An Astrological Key to
The Three Great
Full moon Festivals
by Niklas Nihlen

Introduction

The three major Spiritual Festivals usually occur in the months of April, May and June and are being recognized as impulsing a prolonged spiritual effort affecting the whole year. The three Festivals are the determining spiritual high points of the year. Symbolically, these Festivals celebrate the Victory of the Forces of Light, and they are held as the great Solar god traverses the spiritual high-ground of the heavens where the most luminous constellations are found. These luminous stars and constellations are linked with the higher and more spiritual aspects of deity, whereas the heavens on the opposite side of the celestial sphere are more closely related to the base and root of matter. The three major Spiritual Festivals are:

The Festival of Easter
This Festival is determined always by the first full moon of spring, the Full Moon of the Aries solar month, and is the great Western and Christian Festival. It usually occurs in the month of April, but occasionally in late March.

The Festival of Wesak
This Festival is fixed annually according to the Full Moon of the Taurus solar month, and is the great Eastern Festival. It usually occurs in the month of May, but occasionally in late April.

The Festival of Humanity
This Festival is fixed annually in relation to the Full Moon of the Gemini solar month, and is the Festival of Unification or the Festival of Goodwill. It usually occurs in the month of June, but occasionally in late May.

Three Planetary Lords presiding over the Three Festivals

Each of these three Festivals is presided over by a certain planet, the key to which is found in the orbital sequence of the planets closest to the Sun. These planets are symbolically closer to God's Purpose and Plans and revolve inside the orbit of the Earth:

Sun
/
Vulcan--Aries--Festival of Easter
/
Mercury--Taurus--Festival of Wesak
/
Venus--Gemini--Festival of Humanity
/
Earth.

It seems suggested to me that the innermost mystery and purpose as held by the Sun is being relayed to us via the three planets inside the orbit of the Earth. Thus, somehow Vulcan, Mercury and Venus are bridging the gap between the Sun and Earth, between Spirit and Matter. This bridging is made by one of the three planets in terms of their orbital sequence, which is then reflected in the Three Major Spiritual Festivals, each presided over by a certain planet.

The Festival of Easter

This Festival in Aries honors our spiritual essence. It celebrates Resurrection, the rising out of death into life. The Path of Resurrection is depicted in the journey of the Prodigal Son, whom first left home and travelled to far-away lands. He is the Monad, the spark within the one Flame, who went away from the Father's Home. He descended into the tomb of matter, deeper and deeper, immersing himself in layer after layer of matter and form. These folds of maya are now our very own vehicles, consisting of lesser lives. In the interaction between Spirit and Matter—Monad and the lesser lives—light is generated and we become consciously aware. The soul and triad eventually break the chains holding us prisoner in the depths, stripping away the confining layers holding us down. Then, in full consciousness, we may return to the original state of immutable spiritual Being, having served and lifted the lesser lives in the process.

This process is the arising out of the tomb of dead forms into the power of Life itself. Resurrection teaches us about "the lifting of matter into heaven," not as a one-time event, but as a continuous experience, where, in every moment of our lives, we may potentially be born anew. It truly holds the "power which maketh all things new." The mind is no longer the slayer of the Real, but the slayer of Illusion. The spiritual Warrior is mastering His sword and thus stands liberated and free.

This Festival in Aries is presided over by Vulcan (symbolically veiled by the Sun). It is ever Vulcan who gives the initiating impulse and who sets the process into motion. Indeed it is Vulcan who has the Will and Power to move the worlds. The depths of aloneness are plumbed and man stands completely isolated. He is detached from "that which is above, and this which is below." This sense of isolation is a reflection of the fact that Vulcan is the first planet outside of the solar orb. With Vulcan, all desire is renounced and he finds the strength to move forward. It is Vulcan who has the power to reach the depths of manifestation and Vulcan also reveals the deeply hidden and brings it up into light. In complete isolation he dwells upon the outermost rim of creation. Vulcan is the fashioner of Divine Expression and in the frozen world. Vulcan is able to expend his innate art and fashion the forms to express the beauty of Spirit ever more perfectly. Vulcan wants to achieve release, and the "uplift of matter." He works with the depths from which supply must come. It is also Vulcan who fashions the sword and weapons who will liberate the spirit. In Vulcan, the sons of mind have nearly completed their work, and this is one of the reasons why we can say the Word and spiritual mantra for Aries at this stage: "I come forth and from the plane of mind I rule."

