the "what
and where" of hospital-experience, then the diameter Scorpio-Taurus
indicates the means by which hospital service is carried out and
fulfilled. Esoterically, Scorpio-Taurus is the diameter of stewardship,
the spiritual principle which is distilled in human consciousness through
experiences of "possession and ownership." That which is "stewarded" in
hospital service and experience is regenerative power. It originates in
higher, invisible dimensions, it is directed by Invisible Servers and
channeled in each healing-institution by human servers to those in need. The
Invisible Servers work dedicatedly through long spans of time to direct the
focalization of power for human needs and the sign Scorpio symbolizes very
clearly the dedicated consciousness and disciplined abilities of all
true human healers.
Florence Nightingale, whose indefatigable labors
extended through a lifetime of ninety years stands as a wonderful human
example of the persistent services of Invisible Healers. Healers
discipline themselves to qualify, but no healer "owns" healing power —
in his stewardship of his personal equipment he acts as a "steward" of
that which is projected from Invisible Sources for use on this
plane. All releasement of power is subsequent to focalization of
Power; the healer who, in a balanced and harmonious way, conserves his
personal resources is the one who can most effectively release the power which
flows through him to his patients; these resources pertain to the physical,
emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of his being. Therefore,
Scorpio-Taurus refers to the material of power which makes
healing-regeneration
possible through focalization and release; it refers to the Principle
of Stewardship which operates through the consciousness of invisible and
visible healers; it refers to the omnipresent Source of power, the
provid-ance of Father-Mother God for the preservation and regeneration of
evolving forms and microcosms. He who would serve as "healer," in dedicated
service, "takes hands" with his Invisible Elders and serves as their
incarnated "grounded" instrument.
The third representation of this mandala, emphasized
by Cancer, which is polarized by Capricorn, illustrates "that" which inspires
or prompts a human to walk the Path of Healing-service. It is the parental
power of pure sympathy. It was once said that "the first hospital was
built when a human first prayed unselfishly and in the fullness of faith for
the healing of a fellow human." That form of prayer when externalized in the
physical is the hospital-building which encloses, as the womb encloses the
growing embryo, the expanding emergence of health-consciousness. Cancer, the
maternal symbol, illustrates the qualities of sympathy, tenderness, mercy, and
compassion which inspire humans to assist in the healing of others; Capricorn,
the paternal symbol, illustrates the providence of organized material form for
the protection and enclosure of healing-activities, corresponding to the
material home which a father provides for the protection of his young. "Embryo
in the womb" and "patient in the hospital" correspond to each other in the
sense that each is having the opportunity to unfold anew his life-
consciousness through experience.
The relation of hospital-administrators and servers
to patients has many points of similarity to the relation of parents to
their children. All therapists are "parents" to their patients' renewal of
life-consciousness through their activities in health-improvement, and
health-improvement is always an agency of liberation. He who would
liberate himself from the causes of physical inharmony must renew,
regenerate, and revitalize his consciousness; he who would most truly serve on
the path of healing must add to his technical knowledge and skill by learning
of the importance of helping others to regenerate their consciousness. Healing
is a spirit-ual thing; those who heal most truly are those who serve to reveal
the omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience of the Indwelling Spirit.
Prayer is the "technique" for this revealment; prayer and skill-knowledge
unify the mystic-esotericist powers in the healer. Sympathy, humility,
dedication to factual and spiritual truth, balanced personal discipline, and
faith make it possible for each healer to "ground" the regenerative forces
from the higher realms for use in the hospital where he or she serves.
In conclusion, these three representations of the
water-trine mandala may be used to study prison experience. In their
essential nature and purpose prisons are hospitals. In both, karmic
residues are to be faced and resolved; the same Power and the same Agencies
serve both; the prime objective of both forms of service is:
atonement, and "atonement" means increased consciousness of
at-one-ment,
the harmonized unification of body, emotion, mind, and soul with
Spirit.
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