Pythagoras the Mathemagician

by Karim El Koussa

  The new Disciples, numbered in ten, finally entered the crypt with utmost reverence. Although hoods covered their heads, their faces seemed to radiate with expectation, for they were about to penetrate, at last, the secret domain of the Master. Their eyes reflected their awe and wonder at the scene in front of them.

  In turn, Pythagoras received them with the respect and honor they had earned from him. He gazed for a moment at Aristaeus of Crotona then his heart warmed when he met Theano’s eyes.

  With a serene smile, he shared their joy, for he would soon reveal to them the Great Mysteries of Life. They had come, in fact, to undergo a higher level of the Pythagorean system; Purification, known also as the second degree. From there onward, they would receive the esoteric knowledge from mouth to ear, so to speak, for the simple reason that the essence of the Occult Doctrine resided purely in the enigmatic science of numbers. It is followed by the concept of the universal evolution of the manifested realities that would undoubtedly lead them to the understanding of the final abode; there where the human psyches reside. Hence, they would certainly become like gods since they would achieve a sublime unification with the Universal Mind. De facto, the process embodied pure Occultism – the real magic.

  In principle, all former Initiates of the Ancient World had come to know the basic forms of the science of numbers, the esoteric sacred meanings of the twenty-two alphabetical letters, and the hidden essence of geometrical figures. Secretly implemented by the High Priests, this secret science existed in the Phoenician sacred tradition and in the Egyptian system. It also transpired in the Babylonian method, the Zoroastrian mode, and the Hindu Initiation. These secrets had remained hidden from the vulgar, the common populace, for it contained the keys to the occult world. They would only emerge during their ceremonies of Initiation.

  Pythagoras had adopted their structures and developed them into an effective and more profound system. In short, he had created a new way known as the Pythagorean method inculcated to his disciples at that second degree. At any rate, the principles of foundation behind the Theology of Pythagoras were deep-rooted in the science of sacred mathematics, the world of numbers. Eruditely formulated, and meticulously purified, his theology became equal to the sacred verb of the Phoenician-Egyptian tradition of the Great White Fraternity.

  At that very moment, inside the crypt, the nine goddesses moved to surround the majestic statue of Hestia-Isis; the perfect goddess veiled with mystery. Her left hand held a torch that emitted a translucent light. Her right one was pointed towards the Heavens. Isis represented the guardian of the divine essence, which existed everywhere. She symbolized Sophia: the Divine Hokmah.

  Pythagoras stood steadfast at her feet, as if he was her son Horus. The long purple robe, which he wore over his white tunic and purple belt, reflected his divine image. The religious functionaries of the Order, the Sebastikoi, flanked him from the right and his few mathematikoi from the left. In front of him, the soon-to-be mathematikoi waited in reverence.

  He gazed at each one, in turn, to examine their souls then issued with authority, “Fellow young brothers and sisters, I command you to honor the coming words with a tranquil soul. By adhering to the Inner Circle, you will undertake a purification of your body. Only then will you be able to control the tricky and exigent desires of the physical world. To be more precise, I imply the strong sexual energy that you must completely eliminate from your life, for the time being.”

  The disciples did not seem to have any problem with that. No reaction emanated from them whatsoever. Relieved, Pythagoras moved on to the revelations he intended to impart as a start.

  “Today, you will learn the four important rules concerning the knowledge of the occult sciences. Listen and listen well to the Truth of the primary elements of Sophia that I am about to reveal to you!”

  “First, know that Mathematics reside at the deepest level of reality. That is why I have named you mathematikoi,” he added with a smile. “Mathematics is a theoretical science that helps you seek the mysterious world of numbers in order to meditate upon the Divine Truth. Mathematics shall guide your thinking process, and make your analysis sequentially clear. It is, indeed, the second best form of mind purification, certainly after Philosophy. It will elevate you towards the realm of reality, where you should reside in order to build the world.”

  The disciples shared murmurs of excitement and grinned with enthusiasm. The idea of mastering reality and building a new world infused them with a new energy patent in the sparkles of their eyes.

  “The second principle, my friends, concerns the benefit of Philosophy to the psyche. In truth, it is the highest form of purification. Brothers and sisters, you are the future Philosophers. Know thyselves!”

  The new mathematikoi gasped in elation and a few fervent whispers ensued. With a hand gesture, the Master claimed stillness in order to carry on.

  “The third principle reveals to you certain symbols that shall engage you directly through your journey into the Inner Circle. These symbols carry mystical meanings that shall arouse the unconscious in you, and make it conscious of itself; and that, in order to awaken the state of your intuitive knowledge.”

  “The fourth principle, my friends, implies the Divine Powers that were implemented, de facto, within your individual psyche at the beginning of your life. Not only from the moment you were born, but from the very instant of your conception! The Truth I tell you! These powers shall levitate you through Initiation to unite you with the Central Fire of the Universe; the Divine Spirit that is the Great Monad.”

