The Tree and the Temple

Even at this point with only this most rudimentary introduction to the Tree and its meanings, we should realize that the “level” being spoken of here is not simply a part of everyday life. There are demands to be made and obligations are incurred every step along the way. The higher on the Tree one goes, the greater these become. Given the state of the Veil we may now traverse, it can be seen that once one dares go beyond Tipareth, one is exploring new ground, for few are they who have attained these heights. Few are they who have had to, up until now. The thrust of evolution, however, will ensure that there are travelers here, whether they feel comfortable there or not. Mankind must evolve and there are some who must move ahead and break new ground, who must cut new roads into the wilderness. And since this is new ground, we must proceed more slowly now. A new feeling fills the air, a new sense of anticipation animates us. Once past Tipareth and through the Veil of Paroketh, we arrive at the sphere of Geburah, or Severity, as it is commonly known. But, why should this Sephirah have meaning for us as Templars? Let us examine some of its correspondences and see what insights they reveal. As we gaze around, the first thing we notice about Geburah is its color: scarlet red. The color of arterial blood, yes, but also the color of our Templar cross. Perhaps a coincidental association and no more. I do not think so, for does not the Sixth Hermetic Axiom, the Principle of Cause and Effect, tell us that coincidence, or chance, is simply a name for Law not recognized? This is the fifth Sephriah on the Tree, so the number five now gains in significance. To Pythagoras, five is the number of man; it is also the number of health. The great 18th century mystic Louis Claude de Saint Martin, considered five an evil number, for it was the turning point between degeneration and regeneration. In modern numerology, however, the idea of change plays a more important role. Five is the number of constructive freedom; that is, freedom that liberates, not freedom that makes us a slave to our senses. The downside of modern thought on this number indicates that it is the number of physicality, and it appears often in conjunction with overindulgence and addiction. We can change for the better, we can change for the worse, yet the power to do so is in our five-fingered hands. The strong binding of the physical in conjunction with the number five brings a number of images to mind. Addiction, for example, is a form of power: the power of the drug over the body and will. The ability to change is a form of power: the acceptance of responsibility and the will to make it different. We should not be surprised then to learn that the vision of Geburah is the Vision of Power. Strangely enough, one of Geburah’s symbols hammers home this idea: the Pentagon. We in the United States in particular should seriously rethink the implications of this insight. Geburah is also associated with the planet Mars, the Fiery Initiator and Roman god of war. We begin to see the double-edged nature of this Sephirah; double-edged, like a sword, our Templar sword, a further symbol of this sphere. And, one last symbol that should be mentioned in this regard is the chain. Chains may bind us in prison, as we were at the suppression of our Order, but they also free us to bind together in harmony, cooperation and shared purpose. All the indications are before us, if we can only see and recognize them. Is there more this Sephirah can tell us about the Temple? Most certainly. Geburah is the sphere of the Warrior: positively, the one who conquers fear, negativity, the one who is cruel and destructive. The image of Geburah, a warrior in his chariot, tells us that our activity can go either way. Our orientation is upward; it is courage we must muster. Sure, we have known fear before: how else would we have survived the Terror of the Threshold, how could we have overcome the Devil and Death? But it flashes upon our mind that these are only representations of fear. Now, we must confront Fear itself – no mediation, no intermediaries, just Fear in its fullest essence. It is at this point that many feel that too much has been asked of them. “Why me?” is a question often heard. The challenges that arise in one’s life are demanding, and we find we must discard much of what we once considered to be things we could not live without. But again, it is this Sephirah that lends its name to the pillar formed by the three Sephiroth on the right side of the Tree: the Pillar of Severity. And severe it is. To sever and cut away all that is not necessary, the surgical solution, is associated with this sphere, it is the act that saves the patient, not the one that destroys him. But Geburah is also