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Vulcan Compilation
From Esoteric Astrology, by Alice A. Bailey

See Michael Robbins' Tapestry of the Gods, Volume III

1.       Vulcan veiled by moon for average man:

“The moon is a dead form; it has no emanation at all.  That is why the moon is spoken of in the ancient teaching as ‘veiling either Vulcan or Uranus’. This hint or inference has always been here and astrologers would do well to experiment with this suggestion I have made anent the moon and (instead of working with the moon) let them work with Vulcan when dealing with the undeveloped or average man and with Uranus when considering the highly developed man.  They would find some interesting and convincing results eventuate”.  (EA13)

2.       Vulcan, transmitting one aspect of Dynamic Energy and Electric Fire on the Path of Initiation:

The Great Bear       Aries                                        Second Creative Hierarchy,
                                Sun, veiling Vulcan                    (the 11th) Unknown
                               Libra   
             i.      The Cardinal Cross     (EA 50)

3.      Taurus and Pisces related to Ray 1 by Vulcan:

“1.  Taurus and Pisces, through Vulcan and Pluto, are related to Ray 1. Transmutation of desire into sacrifice and of the individual will into the divine will.     
The World Saviour”    
(EA 67)

4.       Destroying force of Vulcan at First Initiation:

“a.  At the first initiation, the disciple has to contend with the crystallising and destroying forces of Vulcan and Pluto.  The influence of Vulcan reaches to the very depths of his nature, whilst Pluto drags to the surface and destroys all that hinders in these lower regions”.  (EA 70)

5.       Vulcan and para-thyroids:

3.   The Sun (standing here for Vulcan, which is a sacred Vulcan) governs a centre in the front of the throat which is related to the para-thyroids and not to the thyroid gland, which is related to the throat centre.  This centre in the front of the throat falls into disuse as the creative period of throat activity begins.  It acts as a "mediator" between the higher and the lower creative organs (between the sacral and the throat centres) and leads eventually to that creative activity which is consciously that of the functioning soul.  Vulcan was one of the first creative workers among men.  He was also related to "Cain who killed his brother." The symbolism underlying these ancient myths will be easily interpreted by the intuitive student.  (EA 78-79)

6.       Vulcan and glorification of matter:

“... the Moon or Vulcan stands for the glorification, through purification and detachment, of matter ...” (EA 126)

7.       Vulcan and the uplift of matter:

[Relating to the man born upon the Mutable Cross who is about to mount the Fixed Cross. He comes under a number of esoteric rulers: ] “2. Through the Moon—under the bondage of form in order through form experience to achieve release and the "uplift of matter" in Vulcan(EA 127)

8.       Vulcan superseding lunar control and its invisibility:

[Speaking of the decanates in Pisces, Alan] Leo gives us Jupiter, the Moon and Mars. He indicates, therefore, the success which is incident to proved discipleship and consequent readiness for initiation, the seeing of the vision with which Jupiter rewards the disciple, and the experience which Vulcan confers.  Vulcan has been hitherto hidden, but its influence has steadily superseded all lunar control, for the personality or form side of life is lost to sight in the radiance of the Sun, the soul.  The light of Vulcan and the light of the Sun are one light and these three—Mercury, Vulcan and the Sun—stand for a synthesis and a radiance which eventually dims the light of Mercury and it "falls" into the background and Vulcan too becomes invisible and only the Sun remains. We have consequently, vision of the Sun, the experience of the personality and effort, which is the mode of attainment governed by Mars. (EA 132)

9.       Vulcan in relation to the influences operative on the three Paths:

Path                 Rays                 Vulcans                         Constellations
Initiation            1 and 7             Vulcan. Uranus. Pluto   Taurus. Libra. Pisces  (EA 166)

10.   First Ray of Vulcan only felt positively upon Path of Discipleship:

You will note also that the first ray influence, expressing through Pluto and Vulcan, is only felt in a positive manner upon the Path of Discipleship. This first ray potency has only lately been experienced by humanity as a whole as it neared the stage of being the world disciple, and vast numbers relatively stood upon the Path of Discipleship and Probation.  Hence the recent discovery of Pluto and the sensed power of Vulcan veiled by the potency of Mercury and hidden behind the Vulcan.  (EA 166)

11.   Vulcan and Pluto as Esoteric Vulcan Custodians of First Ray:

Within our solar system, Vulcan and Pluto are expressions or custodians of this first ray energy and are, as I have told you, esoteric Vulcans. The first indication of the true spiritual will only begins to manifest upon the Path of Discipleship—hence the late discovery of these two Vulcans (late in point of time and from the angle of human knowledge) for it is only in this Aryan race period that humanity is to any large extent beginning to manifest evidence (and as yet it is no more) of a reaction or a response to the spiritual will of deity as it comes to our Vulcan and hence to us via Aries, Vulcan and Pluto. You have, therefore, the following direct line of will energy:  3.   Vulcan and Pluto are related to the two Pointers and are only now beginning, in any definite and clear manner, to affect human response.  Their effect has been Vulcanary in its nature up to date and has not hitherto been at all effective in either the fourth or the second kingdoms in nature.  (EA 195-196)

