This article is extensive, Please scroll down to the various sections, like 9/9/9
Click here for Article One about the Philosopher's Stone and Egg
Article Two is The Forgotten Friar Who Claimed The Monas Was His
Article Three's about How I Have Walked in Their Footsteps
Article Five is on Cosmopolitics and Statecraft
Article Six is about The Two Bacons
Click here for Article One about the Philosopher's Stone and Egg
Article Two is The Forgotten Friar Who Claimed The Monas Was His
Article Three's about How I Have Walked in Their Footsteps
Article Five is on Cosmopolitics and Statecraft
Article Six is about The Two Bacons
Numbers: Mathematics, Meaning and Mystery
The Pythagorean philosopher Philolaus is quoted as saying:
"All things which can be known have number; for it is not possible
that without number anything can be either conceived or known."
that without number anything can be either conceived or known."
Almanacco Perpetuo (1600s)
The quote above is correct, without number we would have no system of measure, and without measure we cannot identify form, quantity, or time. Indeed, the operating system of Mother Nature appears to be founded on number, and when we make a study of number, we uncover many of her laws and secrets.
We must never forget though that all number derives from the Sun as without the Sun, and the Sun/Earth relationship, there would be no life and no measure of a day. The Sun (Sol) illuminates Earth's satellite, the Moon (Luna), which since time immemorial man observed and ascribed the term "moonths" due to the trinity of the Sun/ Earth/Moon relationship. This later became the word months.
Before I offer you a few more of my thoughts on number - and there is already a complete exposition in my book, The Secret Work of an Age - a little clarity about the study of numbers may be helpful.
We must never forget though that all number derives from the Sun as without the Sun, and the Sun/Earth relationship, there would be no life and no measure of a day. The Sun (Sol) illuminates Earth's satellite, the Moon (Luna), which since time immemorial man observed and ascribed the term "moonths" due to the trinity of the Sun/ Earth/Moon relationship. This later became the word months.
Before I offer you a few more of my thoughts on number - and there is already a complete exposition in my book, The Secret Work of an Age - a little clarity about the study of numbers may be helpful.
Robert Fludd (1624)
The Three Branches of Number Study
The overarching word for the study of number is Mathematics, but within this term we can find many branches. When we are discussing number magic or mysticism the three main ones are:
Arithmetic. This forms the practical foundation. It is the mathematical examination of numbers and their properties, including fundamental operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This aspect of Maths provides the essential tools for calculations, problem-solving, and applications in the material world.
Alongside this exists Arithmology. This is the study of the mystical and symbolic significance of numbers. Deeply rooted in ancient wisdom traditions, Arithmology investigates how numbers correspond to spiritual, philosophical, and cosmic principles. The early Greeks, particularly the Pythagoreans, saw profound connections between numbers, geometry, and music, believing that numerical relationships revealed the very harmony and structure of the universe. Intervals, ratios and other relationships are of great significance, showing that numbers don't just provide us with quantity or form (such as depth, width, and height), but also represent qualitative forces that express cosmic truths.
Complementing these approaches is a third branch: Arithmancy (sometimes called numerology). This is the divinatory art of using numbers to unveil hidden truths, predict events, or gain insight into character and destiny. This practice finds expression in various esoteric systems worldwide, from Western Gematria* (where Hebrew letters correspond to numbers) to Eastern traditions that assign profound significance to numerical patterns.
The overarching word for the study of number is Mathematics, but within this term we can find many branches. When we are discussing number magic or mysticism the three main ones are:
Arithmetic. This forms the practical foundation. It is the mathematical examination of numbers and their properties, including fundamental operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This aspect of Maths provides the essential tools for calculations, problem-solving, and applications in the material world.