the right arm in man, the sword arm, and appropriately, we must learn to cut through the dilemmas and paradoxes confronting us. It was with the sword that Alexander the Great resolved the Gordian Knot. All this lets us suspect that there is another side to Geburah, one we should not ignore. All this action can give one the impression that activity is the keyword of this sphere, and it is, in a way, but the real power of this Sephirah is the power of negative activity. This is not the destruction that we too easily associate with the cutting away of the unneeded, rather it is a radical allowing-to-happen. Anyone who has children knows that there comes a time when you, as a parent, can no longer protect them from experiencing on their own. We must allow others to fail so that they may succeed later. Precluding failure in the short term is to doom another to failure in the long term. And it is in this sense – of allowing to happen – that negative activity takes shape. There is a radicality that is associated with Geburah, and this is not surprising when we learn that the Qabalists assign the Radical Intelligence to this Sephirah. Radical has gathered a good deal of negative connotation in our language over the years, but we should remember that etymologically it comes from the Latin word, radix, meaning root. Radical actually means going to the root of things. To rid our lawn of weeds, we must root them out. To eliminate what is unnecessary or undesirable, we must destroy the root. But it is our roots that give us a sense of permanence; just witness the increasing interest in our society in genealogy. We have come to a point in our evolution when our roots are important yet simultaneously a radical change is required. Physically our planet, for example, is faced with a crisis. Hard decisions must be made if we are to find our way out of this dilemma. It is our modem day Gordian Knot; Geburian solutions are required. Such is the first position in the Temple. Here we encounter the root from which all else will grow: the first point of the triangle. Courage, the conquering of fear; activity, but to know when not to intervene; power, the proper application to liberate, not enslave; in other words, the Warrior in his most positive characterization is what Geburah tells us about the Temple. Yet, Geburah cannot be fully understood without considering its complement, Chesed. Across the Tree it lies, a reflection of the Sephirah we just reviewed. As its name states, this is the Sphere of Mercy. Again, we are struck by its color. The pure blue of Chesed reminds us of the Vault of Heaven, the sky on a warm, summer’s day, but more importantly, this is the color of water, cool, life-giving water; the antithesis of the fires of Geburah. Blue is also the color of Jupiter, the rain-giving god, who is associated with this Sephirah. This may lead us to think that there is something fluid, perhaps unstable about Chesed, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is not fluid insubstantiality that characterizes the Sephirah, quite the contrary. Chesed is a solid, stable sphere, for it is the fourth Sephirah on the Tree. The number four has always indicated solidity and stability. The orb and sphere as symbols indicate these characteristics, but even more-so, the tetrahedron, the simplest and most symmetrical of the solid figures, that is also a symbol of Chesed. Even in modern numerological terms, four stands for order, service and responsibility. These are positive, enabling characteristics for the one who possesses them. We know that the Universe exhibits an impeccable order; chaos is not tolerated and quickly dissolved. In Service we reach our true Selves. It is Service to others that allows us to grow in stature to become enduring souls. Responsibility: what more be said? This is the key word for our age; this is the challenge with which we are all confronted. Not a day passes that the news and events of our world do not remind us that we must individually and collectively accept the responsibility for ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods, our communities, our nation, and the world. Unpleasant it may be, but there is no way around, it. Having conquered Fear in Geburah, however, strengthens our resolve to take on this challenge Chesed is a reflection of its counterpart across the Tree. Not the strenuous, dividing, cutting, severing action we just experienced, but rather compassionate, enduring, persevering action characterizes Chesed, for this is the sphere of positive activity. Not the king on his war horse in the midst of battle, but a king on his throne administering justice is the image of Chesed. But, the demands go beyond kingship. The lesson to be learned here is just as difficult, if not more so than that of Geburah: