Seven Sacred Planets.

See PLANETS, (SEVEN) SACRED

(See also: Seven Sacred Planets, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Seven Sacred Planets The ancients spoke of seven planets which they named the seven sacred planets, and they were serialized as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, and Moon.

The Sun and Moon are, however, used as substitutes for two secret planets, one near the sun and one over the moon, these secret planets being invisible to us at present. That near the Sun, an intra-mercurial planet, has been called Vulcan and was supposed to have been discovered in 1859, when a black spot was seen in transit across the solar disk; but since that time the discovery has not been verified by astronomers.

The teaching regarding it is that it became invisible to our physical senses at about the midpoint of the third root-race; but as we have now reached again, on the upward arc, the plane corresponding to the same degree of development, in a relatively short cyclic period it should begin again to show itself.

The planet for which the Moon stands as a substitute, sometimes called the Planet of Death, is near the Moon and also invisible to our physical senses. It has a retrograde motion and is slowly dying.

Each of these seven planets is, like our earth, a chain of globes, sevenfold or twelvefold in composition, having six superior globes of finer, more ethereal matter above the physical globe. Only those globes which are on the same cosmic plane of nature are physically visible to each other. For instance, we can see only the fourth-plane planetary globes of each of the other planetary or sidereal chains because we are on the fourth cosmic plane.

These seven planets are called sacred because every one of the globes of the earth chain is under the dominant guidance, and is actually largely formed by, one of these planets, assisted in each case by the other six. Further, every root-race of every one of the globes during each round is under the protection and guidance of one of the seven sacred planets.

But the main reason for calling them sacred is that our universal solar system is composed of seven planes of being, or worlds, over which are the seven primordial logoi. These are subdivided into seven minor logoi or powers, forming sevenfold groups or minor solar systems, and our solar system is one such group. In our solar system, our sacred planets are the respective houses, each house containing the seven forces of one of the seven chief rays of the solar logos: one such chief ray being our particular logos.

(See also: Seven Sacred Planets, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

A Theosophical definition of Seven Sacred Planets :

Seven Sacred Planets

The ancients spoke of seven planets which they called the seven sacred planets, and they were named as follows: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, and Moon.

Each one of these seven globes is a body like our own Earth in that each is a septenary chain, sevenfold in composition: six other superior globes of finer and more ethereal matter above the physical sphere or globe. Only those globes which are on the same cosmic plane of nature or being are physically visible to each other. For instance, we can see only the fourth-plane planetary globe of each of the other planetary or sidereal chains, because we ourselves are on the fourth cosmic plane, as they also are. There is a very important and wide range of mystical teaching connected with the seven sacred planets which it would be out of place to develop here.

See also: Seven Sacred Planets, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

Sacred Planets.

See PLANETS, (SEVEN) SACRED

(See also: Sacred Planets, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Uranus The planet discovered by William Herschel in 1781. It was not enumerated as one of the seven sacred planets of the ancients, nor was it mentioned among the ancient lists of planets. Thus although not belonging to the immediate family of twelve sacred planets intimately associated with the earth planetary chain, Uranus does belong to the universal solar system. The satellites of Uranus revolved in the reverse direction.

For Roman god, see OURANOS

(See also: Uranus, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Heptachord The seven-stringed lyre of Apollo, corresponding to septenates in general, such as seven musical tones, seven prismatic colors, seven human or cosmic principles, etc. From it the god evoked the harmony that governs the worlds in their motions.

One of its correspondences is the seven sacred planets, Apollo being the sun. As the ancients all regarded the sun, under whatever name, as a seven- or twelve-rayed one -- the allusions here being to the doctrine of the logoi proceeding from the sun's heart and finding their respective individual habitations in the planets -- the heptachord is thus the actual or organic structure of the solar system; and in reality Apollo's heptachord is Apollo's own self flowing forth in seven logoic powers.

(See also: Heptachord, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Heptachord The seven-stringed lyre of Apollo, corresponding to septenates in general, such as seven musical tones, seven prismatic colors, seven human or cosmic principles, etc. From it the god evoked the harmony that governs the worlds in their motions.