Alongside this exists Arithmology. This is the study of the mystical and symbolic significance of numbers. Deeply rooted in ancient wisdom traditions, Arithmology investigates how numbers correspond to spiritual, philosophical, and cosmic principles. The early Greeks, particularly the Pythagoreans, saw profound connections between numbers, geometry, and music, believing that numerical relationships revealed the very harmony and structure of the universe. Intervals, ratios and other relationships are of great significance, showing that numbers don't just provide us with quantity or form (such as depth, width, and height), but also represent qualitative forces that express cosmic truths.
Complementing these approaches is a third branch: Arithmancy (sometimes called numerology). This is the divinatory art of using numbers to unveil hidden truths, predict events, or gain insight into character and destiny. This practice finds expression in various esoteric systems worldwide, from Western Gematria* (where Hebrew letters correspond to numbers) to Eastern traditions that assign profound significance to numerical patterns.
Pietro Bongo. Numerorum Mysteria (1591)
Numbers in Esoteric Traditions
The symbolism of numbers forms a cornerstone of magical and occult philosophy and some forms of cryptography. These three approaches - arithmetic, arithmology and arithmancy - offered complementary windows into the power of numbers. They allowed the philosophers and adepts to engage with these universal symbols on practical, philosophical, and mystical levels simultaneously.
In Kabbalistic tradition, numbers reveal the architecture of creation itself. In alchemy, numerical correspondences guide the stages of transformation. In astrology, we find divisions of 360° into 12 signs of the zodiac and further divisions into Decans and Lunar Mansions. In sacred geometry, certain numbers manifest as patterns that appear throughout nature, art, and cosmic design.
Mathematics forms the basis of Music. It is also vital for Navigation, Horology, Astronomy, Astrology, Architecture, Economics and many more disciplines. In modern life, mathematics underpins computing.
Geometry bridges the worlds of arithmetic and arithmology. While it exists as a mathematical discipline studying spatial relationships and forms, sacred geometry belongs firmly within the arithmological tradition. Sacred geometry reveals "the Mind of God" and how certain numerical proportions (like the Golden Ratio) manifest in physical forms throughout nature and cosmos, embodying divine principles in visual patterns. The Flower of Life, Metatron's Cube, and the Vesica Piscis are geometric expressions of numerical mysticism, demonstrating how arithmology finds expression through geometric forms - all of which is discussed in my book.
Dr. John Dee: Renaissance MathMagician
It may interest you to know that the Mathematical Magus, Dr. John Dee, played a significant role in shaping mathematical education during the 1500s. He had written and reworked Maths textbooks and he wrote the Mathematical Preface to the English translation of Euclid's "Elements". Interestingly, John Dee signed his name with a triangle, as the Delta triangle represents the 4th letter of our alphabet, which is D (Dee).
You can read about Dr. Dee. and the number symbolism and geometry within his Monas Hieroglyphica, in more detail via this great PDF. Perhaps, come back to click on it as there is more to say here first!
The symbolism of numbers forms a cornerstone of magical and occult philosophy and some forms of cryptography. These three approaches - arithmetic, arithmology and arithmancy - offered complementary windows into the power of numbers. They allowed the philosophers and adepts to engage with these universal symbols on practical, philosophical, and mystical levels simultaneously.
In Kabbalistic tradition, numbers reveal the architecture of creation itself. In alchemy, numerical correspondences guide the stages of transformation. In astrology, we find divisions of 360° into 12 signs of the zodiac and further divisions into Decans and Lunar Mansions. In sacred geometry, certain numbers manifest as patterns that appear throughout nature, art, and cosmic design.
Mathematics forms the basis of Music. It is also vital for Navigation, Horology, Astronomy, Astrology, Architecture, Economics and many more disciplines. In modern life, mathematics underpins computing.
Geometry bridges the worlds of arithmetic and arithmology. While it exists as a mathematical discipline studying spatial relationships and forms, sacred geometry belongs firmly within the arithmological tradition. Sacred geometry reveals "the Mind of God" and how certain numerical proportions (like the Golden Ratio) manifest in physical forms throughout nature and cosmos, embodying divine principles in visual patterns. The Flower of Life, Metatron's Cube, and the Vesica Piscis are geometric expressions of numerical mysticism, demonstrating how arithmology finds expression through geometric forms - all of which is discussed in my book.