it is Love. “Love your enemies,” the Christ admonished us, and we realize that the ability to do this is a highly evolved one indeed. We may recognize the need to do so at any time, but to partake of the essence of Chesed is to be obligated to do so. It is not the warrior who accomplishes this feat of love, it is the holy man, and truly Chesed is the realm of the Chasidim (the wise ones). Finally, other symbols associated with this sphere reflect these ideas very well. We have the scepter, indicative of kingly authority; the wand, representing the will alignment of the magician; the (shepherd’s) crook, that brings to mind the 23rd Psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want….” And more significantly, the equal-armed cross. This particular form of the cross indicates balance and stability, so its association with Chesed is obvious. In balanced activity we find mercy and compassion. And like its counterpart, Chesed is the Sephirah that lends its name to the pillar on this side of the Tree, the Pillar of Mercy. Mercy is that which balances severity. Severity provides a counterbalance to mercy. However, we can only practice mercy when we “have all our stuff together”, to use the modem phraseology. We must be cohesive within our own natures, but also in that we follow a will that is higher than our own. Consequently, Chesed is associated with the Cohesive or Receptive Intelligence, for it is not my will, but Thy will that shall be done, on Earth (me) as it is in Heaven (Chesed). Obedience to this will is the virtue of this sphere, which brings us to its power, namely positive activity. Not the allowing to happen of Geburah, but the conscious, decisive, act is demanded here. In Chesed, we are called to action; we can no longer contemplate, reflect and observe. Our presence is required; our energy must be set in motion. We obey a higher Law. Such is the second position in the Temple. Here we encounter the sustenance for the growth begun in Geburah: we have reached the second point of the triangle. Love, of our friends, but also of our enemies; obedience, to a will and authority higher than our own; activity, the call to action; in other words, the Monk in his most positive characterization is what Chesed tells us of the Temple. When we consider these two important Sephiroth in relation to one another, how quickly we realize that it is the marrying of these two spheres, Geburah and Chesed, that yields the Templars’ most outward sign: the red equal-armed cross. Our first gift has been revealed. Later, we received our second, our sword, emblematic of Geburah and the initiation of action. But not just any activity will do. We have seen that both positive and negative activity are required. The balancing of severity and mercy in the active participation in life is the idea conveyed to us. The chain and tetrahedron may be outer reminders of this fact; but, we also have the inner ones, namely courage and obedience in Service to our love of humanity. At this level on the Tree, we should realize that we have transcended the realm of individuality. It is not the single entity that is so important any longer, although each individual must be as developed and strong as possible. But in passing Tipareth, this individuality is sacrificed; the ego is given up so that a higher purpose, a higher will may make itself manifest in our actions. We have the tools, the information, and the knowledge, but it remains for us to implement them. Geburah represents the warrior, Chesed the holy man, or monk. The union of these two Sephiroth, then, gives us the most classic characterization of the Templars of old: the warrior-­monk. The Tree confirms what the mundane world only suspects (7). What enables the Templar to carry out this tremendous task presented to him? What provides the connecting element between these two seemingly oppositional aspects of his nature? In reference to the Tree, of course, it would be the path that connects these two Sephiroth, so it is there that we shall look for our answers. And immediately forthcoming they are. The path connecting Geburah and Chesed is, significantly enough, the 19th Path on the Tree. Its color is yellow, the third primary color. It is represented by the Tarot card, Strength, which indicates how the balancing of the Sephiroth is to be gained. On this card we find a young woman crowned by infinity taming a lion. The woman represents compassion and gentleness; the symbol of infinity above her head tells us that time does not bind our actions as we most often feel. In other words, patience, endurance, and perseverance are what contribute to our inner strength. In depicting a woman, the card tells us that passivity and receptivity are the essential qualities in this endeavor. On the Tree these qualities are