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Draco Maureen Temple Richmond Summer 2018 Draco Maureen Temple Richmond Abstract constellation as Draco, while in Esoteric As- trology he called it “The Dragon.” n the works of Alice Bailey and the Tibetan I Master, Djwhal Khul, many constellations Draco being the Latin word for serpent or well outside of the zodiacal belt are identified dragon, these names refer to one and the same as key sources of occult energies. Of these, non-zodiacal star grouping. The constellation Draco is one of the most important. This article Draco gets its name from the long and winding explores the many occult and esoteric charac- shape this star grouping seems to make as it teristics of Draco, demonstrating that the sig- snakes around and amongst several other con- nificance of this constellation results from its stellations near the celestial north pole, ulti- mately to span twelve hours of right ascen- sky position near celestial north, association 2 with Hierarchy and advanced initiates as the sion, a vast portion of space astronomically Dragons and Serpents of Wisdom, position in considered. This gigantic, sinuous constella- the base of spine center in the Cosmic Logos tion has accordingly throughout history been and hence its expression as cosmic kundalini, labeled by various cultures as Snake, Sea connection with the Mother Goddesses of the Monster, Alligator, Crocodile, Porpoise, and ancient Egyptian religion and their power to even Hippopotamus, all aquatic animals of imposing nature (except for the kindly and both generate and destroy form through spir- 3 itual fire, the transmission of its energies playful Porpoise). through the constellation and sign of Libra, Draco was known to the ancient Egyptians as and its role as a source of manas or mind on Crocodile,4 an animal clearly connected with planet Earth. their great experience of water, the Nile. The ancient Egyptians also referred to this constel- Draco as a Circumpolar lation as Hippopotamus,5 under which image Constellation this constellation was associated by the ancient Egyptians with several important goddess fig- een from the perspective of our planet, ures—Isis, Hathor,6 and Taurt, the last a god- Draco is a vast constellation located not in S dess of fecundity and childbearing.7 Other the ecliptic or zodiacal belt surrounding our Egyptian goddesses were associated with a planet, but rather in the northern sky near the specific star in this constellation. Apet, Bast, Great Bear and the north celestial pole. Be- Mut, Sekhet or Sekhmet, and even Taurt were cause of its position in the northern sky, Draco is never seen to set, but instead remains in the _____________________________________ night sky, ever to circle the celestial north point. As a result, Draco is called a circumpo- About the Author lar constellation, meaning one of the several Maureen Temple Richmond is a lifelong astrolo- visible star groupings that appear, as a result of ger and esotericist known for her scholarly study the Earth’s revolution on its own axis, to circle titled Sirius, a comprehensive examination of the the North Star. teaching on that great star as revealed in the works of Alice Bailey. Author of numerous essays, poetry, Esoteric students are drawn to the study of and fiction, Richmond holds a Master of Arts in Draco because Djwhal Khul discussed this English and Creative Writing from Southern New constellation extensively in A Treatise on Hampshire University. She is a native of Arkansas, Cosmic Fire, and then mentioned it passingly where she currently makes her home. A counseling in the later Esoteric Astrology.1 In A Treatise astrologer, Richmond advises Anglophone clients on Cosmic Fire, the Tibetan referred to this around the world. She can be reached at: star- [email protected]. Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 73 The Esoteric Quarterly symbolized by Gamma Draconis,8 one of the beings initiated in the mysteries embodying the many stars in this vast constellation known to principles of evolution on our globe, or those the ancient Egyptians.9 who have esoteric knowledge.15 Specifically, Dragons of Wisdom were said by the Tibetan The constellation Draco has been of note to encompass aspirants, disciples of various throughout time because it contains three stars degrees, initiates, and adepts, all of whom have that have all functioned as indicators of the evolved past the point of exclusive reliance celestial North Pole at various periods of histo- upon the everyday intellect and who therefore ry. These three stars are Alpha, Iota and Theta are able to live transcendent lives to one de- Draconis,10 so denominated for their relative gree or another. brightness (with Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, signifying the brightest, and In plain language then, Dragons of Wisdom the following letters indicating lesser degrees are the Masters of the Planetary Hierarchy, of brilliance). Alpha Draconis was the North their disciples, and aspirants of various lev- Pole star during the Pyramid Age, or around els.16 A more restrictive definition of the