The Pythagorean
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At the encouragement of my Guardian Daemon, I will post some interesting concepts I come across in my studies of various outsider faiths, if I see something worth discussing.
Note that all this knowledge, being "outsider material", is certainly vulnerable to corruption. Less so in this case, but I will address concepts from the far East and the like, that are far more likely to contain corruption. For this post, and all others, I would hope that an SG or Clergy can come and clarify things further, and I also hope that dropping these posts will encourage a discussion by members, reaching a far greater conclusion.
For this fact, I won't usually drop my personal opinions on the matter and try to stick to the base material. I will drop some clarifications from official ToZ knowledge, but that's about it, I'm keeping personal takes out. If any questions or whatever pop up, I will give my two cents, but do treat those replies with an even bigger pinch of salt than the post itself.
The Hebdomads (ἑβδομάδες) are periods of 7 years that Pythagoras described in one's life as stages of physical, mental and spiritual evolution. They tend to differ from men to women (not the timing itself, but what happens in each Hebdomad). I will address the male one here, as it is considered "default", with the female deviating, but I encourage our sisters here to drop some of the differences for women after their own study.
The way Pythagoras describes each Hebdomad is the "ideal" version, as we all know many people end up never maturing beyond a certain stage. Knowledge itself should also never serve to limit. If any knowledge you gain ends up limiting you, it is being misused, except for the cases where it limits you from doing "bad" actions, in which case the inaction itself is an expansion and actually a benefit, not a true "limitation", just like knowing that putting your hand into fire will burn isn't "limiting you". Pythagoras Himself "broke" these rules in His initiation rites for those who deserved knowledge early, and every pattern we try to ascribe to the human experience comes with exceptions because of the sheer amount of variation within this experience.
For further study of this knowledge, Aulus Gellius preserves this work in his Noctes Atticae (Attic Nights), drawing from Solon, one of the wisest men of Greece. Solon and Pythagoras were in the same tradition, and we have evidence from Iamblichus that Pythagoras was fully aligned with Solon's interpretation.
There is also a small discrepancy that I want to address, that being the fact that life expectancy is certainly better now, and these stages don't align as "neatly". Here, I don't want to speak much on the matter because of my own ignorance on the subject, but I assume the answer is the fact that Pythagoras and Solon were speaking of "higher laws". Nature itself is sometimes not that "clean", and sometimes the Divine laws surpass nature in its raw form. It is our duty to bring these higher laws into manifestation, and to work with the world to change the world, respecting nature but also being aware that there is always something greater.
That being said, here are the Hebdomads and their features, in order:
1. Παιδική (Paidike) - “Childhood”, Years 0-7
This is the first stage, which takes the ancient Greek word for child, and adds a deliberately feminine suffix.
This is because this first stage is receptive, feminine in nature.
In this stage, there is no inherent goal or direction yet, but there is a goal that the soul and body are engaging in, that is rooting the soul into the body. The child identifies more and more with the body.
Solon places the key characteristic of this stage as the replacement of child teeth with adult teeth. Teeth we know to be ruled by Saturn, and we can take the replacement of teeth as a symbol for shedding what came before and establishing what comes now, the new life, in a Saturnic way (hence the pain of teeth coming in).
The "organs of sense" also develop right here, as the soul and body learn to receive input. This stage is retained in many cultures that state that the "7 years of being raised by your parents" are essential for development.
During this stage, the "physis" (nature, being) takes root into the new body and a harmonization happens between the two.
Babies are, thus, not "here" a lot of the time, the connection between body and soul is not fully established yet. The coming in of child teeth as well as adult teeth, the development of bones, and the transition from a baby to the more typical human form marks the full connection.
In this transitional phase, the Ka forms, as the Egyptians themselves spoke of.
There isn't much of a mental state to speak of, but play and lessons from parents already establish archetypal thought patterns of the Hyle (matter, gross substance) that allow the human to live. The baby learns what it's like to eat, and starts to understand certain necessities of material existence.
This Hebdomad is of the element of Earth.
2. Παιδεία (Paideia) - The Age of Learning, Years 7-14
This is a transitional stage, a very fluid one, where the cognition sharpens and the ego identity forms to a greater degree.
During this stage, the Logos Spermatikos (rational logic, rational faculty) develops.
Questioning begins, and manifests in various ways depending on the age, as even the Hebdomads themselves have "stages" to them, albeit further categorization would miss the point even harder.
