Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

QUARTERS OF THE COMPASS

A symbol of the four lower planes of being, i.e. the quaternary below atma, or the lower quaternary.

“Jesus said to his disciples,-' Come unto Me.' He turned to the four angels of the world." - Books of the Saviour.

Here the Christ is said to turn to the disciplined qualities when they aspire, and for this purpose is represented as turning to the four quarters, i.e. to the quaternary symbolised by Earth, Water, Air and Fire,-the physical, astral, mental, and buddhic planes. The meaning is that the Divine influence extends to all the planes of the soul's being in response to the aspirations of the qualities.

Let him cut the tree for the Sacrificial stake so as to fall towards the east, for the east is the quarter of the gods; or towards the north, for the north is the quarter of men, or towards the west (the western quarter belongs to the serpents). But let him take care to keep it from falling towards the southern quarter, for that is the quarter of the fathers (pitris)." - Sata Bráh., III. 6. 4, 12.

From the “tree” of the Divine Life there is, as it were, a part separated off for the growth of each soul through aspiration (stake) upwards. The statement about the tree of life being allowed to fall towards every quarter but the south means that aspiration may be directed towards the plane of atma (east), the plane of buddhi (west), the plane of higher manas (north), but not towards the plane of kama (south), because that is the plane of the desires wherein the Life-force proceeds in the contrary direction to aspiration, that is, outwardly and not inwardly.

In this Indian scripture the four higher planes are denoted by the quarters, while the physical plane is left to be understood by the downward direction to earth. The direction of the sun-rise made the astern quarter an appropriate symbol for the atmic plane, the abode of the manifesting Self (sun). The northern position of the great mountains (aspiration) made the northern quarter a suitable symbol for the mental plane (men). The abode of the "serpents” of wisdom and emotion rendered the western quarter a symbol of the buddhic plane. And the position of the great sea made the southern quarter a symbol suited to the astral plane (sea). The lunar pitris (fathers) represent the development of the animal or desire nature.

In Egypt, Palestine, and Europe, geographical considerations have given to the cardinal points somewhat different meanings to those found in Indian sacred writings. In the three countries named, the north signifies the astral plane, the south, the atmic, the west the buddhic, and the east the mental. But when the four quarters are mentioned without being specified further, the quaternary of four planes below atma may be taken as referred to in all countries.

See Also

ASHADHA
CHILDREN Of Horus
CHIP
CHURCH (quarters)
COUNTRIES
EAST
FOUR
FOUR BEINGS
HEBEN
LION-GAIT
NORTH
QUATERNARY
QUETZALCOATL
SHINATSU
SOUTH
SQUARE
STAKE
SWASTIKA
TLALOC
WEST
WINDS (four)