The Theosophical Seal - Canadian Theosophical Association

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The Theosophical Seal by Arthur M. Coon David", house of David; "Beth-le-hem", house of bread; "Beth-el", house of God, etc. D'Olivet gives it an additional meaning as signifying "mouth", the organ of sound or speech. We may even relate "Beth" to the human body in which dwells the spirit or life - the word "body" being derived from the root "bod", meaning abode or dwelling. The real correspondence (between the line and the letter "B") lies in its phonetic or sound value. We saw that the sound of the letter "A" was that of outgoing breath. AHH! became the first creative sound. We saw that there was a direct relationship between "breath" and spirit. These, like the point, are undefined and unlimited. The sound of the letter "B" is made in two steps. First the lips are lightly closed while a pressure of air is built up within the mouth. There is yet no sound. Then suddenly the mouth and lips are opened and the built-up internal pressure of air is ejected with a slight explosive force. The first creative force has taken shape, the first sound has become a word. This is exactly what the symbol of the line has meant - the bringing down of the creative force, the "Word made flesh". VOWEL AND CONSONANT This brings to light a most significant thought. We suggest that the relationship between the point and the line finds a correspondence in the relationship between vowel and consonant. In a sense vowels are like the point - they are sound only, without measure or limit. The point finds its definiteness,its meaning, its manifestation even, in the line. The sound of the vowel may correspond with force, energy or even life; but until that force or life is limited and measured by the consonant, it is still inarticulate as regards meaning, definition or form. The consonant thus becomes the line which establishes or fixes the limits or boundaries to the sound, and words come into being. Words are formed by the limitation of sound - measure, shaping , colouring sound to produce an idea. The power of sound becomes he wisdom of form. Sound must be, as it were, cut off into lengths and shaped in order to express meaning and wisdom. Sounds become articulate as they are hemmed in by consonants. The consonants of the alphabet are the limits or boundaries, actually the model into which the force or life, as expressed through the vowels, can be poured. As life must be expressed through form, so sound, to become articulate, requires the union of consonant and vowel. We think of the vowel as Spirit or Life represented by the Point; while the consonant suggest to us matter or form as measured by the Line. To epitomise our study of the Line symbol: God is within, as well as beyond His universe; for there is nothing outside of Him The Point in motion, becoming he Line, is the symbol of Spirit becoming matter Matter and Motion are essentially one. Time and Space are only those fragments of Eternity and Infinity which the Line can measure. Vowels to be articulate must be limited by consonants. Life to be cognized must be embodied in form. God created a universe by limiting His essential nature. A fragment of the Infinite descends from "Heaven" that an immortal soul may be born on "earth". Page 24
The Theosophical Seal by Arthur M. Coon THREE: THE SACRED NUMBER While a discussion of the number Three naturally preludes a study of the Interlaced Triangles, we feel that it cannot be entirely omitted from its natural sequence of position in the Divine Alphabet. For this reason this chapter will contain only those ideas necessary to preserve this continuity. The student is therefore referred to the later chapter of this book under the heading of "The Interlaced Triangles" for a more complete study. It will be impossible also to avoid certain repetitions of thoughts which seem equally necessary for the clarity of the subject under the headings of "A Divine Language" and "The Interlaced Triangles". In all Nature the word "finale" has no place. The end of a day, a season, a year is only the pause before the entrance of a new day, season or year. And yet the "new" day or year is not new except in the sense of being another segment in the procession of time. There are no new causes which do not have their roots in yesterday's events. Cause and effect operate continuously on al levels from the mental to the physical. Each day is not a new bead, separate from others on an endless thread. Nature's books are not closed with the ending of each season. The countless seeds and dormant things only await the returning warmth to continue their halted careers. Each morning brings with it yesterday's problems - solved or unsolved. We merely turn the page of our book; the plot is unbroken. We play our parts in a never-ending drama whose gamut spans the extremes of tragedy and comedy. Life has no final curtain. The causes set in motion yesterday become today's happenings; and today's decisions become tomorrow's directions- whether tomorrow be a day or an incarnation. Someone once remarked that if the final curtain at the conclusion of a tragedy were to be raised again, the audience would witness a comedy - and vice versa. These observations on the continuity of life and Nature are called forth by the realisation that the foregoing chapter of this book is in itself utterly incomplete; and this is because of the fact that the conclusions expressed therein are only half true. In that chapter nothing is settled, and the whole argument is left dangling in the air. It is as if in a play we rang down the final curtain on the second act instead of the third. This second act (chapter) presented merely the various threads of the plot (problem), not their solution. The intent of the present chapter will be to gather up these various loose threads and to indicate a direction and a purpose. The statement that all manifestation is dual is only half the story. Duality is a truism only as it is a process which leads to a third state. The first state is unity or being; the second is duality, which is becoming; the third state of triplicity is fulfilment or completion. I think it may truly be said that everything in the manifested universe, from our highest concept of Deity to a grain of sand,follows a threefold pattern. The geometrical figure which represents this truth is the triangle; and we may conclude that the triangle is the sign which is the third letter of our symbolical alphabet. We shall expect,therefore,to find a definite relationship between the triangle and the number three,and also, we may suggest, with the letter C (or G- Greek "Gamma", Hebrew "Gimel"). Before continuing our search for these associations and relationships, we shall first pause to consider certain problems left unanswered in our previous discussion. We said that "In the beginning" God in His act of creation, divided (or polarised) His nature into spirit-matter. The One becomes two. As a result of that separation (in the truest mystical sense, the Divine Sacrifice) manifestation comes into being; and Page 25
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The Theosophical Seal - Canadian Theosophical Association

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