strategically placed between the two spheres of activity as a balancing element. Through inner receptivity we can temper our outward actions and best fulfill our mission in life. The lion she is taming, of course, represents our passions and our ego. That part of us that will be king. Noble, proud, and though at times rightfully so, this part of our makeup cannot be allowed to dominate our Selves. In controlling and directing, through gentle patience and in listening to the still, small voice, we can have dominion over even the most ferocious beast. The Nineteenth Path is known by Qabalists as the Intelligence of the Secret of all Spiritual Activity. How revealing for us as Templars! The great secret hidden here is that of the combination of the elements of Fire and Water. The secret is the resolution of the apparent paradox alluded to above. According to Qabalistic doctrine, the original Adam, archetypal Adam was created prior to the forming of the physical universe. As a result, human consciousness was therefore created prior to human beings, being brought forth in manifestation. This indicates that consciousness was formed so that it could then find expression in the physical. This should clue you into the role that the physical should play in our evolution. Not the rejection and debasing of matter is our charge, but its use in the expression of our most fundamental spirituality. We must truly be in this world, but not of it. This Tarot card of Strength is associated with the Hebrew letter Teth. This is a significant feature as well. This letter is the archetype of the primeval female energy that draws its life from Cheth and builds it gradually into structures. Can you see the significance of this letter for our mutual endeavor? Its number is nine, the number of completion (of which perfection is the ideal form) as well as of selfless humanitarianism. The letter itself represents the serpent, or Wisdom with which it is traditionally associated. Our strength, then, comes from wisdom, the other kind of knowing that enables us to act in the best manner for the most appropriate results. In ancient, or Sinatic, Hebrew, this letter was written as depicted below in Figure 3.

Actually, this incorporates two other Sinatic Hebrew letters. The circle comprising the outer border of the letter is Ayin, the eye (represented in Tarot by the Devil). The cross in the center is Tav, the cross, the mark of Cain (represented in the Tarot deck by the World). Contradictory information seems to be presented here, but it is only apparently so. When we have insight into the ways of the world, we know what inhibits our growth and what contributes to it. We know that any decision we make will be opposed in some way so that through the fire of resistance our resolve may be tested and tempered, that is made stronger in the end. We know we are protected, as was Cain, by a stern, yet benevolent Father, who will ensure that we acquire the experience necessary to grow and evolve. What wisdom is embodied in this simple letter! For it is Wisdom itself that enables us to do all these things. Knowing right from wrong; learning from our mistakes; acquiring experience as necessary to function even better in the world; having the insight necessary to distinguish the real from the illusory; all these are the basis of Wisdom, which imbues us with the Strength to act upon our responsibilities and tame our lower passions, so that we may marry the seeming oppositional aspects of our nature, hence we become the Warrior-Monk, the Templar. The foundation of the Temple has been laid. But we have arrived at a pivotal point once more, a crossroads, so to speak, in-keeping with the imagery of Teth. Having risen to the Sephirah of Chesed via Tipareth and Geburah, the same momentum has been established as in our movement from Yesod to Hod to Netzach before. The motion is the same; the level is now a higher one. If we simply follow the pattern thus established, we will return to Tipareth to begin the cycle again. This is tempting, to be sure, for the beauty and harmony, light and warmth of this sphere call to us offering respite from our labors. How secure and nurtured we felt there, how borne and protected. But we cannot go back; that is not our place. The Sephirah and its Orders should remain – for others – beacons of light and warmth for those who come after us. They are not our rewards. These Orders have a function and they serve it well, but it is not our function. At this point in our “evolution,.” we can afford no regression, regardless of how attractive it is. As a Templar, a certain loneliness overcomes us for we know that although together with our Brothers and Sisters, it is each of us, alone, for others, that must take the next step. But to where? When we “turn around,” as