The Circle and the Point ... the 9 and the 0

‘Basics of Symbols, the Language of Unity’
by Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet (Thea)

The Circle is truly the most beautiful of symbols, the most perfect of forms. It contains all the Knowledge and from it we can understand everything in creation, because as a symbol it represents Creation itself, the Divine Mother, the complete Manifestation.


It is the representation of a unified multiplicity, and at the same time therefore it is the symbol of Unity, because we cannot conceive of unity without the ingredient of multiplicity. Beyond all this, the Circle indicates to us not only outer creation but that which is its very breath and essence, the substance of the entire Manifestation, and thus it is for us the closest symbolic representation of Consciousness, and of Love. If we can capture the essence of Love in a symbol, it can only be done by the Circle.
Hence the Circle is the only means for representing the Divine Mother in symbol form to man, because her essence is Love, the essence of Creation is Love, and all things arise, progress, evolve within and return to the origin of Love. She is Consciousness.
By dwelling in silence on the symbol and all its possible divisions, we can receive the true knowledge and wisdom, because it is all contained therein, – and as we penetrate its secrets, or better said, as it reveals its many faces, we come to realise that all forms are contained in the Circle, all emanate from it, all ultimately evolve into it, in it there is neither beginning nor end, nor any one stage of its progression which is outstanding or prevalent over the Whole. It is a total and unified, simultaneous movement, where without the vision of unity and wholeness, its secrets can never come forth, because its secret is Unity.
The 360° of its face are only understood when each degree is known to contain the entire 360°, and each degree within those 360° within that degree, again contains the whole 360°, and so on into infinity and eternity. Therefore it is the symbol of the Infinite and Eternal in Manifestation. It contains the knowledge of that which carries us beyond time and space. It is the Eternal Now.
The Circle is Perfection because it gives birth and growth to all things and knows the precise place and position of all things within the All, each element being in perfect relation to each other element, for each thing is made perfect by the consciousness of its place and meaning and indispensability in the symphony of the Whole. The Circle gives us the understanding of the rightness of all things, which is Perfection.
Its number is 9. ...

[Thea goes on to discuss the square, the triangle and the line, all born of the circle, and then the Point or Dot.]


Here we have the final symbol, the Dot, or Point, which represents the absorption of the All, of Creation, into its Origin. The Point is therefore the Origin. It is material creation sucked back into the Source, a dissolving of the manifestation into the ocean of its Origin. The Dot is thus equal to the Circle. It is the Circle, just as each degree or dot of the Circle represents the entire Circle, and consequently the Dot contains all and any possibility of manifestation of creation. The Circle cannot be comprehended without the knowledge of the Dot, and likewise the Dot is the key to the Circle. Both are equal and the entire display of symbols between the two represents the various stages in the play between the Father (Point) and the Mother (Circle).
The number of the Point is Zero, and as the Point breathes out the Circle which contains all the forms, so the 0 contains all the possibilities of numbers. All numbers spring from the 0, none would have their being without this essential Naught. No number can be comprehended unless there is an understanding of the 0. But the 0 and the 9 are equal, and with the understanding of either, there is the immediate understanding of the other. In this sense it is impossible to conceive of inhalation or exhalation separately as breath. Both constitute breath, and thus in this way we can say the Point represents the Divine Breath, and all the stages from this Point, through to the 9, or the circle, are different phases of the Supreme’s Breath.
We speak of the Point as the symbol of the divine Breath, but in reality it represents the suspension between inhalation and exhalation, the diastole, while the Circle is the suspension between the exhale and the inhale, the systole. The 0 Point sythesises the out-going movement, and the 9 or Circle synthesises the in-going. Both together are the fullest symbolic representation of Unity man can conceive of, and joined in this way they give us the symbol of the Sun, our representation of the Divine, in the realm of Ideas as well as in the physical universe.
As symbols they are equal, and also numerologically they are equal. In between them there are the Square, the Triangle, and the Line, or the numbers 4, 3 and 2, which together also equal 9. As numbers, these contain the wisdom of the Ages.
It is this key therefore, the 9 – and its silent partner, the 0 – which is capable of unraveling the mysteries of the Universe, the knowledge of the Divine Mother, and the essence of Unity. …

© Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet, 1973-75

*All the articles but two of [Symbols and the Question of Unity] have appeared in Mother India, the monthly cultural review of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, India, from January, 1973 to January, 1974

Additional Notes: The first 3 images are as portrayed in the original. I have added the last image of the Sun Symbol and Circle of 9. Symbols and the Question of Unity includes further discussion of the Circle of 9, the enneagram and the 9 planets of our solar system. Here is an image from page 125 of SQU wherein the 9 planets are seen in relation to the 9 numbers of the our number system, and the Circle of 9. Note that the root base of the symbol of Pluto, the 9th planet, is the Sun Symbol itself ... the Sun is the 0 of the system.

