THE LIGHT OF NUMBERS - 4

4 - BASIC ORIENTATION

BASIC ORIENTATION IN THE GIVEN LIVING ENVIRONMENT AND HANDLING IT. COMPREHENSION

How we approach the number 4 through the wisdom of human subconsciousness

* Orientation in space: the 4 cardinal directions - north, south, east, west,4 quadrants.

* Orientation in time, based on the weather: 4 seasons - spring, summer, autumn, winter.

* Orientation in time based on the Moon: 4 lunar phases.

* Orientation in time based on the Sun: 4 solar phases - 2 solstices and 2 equinoxes.

* The symbolism of controlling the environment by the local ruler: "the guardians of the 4 directions", 4 lions in India and Persia, a tall obelisk with 4 sides in Egypt.

* The symbolism of controlling the environment by force: a 4-pointed star - NATO, a 4-pointed star composed of linden flowers - the Czech Republic Police.

* Spiritual orientation: The Buddha spoke of 4 basic noble truths. Zoroastrians speak of 4 main periods in the history of the world. In Hinduism, Brahma has 4 faces, Buddhist mysticism works with 4 levels of self-realisation.

* The place where we dwell is our home, in other words, it's a place in which we are well orientated. We call it "quarters" (quartus = fourth, or quattuor = four in Latin, "Quartier" = living quarters in German.

* To be able to orient oneself, to be able to understand the number 4 principles on the symbolic level.

* The symbolism of the 4 has always been associated with the square, which has 4 sides and 4 RIGHT angles. Throughout history, the square or the RIGHT angle always symbolised sovereignty and firm anchorage in the RIGHT(truth. Something that cannot be easily moved or changed. Druids and scholars in Ancient China used the square as the symbol of the planet Earth. The symbolism of RIGHT (authenticity) (and RIGHT angle) has remained alive to this day. For instance, when we say that something is "right", or by saying "the right teaching", we mean it is both true and correct.

* Symbolism of the shape of the number 4. The symbolism of the triangle with transcendence (vertical-Heaven and horizontal-Earth)

* if the dynamics of the duality (2) forces us to solve the "conflict" of duality by forcing us to act (3), then this action leads us to orientation and comprehension (4). The triangle, as the action number 3, on the symbolic level, leads to higher transcendence, to orientation. The transcendence of the triangle divides the given environment into 4 quadrants. The number 4 therefore symbolically simultaneously contains the triangle with its transcendence and the division into quadrants.

4

After the number 3 we should be able to start playing our DEVELOPMENTAL life game. Gradually ﬁ nding out about the rules and possibilities of the game, step by step, we can become conscious participants and conscious creators of it. But to do so, it is necessary to ﬁ nd your feet, get yourself orientated, anchor yourself properly and, through self-development, learn about the essence of the living environment. The number 4 principles of the necessity of orientation in our restricting level of being in matter, originate in the number 3 principles. If we wanted to symbolically express our restricting principles, we could do so by using 'restricted' line segments. If we wanted to show that we started with the number 3, we could use three line segments. We've just acquired a triangle. It will form a part of the number 4. The symbolism of the 4, or four quadrants, four directions, four signposts, four lions, four arrows, four-pointed star, etc. It has always been an ancient symbol of rulers, who by using these, told the world that the ruler was well oriented and reigned over a large area - in all four cardinal directions - all quadrants. We also orient ourselves on a map by using the four cardinal directions. By that, the ruler announced to the world his sovereign reign over the given area, over the given living environment. This is why law enforcement departments today, for example, the police and others, use stars pointing in all cardinal directions as their symbols. Four directions, symbolised by the 4, or four quadrants, have always been linked with control, subjugation and orientation.

The NATO logo and the Czech Republic Police logo

For example, we express orientation in time through four yearly seasons, or through four signiﬁ cant positions of the Sun during the Earth's orbit - two equinoxes and two solstices. There are four lunar phases of the moon. The Buddha spoke of four basic noble truths. Zoroastrians speak of four main periods in the history of the world. In the beginning, there was something called Brahma. Learning about the world means looking into Brahma's face. Ancient Buddhists say that Brahma has four faces. And ancient Buddhist mysticism works with four stages of enlightenment. In other words, knowing how to orient oneself means, using the principles of the number 4, on a symbolic level.

