Sacred Symbolism and Divine Numbers

The hand of which becomes flaming sword of life and death, the first for the perfectible and the perfect, but the second for those hostile to perfectibility. To meditate before, during and after Initiation on this symbol and succeed, practicing at the same time social and personal life in conformity, is to conquer perfection and knowledge, freeing oneself and others to fight together for the defense of Faith in the Religion taught by Saint John, exalted in service of Justice and Charity, which presupposes breaking every barrier of dogmatic tendency and in the complete realization of Freedom, Brotherhood and constructive Cooperation with God. The non-flaming sword expresses the adamantine and vigilant will of the Brothers who watch to defend or punish the Recipient, but when it is flaming it represents the Verb, that is, active thought, symbol of insubordination to vice and crime, which must be attacked and repelled in our Temples. It is a marvelous symbol that vigorously expresses the Verb-Light-Sound in perfect unity of action in purification and expiation under the hammer of destiny. This is a model of preliminary work on a symbol: rational study serves only to synthesize those fundamental concepts that can give guidance in the state of meditation and help establish and better direct intention.

NUMBERS QUANTITY AND QUALITY

Numerical symbolism and geometric symbolism are one and the same because geometry and geometric figures are like the forms of number, as if they were the body in some way or better a dress that allows us to see numbers which are instead still superior and transcendent realities. To understand geometric symbolism one must first of all say something about numerical symbolism because geometric figures are simply figurative representations of numbers. Now in ordinary life we are accustomed to conceive numbers as instruments that help us identify quantities. If for example I ask how old you are and you answer with a number I associate this number with a specific quantity. In the case of Sacred Science, conversely, the number has not only a meaning of quantity but also and primarily of quality.

"Thus it is for the number: it immediately expresses quantity, and in its deep meaning quality." - Evagrius Ponticus

If I say for example a number like the number 5, in sacred science I am not only identifying a specific quantity but also an entity like Man awakened to spirit, Light (of consciousness), Idea, the Verb, Truth; in the case of 6 for example Divine Royalty, Beauty; 1, the supreme Good. As you see, numbers in sacred science are associated with absolute and spiritual concepts that then manifest on various planes and whose graphic symbols are geometric symbols. This is important - this way of treating numbers provides us with a mathematical and geometric key to relate with these spiritual forces.

WHAT ARE NUMBERS AND DIVINE QUALITIES

First of all let us try to understand what numbers are, at least summarily. Number exists from the Origin of the Universe. The Universe itself presupposes the concept of Unity which therefore must already be present. In traditional cosmogonies as we will see, the Universe is spoken of as a whole ONE, that is as a UNITY, in traditional doctrines one does not refer to the Universe as infinite and without number, but as a unity, a cosmic Egg in which everything still lived unexpressed. So when we refer to Number we refer to something that even refers to a stage prior to creation. Now having said this, however, this number that seems so distant to us is at the base of all our consciousness. To understand it we must refer to Luria's creation:

"When pure will conceived to create worlds and produce emanations [...] then the En Sof (infinite God without number) concentrated in the middle point, placed at the exact center of his light. The light concentrated and withdrew all around that central point; right from the middle point there remained then a free space, empty, vacuous and hollow in this way: After this concentration there was a space where emanations, creatures, forms and realizations could exist; from the light of En Sof then derived a straight line, which descended from the light of his circle and descended from above to below"

God is pure Creative Power without form or Name, wrapped and hidden in mystery, beyond says the Zohar the 3 veils of unconditioned existence voluntarily exits from this state of occultation and manifests by creating an image with which he projects himself and gives origin to the cosmos. This image is the image of God that becomes that of Cosmic Man with all his powers and characteristics: Power, Wisdom, Intelligence or Love, Mercy and Priestly Authority, Strength and Warrior virtue, Royalty and Beauty, Victory, Glory, Foundation, Kingdom. Numbers are connected to the possibility of distinction of this unique Light into many distinct colorations or spiritual characteristics and influences. Numbers therefore are not the emanations or sefirot, but they are connected with the possibility of distinguishing divine lights.

WHAT IS GEOMETRY FOR

We have said therefore that these numbers are in relation with forces present within us and that can be awakened. Which are they?

1. Will and Power
2. Intellect and Wisdom
3. Intelligence or Love, Wisdom, Science of the Holy Trinity, Fire, Light
4. Guardian of the keys of Nature, Mercy and Priestly Authority, understanding of the laws that govern the Kingdom of God
5. Microcosm, human Verb, human Intelligence, Spirit, Strength and Warrior virtue
6. Macrocosm, Royalty and Beauty
7. Perfection, divine Presence, Wisdom, the Angel, Victory
8. Announcement of the future eternal era, Mystery of the Eighth day, Glory
9. Complete accomplishment of Initiation, Mystery of the ninth Day
10. Kingdom, Messiah, Unitotality in Christ

From these 10 derive all others often by MULTIPLES: e.g.: $4 \times 3 = 12$, e.g. $7 \times 7 = 49$, $50 = 49 + 1$