The Festival of Wesak

This Festival in Taurus honors the Buddha, the Lord of Light, Messenger of the East. It is this great living Avatar Who brings the "Light of Illumination" from "the centre where the Will of God is known." The Forces of Light make an effort at Wesak to increase the flow of enlightenment into the world and to throw the light of Wisdom and Understanding "into the minds of men." The Buddha is the expression of the Wisdom of God, the embodiment of Light, and the indicator of divine Purpose. It is because of the illumination of the Buddha that "all things stand revealed" and Humanity is able to recognize Christ and also to realize the Plan of Love and Light and to become a station of light. It is through the united effort of the Christ and the Buddha, working in closest cooperation that there is opened a channel of communication between humanity and God. The linking up of the Buddha and the Christ create a bridge across which Masters, initiates, disciples and aspirants are able to walk and make contact with certain energies not otherwise easily available. At the exact time of the May full moon, and for the duration of eight minutes, the Buddha performs His ceremonial blessing in the Wesak Valley. This is indeed the time of greatest inspiration.

This Festival is presided over by Mercury. Mercury is Budh or Buddha, meaning Wisdom, Enlightenment or “reawakening” in the divine science. As a witness to the profound affinity existing between Mercury and Taurus we find that the Buddha (Mercury) himself was influenced by Taurus and achieved enlightenment in Taurus. Mercury brings illumination. Mercury is the Lord of Wisdom. Mercury is the leader and evocateur of souls. Mercury heals the blind and restores sight--mental and physical. In this connection, we find that the Word and spiritual mantra for Taurus is: "I see, and when the eye is opened, all is illumined." So Mercury holds a fundamental and ancient relationship with Taurus, this can also be seen in the similarity of their respective glyphs. Mercury also receives seven times more light than any other planet, just as the constellation of Taurus symbolically include the lights of the Seven Sisters in the Pleiades, found in the neck of the Bull. Mercury at Wesak relates Easter to the Festival of Humanity, just as Buddha relate the will of God to the representatives of humanity at the Wesak ceremony. Therefore, Mercury is considered three-headed because one with the Sun (Vulcan) and Venus and their respective Festivals. Mercury, true to his nature, is relating all three festivals. Hence Mercury is Hermes Trismegistus--Hermes the thrice-great!

The Festival of Humanity

This Festival in Gemini honors the fundamental Brotherhood of Christ among Men. It is dedicated to the expression of right human relation, extending throughout all the kingdoms on Earth. It leads to the production of human and planetary synthesis and unity. Humanity is aspiring to align with the Will of God and for this purpose humanity is represented by the Christ, “the Eldest in a great family of brothers,” standing before the Hierarchy. Under the guidance of the Christ, the higher energies are let loose through the Masters of the seven rays and their affiliated initiates and disciples. Men in all departments of life are thus stimulated to further implement the Plan of Light, Love and Power on Earth. Amongst all the twelve zodiacal signs, the Earth is the ruling planet in only two signs, namely Gemini and Sagittarius—the opposite signs. These two signs make up the zodiacal axis where the bridge between the higher and the lower worlds are built. Through the potency of these two signs, our planet will eventually become a sacred planet, and through them we will see established a global perspective of One World, which is in dedicated service of the ONE. In contemplating these two brothers we will find indicated the way in which the higher worlds are seeking to approach our planet and also a hint as to what their perfected interplay one day will anchor on our planet—a station of Light living Oneness, where the fact of Universal Brotherhood is demonstrated.

This Festival is presided over by Venus. Venus is "the little sun in which the solar orb stores his lights." Light comes through Venus who receives a triple supply and gives one-third to the Earth. Therefore Venus and the Earth are “twin sisters.” Venus is the light bearer of Earth. Venus is called "the other sun." Every sin committed on Earth is felt in Venus. Every change in Venus is reflected on Earth. The planetary Logos of Venus loved the Earth so well that He incarnated and gave it perfect laws, which were disregarded and rejected. It is to these perfect laws that this Festival seeks to awaken us and then establish them on Earth and amongst Humanity. They deal with right relations that bring about union and oneness on this planet and later in the greater system itself. For such is the destiny of Humanity--to pervade perfection throughout the system and manifest and establish the highest perfection of Light, Love and Power in the lowest most concrete spheres. That is why “perfect” Venus is the Earth's primary or spiritual prototype. That is also why the Venusian soul can say the Word and spiritual mantra for Gemini: "I recognize my other self and in the waning of that self, I grow and glow".