Dr. John Dee: Renaissance MathMagician
It may interest you to know that the Mathematical Magus, Dr. John Dee, played a significant role in shaping mathematical education during the 1500s. He had written and reworked Maths textbooks and he wrote the Mathematical Preface to the English translation of Euclid's "Elements". Interestingly, John Dee signed his name with a triangle, as the Delta triangle represents the 4th letter of our alphabet, which is D (Dee).
You can read about Dr. Dee. and the number symbolism and geometry within his Monas Hieroglyphica, in more detail via this great PDF. Perhaps, come back to click on it as there is more to say here first!
Jim Egan's PDF - a brilliant read for the mathematically minded. Click on image
As mentioned in other articles on this site, including this one which discussed how the authorship of the Monas was called into question, Dee's Monas is a masterpiece of symbolic thought, blending the philosophical depth of arithmology with the mystical insights of arithmancy. It's a perfect example of how numbers can transcend their practical use to become vehicles for profound exploration.
The Mystery of 9/9/9
I notice that Dan Brown has a new Robert Langdon novel coming out in September, and in the promotional materials, emphasis is being placed on the date 9 September 2025. I was recently asked what I make of this.
Click link to order - this is not an affiliate link
Well, I don't know how, or if, Mr Brown will be weaving this date into his fictional novel, but as the writer of a non-fiction book on the language of symbolism (symbology), a book which contains extensive revelations about the use of number in the mystery tradition, I can tell you that 9 September 2025 can be written as 9/9/9. This is because 2025 reduces to 9 (2+0+2+5=9).
Whenever you have three of anything, you are looking at triangles, trigons, and trinities -the three in one (unity) - again, all is explained in my book in which I also talk about Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. They were Imperial Mathematicians in Bohemia (Prague) and as Court Astronomers/Astrologers, they studied all aspects of the heavens. We know they particularly focused on the cycles of Jupiter and Saturn. Kepler plotted into a circle how these two planets move in trigons.
As an astrologer/astronomer myself, I explain how the three close conjunctions (the closest in arcminutes since 0 CE) 1226, 1623, 2020, are seen as particularly important to the march of civilisational change and to Rosicrucians, whose aim it was to reform society by spreading knowledge. The conjunctions of the 1600s and especially the one in 2020 were important, which is why The Secret Work of an Age was launched on that date, 21 Dec 2020, and why images of Kepler, Dee, Prague (and the human brain) featured in my promotional video.
Whenever you have three of anything, you are looking at triangles, trigons, and trinities -the three in one (unity) - again, all is explained in my book in which I also talk about Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. They were Imperial Mathematicians in Bohemia (Prague) and as Court Astronomers/Astrologers, they studied all aspects of the heavens. We know they particularly focused on the cycles of Jupiter and Saturn. Kepler plotted into a circle how these two planets move in trigons.
As an astrologer/astronomer myself, I explain how the three close conjunctions (the closest in arcminutes since 0 CE) 1226, 1623, 2020, are seen as particularly important to the march of civilisational change and to Rosicrucians, whose aim it was to reform society by spreading knowledge. The conjunctions of the 1600s and especially the one in 2020 were important, which is why The Secret Work of an Age was launched on that date, 21 Dec 2020, and why images of Kepler, Dee, Prague (and the human brain) featured in my promotional video.
Jupiter Saturn conjunctions were known about for millennia but Johannes Kepler was the first to place them in a circle
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Closest conjunctions in arc minutes. Click to go to the paper for a comprehensive overview
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Astrological signs in which Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions occur. Image: Astroseek. Click to visit
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The promotional material for Dan Brown's latest book says the new Robert Langdon adventure is to be set in Prague, so what could the triple 9's refer to if it is a date deliberately chosen for the launch?
