LEVEL 3 OF SPIRIT MANIFESTATION – SOUL-GIVING FORCES

The Number 8

Three-dimensional model, prototype of the spiritual world, mathematical logic, unfoldment of time into space (7→8), horizontal periodic unfoldment of the Cosmos, connection to a deep, hidden spiritual knowledge, magic

8 = 2³ the symbol of the number 8 is a cube with 8 angles, which is representative of a three-dimensional reality. In fact, the first number which could form a 3D figure was the number 4. This number is represented with a triangular pyramid. However, the number 8 goes one level up (8 = 4 + 4) and is capable to create a model, a prototype of the spiritual world that contains much more details than the number 4. Both numbers can be divided by 2, which mean that they can build a material structure, however the structure of the number 4 is extremely rigid and inflexible – this number creates a matter for the first time, while the number 8 is much better equipped to represent the ideas of the spiritual world and manifest them as a model. This model does not look exactly like its spiritual counterpart of course, but it is similar to it.

The number 8 for example rules anything to do with mathematical logic, where the relationships between numbers are studied strictly from a material point of view. The mathematical logic can explain very well what happens with numbers when they are added together, subtracted, divided, a square root extracted and so on, but this type of logic is still very far away from the spiritual meaning that is contained within the numbers. In this respect the mathematical logic is a prototype of the numerology, but the numerology itself is ruled by much higher numbers than 8. On the other side the conventional numerology is miles away from the esoteric numerology, presented in this article. Again, the esoteric numerology will be represented even with a higher number than the conventional numerology. If we have to compare the numbers 4 and 8 we will see that the number 4 is only outlining the contours of the material structure, while the number 8 can depict it in some detail. Again though, this is not the actual spiritual entity, but just its physical model, (or in other words its rough material representation) and very often this model does not contain the spiritual element of the entity itself.

The number 8 goes one level up from the number 7 in this respect that the spiritual ideas contained in the number 7 are now being materialized as a prototype of this spiritual model in the material reality. Thus, the number 8 symbolizes the unfoldement of the time into space. The time is symbolized with the number 7, because as we saw already when we were considering the number 7, the whole history of the earth is ruled by time periods that repeat themselves in the pattern of 7 x 7 x 7. We also mentioned that the space (represented by the number 4) always unfolds as 7 time periods. When the opposite happens and the time has to unfold in space it does so back to number 4, but it may be represented also with the number 8, since 8 = 4 + 4. The reason being is that with the number 8 we can achieve a higher “resolution” in space rather than with the number 4 with its very rigid structure. Thus often the time (number 7) turns into space, represented as a mathematical (8) model (or prototype) of the spiritual (7) reality. This prototype lacks a lot of the liveliness and the spirituality of the original image, but it is nevertheless pointing towards it. To give a comparison we can use the words of Zen: “Words are fingers that are pointing towards the Moon”. The words themselves are not the Moon, but they are creating a mental image, or picture of the actual celestial body, which invokes energy closely related to the one that is emanated from the actual Moon. Since the number 8 has much better resolution in the implementation of the spiritual idea (7) it has also much more freedom to express it in the material reality. The numbers 4 and 8 relate to each other in the same manner as a narrow prison cell with a cement floor compares to a home arrest.

In astrology the number 8 is represented with a semi-square, which is a semi-negative aspect. This aspect is derived by dividing the circle of 360° into 8 parts. The resulting aspect is 45°. This aspect is not as strong as the negative aspect called square and derived from the number 4, but it is in essence a higher octave of the same energy. In general, in astrology every aspect derived from an even number leads to stress and tension, since it contains the polarity of the number 2 within itself and most aspects derived from odd numbers are positive and harmonious because they contain the energy of the number 3.

Every area of life that is ruled by the number 8 looks from material point of view nice and effective, but one should not mix it up with the real harmony, inherent to the numbers 3 and 6. The number 8 lacks the real spirituality of the number 7. It may at times looks perfect on the material plane, but nevertheless it lacks the real spiritual life inherent to the number 7 (8 = 7 + 1). There is an inner conflict in the number 8, because it can be divided by 2, but this conflict is less apparent as it is in the number 4.

8 = 7 + 1 Relatively initial stage of “materialization” of the spirit in the matter, which reflects some spiritual glory of the number 7, but it really lacks spirituality from within.

8 = 6 + 2 The perfect and harmonious material life (6) gets polarized (2) and as a result the material structure looks nice and effective (8), but it is devoted from real spirituality.

8 = 5 + 3 The live material forms (5) obtaining some harmony (3) begin to look perfect on the material plane (8), but because the life itself is lost (8 cannot be divided by 5) it does not become really spiritual.

8 = 4 x 2 Secondary materialization, similar to the number 4, but this time with a better resolution and less tension.

8 = 3 + 5 When the abstract, harmonious forms (3) try to get incarnated in live material forms (5) they lose some of their real spirituality, although they look perfect on the material plane (8).

8 = 2 + 6 When the polarity spirit (2) – matter (6) takes material forms on earth (8) these look just like a mathematical model or a prototype (8) of the spiritual idea behind it.

8 = 2 + 3 + 3 Two totally opposite (2), but harmonious within itself spiritual ideas (3) manifest themselves in the material world (8) as a structure that looks perfect on the outside, but lacks spirituality from within, due to the inner confrontation of the two polar ideas. Examples are the black and white colours, the night and day and so on. Each one of these ideas is harmonious by itself (3), but they are totally opposing each other (2) which leads to inner lack of spirituality of the whole structure (8) since neither one can ever win. The higher purpose of this can be understood only on the level of the number 9.

8 = 1 + 7 The absolute energy (1) when materializing itself (8) can manifest as 7 rays of the rainbow, 7 musical tones in an octave, 7 major planets, 7 chakras and so on.