The Twelve Festivals

The three major Spiritual Festivals establish the trinity of the three major aspects of divinity. The nine minor Festivals, during the rest of the year, making twelve in all, will emphasise the inter-relation of the Whole. The individual part is then placed within a greater context, and the personal life is lifted into a divine universal Purpose. When we see humanity making a rhythmic and unified approach to divinity, through these Festivals, then also will the soul-mind-brain connection of humanity come into functioning activity, and humanity will become a creative centre divinely inspired. Then in succession great insight will come on:

• “The One in Whom we live and move and have our being”.
• The circle of planetary lives moving within the orbit of the Sun.
• The still greater circle of spiritual Influences which contact our solar system as it pursues its orbit in the Heavens.

The Three Festivals and the soul-mind-brain connection

In line with ancient Vedic tradition we may relate the soul-mind-brain connection to the two great luminaries and the rising sign as follows: the Sun is the soul; the Moon is the mind and the Ascendant is the brain. This is not the standard esoteric approach, but a complementary one. This soul-mind-brain connection can then also be related to the three major Spiritual Festivals:

Soul - Sun exalted in Aries – Festival of Easter/

Mind - Moon exalted in Taurus – Festival of Wesak/

Brain - The dual Horizon exalted in Gemini, the Twins – Festival of Unification. The Triangles and the two hemispheres. Standing in the Ascendant, “I recognize my other self and in the waning of that self, I grow and glow.”

Festivals related to the higher principles of Man

An interesting correlation could also be made with the higher principles of Man and the subplanes of the Cosmic Physical Plane:

Sun--Monad
/
Vulcan--Atma (Will)
/
Mercury--Buddhi (Intuition)
/
Venus--Higher Mind (Manasic permanent atom)
/
Earth--Lower Mind (Mental unit).

Building the bridge between Venus and the Earth

Looking at the manasic level of the cosmic physical plane, we are thereby focusing on the interplay between Venus and the Earth and the Festival of Humanity. It has been said that "Venus is the Earth's primary" and "Venus is the Earth's alter ego." In other words, Venus is to the Earth what the higher Self is to man, and thus we find this Festival having to do with the relation of Venus to the Earth and the building of the Antaskarana--individually and collectively.

Venus is here related to the Manasic permanent atom and the Earth is related to the Mental unit. This is an indication of how Venus embodies principles that last throughout the mahamanvantara, whereas the Earth only provides a temporary home for these principles. The interaction between Venus and the Earth is reflected in the coming of the Lords of Flame and the events in Lemuria. It was a planetary matter which finds its correspondence in the connection between the mental unit and the manasic permanent atom.

The glyphs of Venus and the Earth are quite suggestive. The Earth has the cross encircled whereas in the glyph of Venus we see the circle of Unity risen above the cross of matter. The Earth is still struggling whereas Venus has achieved and is therefore able to assist in the process.

This Venusian Full moon Festival in Gemini is therefore very much oriented towards the building of the antaskarana on the manasic plane by collective man, thus providing a channel on this planet to its primary, Venus. So, as we bridge the gaps on the mental plane within our own nature between lower mind, son of mind and higher mind, we are invoking Venus and participating in the Gemini Full moon service. The Masters themselves are working with the bridging of all five minds. In addition to the three minds mentioned, they embrace buddhic mind (pure reason or intuition) and atmic mind (will and law). The Masters have achieved--therefore in a way the manasic plane has for them become one unit, which is focused in the manasic permanent atom. Thus they are also primarily working with three minds, namely the mind related to atma, buddhi and then manas as a whole. It can therefore be said that the Masters have merged Venus with the Earth.

