Dearly beloved readers:
It is with great pleasure that I hasten to send you a Gnostic explanation about a beautiful engraving that was made by the Dutch engraver Gerard de Jode (1509-1591) and which has been baptized by some experts as…
…ALLEGORY OF THE GOLDEN MEAN
To begin our description we have to read and understand the heading of this engraving that we find at the top of it. It tells us:
«VIRTUTES STABILI SUNT OMNES FAEDERE NEXAE ALTERAQUE ALTERIUS DILIGIT OFFICIUM».
Translation:
‘The virtues are all bound together by a stable covenant and each appreciates the function of the other.’
What does all this mean?
First of all, let us clearly understand that virtues are autonomous and self-conscious parts of our own REAL BEING.
Unquestionably, each one of them manifests itself in us as certain psychological aggregates die in our psychology. This is the death of the animal Ego that we, unfortunately, carry within.
Obviously, all the virtues take pleasure in helping each other, for there is not even an atom of selfishness within them. There is a magnetic thread that connects them all. That conductive thread is the very fire of Stella Maris that holds them together and puts them into action when the Divine Mother deems it necessary. Virtues should never be coveted, for they emerge in their time, in their hour, when the Adept is being purified.
To make a description of each of them, let us start by detailing them as they appear in our engraving, let us see them from left to right:
- FORTITUDE: Strength, she carries with her a column –every virtue is a column of the temple of our Being–.
- VIRGINITAS: Virginity, the virtues are virginal states and therefore sacrosanct.
- INOCENTIA: Innocence, therefore next to her is a lamb that reminds us of the intimate Christ.
- FIDES: Faith, a virtue that keeps us united to the Father of all Lights –namely: the BEING–. She holds an open book in her arms.
- TEMPERANTIA: Moderation or temperance, which represents the same thing that the very tarot card entitled Temperance shows us. A woman mixing two elixirs ─Sulphur and Mercury─. In this case we see her holding a pitcher in one hand and a goblet in the other.
- HUMILITAS: Humility.
- SPES: Hope, who we see sitting in an attitude of prayer.
- AMICITIA: Friendship.
- CHARITAS: Charity, who carries a loaf of bread in one of her hands.
- IUSTITIA: Justice, who holds a sword on one of her shoulders.
- PRUDENTIA: Prudence, who in our engraving appears looking at herself in a mirror.
- CASTITAS: Chastity, who holds a spear in her right hand.
Now, if we think of wanting to self-realize ourselves, we must necessarily fill ourselves with fortitude ─strength─topass through the various obstacles of the Secret Path. This imposes on us the need to turn to our virginitas –our particular Stella Maris─. We will also need to attain our innocence in our mind, our sex, and in our heart. We must also hold on to our conscious faith in our own BEING. We must practice temperance so as not to fall into temptations. We will have to work on our pride in order to reach our true humility. We must never lose our hope so as not to fall into the defeatism of the “I”. We must cultivate our true brotherhood or friendship, for on the rocky path we shall always need a Cyrenian. We must never cease to be allies of charity, let us remember that all the Elder Brothers work for this humanity based on universal charity. It is important to be allies of justice and to practice it in our actions, thoughts, and feelings. This will make us Prudent physically and internally. But let us never forget that all our work will always be based on chastity –namely: the alchemical sexual transmutation─.
Continuing with our explanation, we will also say that at the bottom of our illustration there is a phrase in Latin that tells us:
«PECTORE CONSTANTI IUNCTIS AD VINCULA DEXTRIS MUTUA PERSISTVNT ET MODERATA COLUNT».
Translation:
‘With a constant heart they persist in mutual bonds with their right hands joined together and practice moderate habits.’
Certainly, the pearls or virtues of our BEING constantly maintain transcendental habits in a moderate way, without exhibitionism of any kind. They do so because of the sacred bond that they assumed from the dawn of creation to give glory to the very BEING.
I now give you a few sentences for reflection:
“Gratitude is the only treasure of the humble.”
Shakespeare
“He who receives a service must keep it in his memory; he who renders it must forget it.”
Seneca
“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”
Antisthenes
“Seldom are those who receive what they do not deserve grateful for what they receive.”
Quevedo
“Gratitude is the main part of a good man.”
Quevedo
AGNOSCO VETERIS VESTIGIA FLAMMAE.
─‘I recognize the vestiges of the ancient flame’─.
KWEN KHAN KHU