We'll have to wait and see, but I do know that Emperor Charles IV, was deeply interested in astrology and numerology. He laid the foundation stone for the Charles Bridge at precisely 5:31 AM on July 9, 1357 - a date chosen for its symmetrical (palindromic) numerical sequence: 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1. This has 9 in the middle.
Palindromes in words and number have been in use for millennia. Here is a Rotas-sator square dating back to between 165-256 CE
Summer ended on 9/9 back then (before calendar changes) and Autumn began on 10 Sep. The four seasons were very important to the alchemists and occult philosophers attached to the Royal Courts, but the mystical properties of the number 9 include that it is the sum of the first 9 numbers: 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9=45. 45 degrees is a semisquare and 4+5=9.
Mathematically, 9 is unique because any number multiplied by 9 and then reduced to a single digit always returns to 9 (e.g., 9×2=18 then reduce the 18, so 1+8=9). This gives 9 an association with eternity and the infinite.
Esoterically speaking, 9 was revered as it is one digit away from the double digits of 10, where the cycle of 0-9 repeats to a greater magnitude. The 9 symbolism therefore equates to the state before 10 (9+1) representing spirituality, finality, and completion before a new cycle, era, or "Godhead" is reached. The number 10 comprises the binary 0 and 1, representing dual unity (opposites which cannot be separated). 10 represents The All, The Master, Initiation, and this is "1 beyond the 9."
In Kabbalah, 9 represents the sephirah Yesod, Hebrew YSVD (Foundation) on the Tree of Life. This is linked to Luna, the Moon, and to the collective unconscious - the ancestral wisdom that connects us all. In Norse mythology, there are nine worlds, and in sacred geometry, the Ennead (the Greek number 9 is εννέα (ennéa), pronounced "en-NAY-a" )is a group of 9 principles symbolising unity and divine order and can be linked to musical octaves.
Mathematically, 9 is unique because any number multiplied by 9 and then reduced to a single digit always returns to 9 (e.g., 9×2=18 then reduce the 18, so 1+8=9). This gives 9 an association with eternity and the infinite.
Esoterically speaking, 9 was revered as it is one digit away from the double digits of 10, where the cycle of 0-9 repeats to a greater magnitude. The 9 symbolism therefore equates to the state before 10 (9+1) representing spirituality, finality, and completion before a new cycle, era, or "Godhead" is reached. The number 10 comprises the binary 0 and 1, representing dual unity (opposites which cannot be separated). 10 represents The All, The Master, Initiation, and this is "1 beyond the 9."
In Kabbalah, 9 represents the sephirah Yesod, Hebrew YSVD (Foundation) on the Tree of Life. This is linked to Luna, the Moon, and to the collective unconscious - the ancestral wisdom that connects us all. In Norse mythology, there are nine worlds, and in sacred geometry, the Ennead (the Greek number 9 is εννέα (ennéa), pronounced "en-NAY-a" )is a group of 9 principles symbolising unity and divine order and can be linked to musical octaves.
The Ennead as an octave
Notice though that 9/9/9 is 27:
- 27.3 days is a lunar cycle and links to Lunar mansions (Nakshatras), and Saturn makes one cycle in approximately 27 years
- 2+7 sums to 9, and 9 is 3×3 (Three Times Three)
- T = Truth, so it cryptologically and mystically represents Triple Truth, just like Hermes Trismegistus (Three times Great Hermes)
- Three cubed is the triple triad: 3×3×3 = 27, which is written as 3³
- Cubes have highly esoteric symbolism - again see my book!
In Prague, after the Battle of White Mountain, 27 Czech Protestant leaders were executed in Prague's Old Town Square on June 21, 1621. This event marked a turning point in Czech history, symbolising the suppression of Protestant resistance and the consolidation of Habsburg rule.
Triangular numbers and sacred geometry also form part of the Star Villa design in Prague.
Triangular numbers and sacred geometry also form part of the Star Villa design in Prague.
The "Star Villa" in Prague
9/9/9 as well as 27 if cubed (9x9x9) sums to 729, which reduces to 9.
