V

Consider the Source

Everyone has a bias. Maybe a nicer way to put that would be to say that everyone has strong preferences. Even if they don't go so far as to label the things they like and don't like as good and bad... most people have preferences. In the world of tarot, some like to focus on the known history of tarot, and stick to evidence and established facts. Others like to speculate wildly about tarot's origins and purpose. In readings, some prefer to use what this site is calling Flexible Association techniques, where we let our mind wander away from the context and content of a symbol, looking outwards to who knows where, until we feel as though we have arrived at a significant conclusion. Others prefer to use what this site is calling Focused Imagination techniques, where we acknowledge a chosen or unchosen context and seek to understand the meaning of a symbol by looking inward, to determine its archetypal roots relative to that content and context. Such preferences, are inevitable, as we all tend to express ourselves in ways that reveal which numbers of numerology influence us the most. This is true today, and has been true throughout all of human existence - that is... if we believe the fundamental, archetypal patterns being explained on this site are indeed representative of a transcendental, Universal Blueprint.

Coagulation is universal. The clustering and tapering of manifest entities shows how our model comes to be, even without individual, segmented stages of development. It's a Universal Blueprint.

Within the pages of this site, which are devoted to applying the Universal Blueprint of primordial patterns to personality analysis, it is suggested that the influence of certain parts of this blueprint are more prevalent than others among the personality traits of humans. The theoretical model of existence being put forth on this site is created by a process of coagulation. Coagulation is a universal phenomenon, seen everywhere. Thus, in a similar, isomorphic manner, this site suggests that people also coagulate, to form social realities of existence. As social realities emerge, cities evolve. Like galaxies in space, cities are clusters of people, coagulating. Like galaxies in space, cities have limits to their size. Because things have these limits we can observe a very simple fact of nature: no matter how large these cities get, they eventually taper off to rural pastures of much less populated or even empty areas. All of the theoretical and metaphorical models that are being presented on this site describe this tapering effect of manifestation. And it is this tapering vs clustering pattern that makes certain parts of our theoretical model more prevelant than others, when this Universal Blueprint is applied to the world of humans.

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Majority Rule

Most of us are familiar with the concept of Majority Rule. Important decisions, that are to be made within clustering groups, are often made using Majority Rule. What that means is that ideas that the majority find agreeable are adopted, endorsed and promoted, and those with less support are either ignored, banned, or left to seek more popularity amid a sea of expressed opposition... or bias... or preference. Throughout history, there are stories of ideas that have been rejected by the majority, because of how they do not express a certain social preference. Through persistence and perseverance, some of these ideas prevail, and find popularity. Others, if not explicitly banned, or burned at the stake, find a home in the periphery of history as eccentric alternatives to consider.

As the majority rules, their ideas coagulate into a socially constructed reality. As time goes by, and historians write about societies of the past, the history of the majority is the one that gets written, and hence their ideas are the ones that are best preserved, and subsequently handed down to us in the present. As their ideas survive the natural selection process, people who do not share the preferences of the majority are forced to adapt their life around that of the majority, and the social reality that gets established by their beliefs, or else... be considered an eccentric - and sometimes ostracized - outsider. But... as disappointing and annoying as it may be to be an ostracized outsider, these eccentrics show us how a preferred reality is not necessarily the only description of reality possible. In the essay The Totality of Reality, it is suggested that the nine numbers of our number line are like nine different windows of partial perception upon a gradually objective reality (see Cloud and Canopy Mandala elsewhere on this site). Unfortunately... a huge majority of people simply follow the leader when it comes to things like ideas, beliefs, and socially constructed reality, causing a limited number of these "partial windows of perception" to be utilized. People who are most likely to take on the roll of a leader know this, and often use it to recruit the masses and build the cluster that will become the majority... and thereby rule.

So who rules?

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It's a 4/6 World Out There!

In the essays on Personality Type Analysis (seen elsewhere on this site) a theory is put forth to suggest that, indeed, there is an uneven distribution in the number of people who represent each numerical type. For various reasons, including the clustering vs. tapering effect just mentioned above, it will be found that in any random sampling of humans, a disproportionately high number of people will be seen to be expressing what the study of personality types presented on this site calls the 4/6 Visceral personality type, more than any other (that's at least one unproven theory anyway, based largely on personal observation, as well as the results of other people's analysis of types). The chart below suggests a possible ratio that might be found within any random population of people.

In another essay on this site, where we discuss vices and virtues, it was shown how some of the more popular virtues, sacred to society at large, could be seen as expressions of a single number on our number line model. When distilled to their numerical essence it was shown how most of these virtues... and vices, fit rather well with the number 6... a few more seemed to fit well with the number 4 (the equidistant partner to the number 6), and a couple others with the number 5 (the number at the midpoint of the number line that glues the 4 and 6 together as a cluster). It was thus reasoned that the popularity or importance of certain virtues could be explained by acknowleging this Universal Blueprint of clustering minds, and observing how the most cherished virtues, and most evil vices all focused on the good and bad aspects of social interaction and the politics of human behavior or people relating to each other in very 4/6 Visceral ways, as opposed to the personal virtues of an individual bettering the Self over that of society.

Thus we put forth a similar theory in this essay, suggesting how any random sampling of any typical population will more than likely reveal the sensibilities of the 4/6 Visceral personality type dominating the landscape. In other words: it's a 4/6 world out there! There are, obviously many things that do not fit the sensibilities of the 4/6 type. And those ideas do get expressed and preserved in many ways. But, like the Universal Blueprint we are following, these other views tend to decrease in number and popularity as we move to the periphery of human sensibilities, as described by numerical personality types. So, with that in mind, we acknowledge how the 4/6 Visceral types become the movers and shakers and trend setters of any society, having the most power and influence. They are the participators - whether they be leaders or followers. And because there is indeed strength in numbers, their sensibilities will not be denied. If they are denied, there is more than likely to be a fight... or a war.

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Consider the Source

When I wrote the book All Things Are Numbers (seen elsewhere on this site) I was very young. I started with nothing but a High School education and some common sense. I was an average to below average student with very little proclivity toward reading - especially difficult subjects like philosophy and religion, not to mention the more in-depth books on tarot. Mostly I just tried to figure things out for myself, my own way, using my own common sense, and my own mixture of instinct and intuition (see The Vortex of Knowing elsewhere on this site). It is only recently - decades later - that I am beginning to read about other approaches to these ideas of wisdom and systems. In some instances I am being pleasantly surprised to find ideas that match my own, giving me some encouragement that I might be on to something. But, as one might expect, there are also many forms of wisdom out there that I do not agree with. This is a very common thing among people who don't pledge unending faith and devotion to a single system or philosophy or mainstrean organized religion, but instead prefer to build their own personal philosophy of life. They will typically pick and choose what they like from the philosophies they encounter, and discard what they don't like. And so it was that In the instances where I found myself wanting to depart from the wisdom being handed to me, I noticed quite often that my disagreement often centered around ideas that seem to express the sensibilities of the 4/6 Visceral type. As I talk to other people about these ideas I hear them expressing them with great conviction. So much so, that when I ask them to consider alternatives, they resist, often to a point of hostility (see the essay Fact, Faith and Doubt elsewhere on this site).

