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1The heavenly bodies urge, predispose and influence to a great extent, but they do not compel. When we are ignorant of their power, we decide our actions to the best of our worldly knowledge, and we think we have free will in the matter; but, if we could only see the influences at work moulding our actions, we should see that we were obeying the stellar powers with slave-like servility; not always wisely, indeed, but blindly and too well. Under such a state of bondage the planetary influence would, indeed, be fatality. Knowledge alone is the great liberator of human suffering, and social inharmony. Our delivery from pain, our freedom from bondage, in other words, our free will, increases exactly in proportion to the extent of our know¬ ledge, if used properly. It is the Wise Man who rules his stars, and the fool who blindly obeys them. Consequently, this Chaldean science of the stars, in order to be practically utilized, must be thoroughly realized; but when realized, it will repay the student a hundred-fold for the time and labor bestowed in learning the way. It will give him a tangible foundation, whereon he may safely stand amid the wild and conflicting opinions of unbalanced mystics. In it, he will find the key of the sacred sanctuary, wherewith he may eventually unlock the doors of the temple and penetrate the mystic veil of Isis, there, to behold the lovely form of the Goddess and to read the glowing verities of Nature inscribed upon the imperishable scrolls of time, and, if he have the will to seek further and deeper, the truths of eternity itself.
2Astrology, in its purity, though forming a system of divination, is totally unconnected with either fortune-telling or sensitive, irrespon¬ sible mediumship. It is a divine science of correspondences, in the study and application of which the intellect and intuition become zed jy Google THE SCIENCE OF THE STARS—INTRODUCTION 203 blended in a natural, harmonious manner. They commence to vibrate in unison. When this union becomes complete, the ignorant man be¬ comes the prophetic sage.
3Therefore, we would earnestly request the student of the system herein about to be taught, to thoroughly master each principle and detail laid down; commit them to memory so as to be able, instantly, to recall and repeat them when necessary. Study well the Occult principles of the science before attempting to master the external mathematical formula; and never lose sight of the fact that no one principle is of itself absolute, but, to become potent, requires the active cooperation of the other forces. If these oppose with their influence, instead of assisting, then it at once becomes a question of power against power; if they equal each other, the influence of both becomes nil, and the effects, instead of evolving into the realm of external life, become crystallized within the realm of force, and die within the womb of Nature. And lasdy, remember that this ancient system of the hoary sages, who first discovered the starry truths of the Chaldean lore, constitutes the basic principle from which all doctrines. Occult theories, and sacerdotal systems have radiated. Every religion under the sun has an astrological foundation, and every science the human mind is capable of elaborating, springs from, returns to, and ultimately becomes lost within the starry realms of Urania.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
1The heavenly bodies urge, predispose and influence to a great extent, but they do not compel. When we are ignorant of their power, we decide our actions to the best of our worldly knowledge, and we think we have free will in the matter; but, if we could only see the influences at work moulding our actions, we should see that we were obeying the stellar powers with slave-like servility; not always wisely, indeed, but blindly and too well. Under such a state of bondage the planetary influence would, indeed, be fatality. Knowledge alone is the great liberator of human suffering, and social inharmony. Our delivery from pain, our freedom from bondage, in other words, our free will, increases exactly in proportion to the extent of our know¬ ledge, if used properly. It is the Wise Man who rules his stars, and the fool who blindly obeys them. Consequently, this Chaldean science of the stars, in order to be practically utilized, must be thoroughly realized; but when realized, it will repay the student a hundred-fold for the time and labor bestowed in learning the way. It will give him a tangible foundation, whereon he may safely stand amid the wild and conflicting opinions of unbalanced mystics. In it, he will find the key of the sacred sanctuary, wherewith he may eventually unlock the doors of the temple and penetrate the mystic veil of Isis, there, to behold the lovely form of the Goddess and to read the glowing verities of Nature inscribed upon the imperishable scrolls of time, and, if he have the will to seek further and deeper, the truths of eternity itself.
2Astrology, in its purity, though forming a system of divination, is totally unconnected with either fortune-telling or sensitive, irrespon¬ sible mediumship. It is a divine science of correspondences, in the study and application of which the intellect and intuition become zed jy Google THE SCIENCE OF THE STARS—INTRODUCTION 203 blended in a natural, harmonious manner. They commence to vibrate in unison. When this union becomes complete, the ignorant man be¬ comes the prophetic sage.
3Therefore, we would earnestly request the student of the system herein about to be taught, to thoroughly master each principle and detail laid down; commit them to memory so as to be able, instantly, to recall and repeat them when necessary. Study well the Occult principles of the science before attempting to master the external mathematical formula; and never lose sight of the fact that no one principle is of itself absolute, but, to become potent, requires the active cooperation of the other forces. If these oppose with their influence, instead of assisting, then it at once becomes a question of power against power; if they equal each other, the influence of both becomes nil, and the effects, instead of evolving into the realm of external life, become crystallized within the realm of force, and die within the womb of Nature. And lasdy, remember that this ancient system of the hoary sages, who first discovered the starry truths of the Chaldean lore, constitutes the basic principle from which all doctrines. Occult theories, and sacerdotal systems have radiated. Every religion under the sun has an astrological foundation, and every science the human mind is capable of elaborating, springs from, returns to, and ultimately becomes lost within the starry realms of Urania.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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