  Their most serious spiritual expedition into reality’s realm had just started. They would come to float beyond time and space to penetrate, then merge, with the hieros logos of the Master; that sacred discourse that would expose to them the Ultimate Truth of Numbers.

  “The Number is not an abstract quantity. It is indeed a real and active virtue of the Supreme One; He who is the Source of Universal Harmony!” The Mathematician asserted in their direction. “The Number is also a factual and dynamic asset of the harmonious structure of the Psyche. It is the wisest! Numbers are the Divine Powers that are in action within the Macrocosm and the Microcosm. They are the movers of the Kosmos and the rulers of all forms and ideas. They are gods!”

  “I tell you, now and always, do not speak of God without putting some light on, for God is the True Light. Accept Him with a free spirit!”

  He paused for the ritual of Light that would allow them to reflect on the important concept of light and God. Hence, the Sebastikoi handed over a torch to every new mathematikoi. In turn, the disciples proceeded to the purified fire smoldering in the center. They enkindled their torches and walked back to their places. There, they placed them into receptacles, built for that purpose, in the ground right in front of them and uncovered their heads. Their faces shone with a new light.

  “Now listen all!” Pythagoras drew their attention back to him. “The One (1) is not just a number but the creator of all numbers. It is the primordial harmony, the unbecoming, the unborn, the unmade, and the unformed. It is the Central Fire that diffuses in everything, and circulates through the circumference of existence.”

  “By its High spiritual nature, it is not at all Hermaphrodite – male and female – as some have assumed! It is in fact the Monad, or the monas. It is the Intelligent Spirit that moves by itself; without being divided or manifested, being unique, eternal, and unchangeable. The One is the Universal Mind, or nous, which initially pervaded the Kosmos and summoned it out of chaos, by sounds and harmony, before guiding it into an order of Divine Origin.”

  “The One epitomizes God, or Good, the Source of life, and the hidden Essence of everything that moves and changes through a harmonious measure of Intelligence. The One profiles the Unity Point that contains Infinity. It is the Absolute Creator whom I have called Father. His sign is Light and Fire; the Life Force and essence of the whole. I have dedicated the One to the Sun, to El-Apollo!”

  “The Truth I tell you
! The ultimate goal of Initiation, brothers and sisters, is to come closer to Him… to the Father,” the Philosopher, thus ended his explanation on the nature of the first principle. He glanced at them sitting wordless in awe in front of him.

  Parmiseus of Metapontium uttered in a husky voice, “You have generously invited us to become like you, Master….” He hesitated for a second that reflected his need to clarify a matter.

  With a gentle nod, Pythagoras encouraged him to proceed.

  “With all respect, Master, I concede to the veracity of such a feat, since it is you who states it. I do not argue that,” Parmiseus advanced, with a frown of puzzlement, his tone deferential. “However, I wonder: how can we possibly come nearer to the One, to the Father?”

  Pythagoras questioned in reply, “Has anyone seen the Master of Time and Space?”

  A moment of silence echoed inside the crypt.

  “No… and a thousand times no, of course! It is only by merging with Him that you could feel His essence. He is the Invisible Spirit; the Source of Intelligence that exists in the heart of the Macrocosm, and of the Microcosm that you are. Know that the personal spirit incarnated in each one of you, is like water, agitated by the deeds of the mundane world. You are required to sooth it down through the serenity achieved by meditation. Thus, you must purify it to make it clean and clear. Then and only then will you achieve the Great Unity, by simply harmonizing with Him.”

  “Thence, God the Father will resuscitate in the depth of your conscious mind. Subsequently, you will participate with celestial grace in His great powers, and enter perfection to dominate matter by the sole command of your Intellect and will. Accordingly, and with faith in your heart, you will be active like Him.”

  With that wonderful revelation, and in the total secrecy of their Assembly, the Mathemagician finished his session on the first number, the One. In accordance, he conveyed his new disciples into a serious state of reflection.

  * * *

  Some of the mathematikoi, who had previously entered the higher level of esoteric knowledge, excelled in exercising their minds through further contemplation of shapes and numbers. They penetrated the essence of the manifested reality. On the other hand, the newest mathematikoi spent their time meditating on the nature of the number One and its profound meaning.

  Later, both Circles convened in the Assembly Hall as one family of brethren for their habitual common meal.

  In the afternoon, the Inner Circle worked, in progressive measure, on the purification of their minds through the study of esoteric mathematics, revealed by the Master.

  “Exercise in measure,” the Master repeated often, and they fully abided by his words.

  When the stars appeared in bright dots in the deep blue sky of the night, the mathematikoi lay down to sleep in the common dormitory next to the homakoeion. The mystical sound of the lyre drifted to their ears and glided all over the place.

  Sometimes, in order to relax and unwind all fatigue, conflicts, stresses, and anxieties of the day, Pythagoreans of the Inner Circle would chant spiritual songs, or express themselves in poetic verses. Songs and poetry, along with the sense of joy infused by the soft melody of the Lyre, would induce them into profound serenity.

