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Despite current efforts in some circles to disparage
motherhood and degrade it as a function involving drudgery and boredom,
the role of motherhood, when examined in the light of the deeper
teachings, is one of the most fulfilling to which a woman can aspire and
one of the most important in which she can engage. The responsibilities
and privileges of motherhood, if entered into reverently and seriously,
can make for some of the most rewarding of earthly experience and produce
valuable soul growth.
Every mother provides the initial
physical vehicle used by an Ego returning to rebirth. Every mother, more
than any other single individual, is in a position to determine the type
of environment in which her youngster will grow up, and the influences to
which he will be subject during his formative years. Every mother, because
of the care or lack of care she has given to her own physical, mental, and
emotional vehicles, and because of her own deep- seated attitudes, is
influential in determining the degree of health or illness with which the
forming vehicles of her offspring will be developed.
Astrology and
Conception
From the occult point of view, attempts
to conceive children should be made only when planetary lines of force are
favorable; at all other times the creative force should be channeled into
avenues of mental creativity and not used for purposes of pleasure or
passion.
Speaking strictly from an astrological
point of view, there are two main conditions to be considered if we wish
to provide an incoming Ego with harmonious conditions. First, the
prospective parents should be harmoniously matched, and, secondly, the
time of conception should be planned for when the prevailing planetary
forces are in harmonious synchronization with those indicated in the
horoscopes of the parents. By "harmonious" we do not mean necessarily all
trines and sextiles, for harmony must also be balanced by the right kind
and amount of dissonance in order to be effective.
Although it may be true that the fall
of man came about as a result of ignorant indulgence in the creative act,
however, we cannot hope to rectify the situation merely by once again
planning the conception of children under harmonious planetary conditions.
Man has grown and developed considerably since that time long ago, and as
a result, the requirements made of modern man are also greater.
There is a great truth in astrology
which, unfortunately, is ignored by many people: a horoscope cannot
promise more than what is inherent in the essential nature of a thing.
Consequently, we must ask ourselves: Of what value is it to take note of
favorable planetary conditions if we do not at the same time consider our
state of physical, moral, mental, and spiritual purity? If these things
are of poor quality, then, regardless of the nature of planetary
conditions, the results to be realized through them cannot be very
good.
Purification
Thus, if we wish to conceive children
who will be healthy on all levels, we must not only watch for harmonious
planetary conditions, but we must also purify ourselves to the greatest
extent possible. Then, when both the inner conditions indicated by
planetary positions are right, we can expect to achieve a higher standard
of conception of children.
Since most human beings have not yet
evolved to such a high point, it is understood that a life of
near-celibacy would as yet be too much to expect from the majority of
humanity. Therefore, children continue to be conceived at inopportune
times.
Once conception has taken place,
whether deliberately or unintentionally, the mother's first duty is to
that child. She and the father have, by their actions, made themselves
responsible for an Ego returning to earthly life. Whether it is convenient
or not, they must discharge that responsibility to the best of their
ability, both for the sake of the incoming Ego and for the sake of their
own futures. The ease with which pregnancies are currently terminated
simply for the sake of convenience is reprehensible, and we may be sure
that those involved are incurring heavy debts of destiny for
themselves.
The epitome of motherhood is found in
Mary, the mother of Jesus. In the orthodox Christian tradition she is
revered as an immaculate virgin, of inviolable purity and spirituality.
Esoteric Christianity also reveres her for her spiritual purity, but
teaches that the "immaculate conception" refers to the fact that Mary and
Joseph, two of the most advanced members of the human race, were able to
perform the generative act without passion, and solely for the purpose of
making it possible for the Ego known as Jesus to incarnate on Earth.
Jesus, whose mission was to develop his physical vehicle for the use of
the Christ, was necessarily the most pure, high minded, and spiritually
evolved human being. His mother, of necessity, also had to embody similar
purity and nobility, for only then would she have been fit to carry and
raise a son of such exalted stature.
Ideally, then, a lifetime of pure,
selfless living in accordance with the precepts of natural law is the best
preparation for motherhood. The more experience the prospective mother has
had in "living the life" and in giving the best possible care to her own
vehicles, the more able she will be to work with her child along the same
lines. Certainly, however, no matter what direction the previous years of
her life may have taken, as soon as a woman becomes aware that she is
carrying a child, it is her responsibility to make a concerted effort to
think only those thoughts, and do only those things, which will enhance
the welfare of the child.
Harmful Habits
Scientific studies are showing that
such injurious habits as smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, and taking
drugs, cause considerable harm to the developing fetus. Hopefully, the
concurrence of material science in this view will help persuade some
prospective mothers to give up these practices when they otherwise might
not have done so. It seems, however, that common sense alone would be
sufficient to show that these noxious habits are potentially as dangerous
to the child developing within the mother's womb as they are to the mother
herself.
