Hi Kircher Tree,
Thanks. There's really only about an hours worth in there
(if you're familiar with Pythagorean number philosophy).
The basic idea is the same in both models:
The Monad (1) is Unity, the Divine. From the Monad (the Divine) matter descends (2, 3, 4) its purest expression being the Tetrad (4). I equate 1 - 4 with THE BODY, or
Alchemical Salt. (The square diagram shows Salt as the process from 1 to 4, the triangle diagram shows it concentrated at its peak, 4.)
The Monad is the
prima materia, an undifferentiated unity, the seed of everything. It evolves through stages - the Dyad (2) being separation, differentiation, the principle of change, the Triad (3) being the principle that joins the duality of the Monad and Dyad, a mediation, a synthesis of opposites, the Tetrad (4) is the consolidation of the synthesis which brings completeness and stability, and ultimately petrification and stagnation.
From the Heptad to the Decad (7 - 10) matter ascends to the divine and in the Decad (10) we have circled back to the unity of the monad (1 + 0 = 1). The Pythagoreans called the Heptad (7) the second monad, and the Decad (10) is a second tetrad (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10), so 7 through 10, is basically 1 through 4 on a higher level - Impulse, Separation, Completion, Consolidation. This ascension (7 - 10) I equate with THE SOUL, or
Alchemical Sulphur. (Again, the square diagram shows Sulphur as the process from 7 back to 1, the triangle diagram shows it concentrated at its peak, the 1.)
At the bottom of the square (or triangle) is 4, 5, 6, 7. The two
marriage numbers, 5 and 6 are centered here. Not only are the 'marriage numbers' the result of the union of the first female number (2) and the first male number (3), but they are
a means between the descending phase and ascending phase of the cycle. I equate these with THE SPIRIT, or
Alchemical Mercury. (The square diagram shows Mercury as the process from 4 to 7, the triangle diagram shows it concentrated at its peak, the 7.)
On the square diagram critical points and challenges sit on the corners. 1 and 10 occupy the top line, being
undifferentiated unity. 5 and 6 represent the
'marriage' of the differentiated. 3 and 8 are
means. The first 'challenging' point is the 2, as it is the separation, and polarization of the Monad. The next critical point is the 4. Here the danger is in stagnation. 1 to 4 is in itself a natural cycle, and the stability and comfort of the material solidity of the 4 can be an obstacle to moving to the next level. The next 'corner' to turn is the 7. The Heptad is the critical moment to breakthrough to the upward ascent. It is an opportunity easily missed. The last 'challenging' number is 9. As it falls just short of the perfection of the Decad, it was called by the Pythagoreans, 'Failure', the 'Near Perfect', and 'Shortcoming'.
On the two different diagrams (triangle and square) I give different examples of elemental correspondences to the numbers. In traditional texts, one will find both examples. The difference being in the switching of Air and Water.
- 1 = Fire
- 2 = Air or Water
- 3 = Water or Air
- 4 = Earth
Both ways illustrate essential points, and I've found both of them are useful for getting a full understanding of how it all works.
On the square diagram, the 1 is Fire, as the Monad is like a burning urge, an impulse. Fire is formed from the Powers of Dryness and Heat.
Aristotle tells us in
On Generation and Corruption, that Heat is what causes things to separate. The 2 is Air, formed by Heat and Moisture. The common Power of Heat between the 1 and the 2 can be seen as the cause of the 2 arising from out of, and separating from the 1. As the Heat cools, Air is transformed into Water (Moist and Cool). Traditionally Fire and Air are ascending energies (as shown by their symbols, upward facing triangles), and Water and Earth are descending energies (as shown by their symbols, downward facing triangles). The 3, being Water, descends. During this descent, the Cool moisture of the Water is dissipated, resulting in the Cool Dryness of Earth, the 4.
The first rotation through the four elements has not yet built up the momentum (to generate Heat) for Earth (Dry, Cool) to break across the divide and become Dry, Hot Fire, so the pendulum swings back, and Earth slips back into Water (5). The 7, like the seven planets it represents, is seen as a unified 'cluster' of energy. Called 'fortress' by the Pythagoreans, it is a powerful energy that slowly pulls like gravity, eventually reigniting the heavy, stable Earthy energy of the 4, first warming Earth into Water, then heating it into Air, then becoming Fire. This powerful upward moving energy of the 7 makes the ascent back to unity possible. This upward energy, when becoming the 8, gains moisture. Air is also an ascending element, but the moisture smoothes out the explosive power of the 7. The moisture of the 8 eventually cools the heat as it becomes the Watery 9. The 9 is one of the four 'trouble' spots, and there is a real danger of everything just falling back down, so the flexible Moist energy of the 9 must quickly solidify into the form holding Dryness of the 10. The Earthy 10 (Cool and Dry), by its mathematical relation to the 1 ( 1 + 0 = 1) shows its inclination to move from the Cool-Dry state back to the primal Hot-Dry state of the 1. The cycle is complete.
M
M
shiny!! 
