With this paragraph we enter the 3rd Level of interpretation, that of Initiate Master Builder.
Conceptual identification of Sacred Science and Profane Art
I have always made a point of distinguishing the archaic and sacred classification of Science of the Form, Science of the Numbers, Science of the Sound,
from the profane one of Geometry, Art of the Numbers or Arithmetic, Music.
The latter terms can also be found in the Arts of the lesser Catechisms, which are aimed, though, at the less advanced part and therefore, by paradox, the semi-profane part of speculative Freemasonry. In other words, that part of not-yet-initiated-to-the-Mysteries-of-White-Freemasonry.
We don’t mean to initiate the Bro to that Freemasonry with this work; nevertheless we claim to be able to show its access Door.
Once made this distinction between the two classifications, the sacred and the profane ones, we need to investigate the element that separates them. The answer to this question will solve another problem of interpretation of the esoteric language. The difference is quickly found in the separateness present in all that belongs to the profane use.
This is a general Rule true for all the topics as well as for man himself. Therefore the Art of building “Bridges” that allow the flow of “Light” of knowledge and life of the 3rd Aspect of Intelligent Activity, consciously, through all the obscure levels of the “Mental Matter” is in actual fact the Science of Initiation seen as a (voluntary) process of acceleration of an evolutionary phenomenon which would otherwise correspond, in thousands of years, to cycles-cadences and rhythms, entrusted to the drive of Nature. The latter is autonomously present in the inner essence of every man.
Science of Form-Number-Sound is considered Sacred by the Initiates because it is inseparable in its three counterparts.
It is not possible to consider a counterpart without at the same time include the reflections of the other two. On the contrary, geometry, arithmetic and music are lower entities because they live on their own identity separated from the other two, and thus separated from the Archetype One. It is the Archetype One which we find contained in the synthesis of the three-fold essence of the Sacred Science, where the knowledge of the three Trinitarian aspects of the Great Architect lies.
Ancient peoples were used to pass on the meanings of Their Science through the language of ideograms.
Let’s try this transmission method ourselves, with the “rational” use of a sequence of images (on which to reflect) to express the concepts of Form-Number-Sound which from the Archetype One operate and act at the same time in the World of manifestation, whose study is carried out through what is called the Sacred Science of the Initiates or White Freemasonry.
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To start with, we propose the characteristic symbol of the emanation of the Archetype One and its three Aspects: Will-Motion-Form.
The “identification” with the lower levels of that three-fold manifestation creates in order: Monadic Body, Animic Body and the Body of Desire.
They attract and make the matters of the concrete Form of Man, whose perfection or imperfection is the consequence of the force and the ability to align with each other, of the different quality of energy manifested by those Entities. |
That said, we join back the Universal Initiatory Precept, which doesn’t belong to any Doctrine because they all originate from It. It states:
«...and the One manifests the Two and they both make the Three. The Three recognizing (in itself) the Two, joins it back, recognizing the One Their Creator. And the Three and the Two and the One become a unique thing.»
This is the Archetype of the Great Work in the Sign «U» of the “conscious” descent and reascent from the matter, “redeemed” from the spirit. This Archetype is allegorically represented with the “descent in the underworld”, “the descent in the basement of the Temple”, “with the access in the Masonic Reflection Chamber”. Even with dissimilar symbologies they all introduce us to the same thing: going back up, the access to Initiation and the exit from the world of Chaos.
This second image contains the Symbol of the Great Work, which is carried out by manifesting itself in the characteristics of the three Levels that we have just considered now. At the center we find the symbol of the sound that manifests those geometries (Forms) by irradiating them.
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Given that 6 6 6 is the characteristic of the Matter and of the Form which live a Life of their own (motion on the horizontal plane) but lacking (separate) the occult Sound that expresses the divine One (motion on the vertical planes), the 7, represented by the Dot, when it is visibly present in each hexagram, symbolizes for the Initiate the successful creation of the Bridge and through it the presence of that One in all the Levels of one’s own Natural Domain: the Cosmos, macro and micro and all that is above and below them. |
Science, and in particular the physics of sound, appreciates and confirms the presence of those three elements in the matter, despite not being able to use its simultaneousness and effects among the various levels of the matter for its present purposes yet. This happens only in rare cases of particularly advanced studies, such as the study on the “synchronicity of the motion of neurons and atomic particles”.
However, we must consider how close the evolution of this Science in the higher Bodies of man is. |
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The Number Ten, Harmony and the achievement of the complete state of “Being”.
Because of what we said in the previous paragraph, we not spend time on the arithmetical games of the art of Numbers and go straight to the discovery of the sacrality of this Number through a little gimmick.
By placing the number on the circumference we will have a synthetic vision of what is considered sacred in the Number 10 for the simultaneousness of the three divine expressions:
| Of the Science of Numbers |
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| Of the Science of Form |
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| And of the Science of Sound |
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But of course we can consider the metaphysical implications of this Number without going from the esoteric to the “concrete” interpretation.