Related Articles/Books:
* 'The Vedic Circle of 9 and 0' (by Thea)
* The Gnostic Circle (by Thea)
* 'Spiral Dynamics - The Swirl of 6 and 9' (by Lori)
* 'The Geometry and Superstructure of Time' (by Lori)
* 'The Zero, the Veda and the Divine Measure of the Year' (by Thea)

T O   S H O W E R   T H I S   B L O G / P O S T  with   W E B   L O V E 
S H A R E   IT  using  A N Y  of  the  I C O N S  below  

Comments

  1. I love this post Lori for many reasons!

    When I was a kid-self, one evening I drew a large circle in the sand than stood in the middle of it skyward gazing at the star-studded canopy. The longer I stood, the more I felt this mysterious inner - pulling...
    Around the edges of my awareness, a fleeting sense of wanting to know something 'immense' but didn't know how to form the question!
    By then I learned how to fly in lucid dream-states and taught myself how to stand on air by stepping off of chair with my sibblings looking on, but I had no idea I had a "soul".
    Go figure, eh? (I'm allowed to say "eh" 'cos I live in Canada:)

    I don't want to be long-winded, but will say that I have had my share of a direct "sacred geometry" (includng the triangle) experiences, as well the # 9, which I scribble about in my blog.
    I'm looking forward to reading more of what Thea teaches (never heard of her)
    Great blog Lori! Greetings to folks who hang out here:)

    (If curious about my spirit-adventures pls. visit my blog @
    www.spiritspeaks-theofilia.blogspot.com)

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  2. Hi Theofilia, I'm glad you liked this post ...I look forward to reading more of of you 'scribblings'. You may really enjoy Thea's book 'The Gnostic Circle'. Here's a link to the BOOK ...

    And here's a link to a larger image of The Gnostic Circle.

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  3. Thank you Lori for the links, I will def check it out.

    T

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  4. Dearest Lori,

    I found your blog based upon my current studies of the WORKS of Thea. I have read The Gnostic Circle, The Hidden Manna, Symbols and the Question of Unity, Time and Imperishability, and I am currently in the middle of Volume II of The New Way. I possess Volume III of The New Way as well as Sri Aurobindo's book, The Life Divine.

    I was lead to this study as an extention of Gurdjieff's work on The Enneagram Legominism. It seems that the Gnostic Circle is very much tied to The Enneagram.

    Anyway, all of this work is tied to what Thea calls The TIME SPIRIT, represented by The Planet Saturn. My Guide, if you can call IT THAT revealed to my consciousness much of what Thea has written about. All of this became very important to me during the beginning of 2009 and has unfolded more fully in this the first quarter of 2010.

    I am particularly interested in the IMPACT of The Supreme Power Point of 2010 and what IT portends for Humanity in the HERE and NOW.

    As with so many things dealing with SPIRIT, I can FEEL the IMPORTANTANCE, but I can not fully articulate IT. I wish to be able to articulate it so that IT may be fully GROUNDED in my consciousness and thus in my environment.

    What I am seeking is further ILLUMINATION and COOROBORATION as to my own PERSONAL EXPERIENCE and where this is all leading. At this MOMENT I feel the EFFECTS of The RESURRECTION within the ENVIRONMENT as comes each year at the commencement of SPRING, but this TIME, IT is more REAL to me than EVER BEFORE.

    I seek your guidance in terms of OTHER MATERIAL for my studies. I will of course take full advantage of The RESOURCE that is your BLOG, but perhaps there is more. Might you direct me to where that MORE may be found?

    I wish to thank you in advance for your assistance in this MATTER.

    With Great LOVE,

    Q

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  5. Dearest Lori,

    Please forgive my anonymous comment previous sent earlier this day. I have signed up for your webblog as a follower (via a google account) and you may contact me via email at: jimquinape@comcast.net.

    Thanks again,

    With Great LOVE,

    Q

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  6. Hi Q/Jimquinape ... it's so very nice to hear from you about your yoga/quest. As to the question of MORE ... For starters, Thea has a blog which she is frequently posting to these days. It's called Puranic Cosmology Updated (it's on the blog roll/link list in the right margin of this blog). Also Thea's 'The Magical Carousel & Commentaries' is important in terms of understanding the orderly evolutionary play that is described by the zodiac and that is lived in the course of time. If you like, I can also give your name/email to Thea's main Aeon Group office support can send you any notices that go out to her mailing list.

    At some point in my studies (I think after I had read most of Thea's books) I began to read 'The Mother's Agendas', which were fabulous ... as were The Synthesis of Yoga, Secrets of the Veda and Savitri. That's a pretty hefty reading list!

