The Law of Love is unvariable, unchangeable and eternally rhythmic. The planetary cycles are a manifestation of God’s rhythm and of His love. The Eternal Lover from the Cosmic viewpoint is that force that gives of itself unstintingly, the Universal King and Servant, the Ageless One who simultaneously commands and serves. Esoterically the Eternal Lover is Spirit wooing its own soul. When we raise the brazen Serpent of misdirected Energy and Action, Spirit and Soul unite and we are lifted into great Illumination.

The three original Emanations, coming forth from God the Source, were Love, Wisdom and Energy, from which all Creation sprang. In this Trinity, Wisdom represents the Father, Energy the Son, while Love is the Mother Ray. Love has many phases – romantic, yearning, brooding, mothering, compassionate, sympathetic and, above all, the Love of God. And Love has various degrees: Love of a mother or father for child, child for parent, man for woman, friend for friend.

The rays moving through the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac signify the outpouring of Love in its separate ways, while the whole Zodiacal Circle is a symbol of complete, of Divine Love.

The cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) and the fixed signs (Aquarius, Taurus, Leo and Scorpio) are creative and procreative in influence. Their regeneration breaks up physical and mental crystallization, resulting in enlightenment that makes man free. The common or mutable signs (Pisces, Gemini, Virgo and Sagittarius) give man inspiration and aspiration, leading him upward and on.

You do not have to be a Pollyanna to see good in all the signs. Love expresses through the twelve signs as virtues. We all know the negative taints from Aries to Pisces. Many of us have had frustrating experiences due to such taints both in us and others, yet what are negative traits but virtues turned downwards? So we will turn our thoughts to an examination of the positive side to the virtues of the twelve signs as expressed through Love.

Let us begin with Aries, the first sign. Mars rules it. The Greeks looked upon Mars, a son of Jupiter and Juno, as the war god. He represented masculine activity, virility, great energy and courage. His wife was Nerio, Enterprise. His sister, Bellona, was war. His love was the beautiful goddess, Venus. He represents much of the Arien character of enterprise and of forging ahead into new fields of endeavor with strength and courage.

Aries signifies the young sun god, resurrected from the dark of winter, to be worshiped at the vernal equinox. He was the epitome of the strength, beauty and hoped of youth, (youthfulness of spirit is marked in the Arien), the courageous pioneer. He also represents the sacrificial ram or "Lamb of God," whose blood was shed to cleanse man of his sins. Do you not recognize the best of Aries here? Your Arien expresses love through his ardent enthusiastic energy and action, often impulsively selfless. His courage, undaunted spirit and recurring hope are at times the salvation of those who turn to him for help. Remember, Aries, the warrior, can carry and wield the two-edged sword of Truth when he goes out to right a wrong, win you over to a cause, knock some important information into a closed mind, or to solicit support for a project to open the doors of progress. This is Love manifesting by seeking Truth through action and enterprise.

Then Aries expresses Love through his zest for living. He is a natural leader, seeking fresh, new ideas and is always in the vain of progress, whether it is in practical, artistic or intellectual fields. He happily challenges opposition, overcoming difficulties with confidence. When he fails be rises above it and goes out to tackle something new. Aries cannot abide lukewarmness. Nothing simmers on his stove. He likes it red hot.

We know Aries as the sign of the pioneer. The pioneers led the wagon trains across the country, their ancestors, who embarked on the Mayflower seeking freedom in a new land; Moses, who led the Children of Israel out of Egypt through the desert to the Promised Land – they all typify the pioneering spirit of the Arien. Moses gave up a luxurious life at court for this. He had to love God and His people very much. Michelangelo placed ram’s horns on the forehead of his statue of Moses, depicting him as an Arien leader. Moses lived in the Arien Age. It is interesting that the patron saint of England is St. George, the warrior saint, representing the Martial aspect of deity.

A love of active sports is an integral part of Aries. In ancient days, the sports were a part of religious ritual, each contest dedicated to the gods. The rays of Mars influence modern sports such as football and soccer.

Your Arian with his originality and ingenuity expresses Love through his ever new ideas followed through with enthusiastic action.