12.   Vulcan in relation to the process of “veiling”:

In this connection the Moon is given as the orthodox ruler and the hierarchical rule of Aquarius. I would here remind you that the Moon is usually regarded as "veiling" or "hiding" some Vulcan and of these there are three which the Moon may be veiling. Here the intuition of the astrologer and of the esoteric student must be called out.  These Vulcans are Vulcan, Neptune or Uranus. They determine or condition the physical, astral and mental natures, thus creating the personality. (EA 221)

13.   Vulcan as Esoteric Ruler of Virgo:

2.   The Moon (Vulcan).—This is the esoteric ruler.  The significance of this is similar to that of the orthodox ruler.  The Moon (or fourth ray energy) is here seen as an expression of first ray energy, manifesting through Vulcan. The Moon rules the form and it is the will of God to manifest through the medium of form.  (EA 263)

14.   Vulcan and the struggle between men of goodwill and selfish and ambitious men:

“... that the energy of Vulcan is potently making its presence felt, and hence the struggles going on upon the Vulcan between the men of will—selfish and ambitious—and the men of goodwill who are desirous of the good of the whole”.  (EA 264)

15.    Vulcan and the “veiling” process in Virgo:

It is in this sign also that the Moon in its own right of antiquity and of ancient thoughtform control, and also as veiling both Vulcan and Neptune, connects the force of Virgo with the energies of Taurus, of Cancer and of Aquarius.  This is of peculiar importance for it relates the form building aspect with the consciousness aspect which, at a high stage of development, produces the manifestation of the Christ principle or Christ-child.  (EA 273)

16.   Virgo related to Taurus through Vulcan:

Virgo is related to Taurus through Vulcan which brings in what might be called the endurance aspect of the will-to-be which carries the incarnated Son of God through the experiences of the dark time wherein the personality becomes the Mother in the stage of gestation, through the period of infancy upon the physical plane and through the stage of adolescence until the initiate attains full maturity. This necessitates persistence, endurance and continuity of effort and is one of the characteristics imparted or stimulated by energies pouring from Vulcan. You can realise that these are first ray attributes and are the reverse side of those usually emphasised, namely, death or the activity of the Destroyer aspect.  Taurus is an expression of the third unmanifested Hierarchy and of this Hierarchy we know nothing beyond the fact that it is concerned with the light which liberates from death.  Therefore, you have:
   Vulcan—First ray or endurance. Third Creative Hierarchy—Liberating Light.   (EA 274)

17.   Vulcan and Control of Time:

 “Vulcan controls the anvil-like processes of time and strikes the blow which shapes the metal into that which is desired, and this is true today as never before. He it is who is forging the way for the coming Avatar Who will—at the right moment—come forth, embodying in Himself the Will of God which is the divine will-to-good, to peace through understanding, and to right relations between men and between nations”.  (EA 375)

18.   Vulcan as Esoteric Ruler of Taurus:

“The esoteric ruler of Taurus is Vulcan, the forger of metals, the one who works in the densest, most concrete expression of the natural world (from the human angle).  He is the one who goes down into the depths to find the material upon which to expend his innate art and to fashion that which is beautiful and useful.  Vulcan is, therefore, that which stands for the soul, the individual, inner, spiritual man; in his activity we find the key to the soul's task upon the eternal round of the wheel of life.  You will remember how Hercules upon the Fixed Cross had to fashion his own weapons before he succeeded in the struggle.  This is in reality a reference to the art of Vulcan who rules the inner man and guides his fashioning”.  (EA 385)

19.   Vulcan Ruling Nations and Liberation through War:

Vulcan also rules nations at a certain stage of embryonic soul expression, such as the present, and governs their activities, fashioning the instruments of war when war and conflict are the only means whereby liberation can come, though woe betide those through whom wars come.  Vulcan then takes hold and—since the Middle Ages—has brought the mineral kingdom, ‘the depths from which supply must come’, under human control.  In the present war, Vulcan is concerned along with Venus in the relation of man to man, and of man to the mineral kingdom.  Venus, the mental energy of humanity, establishes relation between man and man, between nation and nation whilst Vulcan establishes relation between the fourth kingdom in nature and the first. Vulcan, as we shall see later, is governed by the first ray, and the first ray and the first kingdom are definitely bound together”.  (EA 385)

