Theos-Talk Archives (May 2004 Message tt00244)

May 27th 2004

Dear Friends:

Re THEOSOPHICAL SYMBOLISM


Here is a brief review of the significance of the Theosophical Symbol
we are all familiar with.

It will also include a reference to VENUS as well as other important
statements concerning the basics of THEOSOPHY as a philosophy.

The antiquity of the symbols is not to be discovered as they are
primary concepts of geometry which are used to represent the dynamic
progress of all evolution. 

-----------------------------




THEOSOPHICAL SYMBOLS W. Q. Judge


Judge Articles Vol. I p. 592 [ U L T Edition]



=========================================

1



THEOSOPHICAL SYMBOLISM

The number 7 has, ever since the Theosophical Society was founded
November 17th, 1875, played a prominent part in all its affairs, and,
as usual, the symbols which particularly relate or pertain to the
Society are in number, seven. 

They are: first the seal of the Society; second, the serpent biting
his tail; third, the gnostic cross near the serpent's head; fourth,
the interlaced triangles; fifth, the cruxansata in the centre; sixth,
the pin of the Society, composed of a cruxansata entwined by a
serpent, forming together T.S.; and seventh, OM the sacred Vedic word.

The seal of the Society contains all of the symbols enumerated,
excepting aum, and is the synthesis of them. It, in fact, expresses
what the Society is itself, and contains, or ought to, in symbolic
form, the doctrines which many of its members adhere to.


A symbol to be properly so called, must be contained in the idea or
ideas which it is intended to represent. As a symbol of a house could
never be the prow of a boat, or the wing of a bird, but must be
contained somewhere in the form of the house itself; that is, it must
be an actual part chosen to represent or stand for the whole. It need
not be the whole, but may be a lower form or species used as the
representative of a higher of the same kind. The word is derived from
the Greek words meaning to throw with, that is to throw together. To
be a just and correct symbol, it should be such as that the moment it
is seen by one versed in symbolism, its meaning and application become
easily apparent. 

The Egyptians adopted to represent the soul passing back to its
source, after the trial in the Hall of Two Truths, a winged globe, for
a globe is a symbol of either the Supreme Soul or a portion of it, and
the wings were added to represent its life and flight to the upper
spheres. 

In another branch of their symbology they represented justice by a
scale which gives a just balance; while even there in the Hall of Two
Truths, they reverted again to the other mode and symbolized the man
being weighed by justice, in the form of his heart over against the
feather of truth in the opposite pan of the scales.

There is one very curious hieroglyph of the Egyptians which deserves
some study by those of curious mind. Here we will merely point it out,
remarking that there is a mine of great value in the Egyptian method
of picturing their ideas of the macrocosm. 

In one of the numerous papyri now in the British Museum, there is a
picture of a globe being held up by a beetle by means of his head and
two fore legs, while he is standing upon a sort of pedestal which has
certain divisions, looking on the whole, like a section of an hour
glass crossed by horizontal lines that project from each side. This
pedestal represents stability; but what does the whole mean or shadow
forth? Those who can follow up suggestions should direct their
thoughts to the relation which the Sun bears to the earth in its
orbital revolution.

To proceed with our analysis: The second symbol is, the serpent biting
his tail. This is wisdom, and eternity. It is eternity, because that
has neither beginning nor end and therefore the ring is formed by the
serpent swallowing his tail. There is an old hermetic symbol similar
to this, in which the circle is formed by two serpents interlaced and
each swallowing the tail of the other one. No doubt the symbolism in
that is, in respect to the duality of the manifested All, and hence,
two serpents inextricably entwined.

Furthermore, the scales of the reptiles form the figures of facettes
or diamonds, which shadow forth the illimitable diversity of the
aspects of wisdom or truth. This is not due to any want of coherence
or congruity in truth itself, but solely to the diverse views which
each individual takes of the one Truth. 