we did on the lower level, we are not greeted by the light and warmth across the great divide. No, darkness is there – an unfathomable Abyss, a veritable ocean of darkness. Into the Abyss we must go, but does that not mean certain death? Which way do we step? Where do we place our foot? How far must we go? How are we to negotiate our way in the darkness? Why are we the ones who must overcome this challenge? We are not saints, we are merely honest laborers. Why should we have to go through this anyway? Again, the Tree provides a map if we but only look. Let us consider what lies across this great Abyss and see if it is even worth striving for to begin with. After all, if nothing is there, perhaps we really do not have anything to do after all. Across the Abyss lie the three uppermost Sephiroth that constitute the Supernal Triad, or the realm of Absolute Creation. This area is normally beyond the access of mortal human beings, that is it cannot be attained, it is said, while still in physical form. Our earthly bodies, as we develop throughout our lives, are not of the right stuff to function in this upper realm. But we are still in physical form. How can we be expected to even survive the crossing? Have we transmuted our physical bodies into Garments of Light that we may survive in this realm? Doubt and uncertainty engulf us. But it is across the Abyss that our aspiration drives us. How are we to understand this? The next Sephirah on our journey would be Binah, so let us consider this more closely for a moment. Sephirah 3, Binah, or as it is known in English, Understanding, is worth more than just a moment’s reflection (cf. Figure 1, above). Understanding is not to be confused with comprehension. This latter ability is associated with Hod (8), or Splendor, the objective intellect, or as often stated today, the “left brain”. Inasmuch as Hod is in the same column as Understanding, it can be understood to be of the same essence but on a lower level. This is truly the relationship between Understanding and Comprehension. It will be noted, however, that Understanding is set somewhat apart from the lower portion of the Tree and this fact is of significance as well. The position of Understanding within the Supernal Triad is indicative of its lofty and spiritual nature. It is not a function of our brains, it is not a function of our physical natures at all, rather, it is a spiritual faculty that can be developed only after long and arduous study and application. Sephiroth that are sequentially close to one another have aspects that relate them. Hence, the connection between 3 and 4 exists by virtue of the fact that they follow one another in the sequence of emanation described earlier. If a close relation had been established between Geburah (5) and Chesed (4) before, why should not an analogous relationship exist here? To grasp what Understanding really is, we will need to examine the further characteristics of this Sephirah. In the highest of Qabalistic Worlds, in Atziluth, each Sephirah is associated with a God-Name. The name corresponding to Binah, Understanding, is Elohim (ALHIM). It will be remembered that in the Story of Creation as related in Chapter 1 of Genesis, it is Elohim who creates the Heaven and the Earth, who issues the Fiat Lux. Could this then be the beginning of all that is, of the physical earth as we know it? Further substantiation is added to this idea when we consider that the seven Sephiroth following Binah are often referred to as the Seven Days of Creation. The color of Binah is deep indigo or black. What a sorrowful color, most often associated with death and mourning. In fact, another name for Binah is the Sorrowful Mother, a name which brings out a further important fact. Binah is generally considered to be a feminine Sephirah. Through the Doctrine of Emanations we learn that each Sephirah contains within itself a dual nature. Each Sephirah expresses two polarities. To the Sephiroth which are higher than any particular one in the hierarchy, a Sephirah is considered female, or negative. To those below it in the hierarchy, it is considered male, or positive. Sephirah 1, Kether (Crown) is often considered neither. Chokmah (2) is the first male; consequently, Binah (3) is the great female. It is said that Chokmah (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding) are the parents of the Sun (Son) in Tipareth (Beauty). A relationship also worthy of our contemplation. Binah, then, becomes, the Great Dark Mother, the Great Sea from which all life issues. Binah is the giver of form, of life, but by the same token she is the giver of death, for all that is born into earthly form must die. The associations of sea, water, ocean and giver of life combined with the darkness and black color are important ones for us as