The second is the earth sign, Taurus. It is said to be ruled by the negative side of Venus, which does not fit the steadfastness, so wonderful in the Taurean character, but it does fit the love of beauty, sonorous voice, and the monetary rulership of the sign. Some believe the Earth itself rules Taurus, giving its natives their great stability of character and of purpose. In Greece of old, they venerated Mother Earth as Vesta or Ceres, and she personified protection of family life and the community. This was also true of Juno who was the arbiter of marriage, the mother of Hebe, Health, and of Mars, energy. This particularly applies to the delightful daughters of Taurus, strong in body, upholding the home and useful in the community. Their sense of humor carries them over many a rough period, while they keep their feet firmly on the ground.

The bull symbolizes Taurus, so sacred to the ancient world. They venerated the bull for many reasons. He pulled the plough that furrowed the earth, giving nourishment through his labors to people. On the positive side, the bull stood for steadfastness, procreation and virility, the security and the basics of life on earth. He had natural energy, great reserve strength and the patience and presence in sun, cold or rain to plod through and finish his job, which the Taurean always does. Through the help of the bull, they planted the life-giving seeds, which is one of the mystic reasons that they call Taurus the builder’s sign. They built the pyramids, which are still intact, in the Taurean Age.

The power of the creation of matter through the wonder of God’s Love is relegated to Taurus. The Taurean builds a solid foundation stone on which to stand. He is a tower of strength to those who trust him. He finishes what he guaranteed to start. Love shines through his loyalty, his reliability, and his stamina in times of diversity.

This sign rules the mighty dollar, and money in truth in its highest aspect is God’s Love expressed through the outpouring of His abundance.

Taurus rules the throat and vocal cords and the Father releases His loving Power through the Taurean with his ability to sing.

Taureans are born when the warmth of the sun begins to quicken the earth with its heat and reproduction. They carry the impress of the seasonal character. A love of nature and of beauty is their birthright. God expresses His loving strength through the creation of outer form under Taurus.

The third is Gemini, an air sign, ruled by Mercury. Long ago they believed Mercury to be the Messenger of the Gods, the one selected to bring the Wisdom of God to man. The first chapter of John begins with "In the beginning was the Word – and the Word was God." The Love of God is expressed through Gemini as the Father’s Word on Earth.

The true Keynote of the Geminian is Joy. He is joyous when in the act of expressing one or more of the many facets of his nature. His abilities extend through speaking, writing, teaching, selling and creating with his dextrous hands. God has blessed him with intelligent ability and physical dexterity. He wants to know something about everything and variety is important to him. His highest attribute is reason. He has the magical ability to live in the ever present now. This is the sign of youth, of birds on the wing. How these sons and daughters love to be free!

In ancient days, the pillars or columns that upheld the Temples of Wisdom, were symbolically related to the twins of Gemini, and Gemini people have the ability to uphold knowledge in the world today.

This is the sign that rules the United States where the Love of God, symbolized here by Mercury, the Winged Messenger, shall bring God’s Word once more to our news media, ruled by Gemini, places of learning (Gemini rules education up to college), the seat of government and religious institutions. Love can pour forth through the vast media of the spoken and written word and change the hearts and minds of men.

The fourth is the water sign of Cancer. It is the great material sign of the twelve and holds sway over aspects of the family in general. God expresses Love through Cancer as the Mother of Earth, she who conceives the spark of Love, nurtures it and brings it forth. Some consider the Mother of Cancer to be the Power behind the throne of Leo.

The mythological Goddess of the Moon, ruler of Cancer, was Diana, or Artemis. They revered her because she was thought to rule over the swelling of seeds and the growth of life, be it in plants, animals or the human fetus. This coincides with the sign of Cancer, "the Gate of the Mother," through which the whole human race passes into earthly incarnation. The ancients also believed Diana to regulate heredity, linking the present to the past, and it is interesting that many Cancer people revere their heritage. Their first loyalty is to home and family. Their second loyalty is to country – to the true Cancerian the word patriotism is never "corny."

Love is expressed in Cancer through the virtues of loyalty and patience and the quality of sympathy, and with what one writer called "adaptability with tenacity." Like their symbolic crab, they are tenacious and hang on tightly to reach a goal, prove a point, or keep that which is justly theirs. Nevertheless, the flexible moon also makes them adaptable and while they hang on with a firm grip, they also learn to agree and adjust in the process.