Despite resistance though, I pursue alternative views that don't necessarily jibe with the 4/6 Visceral perspective that seems to dominate the landscape of wisdom and wisdom systems. Thus it could be said that - in spite of many similarities - I have a bias that moves me away from the traditional views of the 4/6 majority... if only because I see more out there than the 4/6 majority is showing me. But whether I choose to accept or reject the 4/6 Visceral perspective, I always try to take a step back, and consider the source of any wisdom system I am studying, and in doing so, acknowledge whatever bias or preference it might be expressing - whether it be something I eventually end up liking or not. In discussing ideas pertaining to wisdom and wisdom systems, I also try to encourage others to do the same, and consider the source and its bias... or preferences. And in the case of the 4/6 Visceral perspective, I encourage people to consider what a dominant 4/6 point of view does, either for or against the quality of wisdom a system has.

Everyone is free to believe what they want. In the olden days, that was not necessarily true. In the olden days, people were put to death to silence their alternative views. Some of these alternative views have survived anyway. And in some instances, these ideas can be see to represent the sensibilities of other number types besides the dominant 4/6 Visceral type. But, in spite of these occasional exceptions, a careful examination will reveal an abundance of views, coming down to us from history, that look as though they were invented by, or crafted specifically to cater to the sensibilities of the 4/6 Visceral type. And whereas the majority of people might easily buy into these 4/6 ideas as resonating perfectly with their own form of existence, and thereby accept them as Divine Truth revealed, not every personality out there is going to agree with them. And whereas the somewhat predictable abundance of agreement found for the value of these 4/6 ideas might also lead some to suspect that they are indeed Universal Truths that apply to everyone... not every personality out there is going to agree with that either.

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The Wisdom of Wisdom

Because so many people have cultivated, and historically recorded the sensibilities of the 4/6 Visceral personality type for so many years, this number has a multitude of characteristics associated to it. But when reduced to basic fundamental, abstract archetypal essence, extracted from a theoretical model of existence, what appears to be many characteristics can be seen to have a single motivating essence. For example: Being influenced by the idea of a coagulated cluster, the 4/6 type is typically very social. The cluster is where opposites come together and marry, mix, and blend. They trade sides. They share parts of each other with each other. They give and take. The cluster is comparable to the fiery core of a planet. It is a region of high pressure and unharnessed power. The 4/6 Visceral types are largely about the harnessing of that power - getting it, and using it. The fiery core of a planet, and our theoretical model, represent the substantive body of existence. The 4/6 Visceral types are typically concerned with substance, the substance of things, and the relative value or worth of things based on the quality of their substance, as well as the ownership of those things of value. Passing through an existing model of existence was seen as easy at the 2/8 stage of open atmosphere, but difficult when passing through the coagulated mass at the 4/6 cluster or core. Thus, the 4/6 type acknowledges the concept of work and labor, especially as it pertains to serving the welfare of the coagulated mass, i.e. society.

The connection that exists, between some 4/6 Visceral ideas and the abstract patterns of a theoretical model of existence, might be harder to explain than others. And by the time this essay is through one might question "What's left for the other numbers to contribute?" But whether the connection to the 4/6 stage of our theoretical model of existence is definable or not, the following are a few of the philosophical, metaphysical, and spiritual ideas that this study of consciousness thinks are typical of the 4/6 Visceral types, and might even be found to be somewhat objectionable to someone not wanting to be so influenced by that one stage of our model, but who might be looking at things through different portals of our number line windows of perception...

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In some of the essays of this site, a few objections, or alternate preferences have already been expressed concerning which beliefs of the 4/6 majority this study of consciousness would want to keep and which it might want to discard, like... the idea of rejecting material existence as an obstacle to enlightenment (see Fun with Fibonacci elsewhere on this site). The idea that our manifest form is a mistake, or a Fall from grace that must be redeemed by rejecting it, stripping it away, alchemistically burning, boiling and distilling it to escape a finite prison, is a point of view that sounds very 4/6-like. Being heavily influenced by the mass or cluster of substance that is contained by the 3/7 skin of our theoretical model of existence, the concept of being trapped within that theoretical skin, or our literal skin, is not uncommon... for a 4/6 type. Our model of existence does emerge and coagulate from the unity of nothingness. And releasing the grip of manifestation would be required if one were to return along that path back to the nothingness from which we came. But one should not expect everyone to agree with the notion that our existence is a mistake to be corrected, or filth to be cleansed, or a disease to be cured. To some - like, maybe an optimist for example - manifest existence is an opportunity, not a burden. To some, being given a unique form with which to sense the world is special, not an obstacle. To some, life is a gift, not a punishment. Thus, equal value can be found in both gripped and released forms of existence.

In several locations around this site, there is expressed an objection to the idea that the embrace of opposites, or dualities, and the likes and dislikes of life affirming vs. life detracting things must always lead to addictive attachments that bind us to the material existence that imprisons us in the material Hell on Earth that some view our manifest life to be (see Shake the Trees elsewhere on this site). The idea of renouncing all attachment to material things, and rejecting opposites and dualities because of how they lead to likes and dislikes that will inevitably lead to addictions and aversions is very 4/6-like. Again, being intimately related to the idea of a coagulated mass, the idea of coagulation, i.e. collecting together of parts into a whole, makes the 4/6 type naturally acquisitive and possessive. To maintain the coagulated mass, all the parts need to hold on to each other for dear life, and never let go. Thus the idea of never letting go, leads to the idea of possessiveness and addiction with codependence. Taken to extremes, this could indeed make someone feel like they are being held in the grip of a prison, or hunkered down in a fortress they can't escape. The problem that come from this perspective is how certain philosophies address this dilemma by advocating a complete pendulum swing to the other extreme of letting go of everything. Again, releasing the grip of manifestation will lead us out to another realm. But the idea put forth by some philosophies that we can't be happy in our own skin, and that our ultimate goal in life should be to get the hell out of our manifest state and back to unity... is an idea some might find objectionable.

In perpetuating philosophies that see our manifest earthly existence as a Hell to rise above, many place the goal of spirituality, and the idea of Heaven that embodies it, above us. In this way, the path of this ultimate goal of getting the hell out of here and reuniting with Unity and "God" is seen as hierarchical. Building a ladder out, from the core, to the unity of nothingness, reflects the extrospective nature of the 4/6 types who tend to look outside themselves for answers. Thus, the 4/6 types tends to view the world in terms of hierarchies, and the ranking of things... and people (again, assessing the value of substance). Occasionally, though, they corrupt this simple organizational technique into hierarchies of obligatory respect for those above... leading to things like "hazing" that we often see in corrupted social structures, where someone is taught to kneel down and respect (a.k.a. fear) those above them in rank and are made to feel that their lower rank makes them a piece of shit by comparison. Some hierarchical respect is worthy, when earned. But all too often it is demanded and imposed. Demanded and imposed by people with a 4/6 personality type who want to see it. And subsequently followed by those whose 4/6 personality recognizes the need for such structures in society, and so obediently follow and, maybe... if ambitious, attempt to climb the ladder, so as to not be in fear of so many above them etc, etc. It is an incentive technique. It can work well, if done right. But too many social structures abuse it. And, because so many people suffer from low self esteem to begin with, it works well - people almost expect it or feel uncomfortable without it. But for some, who are not heavily influenced by the numbers 4 and 6, the management through fear and a Master and Pupil hierarchical relationship does not always work so well.