This happens by analyzing the values of 9 + 1.
If the Bro was able to form a synthetic memory of what is shown in the Number 9, we would only have to introduce and add the meaning that the One takes in this case.
It is a Point of Synthesis, which introduces a new element in our re-construction of the initiatory process, viz. the Conscience of Man.
But, as usual, let’s proceed gradually and rationally, asking ourselves the first question we need to ask.
How many and where are these synthetic or conscience Points in the universe of man?
The Sacred Science gives man a suitable answer to this question: the Points are three.
But this is indeed an answer suitable to man, because it is quite approximate.
It is suitable to the understanding of a mind that is not able to grasp any concept unless it is lying still in front of it.
For a more advanced mind the suitable answer might appear confusing: the Points of conscience are as many as the points that can make a straight line, that is countless. Nevertheless who would be able to progress in his own analysis with such a “mobile” introduction? Thus for the convenience of the Brother less used to the motion in the world of Thought let’s go back to synchronicity, the quantity of three determined earlier.
Inside the Cube, which in the Masonic symbology represents the Form, there is a Point invisible to the Profane, which makes it impossible to be manifested. In the Cube, whose numeral value is 12 (3), that Point is the Fifth.
In the Hexagram, whose numeral value is 6 (Two 3s, Aspect II on the two III), symbol of each level in the Form of man, that invisible Point that allows its existence is the Seventh.
In the Number 9 it is the Tenth.
Translating those exact but symbolical concepts into Man as a living entity and not only pure abstraction, we will meet the three fundamental Points (remember what we said above on the subject), as the Initiatory Tradition shows in the evolutional journey
In the first evolutional segment connected to the concrete Form (effect of the Activity of the III Aspect) the Number 5 appears at the center of the Astral or Desire Body; it is expressed through the lower rational mind and it evolves through the “concrete study of science” (Energy of V Aspect).
In the second segment of the thought, the numeral value is 6 which corresponds to the Aspect of aspiration or desire and this represents, by the Mosaic Law “of the choice”, the devotion to the White as well as to the Black (passive correspondence to White or Black).
In this second instance the Point of “newly found” balance occurs in the expansion of the presence of the Number 7 (Energy of the VII Aspect), which represents, even though still on an individual level, the right “harmonic” sequence of Cycles-Cadences and Rhythms.
Those three aspects join the Man Universe to the Ritual of life of the Great Book of Nature of the Planet (the Liber Mundi of the Rose and Cross philosophy) and as a consequence they make us “harmonious” with respect to the Energy of the One (Three-fold), which holds and manifests the Solar System: the Universe of the microcosm.
The point of synthesis in the whole World of the Manifestation of God, expressed with a suitable symbology to the mind of man in the Number 9 (Three times 3 whose development is 9 9 9) is in the sacred meaning of the Ten. But it must always be seen in the joining of the three elements, Form-Motion-Sound.
What I am saying is that the completeness of Being of Man at the top of his evolutional journey in the 5 Kingdoms of Nature resides in the emanation through Him of the expression of the One, Will-Action-Creative Motion.
The Ten expresses the Power of the primordial Sound and Will Aspect of the One, I cosmic Aspect of the G.A.O.T.U, Will and Power.
It is the same expression path as the Ritual Masonic Institution, of which many Lesser Adepts are not fully aware yet.
That presence of Power occurs in man with the completion of the Bridge between Personality-Soul-Spirit, that is Form-Soul-Monad. It is natural and above any doctrine, creed or profane language.
At this point, for the benefit of the Brother who considers what we have said so far too complicated for his actual research needs, I will try and supply a simplified interpretation of the philosophy of this Number. It is understood, though, that he will have to work patiently to connect what has been said on the characteristics of the 7 Aspect Energies, in the previous chapter about Planets and in this chapter, in the presentation on the topic of the natural languages of the lesser Adept. Otherwise it will be difficult for him to penetrate the Starry Vault that overlooks the Temple when this topic will be proposed to him.
The average advanced man is considered seven-fold + a Point of Synthesis, because seven + one synthetic are the Systemic Principles (the Planetary Logoi) which act in him through the seven Aspect Energies that manifest them and their synthesis. From the lowest of the man’s planes, that of the Mother Earth (Four-fold) which makes its concrete Form, to the highest (in vibrations) that of Sun (Three-fold) which makes the Body of the Monad. The latter, synthetic and solar, must be considered as the true image of God in the microcosm.
As far as the seven levels of manifestation expressed by man, even the youngest of esotericists knows its meaning. Thus we can set aside this concept as peacefully agreed and explain the meaning of Point of synthesis.
This is the focal point where man’s intelligence recognizes itself to be.
This is the focal point of evolution, because as the Ancient Commentaries of Tradition state…Man is what he thinks.