Imagination, most noted in Cancer, can be a virtue when it turns upward, because an image, when it is great enough, can become vision. Another quality is the retentive memory of Cancer.

The moon reflects myriad qualities. Therefore, the sign it rules reflects in turn many aspects of life. Cancer not only rules the family unit but it rules the masses and one’s public life. Here God shows His Love of His children through those who perform good works by coming into touch with the public. It is the silver cord of Cancer that binds families, communities and nations together.

The fifth is the fire sign of Leo, the regal sign. The sun rules it, associated with the god Apollo whom they called "the Giver of Light." He was the great mythological leader and oracle of the arts, the one who perfected the lyre invented by Mercury. He strangled the python of evil, signifying Light conquering darkness, the epitome of Leo at its highest.

It is at this point in the Zodiac that the sun reaches its zenith and the pagan world believed that this was the time the sun god, who began his climb at the vernal equinox, ascended his throne in Leo. Symbolically, the sun, ruler of Leo, is the celestial bridegroom with his life-giving rays and is the central manifestation of God in our solar system.

Love is expressed in Leo through the virtues of Faith and comprehension and the qualities of leadership and radiation or radiance. They radiate light like the raise of the sun. They deeply appreciate art and literature. The Psalms of David are related to Leo.

The best of Leonians have an innate faith, and trust in humanity. They are serenely convinced that those with whom they work will give of their best, and that those who fail to do so will redeem themselves. They are prone to idealize those they love, and are slow to recognize subterfuge, baseness or even pettiness in them. Many faceted himself, the Leo person comprehends the varied qualities in others and causes him to touch the mainspring of action in each one who works with him. He has a deep understanding of human nature.

Leo is the sign of kings and Leo, at his best, is a born leader and organizer. He radiates personality, warmth and vitality, his magnetism drawing people to him, often making him the focal point.

Because this is the sign of the drama and of acting, your Leonian is apt to dramatize himself and events. Often this adds to their charm and individuality. Their religion must be dramatic, too. Perfect ritual, and beautiful church music is important to them. They love the grandeur and mysteries in all religions and in the ancient myths.

Love shines through the fully developed Leo, who represents balances humanity. These are the ones who are endowed not only with comprehension, but with intuition, having minds that combine the practical, philosophical and spiritual.

The sixth is the earth sign Virgo, the Virgin, the sign of service, of labor, or the Harvest. Mercury is known as the planetary ruler, while some question the possibility of a planet between the sun and Mercury that is invisible due to its nearness to the sun. They call it Vulcan. The mythical god. Vulcan, the smith of Olympus, is certainly a graphic symbol of Virgoan service and craftsmanship, which is a great expression of God’s Love for the welfare of His children. Yet, Mercury is evident in the libraries, publications, critical and scientific writings and sales ability of the sign, all of which are within the orb of Virgoan influence.

Love moves through the virtue of Purity in Virgo. A virgin with a sheaf of wheat in her hand is its symbol. In ancient Greece, they associated Virgo with Ceres, Mother of Earth, and goddess of the harvest. In Egypt, Isis was worshiped as the "Divine Virgin," sister-wife of Osiris, her whom they thought to have conceived the Immaculate Word or Love and brought forth Horus, known then as the Egyptian savior. In Christianity, the Virgin Mary symbolizes the virgin of Virgo, Mother of our Savior, Jesus the Christ. The high idealism and aspiration expressed by these symbols point up the loftiest of Virgoan virtues and individuality.

Divine inspiration is seen through the great diversification of the sign. Above we mentioned a few departments and might add a few more, such as scientific research, especially in the field of chemistry, dietetics, which include natural health foods (remember, we connect this sign with the harvest), public health, labor, the housekeeping departments of the armed forces.

The highest attribute of Virgo is discrimination. The highly evolved Virgoan has an uncanny ability to discriminate between the pure and impure, the adulterated and the unadulterated. To them everything large or small is important. Those Virgo people who hitch their wagons to their own high stars can ascend to heights seldom dreamed of before.

