Ride Among the Stars

As promised, another verse from the Clew of the Horse! This is the longest portion of our Scriptures, standing at 66 verses, and so deals with many things in turn, but is mostly concerned with gaining the inner peace that comes with regular devotion.

The horse in the title is actually your mind: "Gladly it would draw the rein from your hand and carry you where it will; gladly it would take the body for its mistress, like a bird that hops from twig to twig, turning first to one fruit, then to another, without control or constancy." (v59-60) This Clew reminds us not to waste our lives "chasing bright illusions", nor to spend it fleeing from all pain or discomfort, but to live uprightly with our Mother, through the good and the bad.

As I mentioned last time, I love the word-picture drawn of a horse running free on the high road, going here and there and everywhere. But "by long training is it brought to contemplation, it is bridled that it may tread the heavens." To ride among the stars! What a beautiful way to think of it.

(In the New Celestial Union version, the Clew of the Horse is the first of what are called Wisdom Texts, the third portion of the Scriptures. In the Eastminster Critical Edition the third portion of the Scriptures is instead termed The Book of Teachings and the Clew either the second or third in order.)

58. Hard to govern is the mind, like to a proud horse that drinks the wind, filled with its own desires. 59. Gladly it would draw the rein from your hand and carry you where it will; gladly it would take the body for its mistress, 60. like a bird that hops from twig to twig, turning first to one fruit, then to another, without control or constancy. 61. Yet calm the mind and bring it to the garden of your Lady; to the peaceful garden to rest by gentle streams. 62. By long training it is brought to contemplation; it is bridled that it may tread the heavens. 63. Let it be in harmony in all things. In the smallest actions, let its steps be measured. 64. Let the body obey her in her harmony, that all works show forth control, respect and courtesy. 65. As in a dance, the two shall act together, as in a dance where each knows her part. 66. If your horse runs loose on the highway, how shall you learn to ride among the stars?