The Mystery, Mystical Meaning and Relation of a Number to Astrology

The Mystery of a Number and Sufism

To the treatises of the Brotherhood of Ikhwan-i Safa; The one, because it is one, does not contain anything other than itself. Because it is one, it cannot be divided by any number other than itself, it cannot be divided, and they make an entry as if it is only self-constituted. When the One Infinite casts his reflection upon the realm of Manifestation, that reflection; Ray, light, light, the soul of the Most Gracious passes into the mud body of man[1].

The Mystery, Mystical Meaning and Relation of a Number to Astrology

When we analyze the subject in terms of the uniqueness in the multiplicity pointed out by the Brotherhood of the Brotherhood of Safa, first of all, we need to clarify what a number is. We can say with certainty that it exists by itself and that all other numbers are numbers that come together, consisting of one. When we look at its essence; We can say that it is not a number, but the ancestor, the reason for existence, the smallest part of all numbers. Similar to the number one in Pythagorean Philosophy, it is important that we can say that Ikhwan-i Safa Brotherhood got its point of view from Pythagorean Philosophy in terms of chronology. So much so that in Pythagorean Philosophy, a number is the climax of the multitude. One is different from monad. Because while monad is used to show the sum of parts considered as a unit, one is applied to each of these parts[1]. In fact, even in the monad, when there is a multiplicity, the number "One", which does not need other numbers, is a number in the verse "Say, Allah is One". This view is also supported by the fact that Ibn Arabi, while talking about the motto of the first price in the parable of prices, associates it with the verse "He has no likes" and that this situation, that is, being the first, is due to his own and that his dhikr is suitable for his own maqam[2].

If we analyze the subject in terms of Zen teaching, we see that the view that there are two infinite but one qualities in nature prevails. The first of the two infinities is active or masculine; the other is the passive or feminine quality. The first is the pure, subtle, ether or divine Spirit; the other is the feminine principle, completely immobile in itself until it merges with the active principle. The Divine Spirit, acting on matter; it produced fire, water, earth and air, and it is an effect in itself that moves all nature[3]. So "One"; It is absolutely different from other numbers in all teachings, whether it is the Ikhwan-i Safa, Ibn Arabi or Zen teachings, and it is the reason for the existence of other numbers.

Esoteric Philosophy; When examined from a general point of view, it will be concluded that a number is called mind, because the mind is fixed and dominant, and it is accepted as a hermaphrodite[4]. According to esotericists, the number "One" is both male and female. Odd is also even, because when added to odd it is even; When added to double, it becomes odd. Therefore, a number; It is attributed to the Divine Order and the owner of the Universe, who is the beginning and the end of all things, but he himself has neither beginning nor end. It is the substance of matter because it is the "One" itself that produces the two. Pythagoreans to a numeral; chaos, secrecy, abyss, Tartarus, Styx, Abyss[5], Lethe, Atlas, Axis, Morfo[6], Jupiter's throne or tower. Because it resides in the center of the universe and directs the circular motion of the planets around it[7]. Because of these views, we can say that the verse "The Most Merciful Allah has ascended to the Throne[8]" partially supports this imagination of the Pythagoreans. Because, in Pythagorean Philosophy, it is accepted that the One resides in the center of the universe and the One is God, and that everything exists from him.

So the one is not multiplied by its parts, it is multiplied by itself. That's why some call a number harmony, while others call it friendship. This friendship is so tight that it cannot be cut into pieces. But a loner is always sorry for himself, there is nothing beyond himself. It doesn't match at all, so it turns their personal heat on itself. The beginning and end of everything is one. There is nothing before the One, there is nothing after the One, there is nothing beyond it, and everything that exists wants this One. All people are from one person; It comes from Adam, all of them become mortal because of this one person[9].

When death is mentioned, in the belief of the Ishtar Myth, the allegory of the human soul's incarnation into the physical body[10] comes to mind, passing through the seven realms, that is, through the holy planetary realms, and finally stripped of all its spiritual ornaments. In this allegory, it is believed that after Sin's daughter, Ishtar, glided through the gates of death with her spread wings, the lofty crown on her head was removed at the first gate after death[12]. The Supreme Crown indicated here points to the Crown Chakra[13] in the Indian chakra System. The allegory that the soul, blown into the physical body from the One's breath, perceives this process as "death" is a subject that needs contemplation.

We see the allegory of the return from the physical body to the spiritual nature as a result of death, which is the reverse of the incarnation allegory of the soul in the Ishtar Myth, in the Hermes Myth. In Hermes' conversation with Poimandres; Poimandres informs that after the lower nature turned into the wild, the higher nature began to struggle to obtain its spiritual possession. After giving the information that the spiritual nature ascends to the Seven rings where the Seven Rulers sit, and that the lower forces are applied to each of them, the Moon in the "One" ring indicates that the planet is inhabited, giving back to the spiritual nature its ability to multiply and decrease[14]. Spirit and Matter (body), which matured at the end of this journey and became "Two" from "One", are in fact absolute life, which is neither spirit nor matter, but two states of the hidden One. Spirit is the first differentiation of Space, and in Matter it is the first differentiation of Spirit. It is a causeless cause that is neither Spirit nor Matter[15]. In Esoteric Philosophy, the "One" that is the cause without cause is accepted as the "Working Mind". The influences of all beings are understood through His knowledge, which is beyond thought and creation, and therefore He precedes even manifestation. The "One" is neither the first nor the last, but the All[16].