But we might add that if at the top of the Path of evolution man becomes what he wants, in the initial stages, confused by a conscience permeated with astrality, he becomes only what he thinks he wants to be. This originates the error or illusion or, to use a Masonic term, the loss of the Plumb line. It is clear that we are talking about a point of conscience in the mind of man and since these points are continuously evolving, they are infinite.
With an artificial intervention we limit those boundary lines to only three, not keeping into consideration, at least theoretically, the multiple hues of mental coloration that follow one another and twist around in man, forming the “Bridge of conscience” from Personality to the Monad.
The conscience focused on the Astral Plane creates around itself, in the Chaos, “the World of Desire” often recognized as the Purgatory which man, judge and secular arm of himself, creates around him with his irrational drives and often wrong choices.
- The prodigal Son of the biblical parable as well as the man-Personality which we are talking about is also the Third Trinitarian Aspect, which temporarily loses part of himself and joins the unconsciousness of the man Form where it is immersed in order to work in the physical World.
The condition of those Brothers is described as prisoners of the planet (in the sense of the animal-vegetal-mineral Form).
The conscience focused on the Plane of the Mind tends to obscure more and more definitely the astral instinct and the Chaos that it causes inside man. It stretches in this growth on its dominions, from the rational to the logic up to the intellect, reaching pure intuition and the wisdom of the Ego. Thus it is the “conscience” the ring that conjugates personal-man to individual-man, the Personality separated from the Ego.
Man creates and emanates the World of Thought, whose highest sphere is the seat of the Soul.
Dante referred to his Soul in his search for Beatrice. In this search he needed the necessary guide of His first occult Master, allegorically represented by Virgilio (see the teachings of the Fedeli d'Amore). Likewise Ariadne was the Soul for Theseus and the Muses were Souls inspiring the hearts (intuition of the Cardiac Center) and enlightening the minds (umbrage of the seven Centers of the Head) of our Fathers in the past.
That higher sphere of perception, of Intellect and seat of the Soul, has been recognized by many as the Paradise that man achieves by purifying himself from Evil and Error (of the Beast’s instincts).
That conscience focused on the Plane of the Soul (the Son at the Father’s House in the biblical parable) manifests in the Regenerated Man a high degree of Initiation (a man whose separated Personality was initially the Prodigal Son) and leads him to the access in the Monadic Triad (the House where he waits for the Father, in order to sacrifice the Holy Spirit for the return of His Son, spiritual essence of the carnal man, the Lamb symbol of Cosmic Peace, of the Sphere of absolute Love that is the essence itself of the Father) above any material Form. This is the Unclothed symbolized in the Number 9.
By adding this last level of (cosmic) Initiation to one’s own Point of Synthesis, the “Conscience of Being” in the statement of the Word of Power of the Greater Initiate «I am this!», we will have the triumph of the Work in the Number 10.
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We have now reached the field of speculative interest of the Master Mason. I think we must now point out the presence of the Pythagorean tetraktys in this Number. Nevertheless I don’t need to remind you of its philosophy, confident that the master who worked thoroughly in the Ars Muratoria and who deservedly wears the jewel of his degree knows it well.
Pythagoras’ Pyramid, numeral value 10, demonstrates the unit of a Cycle plus its essential point represented by the unit.
To do this it uses an essential sequence of Numbers. The 4, the 3, the 2 and the 1, whose meanings we have already discussed in this chapter. |
Remaining in the mathematical way of thinking of the Pythagorean School, the Cycle of 9+1 could be developed infinitely if to the fixed “Pyramid” was added the idea of mobile spiral (which we mentioned when we talked about Sound). Here is its representation.
Another extremely interesting element for the study of the Number 10 can be gathered from the Masonic Symbology of the White Degrees, passed on to the Masters recognized as Quattuor Coronati by the Great Mother Lodge.
The occult meaning hidden in the formula of the Lesser Mysteries appears in all its clarity:
6 + 4 = 10 (= to One, Aspect of Will and Power),
Indeed we must appreciate at the center of the Square and the Hexagram the presence of that Radiating Point (the Unit) of which now we recognize the invisible existence.
The first meaning to give this little mystery is the presence, invisible, of a number that does not (apparently) exist in the System.
And this is the Number 11 (= to Two, Aspect of Love and Wisdom).
It does not exist to the eyes of the non-initiate simply because it is a metaphysical geometrical Point and a transformation boundary, the Sephir Da^ath; it is Knowledge which receives Light from Chokmah, Wisdom and with it, reflecting it, illuminates Tipheret, Beauty.
If we turned our eyes to the East, we might find out that these three centers are also equated to the three most advanced Chakras of the energetic Body of the Initiate.
The Head, the Throat and the Cardiac Center.
In the image: the Square and the two Triangles of the Hexagram.
The 10 Sephirs of the Tree of Life and the eleventh, present but invisible because metaphysical. |
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We will use another image to leave the Number 11 and cross the threshold that leads us to the next number, 12.
