“To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a season to every purpose under heaven”
(Pete Seeger)
The lyrics of the song, Turn! Turn! Turn! “were taken from a passage from the book of Ecclesiastes (3: 1-8) in The Bible. They were rearranged and paired with Seeger’s music to make the song. In a 1988 interview with Paul Zollo, Seeger explained: ‘I don’t read the Bible that often. I leaf through it occasionally and I’m amazed by the foolishness at times and the wisdom at other times. I call it the greatest book of folklore ever given. Not that there isn’t a lot of wisdom in it. You can trace the history of people poetically’ ” (www.songfacts.com).
The final sentence of this quote speaks wisdom of its own. Each and every bit of wisdom to this day is built upon wisdom past: beyond written record, beyond oral tradition, beyond geographic and cultural boundaries, and beyond any perceived point of creation we can comprehend. Is it possible wisdom predates humanity and its construct of time, spiraling into the Universal Consciousness (UC) itself?
If so, I am left with a visualization based on the fifth Hermetic Principle of Rhythm. This principle embodies the truth that “Everything flows out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates” (The Kybalion).
Another Hermetic Principle, one of Polarity, embodies the truth that “Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled” (The Kybalion). This is the fourth principle of seven.
The third Hermetic Principle, the principle of Vibration, embodies the truth “Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates” (The Kybalion). One movement evident in nature is a spiraling vibration. Combine the fourth Hermetic Principle of Polarity with the three mentioned and one might easily conceptualize a double helix. As the double helix dances, one spiral travels inward toward an inner Universal wisdom. An outward spiral expands simultaneously manifesting an outer Universal wisdom.
Upon the outward spiral we might translate an experience and an expanding version to a core Universal wisdom as it builds, gains momentum, growing with human complication. However, when we spiral in, we peel away layer upon layer of human distortions, multiple translations, claims to ownership, and resulting conflict; we arrive at simpler core wisdom – wisdom with less and less human complexity and distraction.
Thus far, we have explored one basic construct lending to the Dance of the Universe, a double helix of natural cycles and polarity. Now let’s spiral this concept further out by applying the Second Hermetic Principle, Correspondence. This Principle embodies the Truth “As above, so below; as below, so above” (The Kybalion). With this principle we look at similarities and patterns relating to an overlay of the macro onto the micro and back again. One example of endless possibilities can be seen in the cycle of our earthly seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Applying polarity to this cycle of the seasons, the cycle is not only marked by the four seasons, but also of the dual polarity of Light and Dark. As a result, two halves moving from equinox to equinox, climaxing with a solstice point within each appears. Each half-cycle, Light and Dark, encompasses two of the four seasons.
The Dark half of the year moves from the Autumnal Equinox (roughly September 22) through to the Vernal Equinox (roughly March 22). The mid-point is marked by the Winter Solstice (roughly December 22), also known as Mid-Winter. The Light half of the year spans the cycle from the Vernal Equinox to the next Autumnal Equinox, the mid-point being the Summer Solstice (roughly June 22), also referred to as Midsummer. Each point of the seasonal cycle has its own correspondences. Some of these include the elements (earth, air, fire, and water), colors, directions (north, east, south, and west), symbols, and other representative characteristics.
Referring back to a concept discussed earlier in this article, the outward spiral, it is interesting to note how the idea of wisdom expansion can also be applied here in a similar context. These simple, natural concepts have had layers upon layers of religious and cultural distortions applied in the forms of dogma and ownership agendas, fueled by control and power. No judgment or blame is intended. I only pose the questions: 1) “When will enough, be enough?” 2) “Which wave do you choose to ride?” and 3) “When and how far?” This leads to other questions to ponder: “Can an over expansion and its reconciliation lead to a collapse unto itself?” and “Is this really what we want as a human race?”
The resulting disputes of these distortions of core wisdom have unfortunately led to massive loss of wisdom at the cost of millions of lives through persecution and war. Sadly, this has been imposed upon humanity by humanity and one factor behind this is an attempt at controlling the natural Universal flow, primarily stemming from a simple violation of the Principle of Polarity and its interaction with the sixth Hermetic Principle of Cause and Effect. This sixth principle embodies the truth that “Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause; everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a name for Law not recognized; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the Law” (The Kybalion).
The imposed violation of these principles claims the form of imbalance. The Universe does not seek a set point of absolute balance, but one of variance between dual extremes. One example is the dual expression Light and Dark. One error in human perception of polarity is the implication that Light vs Dark and “good” vs “bad” somehow equate. Dark has been demonized by social norms and the general consensus implies a victor between these extremes must be made, usually by means of conflict (overt and covert).
In objection to this claim, I suggest the Universe naturally operates on an and/both reconciliation of opposites and not with an either/or agenda. Light cannot exist without Dark. Each actually exists within the other. If mankind were to somehow succeed in eliminating Dark, Light would also cease to exist. Light and Dark are poles of the same continuum. These polarities dance in harmony along with the natural Universal flow.
Returning to the Principle of Rhythm discussed earlier, “all things rise and fall” as a linear pendulum or that of cycles and spirals is not relevant to this discussion. However, it suffices to reason that the more one exerts pressure on one pole the natural counter-balance of its opposite will exert equally in return – sometimes even more so, in an innate reconciliation to maintain equilibrium. Remember the fifth principle, “the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left?” So…does it make sense to act in conflict…or more sense to act in collaboration? “As above, so below…” lends to our understanding of this concept as applied to all others presented. Hmmm…
Furthermore, “everything has its tide” could imply a rebalance might come about in a vibrational meeting of two poles, such as happens when two pebbles are cast into a pond. Each pebble creates its own ripple effect. As they expand out they eventually meet, reconciling each unto a new vibration – one of resonance.
This article references a work titled The Kybalion, a philosophy credited to Hermes Trismegistus. The scope of this article does not cover whether Hermes was a man, a god, or another originator/group. This continues to be debated in other arenas. What this article does present is that even as far removed from the present time this written work appeared, the origin spirals back even further – beyond the claim of ancient Greece or Egypt, beyond oral traditions, and maybe all the way to THE ALL itself.
The Kybalion offers the following support, the original wisdom of THE ALL: “Under, and back of, the Universe of Time, Space and Change, is ever to be found The Substantial Reality – the Fundament Truth.” This illusive origin is based upon the first Hermetic Principle of Mentalism, “THE ALL is MIND. The Universe is Mental.” This easily boils down to the idea of a Universal Consciousness. Could it be our relentless attempt to control the natural rhythm of the Universe has manifested as something akin to what we refer to as mental illness? A social illness? Hmmm…again.
Finally, the seventh, and last, Hermetic Principle – the principle of Gender is introduced. Here we consider the embodiment of the truth as “Gender is in everything, everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all planes” (The Kybalion). It may well be worth contemplating the thoughts presented here. Try expanding your mind as far into the Outerverse you are able to conceptualize. Then, spiral it back as deep within the Innerverse as you are able to go. Does this leave you with a sense of infinity, a sense of wonder?
If so, welcome to the Dance of the Universe!
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