are afraid by reason of breakings they purify themselves. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

The arrow cannot make him flee.

shaking of a spear.

him.

. .

. He laugheth at the

He maketh a path to shine after

Upon earth there is not his like.. . . He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride."

From all this we must gather that this greatest of all forces, which is a monster if permitted to rule in the depths of our natures, is nevertheless not to be killed but to be tamed, used and transformed into the crowning blessing of life, given us by our Creator not as a danger to fly from or a monster to be ruthlessly killed, but something necessary for the sustenance of our spiritual life, as we have seen in the heading of this Chapter. This overpowering dual force, in the day when we conquer it and fearlessly face its lower aspect or draw it out of the sea by a hook and place it in the waters above the firmament, will be given us for food; that is, all humanity will eat of it in the same inner sense in which we are told to eat of the flesh of the Christ, i. e., assimilate its power, be nourished by its virtues and partake of its blessings.

Joshua, to whom Moses handed over the reins of government after he the Law Giver (the exoteric teacher) had led them out of Egypt, was called the Son of Nun, i. e., an esoteric teacher. True esoteric teachers must begin by teaching how to lift up the Eagle from the lair of the scorpion that it may nest on high. As long as the banner of Scorpio displays only "the Serpent by the way, the adder in the path," we are struggling in the sea. Many would-be captains or teachers while riding in the ship of personality on this sea, when the winds and waves threaten to swamp the boat, cast Jonah overboard, i. e., declare the whole question taboo, and one who like Jonah would preach the higher esoteric doctrine is to them but a creator of storms, hence should be thrown overboard. But if Jonah be truly sent by the Lord the Great Fish will receive and preserve him.

Just as the sea or Mare is called the Great Mother, and the fish is the product of the sea, so hieroglyphically the letter Nun by some interpreters is called "the offspring," and is associated with production. It is also called the sign of individual and corporeal existence. In this sense it is easy to see its association with the zodiacal sign Scorpio, for in that sign we have the great problem of sex set before us; first in its aspect of the scorpion whose bite brings death, yet which in its senseless anger turns on itself and stings itself to death, symbolizing the results of uncontrolled sexual debasement. Secondly, in its symbol as the eagle, i. e., the lessons of sex learned or lifted up, it shows that through the experience thus gained there comes the ability to fulfill the prophecy "Ye have seen how I bare you on eagles'

wings, and brought you unto myself. . But they that wait on the Lord (Law) shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with the wings of eagles."4 Also one of the questions asked of Job at his Initiation was, "Doth the eagle mount up at thy command and make her nest on high?” i. e., bring forth and nourish her young in the higher realms.

Nun is said to be predominant in smell. Now it is a curious fact that most perfumes manufactured by man have as a base musk, which is extracted from the dried testicles of the musk ox. All such perfumes are both heavy and sensuous, and in the early ages, especially among the Orientals, such perfumes were used only by the ladies of the harem and by courtesans. It is strongly advised that all pupils who are earnestly striving to follow the higher life be very careful in the use of perfume. In fact, it is better not to use any, for as the Soul unfolds it develops its own perfume, just as does a flower. On the higher planes this spiritual fragrance is quite distinguishable and is a decided factor in attracting to the advancing Soul such helpers and forces as are needed, while heavier perfumes, especially those with a musk base,

4 Exodus, XIX, 4. Isaiah, XL, 31.

are strong factors in attracting a class of astral entities whose sole desire is to prolong their own miserable lives upon that delusive plane, hence strive by every means to stimulate the lower passions of mankind that they may vicariously assimilate the life-force thrown off. Also when the Great Teachers (Masters of Wisdom) desire to approach a pupil, the pupil should have every sense alert to detect their presence. If acute, the sense of smell can be readily utilized by a Master, often only a waft of the Master's characteristic perfume being given as a signal to the pupil of his presence. But if the sense of smell has been stultified or overpowered by artificial perfumes, this sense cannot be used to detect "the fragrance of his presence." The Masters need no perfumes to attract them, hence the use of any perfume on the person such as sandalwood, et cetera, to evoke their presence or invoke their aid, is worse than useless, the perfume of love, aspiration and devotion arising from a pure heart being all that is necessary. As well might a rosebush seek to attract lovers of its beautiful bloom by drenching undeveloped stalks with an artificial rose perfume.

The letter Nun also expresses concentration and harmony. By some it is associated with home-love. But to carry out the idea of esotericism they aver that this home-love is not such as seeks for outer display and recognition by the world, but perfect love and harmony within the home life.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Fourteenth Tarot Card. TEMPERANCE.

"Temperance is a bridle of gold; he who uses it rightly is more like a god than like a man."-Burton.

The fourteenth card of the Tarot is called Temperance and is associated with the sign Scorpio. This card pictures a young woman with wings holding a vase in each hand. In her left hand she holds a vase of silver (metal of the Moon) from which she is pouring a clear liquid into a golden (metal of the Sun) vase held lower down in her right hand.

The liquid thus transferred symbolizes the Water of Life, the all-creative bringer forth of life, the life-essence or creative force which must be transferred from one vase to the other during the process of creation, without a drop being spilled by the intrusion of a thought of evil or by the distraction of the attention to sensation or mundane affairs. It also symbolizes that we must transfer this force from the imaginative state, i. e., Moon, into the activity of the Sun without loss. This is to say, while imagination or the power to create mental images is a most potent force in creation, we must see to it that the images thus created are pure and golden.

We naturally find that the maiden who is performing this difficult feat has wings, symbolizing that she has taken a step higher than earth; is able to fly into higher realms in thought. In short, since this card corresponds with Scorpio, it shows that the Eagle is at least born in her mind and heart, for as long as man is under the lower or deadly stinging aspect of Scorpio, the transfer of the life-force from the silver into the golden vase cannot be accomplished without spilling (losing or perverting) it.

This card also symbolizes that it is only the virgin pure mind, with the capacity to soar above the earth and the