The Enigma of Numbers
The Enigma of Numbers – Developing Sensitivity.
It is now time to move on from considering the personalities of Radionics and their work, to exploring one of the mechanical workings … numbers, since these are fundamental to all Radionic systems, the very nuts and bolts of its existence.
Whether they are regarded as key links to a psychic plane or as creating scientifically regarded radiations is a personal conviction often debated in Radionic circles.
Both methods produce healing successes. Whichever method is used they are the medium through which all measurements are taken, and students inevitably are curious to know how these numbers are chosen or worked out. Perhaps this chapter may help throw some light on this difficult and abstruse subject.
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My first encounter with numbers came when I called on a friend at his bookshop off the Charing Cross Road in London. While I was looking round he asked me what I was currently doing. I replied, “Studying Radiesthesia.” “God help you!” was his comment. I countered this observation by asking if there were any books on the subject. “No, none at all,” he replied. “You’re a great help,” I said.
Soon after this exchange I turned to leave the shop, but as I was going through the door my friend called me back.
“There are two books that might help you. Theoretic Arithmetic of the Pythagoreans by Thomas Taylor and Key to the Hebrew Egyptian Mystery in the Source of Measures by J. Ralston Skinner. However, both are rare and you won’t be able to get them.”
“Thank you, you’re still a great help,” I replied and left the shop. But I made a mental note of the titles and the authors even though I was too occupied to pursue the matter further at the time.
My story now takes a strange twist. At the time I was living in the country and one afternoon a complete stranger came to see me. I found that he wanted me to hypnotize him, but I refused to do so since I did not know him and had had no introduction to him.
In spite of this he stayed and our chat went on all afternoon, until at last I was forced to tell him he would have to leave as I had other work to do. As he was going he suddenly said, out of the blue, for we had not discussed books, “By the way, if you ever want any rare or difficult-to-obtain books, try Weisers of New York.”
My mind went straight back to the conversation I had had in London with my bookseller friend, and I remembered his comments about non-availability of books. I sat down at once and wrote to Weisers and within a fortnight, to my surprise and delight, they replied stating that they had both books for me!
In the introduction to Theoretic Arithmetic Manly P. Hall writes:
“Thomas Taylor, the author of this remarkable treatise on the philosophy of numbers was the greatest Platonist of the modern world. He was a prodigy of erudition and industry. He translated into English the complete works of Plato and Aristotle, and numerous but scarcely less important fragments of classical learning. In addition to these translations Mr. Taylor composed several original works, of which his ‘Theoretical Arithmetic’ is the most important.
“Unfortunately no complete system of numerical divination has descended to this age from the old mystery schools. The Pythagorean philosophers, after the martyrdom of their master, were scattered throughout the Mediterranean countries and left to posterity no complete account of their numerical tradition.
“The third book of Theoretic Arithmetic is devoted to philosophising on the virtues of numbers, contains practically all of the fragments of genuine Pythagorean onomanics which have survived the ruin of time. From these fragments it will be evident that to the Samian Initiate numbers were the elements of a sublime theological symbolism. Through the study of Mathematics Pythagoras invited all men to communion with the Gods.
“… Numerology as it is practiced today derives its premise from a short statement of Iamblicus to the effect that Pythagoras perfected a system of divination by numbers, based upon the secret traditions which had descended from Orpheus. In the sixth and seventh centuries before Christ it was customary for the ancient Greeks to perform divinations from the entrails of specially sacrificed animals and birds. Pythagoras condemned this practice and substituted therefore arithmomancy, the oracular use of numbers, as more acceptable to the Gods and not harmful to any living creature. It should not be inferred, however, from the words of Iamblicus, that Pythagoras actually invented numerology. The use of numbers for symbolical and divinatory purposes was common to nearly all ancient religious systems. Well developed systems of numerology are to be found in the older writings of the Chinese, Egyptians and Jews. Numerological cabbalism is usually found closely associated with astrology and magic.” The following is on the flyleaf of his book.
THEORETIC ARITHMETIC
contains the substance of all that has been written on the subject by Theo of Smyrna, Nicomachus, Iambilchus, and Boetus — together with some remarkable particulars respecting perfect, amicable, and other numbers, which are not to be found in the writings of any ancient or modern mathematicians. Likewise, a specimen of the manner in which the Pythagoreans philosophized about numbers; and a development of their mystical and theological arithmetic.
By Thomas Taylor
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Key to the Hebrew-Egyptian Mystery in the Source of Measures J. Ralston Skinner
“Originating the British Inch and the Ancient Cubit, by which man built the Great Pyramid of Egypt and the Temple of Soloman; and through the possession and use of which man, assuming to realise the creative law of the deity, set it forth in a Mystery, among the Hebrew called Kabbala.”
This is a highly abstract mathematical treatise. In the introduction we read:
“Contents of an essay or study rather than, strictly speaking, a work. The whole a series of developments based upon the use of geometrical elements, giving expression in numerical value, founded on the integral values of the circle, rediscovered by the late John A. Parker, and by Peter Metius in the 16th century. Brief statements of these developments; the greatest being that the system from whence their derivation was anciently considered to be one resting in nature, or God, as the basis, or law, of the exertion practically of creative design: as such to be found as underlaying the Biblical structure. This introduction contains the Hebrew alphabet, with the values and powers of the letters, and some of their supposed symbols, with some remarks on the hieroglyphic use of the letters.”
Chapters include:
Quadrature of the Circle by John A. Parker, and reflections on.
Problem of Three Revolving Bodies by Mr. Parker.
British System of Long and Land Measures, inclusive of an occult
System of Time Measurement.
Introduction to Construction of Great Pyramid.
Temple of Solomon.
Another line of investigation was through Dr. Drown. I wrote to her on several occasions asking if she would advise me if there was a fundamental LAW by which she had arrived at the numbers for her work. Her answer came in a leaflet ‘Drown Radio-Therapy’ where she had written: “The so-called ‘rates’ were originally worked out from histological structures of the animal body … the pathological diseases were taken from specimens found and so labelled in medical hospitals.” I felt confident, however, after reading her other books that she must have had some other specific system from which to work as well. I became certain that she KNEW the deep meaning of her combination of figures, and that she combined it with a profound spiritual understanding of natural laws in their application. So I persisted and on numerous occasions I asked her if this was correct, but she was always reticent on the subject. Eventually she wrote to me saying:
“I have worked out a comprehensive study on the numbers of the Qabalah, which, of course, go back to the very essence of Life itself. It seems quite true that people are using these numbers in what they call a ‘code’, and yet they have no understanding of what the ‘code’ stands for!”
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I now know that this clue leads one towards the Principles involved in the meaning of numbers, although at the time I had no idea what a profound question I had asked her. Subsequent experience made me aware of the vastness of the subject I had inadvertently broached.
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On this subject one must also consider the teachings of other early writers, for certain great rhythms and numbers in nature affect every moment of our lives. In Nature’s Harmonic Unity Samuel Coleman gives numerous illustrations, which he analyses, showing that the triangle, the square, the pentagon and pentagram, the hexagon and the hexagram and the octagon are the determining geometrical elements of tiny plants. These and the circle provide all the geometrical patterns for the manifold forms of the physical world.