Originally the special reading room for the members of the House of Representatives and later the Council of Scholars Room, the Member's Room, Library of Congress in the Thomas Jefferson Building is used today by members of the United States Congress. The seven panels in the ceiling, decorated by Carl Gutherz, represent the Spectrum of Light. Each panel contains one of the spectrum's seven colors with a central figure representing human or divine achievement. There are two cherubs in each corner representing arts or sciences and eight escutcheons, one with the title of the decoration and the seals of states. These elements are combined into an elaborate scroll design. Orange Ceiling Panel Representing the Light of Excellence The orange panel, the second color of the spectrum, illustrates the Light of Excellence. Inspired by Longfellow's poem "Excelsior," Gutherz represented Excellence through a spirit standing midway on a pyramid of steps symbolizing Progress. She beckons to man to join her and holds in one hand the wreath which crowns Excellence's efforts. The cherubs represent Architecture and Sculpture, Transportation, the Phonograph and Telephone, and Invention and Design. [https://www.loc.gov/visit/tours/online-tours/thomas-jefferson-building/members-room/] Painted in 1907, or earlier. [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Light_of_Progress_by_Carl_Gutherz.jpg] Pictorial Spectrum of Light. Carl Gutherz has painted in ceiling panels idealization of the 7 primary colors. Indigo, the Light of Science. Blue, the Light of Truth. Green, the Light of Research. Yellow, the Light of Creation. Orange, the Light of Progress. Red, the Light of Poetry. Violet, the Light of State. [https://archive.org/stream/cu31924015058807/cu31924015058807_djvu.txt] Now used by all Members of Congress and their staffs, this richly decorated gallery was reserved for Members of the House of Representatives when the Jefferson Building opened in 1897. Along the center of the ceiling are panels by Carl Gutherz that represent civilization through the Spectrum of Light. Each of the seven panels, unfortunately rather pale (though the artist's copyright notices are still legible), features a central figure who symbolizes some phase of achievement, human or divine. The cherubs in the corners of each panel represent the arts or sciences, and the escutcheons in each panel present the title of the decoration, the seals of the various states of the nation, and the mottoes of those seals. (Several of the seals do not have mottoes and the seals of California, Minnesota, and South Dakota are omitted altogether.) The order of the subjects begins with the central panel (Yellow: "Let There Be Light") and moves north (Orange, Red, Violet) and then south (Green, Blue, Indigo) from the center. The several hues of the spectrum are separately diffused over each panel, decreasing in intensity as they recede from the central figures. [https://www.loc.gov/loc/walls/jeff1.html?loclr=bloglaw#congrr] Across from the US Capitol is the Thomas Jefferson Temple of Wisdom, Why is it the Temple of Wisdom? It contains more knowledge on paper than any other spot in the World. 118 million Books. 500 miles of shelf space. Thomas Jefferson dedicated his entire library to start the Library of Congress. This was Jefferson’s Apple Computer! Books on Astronomy, Physics, Law, History, and the Occult. The pattern on the floor is incredible. In a special reading room that is NOT accessible to the public, there are 7 painted panels on the ceiling, corresponding to the colors of the light spectrum: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet The panels on the ceiling are designed as mandalas, meditation tools for attuning the chakras in the human body to their proper frequencies. This room is below the Jefferson Library and in alignment with the axis of the winter solstice sun as it aligns with the US Capitol dome. This has got to be one of the greatest meditation rooms in Washington DC. This special meditation room in the Library of Congress is a pure delight. What a powerful testament to our forefather’s esoteric knowledge. The painter of the panels, Carl Gutherz, penned a letter to a friend and said, “Some day a real poet who can write will describe them.” [http://www.cosmicdoorways.net/CosmicDoorways/CD-LIBRARY_OF_CONGRESS.html]