It might be of interest here if we continued our study by a consideration of some of the countries and their governing signs. This would be a practical though necessarily a most debatable point. It is not related in any way to the geographical position of these countries but to the destiny (future) and karma (past) of humanity itself as it differentiates itself into nationalities, living at one period of time upon certain territories and so constituting that amalgamation of forms which we call nations or races. Basically and fundamentally the souls, informing these nations or races, remain detached from identification with them until such time as such souls can function on earth. Until, therefore, astrologers know more about group astrology and know also how to determine past influences as well as forecasts, it will not be possible for them to assign the correct ruling signs to the various countries and nations or to check the accuracy or the inaccuracy of the statements which I may make in the following tabulations. That type of astrology which concerns itself with the past, we call essential astrology esoterically, in contradistinction to predictive astrology. Past conditioning factors are basic and essential to the expression of the present and to what happens in the human family at any given moment, and from a proper understanding of the rules which should (but as yet do not) govern the processes of what is sometimes called the rectifying of [64] a horoscope when the exact moment of birth is not known will come the future science of ascertaining those past facts which produce present occurrences.

You will note that I would differentiate most carefully between countries and nations, owing to the fact that today and increasingly in the future, they will not be synonymous. The British nation is, for instance, a great synthesis of people, as is the United States of America, and also, in a lesser extent, both Brazil and the Argentine. Under the present situation, incident to the war and starting around the year 1900, there is a constant and ceaseless migration of peoples from one place to another and from one country to another, taking place today not only individually but also in group formation. This tends to produce an inevitable fusion, blending and producing interracial life, thus constantly offsetting and negating what has been called "racial purity." This attempt at an impossible racial segregation and purity is a misnomer, for the past renders it impossible; mixed blood runs in all veins, but the effort to produce this is the keynote of certain of the more modern cultures. These fortunately are in a minority, for they are anti-evolutionary and their objective is quite impossible of achievement, for they do not start with any pure strain. This tendency towards racial segregation (so noticeable in the Jew and the German) is a form of isolationism and necessarily an aspect of materialism, and is related to the personality of humanity and not to the soul aspect; it is separate in effect and normally feeds pride in the individual and the nation; it runs counter to the true progress of humanity which must lead increasingly to closer human relations, to human wholeness in the truest sense of the term; it will produce the inevitable recognition of vital human unity, placing no [65] emphasis upon individual nations and races. This isolationist spirit was one of the dangers to which the neutral powers were at one time prone, particularly the United States, and the physical warning as to this danger was given to them in the magnetic storms which severed contact between them and Europe and dislocated their relationship between states within America itself.

The world is one world and its sufferings are one; humanity is in truth a unity, but many are still unaware of this and the whole trend of the present teaching is directed to the awakening of humanity to this while there is yet time to avert still more serious conditions. The sins of humanity are also one. Its goal is one and it is as one great human family that we must emerge into the future. I would emphasize this thought: it is as one humanity, chastened, disciplined but illumined and fused, that we must emerge into the future. Those who do not grasp this important fact, whether they are what is called belligerents or neutrals, will suffer deeply as a result of their non-participation in the fate of the whole. The isolationist or the super-racial attitudes of the bewildered German people are the attitudes of the separate tendencies of the form nature with its wrong emphasis; but so also is the attitude, veiled under beautiful words and misty idealism, of any neutral power who stands aloof from the happenings of the present. The Hierarchy is not neutral. It is one with the right element in every nation and set against all separate, isolationist and materialistic attitudes. Such attitudes prevent the apprehension of the true spiritual values and hinder human development. Identification with all and participation in world conditions - voluntarily and not from force - is the way out today for all peoples. Ponder on this. [66]