In order to be understood, we will state that the Triune spirit of the world contains the word, and is therefore the source of energy and life in both the subjective and objective worlds, and in fact is the source of all that exists outside of spirit. It is under the direction of spirit in developing forms and giving them activity and life. We thus perceive how a knowledge of the word gives us an insight into the work of God in creation.
Jacob Behmen was a mystic, and acquainted with the meaning of the word which he obtained through illumination or the unfolding of inner consciousness. What he called the Signatura Rerum—the signature of all things—is the word. He describes it as coming from a triune entity, which he locates in the super-celestial world. It is first manifested in the subjective or esoteric world, and afterwards in the objective. He also alludes to the septenary which he applies to the external world; he could not have understood the laws of harmony or he would not have made this application, for it applies to both the subjective and objective worlds.
We will now explain the Tetractys of Pythagoras; before doing so, however, we have a few remarks to make regarding his Kabbalistic knowledge. He is said to have been initiated into the secrets of nature by Daniel and Ezekiel, and subsequently admitted into the Egyptian Sanctuaries upon a personal recommendation by King Amosis. His tetractys proves that he was thoroughly familiar with theosophical science, which enabled him to study nature and arrive at correct conclusions. It is a noted fact that he was familiar with the movements of the heavenly bodies; which science did not reveal until centuries after his death. If he mistook some of its details, his substantial correctness was none the less wonderful. He was the founder of the renowned school of Crotona, about five hundred years before Christ. He maintained that the Sun is the centre of a system around which all the planets revolve, and that the fixed stars were each the centre of a system. He also believed that the planets were inhabited and that they and our earth are ever revolving in harmonious order—“keeping up a grand celestial concert, inaudible to man, but as a music of the spheres audible to God.” He was not permitted to declare publicly all that he knew, but taught it privately to a few chosen friends. He was also familiar with the laws of attraction and repulsion, which constituted one of the most important duties of the sanctuaries. Newton was led to the discovery of these forces through the study of the Kabbalah.
Speaking of Pythagoras calls to mind the Kabbalistic enigma written by Plato and sent to Dionysius: “all things surround our King, (God) He is the cause of all things: seconds for seconds and thirds for thirds.” This expresses the division of the Sephiroth. Plato was an earnest and most intelligent Kabbalist.
We will now explain for the first time the Tetractys of Pythagoras, which reveals the numerical meaning of the word. We remark, however, before doing so, that there is a greater enigma attached to it than is expressed by the numbers, which we cannot give for several reasons. One is, the name has never been imparted; when obtained, it was through self illumination; another is, it would open the doors of masonry, and reveal the secrets of the order. It is the key to mysticism—to religion and universal science.
In the Tetractys the four letters composing the name, are arranged in a triangular form, enclosed with a double circle.[42] The numerical division he has made applies to the super-celestial, celestial and material worlds:
The Tetractys of Pythagoras.
Super Celestial.—The first series of numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 of the tetractys refers to the super-celestial world.
1 is the unity of God represented thus: ① God in nothing.