One of its correspondences is the seven sacred planets, Apollo being the sun. As the ancients all regarded the sun, under whatever name, as a seven- or twelve-rayed one -- the allusions here being to the doctrine of the logoi proceeding from the sun's heart and finding their respective individual habitations in the planets -- the heptachord is thus the actual or organic structure of the solar system; and in reality Apollo's heptachord is Apollo's own self flowing forth in seven logoic powers.

(See also: Hephaistos, Hephaestus, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Seven The fundamental number of manifestation, frequently found in the different cosmogonies as well as in many religious dogmas and observances of the different ancient peoples.

Although ten was called one of the perfect numbers by the Pythagoreans, seven was unique in their series of numbers because it has all the "perfection of the Unit -- the number of numbers. For as absolute unity is uncreated, and impartite (hence number-less) and no number can produce it, so is the seven: no digit contained within the decade can beget or produce it" (SD 2:582). Seven is the number of the manifested universe, while ten or twelve is the number of the unmanifested universe.

Pythagoras taught that seven was composed of the numbers three and four, explaining that "on the plane of the noumenal world, the triangle was, as the first conception of the manifested Deity, its image: 'Father-Mother-Son'; and the Quaternary, the perfect number, was the noumenal, ideal root of all numbers and things on the physical plane" (ibid.). Further, seven was called by the Pythogoreans the vehicle of life for it consisted of body and spirit: the body was held to consist of four principal elements, while the spirit was in manifestation triple, comprising the monad, intellect or essential reason, and mind.

There are innumerable instances of sevening -- the seven days of the week, the seven colors of the spectrum, the seven notes of the musical scale -- while special emphasis is placed upon the seven human and cosmic principles; the seven senses (five senses now in manifestation and two more to be attained in the future through evolutionary unfolding); the seven cosmic elements; the seven root-races and seven subraces; the seven kingdoms, human and below; the seven rounds; the seven lokas and talas; the seven manifested globes of the planetary chain; the seven sacred planets; the seven racial buddhas; the seven dhyani-bodhisattvas and -buddhas; the seven Logoi; etc.

Man as well as nature is called saptaparna (seven-leaved plant), symbolized by the triangle above the square {illust}. While the senary was applied to man in all ranges from the physical to the spiritual, when completed by the atman, thus making the septenary, the latter signified the entire range of the constitution, whether of man or nature, crowned by the immortal spirit.

In Hindu literature the number seven continually appears: the saptarshis (the seven sages), the seven superior and inferior worlds, the seven hosts of deities, the seven holy cities, the seven holy islands, seas, or mountains, the seven deserts, the seven sacred trees, etc. In Greece seven was often connected with the gods and goddesses: Mars had seven attendants, seven was sacred to Pallas Athene and to Phoebus Apollo -- the latter with his seven-stringed lyre playing hymns to septenary nature as well as to the seven-rayed sun; Niobe's seven sons and seven daughters, etc.

Apart from mythological considerations, in physical life manifestations of the number seven occur continuously: "if the mysterious Septenary Cycle is a law in nature, and it is one, as proven; if it is found controlling the evolution and involution (or death) in the realms of entomology, ichthyology and ornithology, as in the Kingdoms of the Animal, mammalia and man -- why cannot it be present and acting in Kosmos, in general, in its natural (though occult) divisions of time, races, and mental development?" (SD 2:623n).

Seven is indeed the sacred number of life, and with the circle and the cross it forms a triad of primordial symbols of the ancient wisdom.

(See also: Seven, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Sabaoth (Gnostic) Title of the genii of Mars, one of the planetary regents of the seven sacred planets as enumerated by Origen in his outline of the Gnostic system. Likewise one of the quaternary of emanations which formed the unity of Jehovah, according to the Gnostics: Iao, Adonai, Sabaoth, and Eloi.

Also one transliteration of the Hebrew Tseba'oth (q.v.).