20.   Vulcan sets World Evolutionary Process in Motion:

“When we come to a consideration of the esoteric ruler of Taurus, we find ourselves confronted by Vulcan, one of the veiled and hidden Vulcans and one which is, therefore, little known or understood.  I have earlier referred to Vulcan as the Fashioner of divine expression.  In a peculiar sense, the energy which streams from Vulcan is fundamentally the strength and potency which sets the world evolutionary process in motion; it embodies also the energy of the first ray, that force which initiates or begins and that which also destroys, bringing about the death of the form in order that the soul may be set free”.  (EA 392)

21.   Vulcan as Vulcan of Isolation:

Vulcan is the ray or Vulcan of isolation for, in a peculiar sense, it governs the fourth initiation wherein the depths of aloneness are plumbed and the man stands completely isolated.  He stands detached from ‘which is above and this which is below.’ There comes a dramatic moment when all desire is renounced; the will of God or the Plan is seen as the only desirable objective but as yet the man has not proved to himself, to the world of men or to his Master whether he has the strength to move forward along the line of service.  There is revealed to him (as there was revealed to the Christ at the fourth great initiatory crisis in His life) some definite, active undertaking which embodies that aspect of the will of God which it is his peculiar function to appropriate and make possible of expression.  This has been called in the Christian phraseology, ‘the Gethsemane experience.’ The Christ, kneeling beside the rock (symbolic of the depths of the mineral kingdom and of the activity of Vulcan, the fashioner), raises His eyes upward to where the light of revelation breaks forth and knows at that moment what it is He has to do.  Such is the test of Vulcan, ruling Taurus, of the soul, ruling desire, of the Son of God, fashioning His instrument of expression in the depths, grasping the divine purpose and so bending the will of the little self to that of the greater Self. The depths have been reached and there is no more to be done.  The light from the eye of the Bull which with ever increasing radiance has guided the struggling soul must give place eventually to the light of the Sun, for Vulcan is a substitute for the Sun: it is spoken of sometimes as being veiled by the Sun and at others it stands for the Sun itself.  It stands between the man and the Sun, the soul”.  (EA 392-393)

22.   Vulcan as Revealer of the Hidden; the Heart of the Sun:

Vulcan.—The one who reveals that which is deeply hidden and brings it up into the light.  Esoterically—the heart of the Sun”.  (EA 393)

23.   Vulcan and the Average Taurean:

“He will be destructive because ‘bull-headed’ and because the hammer aspect of Vulcan will be dominant”.  (EA 394)

24.   Vulcan and the Aspiring Taurean:

“He must transcend the destructive side of Vulcan and so of the first ray and instead work as a ‘fashioner of souls,’ including his own”.  (EA 394)

25.    Vulcan In relation to the Moon upon the Fixed Cross as the hierarchical ruler of Aquarius:

“The Moon is also present but again veils Vulcan, whose influence we have already considered”. (EA 394)

26.   Moon’s exaltation in relation to Vulcan:

“The Moon is the Mother of the form and in this case veils or hides Vulcan which might be expected.  The Moon, therefore, stands here for the fashioner or moulder of the form, bringing in both the feminine and masculine aspects of form-building, the dual functions of Father-Mother. This is a point for astrologers to remember. This process of interplay brings about two phases of the needed fashioning:
1.   A process wherein is created a form of great potency in which self interest and personality aims and desires are the motives bringing about activity.  The Moon and Taurus activity.
2.   The processes, self-applied by the awakening Taurian, wherein the form nature is fashioned anew and motivated in a different manner and so is ‘raised up into Heaven’ and thus irradiated and glorified.  The Vulcan and Taurus activity”.  (EA 399)

27.   Vulcan and the Initiate:

 “He fashions all things to a divinely foreseen end and in this sign—through His agents, Venus and Vulcan, typifying the form and 'the soul—will lead man from the unreal to the real”.  (EA 404)

28.   Vulcan, Veiling, and Vulcan as only esoteric ruler:

It is only in the present cycle that the Sun and Moon veil certain Vulcans and are the exoteric symbols for certain esoteric forces.  As evolution proceeds, the Vulcans will not be veiled.  Their influences will not be so remote.  At present the mechanism of the majority of the human family is not tuned to the reception of the rays from Vulcan, Uranus or Neptune whilst Pluto at present only evokes response from groups or from those disciples who are enough evolved rightly to respond.  The three veiled Vulcans—Vulcan, Uranus and Neptune are all sacred Vulcans, embodying first, seventh and sixth ray energies.  Vulcan is never an exoteric ruler and only comes into real activity when a man is on the Path, whilst Uranus and Neptune are rulers of the eleventh and twelfth houses, and govern Aquarius and Pisces.  The implications will be clear to you.  (EA 509)

29.   1.   Head Centre               first ray                        Vulcan    (EA 517)