Part of this system of understanding human life was stolen by the Bible, and there is a clear parallel one can draw between each Hebdomad and the original 7 days of creation (as the stages after the 7th are considered spiritual stages as opposed to material ones).
In this case, the Hebdomad reflects the second day of creation, where, ideally, light is separated from darkness. In reality, the soul's nature is separated from that which is not of its nature, and the authentic personality starts manifesting.
The second stage also numerologically ties a lot to the number 2 itself, as this is where the soul learns most duality. It learns to tell good from evil, it learns sadness and happiness, and is presented with a very simple reality meant to let it develop: the idea that there is a wrong choice and a right choice. This notion is, as we know, not entirely correct in the ultimate sense, but it acts as a proper platform to realize further truths.
This stage is of the element of Water.
3. Ἥβη (Hebe) - The Age of Youth, Years 14-21
Named after the Goddess, this is the most "pure" phase of development, where one is "done" in terms of "cooking", but still has a lot of potential and a lot to learn. The word itself relates to the blooming of a flower for this exact reason.
Here, as Solon puts it, the generative and creative powers truly awaken, with puberty bringing a surge of vital lifeforce.
Iamblichus describes this phase as a test of one's thymos, or spirit.
Here, the soul is tested, and idealism first appears. From stark realism, the soul starts to develop "whims". The world shouldn't be the way it is, it should be according to my ideas.
Some of these whims are worthless and pure idealism, some are genuinely higher truths that the soul should definitely want to manifest.
This is also the stage of the greatest oscillation between virtue and impulse. Many strong urges of idealism arise, but they are equally countered by physical, gross material ideas. The teenager has so many wild ideas about the world and how it should act, but basic things like hunger, poverty and the like tell another story, and the soul doesn't know what is true.
This stage is of the element of Fire.
The biggest element of this Hebdomad is that the being now seeks independence, mastery, catharsis and self-direction.
This is where many youthful mistakes tend to happen, but this doesn't have to be the case.
In this Hebdomad, the "chariot" is fully built and ready to take one in the direction of their own choosing, be it good or bad.
The self has realized its power and its nature as self, but must now learn to guide this in the right direction. This is the formation of the Solar Ego in the truest sense, the Solar identity that radiates its own nature.
This is not the "peak" of life, but rather the peak of one's identity.
This stage is of the element of Air.
5. Ἀνδρεία (Andreia) - The Manly Age, Years 28-35
For the Pythagoreans, this was the stage associated with the Tetractys, not anymore the Sun, where one's Arete is tested. At this point, it is completely up to the individual to build something worthwhile.
In this stage, one learns responsibility, proper judgement, and usually gains responsibilities that simply can't be ignored, like a child of their own.
The perfect execution of this stage is where one harmonizes the previous four stages, creating something new and perfected of themselves, hence this stage is of the Aether.
6. Φρόνησις (Phronesis) — Wisdom, Years 35-42
To the Pythagoreans, this stage is where life truly began.
There might be a slight decline in vigor and physical virility, but this decline only exists to temper the soul.
Here, the first 5 stages harmonize into a greater discernment. There comes a certain degree of wisdom from experience that is unmatched in its efficacy, and one truly learns the reason they are here. The human at this age, realizes that there is nothing quite as good as personal experience. The principles built so far, if they were well built, trump any idealism of the Fiery stage, any will of radiance of the Air stage. You know some things "for sure", and these help you. There's also a strong sense that one's life "makes sense", and while this is also itself an illusion, it is an illusion that can lead to truth.
With no more elements to rule these stages, this is known as the stage of Hermes/Thoth, the first transcendental stage. It was said by the Pythagoreans that whoever dies before 35 had a clear reason to not experience these stages, be it personal failure, lack of readiness or grave mistakes.
In this stage, growth is no longer "forced and natural", the only natural thing is decay. Anything that isn't decay from this stage onwards was fully the decision, manifestation and radiance of the soul itself, from a higher nature.
7. Ἀρχή (Arche) - Authority, Years 42-49
This is the stage of rulership, power and authority. One has gone through the stage of Hermes and enters the realm of Saturn. Macrobius does describe this as a Saturnic stage, and for good reason.
This is where, if stages beforehand have not been well managed, one will start to really feel the sting of Saturn. If stages have been handled properly, there is very little decay here, only further moderation of power as "yelling turns into speech". This is symbolically characterized as the stage of lower volume speech, where one no longer yells, only speaks.