(See also: Sabaoth, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Erataoth (Hebrew-Syrian) The dog; one of several somewhat arbitrary but highly mystical titles given to spiritual beings among early Syrian, Hebrew, and other Near Eastern mystics, having especial reference perhaps to the seven sacred planets.

(See also: Erataoth, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Regent [from Latin regens ruling]

Ruler, rector; the divine-spiritual-intellectual ruler or cosmic spirit of any cosmic entity. Equivalent to the 'elohim, kabiri, rays of the Logos, the four Maharajas, the genii of the seven sacred planets, of the twelve zodiacal constellations, or of stars, worlds, etc.

(See also: Regent, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Jove or Iove (Gnostic) An anglicized form of Jupiter, the highest god of the Romans, corresponding to the Greek Zeus.

See also JUPITER; ZEUS

Also, one of the seven stellar spirits or genii of the seven sacred planets of the Egyptian Gnostics, Jove corresponding to the genius of the moon, also known as Iao. Again, one of the seven sons of Ialdabaoth who make up the second hepdomad, corresponding to Jehovah (SD 2:449).

See also ASTAPHAI

(See also: Jove, Iove, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Saptarshis saptarsis [from sapta seven + rishi sage]

Seven sages or rishis; the seven great planetary spirits intimately connected with the constellation Ursa Major. Their names are commonly given as Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vasishtha.

"By the seven great Rishis, the seven great rupa hierarchies or classes of Dhyan Chohans, are meant. Let us bear in mind that the Saptarshi (the seven Rishis) are the regents of the seven stars of the Great Bear, therefore, of the same nature as the angels of the planets, or the seven great Planetary Spirits. They were all reborn, all men on earth in various Kalpas and races. Moreover, 'the four preceding Manus' are the four classes of the originally arupa gods -- the Kumaras, the Rudras, the Asuras, etc.: who are also said to have incarnated. They are not the Prajapatis, as the first are, but their informing principles -- same of which have incarnated in men, while others have made other men simply the vehicles of their reflections" (SD 2:318n).

The seven rishis are also said to mark the time and the duration of events in our septenary life cycle.

The stars of our entire galaxy are all intimately connected together, spiritually, intellectually, psychically, vitally, and physically, which means a connection extending back to a unity of origin in a past so greatly remote that its period can be reckoned only in astronomical figures. In an exactly similar way all the planets of our solar system, especially the so-called seven sacred planets of the ancients, are connected in origin in a distant past, although in a past greatly nearer than the former.

(See also: Saptarshis, saptarsis, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Mystery-gods Several different groups of cosmogonic entities, among them the regents of the seven sacred planets, whose chief is the sun exoterically and the Second Logos esoterically; and in a limited sense, mystery-gods is used for two secret planets for which the sun and moon were used as substitutes. Also, in speaking of the dual nature of the Egyptian deities, the concealed or esoteric aspects of them are spoken of as mystery-gods. Again, the name is given to the kabiri or kabeiroi.

(See also: Mystery-gods, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Outer Round The passage of all the life-waves of a planetary chain to other planetary chains in serial order, at the completion of a specific cycle of manifestation on the original planetary chain. This outer round encompasses the seven sacred planets for seven or ten times, in accordance with the working of the circulations of the solar system. Also used for the journey of the human spiritual monad through the solar system after death.

See also INNER ROUND; ROUND

(See also: Outer Round, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Qui Circumambulat Terram (Latin) Who walks around the earth -- said of the Devil by medieval theologians; but there is no reason for restricting it to the maleficent works of Satan.

The Fall of ethereal and spiritual beings has been distorted by Christian theology to signify the evil works of the Devil on earth, but theosophically the phrase could refer to the monads who fell from their spiritual estate in order to gain experiences in lower cosmic planes, and who thus pursue their peregrinations not only around the earth, but circle through the globes of our planetary chain and from planet to planet of the seven sacred planets of the solar system.

