136 Spiritual Astrology
the grace of the Saviour and the World Mother that are
concealed in the earthy trio of the sign. To the average
man and even to the disciple of the first three initiations,
the earthy trio represents matter, the grosser side of
nature.
To the students of the path of grace, these signs
reveal themselves fully.
The Virgin in the Virgo sign is described as having
an ear of corn in one hand and a lamp in the other. The
ear of corn represents her son as the spiritual food of
mankind. It is a matter of interest that the winter solstice
marks the return home of the fruits of cultivation in the
fields. The lamp is the symbol of spiritual light or the light
in darkness. Objectivity is darkness to the yogi. Our light
is his darkness and his spiritual illumination through
subjectivity is darkness to others. The lamp therefore
represents the light of initiation in darkness. Virgin, the
World Mother, conceives her son in the darkness of the
midnight. After crucifixion, Mary, the mother approached
her son in the dead of the night with a lamp in her hand.
The path of the disciple on the reversed wheel from
Virgo to Leo gives the grace (Virgo) and the protection
(Leo) of the mother in the concept of the mother sitting
on the lion. Durga in the Pura-n.ic symbolism is described
as having a lion as her vehicle.
To the disciple of the path of grace who dwells in the
sign Virgo, the five signs on the reversed path and the two
fishes in the opposite sign become the spiritual food. The
Lord feeds his followers with “Five loaves and two fishes”.
This forms the main feature of the ritual of St. Mark.
It is said that there were only ten signs in the zodiac
at first. The whole of the fourth part of the circle, that