Templars. The name Mary derives from the Latin word mare, which means “sea” or “ocean”. Our modern day words marine, maritime and similar constructions remind us of this fact. Mary is the mother of the Master Jesus. It was also a Mary (Magdalene) who found the empty tomb at Easter. It was Mary, not the band of disciples who witnessed the Crucifixion. At birth and at death, and yes, at the resurrection, we find the same person present. The Eternal and Infinite Mother, the Dark Mother, The Black Virgin. Is this not the same Our Lady (Notre Dame) revered by the Church, but are the Church Fathers aware of what actually is involved here? This is a most auspicious and significant realization. The Black Virgin plays an extremely important role in the Templar Tradition. The cathedrals of Notre Dame that are spread across the French countryside in a pattern, which correlates to the constellation of Virgo in the heavens, are all dedicated to Black Madonnas. The role of these Madonnas in the subsequent trials of the Templars should be recalled. The enigmatic nature of this figure should be well considered. It is not simply a matter of Christian knights heretically worshiping at the feet of some primitive earth goddess. No, my brothers and sisters, the Madonna as recognized in the Templar Tradition is an exalted and magnificent personage. Our early Templar brethren recognized her for what she truly is, the Mother of Our Savior, the Mother of us all. It is at this point that we can anchor our understanding of who we are as Chevalier. A symbol of some importance in relation to Binah, however, is the Vesica Piscis, or the pointed oval often seen in mystical illustrations. The Vesica Piscis is formed by the conjunction of two congruent circles whose circumferences pass through the middle points of one another. Figure 4 illustrates this construction. Study well this figure. Do you notice the fish symbol that is so often seen in today’s world. Did not the Christ come as a “Fisher of Men”? Was not the Christ the Great Teacher of the Piscean Age just passed? What is more, does not this figure remind one of the handwritten letter “I” in the English language. Again, we are being told much with such little effort. The Vesica Piscis is actually the bladder of the fish, literally translated, but its very shape is reminiscent of the womb, the organ of birth in man. In fact, it is in this capacity that we see it most often, for anything placed within the Vesica Piscis should be considered as issuing forth from the womb. One of the most profound and impressive of all the carvings to be found on the Cathedral of Notre Dame at Chartres is on the outer wall in the West. There, above the portal to the Cathedral, we find the Christ, seated on His throne and holding a book in his left hand, His right raised in benediction. He who has ears to hear let him hear, and who has eyes to see, let him see. But this is not all. Another symbol is associated with Binah that is of especial interest to us in our studies here. This is the Chalice, the Grail. (Oh, the very whispering of the word sends a shiver up my spine.) The association with Templarism is most obvious. Is it not the Grail towards which we strive? Is it not the Sacred Vessel, which eludes us most in our earthly lives? Is it not said that no one can attain to the Grail while in earthly form, the form given of the Great Mother? What more can be said of this most wondrous and glorious symbol? We know where the Grail lies, however, across the Abyss. Is it really out of reach for us mortals? We shall see directly.

One fact remains, however, and it should be impressed upon the mind of every reader. That toward which we strive lies across the Abyss. One false step and we plunge to our annihilation. One hesitant movement could mean instant destruction. We have no bridge as yet. We must make the Leap of Faith that has been so often described, so often portrayed, even though we know of no one who has made this leap and can tell us about it. Are we to despair after coming this far? Are we to give up now that our goal is in sight? I do not think so. I believe we have been given the keys to succeed, if we can only apply them in the proper manner. Such is the third position in the Temple. Here we encounter the Life Force that ensures our mission its success: we have reached the third point of the triangle. Faith, in knowledge of what lies out there in the dark ocean of life; Hope, that we may be worthy of a new birth into glory; Charity, in the knowledge that when we succeed it will be for the benefit of all the generations that follow; in other words, we have erected a true Temple in which we may Serve the Most High. This is what Binah tells us of the Temple. Our triangle has been formed; the manifestation is there. Is that