As a pupil learns to serve, or fear a master, the idea of work is born. Because of the mechanical nature of multiple parts working together to perpetuate the substance of a mass, the idea of work and duty is keen in the mind of the 4/6 type. If convinced that all attachments to material existence are an obstacle to enlightenment that should be abandoned, the highest work for people to do is persuade each other as to the truth of this spiritual path. The problem is, the way many of these philosophies present this truth - with incentives that cultivate a mentality of "likes" that we have just been instructed to renounce and relinquish. Thus we find that... because of their intimate connection to putting value on things, the 4/6 mentality invents philosophies of relinquishing that entice us to do so with incentives of even higher reward. Thus we see incentives asking us to renounce and relinquish... accompanied with explanations of what we will get, if we let go. This same idea carries right over to the idea of charity, and statements that promise that everything given will return tenfold! Thus it is that the 4/6 type has to be persuaded to give by being promised to get. Just look at the tactics employed by any local PBS television station. They promise to give us a gift, if we give them money. Why are they enticing us to give money, by giving us money... or the gift equivalent of money? It makes no sense to a 1/9 type, but it makes perfect sense to the 4/6 type... and PBS stations know that the 4/6 types - because of their naturally acquisitive nature - are the ones most likely to have an excess of money. So they play the "give and get" game with them.

Along the same lines as providing incentive to renounce and relinquish by promising a reward of what will be gotten... the idea of reincarnation of an immortal soul is a perfectly crafted concept for those who would otherwise feel great loss upon death. Some philosophies put forth an idea that each life is an individual drop of water that eventually returns to the sea... back to a blended whole, no longer distinguishable as an individual soul that live on as it was. In an essay on reincarnation the idea is put forth that each life is like a snowflake that crystallizes into a uniquely beautiful display of underlying archetypal patterns, and then melts away... never to see another one exactly like it ever again (see The Totality of Reality and Reincarnation elsewhere on this site). To some, that could be an equally compelling notion of life and death. But the idea of permanent loss of life upon death does not sit comfortably with those who have an inborn tendency to cling. Thus, it is not surprising at all to find a need for eternal life, with no loss, coming from a mentality intimately associated with the abstract concept of a mass of parts holding on for dear life. Hence... we are persuaded to let go, by being told that there will be no loss, because... if we were told that there is loss, we would not let go but would instead hold on to life too tightly and develop those dreaded attachments and addictions that imprison us in our own skin. Is this really the only way of looking at life and death? Why can't there be loss upon death, such that we value and cherish the gift of life given to us while we have it, and embrace life affirming things as "Good?" Is addictive attachment really so inevitable... for everyone... or is it only inevitable for the coagulating, clustering, gripping, clinging, acquisitive 4/6 Visceral types? Because of their addictive tendencies, the rest of us who are not part of that majority view have to accept beliefs we don't believe?

The idea of detachment is a common goal among many spiritual philosophies. But... what a lot of these 4/6 Visceral philosophies appear to be overlooking is that there are actually "natural born" tendency toward detachment within each of our other personality types, as illustrated elsewhere on this site, with the Apart-Together model! Many, many, many... TOO MANY philosophies tend to ignore, or not fairly represent, the sensibilities of ALL types. If they did, they would see that detachment is completely natural for a 1/9 type. But because the 4/6 types are the majority, their need to acquire this level of detachment becomes the guiding force behind the spiritual beliefs, philosophies and subsequent wisdom systems handed down to us from long ago and far away. In the Tarot, The Hermit, standing alone at the top of a mountain, already has this level of detachment that so many of the 4/6 majority seek. There is no need to lecture him about letting go, and moving toward the oneness of unity. If the 4/6 majority would look, they would see that we in fact have such types in real life! But because the 1/9 types typically live in isolation, out beyond the scope of most 4/6 types and their clusters of societies, they, and their state of mind, are not typically acknowledged within philosophies designed to address the concerns of a 4/6 majority. This is clearly a bias, that anyone studying any kind of philosophy - spiritual or otherwise - should always be aware of and look for.

Many, many, many... TOO MANY philosophies tend to ignore, or not fairly represent, the sensibilities of ALL types. Detachment is natural for a 1/9 type. But because the 4/6 types are the majority, their need to acquire this level of detachment becomes the guiding force behind spiritual beliefs. In the Tarot, The Hermit already has this detachment. There is no need to lecture him about letting go, and moving toward the oneness of unity. We have such types in real life too. But because they live in isolation, out beyond the scope of most 4/6 types, they, and their state of mind, are not acknowledged within philosophies designed to address the concerns of a 4/6 majority. This is clearly a bias, that anyone studying any kind of philosophy - spiritual or otherwise - should always be aware of and look for.

Another idea that doesn't sit well with every personality type concerns the nature of reality, and the acknowledgement of our inability to know whether the reality we think we know might in fact be a grand deception perpetuated upon us by an undisclosed source with malicious intent to deceive (see The Totality of Reality elsewhere on this site). Deception, and the ideas of doubt that this perspective puts into our minds, is also typically 4/6 in character. Because a 4/6 type is so intimately connected to the idea of substance and the power of a core of existence, the idea of whether any particular core of existence actually has the power and substance it pretends to have is something a 4/6 type would be both adept at assessing, and concerned with knowing. After encountering a few examples of existence that don't have much substance or power, and perhaps being deceived a few times along the way, a 4/6 type could easily develop a certain lack of trust in things that lack proven substance. As this general lack of trust in things grows, theories about reality that attempt to reveal reality as a grand deception are embraced by those with a keen interest in exposing lies, and alerting others as to how easily we can all be deceived. But, as pointed out in the essay The Totality of Reality, this theory itself carries a bit of deception, as the sinister motives of a source perpetuating a deception upon us is as unprovable as the idea itself.

