EPILOGUE - 2

Man needs a frame of reference in order to situate, evaluate and give a coherent and consistent meaning to his experiences; but, alas, most men not only accept unconsciously and never question the frame of reference embodied in their culture, religion and their social-political-economic patterns of existence, but they have a remarkable way of straight-jacketing their minds and activities in terms of the profession they adopt or the type of study or technique they eagerly, and perhaps fanatically, pursue. And this, to me, is the saddest part of the human picture today; it has not even the value of the allegiance of men of the past to a caste or a guild, rooted as these were in a quite profound awareness of essential human and collective needs.
      I am speaking here, for instance, of the type of attitude which expresses itself in the phrase "art for art's sake," or science for science's sake, knowledge for knowledge's sake regardless of consequences to humanity. Power (social or political) for power's sake, success for success's sake (the "American success story"), could be added to the list — and in the field to which this book is related, astrology for astrology's sake. An eminent personality in the field of American astrology has recently been quoted as saying: It is not what astrology does for you which counts, but what you do for astrology. This is the "professional" attitude in its most extreme form.
      To me, astrology has no meaning or value except it helps man to understand better his innate potentialities, the unfoldment of these potentialities, and the development of humanity through the centuries and with reference to the planet's biosphere within which it should operate as a harmonious force for further evolutionary growth. Indeed, as I see it, there is no such thing as astrology per se, as an independent entity having strictly defined methods of operation absolutely valid under any circumstances. As I stated already I consider astrology as a symbolical language. Every language has evidently its own syntax and vocabulary, and a "genius" of its own, but here again making of the language an entity for the sake of which — of its so-called purity or perfection — the mind of an individual person has to become patterned in its expression by a rigid formalism is, as I see it, an unwholesome procedure. At least it is so today, in a period of total reorientation of consciousness and revaluation of our symbols and institutions.
      We should accept the most radically transforming implications of this period of human evolution; and I am speaking of "evolution" instead of "history" because it is not only the future of our present civilization which is at stake but the future of the whole biosphere, of the whole Earth. And this is why I believe that the puny efforts of contemporary man at destroying himself and earthly life, on the pretense of glorifying himself as master of all natural processes, biological as well as atomic, will be frustrated. In which way our human pride will be frustrated, I do not claim to know; but because of this belief I feel that the individuals who have understood this tragic potentiality inherent in the coming decades should come together and, in as little obvious a way as possible, should establish "seed groups" from which in due time a new kind of humanity may arise.
      At the end of the cycle of the year all that belongs to the realm of the leaves of the yearly plants inevitably decays; but the seeds remain, as hidden centers from which the new life will spring. What humanity needs now are seed-men and women willing and ready to assume the sacred task of self-metamorphosis, individually yet in constant relationship to one another — self-metamorphosis not merely for their own spiritual growth but for the sake of humanity. I have stressed this need for "seed-men" for the last fifty years, and all my work has been oriented toward the goal of making the few people I could reach clearly aware and deeply concerned with what this need for seed-men implies.
      One cannot reach a state of mental clarity and of "ultimate concern" (as theologians now say) if one does not experience a deep surge of unchallengeable faith, courage and persistence, even under the most difficult circumstances. Both the mind and the deepest emotions must be set aflame by what one has come to realize is true and undismissable evidence. This is not a matter of analysis, research or scholarship, but one of total involvement and total response. And as conclusion to the effort represented by this book, may I therefore hope that whoever reads it will find out of this experience greater faith, greater courage, a wider vision and a more inclusive love for mankind and for the Earth — so that he or she may indeed become a vibrant, dynamic, unafraid seed-foundation for the impending rebirth of civilization on a purified "Aquarian" Earth-globe!