This reflects a change in attitude, but also a moderation and sharpening of the authoritative principle. In one's family, one is already Jupiter, or the younger Saturn, but one is NOT the Jupiter that defeats the Titans. One is only the young Jupiter, with ideals and responsibilities, and a dream to kill the rotten old man that keeps messing with your plans, which at this point might actually be valid plans.
Here, the first stages of mentorship also happen, as one already has valuable knowledge to give to the next generation. Every man is a king in this stage, and this gives every man the opportunity to succeed and get a taste of Godly authority, or fail spectacularly and see for oneself that they are not ready for this power yet. Maybe next life.
That being said, this is not just a Saturnic stage, there is a later stage that is entirely Saturnic. This stage, beyond being Saturnic, is also Solar (see Black Sun symbolism here).
However, there was already a Solar stage. Solon speaks here that this stage is not the Sun itself, but rather "Solar Fire". I have no idea what this means, and I'm, at the very least, too young to know anyway.
8. Βουλή (Boule) - Deliberation, Years 49-56
I will not explain this name too much, it is beyond me. Βουλή means "plan", "deliberation". I know Clergy-worthy material when I see it. This name has many layers, including the "bargaining" that comes from this stage if the previous stages were not properly followed, "bargaining with God for life and for one's mistakes". For one who properly followed these stages, you start "planning" your death, as has been put in previous sermons. Any more words than this I can drop about the name itself will likely be mistakes and not worth listening to.
Here, the senses weaken, and the body starts demanding rest. You already did everything! Except you absolutely didn't.
This is a cleverly designed stage by the Gods, to show that there is so much more. Around one's 50s, one will always reflect on past mistakes and on the meaning of life, it is a highly contemplative time. It is also the time of the mouse-hole. Think of your life as a room, where you've already analyzed everything, and even destroyed the walls themselves to gain wood for furniture you yourself desire. But, at this age, you realize there's a mouse hole in your room, which you never noticed, and this mouse hole leads to Wonderland, to an entire new world of possibilities.
There will ALWAYS be a sense of missing out in this stage. You realize what you missed out in terms of mistakes made, but you also realize what you missed out on due to human nature. Regrets surface, but also a powerful desire to:
a. Do the right thing "next time" (a vague "next time" that you can ALREADY feel, this is where the first signs that you will reincarnate arise, to a level where the soul can feel it)
b. Do the right thing RIGHT NOW, either a mid-life crisis, or, in the case of properly followed stages, a wish to transcend what was given to you, go further beyond.
9. Γνῶσις, Gnosis, Years 56-63
Here is where physical decline genuinely comes. There might be early signs in the Deliberation stage (personal genetics also play a role here), but by the time of the Gnosis Hebdomad one is guaranteed, even if physical health was respected, to have a clear decline in physical power and vigor. This fact is sad, and should be taken as a sad fact of aging, but also respected. Saturn here is to be respected as we are here in the Gods' domain, where every decision and every feature of the world is cleverly designed. But this doesn't mean we can't be sad, we absolutely can be. Saturn is depicted as eating his children for a reason. Shani is a Divine energy for a reason, but one that is depicted as scary and painful for, again, a reason.
However, as the foreshadowing of physical decline in an earlier stage was to be treated as an opportunity to moderate, this is also an opportunity to achieve temperance.
Philo the jew speaks of this stage as the life's Sabbath, a time of contemplation. Sure, maybe for jews this is the end, and all you have left to do is think about life. We gentiles did our contemplation already, though. The theft here does come from somewhere, though, and that is the fact that this Hebdomad has been identified with the Star of Kronus.
The Star of Kronus hasn't been addressed by Clergy, and its very idea, which I believe relates to the 8th Chakra, makes me nauseous with its mysteries.
What I can give is that this Star is a sign. It's a sign of authority and itself a test of character for others.
This is reflected in a very simple metaphor that I will drop, that of the old man. The old man tells you wisdom and gives you advice, and you just SEE the power and the righteousness of this advice if the previous stages were done well. You SEE that this person is wise, but they have no authority over you. A 60 year old can't beat you up if you don't obey, but one can still obey if they see value.
10. Τελείωσις (Teleiosis) - Completion, Years 63-70
Macrobius calls this teleiosis animæ, or completion of the soul, the perfection of the soul before release back into the Aether.