term, 2700 B.C.11 Iota Draconis indicated celestial Dragon of Wisdom, confines the meaning of north even earlier, around 4,500 B.C.12 this phrase to those who can initiate others into esoteric wisdom, thus, an initiator.17 Thus, says Presently, it is Alpha Ursa Minor, or Polaris, Blavatsky, the title “Dragon” was given to the the brightest star in the Little Bear, which initiated adepts of ancient times, such that the marks the celestial north point. Different stars hoary concept of feeding on a dragon was mark celestial north at various times as a result veiled language for the assimilation of initiato- of our planet’s nutation, a very gradual nod- ry wisdom bequeathed by an initiated adept.18 ding movement which causes the imaginary tip of the rotational axis to trace out a circular The same can be said for the term “serpent.” shape and in so doing, to point at different According to Blavatsky, both the titles “Ser- stars. Because Draco inhabits the region of the pent” and “Dragon” were given to the initiated night sky toward which the north end of adepts of ancient times.19 Similarly, Djwhal Earth’s rotational axis points, even during his- Khul stated, “…there is a profound signifi- torical periods when one of its stars has not cance connected with the expression ‘the ser- marked precise celestial north, Draco was pents of wisdom’ which is applied to all adepts highly noticeable as one of the circumpolar of the good law.”20 Thus, it is apparent that constellations, those star groupings that never “Serpent of Wisdom” and “Dragon of Wis- set, but which are seen from our perspective on dom” were entirely equivalent terms, both ti- earth to slowly and continuously circle the tles alluding to those who had attained esoteric north star during the night. This continuous wisdom through the processes of discipline presence of Draco and its circumpolar com- and genuine spiritual initiation. Of course, panions throughout the night has suggested the dragons and serpents have much in common notion of unchanging eternity to many a sky- anyway. Long and reptilian of body, both ser- oriented culture.13 pents and dragons seem to be constituted of an endless spiraling coil, and when in movement, Draco and the Dragons undulating and wave-like. of Wisdom In keeping with the physical similarity be- owever, the constellation Draco is signif- tween these two types, the Tibetan’s state- Hicant for reasons beyond its important ments indicated that the Dragon constellation role as a circumpolar constellation. According (or Draco) is indeed linked with all serpent to the Ageless Wisdom Teachings, Draco as symbolism.21 Further, Djwhal Khul related all Dragon is directly linked with and indicative of serpent symbolism to the evolutionary energy those beings called “Dragons of Wisdom.”14 of matter called kundalini, the driving force of As spoken of by Helena Blavatsky and Djwhal evolutionary action that is said to lie coiled Khul, Dragons of Wisdom are highly evolved like a serpent within the base of spine chakra.22 74 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2018. Summer 2018 This Kundalini energy, or “serpent fire,” as The Rods used for the First, Second, and Third Djwhal Khul called it, is related to the constel- Initiations all feature three intertwined serpents lation Draco,23 for Draco itself is the base of which form the body of the rod, and during the spine center in a great cosmic logos,24 and as higher initiations, the bodies of the serpents are such is the repository of cosmic kundalini seen to rotate on their own axes as they circle force. and orbit their neighbors.27 In this fashion, the motions of the serpents which constitute the In general, kundalini is said to rise or progress rods of initiation simultaneously depict and through the various chakras in the process of imply the three major types of motion in the evolution, whether the unit undergoing such manifested cosmos — rotary, orbital, and spi- evolution be human or cosmic in scope. In ral, each of these corresponding respectively to either case, the kundalini fire or force can be the Brahma (matter), Vishnu (consciousness) perceived as a fiery light that awakens and ac- and Shiva (or spirit) aspects of Deity.28 Thus, tivates matter and consciousness wherever it the Rods of Initiation on our planet enact in goes. Its progression from chakra to chakra occult symbolism the various ways in which may in some cases be perceived as a zigzag cosmic, systemic, and planetary kundalini path, tracing out a curve or waving line remi- drives matter into action. niscent of serpentine motion. As stated above, this kundalini force is particu- Further, the progress of kundalini up the chak- larly associated with Draco, for according to ras and along the human spine involves an al- the Ageless Wisdom, the constellation Draco ternation between the two interpenetrating en- functions as the base of spine center for the ergy channels within the spine itself, known as Cosmic Logos,29 acting as a repository for Ida and Pingala in yogic philosophy.25 As the cosmic kundalini.
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