These reflecting facettes are the beings composing the macrocosm: each
one has developed himself only to a certain degree, and therefore can
only appreciate and reflect that amount of wisdom which has fallen to
his lot. As he passes again and again through the form of men, he
slowly develops other various powers of appreciating more truth, and
so at the last may become one with the whole - the perfect man, able
to know and to feel completely his union with all. This is when he has
acquired the highest Yoga. So in our experience and in history and
ethnology we find individuals, nations and races, whose want of
responsiveness to certain ideas, and others whose power to grasp them,
can only be explained by the doctrines of Reincarnation and Karma. If
those doctrines are not accepted, there is no escape from a blank
negation.

It is not necessary to express the duality of the Supreme Soul by two
serpents, because in the third component part of the Seal, elsewhere,
that is symbolized by the interlaced triangles. 

One of these is white, that one with the point uppermost, and the
other is black with its apex directed downward. They are intertwined
because the dual nature of the Supreme, while in manifestation, is not
separate in its parts. Each atom of matter, so called, has also its
atom of spirit. 

This is what the Bhagavad-Gita (1) denominates Purusha and Prakriti,
and Krishna there says that he is at once Purusha and Prakriti, he is
alike the very best and the very worst of man. These triangles also
mean, "the manifested universe." 

It is one of the oldest and most beautiful of symbols, and can be
discovered among all nations, not only those now inhabiting the earth,
but also in the monuments, carvings and other remains of the great
races who have left us the gigantic structures now silent as far as
the voice of man is concerned, but resounding with speech for those
who care to listen. They seem to be full of ideas turned into stone.

The triangles thus combined form in the interior space, a six sided
plane figure. This is the manifested world. Six is the number of the
world, and 666 is the great mystery which is related to the symbol.
St. John talks of this number. Around the six sided centre are the six
triangles projecting into the spiritual world, and touching the
enclosed serpent of wisdom. 

In an old book, this is made by the great head of the Lord rising
above the horizon of the ocean of matter, with the arms just raised so
that they make the upper half of the triangle. This is the "long
face," or macroprosopus, as it is called. As it rises slowly and
majestically, the placid water below reflects it in reverse, and thus
makes the whole double triangle. 

The lower one is dark and forbidding in its aspect, but at the same
time the upper part of the darker one is itself light, for it is
formed by the majestic head of this Adam Kadmon. Thus they shade into
one another. And this is a perfect symbolism, for it clearly figures
the way in which day shades into night, and evil into good. In
ourselves we find both, or as the Christian St. Paul says, the natural
and spiritual man are always together warring against each other, so
that what we would do we cannot, and what we desire not to be guilty
of, the darker half of man compels us to do. But ink and paper fails
us in the task of trying to elucidate this great symbol. Go to Hermes,
to St. John, the Caballah, the Hindu books, wherever you please, and
there will you find the seven times seven meanings of the interlaced
triangles.

OM is the Sacred Vedic syllable: let us repeat it with a thought
directed to its true meaning.

Within the small circle, placed upon the serpent, is a cross with its
ends turned back. This is called the Gnostic Cross. It signifies
evolution, among other ideas, for the turning back of its ends is
caused by the revolving of the two diameters of the circle. The
vertical diameter is the spirit moving down and bisecting the
horizontal. This completed, the revolution round the great circle
commences, and that motion is represented in the symbol by the ends
turned back. 

In Chapter III of Bhagavad-Gita Krishna says: "he who in this life
does not cause this cycle, thus already revolved, to continue
revolving lives to no purpose, a life of sin, indulging his senses."
That is, we must assist the great wheel of evolution and not oppose
it; we must try to help in the great work of returning to the source
from whence we came, and constantly endeavor to convert lower nature
into higher, not only that of ourselves, but also of our fellow men
and of the whole animated world.

This cross is also the symbol of the Hindu Chakkra, or discus, of
Vishnu. In the Mahabharata is described the conflict between the
Asuras and Devas, for the possession of the vase of Amreeta which had
been churned with infinite trouble, from the ocean, and which the
Asuras desired to take for themselves. The conflict began when Rahu,
an Asura, assuming the form of a Deva, began drinking the ambrosia. In
this case the Amreeta was spiritual wisdom, material existence,
immortality, and also magic power. The deceit of Rahu was discovered
before he had swallowed, and then the battle began.

