If Void is Nought, You Can’t Escape it

Creating The Matrix

The development of numerical systems is a fascinating subject to delve into. It’s history is inextricably linked to our greatest endeavors of metaphysical thinking.

So much so, that Numerology is an existent feature of almost every religious order and era. Often used in the creation and defining of Theological concepts, which otherwise could not be grasped so succinctly with colloquial language.

Most people in the world are familiar with at least some religious numerological concepts. We can look for instance to the Christian Trinity, Jewish Gematria or The Hindu Vedic. Even in a religious order that typically forbids numerology such as Islam, the notion of One G-d, often expressed by raising a single forefinger, is an iconic and unmistakable use of a numerical concept to encapsulate an article of Theological faith.

Many varieties of numerical systems have arisen over time. With numerous new forms being created in recent years, for applications with technology and the pursuit of mathematical advancements. Roman Numerals, based on a tally and symbol system, played a great role in ease of keeping stock, whilst also being scalable in magnitudes for the empire. The binary code of 0’s and 1’s has enabled the creation of digitally powered complex computations. Whilst some, lesser known systems such as The Octal, using only 8 digit symbols, has aided progress in theoretical mathematics.

Trinity Representation: Pixabay, Copyright Free

The Cardinal Reality 

Reading this article, you will be at least familiar, if not wholly dependent on understanding numerical and numerological matters, by use and reference of a decimal system, counting from 1-10.

This system is known as a “Cardinal” or “Natural” number system, where we progress from one to the next, with unique symbols for each of the 1-9 digits. With a 0 adding scale of magnitude, or on its own, standing in for nothing at all.

So Why is 10 and not 11 or 9 our natural, decimal system of counting?

What is there in our cardinal reality that gives us such a parameter, of understanding the world in sets of tens?

We need only to count on our digits to see for ourselves.

“Praying Hand’s” : Albrecht Dürer, Public Domain Image, Copyright Free – Wikicommons

If being is One…

So I’m Someone and So Are You

That our natural multitude of digits provide innate parameters for our numerical understanding, may be a quaint observation, but remains rather mundane. But when we reflect on the now bare, proximal construct of our concept of a 1-10 range for order of magnitude, let’s get back to what really matters, The One.

If from one we can count up, from one to the next, when we count down we invert the order within itself into decimals. In theory and reality of mathematics of our material and metaphysical world, we can count infinitely from within The One. There is no need or relevance for another one when The One can be decimated Ad Infinitum, other than for the sake of practicality and our sanity.

So to keep things simple, let’s assume we’re all some essence of The One, living as though we’re someone, in this material realm. Which in its greatest expression of magnitude, is called the Universe.

Helix Nebula ‘Eye of God’: Pixabay, Copyright Free

Squaring The Circle

A friend who I meet quite often when dog walking in Jerusalem noted to me a wonderful expression of inter-religious perspective recently. That it does at times feel as though we are so split into Theological and Ideological tracts, even, or especially so within the Abrahamic faiths, that it is almost as though we are worshiping different a range of different God’s to one another. Despite us all in principle being adherents of G-d as revealed to Abraham.

Her relaying of this idea struck me as an apt description of many aspects of inter-religious variation. We’re familiar with sets of ideas to understand religious relativism, such as the blindfolded describing what they feel of an elephant to one another.

But to bear in mind, that within this experience of the Universe as One, we are inevitably holding an angle of perspective, which is invariably going to be either acute, or obtuse. Certainly never entirely whole and perfect. Though we may rightfully aspire to be as-at one with G-d as possible.

Spoked Wheel, Sectioned Circle: Pixabay, Copyright Free

Being at One

The inherent beauty that one can often find viscerally or contemplatively in another’s religion, is a sure indicator that interfaith respect can open the doors of perception to a more holistic approach to our relationship with G-d. Without having to erode the foundation of our own religiosity.

I for one, find the Islamic call to prayer echoing across the valleys of Jerusalem, especially at dawn and dusk, a beautifully captivating sensation. In a church housing masterpieces of realist renaissance and enlightenment period artwork, one could be lost in the details and subtle Theological expressions of the artist for a time. Following the Jewish Calender’s telling of the year in this region, provides a grounding as to the relationship of the human story to this land which until this day holds true, echoing through millennium.

My thought to the reader who has made it this far down the page, is what ought we to do with nought? It’s necessity in contextualizing what is, means that it is certainly a factor we can’t ignore. How does this square up to our experience of The One, when our lives pass on?

I intend to offer my own thoughts regarding this in a future post, though would like to contemplate someone else’s passing thoughts as well beforehand.