At a certain high stage, there is no longer any focus in form as represented by the three lower planes of the cosmic physical plane--the manasic, astral and physical/etheric. Mercury has then merged with Venus in a true spiritual wedding--Hermes and Aphrodite forming the divine Hermaphrodite, unifying the manasic with the buddhic plane. At this stage the emphasis is on the cosmic etheric levels and the Life aspect of Deity. Then we find the possibility of Mercury, Vulcan and the Sun becoming one. This is a higher correspondance to what earlier took place on the subplanes of the cosmic manasic plane.

Indeed it is interesting to note the importance of the fifth ray in all this work and the fact that Venus is on the fifth ray (probably soul ray). The keyword for the fifth ray is "Three Minds Unite".

Embodiment of perfected Venusian Principles and Values

It is at this Gemini full moon Festival that we may seek to bring through the perfected Venusian principles and allow them to pervade world government with these more lasting values in a fuller measure. The use of the Great Invocation is emphasised by the Tibetan, and the Invocation itself was given to Humanity under Venusian and Sirian aspects, thus indicating its origin and purpose. Hence the supreme importance of the Great Invocation in relation to the Venusian Full moon Festival, bringing through the Light, Love and Power in store for us in the planet Venus.

Festivals related to the Creative Centers

In another way the three festivals reflect the interaction between Shamballa, Hierarchy, NGWS (New Group of World Servers) and Humanity, thus bringing the Will of Sanat Kumara into manifestation on earth:

Sun--Will and Purpose of Sanat Kumara
/
Vulcan--Aries--Shamballa (Head)
/
Mercury--Taurus--Mediated by Hierarchy (Heart)
/
Venus--Gemini--NGWS (Ajna)
/
Earth--Creative Manifestation through Humanity (Throat)

This is a different way of understanding how the NGWS is ruled by Taurus—the NGWS is under the directorship of Hierarchy and the illumined single Eye of the Bull. The NGWS here functions along the Gemini/Sagittarius axis, relating Hierarchy to Humanity and one-pointedly holding the vision before Humanity. Many interesting correlations can be made here, but that is not the purpose of this paper.

The Festivals related to the Root Races

Venus presides over the natural generation of humanity. Humanity (which appeared in Lemurian days) is said to be under the direct influence of Venus. That is the reason why this Festival of Humanity has a special correspondence to Individualisation and the developments of mind in Lemuria during the third root race. The interaction between the “twin-sisters”--Venus and Earth--is very much worked out in relation to the Gemini/Sagittarius axis where the Festival of Humanity takes place.

Wesak is related to the fourth, or Atlantean root race, and to the elevation of desire into aspiration that took place as a result of the Great War between the light and dark on the fourth ray Taurus/Scorpio axis.

Easter, the great western festival, is related to the fiftth or Aryan root race. It celebrates the eventual arising out of the tomb of form and the entrance into the cosmic etheric or Life aspect of Creation, where the gift of mind is aptly used and fully realized as a slayer of illusion.

The Festivals and the Age of Aquarius

The establishment of these three Festivals is part of the development of the New World Religion--a religion that will bring us back in touch and make us flow with the waves and rhythmic pulsations of Deity during the seventh ray Age of Aquarius.

It is not by chance we find that the decanate rulers of Aquarius are: Saturn, Mercury and Venus. Considering that Jehovah was identified with both Saturn and Vulcan, we actually find a close correspondence between the planetary assignments made with the Three Festivals and the three decanates of Aquarius.

Festival of Easter - Resurrection - Aries - Vulcan - Saturn (Vulcan)
Festival of Wesak - Illumination - Taurus - Mercury - Mercury
Festival of Humanity - Brotherhood - Gemini - Venus - Venus

Thus when celebrating these Festivals, we are actually preparing ourselves and enacting episodes that will truly be made manifest during the coming 2500 years of the Age of Aquarius. We are now setting the Pattern for the future. In working with these Festivals we are birthing the Age of Aquarius, allowing the Divine Circulatory Flow to penetrate ever deeper and more fully into and throughout all Creation.

By NN

www.astronova.nu

Sources

1. Esoteric Astrology; Alice A. Bailey
2. The Externalisation of the Hierarchy; Alice A. Bailey
3. Problems of Humanity; Alice A. Bailey
4. Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra; Maharishi Parasara
5. The Secret Doctrine; H.P. Blavatsky