In the midst of this dreadful hurry and confusion of the fight, Nar
and Narayan entered the field together. Narayan beholding a celestial
bow in the hands of Nar, it reminded him of his Chakkra, the destroyer
of the Asuras. The faithful weapon, ready at the mind's call, flew
down from heaven and with direct and refulgent speed, beautiful, yet
terrible to behold. And being arrived, glowing like the sacrificial
flame, and spreading terror around, Narayan with his right arm formed
like the elephantine trunk, hurled forth the ponderous orb, the speedy
messenger and glorious ruin of hostile towns, who, raging like the
final all destroying fire, shot bounding with desolating force,
killing thousands of the Asuras in his rapid flight, burning and
involving, like the lambent flame, and cutting down all that would
oppose him. Anon he climbeth the heavens from whence he came.
(Mahabharata, Book I, Ch. 15.)

Ezekiel, of the Jews, saw this wheel, when he was among the captives
by the river Chebar in Chaldea. In a vision he saw the four beasts and
the man of the Apocalypse, and with them "for each of the four faces,"
was a wheel, of the colour of a beryl; it was "as a wheel within a
wheel," and they went wherever the living creatures went, "for the
spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels." All of this
appeared terrible to him, for he says: "And when they went I heard a
noise like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty,
a noise of tumult like the noise of a host."

There are many other meanings concealed in this symbol, as in all the
others.
In the center of the interlaced triangles is placed the Cruxansata.
This is also extremely ancient. In the old Egyptian papyri it is
frequently found. It signifies life. 

As Isis stands before the candidate, or the soul, upon his entry, she
holds in one hand this cross, while he holds up his hand that he may
not look upon her face. In another there is a winged figure, whose
wings are attached to the arms, and in each hand is held the same
cross. 

Among other things we find here the horizontal and vertical diameters
once more, but conjoined with the circle placed on top. This is the
same as the old astrological sign for Venus. But in the seal, its
chief and most important meaning is the regenerated man. 

Here in the centre, after passing the different degrees and cycles,
both spirit and matter are united in the intelligent regenerated man,
who stands in the middle knowing all things in the manifested
universe. He has triumphed over death and holds the cross of life.

The last theosophical symbol is the pin of the Society, adopted early
in its history but not used much. It is the cross we have just been
considering, entwined in such a way by a serpent, that the combination
makes T S as a monogram.

The foregoing is not exhaustive. Every symbol should have seven
meanings of principal value, and out of every one of those we have
been considering can be drawn that number of significations.
Intelligent study of them will be beneficial, for when a consistent
symbol, embodying many ideas is found and meditated upon, the thought
or view of the symbol brings up each idea at once before the mind.

NILAKANT

PATH, May, 1886


============================

Your questions:

1. How old is the emblem for the Theosophical Society? Was it
contrived 
in 1875 or at a later date?

========================================

DTB	It is most ancient and as THEOSOPHY offers a view of this
ancient system of recorded history and doctrine, the symbol indicates
exactly that.

=======================================

2. Is this a symbol for a group, possibly an offshoot of the
Theosophical Society?
[ DTB	It is widely used by many. ]


3. What does A-O-P stand for? [ DTB I do not know. ]

4. What is the connection between Blavatsky, the Academy of Paris,  
Egypt, and Atlantis?   

=============================

DTB	I suggest going to the SECRET DOCTRINE and using the index (a
separate book) you will find a large number of explicatory references.

Here are examples:

Atlantis. See also Atlanteans, Atlantes, Axis, Deluge, Root-Race --
Fourth
adept re, before Plato's II 406 
Africa & II 263-4, 314, 740, 761 
alchemy born in II 763n 
ancient writers describe II 767-8 
art of II 426 
astronomical allegory (Massey) II 353 
astronomical evidence of II 407-8 
Asuramaya's birthplace II 50, 67-8 
Atlas & II 761, 763, 768 
Bailly rejected submersion of II 265 
broke into seven pieces (dvipas) II 405 
cause of Deluge of II 349-50, 410, 427, 533-4, 636 
Ceylon remnant of II 314 
continents & kings before II 765 
Cyclopean relics of I 208-9n; II 335-47, 742-60 
destroyed by water II 316, 762 
destruction of II 222-3, 313-14 
divine dynasties of II 370-1, 773 
Eocene height of II 710, 717 
evidence for II 740, 780-2, 790-3 
Ezekiel refers to II 494 &n 
Faber re II 144, 264-5 
Flood nearly wiped out II 309, 406n 
flora evidence for II 322n, 727, 739 
fourth continent I 369; II 8, 334, 606n 
giants of II 275-6, 753, 777n 
Hindu Aryans dwelt in II 406 
histories of, destroyed II 763n 
holy island black w sin II 371-2 
Iranian folklore records II 393-4 
Isis Unveiled on II 384 
islands & continents of II 67, 220-4, 265, 322-3, 350 
Latona-Niobe story & II 771-2 &n 
lemming migrations & II 782 
Lemuria & II 221, 266, 333 
Lyell's "explanation" of II 787-8 
Maligasima, "Maurigosima" II 365 
man on, submerged (Gould) II 218-19 
Mayas coeval w Plato's II 35n 
moral depravity & sinking of II 786 
mountain peaks of II 763 
names for II 323-4n 
Neptune divided, among sons II 406 
Noah & II 222, 265 
northern & southern parts of II 371n 
Northern Hyperborean II 770n 
overlapped Aryan race II 433n 
Pengelly re II 726-7 
Phlegyae & II 144, 265, 365 
Phrygian priests describe II 371 
pithecoid skull & II 727 
Plato's, coeval w Mayas II 34-5n 
Plato's, in Hindu dress II 407-8 
Plato's island/continent II 8, 141, 250n, 314, 323, 324n, 352, 370-1,
395, 743n, 761 &n, 767-8 
postdiluvian (Bailly) II 265-6 
Proclus re II 408-9 
pyramids fr Plato's II 429 
race of magicians II 222 
remnants of II 222-3 
"Romakapura" last of II 50, 67-8 
Ruta, Daitya & I 650-1; II 314n, 433, 740 
sacerdotal language of I xliii, 464 
Saka-, Sankha dvipa, & Sankhasura were II 322, 407-8 &n 
sank end of Miocene II 8n, 10, 156, 314n, 395n, 433 &n, 693, 710, 740,
778 
science denies existence of II 314, 429 
secrecy re knowledge of II 763-4 
seven islands of II 350, 408-9 
sinking of, remnants II 124, 141, 250, 313-14, 332, 352, 395, 433&n 
Sons of Light, Darkness in II 772-3 
submerged I 439n; II 140-1, 156, 266, 306, 310, 395, 606n, 693, 778,
786 
subraces & seven daughters II 768 
survivors of, in Gobi II 371-2 
Sweden as Plato's, (Rudbeck) II 402 
Theophrastus [Theopompus] re II 371, 760 
theory of, factual (Seeman) II 781 
Thevetata king-demon of II 222 
Vaivasvata & II 265, 310 
war betw initiates & sorcerers I 419 
White Island, Atala & II 67, 322, 403, 408 &n 
Wilford's mistakes re II 402-9 
Yudhishthira at sinking of I 369 
Zarathustra fr early II 322-3