"Release back into the Aether" will still reincarnate the soul with its characteristics, so it is less of a release into the Aether and more of a release into the Astral as an individual. The Pythagoreans were speaking to a Hellenic Greek audience. Maybe, if they lived today, they'd be more clear with the notion of reincarnation, similarly to how ancient texts speak of reincarnation into animals whereas this is not "true reincarnation". This kind of clarification simply wasn't necessary in a world without abrahamic corruption, so we are here, left with the task of making things a bit clearer.
This stage (similarly to the Gnosis stage) is highly mysterious, and is once again of the Aether, but a higher Aether.
One reviews their life, forgives, understands more, and has a sort of conclusion. This stage is massively colored by one's spiritual advancement, and can be very varied in its manifestation.
Solon wrote: “If he live past the tenth seven, the gods add the rest”. Life doesn't end here, not in the sense of the soul, nor in the sense of actual life, and life beyond this usually has a purpose and a reason, be it for others or for one's personal ascension.
Note that all this knowledge, being "outsider material", is certainly vulnerable to corruption. Less so in this case, but I will address concepts from the far East and the like, that are far more likely to contain corruption. For this post, and all others, I would hope that an SG or Clergy can come and clarify things further, and I also hope that dropping these posts will encourage a discussion by members, reaching a far greater conclusion.
For this fact, I won't usually drop my personal opinions on the matter and try to stick to the base material. I will drop some clarifications from official ToZ knowledge, but that's about it, I'm keeping personal takes out. If any questions or whatever pop up, I will give my two cents, but do treat those replies with an even bigger pinch of salt than the post itself.
The Hebdomads (ἑβδομάδες) are periods of 7 years that Pythagoras described in one's life as stages of physical, mental and spiritual evolution. They tend to differ from men to women (not the timing itself, but what happens in each Hebdomad). I will address the male one here, as it is considered "default", with the female deviating, but I encourage our sisters here to drop some of the differences for women after their own study.
The way Pythagoras describes each Hebdomad is the "ideal" version, as we all know many people end up never maturing beyond a certain stage. Knowledge itself should also never serve to limit. If any knowledge you gain ends up limiting you, it is being misused, except for the cases where it limits you from doing "bad" actions, in which case the inaction itself is an expansion and actually a benefit, not a true "limitation", just like knowing that putting your hand into fire will burn isn't "limiting you". Pythagoras Himself "broke" these rules in His initiation rites for those who deserved knowledge early, and every pattern we try to ascribe to the human experience comes with exceptions because of the sheer amount of variation within this experience.
For further study of this knowledge, Aulus Gellius preserves this work in his Noctes Atticae (Attic Nights), drawing from Solon, one of the wisest men of Greece. Solon and Pythagoras were in the same tradition, and we have evidence from Iamblichus that Pythagoras was fully aligned with Solon's interpretation.
There is also a small discrepancy that I want to address, that being the fact that life expectancy is certainly better now, and these stages don't align as "neatly". Here, I don't want to speak much on the matter because of my own ignorance on the subject, but I assume the answer is the fact that Pythagoras and Solon were speaking of "higher laws". Nature itself is sometimes not that "clean", and sometimes the Divine laws surpass nature in its raw form. It is our duty to bring these higher laws into manifestation, and to work with the world to change the world, respecting nature but also being aware that there is always something greater.
That being said, here are the Hebdomads and their features, in order:
1. Παιδική (Paidike) - “Childhood”, Years 0-7
This is the first stage, which takes the ancient Greek word for child, and adds a deliberately feminine suffix.
This is because this first stage is receptive, feminine in nature.
In this stage, there is no inherent goal or direction yet, but there is a goal that the soul and body are engaging in, that is rooting the soul into the body. The child identifies more and more with the body.
Solon places the key characteristic of this stage as the replacement of child teeth with adult teeth. Teeth we know to be ruled by Saturn, and we can take the replacement of teeth as a symbol for shedding what came before and establishing what comes now, the new life, in a Saturnic way (hence the pain of teeth coming in).
The "organs of sense" also develop right here, as the soul and body learn to receive input. This stage is retained in many cultures that state that the "7 years of being raised by your parents" are essential for development.
During this stage, the "physis" (nature, being) takes root into the new body and a harmonization happens between the two.
Babies are, thus, not "here" a lot of the time, the connection between body and soul is not fully established yet. The coming in of child teeth as well as adult teeth, the development of bones, and the transition from a baby to the more typical human form marks the full connection.