all we know? Geometry has always played a significant role in Qabalistic mentation. The layout and design of the Tree is based on exacting, as well as symbolic, geometries. In our present age when scientific knowledge utilizes such fundamental ideas as the Theory of Relativity and the Uncertainty Principle, we are well-served to remember the stability provided by geometric relationships. If we look at the Tree, at the Sephiroth we have just considered, a simple relationship strikes our consciousness: the numbers of the Sephiroth: Three, Four, Five. What faint stirrings are those in our mind? What message is hidden in these numbers? We have looked at each and know they are significant each in its own way, but together? What could it be? But, of course, the 3-4-5 triangle, the famous 47th Proposition of Euclid (8). This is truly a special geometric figure. Figure 5 shows this in its formal form. According to the lore of Freemasonry, when Pythagoras grasped the meaning of this triangle, he shouted “Eureka”, which in Greek numerates to 534, the unit values of the triangle itself (9). What is so special about this triangle? It is said that this triangle summarizes the Great Work, according to the Hermetic philosopher Thomas Vaughn. Speaking of First Matter, he wrote in his Coelum Terra, “Some few (but such as know her very well) have written that she is not only one and three, but withal four and five, and this truth is essential.” Except for the Great Pyramid, no other symbol corresponds to this description. This description is rather obscure, to say the least, so let us examine this triangle more carefully to see what it may reveal to us. Inasmuch as alchemy is said to be an operation of the sun and moon, it seems that deities related to these heavenly bodies would find correspondence here. In fact, Osiris the Father and Horus the Son were both considered to be solar deities. Isis the Mother was a moon goddess. What is more, Isis is the mother of nature as well, and as such rules over the four elements of which this nature is composed, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. These elements play an important role in alchemy. Also, we are aware that the alchemist recognizes three principles in addition to these elements, namely Salt, Sulfur and Mercury. And each of these interacts with, influences and is influenced by the various kingdoms, such as mineral, vegetable, animal, and man, to which we may add a fifth, super-man. These three, four and five items can be placed on the triangle as shown in Figure 6 (see below). The three Principles belong to the Father, the Sun, while the four Elements are associated with the Mother, the Moon. The crossing of these yields the offspring, Horus, the Son (note the sounding of this word in English). Osiris and Isis beget Horus, who thereby completes the figure. This side of the triangle is comprised of five units, and we generally only recognize four kingdoms in esoteric studies, but we must recall to mind the old Qabalistic aphorism that states, “First the stone, then the plant, then the animal, then the man, and after man — the god.” Horus is the cosmic Life Spirit that ascends the evolutionary ladder of form just described. He becomes the symbol and example for us all. One kingdom emerges from the other until the last step is reached, and the Kingdom of God is attained. Of this Kingdom, the Christ had much to say. Have we heard His teaching? Are we true Knights in His service? It is this fifth and final kingdom that ultimately completes the triangle and brings the proposition to perfection.

Yet, it is not just the sides of this triangle that yield great information, we should look at the interior angles as well. The first which comes to our attention is the right angle of ninety degrees. In this conjunction we should recall the Theorem of Thales that demonstrates that any angle formed by connecting the ends of a diameter of a circle with any point on the circumference will yield an angle of 90°. This is illustrated in Figure 7. What this theorem illustrates so cogently is that every right angle binds us back to the center of the circle. GOD Himself has been described in various circle metaphors. In any true Temple the participants negotiate corners by always cutting sharp, right angles in their path. Can you not see that this seemingly insignificant act is a restatement of the fundamental maxim that all has but One Source? All religion, all knowledge, all esoteric teachings are attempts to raise this singular point into our waking consciousness. Pythagoras’ triangle, of course, could not be without such a significance. What is more, 90 is the number of the Hebrew letter mem, Water, which confirms the alchemical aphorism, “Our Sun and Moon are conjoined in our Water.” Need more be said?

