CHAPTER III.

THE ESOTERISM OF NUMBERS.

The Theosophic Numbers and Operations — Signification of the

Numbers.

The Numbers.

The ancients had a conception of numbers which is
almost lost in modern times.

The idea of the Unity in all its manifestations led to
numbers being considered as the expression of absolute
laws. This led to the veneration expressed for the 3 or for
the 4 throughout antiquity, which is so incomprehensible
to our mathematicians.

It is however evident that if the ancients had not
known how to work any other problems than those we
now use, nothing could have led them to the ideas we find
current in the Hindu, Egyptian, and Greek Universities.1

What then are these operations, that our savants do
not know ?

1 See Fabre d'Oliver, La Langue Hébraïque Restituée et Saint-Yves
d'Al/eydre, Mission des -ht ifs.

THE ESOTERISM OF NUMBERS. 27

They are of two kinds : theosophic reduction and
theosophic addition.

These operations are theosophic because they cause the
essential laws of nature to penetrate throughout the world ;
they cannot be included in the science of phenomena, for
they tower above it, soaring into the heights of pure
intellectuality.

They therefore formed the basis of the secret and oral
instruction confided to a few chosen men, under the name
of Esoterism.

1. Theosop)hic Reduction.

Theosophic reduction consists in reducing all the numbers
formed of two or several figures to the number of a single
figure, and this is done by adding together the figures
which compose the number, until only one remains.

example :

10 = 1+0 = 1

11 = 1 + 1 = 2

12 = 1 + 2 = 3

126 = 1+2 + 6 = 9
2488 = 2 + 4 + 8 + 8 = 22 = 2 + 2 = 4

This operation corresponds to that which is now called
the proof by 9.

2. Theosophic Addition.

Theosophic addition consists in ascertaining the theo-
sophic value of a number, by adding together arithmetically
all the figures from the unity to itself inclusively.

Thus the figure 4, in theosophic addition, equals all

28 THE TAROT.

the figures from 1 to 4 inclusively added together, that
is to say, 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10.
The figure 7 equals —

1+2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 28 = 2 + 8 = 10.

Theosophic reduction and addition are the two oper-
ations which it is indispensable to know, if we would
understand the secrets of antiquity.1

Let us now apply these rules to all the numbers, that
we may discover the law which directs their progression.

Theosophic reduction shows us, first of all, that all
numbers, whatever they may be, are reducible in them-
selves to the nine first, since they are all brought down
to numbers of a single figure.

But this consideration is not sufficient, and theosophic
addition will now furnish us with new light.

Through it we find that 1, 4, 7, 10 are equal to 1.

for: 1 = 1

4 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10=1
7 = 1+2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 28 = 10 = 1
10 = 1

So that all the three numbers ultimately return to the
figure 1, thus —

1. 2. 3 4. 5. 6

4 =10 =1 7= 28 = 10=1

1 See for more details Traité Élémentaire de Science Occulte, by
Papus, chap. ii.

THE ESOTERISM OF NUMBERS. 29

Or one could write —

1. 2. 3

(1)
4. 5. 6

(1), etc.

The results of this consideration are : (1) That all the
numbers in their evolution, reproduce the 4 first;

(2) That the last of these 4 first, the figure 4, represents
the unity at a different octave.

The sequence of the numbers may therefore be written
in this way —

1.

2.

3

4.

5.

6

7.

8.

9

10.

11.

12

13.

14.

15

16.

17.

18

19

We may notice that 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, etc., are only
different conceptions of the unity, and this may be proved
by the application of theosophic addition and reduction
thus —

4= 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10-1

7= 1 + 2 + 3 + 4+ 5 + 6 + 7 = 28 = 10 = 1
10= 1

13= 4 = 10= 1
16= 7 = 28=10=1
19 = 10= 1, etc., etc.

We see that in every three numbers the series reverts
to the unity abruptly, whilst it returns to it progressively
in the two intermediate numbers.

30 THE TAKOT.

Let us now repeat that the knowledge of the laws of
numbers and the study of them, made as we have here
indicated, will give the key to all occult science.

We must now sum up all the preceding statements in
the following conclusion : that all numbers may be reduced,
in a final analysis, to the series of the 4 first, thus arranged —

1. 2. 3
4

THE SIGNIFICATION OF NUMBERS.

But our knowledge of the numerical science of the
ancients does not end here. It also attributed a meaning
to each number.

Since we have reduced the series of all the numbers to
the 4 first, it will suffice for us to know the meaning
attributed to these 4 first.

The Unity represents the creative principle of all
numbers, since the others all emanate from it; it is the
active principle pre-eminent.

But the Unity alone cannot produce anything except

by opposing itself to itself thus — From this proceeds

duality, the principle of opposition represented by two, the
passive principle pre-eminent.

From the union of the Unity and Duality proceeds the
third principle, which unites the two opposites in one
common neutrality, 1+2 = 3. Three is the neuter principle
pre-eminent.

But these three principles all reduce themselves into

THE ESOTERISM OF NUMBERS.

31

the fourth, which merely represents a new acceptation of
the Unity as an active principle.1

The law of these principles is therefore as follows —

Unity
or return to unity.

Opposition
antagonism.

Action of opposition
upon the unity.

Active
1

Passive

2

Neuter
3

Active
4

Etc

Active
1

Passive

Passive- Active

2

4

«

Net
<

iter
3

1 See for further enlightenment the Traité Élémentaire de Science
Occulte, p. 49 and following.