The same is true of the food that the
mother consumes particularly during the time she is carrying the child. A
diet rich in nutritive essentials helps provide the mother with the
strength to do her job properly, and furnishes the best matter with which
to construct the child's vehicles. In contrast, a poor diet, consisting
largely of refined products, sweets, flesh foods and other harmful
elements, is detrimental to both Egos concerned.
Peaceful Surroundings
Equally important are the thoughts that
the mother sends out toward her child. The time of return to Earth life is
particularly hard on an Ego. He is leaving the security and harmony of the
spiritual world and returning to physical manifestation with its attendant
tumult and pain. No matter how eager he may be to resume physical
experiences, the actual "plunge into matter" cannot be other than
unsettling. Incalculable help is received by an Ego who at this time feels
himself loved and wanted. If he senses that the family into which he is
being born and particularly his parents, are prepared to welcome him with
open arms, the vicissitudes of his forthcoming life lose some of their
sting. It is perhaps even more true for an incoming Ego than for one who
has been somewhat hardened by years of earthly experience that the
presence of love lessens all burdens, while the absence of love increases
the weight of even the smallest annoyances.
Important, too, is the atmosphere in
which the mother moves and is allowed to move. If her home life is
peaceful, if she herself is the recipient of affectionate care from
husband and family, if she is surrounded by and can appreciate that which
is beautiful in the spiritual sense -- classical music, flowers, uplifting
literature, etc. -- all this will be reflected not only in her own state
of mind and being but also, ultimately, in the well-being and the
interests of the child that she carries. To the extent that disharmony,
crassness, ugliness, depravity, and activities of questionable taste are
allowed to penetrate the mother's consciousness and disturb her
equanimity, both she and the child will suffer.
The Ego and the Laws
Occult science knows that the Law of
Consequence and the Law of Attraction govern the placement of every
incoming Ego in a particular family and environment. Unfriendly
associations between Egos in previous lives must be continued until they
are resolved in mutual love. This is why antagonisms among members of
individual families are not uncommon. It sometimes happens that there
seems to be an underlying antagonism between the mother and her child,
sensed from the outset. This is clearly a case of two Egos who are being
given an opportunity favorably to resolve their relationship. Such a
situation, of course, requires particular wisdom and perspicacity on the
part of the mother -- as well as of the child as he matures. Conversely,
family members who are drawn in close affection to one another may also
have earned the right to such a felicitous relationship as a result of
conduct in their previous lives.
The Law of Consequence, too, helps
determine the well-being of the incoming Ego, as well as, to a degree, the
circumstances in which he must live his life. Former lack of care of his
vehicles results in weakened ones in the present lifetime. Debts of
destiny may indicate that the Ego must grow up amid deprivation of one
sort or another. Although these natural laws cannot be thwarted, and the
lessons to be learned under them must be learned, the spiritually astute
mother can nevertheless do much to alleviate distressing conditions. If an
Ego must live this life with a weak physical body, for instance, the
mother still has the prerogative -- as well as the duty -- of teaching him
the rules of diet and hygiene which will enable him to make the best use
of what he has and, perhaps, even strengthen what might otherwise be a
debilitating weakness. Similarly, although a family may not have the money
with which to surround a child with material advantages, the mother (and
the father) can still give of themselves. If they show love and concern
for the children and active interest in what the children think, do, and
feel, their creative presence will be of far greater value in molding the
children into morally upstanding, self-sufficient, and reliable human
beings than would merely a proliferation of "things."
Astrology An Aid
Once the child is born, it would be
wise for the mother to set up his horoscope as soon as possible. Ideally,
she is sufficiently proficient in astrology to be able to do this and
interpret the chart herself; if she had not studied astrology before the
conception of her child, a study of this divine science would be a
spiritually profitable way of spending some of the time during the months
of waiting. In any case, an interpretation of the child's horoscope, made
by a qualified spiritual astrologer, should be carefully studied by
the mother.
Planetary configurations at the moment
an infant takes his first breath reveal the strengths and weaknesses with
which he has returned to Earth -- characteristics merited by conduct in
previous lives. Knowing the particulars of the influences, good and bad,
to which her child is prone, and knowing his strong points and those areas
in which he must work hard to improve himself, she can guide the totality
of his experiences during his early years accordingly. If he is likely to
be prone to sensual indulgence, stressing of moderation in all things is
in order. If he is likely to be withdrawn or hostile to other people, the
mother would do well to guide him into experiences in which he has to
"come out of his shell," to share with playmates, to do little things in
service to family members or other children, etc. If an inclination toward
material supremacy, power, or intellectual prestige are present,
particular diligence in trying to bring out the child's spiritual nature
and enhance his spiritual understanding is important.
Education
In this connection, it helps to
remember that children are fresh from the heaven worlds, where the
skepticism, cynicism, and illusion of the physical world are unknown. A
strong foundation of esoteric Christian philosophy, couched in terms
meaningful to children, will equip them as adults to lead wholesome lives.
The basic tenets of the Rosicrucian Fellowship Philosophy, and
particularly the concept of universal brotherhood and love, can be
conveyed even to very young children.