The idea of reincarnation, and whether someone "believes" in it or not, also ties into this idea of trust and the testing of faith in things that can't be proven. This is a very important concept for a 4/6 type. People who live on the 1/9 periphery of our theoretical model of existence are typically loners and hermits... or at least independent minded individualists. People who live in the thick of things, at the core, where parts of a cluster hold on to each other for dear life to perpetuate a manifest entity, know the importance of trust in others. Unfortunately this has a tendency to lead to groups or clusters of people who only trust each other, and eventually develop suspicions about anyone not willing to join their group and think like they do. Known as the "Us and Them" mentality, it promotes a culture of groupthink, where people who naturally follow will not allow themselves to think on their own, but will only think in terms of the collective mentality of the group. This is why many of the people who are not of a 4/6 mindset often object to the idea of belonging to groups where religion, in their view, is often more about the social interaction of people clinging to each other than it is about the advertised spirituality of enlightenment and union with "God." To a highly social 4/6 type this is kind of hypocrisy not a problem. To a 1/9 individualist type, it is. Who is wrong? Is the 1/9 individualist going to go to Hell if he doesn't join up and become part of the collective? Will the 1/9 individualist be swept away by the coming flood, if he doesn't get on board? This idea of deadly consequence to those who don't accept the views and rules of a particular group and join up, is how groups recruit and hold members. Fear is a prime motivator... especially among the 4/6 type. Thus, it works well for a lot of 4/6 types. But, it tends to fall on deaf ears with 1/9 individualists.

This idea of joining a group and "belonging" is a very, very, VERY.... EXTREMElY!!! important concept to the 4/6 type. Because of this, another dilemma, or hypocrisy of philosophy appears, as relinquishing attachments to achieve enlightenment should, and in some cases does, include detaching from the emotional attachment people have to the people and groups they belong to... the groups that in turn "own" and in many cases define them as people. Some philosophies point out that the path away from Earthly manifestation toward Heavenly enlightenment results in a solitary existence, as the concept of oneness that we are pursuing is itself not a group of things that we join, but is in fact one thing... the Self. Thus it is not at all surprising to see the process of "giving up others to find the Self" as one of the hardest parts of the enlightenment recipe for 4/6 types to accept, follow and accomplish. A spiritual philosophy might get a 4/6 type to relinquish all their physical attachments to things, but NOT the people at the other end of their cell phone!! Some philosophies try to skirt this dilemma by promising that enlightenment leads to a Kingdom in Heaven filled with people living perfect lives. All our dead friends will be there to greet us, and all our living friends will be joining us, so don't worry, we're not really giving up anything! Is this a kluge?

The idea of letting go reveals how insecure the 4/6 types are. This is why they they put so much effort into getting other people to join up, so that those people they are trying to save from a life in Hell don't have to be insecure, like they are... instead, they can have something to hang on to [ Romans 1:12]. Unfortunately, much of this recruitment work is not done for the benefit of those being saved, but instead is often done only to give the insecure 4/6 person more to hold on to. Thus the acquisitive nature of the 4/6 type turns an altruistic notion of saving others into a selfish need to have more and more people surrounding and protect them, and increasing the power of numbers that goes with them. The more people on board, the easier it is to hold on to faith. One doubter, can unravel the whole thing. Thus, many insist that all should join... or else... suffer deadly consequences [Nahum 1:2] (see Fact, Faith and Doubt elsewhere on this site).

This idea of insecurity, and the idea of finding the Self versus having a group define who we are, is also related to the idea of whether the mass of substance at the core of our theoretical model of existence actually has any substance at all. This, then becomes another obstacle to enlightenment, as the 4/6 types that have such an acute sense of substance will wince at the idea of looking for their own substance, out of a fear that they will find nothing of value. Thus it is that so many people (4/6 types being the majority) have such low self esteem. They seek friends, because they are incapable of being their own friend... because, when they look at their self they see a big blob of worthless shit. Which, of course, leads us back to the first idea in this essay, of seeing our manifest state as a worthless piece of shit that needs to be cleansed and purified in order to be allowed into the Kingdom of Heaven.

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The Tip of the Iceberg

Those are just a few of the philosophical and spiritual ideas that our other personality types might have a problem accepting. And they are indeed the tip of a large iceberg. There are others that we could go into, like; How the 4/6 types turn everything into a matter of power or empowerment, and how their insecurities lead them to preemptive strikes of fighting (the Emperor being a 4). Or how, if not power, they turn everything into a matter of sex (the Lovers card being a 6). Or how their acquisitive nature causes them to covet whatever they don't have, making the grass always greener somewhere else. Or... how their acquisitive, side-swapping nature causes them to add an obligatory gift giving ritual to every holiday they possibly can. Or how they typically quantify the value of their affections with expensive gifts like jewelry. And, with jewelry, also flaunt their wealth to others. Or how the highly social nature of a 4/6 type will typically anthropomorphize spiritual ideas like "God" into a "Him" or "He," whereas other types are comfortable with notions of "God" being an "it." And... how anthropomorphizing "God" leads to things like "Hero worship" or for that matter the very idea of worship itself, at any level, as God, or other entities, are compulsively placed at the top of a hierarchical ladder of worthiness (remember Elvis, and Beatlemania? Remember Wayne and Garth exclaiming that "we're not worthy" every time they met a hero?) (for more on worship, see the essay The Warship of Worship elsewhere on this site). The hierarchical view reinforces the worthiness problem which leads to notions of our manifest form being something that holds us back. These are all variations of one numerical essence.

When telling mythological stories and parables, some philosophies warn people to not confuse the anthropomorphized icon of "God" with the actual transcendent notions of "God." It's good to make that clear, but... why not make notions of "God" as abstract as possible, to avoid this confusion in the first place? Why tell stories that present a deception, only to reveal that this or that "person" isn't really a person after all, but a concept? The answer is... because it WORKS... at least, in the minds of the highly social 4/6 "people-person" types who are best engaged on a mundane, human level. Thus, in the conveying of abstract, transcendental concepts through mythological stories, the human form is used as bait, to lure us into a greater understanding of "Him." And it works... at least for the 4/6 masses. Whereas other numerological personality types might find it to be either deceptive or superfluous (see the essay Stuck in the Mudaphor elsewhere in this site).

This is indeed the tip of the iceberg. The sensibilities of the 4/6 majority are so firmly woven into the fabric of belief throughout history, that many will surely reject this whole essay as a bunch of stupidity, bigotry or heresy from a wholly unenlightened person who just doesn't "get it." They may exclaim "Oh come on... everyone thinks this way" and... in fact... they would be very nearly correct, because indeed - as theorized - the majority of people do think in these 4/6 ways. But... the purpose of this essay is to point out that the majority is not everyone, it is only the majority. And the majority is not always wise in what they choose to believe, or in what they ask the rest of us to believe. The idea that the "4/6" way is not necessarily the only way will undoubtedly be rejected by those who are emotionally invested in these traditional views, especially those handed down from revered sources in history. But this essay, and everything on this site, encourages us all to look deeper at alternative views.

The ideas on this site - while occasionally exhibiting some similarities to 4/6 traditional views, or even, at times, utilizing some 4/6 traditions - is mostly an alternative... for people with numbers other than 4 or 6 as their dominant influence. No single way is the truest. So we should always consider the source, when examining ideas as important as Enlightenment, the Self, and Life.

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What's Left?