In Ibn Arabi's Seven Heavens, Seven Price and Seven Spirits, which is complementary to Hermes's Allegory of the Seven Rings, the first price is; It is mentioned that every scientific issue that occurs on Saturday is related to the spirituality of Halil İbrahim. Today, every sublime work that occurs in the element of fire and air consists of the movement of the planet Keyvan[17] in its own sphere, while every despicable work that occurs in the element of water and earth consists of the movement of this planet's sphere. Allah says the following about the mobile planets: “They all float in a calamity” and in another verse it says, “They find their way with the star”. In that case, Allah created the stars for guidance. The sciences that come from this price are the science of perseverance and stability, the science of continuity and permanence[18].

It would be useless to try to fully explain the secret of a number. Especially Materialists and Modern Scientists will never understand because someone who wants to get a full perception of it must first; universally diffused, omnipresent, eternal divine presence in Nature, and secondly; he must accept unconditionally that the secret of the electricity in its true essence is shadowed, and that he finally gives man the seventh symbol of the great unity, which is the symbol consisting of seven vowels, on the earthly plane, and that Nefes is shaped in words[19].

Therefore, without further ado, we can say that the keywords associated with the number "One" are as shown in the table below, considering all the issues explained.

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[1] Manly P. HALL, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Pg. 201

[2] Ibn Arabi, Futuhatı Mekkiyye, Translated by Ekrem Demirli, Istanbul: Litera Publishing, Volume 1, 10th Edition 2020, p: 442

[3] BLAVTSKY, Isis Without the Veil, Vol. 1, trans. Rüya S. Uğurlu (Istanbul: Mitra Publishing, 2020), p: 44

[4] Hermaphrodite as a word comes from the names of Hermes, the God of Communication in Greek mythology, and Aphrodite, the Goddess of Beauty. This naming is based on a myth about the union of both male and female individuals in the same body. There are various interpretations of this myth. According to one interpretation, Aphrodite and Hermes had a son. They call it Hermaphrodite. Hermaphrodite is so beautiful that a nymph caught Salmakis' attention. He constantly tries to get close to her, but meets Hermaphrodite's smirk. Unable to find a face, Salmakis suddenly confronts Hermaphrodite while swimming in the lake and hugs him tightly. He begs the gods not to separate them from one another. In the end, his wish is granted and they both come to life in the same body. Thus, a androgynous person emerges.

[5] Infinite Void

[6] Name of Venus

[7] Manly P. HALL, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Pg. 206

[8] The Holy Quran, Surah Taha, Verse 5

[9] Agrippa Von Nettesheim, Occult Philosophy or Philosophy of Magic, trans. Levent ÖZŞAR, (Bursa: Byblos Bookstore, 2008), P: 26

[10] The physical body was called Hades by the ancients. Hades is the God who rules the nether world in Greek Mythology, but similarly, the nether world is also called hades. As it can be clearly understood from here, the Spirit's reaching the physical body by being purified of all its ornaments on his journey to the physical body is considered the death of the Spirit.

[11] Worshiped as the moon god in Babylon and Assyria, Sin is the counterpart of Nanna in Sumerian Mythology. Nanna, also called the god of fate, is the son of Enlil and Ninlil. Nanna means "light" or "illuminating" in Sumerian. Its holy city is Ur. In Babylon and Assyria, this god was called Sin, and he was worshiped by the Semitic race in Syria and Harran. Riding a winged bull, Sin had a mustache from Lapiz Lazuli.

[12] Manly P. HALL, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, p. 87

[13] The crown chakra is located at the top of our head. Problems such as depression, learning difficulties, and sensitivity to light are signs that the crown chakra is closed. Inflexible ways of thinking about matters such as religion and spirituality can cause the crown chakra to close. When the crown chakra is open, we begin to live in the moment, gaining confidence in our own guidance.

[14] Manly P. HALL, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, p. 103

[15] H.P. BLAVTSKY, The Secret Doctrine - Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy Vol. 1, Trans. Rüya S. Uğurlu (Istanbul: Mitra Publishing, 2020), Pg: 281

[16] H.P. BLAVTSKY, The Secret Doctrine - Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy Vol. 1, Trans. Rüya S. Uğurlu (Istanbul: Mitra Publishing, 2020), p: 498

[17] Planet Saturn

[18] Ibn Arabi, Fütuhatı Mekkiyye, Translated by Ekrem Demirli, Istanbul: Litera Publishing, Volume 1, 10th Edition 2020, pp: 441 – 442

[19] H.P. BLAVTSKY, The Secret Doctrine - Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy Vol. 1, Trans. Rüya S. Uğurlu (Istanbul: Mitra Publishing, 2020), p: 99

[1] H.P. BLAVTSKY, The Secret Doctrine - Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy Vol. 1, Trans. Rüya S. Uğurlu (Istanbul: Mitra Publishing, 2020), p: 252