The seventh is the air sign of Libra, the sign of Balance or the Scales or Justice. The planet Venus rules it. Aphrodite, the Greek counterpart of the Roman Venus, was the goddess of love and beauty, the Mother of Cupid, wife of Vulcan and beloved of Mars. Venus represents the feminine power of response in all manifestation to action, signified by Mars. They have said that Venus was the cause of all harmony and analogy in the universe and of the union of form and matter. She "rose from the sea," which links her not only with love, but with emotion. Love of man for woman comes under the sway of Venus. As a wife, the Libra woman at her peak makes an ideal mate for a man, especially from the masculine viewpoint. She knows how to make him feel important and completely loved.

Here Love expressed through the virtues of Libra entails beauty, harmony, balance and justice. There is an aesthetic strain to the high type Libran, an inner craving for these things. They are natural idealists and seem to be forever seeking that elusive thing called perfection. Libra loves beauty as expressed through music, rare paintings and objects of art, exquisite materials and the wonders or nature.

The dove was one of the symbols of the Greek Aphrodite, and Librans love peace and harmony so much they will go out and fight for it. General Eisenhower was a Libra. These people are as many-sided as Leo, and like Gemini, they tend to live in the present.

Librans at their best learn to achieve a balance between their emotional and mental processes. You can always reach them through the three things they respect, reason, logic and justice.

God has endowed the highest types with great ability in the arts and lawyers, managers and government officials, many in the military. Through Libra we glean a wide interpretation of law.

The eighth is the water sign of Scorpio. They say that this sign has two planetary rulers, Pluto and Mars. Pluto was the ancient god of the underworld who held sway over death, while his consort represented resurrection and regeneration. She was Proserpine, daughter of Ceres. Pluto, one of the three sons of Saturn, stood for Divine Power manifesting as action on the physical plane (relevant to Mars) and the developed Scorpio is a natural wielder of power.

The Scorpio symbols are four in number – the scorpion, snake, eagle and scarab. As the Scorpion with its sting of death, Scorpio represents the destroyer. As the serpent that sloughs off its old skin emerging in its fresh new garment, it symbolizes regeneration. As the eagle, it portrays a soaring consciousness, and as the scarab, it depicts both resurrection and rebirth. Within Scorpio, we find the power that tied earth to heaven and heaven to earth.

This fixed water sign represents water at its greatest strength, incompressible, determined ever to find its own level. Its sons and daughters have the same strength and determination.

Here the Almighty Power from Above o’ershadows the developed Scorpian, giving him an excellent mind, keen judgement, a sense of justice, a goodly amount of extrasensory perception, dignity, tenacity and boundless energy. They are tireless, conscientious workers, perfectionists of the first order. They are poised, original, enterprising and will exhibit almost superhuman patience to reach a goal. The evolved Scorpio native has the power to achieve absolute mastery of self and when this happens, he can be a world beater. Some have called this the sign of the "mastermind."

This type is capable of an unshakeable faith and great spiritual zeal. The sun was in Scorpio when Martin Luther was born.

Love speaks through Scorpio as a friend, because they are truly friends in need. They are there to help find you a job, lift a burden, give valuable advice or take over the funeral arrangements when a loved one dies.

There is a rare appreciation for nature’s grandeur and beauty in these sons and daughters. This sign has a rapport with the art of healing. It is a natural sign for God’s sons and daughters who become doctors and surgeons.

While Scorpio governs death, it also governs procreation. Serapis in Egypt, and Siva in India were symbols of this sign because they were both symbols of death and reproduction. Scorpio represents the immortal ego in its long evolution through many transformations and conquerings, ascending to become one with its own Oversoul.

The last Initiation in the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid was that of the Mysteries of Scorpio – Crucifixion and a second birth into the Wisdom of the Mysteries through Regeneration. The candidate crossed the Great Abyss, upheld by Love alone, before returning to outer consciousness.

The ninth is the fire sign of Sagittarius and its ruler is Jupiter. In Greek mythology Jupiter or Zeus was the third son of Saturn, then ruler of the gods. While his brother Pluto ruled the underworld and power through action, Jupiter ruled the upper world, the Realm of though or Divine Wisdom. He was the father of Athena or Minerva, the goddess of Wisdom who sprang from his head fully armed to battle ignorance and evil. They revered Jupiter as the god of Light, of Justice and of Truth and the evolved Sagittarian seeks enlightenment and truth and fights for justice.

