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DAHulse: Controversy Over the Original Alphabet

To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.magick.serious,alt.divination
From: nagasiva 
Subject: DAHulse: Controversy Over the Original Alphabet
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 06:18:36 GMT

[from thelema93-l@yahoogroups.com: David Allen Hulse" ]

So much has been debated on this issue already that I was tempted to 
ignore this controversy. However, I have spent the last 30 years 
investigating the symbolism latent in isopsephic alphabets (i.e., 
alphabets that are both phonetic and numerical). One point that I 
would like to raise is the evolution of the mysticism of number 
symbolism. Cuneiform, Phoenician, Hebrew, Greek, Coptic, Arabic, 
Sanskrit and Tibetan did not have a number system independent of 
their distinct alphabets. The alphabet was used for such prosaic 
numberings as coinage, land measurement, page numbering, etc. As such 

the alphabet served as a number scheme before anyone discovered the 
latent harmonies in measuring the values of word, phrases, verses, et 
al. The mysticism came after the establishment of the alphabet values 
and not before.

It is a personal mysticism aimed solely at the user. This mysticism 
had the potential of opening up two channels: (1) to one's higher 
self, and (2) to the Godhead. The interpretations offered by these 
codes are always subjective, and they offer a gate to transcendent 
awareness. But they are not the transcendent consciousness, but 
merely the pointers to that state. Many other magical and mystical 
tools can point the user to these higher states of consciousness. But 
the number lore commonly referred to as gematria is capable of 
pushing the individual to new heights of awareness.

This tradition was definitely in Babylon, but it was not in Egypt. 
Egypt's mysticism of numbers came from the measurement of monuments 
and the symmetry of the engraved hieroglyphs. But the alphabet 
symbolism that we are so familiar with in Greek and Hebrew did not 
exist in Egypt.

Another argument I would like to posit is the difference between 
gematria obtained in Greek or Hebrew. The values given to the Greek 
language by the traditional Greek number code cannot possibly define 
the first 100 numbers accurately.  Hebrew is much more flexible in 
attributing number values to words  valued in the range of 1-20. But, 
Sanskrit is the most powerful language of all when reduced to numbers 
for defining the first 100 numbers.

Modern numerology is a degeneration of the classical languages 
possessing number value. Modern numerology came about in the last 300 
years when the metaphors for the number range beyond 1-9 were lost to 
time. Then and only then did numerology come into prominence.
Finally, anything can be produced by number analysis. It is a system 
open to such rampant abuse, especially if the user is always trying 
to force certain pet numbers on the subject (such as 93, 418, 666, 
etc.) However, if treated with respect, this technique can allow 
transcendent information to come into the personal sphere of 
existence. When trying to discover the true number value of any 
concept, one must be aware that every number is infinite, valid, and 
instructive.

copyright David Allen Hulse 2002

EOF

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