(See also: Qui Circumambulat Terram, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Sheba` Heichaloth (Hebrew) Shib`ah Heichalin (Chaldean) [from sheba` seven + heichal world]

The seven worlds or habitations of the Zohar, and on a smaller scale the seven zones into which the world or underworld was divided according to the Qabbalah. This corresponds to the theosophical concept of the seven manifested globes of the planetary chain. In the Qabbalah, each world or zone belonging to the lowest of the septenary is inhabited by races of beings, called collectively shells (qelippoth -- often wrongly rendered demons), under the dominion of Sama'el, Prince of Darkness or Angel of Death. The real meaning of these shells is that these races of beings living in the lower globes of each septenary are beings with bodies, imbodied entities as contrasted with purely ethereal spirits; and these bodies are looked upon as shells. In another sense the seven worlds or globes refer to the seven sacred planets of antiquity.

(See also: Sheba` Heichaloth, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Sol (Latin) Sun; it is said that the Latin solus (the only) was used of the One Good, and that this word afterwards became sol, the sun (SD 2:575). Pythagoras called Venus sol alter (the other sun); Arnobius says that Mercury also is sol -- the vehicle of a solar logos. Every one of the sacred planets is sol in the same manner, for each is, so far as the solar system is concerned, the especial vehicle of one of the seven or twelve solar logoi.

(See also: Sol, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Ogdoad [from Greek]

The number eight, a group of eight. It symbolizes the eternal, spiral motion of cycles, as is suggested by the form of the numeral 8 which, lying on its side, makes the modern mathematical symbol for infinity. The ogdoad show the regular breathing of the kosmos presided over by the eight great gods -- seven from the primeval Mother, the One and the Triad (SD 2:580).

A septenate may be made into an ogdoad by counting in either the last of the preceding hierarchy, or the first of the succeeding. If to a group of seven forces be added either the one from which they proceed, or that manifestation in which they eventuate, an ogdoad is produced, as in the case of the eight sons of Aditi, seven plus Martanda (the sun). Eight is the third power of two, and a number pertaining to physical space, and seems correlative to seven, just as four is correlative to three.

The eight great gods of the Mediterranean ancients are the seven sacred planets, usually Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun as a substitute for a secret planet, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon as a substitute for another secret planet, with Earth as the eighth. It was not so much the physical celestial bodies which were intended as their respective rectors or planetary spirits.

See also EIGHT

(See also: Ogdoad, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Planet Usually refers to the visible satellites of our sun, though in its general sense including the planets belonging to other solar systems, and planets belonging to the universal solar system, whether visible or not on our plane.

One particular meaning is that of the seven sacred planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and two secret planets for which the Sun and Moon are substituted exoterically. Uranus and Neptune do not belong to this group, although circulating around our Sun; Neptune while belonging to our universal solar system does not cosmogonically belong to our own minor solar system, and hence is what from our standpoint may be called a capture.

Each planet, like all other celestial orbs, is composed of seven or twelve globes, in coadunation but not in consubstantiality, forming a planetary chain on the various cosmic planes, only those on our particular physical plane being visible to us. Planets are the outer shell of living beings and have evolved from cosmic seeds, passing through various stages including that of comets. They are inhabited by denizens adapted to their conditions.

 Each planet of the solar system is in its own particular stage of planetary evolution, one planet being in one round of its own evolutionary course, another in a different round of its evolutionary development; and the substances or matters composing them are in respectively different states of materiality, ethereality, or spirituality.

The periods of the planetary movements and of their nodes and apses are regulated by mathematical law originally impressed not only in the structure of the solar system, but in the svabhava or characteristic nature of each individual planet in the system, and these periods mark innumerable cycles of time, great and small. They shed influence on the earth and its inhabitants both as time indicators and by virtue of their quality as living beings. Each celestial body is the mansion, vehicle, or house of what is in its essence a divine entity; and these regents or governors, each one of its own sun or planet, are themselves undergoing courses of evolutionary unfolding in time periods so vast that mathematics of cosmic extent are required to compass them.

(See also: Planet, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)