    If I were you I would read up on Thea's blog, say Hi to her maybe... and I would read 'The Magical Carousel', perhaps after 'The New Way 1 & 2'. As to the other books mentioned ... and as to your wanting to be able to express what your learning, just see where the treasure hunt leads you. You know??? One question or one answer or experience or impulse leads to another question and answer and experience and impulse and the treasures seem to unfold in the appropriate order as meant for you.

    I began writing about this work pretty early on in my studies, mainly because I learn/integrate a lot in the process of writing and like you I wanted to be able to express what I was learning. Plenty of stuff I've written was destined for the trash can. Thankfully I've been able to run much of what I've written by Thea, in order to check my understanding and correct misunderstandings. She has been an invaluable and formidable reality check when it comes to gauging my progress or lack of it.

    I look forward to hearing of your journey and of how your yoga unfolds.

    With Love, Lori

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  7. "The Circle gives us the understanding of the rightness of all things, which is Perfection."


    The spring-like, spiralling nature of the procession of Time is only perceived as a circle or ring from one specific perspective, an 'end-on' point of view, as it were.

    If Spirit were left to encounter itself in an infinite circle or ring then All would be well as Spirit would Love itself perfectly but the Time aspect of Matter prevents Spirit from perfectly encountering itself by 'pulling' it along an endless series of time-planes, or 'slices' along the length of the spring, so the 0/9 points never share the same 'slice' of time-space. The 0 is always one 'revolution' away from the 9, imperceptible when viewed 'end-on' as a circle not a spiral.

    Matter is the Point being 'pulled' by Time and Spirit is constantly 'circling' Matter trying to 'catch-up' or reconnect to the Spirit trapped or involved in Matter.

    If Time is eliminated by negation then there is no more 'pulling' and the 0/9 points permanently reside in the same time-plane or 'slice', effectively collapsing the 'spring' into a 'ring', releasing the involved Spirit and wholly integrating the 'circling' Spirit with itself in the Perfect Infinity of Unity.

    Make any sense?

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  8. RE: '... the Time aspect of Matter prevents Spirit from perfectly encountering itself by 'pulling' it along an endless series of time-planes.' Sounds like you're negating Time? ... as so many people have been prone to do for thousands of years thinking this is progress in the spiritual journey. If you really read and study the Supramental Descent/Gnosic, you will come to understand that there is a higher perception of Time to be attained, a Supramental vision of time, a simultaneous holding of all three times as ONE. Which is discussed in one way or another by Sri Aurobindo, the Mother and Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet. If you truly believe that Time prevents matter from experiencing itself, you are very much barking up the wrong yogic lineage. A profound IGNORANCE of how Time is a power, an active function/expression the hidden one, hidden spirit in matter ... or IGNORANCE of how Time IS consciousness-force separates the dynamism of our Material Creation from Spirit. This is a real fork in the road issue. The negation of Time route is one (similar to or parallel to the negation of Matter), the integration and Gnosis of Time is another. Your choice, but I have NO INTEREST in the former. To me it is absolutely, and literally, a DEAD END.

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  9. Blimey, Lori!
    You don't pull your punches either, do you?

    "If you truly believe that Time prevents matter from experiencing itself..."
    That's not what I wrote. Time prevents Spirit from experiencing itself, you even quoted that!

    "Time IS consciousness-force separates the dynamism of our Material Creation from Spirit."
    That is precisely what I said, Time separates ... Material Creation from Spirit. How have you managed to misinterpret what I wrote?

    "A profound IGNORANCE of how Time is a power, an active function/expression the hidden one, hidden spirit in matter..."
    I understand Time is a power but what part does it play in the creation of Matter and the polarization of Matter & Spirit? Is Time Spirit? Is that what Thea means by the Time-Spirit? And if Time is Spirit, in what aspect is it different from Matter? Am I over-analysing this, is it simpler than I'm making it?

    I've had far too much on my plate over the last 12 months, Lori. I've just about gone from zero to non-zero and you've got 12 years study on me, don't forget. Still, I thank you for your patience... and Time.

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  10. The sentence should have read: "If you truly believe that 'the Time aspect of Matter prevents Spirit from perfectly encountering itself' you are very much barking up the wrong yogic lineage". I stand by that one, just because people do tend to have certain mental ideas about Time/Space/Spirit/Matter that they can't give up and that is fine, it's just most of these ideas are going to bar one from entry into the wonderful consciousness of the Supramental yogis. I don't mince words because why waste anyone's time? I sense that your Mind is trying to hold on to certain ideas that are going to prevent you from progressing. So I try to lay out the choice to be made. But of course the choice needs to be based on YOUR living into a new experience of these things, rather than faith in someone's words.