Because young children are uncritical,
imitative, and teachable, the attitudes and actions of close associates,
particularly the mother, comprise a lasting influence on them. Those close
associates, again particularly the mother, cannot help but engender in
them habits and patterns of conduct which are very hard to unlearn later
in life. For this reason, the mother must be particularly careful of her
self-expression at all times, even when she thinks the child is not
observing her. Ideally, she is unprejudiced, but if she has prejudices she
does well to keep them to herself as best she can. Ideally, she is
unafraid of any experiences life has to offer, but even if she cannot rid
herself of fears and worries, her first duty is to communicate optimism
and confidence to her child. Ideally, she has already learned to live a
pure, selfless life, but if her lower nature is still importuning her to
this or that physical or emotional indulgence, she makes every effort to
suppress the inclination and force it to wither away as a result of
indifference.
Certainly patience is an important
characteristic for the mother to cultivate if she has not already done so.
Certainly, too, there are likely to be times when the strain of raising a
family tells on her. Even in the most affectionate home environment, the
problems of maintaining the household smoothly, preparing meals, and all
the myriad other facets of housekeeping, coupled with the continuing care
of energetic toddlers and small children, at times tax a mother's strength
to the utmost. It is at this point that the level of her development and
understanding shows itself most clearly. The higher powers are always
ready to help anyone who turns to them prayerfully for guidance,
particularly a mother who is trying faithfully to discharge her
obligations to her family.
Development of Bodies
The child's physical body develops most
during his first seven years, and in much of this period he is a dynamo of
curiosity, investigation, physical experimentation and often in all
innocence, mischief. The mother who can gently though firmly help him
guide this abundance of energy into channels which are best suited to his
development contributes greatly to his future self-control, self-reliance,
and self-satisfaction.
Of course, too, it is impossible to
reason with a child at this age. If he does not respond favorably to
suggestions of alternative behavior -- far better than a steady stream of
"don'ts" --discipline is necessary. The type of discipline meted out by
the mother again shows her own level of development. Corporal punishment
-- the slap or spanking administered in anger -- may serve to release her
pent up emotions, or to reinforce her sense of superiority over the child.
The lasting effect on the child, however, is negative.
If discipline is needed, therefore, it
is much more effective, in the long run, to withhold favors and withdraw
privileges. This policy will impress upon him the impropriety of his
conduct without submitting him to the indignity of physical
punishment.
Another responsibility of the mother,
particularly during these early years, is to subject the child as much as
possible to the influence of good music and rhythm. All created things are
the embodiments of the great Cosmic Word continually resounding through
the universe. Although we cannot hear the music of the spheres, we can
work on the child's body by terrestrial music. Nursery rhymes have
wonderful rhythm. The more a child is taught to say, sing, and repeat
them, to dance and to march to them, and the more music is incorporated
into his daily life, the stronger and healthier will his body be in later
years.
Children under the age of fourteen are
in a way still a part of their parents, because in the thymus gland is
stored an essence of the parental blood which the child uses in
manufacturing its own blood during the years of childhood. The thymus
gland of the infant is largest just before birth and diminishes as time
goes on. At about the fourteenth year the Ego is ready to assert itself
and is able to manufacture its own blood. It becomes an "I"
identity.
Etheric Vision
One of the saddest failings of some
modern mothers is their inability to tolerate, much less understand, their
children's "invisible playmates." It is common for children to have
etheric vision during their earliest years, and a child who tells of
seeing fairies or angels, or who insists that the unseen little boy who is
his constant companion wants to ride in the car too, is most likely
not "making up stories." "Invisible playmates" are very real
entities, as much a part of many children's lives as are their "flesh and
blood" playmates. The wise mother understands this and accords them what
would be proper respect in her child's eyes, even though she herself is
unaware a their presence.
Imagination, however, does have a
significant place in the child's life. From imagination stems creativity;
without imagination a creative life is not possible. The mother who
permits a child's imagination to be stultified by allowing him to spend
much of his time at indiscriminate television viewing instead of engaging
in creative play and "pretend," or who lavishes quantities of ready-made
toys upon him instead of giving him the opportunity to create his own
play-things, diminishes his ability to cope with future crises, as well
as, positively, to make useful contributions to society in his adult life.
The cry, "I'm bored," or "I've got nothing to do," does not issue from
children whose mothers are wise enough to encourage their imaginative
pursuits and their creative instincts.
Security of Love
In whatever she does, the mother's
primary concern should be to show her child the love, compassion, and
understanding which will reinforce for the good the impressions of his
formative years. It is not easy to be a child. Restrictions beset him at
every turn, and his very size is against him in a world of big people with
big furniture. There are more things in his life to be contended with,
learned, and mastered than there are to be enjoyed or to feel comfortable
and confident with. The sense that he is secure in his mother's love, and
that she will be patient and understanding, no matter what he does or does
not do, not only makes the immediate process of growing up much easier,
but also provides a foundation of self-confidence that will be invaluable
in his later years.
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