Magic Squares and the Power of 9
A 3×3 Magic Square utilises all the numbers 1-9, with all rows, columns, and diagonals summing to 15. All the numbers 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9=45, and 4+5=9.
Or looked at another way, there are 3 rows summing to 15; 3×15=45, which sums to 9.
The Magic Square is "Magic" because you can reflect it, rotate it, and flip it in different ways. Reflection or symmetry is another way that number is used. If you flip the Aries symbol that Dee chose for the base of his Monas - a flattened version of the number 3 pointing downwards - and put them upright and mirror them, you can see two (so 33) touching each other to make two circles. They loved playing around with shapes and number in this way.
Image credit: Jim Egan. Click to view more
You can have other numbers in the 9 squares; for example, the numbers 11-19 would have 15 in the middle:
18 11 16
13 15 17
14 19 12
Each row, column, or diagonal sums to 45. 4+5=9.
Magic squares were used as talismans or for sigils, and the 3×3 square (9 positions) is predominantly linked to the planet Saturn - the planet of time and chronology (Chronos), wisdom, old age, melancholia, Fathers, structure (including our skeleton), the colours black and grey, the Earth sign Capricorn, and Saturnalia (the winter solstice).
Nine can also refer to the Nine Muses or the nine celestial spheres.
Dr. John Dee and other occult philosophers venerated the number 9, as did Nikola Tesla, who is famously quoted as saying (although nowhere confirmed beyond doubt):
"If you only knew the magnificence of the 3, 6, and 9, then you would have the key to the universe."
Athanasius Kircher also discusses these numbers and magic squares in his book Arithmologia.
In truth, the mystery lies in the trinity of 3 (of which 6 and 9 are multiples).
In his Monas Hieroglyphica, John Dee famously explains how the 3-letter word for Light (LUX) is encoded in the cross, LVX summing to a grand total of 252, which if you add those digits together comes to... you guessed it, 9. This was his Magistral number.
Also note 999 reflected/flipped is 666.
252 is also a number revered by Buckminster Fuller. It is palindromic and also linked to 2520 and to atomism (see the Jim Egan PDF link further up).
I hope you found this interesting. It's certainly given you a lot to chew on regarding number. I am really looking forward to seeing what Dan Brown writes about. In my next article there is another mention of September 9th and I will be looking at a 'Secret' book in which number was used to determine who might win or lose military battles. This was known as 'Casting out Nines'. Please check back for Article 5.
In truth, the mystery lies in the trinity of 3 (of which 6 and 9 are multiples).
In his Monas Hieroglyphica, John Dee famously explains how the 3-letter word for Light (LUX) is encoded in the cross, LVX summing to a grand total of 252, which if you add those digits together comes to... you guessed it, 9. This was his Magistral number.
Also note 999 reflected/flipped is 666.
252 is also a number revered by Buckminster Fuller. It is palindromic and also linked to 2520 and to atomism (see the Jim Egan PDF link further up).
I hope you found this interesting. It's certainly given you a lot to chew on regarding number. I am really looking forward to seeing what Dan Brown writes about. In my next article there is another mention of September 9th and I will be looking at a 'Secret' book in which number was used to determine who might win or lose military battles. This was known as 'Casting out Nines'. Please check back for Article 5.
It is now finished and is here.
Update: 22 May 2025
I have come across some other images from my picture library. The first pertains to the squares of nine (Image 1). Shakespeare also reinforced the importance of 'Thrice three' 3 x 3 (9) (Image 2) and if you reflect an entire row of numbers and subtract them they will sum to 3x3x3 (27) which reduces to 9 (Image 3). There is even more in my book!
Also check out the work of the English scientist, physician, alchemist, and Rosicrucian, Robert Fludd (1574–1637).
Update: 22 May 2025
I have come across some other images from my picture library. The first pertains to the squares of nine (Image 1). Shakespeare also reinforced the importance of 'Thrice three' 3 x 3 (9) (Image 2) and if you reflect an entire row of numbers and subtract them they will sum to 3x3x3 (27) which reduces to 9 (Image 3). There is even more in my book!