As mentioned at the beginning of this essay, some might be asking what is left for the other numbers to contribute? How are the other personality types seen, within systems of wisdom handed down to us from the past? Well... as we have just described, the 4/6 Visceral personality provides the bulk of what we have today - the overriding substance. In the tarot, this idea of substance is symbolized by The Emperor (a 4). While the ideas of a mass holding on for dear life are symbolized by The Lovers (a 6). Also, the ideas about doubt and deception are symbolized by The Devil (another 6). As we move outward from the 4/6 core, we see how other number types contribute to the world of ideas.

As we move out from our 4/6 core, we see how the 3/7 Sensorial personality provides for us, the love and compassion that most religions are known for. In many traditional wisdom systems, "God" ... as a 3/7 entity, instructs us to love "Him" and to love each other, and that "He" will in turn love us. In the tarot, this idea of love, as well as the beauty of "the hand of God" is accurately symbolized with The Empress (a 3). While the idea of spiritual transport, and the bliss of connecting to spiritual forces, is adequately symbolized by The Chariot (a 7). The 3/7 type is probably the second most prevalent type out there. Thus, the sensibilities of the sensitive Sensorial type are typically mixed together with the sensibilities of the 4/6, to produce a hybrid result. As the 4/6 sensibilities anthropomorphize the transcendental concepts of spirituality, the "person" that results is typically one devoted to the expression of love and beauty, solace and comfort - i.e. a human sanctuary. Likewise, when the love of a 3/7 is combined with the wealth of a 4/6, the idea of loving charity is born.

Unfortunately, the sensibilities of any type can be reversed, causing a hybrid result that is unpleasant... like that of a "God" who - as a 3/7 entity - can also be about violent wrath (like the Tower card of tarot.. another 7), and the pain and suffering of life (like the Hanged Man... a 3). This idea of an adverse hybrid can then lead to situations like... devotees attempting to recruit (4/6) with love (3/7)... and... when rejected, declaring that if someone doesn't get on board (4/6), they will suffer (3/7). This is how the "Us and Them" mentality, fostered by the 4/6 types, gets turned into wars with killing... by the 3/7 types. The 4/6 types provide the desire to fight, and the 3/7 types provide the willingness to kill. The 4/6 types provide the anger, the 3/7 types provide the hate. Thus, it seems that the love of "God" is not exactly universal... and is easily bruised! According to many of the purveyors of these hybrid philosophies, it's often a matter of: Love God... or go to Hell! Love God, the way we do, or... be strung up to die, like The Hanged Man. Love God, the way we do, or... suffer the violence upon sinners of lightning bolts from above, like The Tower. With the "love God or go to Hell" philosophy it seems that Hell hath no fury like a religion scorned. Personally, I reject the "Love God, or go to Hell" philosophy.

Moving out further, we encounter the 2/8 Perceptual types. In our theoretical model of existence, there is a dividing line between the positive insides and the negative outsides of any entity. The 4/6 and 3/7 are on the inside, and the 2/8 and 1/9 are represent the outsides (see The Cosmic Engine elsewhere on this site). Thus it is that the 2/8 types represent a level of detachment not known by the previous inner types. In philosophies that advocate a path toward enlightenment that includes renouncing and relinquishing material existence, it is the 2/8 stage where all that letting go begins to pay off, as a sensation of detachment is felt upon liberation out of the 4/6 core, through the 3/7 skin, and into the wide open 2/8 space that surrounds any entity. As a proportionally small part of the total hybrid package, the 2/8 stage contributes feelings of optimism, euphoria and liberation - like a hot air baloon lifting off from the 3/7 Earth. While at the same time, on the negative side, the same numerical stage also offers the pessimism that attempts to present reincarnation as a kind of punishment for not getting enlightenment right, and being sent back to try again. Pessimism has its place in life, but, personally, I reject the idea that reincarnation (if believed at all) is something that depresses the soul (see Reincarnation elsewhere on this site). In a philosophy that dares to put value on life (in defiance to all the wisdom of 4/6 philosophies handed down to us throughout history that warn against it) I see the Star card as symbolic of the depression of dying, not the depression of getting enlightenment wrong, and having to be sent back to some kind of Hell on Earth we call life to try again.

In the system of numerological analysis being presented everywhere on this site, 2's and 8's represent balance and fairness (see Sins and Virtues elsewhere on this site). Thus, in a hybrid system, written by a 4/6 mentality that is devoted to the idea of worth and value, the 2/8 stage would represent a point were souls, departing their 4/6 ego-bound core, are put on a scale of justice to determine the weight of their worth. Heaven is like a nightclub, with a 2/8 bouncer outside looking us over, weighing the deeds of our life and dividing us into optimistic and pessimistic paths that either continue into the oneness, nothingness and singularity of unity, or get sent back to try again (see The Three Unities elsewhere on this site). In the tarot, this idea of weighing things on a scale of justice is seen in the card of Justice, which... interestingly enough, has historically occupied both positions of 8 and 2 (or 11, which equals a 2). While at the end of the traditional trumps, the idea of judgment is clearly present in the card entitled Judgment... which... in The Numerical Tarot, is equivalent to the 2/8 card of The Quaternary, where, in the near death progression, souls come out of bodies and float up... or out... to enlightenment... without judgment of any kind. The idea of weighing souls also appears in the Star card (an 8), if the ibis in the background is meant to represent Thoth, the Egyptian god who in fact weighs souls on their way to death.

But, while there is no judgment of value and worth of souls in The Numerical Tarot, it does include the idea of following more than one path. Thus, a life-affirmed life floats up, at the 2/8 stage, to a bright light, while a life-detracting life sinks down, at the 2/8 stage, into a dark abyss. But, in The Numerical Tarot, we are not directed to these paths by a judgmental entity weighing our worth, we end up on one of these paths as a natural continuation of the complexion of our lived life... thus becoming part of, or a contributor to the lightness or darkness of the universe, and adding to the benefit or detriment of those left behind. This is one way in which this system accepts a particular notion from wisdom systems of the past, but with a slight modification that eliminates or lessens the 4/6 influence of imposing worthiness, thus creating a systems that gives more of an equal voice to each stage of development - a voice that is more pure to the archetypal essence of each stage of development, and not so tinged or tainted by the biased perspective of the 4/6 majority.

Moving out further, we encounter a stage of development where detachment is effectively realized... already! - in other words, a stage of development that does not need to be lectured about the dangers of attachment and addiction. In the tarot, this idea of detachment is clearly symbolized by The Hermit (a 9), standing alone at the top of a mountain - a place typically removed from society and all of its attachments and addictions. Likewise, in the Moon card (another 9), the idea of dark, empty isolation is evident. In a hybrid wisdom system with a 4/6 bias, this would be the goal we are meant to seek. Or... at least, the pinnacle of achievement, within our manifest state. The idea being that once we achieve this level of detachment and oneness, we are ready to move into the nothingness of Zero... and beyond. In the system being offered on this site, the "beyond" that is beyond Zero is the Godforce paradox, seen in the concept of The Absentia. The Hermit, and his equidistant self, The Magician, represent a level of detachment that leaves us with nothing but the self. It is this individuation, or discovery of the Self, that - in 4/6 terminology - makes us "worthy" of advancing beyond. But, whereas a 4/6 type might see this as a goal to achieve, they often do not acknowledge that there are personality types already out there living this way every day of their life... living detached, and looking inward at the Self, and the metaphorical "self" of society at large... and contemplating the totality of it all... and, in some cases, making an inverse journey, with an inverse goal of understanding that reality... building it up as a mass of existence to be realized, as a tangible expression of the same Absentia Godforce.