------------------


Egypt. See also Egyptians

age of, (Bunsen [Massey]) I 435; II 32n, 374n 
age of man in II 374n, 432, 746, 750 &n 
alchemy had renaissance in II 763n 
Atlanto-Aryan tribes settled II 746 
builders, seven great gods of I 127 
catacombs of II 379-80 
civilization of, always mature II 334, 786n 
creation story fr II 3-4 
cross on breasts of mystics in II 586 
darkness principle of all things II 485-6 
dated 5,000 BC II 693 
delta of II 746, 750n 
Dendera zodiac of II 344, 368, 374n, 431-2 
divine dynasties of II 316, 364-71, 486 
evidence re, not understood I xxviii-ix 
evil spirits emblems of chaos II 386 
falling demon (Typhon) II 486 
fire (Kabiri) worship in II 363 
four sons of God of II 213 
geologic origin of II 746 
giants (heroes) of II 336 
Greek & Hebrew ideas not fr, (Renouf) I 402 
Hermes civilized, as Thoth II 367 
Herodotus on II 332, 334, 368-9, 395-6, 429, 431-2, 534, 750 
India &, kindred nations II 417-18 
infested by winged serpents I 362 
influenced Eridu II 226 
Isis of, equal to male gods I 136n 
Isis-Osiris brought corn to II 364 
Isis-Osiris ruled, 75,000 years ago II 374n 
Jewish kabbalists ideas fr, & Chaldea II 240 
Kabiri of II 274 
land of fiery serpents II 212 
lost keys at fall of Memphis I 311 
lotus of, Holy of Holies I 385; II 472 
once covered w sea II 368 
Persia ever at war w II 393 
prehistoric race of II 432 
preserved Europe's history II 743 
recorded three inversions of poles II 353 
Semites in, 9,000 BC (Bunsen) I 115n 
Sun worship of, fr India II 379 
various invasions of I 311 
vast volume of inscriptions in II 793



Egyptian(s). See also Egypt
akasa, seven-fold heaven II 613 
alphabet older than Chinese I 307 
ancestors of II 328, 746, 750 
ancient, did not eat eggs I 366 
angels, planets, elements w II 115n 
Aryan &, esotericism I 227 &n 
astronomical records of I 650; II 620 
Atlantis greater than, civilization II 429-30 
Atlanto-Aryan origin of II 436, 743, 750 
atomic concepts fr Chaldeans I 117 
Babylonians &, quarried Sinai II 692 
bas-reliefs [HPB, Lucifer] II 558 
Book of Hermes on early, tombs II 506 
books burned by Diocletian II 763n 
brought zodiac fr India II 435 
canons of proportion I 208n 
cat sacred to I 304-5; II 552-3n 
civilized before Menes II 432 
concealed deity I 75n 
crocodile symbol I 219-21, 409-10; II 576-7 
cross among I 657; II 542, 557-8, 588 
dancing girls (Almeh) II 463 
descend fr Saturn or Lemuria II 768 
divine ancestors of man II 365 
documents incomplete (Maspero) I 436 
dynasties of I 266; II 436, 486 
Eastern Ethiopians or, (Herodotus) II 429 
egg symbol among I 359-60, 363-5 
Esoteric Buddhism on II 750 
Exodus story Atlantean II 426-9 
fathers of, (Haggard's She) II 317n 
fiery circle symbolic of kosmos II 357 
five fingers symbol II 458 
five "N's" of, & five races II 458 
Fohat key to, religion I 673 &n 
forgot much, altered nothing I 312 
fourfold destruction of world II 311 
gods & Jewish patriarchs I 655 
gods little understood I 104-5 
gods of, dual I 366-7 
gods, origin of II 769 
Great Bear Mother of Time I 227n 
Horus, an older & younger I 348 
idols in tombs of II 723 
initiates, initiation II 210n, 212, 215-16n, 379, 462, 558, 588 &n,
750 
Jewish language borrowed fr I 115n 
Jewish tabernacle same as I 125 
Jews "spoilt," of jewels, silver II 481 
Karnac of, & Carnac of Bretagne II 380 
keys to, lore hidden I xxxiv 
knew of extinct monsters II 713 
language-science [Skinner MS] I 313-14 
lipikas or forty assessors of I 104-5 
literature destroyed I xl-i 
lotus symbol I 379-80 &n; II 546 
magi & Atlantean magicians II 428 
man created 6,000 "years" ago (IU) I 340 &n 
"man of clay" story II 291 
Mars generative principle II 125n 
Menes, Manu, Minos, etc II 774n 
monotheism of, purely geographical I 675 
Moon as a cat I 304-5 
Mout, Mut I 91n 
mysteries based on number ten II 603 
mystery-god a serpent II 756 
Olcott taught by, initiate I xix 
among oldest of fifth race II 603 
pagan &, symbols in Synoptics I 384 
Paleolithic &, drawing II 718 
priests & Herodotus II 332 
priests bound by oaths II 763 
priests re Atlantis II 221, 371, 395 
prophesied Jehovah (de Rouge) I 399n 
Ptah divine spirit of I 353 
pyramids II 351-2 
reached England by land II 750 &n 
recorded 3 1/2 sidereal years II 332 
records complete II 395 
reincarnation taught by I 227; II 552 
religion I xxviii-ix, 10, 312 
remembered Poseidonis II 314 
rites of the soul I 135 
scarabaeus II 552 
Secret Doctrine in, papyri I 674 
seven & forty-nine fires worshiped by II 362 
seven constellations of I 408 
sevens in, thought I 236n, 436; II 582, 612, 617-18, 630-5 
seven souls of II 630-5 
seven stars of Great Bear II 631 
Solon given history of Greece by II 743 &n 
succession of worlds II 756 
Sun called "eye of Osiris" by II 25 
system of measures & Jewish I 312-13 
tau-cross of I 5, 321; II 30-1, 217, 542, 557 
taught masses myths, reality in Sanctuary I 366 
teachings about defunct I 228-9 
temples described (Clement) I 462 
tree & serpent worshipers I 403-11 
trinity II 462 
Vulcan greatest god w later II 390n 
wheat sacred to, priests II 374 
who are the I 115n 
year of sixty, thirty days II 620 
zodiac II 332, 431-3, 436 
zodiacal signs of I 408

