Paralogical
Logic has us thinking “it must be one or the other” – either/or. Paralogic has us thinking “it can be both this and that” – both/and.
Tim Freke (author of the Mystery experience) describes paralogical thinking as “understanding reality from opposite points of view that complement each other”. He also states that “reality is fundamentally paradoxical” and explains that “we need to use logical thinking when we’re dealing with surface things and paralogical thinking when we’re dealing with the depths of Life”.
Numerology embraces the idea of paralogical. There are moments when everything is a particle – seemingly separate and vibrating – and then there are times when everything is in flow – a continuous wave pattern – the rhythm of life. Each one of these streams may be articulated by numbers. When we look at the finer detail of our selves – the particles - we use the digits 0 to 9. When we look at our lives and the path that we are on we use the same digits as they are manipulated into the form of the paths of life – 0 to 21.
These two systems are demonstrated in the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah. The particles – the states of being that vibrate – are called the Sephiroth and there are 10 of them. They represent the 10 numbers of our decimal system – 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
When using these primary 10 numbers for counting and mathematics it is useful to note that when we progress beyond the 9 to the next series (10 to 19), the pattern repeats. This means that the 10 is the first replication of 0 at one level higher. Similarly, 20 is the 0 at two levels higher. This undermines the thinking of the Theosophists who reduce the 10 to 1 by using Theosophic Reduction (1+0 = 1). The 10 is not a 1, it is a new 0.
When comparing the particles of human physical reality, each one of them vibrates and that vibration is measured using one of the numbers 0 to 9. Anything that vibrates to the same number is in harmony. Things that vibrate to a different number are in a state of lesser harmony or conflict.
On the other hand, the wave pattern formed by these particles is identified through the lines that connect the particles together. On the Tree of Life these connecting lines are called paths and there are 22 of them.
As the particles exist in separate harmonic instances, they are also connected by constellating lines that draw them into oneness. The pattern of the paths is such that there are two dual opposite sets of paths – 11 down or outward and 11 up or inward. They run and return from the source back to the source – their end as their beginning and they are like a whirlwind spiralling out and spiralling back.
The source from which they emanate is considered to be “nothingness” – this is the essence of spirit. The Kabbalah calls it the “Ain Soph Aur” – the “Absolute Limitless Light”. There are no boundaries – it is everywhere. At the same time the notion of being everywhere makes the “nothingness” the “everythingness”. This is the world or the Universe. What we have described is the 0 and 1 of Binary mathematics and computer coding. Everything can be described using a series of 0s and 1s.
Everything is a fuzzy, pulsating, fluctuating mass which at any one time can be anything that you subjectively want it to be. The subject of your thoughts is made the “everything” – the world as we know it for that time.
At the same time, we know that the one thing – the world – consists of all the particle bits that make it what it is. This is why I draw the Tree of Life within an elliptical wreath (like on the World card in the Tarot) and outside of that wreath I place the name of the so-called 22nd Path – “The World No 21 (XXI) – Everythingness”.
So, there are 22 paths, whichever way you look at it. The World is essentially not a path – it is a constellated thing that shimmers before your eyes. The Wheel of Life represents the whirl of the planet which is the place of life of the incarnated being.
The first path from the source to the first Sephira (singular of Sephiroth) Kether is the path of emanation of the incarnating soul which lodges in Kether, which quite fittingly means “The Crown”. This aligns with the Crown Chakra which represents the essence and potential of pure being. The first path is identified with the Tarot card of the Fool which bears the number 0.
The returning path, from Kether to the source, facilitates the return of the soul at the end of a cycle. This path is identified with the Tarot card known as Judgment which has the number 20 (XX).
So far, four of the 22 paths have been identified – 0, 10, 20 and 21. 18 paths remain to be discussed – 9 down and 9 up – the logical and the paralogical are lining up!
The Paths easily identify with the cards of the Tarot Major Arcana providing a rhythmic sequence – a wave pattern – of progressive development.
The Tarot consists of 78 cards which are formed into two sets – the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. As already mentioned, the Major Arcana has 22 cards, the Minor Arcana has 56 cards. The 56 Minor Arcana cards exist as 4 sets of 14 cards known as the suits Wands, Swords, Cups and Pentacles. Each suit has 10 numbered cards (Ace to 10) and 4 Court cards (Page, Knight, Queen and King). The suits and the Court cards provide the four faces of humanity and the 10 numbered cards describe the attributes of these four faces according to the four human functions of intuition, thinking, physical action and feeling.
All of the aspects of the Tree of Life exist as the pattern of the spiritual life of the Soul and at the same time as the life of the human entity on earth. This is the Universal Principle of Correspondences – “as above so below, So below as above”.
There are 7 Universal Principles:
- Principle of Mentalism (All is mind – the universe is mental – all is one and one is all).
- Principle of Correspondence (As above so below, so below as above).
- Principle of Vibration (Nothing rests – everything moves – everything vibrates).
- Principle of Polarity (Everything is dual).
- Principle of Rhythm (Everything flows out and in).
- Principle of Causality (Everything has its effect. Everything has its cause).
- Principle of Gender (Everything has its masculine and feminine aspects).