The centaur Chiron, the mentor of the heroes, such as Hercules, Jason, Orpheus and Castor and Pollux portrays Sagittarius. The centaur points his arrow of truth at the dark star Antares, signifying both Love and Wisdom conquering evil. We find the story of the war of good and evil in most world religions, and Sagittarius represents religion and its theology. The archer of Sagittarius aims well, seldom missing his mark. He intuitively knows where and how to pierce the armor of negativity.

Somewhat introspective, these people have the power of analysis. They are rapid and clear thinkers, ever wanting to pierce to the core of situations and glean the truth. This is why we observe excellent lawyers and judges among them.

The truly inspired have the gift of prophecy. They are natural philosophers and this side of Sagittarius is recognized in Socrates. His uncompromising warfare against ignorance, his many friendships and his manner of teaching students to reason and think for themselves were all typical of Sagittarius. This is the sign of higher education, beginning at the college level. Like the myriad rays of the sun and planets, the high Sagittarian has innumerable interests. He is versatile and dextrous, can do anything he chooses with his hands.

The enlightened Sagittarian is richly endowed with the power of speech and these are the ones who make delightful conversationalists. You will find inspirational writers among them. Robert Browning was a Sagittarian.

These people are good to have around in an emergency. Then their minds clear, their eyes shine and they take immediate and wise command of the situation.

This is the sign that not only rules religion, but in ancient days was the supreme head of the Twelve Mystery Schools. Love and Wisdom are divine twins and in Sagittarius, Love expresses through creative thought, fulfilling itself in myriad ways for the good of our fellow men.

The tenth is the earth sign of Capricorn and its ruler is Saturn. The Greeks worshiped Saturn, or Cronus, as the ruler of heaven before Jupiter. He reigned in the "Golden Age" when earth was said to be free of turmoil before the fall. They thought Cronus, or Saturn to be the spirit of time or Father Time. Because time swallows all things, Saturn swallowed his two sons, Pluto and Neptune. The third son, Jupiter, united with his brothers in rebellion, forced Saturn to disgorge his children, and dethroned him, dividing his kingdom three ways. Saturn continued to rule in the background because they say that time tries all men and Saturn is a tester and initiator.

Capricorn exudes a virility of spirit symbolized by the indefatigable goat that climbs the hills steadily, finishing his meal at the top. Like the goat, your evolved Capricornian never stops climbing until he reaches his goal.

Love expresses through Capricorn as Spiritual or Higher Law, the immutable, unchangeable Law of God. This is the sign of the priest, who represents Capricorn ambition transmuted into aspiration, whose goal is to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

There is a reverence in this sign for things that are good, things that are sacred. The high type of Capricornian upholds the best of tradition, authority and convention. He is untouched by passing fads and concepts that are "in" one day and "out" the next. He is an organizer and often a unifier.

God speaks through him as a born teacher. He thinks deeply, has great concentration, is fluent and impressive in speech and has a true historic sense. He is loyal, a hard worker and is adaptable to environment. He often carries the burdens of others, especially for his family. These people are capable of efficient, conservative leadership in business or government, keeping the welfare of others at heart.

They introduce a certain rhythm into their thought and action that may be the answers to the longevity of many of them. There is a rhythm to time and Saturn does help to regulate our activities in a rhythmic way. Some believe that the rhythmic counting of the Roman Catholic rosary and the Hindu prayer wheel come under the domain of Capricorn.

Capricornians stress sacrifice in religion. They are enthusiastic about tithing, believing firmly that we should give of our abundance to God on earth. Through the sign of Capricorn, God as Principle forms the mold or framework that contains all of our activities, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

The eleventh is the air sign Aquarius, ruled by Uranus. They revered Uranus in the ancient world as the father of Saturn or Cronus, which means he was reigning in heaven before time began. They called his The Kingdom of Chaos, the Beginning of Manifestation. So Uranus represents creativity and the rays of Uranus, the planet, send forth the Creative Power of Mind.

The Aquarian symbol is the golden haired, youth Ganymede, the cup bearer of the Olympian gods who occasionally purposely spilled the precious nectar (the waters of Love and Wisdom) on the children of men to lift them up.