============================

5. If this is indeed a talisman created using French Renaissance 
magical techniques, what is it supposed to do considering the elements

utilized within it?

=======================================================


DTB	from another writer in India

"Does your B.T.S. know the meaning of the white and black interlaced
triangles, of the Parent Society's seal that it has also adopted?
Shall I explain? -- the double triangle viewed by the Jewish Kabalists
as Solomon's Seal, is, as many of you doubtless know the Sri-antara of
the archaic Aryan Temple, the "mystery of Mysteries," a geometrical
synthesis of the whole occult doctrine. 

The two interlaced triangles are the Buddhangums of Creation. They
contain the "squaring of the circle," the "philosophical stone," the
great problems of Life and Death, and -- the Mystery of Evil. The
chela who can explain this sign from every one of its aspects -- is
virtually an adept. 

How is it then that the only one among you, who has come so near to
unravelling the mystery is also the only one who got none of her ideas
from books? Unconsciously she gives out -- to him who has the key --
the first syllable of the Ineffable name! Of course you know that the
double-triangle -- the Satkiri Chakram of Vishnu -- or the six-pointed
star, is the perfect seven. In all the old Sanskrit works -- Vedic and
Tantrik -- you find the number 6 mentioned more often than the 7 --
this last figure, the central point being implied, for it is the germ
of the six and their matrix. It is then thus . . . 

[At this point in the original there is a rough drawing of the
interlaced triangles inscribed in a circle. -- ED.]

-- the central point standing for seventh, and the circle, the
Mahakasha -- endless space -- for the seventh Universal Principle. In
one sense, both are viewed as Avalokitesvara, for they are
respectively the Macrocosm and the microcosm. 

The interlaced triangles -- the upper pointing one -- is Wisdom
concealed, and the downward pointing one -- Wisdom revealed (in the
phenomenal world). The circle indicates the bounding, circumscribing
quality of the All, the Universal Principle which, from any given
point expands so as to embrace all things, while embodying the
potentiality of every action in the Cosmos. 

As the point then is the centre round which the circle is traced --
they are identical and one, and though from the standpoint of Maya and
Avidya -- (illusion and ignorance) -- one is separated from the other
by the manifested triangle, the 3 sides of which represent the three
gunas -- finite attributes. In symbology the central point is Jivatma
(the 7th principle), and hence Avalokitesvara, the Kwan-Shai-yin, the
manifested "Voice" (or Logos), the germ point of manifested activity;
-- hence -- in the phraseology of the Christian Kabalists "the Son of
the Father and Mother," and agreeably to ours -- "the Self manifested
in Self -- Yih-sin, the "one form of existence," the child of
Dharmakaya (the universally diffused Essence), both male and female. 