The 4/6 majority has a bias of extroversion, or extrospection, looking out at a goal of individuation and unity with nothingness and The Absentia. They don't acknowledge the possibility that nothingness, and The Absentia, might have similar desires in an inverse direction. Like the wooden puppet Pinocchio, who desires to be a "real" boy, it is possible that non-manifestation has a similar desire to be "real" or manifest (see The Totality of Reality elsewhere in this site). Unfortunately, the desire expressed by the majority is what gets written into spiritual philosophies. A 4/6 type, being somewhat materialistic, will typically want whatever they don't have. So they see this state of outer unity as superior - a place where the grass is greener. They build it up as a paradise. But what if it isn't? What if unity with nothingness is like a busy urbanite moving to the country and being bored silly by the nothingness? And what if, by moving out, they are in effect trading places with a country bumpkin who moves in to the city and is overwhelmed by its substance of existence? Both find that the grass is not always greener, and can't wait to get back to where they belong. Or... they decide that they do belong, and stay... acquiring the knowledge that where they came from is no more Divine than where they are.

As described elsewhere on this site, The Absentia is a singularity... in TWO places (see The Cosmic Reconciliation Mandala elsewhere on this site). It is paradoxically beyond the outer reaches of infinity, and at the same time, beyond the depths of existence - it is within and without... with our manifest form sitting between. It is my theory that we are not meant to ever "get there" and so we never really do get there. But we can try, and we do, by following either of two paths. We can strip away to nothing, or we can build to everything (see Verse 82 elsewhere on this site). Solemn activities like meditation strip away. Rigorous activities like rhythmic dancing build up. This is why the Major Trumps of The Numerical Tarot are divided into two rows of nine. Both paths have the potential to get us close to the very special brand of unity know in this study as The Absentia. Stripping away might appeal to those 4/6 people who feel owned by their possessions and imprisoned by their egos. But their way is not the only way. The idea of rhythmic dancing might very well appeal to the 2/8 types, who are intimately associated to the ideas of motion and energy found within our theoretical model of existence. Thus... there is more than one way to skin the cat of enlightenment!

And... thus it is that I state again... always consider the source. Always beware of bias. Watch for the 4/6 bias in particular. Or... any other bias for that matter. People who go on and on about a philosophy, and then sum it up with an implied profundity that nothing else matters except Love or Beauty, are probably expressing a bias that is born from their attachment to the 3/7 stage of our theoretical model. Their philosophy might be a hybrid of many numerical influences, but when they sum it all up by saying "God is Love" they are probably expressing a 3/7 bias... or preference. People who sum it all up with an implied profundity that nothing matters except Truth, Belief and Faith, are probably expressing a 4/6 bias. People who sum it all up with an implied profundity that nothing matters except the Balance and the Flow of our Life Forces are probably expressing a 2/8 bias. People who sum it all up with an implied profundity that nothing matters except Awareness of the Self, Individuation, Oneness and Unity are probably expressing a 1/9 bias. People who sum it all up with an implied profundity about the emptiness of nothingness are probably expressing a 0 bias. While people who sum it all up with implied profundity expressed with paradox and paradoxical statements that confound and befuddle the mind into not moving in any of these other ways are probably expressing a bias toward that which this study of tarot, existence and consciousness has chosen to call The Absentia. What is your bias... er, preference? To figure this out, try consulting The Amazing Name Numerology Calculator, or any of the other devices and explanations for determining personality types found elsewhere on this site.

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An Alternate Philosophy

The philosophy of life and living that is being put forth everywhere on this site boils down to paradox. "Paradox is the irreducible crux of universal flux" would be the chorus of alleged profundity for this site! Lots of spiritual philosophies stop short of embracing paradox. People with 4/6 mentality prefer to imagine God with greater and greater size, scope, and power. Bigger and bigger. Mightier and mightier. Until God is so big and so mighty they can't imagine anything bigger or mightier. Which of course leads some to pick at the Achilles Heel of this approach by asking the question of whether God is so strong "He" can make a stone so heavy that "He" "Himsef" can not lift it! Leading us - happily - to this sites preferred destination of paradox! However, because of the innate ability and prevalent tendency of the 4/6 majority to sweep problems under the carpet and pretend they don't exist, denying paradox and chasing their tail is often preferred over that of the actual acknowledgment of paradox itself as something superior to all - including their 4/6 anthropomorphized "God." Some, however, present descriptions that do seem to embrace and employ the idea of paradox as a ruling force in the universe. Are they a minority, or a majority? What is the worldwide bias, or preference, concerning the unanthropomorphised, abstract, transcendental notion of paradox as our best description of "God" or "God-like" forces? (see The Absentia elsewhere on this site)

In a world of harsh realities, people need help to cope, especially the 4/6 type who - because of connections to the idea of theoretical substance or the lack thereof, and how the lack thereof leads to a weak entity - tend to be very insecure with feelings of vulnerability and prevailing fear. They need a shoulder to cry on... they need something they can lean on... they need someone to carry them when they are tired - just like that "Footprints in the Sand" poem suggests. THAT is why so many insist on making God not only human-like, but also insist that "He" exist among us in our world... to help us, and carry us when we are weak... and... to help us accept the things we cannot change; and to have the courage to change the things we can; and to have the wisdom to know the difference... just like the "AA Pledge" of addicted alcoholics (who give up drinking only to take up smoking instead) suggests.

People who neeeeeed a group environment to stay on the straight and narrow (i.e. the 4/6 types) will invent a God who can participate in that group and help guide and protect them, like an Emperor (a 4). People who don't neeeeeeed a group environment (i.e. the 1/9 types), will be more likely to invent a God that does not participate, but instead leaves them alone like a Hermit (a 9). A God with no church or altar. A God with no collection plate. A God that does not judge worth. A God that does not claim to be All-Good, loving and compassionate, while holding us over a fiery pit of Hell. Instead, some might prefer a God that put into motion a universe of miracles for each of us to experience with our physical bodies and intellectual minds. A universe that is not a mistake or Fall from grace that needs to be redeemed. A universe that is not a prison from which to escape. A universe that is not a disease in need of a cure. A universe that is not a wheel of reincarnating misery for the unenlightened. A universe that is a miracle to experience at every level of experience possible - life affirming and life detracting... i.e. a fragrant rose... with prickly thorns. With a "God" who sits off to the side in absentia, like a parent watching their children in a playground... or... like a parent watching their children grow up and make their own mistakes. A concept that, once again, might not sit well with the 4/6 types, who... because of associations to the abstract idea of a coagulating mass of parts interacting, can at times have a tendency to be quite meddlesome in each others lives. Meddlesome minds creating a meddlesome God, who insists on guiding us in every step we take, and punishing us for every wrong move we make is not surprising. But, it's not the only way to go with a concept of "God."