Love expresses through Aquarius like the symbolic cup bearer, because the high Aquarian desires first to gain knowledge and then to share it with his fellow men. This is not always done personally, but often through humanitarian plans, idea, and projects. The Aquarian is known as the humanitarian of the twelve signs. These people are idealistic, independent and usually ahead of their time. They have an unusual breadth of vision and are open minded, unbiased and unprejudiced, forever seeking Truth along all lines.

Sometimes called reformers, your mature Aquarian does want to give freedom rather than restrict it and he will back social reform or educational movements, but only after he has delved into research and collected statistics on the subject to prove that he is right and just. However, if he finds that be was wrong in a conviction he may have held for years, he freely admits it and no matter what it entails, rectifies his mistake.

The leadership and loyalty of the Aquarian Abraham Lincoln, backed by humanitarianism and altruistic principles, never forgetting his irrepressible humor, illustrates the Aquarian character in its highest expression.

Aquarians have an inventive genius, often making superior engineers and scientists. They have a tremendous faculty for concentration. They are fine psychologists and philosophers, and at times excel in music.

In religion they may be considered unorthodox but continuously seek Truth in its most unadulterated form. Aquarius rules astrology. This sign is related to friendship and to the brotherhood of man. They form friendships in all walks of life and freely give themselves to the many rather than the few. They are noted for compassion, but never for maudlin sympathy.

By precession of the equinoxes we have entered the Aquarian Age of 2,160 years. Aquarians have a rapport with new age things because their sign rules most of them – electricity, air and space travel, waves from infra red to ultra, violet, radio waves and their applications, and partially nuclear energy.

Your evolved Aquarian may break with the traditions of false gods, while he tears down old concepts to rebuild with vision. At the same time, inspired by the rays of Uranus, he upholds the divine tradition of the Eternal Verities of God, and through Love and Wisdom stands firmly and holds to them.

The twelfth and last is the water sign of Pisces. Neptune rules it, the ancient god of the sea. He represented the power that stirs and awakens the emotions into a burning desire to move up into a unity, an at-one-ment with God. The Greeks looted upon Neptune or Poseidon as their "Savior" because they believed that he redeemed them through self-sacrifice and love. Love is expressed fully through this sign because its keynote is Love.

We are leaving the Piscean Age behind now where the religious initiations relate to water, such as Christian baptism. Jesus walked upon the waters. The Pisces symbol of the fish is now a Christian symbol; most of the disciples were fishermen. We have the parable of the loaves and fishes – all in the early days of the Piscean era – and Jesus was truly the Savior, the Redeemer who came in the Piscean Age of the Redeemer.

The Pisces personality has the tone, resilience and responsiveness of a violin string. Some more famous Piscean people illustrate the unusual characteristics of the sign. Here are some examples. This is the sign of the poet and Dante, whose "Divine Comedy" is sheer poetic mysticism at its greatest, is an example of the mercurial fluidity of the Piscean mind.

The brilliant, hypersensitive, intermittently suffering Chopin was the typical Piscean musician. Albert Einstein, the mystic scientist, who resembled a poet and was a talented musician, is a good illustration of the paradoxical qualities of the sign. Some excel on the stage or screen. Pisces rules the cinema and photography in general.

Pisces people are overly generous and compassionate. They are sensitive, yet have an underlying strength of character that makes them capable of real, even of great achievement. They have a true sense of responsibility.

They have great insight and intuition. In science they are apt to be more interested in the forces behind phenomena than in the phenomena themselves. They absorb information like a sponge, glean it out of the ether. "I know," says the Piscean with finality, and he usually does.

Love moves through these people who can hear with a mystical inner ear. They are endowed with the highest spiritual qualities and their great strength lies in their ideals and aspirations, and in the realization of the essential unity of all things.

We have traced the great Emanation of Love through the Zodiacal Circle. We have only touched on the highest attributes of the signs. Many of us do not contemplate them as often as we might. Nevertheless, they are always there, and Love is eternally pointing the way upward through each virtue and quality along the path of perfection. When we put our feet upon that Path, we begin to conquer self and our charts are invaluable tools to help us accomplish this. We turn our vision upward and gradually become worthy to be called Sons and Daughters of God.

We are all under every sign or constellation. We are under each sign two hours of every twenty-four!

A brilliant and well-known astrologer, Ruth Johnson was a student and teacher of Edna Lister’s work from 1945 until she passed to the other side in 1992.