Parabrahm or "Adi-Buddha" while acting through that germ point
outwardly as an active force, reacts from the circumference inwardly
as the Supreme but latent Potency. 

The double triangles symbolize the Great Passive and the Great Active;
the male and female; Purusha and Prakriti. Each triangle is a Trinity
because presenting a triple aspect. The white represents in its
straight lines: Gnanam -- (Knowledge); Gnata -- (the Knower); and
Gnayam -- (that which is known). The black-form, colour, and
substance, also the creative, preservative, and destructive forces and
are mutually correlating, etc., etc. 

Well may you admire and more should you wonder at the marvellous
lucidity of that remarkable seeress, who ignorant of Sanskrit or Pali,
and thus shut out from their metaphysical treasures, has yet seen a
great light shining from behind the dark bills of exoteric religions.
How, think you, did ...come to know that Adonai was the Son and not
the Father; or that the third Person of the Christian Trinity is --
female? 

Verily, they lay in that work several times their hands upon the
keystone of Occultism. Only does the lady -- who persists using
without an explanation the misleading term "God" in her writings --
know how nearly she comes up to our doctrine when saying: -- "Having
for Father, Spirit which is Life (the endless Circle or Parabrahm) and
for Mother the Great Deep, which is Substance (Prakriti in its
undifferentiated condition) -- Adonai possesses the potency of both
and wields the dual powers of all things." 

We would say triple, but in the sense as given this will do.
Pythagoras had a reason for never using the finite, useless figure --
2, and for altogether discarding it. 

The ONE, can, when manifesting, become only 3. The unmanifested when a
simple duality remains passive and concealed. The dual monad (the 7th
and 6th principles) has, in order to manifest itself as a Logos, the
"Kwan-shai-yin" to first become a triad (7th, 6th and half of the
5th); then, on the bosom of the "Great Deep" attracting within itself
the One Circle -- form out of it the perfect Square, thus "squaring
the circle" -- the greatest of all the mysteries, friend -- and
inscribing within the latter the -- WORD (the Ineffable name) --
otherwise the duality could never tarry as such, and would have to be
reabsorbed into the ONE. The "Deep" is Space -- both male and female.
"Purush (as Brahma) breathes in the Eternity: when 'he' in-breathes --
Prakriti (as manifested Substance) disappears in his bosom; when 'he'
out-breathes she reappears as Maya," says the Sloka. The One reality
is Mulaprakriti (undifferentiated Substance) -- the "Rootless root,"
the. . . MAHATMA LETTERS 345-7

------------------------------------------------------------


Best wishes, 

Dallas

PS

Another group of articles relevant to this subject may be noted

THEOSOPHICAL SYMBOLS WQJ Articles I p. 592

AUM	"	"	I p. 559  

WHAT IS THE UDGITHA? [AUM]	"	"	I p. 565

A COMMENTARY ON THE GAYATRI	"	I p. 583

[Published in a 2 Vol. series by the UNITED LODGE OF THEOSOPHISTS ]
 
STARS AND NUMBERS	H P B Articles III p. 401

============================

-----Original Message-----

From: Paul B
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 11:43 AM
To: various addresses
Subject: Mysterious Glyph, Theosophical Emblem, Keys of Solomon and
French Renaissance Magickal Talismans

Hello my name is Paul Bader and I am searching for information about
an 
unusual gravestone glyph. 

Pictures of this glyph and an account of my investigation into it thus

far can be found here:

It has some striking similarities to the emblem for the Theosophical 
Society, but I was recently informed that both this symbol as well as 
the Theosophical emblem may actually be derived from talismans based
on 
the Keys of Solomon.

1. How old is the emblem for the Theosophical Society? Was it
contrived 
in 1875 or at a later date?

2. Is this a symbol for a group, possibly an offshoot of the 
Theosophical Society?

3. What does A-O-P stand for?

4. What is the connection between Blavatsky, the Academy of Paris,  
Egypt, and Atlantis? 

5. If this is indeed a talisman created using French Renaissance 
magical techniques, what is it supposed to do considering the elements

utilized within it?

Constructive or insightful feedback is appreciated.
Thanks for your time and attention.

Best Regards,
Paul B