30.   Vulcan Still Developing the Mind Principle:

"Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Vulcan are still developing the mind principle." (EA 645; TCF 403) [see reference 36 herein]

31.   1.   The mineral kingdom—Pluto and Vulcan  (EA 650)

32.   1.   Vulcan—the sun exoterically considered.  (EA 652)

33.   Vulcan and Law of Sacrifice: Vulcan and Neptune in Opposition:

"The Law of Sacrifice and Death is ... in a mysterious way the reverse of the first law, that of Vibration. It is Vulcan and Neptune in opposition which is as yet an almost incomprehensible thing to us." (EA 667; TCF 597)

34.   "Jehovah was identified with Saturn and Vulcan." (EA 667; SD I 632)

35.   "Vulcan is within the orbit of Mercury." (EA 676; TCF 206 Note)

36.   The work of the Manasadevas in the solar system: 

In every scheme They have Their place, but in some—as in the Jupiter scheme—They are just beginning Their work, and in others—as in the Vulcan and Venus schemes—Their work is nearly completed.  (TCF 741)

37.   "In Vulcan, the sons of Mind have nearly completed their work." (EA 676; TCF 742)

38.   Evolution of Vulcan:

Vulcan                    3rd Chain          4th Globe   (EA 693)

39.   School of Fiery Stones:

Vulcan (lst) -The School of Fiery Stones. There is a curious connection between the human units who pass through its halls and the mineral kingdom.  The human units on the earth scheme are called 'the living stones'; on the Vulcan they are called 'fiery stones.'  (EA 693)

40.   Vulcan Related to Great Britain through Taurus as Personality Ruler of Nation:

2. Taurus — with its rulers, Venus and Vulcan.  (DN 83)          

41.   Vulcan Related to Italy through Taurus as Soul Ruler of Rome:

Taurus- with its rulers, Venus and Vulcan(DN 87)

42.   Lords of the Rays Creating Vulcans, Sun Veiling Vulcan:

All the Lords of the rays create a body of expression, and thus the seven Vulcans have come into being.  These are their major expressions. The Sun (Veiling Vulcan) … etc. (EP I 62)

43.   Vulcan and The seven Vulcans, centres, or schemes:

1. Vulcan (the sun, exoterically considered).  (TCF 166)

44.  Different Functioning in the Schemes:

Those who are working in the Uranus, the Neptune, and the Saturn scheme work somewhat differently to those functioning in the Venus, the Vulcan, the Mars, the Mercury, the Jupiter, the Earth and the exoteric Saturn scheme, and so do the Manasadevas of the inner round.  We should note here that we again have a triplicity of groups, representing a triplicity of force, and herein lies a hint.  In the central list of schemes the middle and lower group of Agnishvattas are active.  (TCF 777)

45.   Relation of Vulcan Pluto and First Ray:

I deal here with the major ray cycles and not with the minor cycles.  Two rays, you will note, are apparently not expressing themselves through the non-sacred Vulcans; the seventh and the fifth.  There are only five non-sacred Vulcans. But the reason which makes a Vulcan sacred or not is one of the secrets of a certain major initiation, and I may not elucidate here.  Suffice it to say that the sacred Vulcans are seven in number, making a totality of twelve Vulcanary manifestations.  It will be obvious to the observant reader also that certain sacred Vulcans and certain non-sacred Vulcans have a close relation with each other through the rays which influence them.  These are:

Ray I    Vulcan              Pluto.

Ray II   Jupiter              The Sun.

Ray III Saturn               The Earth.

Ray IV Mercury           The Moon.

Ray VI Neptune            Mars.                           (EP I 335-336)

46.   Indirect influences of Vulcanary Rulers and Rays conditioning this country [United States]:

[These influences] are consequently many, owing to the mixture of races found there.  Of these influences there are eleven in all, for the Earth presents two aspects and the Moon veils both Vulcan and Uranus. …

c. Ray 4. — Harmony through Conflict, via the Moon, veiling in this case the Vulcan VulcanVulcan here "forges on his anvil, through fire and blows, that linking network which covers all the nation and makes it hold together."  This ray produces the condition which brings together Germany and the States, for the fourth ray is the German soul ray and the first ray, which Vulcan transmits via the Moon, links the German soul and personality to the United States.  Hence the vast numbers of Germans who come to the States in order to escape from the personality activity of Germany as it expresses itself through its first ray destroyer aspect.

d. Ray 4. — I enumerate this ray for the second time because it expresses itself here through Mercury, the Messenger, and emphasises the harmony aspect in contradistinction to the conflict angle which the Moon and Vulcan together have precipitated.  It is the Moon-Vulcan relation which produces the political conflict which always rages in the States.  (DN 90-91)

47.   The etheric vehicle from the circulatory angle, is governed by the Moon, as it veils Vulcan(EH 143)