Cosmic symbolism

by Sepharial

There is an ancient symbol known as the “Golden Candlestick” which is in the nature of a candelabrum with seven arms. Each of the seven lights answers to one of the seven celestial bodies known to the ancients, and the order of them is that known as the Chaldean, in use among astrologers. Here is the symbol—

Figure 15.

It will be seen at once that the interchange of the planets is confirmatory of the astrological method derived from the sign rulerships. Saturn interchanges with the Moon, Jupiter with Mercury, Mars with Venus, while the Sun stands in the centre of the system giving light to all. These lights answer to the seven Rays, the seven Spirits before the Throne, the seven Archangels, Cassiel, the keeper of secrets—Saturn; Zadkiel, the spirit of Justice—Jupiter; Madimial, the spirit of those who make Red—Mars; Michael, who is “like unto God”—Sun; Haniel, the spirit of Splendour—Venus; Raphael, the spirit of Healing—Mercury; and Gabriel, the spirit of Strength—Moon.

In connection with this symbol there is another which affords several glyphs in combination. It is called the Seven-pointed Star and Star of the Universe. A star of seven points being drawn, the planetary bodies, the Sun and Moon, are placed round it in the Chaldean order, the Sun being at the highest point, thus—

Figure 16.

It is then found that the Sun holds the unique position of supreme elevation, while the “pairs of opposites,” Venus and Mars, Mercury and Jupiter, Moon and Saturn, are functioning on successively lower planes.

By starting with the first day of the week, Sunday, at the point of the Sun and following the lines of the Star, we shall derive the days of the week in their order, namely, Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. By reading from Mars and taking every alternate planet, we get the order of the atomic weights of the metals to which the ancients ascribed these planets; namely, Iron, Copper, Silver, Tin, Gold, Mercury and Lead. This fact seems strongly to support the view that there is a very real connection between the planets and the metals referred to them by the ancients, for while it is fairly certain that they did not know anything about atomic weights, they very clearly associated the celestial bodies with the primary metals, and the fact that they are brought into line through the apparent velocities of the several bodies of the solar system seems to afford a suggestive basis for further inquiry. We all are used to speaking of the “golden” sun and the “silver” moon, and we also speak in terms of cosmic symbolism when we refer to an “iron” will, or of “steeling” oneself against a danger, for Mars is the astrological index of the Will, and the uses of steel and iron are for defence and offence. In the name of Mercury we have actually retained the ancient name associated with the metal, although the root of it is merx, trade, and has no direct associations with quicksilver. But we pick up the link of connection through the known association of Mercury with trade and shipping, and when we see the winged messengers or trading vessels carrying their burden of foreign goods from one country to another, we understand why Mercury was called the Interpreter, for in astrology the planet Mercury is the symbol of commerce, and it “confers the gift of tongues.” Pliny says that copper was first discovered in Cyprus, from which it gets its name, and, according to astrologers from the time of Ptolemy until now, the sign Taurus, one of the signs of Venus, rules Cyprus. This sidelight is of interest, displaying as it does the universality of planetary dominions. Copper, of course, was in use before Cyprus had been named or exploited, but it is of interest to observe that a copper-bearing territory, which has given the metal a name in the West, should be found both traditionally and experimentally to be under the dominion of the planet Venus, which the ancients associated with that metal. Lead, which is named in connection with Saturn, the Lunar alternative, has been spoken of by some of the old Hermetists as a disease of the Moon, and it is suggested that the “sick Lady” took a bad turn at a certain point in her career, and instead of appearing in shining silver robes, put on those of leaden grey. It is worthy of note that silver ore is frequently found in lead, and silver has been successfully extracted from lead since 1829, when Pattinson developed his useful process.

Before leaving this subject of Kabalas connected with planetary numbers, it may be well to point out that the Kabala displayed in the beginning of this chapter may also be applied to the Chaldean order of the planets and their numbers, yielding the same results.