The symbolism of the 4 has always been linked to the square, which has 4 sides and four RIGHT angles. The square or the RIGHT angle always symbolised sovereignty and ﬁ rm anchorage in the RIGHT (truth). The symbolism of RIGHT (authenticity) (and RIGHT angle) has remained alive until today. For instance, when we say that something is 'RIGHT', e.g. by saying 'the right teaching' we mean it is both true and right. The number 4 originates in the number 3. Let's try to symbolically combine these basic principles: the principle of 'pointing in the four cardinal directions' = the cross of four quadrants. Next, the principle 'the third one is above the two' = the triangle and also the principle of the limitations of the given environment = the line segment. Let us draw the active (triangular) entrance of our spirit in the symbolism of four directions.

We acquired the number 4

The principles of both the number 3 and the line-segment are represented by a triangle. The oblique part of the development triangle can really symbolise the shift of the Spirit's focus onto a speciﬁ c environment. The development triangle is then logically placed directly between the line segments of four quadrants. And where is the third triangle vertex being formed? This third point (the observer and executor) is directly in the middle of the crossing quadrants. It's brilliant symbolism. The number 4, which we acquired through this, is both sealed (thanks to its shape) and open (thanks to its ﬁ nal effect and transcendence). It therefore offers another developmental potential. If we managed to consciously enter into the physical living environment, then we would already know that the next developmental process takes place in the opposite (antipole) sphere. The principles of Cognition and orientation in the opposite sphere should by symbolised by the opposing number 4. Shall we try to turn the 4 upside down? Let's do it, we're just playing and creating. If we turn the other number 4 'upside down' and join it with the ﬁ rst one, then we get a perfect, mutually connected, encircled shape with a signiﬁ cant message: 'Exploring both UP and DOWN'.

by interconnecting the exploration of both physical and spiritual spheres

we acquire a perfect, encircled, developmental shape.

If we realise the principles symbolised by two 4s (through exploring both UP - 4 and DOWN - 4) and if we understand this through the context of Exploring Unity (1), then we acquire a value symbolised by the number 9 (1 + 4 + 4 = 9), which is a symbol of the highest human spiritual Cognition on the planet Earth.

SUMMARY

Numerical Symbol: FOUR

The number 4 principles: LEARNING, ORIENTATION AND ANCHORING IN THE GIVEN LIVING ENVIRONMENT. EXPLORATION TAKING PLACE IN BOTH SPHERES OF EXISTENCE IS REPEATED IN A CYCLICAL PATTERN.

The shape of the numerical symbol: TRIANGLE INSERTED INTO FOUR QUADRANTS

Qualities of the shape: THE TRIANGULAR DEVELOPMENTAL AREA INCORPORATES THE PROCESS OF COGNITION. TWO OVERLAPPING LINESEGMENTS INDICATE THAT THE SAME DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES EVEN IN THE OPPOSING SPHERE. INTERCONNECTION OF THE TWO OPPOSING NUMBER 4s GIVES RISE TO PERFECT ENCIRCLING OF TWO TRIANGLES.

THE NUMERICAL STORY OF CREATION:

0. AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING THERE WAS UNMANIFESTED POTENTIAL OF THE ABSOLUTE

1. A SPECIFIC AND UNIFORM PURPOSE HAS EMERGED FROM THE UNMANIFESTED POTENTIAL OF THE ABSOLUTE.

2. THE PURPOSE GAVE RISE TO THE 'PLAYING FIELD' WHERE THE 'GAME' WILL 'TAKE PLACE'. IT BROUGHT FORTH THE PRINCIPLES OF DUALITY.

3. PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIVING BEINGS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF 'THE THIRD ONE IS ABOVE THE TWO' WERE CREATED. DUALITY PERCEIVED FROM THE THIRD POSITION, THE INTERCONNECTING POSITION OF DISTANCE AND IMPARTIALITY. DEVELOPMENT, ACTION, BALANCING.

4. CONSCIOUS BEINGS TRY TO BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO DIFFERENT SPHERES OF EXISTENCE IN A CYCLICAL PATTERN.