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Cut the Cake

Here is a fun analogy that we can use to conclude. If the spiritual philosophy of most religions is compared to a birthday cake, then it would be the 4/6 types who bake the "coagulated mass" of nourishing cake. The 3/7 Sensorial types would then add the "theoretical skin" of sweet frosting. The 2/8 Perceptual types would then add the exciting "energy radiating" candles. The 1/9 Cerebral types would then conclude by thinking of some clever "all encompassing" thought to write on top, or... on the completely detached birthday card. This is a good analogy, because it demonstrates the relative proportions of each stage of our theoretical model of existence, within most philosophies - spiritual and otherwise. In most philosophies, the 4/6 get the lions share of attention, the 3/7s add a veneer of love and beauty, the 2/8s add some exciting inspiration and illumination, while the 1/9s add some intellectual thought of purpose. This analogy is also good because it symbolizes how the 4/6 and 3/7 qualities represent aspects of philosophy people can really sink their teeth into (the cake), while the candles that get removed, and the clever thought written on top, or on the detached card, that gets destroyed and forgotten, represent the aspects of philosophy that often get overlooked or completely ignored.

The cake analogy is good, let's try another. Consider how our numerically defined personality types fit into society at large. In cases like societies being taken over by a dictator who wants to suppress dissent, the discarded types of our cake analogy represent the free-thinking poets (2/8) and intellectuals (1/9) and for that matter, the artists (3/7) who get rounded up and "discarded" ... leaving only the 4/6 hierarchical groupthink populace to rule and be ruled. The 1/9 and 2/8, being characteristically external introspectives, look inward, and thus tend to view society with an objective and often critical eye... as any outsider would. This would definitely be unwelcome in a dictatorship - hence poets and intellectuals get discarded. The 3/7 artists are in a strange in between state. They can apply their talents in either direction - as artists who help illustrate the propaganda machine, or artists who help illustrate the dissent. Thus we see how the 2/8 types see too much and show too much. The 1/9 types think too much and know too much. And artistic 3/7 types who have 2/8 and 1/9 tendencies will probably be the type of artists who gets rounded up and discarded. While an artistic 3/7 types who have 4/6 tendencies might have more of a tendency to fit in and be spared.

But whether all the types are contributing or not, the level of attachment or detachment remains in direct proportion to how close to the center, or cluster, of our theoretical model of existence we are. Thus, as the 4/6 personality types are instructed to renounce and relinquish attachments, they encounter people who have never had to address such concerns because of how detached their dominant number already makes them. An alcoholic would call this person a "normie" meaning someone who is "normal" and doesn't suffer from the "disease" of addiction, because they don't drink at all... not even a little. Do such people exist? Yes they do. And they are often misunderstood by the 4/6 majority. Thus we see how this remains true on a spiritual level too, as so many spiritual philosophies make grand assumptions that everyone they encounter is of the 4/6 addictive type, and in great need of detachment. In actuality, this assumption may not be as universally true as many assume it is.

For example: The detachment of a 1/9 type is often taken by the 4/6 groupthink majority as anti-social. Their lack of interest in joining groups is met with suspicion, and seen as misguided... and, in the case of religious groups... in need of being saved. Because they are often very quiet in their solitary state, they are assumed to be shy and lonely and in need of a group to bring them out of their shell. That is... if the 4/6 type feels like making that effort. Many times, the indifference to 4/6 ways exhibited by a 1/9 type is seen as cold and aloof or even frigid, causing a 4/6 type to not even want to try reaching out. A 1/9 is often too brainy for the 4/6 types as well. In the world of stereotypes, a 4/6 is typically the popular "Jock," while the 1/9 type is typically the loner "Nerd." Jocks and Nerds typically do not understand each other (see Archetype or Stereotype? elsewhere on this site). As for a 2/8, they are sometimes a bit too direct and straightforward for the 4/6 type, who, because of previously mentioned associations to ideas like deception can at times be the type who lie to themself, and live in denial, where being straightforward and having a mirror held up to the Self is unwelcome (remember... the deceptive and self-deceptive ways of The Devil is a 6). A 2/8 can also be too critical in their perception than a lot of 4/6 types living a lie in denial would like. The fabric of belief is very thin and fragile, and when a 2/8 type starts pulling at threads, the 4/6 types get angry.

Thus arguments come to life that characterize the majority of 4/6 addictive types as unable to conceive of the idea that there could be people out there in the world that aren't as addictive and ego-bound as they are, and don't need the same instruction to renounce and relinquish as they do. Philosophy - especially religious philosophy - should not be a one size fits all affair. If someone needs to swear off of attachments and ego to balance out their life - do it. If they don't, it doesn't mean they are doomed to Hell. This idea of doing what is right for the stage of our theoretical model that influences us most is why this site is devoted to describing ALL the ways in which ALL personality types contribute to knowledge and understanding.

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Man Seeking Woman

In addition to considering the 4/6 bias that most cultures have, we would also do well to consider the Left Brained bias of all these types, in particular the combination of Left Brainedness within the 4/6 majority, and the differences that such a bias brings to the texture and quality of the wisdom they are handing down to us. In other words, differences in philosophy are not just differences of opinion... and not always a matter of differences in truth. Many differences in philosophy can easily be traced to L-Brained vs. R-Brained biases - hard core realist vs. softer idealist. If viewed that way, we may even find a few instances where philosophies that appear incompatible are actually extremely compatible, if the only difference between them is ultimately seen as nothing more than a L-Brained vs. R-Brained description of the same thing. Usually though, one side fights to shut the other out.

People who are Left Brained are typically more logical and rational in their view of things. When they finally let go of the rational and are exposed to the powers of their Right Brain, Left Brainers are often overwhelmed by the freedom of imagination. Thus, a common bias that liberated Left Brained people bring to the world of tarot is to over-exalt the benefits of symbols and symbolism, and to vilify direct, logical forms of communication as inferior (see the essay Stuck in the Mudaphor elsewhere on this site). People who are severely Left Brained are most commonly the type who think it a Divine Miracle when they see the image of Jesus or The Virgin Mary in the random stains on a wall, or a burt piece of toast. Right Brained people - especially those who have cultivated their Right Brainedness to a point of artistic skill - take such "shape recognition" as commonplace, or at least recognize it as the result of their inborn visual bias. But Left Brained people, with a more verbal, literal bias, often see adventures into this other world as miraculous. To build a philosophy or religion upon such beliefs of miraculous revelation might seem silly to the artistic mind who is used to such "miracles." But if the world is indeed dominantly Left Brained, we can bet that these "miracles" will be the "revelations" that are written about and preserved by the 4/6 Left Brained Majority, as miracles for all to either believe... or not believe.