  The powerful effect of the music, which Pythagoras performed for them at night, gushed out in significant, mystical rhythms that penetrated with finesse into their deepest realms. It gently purified their minds, reinforced their intuitions, and awakened their psychic faculties, ultimately triggering pleasant and prophetic dreams.

  In the concealed dimension above their dormant physical bodies, their astral forms floated in a free, subtle manner. They vibrated as fast as the speed of light. Feathery, weightless, the astral light traveled beyond time and space to cross the threshold of the deepest level of existence. It soared like the Phoenix over that very fine thread that linked the Microcosm with the Macrocosm.

  “Sleep, dreams, and trances are the three most important keys to the world beyond; there, where the knowledge of the psyche and the art of divination are acquired,” Pythagoras would often declare.

  They could feel him whispering softly in their ears.

  His words would linger in their thoughts. With plaisance in their hearts, they would recite certain verses before surrendering to the silent night…

  “Allow not sleep to close your eyes

  Before three times reflecting on

  Your actions of the day

  What deeds done well, what not,

  And what left undone?”

  * * *

  A spiritual melody of the Lyre roused up the mathematikoi from their sleep. The words of the Master imparted, “Music is that very power, which links Man with the Kosmos of the gods.”

  Awakened by then, they intoned after him:

  “As soon as I wake up,

  In order I lay

  The actions to be done

  The coming day”

  “Listen, brothers and sisters, your goal – that once was mine – is to heed the music of the gods, who are numbers. You can perceive it with your psyche but only when harmony – which is the most beautiful of all things – purifies it, and only when the power of music releases it.”

  Perfectly fathomed, the words shepherded the mathematikoi through their morning preparation. At any rate, not only did Pythagoras enhance his enigmatic parables with music when addressing his people but he used it also, and mainly, for therapeutic healing.

  A keen observer of the human mind, he strongly believed in the capability of musical rhythms and melodies to work as antidotes for psychic troubles. In fact, his musicology had revealed to him the therapeutic effect of certain tunes on the afflictions of the soul; those related to emotions and passions; like depression, lust, envy, pride, and rage too. Moreover, the experimentation of his own compositions on his ailing subjects had attested to their mathemagical healing powers on a variety of spiritual and physical disorders. They had proved to enhance humor and develop sensory conditions, resulting in significant psychological equilibrium.

  * * *

  The statue of Hestia-Isis, encircled by the nine Muses, loomed over the Master as he stood to confer his teachings. The Lover of Sophia resumed the Theology of Numbers from his hieros logos.

  “When the One, or the Monad, decided to manifest itself, it became Two. That is the Dyad of indivisible essence, but of divisible substance. The One acted on the Dyad to produce the numbers. Therefore, the Dyad is not a number by itself, but rather, a two-pointed division, a confusion of unity, a line. It contains, on one side, the male-active principle which is Energy, and on the other side, the female-passive principle which is Matter.”

  “Consequently, the Dyad represents the conflicting union of the will of the Eternal Male with the faith of the Eternal Female. These two essential divinities created the visible phenomenal world. They embody Adonis-Baal and Astarte for the Phoenicians; Osiris and Isis for the Egyptians; Bel and Ishtar for the Babylonians; Heaven and Hell for the Persians; and Shiva and Shakti for the Hindus. The Dyad is dedicated to the Moon, or Juno, which is the second luminary.”

  After this insightful explanation, Pythagoras paused to examine the reaction of his disciples. Their minds seemed at work. He gave them time to absorb his introduction of the number 2.

  When enlightenment showed by degrees on their features, he nodded in approval and then proceeded, “So, the Dyad generated the physical world known as the Tryad. The Tryad exists everywhere, being the first physical number. It is the psyche that I compare to a triangle. It, in fact, gives life to the Kosmos from its three atoms of Fire, Air, and Water.”

  “As you have already learned, the Microcosm, or Man, is composed of three dimensions; the Body that means Strength, the Spirit that means Beauty, and the Mind representing Wisdom. Similarly, the Macrocosm, or the Universe, is composed of three spheres of existence: the Natural world, the Human world, and the Divine world.”

  “I have dedicated the Tryad, the number Three (3), to Jupite
r. It is a perfect number indeed, for it is the symbol of Truth manifested in the mind, Virtue in the spirit, and Purification in the body. The Phoenician tradition identifies this Trinity with Anat, Adonis and El, while the Egyptians associate it with Isis, Horus and Osiris. The Hindus, in turn, correlate it to Sarasvathi, Vishnu and Brahma.”

  “The Tryad constitutes the key elements of life in the Kosmos. And this is a fact! Along with Creation, there is Evolution that passes by all the levels of life forms; from the mineral to the vegetable, to the animal, and finally, to the human.”

  “However, here is a twist. The third element of the Tryad represents the mundane world of suffering. But why is it so? You may ask why, of course! Could anyone advance a suggestion?”

  The question threw the disciples into confusion. Pythagoras did not expect them to know. He, himself, had strove through many years of quest and Initiation to attain that kind of knowledge. He nodded pensively at the thought, and gave them a cheering smile.