    I believe you have misunderstood the following sentence of mine (because of the way I constructed it): 'A profound IGNORANCE of how Time is a power, an active function/expression the hidden one, hidden spirit in matter ... or IGNORANCE of how Time IS consciousness-force[,] separates the dynamism of our Material Creation from Spirit.' I am not saying that Time separates the dynamism of Material Creation from Spirit (which you paraphrased above as 'Time separates ... Material Creation from Spirit'). I am say that our prevailing Ignorance of Time FALSELY separates the dynamism of Material Creation from Spirit.

    Regarding Time-Spirit ... that is what I mean when I wrote 'Time IS consciousness-force', it is the dynamic power of the soul of matter ... of the Individual as well as of the Cosmos. This is obviously not how the Mind experiences Time or Matter, but this is what needs to change in the evolutionary movement towards the Supramental Consciousness.

    Your mind, it seems to me, is holding Time and Matter and Spirit as separate, they are not. They function as a complete and integral whole. Something in your mind needs to give way to a more integral experience and understanding of these things. It is not a figuring and hashing it out (via the mind's reasoning) as much as a melting of the mind's limitations/obstructions, and seeing things anew, from the perspective of the Point/Soul.

    As always, do not take what I write personally ... I am not the best guide I think. I am not so patient and want to focus instead of going from 'slow to fast' to 'fast to faster'. I also think it is good for the student to have to progress in his/her studies regardless of an absence of support for the ego's structures (what it wants bolstered and secured). You know? Be tenacious ... with your studies, with your will to understand. Mostly I think you just need to read and contemplate and observe you life in the context/framework of the Vedic Journey as laid out in The Gnostic Circle and The Magical Carousel (and whatever else of the Supramental yogis you can get your paws on), and see what you learn. Life lessons or progressive initiations will naturally happen in your life (to the tune of the Earth's year and her harmonies) leading you in the right direction if you are focused on realizing Truth-Consciousness.

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  11. Continued from above...

    In the early days of my contact with PNB, she recommended that I read 'Letters on Yoga' by Sri Aurobindo to help me understand the right poise for the Individual. It was helpful as have been all works by Sri Aurobindo, The Mother and PNB. Just take in what you can, when you can. But if you want to make serious progress, it takes some serious focus. Like any practice, if there is no serious and real effort there is not serious and real result. It all depends on what you want to know/realize, what you want to practice. It can't be externally imposed, you know? People come in with certain quests. I think this particular quest to know something of the Supramental Consciousness, to see it in the world, is very difficult for the ego and for the mind ... for their divisive impulses. That is just a given. One has to REVERSE the egoic mental impulses of division and complexity (moving outward - away from the Center, away from the Point) and establish movement towards the common Center of all creation, which is Simpler beyond what the complex mind apparently cares to consider.

    Check out p. 126 of The Gnostic Circle about the Point and the Circle ... the Soul and the Universe ... the Microcosm and Macrocosm. I hope to post it on this blog if PNB allows, but you have the book so you can access it there.

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  12. "I don't mince words because why waste anyone's time?" It wasn't a criticism, quite the contrary.

    I don't think I have any fixed mental ideas about Time/Space/Spirit/Matter as my earlier post demonstrates nor could I accurately define any one of them. Sorting that lot out would seem to be somewhat above my current pay grade so I think I'll leave them alone… for now.

    "As always, do not take what I write personally … I am not the best guide I think." Would my Psychic mislead me, Lori? I don't think so. It's very good, though it does insist on directing one's attention, whether free of not.

    "People come in with certain quests." I didn't walk in, Lori, I was thrown in, head first with no preconceived ideas about the Supramental Consciousness, I'd never even heard of it or any of the Players. It's ok, I wasn't very busy before. I'm not complaining, it's been a thoroughly engaging & rewarding time with such a vast body of work to digest too, I haven't even looked at the Mother's writing yet and the majority of Sri Aurobindo's work is still unread. I really haven't got a clue what I'm doing you know, you may have noticed! Maybe I shouldn't think too much about it all, as you say.

    Thanks for the Gnostic Circle reference, it certainly gave a definite focus to recent events. I have read the whole book before now but probably with an unhealthy over-skepticism. I'm from a council estate in the north of England, there's not much call for the esoteric or the occult.

    I sincerely hope I haven't offended or pestered you too much over the past year, you've been very patient & tolerant. I must have seemed like some kind of internet stalker at times, you do hear about these things don't you? I still have two more years' worth of your blog to read yet so don't think I'm going anywhere any time soon! I promise to keep my comments to 2 per month... ish.

    Thanks again for everything, Lori. So far...
    Ian

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