After considering the Left Brained and/or 4/6 Majority bias of people, we should also consider the male dominated patriarchal bias! Where do you fit in? Throughout the history of many cultures across the world we see a bias that is not only Left-Brained, and ruled by the 4/6 Majority, but also very Male Dominated. In addition to this... we tend to put a lot of emphasis upon sensory data picked up during our waking hours of consciousness; viewing the unconscious as insignificant. Thus... throughout the history of many cultures we see that it is indeed a Left-Brained, Conscious, Patriarchal, 4/6 world out there. Leaving everything else to be dismissed as an oddity. This essay warns us to beware the bias.

It's a Left-Brained, Conscious, Patriarchal, 4/6 world out there. But most of the cultures that suffer from such bias also have people among them who pursue alternatives. The people who explore their Right-Brained, Less Conscious, Feminine, 1/9 side are usually the ones who are considered odd. And curious people who are not of that ilk will often seek them out as a source of knowledge about the nature of another side they don't know so well. In many cultures, these R-Brained, Less Conscious, Feminine, 1/9 types are often the "spiritual leaders" of their community. Unfortunately... in many cases, a male dominant influence is brought into this matriarchal realm, causing the resulting philosophies to be bent and shaped into a form that appeases the Left-Brained, Conscious, Patriarchal, 4/6 dominant world. For example: when one explore things like Zen one may be struck by how many of the great and revered Zen Masters of the past are male. Offhand, I can't think of one famous quote that I've encountered that has come from a Zen Master of long ago who was female. I'm sure there must be some... somewhere, they do have nuns. But in my casual encounters with this philosophy, I can't recall any. In fact, many of the koans and parables used to convey important concepts seem to also include Pupils who are exclusively male. Because of this I often wonder if there is in fact a patriarchal bias at work in the ultimate design of various spiritual philosophies. Look also at the tenets of Christianity. A look into the Feminine side yields a male God, giving birth to a man, with a secondary consideration of woman... being born from that man. How bassackwards is that? Male dominance is so dominant, it even dominates worlds that are not male. This is what history has preserved and handed down to us.

Returning to the practices of Zen... if it is indeed patriarchal in creation, it would definitely explain the fervent zeal it has for relinquishing forms of thought that are so typically "Male" in character. In fact... in many ways, the process of Zen sounds very much like a Left Brained, Conscious, Patriarchal, 4/6 person trying desperately to "find" his Right Brain, Less Conscious, Matriarchal, 1/9 side. With that in mind, the effects of "sudden enlightenment" begin to sound very similar to a phenomenon known to psychology and artists as "The Right Brain Shift." The right brain shift is a real phenomenon that can be visually observed in the drawings of ordinary people. There are a couple of famous books written about this phenomenon: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and Drawing on the Artist Within, both by Betty Edwards. In those books we find examples of drawings made by people who are not drawing with their R-Brain, followed by drawings by the same people, after following the techniques outlined by the author, designed to help them shift into their R-Brain. The differences are astounding! If a similar transition is happening in the contemplative mind of a Zen Pupil, or any other person from any other culture, one could easily see how such a transition would be revered as a kind of spiritual awakening or enlightenment - especially among the dominantly Left Brained, Conscious, Male, 4/6 types who remain incapable of such insight themselves. But... to the R-Brained artists of the world - who are definitely a minority - such shifting of the brain to the Right, Less Conscious, Feminine, 1/9 side is not all that miraculous. But again, they are a minority. To those who can't draw at all, people who can draw are amazing! Thus... with typical 4/6 addictive zeal, those who choose to not view these types as odd, will typically revere them as Gods... viewing those who have found their Right Brained, Less Conscious, Female, 1/9 side as special... to a point of falling prostrate before them as Masters.

Being someone who inhabits and utilizes my R-Brain, Less Conscious, Feminine, 1/9 side on a regular basis, I have a problem viewing other people who have found their R-Brain, Less Conscious, Feminine, 1/9 side as Divine Masters. There are certainly many people out there who can draw much better than I can, or have a better grasp of the ungraspable concepts of philosophy and spirituality than I have, or are more psychic with their tarot deck than I am - and I have much respect for their accomplishments. But knowing as much as I do about it all, I have a problem with the idea of falling prostrate before them and calling them Masters. Even if I were to ask them to teach me what they know, I wouldn't view them as Divine Masters. I would simply view them as more accomplished than myself, and a valuable source of learning. In pursuing them as a source of learning, I would expect them to give freely their insight, as I would give freely any insight I might have that they don't have... without expecting them to fall prostrate before me as their Master.

I think this idea of establishing a Master and Pupil relationship is yet another byproduct of the Ego-bound mind of the 4/6 types and their need to feel worthy by making others feel that they are less worthy... until they have climbed a hierarchy of pecking orders. This is typical of 4/6 types. It is also typical of men. All of this makes me wonder whether it is possible that all the "spiritual" dogma handed down to us from the past is simply the result of men... desperately seeking to find their female side, within cultures that simultaneously view women themselves as inferior? Has the philosophy behind the Sacred Geometry of what they found been twisted to always portray the male as first in importance, higher in ascendancy, and always superior... always the Master? Is this what we want? (see The Vortext of Knowing elsewhere on this site)

The history of tarot is full of moral and dogma crafted by men from male dominated Occult Societies. The history of most organized religions is full of moral and dogma crafted by men, from male dominated cultures. That much is obvious. But what is even more curious is how so many women suffer from the same Conscious, L-Brained, Male, Extrospective, Actively seeking bias. In seeking our UnConscious, R-Brained, Female, Introspective, Passive Self, women may have a head start because of a genetically predisposed proximity, but the fact of the matter is... they don't always get there any easier or any quicker than the aforementioned men. That is curious. A byproduct of The Life Bias mentioned in a couple of other places around this site (see The Pentacle Person elsewhere on this site). The Life Bias is strong.

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EXTRA CREDIT

This idea of a Left Brained, Conscious, Male, 4/6 bias being the majority view, and those who have found their Right Brain, Less Conscious, Female, 1/9 side being special, in ways that cause them look back on others with pity or scorn, is all too common in the world of tarot, as well as various spiritual philosophies and organized religions. In the essay The Pentacle Person, I use this lopsided mindset to show how the suits of The Numerical Tarot are perfectly designed to reveal all forms of bias, like the L-Brain vs. R-Brain bias, the Masculine vs. Feminine bias, the Extrospective vs. Introspective bias, the Active vs. Passive bias and many more. That essay presents the ideas with the R-Brained, Less Conscious Female bias, pitying the Left Brained Pentacle Person's unenlightened state. But ultimately the study of consciousness being presented everywhere on this site is more concerned with balance. There are many more essays devoted to balance than such lopsided approaches as those espoused by Left Brained 4/6 Men desperately seeking their "other side" and viewing it as a Divine Revelation when they do.