Pythagorean Number Symbolism: The Sacred Meaning of Numbers 1-7

will all be one unit", it is this conciliating action between the parts that characterizes the golden proportion. THE SYMBOLISM OF THE FIRST 10 NUMBERS To conclude this introduction, I thought of giving you an overview of what are the main geometric symbols related to the first ten numbers and what their traditional symbolism is according to the other fundamental Pythagorean book I mentioned, namely Iamblichus' Arithmetical Theology. This serves only to give you a general idea. Iamblichus speaks of numerical symbolism, but remember that at that time there was no clear distinction between number and geometric figure: the geometric figure was the natural representation of the number. When Euclid demonstrates his arithmetic calculations, if he takes a number he means a line as large as the number taken. We will see subsequently that every geometric figure naturally refers to one or more numbers and the symbolism depends directly on these numbers. $1$: The number $1$ is not deducible from anything. The number $1$ is the number of God. This is the main characteristic; indeed, the Pythagoreans called it "simplicity" (simplicity clearly in the idea of indivisibility), that is, what cannot be divided. On another level, the Pythagoreans called it "Intelligence" because it reunites all things in itself, "being", "cause of truth", "model", or also "ship" or "chariot" because it is "the one who hosts everything", they called it "friend", "life" and "happiness", but also "darkness", "mixture" and "shadow" because in the one all numbers are present but are not yet explicated, not yet specified, they remain in a still undifferentiated state. This is a theologically important discourse: all numbers come from the number $1$, in it all numbers are contained and no other number will ever deny the Unity of all numbers represented by $1$. This is an important point that kept the Pythagoreans in check for years: how does $1$ become $2$? How can there be another $1$ that is not the $1$, where is it? "Someone might object that $1$ by addition of another $1$ is no longer $1$, but becomes $2$, without suffering anything: he is wrong, because $1$ does not become $2$, neither the one to which it is added, nor the one added itself, but both remain $1$ as before; $2$ is predicated of their ensemble." Plotinus Enneads V, 6, 13-14. What does this mean? The $1$ expresses the internal unity of numbers and no number can ever deny it because all numbers always come from $1$ and therefore are united among themselves by this relationship. The one polarizing itself internally becomes two, thus giving rise to tension and movement. $2$: was called "Mother of Zeus" as well as "movement", "generation", "change", "impulse", "nature". This tension and movement caused by dualism is reconciled thanks to three, the synthesis that reunites thesis and antithesis. $3$: "friendship", "peace", "concordia", "harmony", but also the "indomitable" because it can never be divided into two equal parts. In Christian context it is associated with the Divine Trinity. So if we have $1$ which is the symbol of God expressing the Essential Unity of Divinity, we have $3$ which instead represents the triple divine aspect. The number three appears as a fundamental category of psychic life and thought, for example the human psyche can be distinguished into Will, Intellect and Feeling. $4$: It is the "Guardian of the Keys of Nature" because without $4$ there would be no ordering of the universe. It corresponds to an Idea of Universality. Under its influence nature is arranged and indeed we have that every natural manifestation is divided into $4$ aspects: indeed everything related to the universe follows the law of $4$: the $4$ seasons, the $4$ aspects of the sun, the $4$ cardinal points, the $4$ elements. Whoever accesses the number $4$ accesses the very keys of Nature. These first $4$ numbers, considered together, were called by the Pythagoreans Tetraktys, source that contains the roots of "Inexhaustible nature". $5$: It is the number of "marriages", of the terrestrial principle with the celestial one. "alteration", "light", "absence of strife", "ether", "quintessence", "marriage" as union of the first even number and the first odd number, and also "androgyny" and "demigod" furthermore also "cardiac" because it resembles the heart which in beings is placed at the center. It is the symbol of individual man in relation to Universal Man. And it is the symbol of all World Esotericism, from China, to India, to Egypt, to Greece up to Christianity of the modern Era. Therefore world esotericism is under the protection and moves according to the influence of the number $5$, number that corresponds to the light of intellect and also to perfect man. To give you an example of how one can proceed in the meditation of a number, the number $5$ can be conceived as $1+4$, that is the number $1$, the will of man that dominates the $4$, the $4$ elements and arranges them by illuminating them. Vice versa instead meditating on $5$ as $4+1$ means meditating on the elements, matter that dominates over the one, the will and therefore leads to the slavery of the individual over matter. For this the number $5$ was also called "twin" as well as "nemesis" because it distributes gifts both celestial and natural according to its orientation. Therefore when speaking of symbolic operations, operations do not commute: writing $1+4$ is not like writing $4+1$ because in the first case it is the $1$ that dominates over the $4$ and in the second it is the $4$ that dominates over the $1$ (clearly here we are not making a discourse of writing but of intention of the meditator). $6$: being composed of three plus three, was called "loving union", "peace", as well as "cosmos". Symbol of the entire universe. It was also called "health" or also "panacea", as well as "harmony of the soul". Six is also the number of creation according to Judeo-Christian symbolism, being $6$ the days of creation. It is the advanced man. Saint Augustine specifies that God creates in $6$ days because the number $6$ is perfect. $7$: Hippocrates "the number $7$ through its hidden virtues maintains all things in being, dispenses life and movement, $7$ influences even celestial beings". It was called "the one who brings to completion".