For all intents and purposes, the angle formed by the junction of the base and the hypotenuse, the Isis and Horus lines, is 37˚. This number is of particular importance in Christian secret doctrine. Many of the names and epithets attributed to the Christ in the New Testament are multiples of 37. According to Bond and Lea in their book Apostolic Gnosisthere are more than 500 examples of Greek gematria corresponding to 2368, the number of “Jesus Christ” in Greek, which is 37 x 64 (10) As Templars, we have a special relationship to Christ, of course, for we were knighted in His service. Moreover, the number 37 has more far-reaching meanings. In Greek, the name given to the Ark of Moses (11)as well as to the Ark of the Covenant, is he thibe. Both, like the Christ, are Saviors, in a sense. Moses was saved from death by his ark; the Israelites were saved by their Ark, which bore their sacred books. In Hebrew, 37 is the number of “Abel”, the younger son of Adam who was killed by his brother Cain. In many theological circles, Abel was held to he the prototype of Christ.

The hypotenuse of this triangle formed of the angle of 37˚ reveals even further insight into the wisdom contained in this figure. This segment begins, as was said, at the junction of the Isis and Horus lines. As a representation of the evolutionary ladder, it makes sense that the first segment on this line represents the mineral kingdom. If an arc were to be drawn from this dividing point to the base line, it would intersect the base at the end of the Earth segment. Hence we see that inorganic life is composed primarily of the earth. The second segment represents the vegetable kingdom. The arc drawn from this dividing point intersects the base at the end of the Air segment. This shows us how the plants are rooted in the earth, but strive upward through the air, whose toxins they convert into oxygen. The third segment on the hypotenuse represents the animal kingdom. The arc drawn would intersect the base at the end of the Water segment. The main Element comprising the animal body is water, and the blood, the fluid aspect of our bodies, is considered in many schools of thought to be the bearer of the soul. The fourth segment on the hypotenuse, then, is man, the crown of creation. Man, as represented here, is the “natural man” referred to by Saint Paul, the genus homo sapiens of the biologist. Although evolved from the preceding kingdoms, we can depict his relation to nature as before by drawing an arc through the base of the triangle. Here we notice that this arc intersects with the point forming the right angle, namely the juncture of the moon and sun lines. This is at the end of the segment marked Fire, and it is man who is the only animal that has mastered the use of fire. What is more, he is the only creature who can understand the secret of generation represented by the union of Osiris and Isis. Man has the power to understand, to penetrate the mysteries of nature, life, and death. But not all men have evolved to this point. It is only in the upper portion of this segment that such individuals exist. So, where does that leave us, the Knights of the Temple? We still have not completed the last step to the apex of the triangle. To do so means evolving to the kingdom of the super man, it means the realization of the Kingdom of God on earth. The angles of 53˚, that corresponds to the angle of the apex of the Great Pyramid itself, exists for now only in potential, not in reality. It is completed, the triangle is brought to perfection, when the final step is made. This, my Brothers and Sisters, is the Leap of Faith mentioned earlier. If we overlay the triangle upon the Tree, we realize that our journey has brought us to the Sephirah of Chesed, the point of intersection of the base and hypotenuse. We are standing firmly rooted in the field of matter; we know, however, that a spiritualization must occur for us to take the final step and return to the Great Mother of our veneration. It is not a far off heaven and paradise after death. We are being told quite clearly that our obligation is to spiritualize matter such that this final step can be made. Someone must take the Leap of Faith so that a permanent bridge may be built for those who follow. At that time an order not of this world is open to us. It is us as Templars, my Brothers and Sisters, who have been chosen to build this bridge. We must show the way, so that others will take heart and take the leap for themselves. The Pythagorean Triangle, is the key to our mission. Christ gives us the direction; the ancient wisdom tells us the distance. We cannot fail to miss our mark, but we must act now. We have the knowledge, and knowledge obligates. This may have been known to our brethren of old, for it was they who used the twelve knotted rope (giving thirteen segments) to construct the cathedrals to the Virgin (Notre Dame), like their predecessors in ancient times, the Egyptians, who used it in the construction of the Pyramids, the other related symbol. We should not overlook the evidence. We should recognize the tools that we have been given. We should rejoice in our knowledge, even if we must still struggle to raise our faith to a commensurate level. The knowledge has been there all along; but now the time has come to act.