Also check out the work of the English scientist, physician, alchemist, and Rosicrucian, Robert Fludd (1574–1637).
Image 1. Squares of Nine
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Image 2. From Macbeth
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Image 3. Number magic! Reflection/inversion of numbers
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Robert Fludd - Memory Palace and the Spiritual Brain. Wellcome Collection. Click link for licence
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Along with others such as Albertus Magnus and Giordano Bruno, Fludd studied the art of memory - Ars Memoriae - which were memory techniques using letters, numbers and images and visualisation - known today as Mnemonics.
In the medieval and Renaissance memory treatises, metaphors were used. For example, the head/brain might be described as the 'shut palace of the King' (a mind with many rooms). These were early studies in consciousness, but also a great aid in a time when writing something down might end up with you losing your life (like Bruno). If a method could be developed to allow a person to accurately memorise information, then instead of sending a secret missive that may be intercepted, they could rely on memory.
I believe this is what John Dee's Holy Table was - a sophisticated way of encoding and retrieving sensitive information.
See my next article which includes information on Casting out the Nines to determine fate.
Notes:
*Gematria operates primarily as a specialised technique within arithmancy, though it draws heavily from arithmological principles. This alphanumerical system assigns numerical values to letters, words, and phrases, revealing hidden connections between seemingly unrelated concepts.
In Hebrew Gematria, Greek Isopsephy, Arabic Abjad numerals, and similar systems in other traditions, words with equal numerical values are understood to share mystical connections. Gematria serves both as a key to scriptural interpretation and as a divinatory method for unlocking hidden meanings, and it can be used quite deliberately to conceal information, at which point it becomes a form of Cryptography.
In case you think I am choosing to write about number now to jump on the bandwagon of Dan Brown's book launch in a few months time, let me just say in closing you are partly right! My book is non-fiction and those who enjoy Dan's novels may find this article through searches and choose to learn more about Symbology. I would also just add that the segue to the final chapter of my 2020 book, which I deliberately ensured was Chapter 9 (for arithmological reasons) is below:
*Gematria operates primarily as a specialised technique within arithmancy, though it draws heavily from arithmological principles. This alphanumerical system assigns numerical values to letters, words, and phrases, revealing hidden connections between seemingly unrelated concepts.
In Hebrew Gematria, Greek Isopsephy, Arabic Abjad numerals, and similar systems in other traditions, words with equal numerical values are understood to share mystical connections. Gematria serves both as a key to scriptural interpretation and as a divinatory method for unlocking hidden meanings, and it can be used quite deliberately to conceal information, at which point it becomes a form of Cryptography.
In case you think I am choosing to write about number now to jump on the bandwagon of Dan Brown's book launch in a few months time, let me just say in closing you are partly right! My book is non-fiction and those who enjoy Dan's novels may find this article through searches and choose to learn more about Symbology. I would also just add that the segue to the final chapter of my 2020 book, which I deliberately ensured was Chapter 9 (for arithmological reasons) is below:
From The Secret Work of an Age: Piercing the Veil
In the original ebook version I also made 'The Secret of all Secrets' the subtitle of Chapter 9.
I did send a link to my ebook version for his attention in 2021. Later, when it became a paperback, I sent a hardcopy of the book as I believed it would make great fodder for a new Robert Langdon novel. I didn't hear back, from any of my multiple attempts to different addresses, but I sincerely think that those who enjoy Dan Brown's Robert Langdon books will find mine of great interest. Smaller authors often get pushed out by the titans but generosity of spirit always wins out, and there is room for everyone to be heard in the 'transmission of the flame'. I look forward to reading The Secret of Secrets and seeing how Dan has woven symbology into a new plotline.
Tycho Brahe was the Imperial Mathematician in Prague. Here he is shown in his observatory Uranienborg (Uraniborg) in Hven, Sweden. It was Denmark back then. It is dedicated to Urania the Muse of Astronomy
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