In this transitional phase, the Ka forms, as the Egyptians themselves spoke of.
There isn't much of a mental state to speak of, but play and lessons from parents already establish archetypal thought patterns of the Hyle (matter, gross substance) that allow the human to live. The baby learns what it's like to eat, and starts to understand certain necessities of material existence.
This Hebdomad is of the element of Earth.
2. Παιδεία (Paideia) - The Age of Learning, Years 7-14
This is a transitional stage, a very fluid one, where the cognition sharpens and the ego identity forms to a greater degree.
During this stage, the Logos Spermatikos (rational logic, rational faculty) develops.
Questioning begins, and manifests in various ways depending on the age, as even the Hebdomads themselves have "stages" to them, albeit further categorization would miss the point even harder.
Part of this system of understanding human life was stolen by the Bible, and there is a clear parallel one can draw between each Hebdomad and the original 7 days of creation (as the stages after the 7th are considered spiritual stages as opposed to material ones).
In this case, the Hebdomad reflects the second day of creation, where, ideally, light is separated from darkness. In reality, the soul's nature is separated from that which is not of its nature, and the authentic personality starts manifesting.
The second stage also numerologically ties a lot to the number 2 itself, as this is where the soul learns most duality. It learns to tell good from evil, it learns sadness and happiness, and is presented with a very simple reality meant to let it develop: the idea that there is a wrong choice and a right choice. This notion is, as we know, not entirely correct in the ultimate sense, but it acts as a proper platform to realize further truths.
This stage is of the element of Water.
3. Ἥβη (Hebe) - The Age of Youth, Years 14-21
Named after the Goddess, this is the most "pure" phase of development, where one is "done" in terms of "cooking", but still has a lot of potential and a lot to learn. The word itself relates to the blooming of a flower for this exact reason.
Here, as Solon puts it, the generative and creative powers truly awaken, with puberty bringing a surge of vital lifeforce.
Iamblichus describes this phase as a test of one's thymos, or spirit.
Here, the soul is tested, and idealism first appears. From stark realism, the soul starts to develop "whims". The world shouldn't be the way it is, it should be according to my ideas.
Some of these whims are worthless and pure idealism, some are genuinely higher truths that the soul should definitely want to manifest.
This is also the stage of the greatest oscillation between virtue and impulse. Many strong urges of idealism arise, but they are equally countered by physical, gross material ideas. The teenager has so many wild ideas about the world and how it should act, but basic things like hunger, poverty and the like tell another story, and the soul doesn't know what is true.
This stage is of the element of Fire.
4. Ἀκμή (Akme) - The Peak, Years 21-28
Here, the body has fully developed its strength and coordination, and the mental is usually more stable, allowing the spirit to act in a more clear way.The biggest element of this Hebdomad is that the being now seeks independence, mastery, catharsis and self-direction.
This is where many youthful mistakes tend to happen, but this doesn't have to be the case.
In this Hebdomad, the "chariot" is fully built and ready to take one in the direction of their own choosing, be it good or bad.
The self has realized its power and its nature as self, but must now learn to guide this in the right direction. This is the formation of the Solar Ego in the truest sense, the Solar identity that radiates its own nature.
This is not the "peak" of life, but rather the peak of one's identity.
This stage is of the element of Air.
5. Ἀνδρεία (Andreia) - The Manly Age, Years 28-35
For the Pythagoreans, this was the stage associated with the Tetractys, not anymore the Sun, where one's Arete is tested. At this point, it is completely up to the individual to build something worthwhile.
In this stage, one learns responsibility, proper judgement, and usually gains responsibilities that simply can't be ignored, like a child of their own.
The perfect execution of this stage is where one harmonizes the previous four stages, creating something new and perfected of themselves, hence this stage is of the Aether.
6. Φρόνησις (Phronesis) — Wisdom, Years 35-42
To the Pythagoreans, this stage is where life truly began.
There might be a slight decline in vigor and physical virility, but this decline only exists to temper the soul.
Here, the first 5 stages harmonize into a greater discernment. There comes a certain degree of wisdom from experience that is unmatched in its efficacy, and one truly learns the reason they are here. The human at this age, realizes that there is nothing quite as good as personal experience. The principles built so far, if they were well built, trump any idealism of the Fiery stage, any will of radiance of the Air stage. You know some things "for sure", and these help you. There's also a strong sense that one's life "makes sense", and while this is also itself an illusion, it is an illusion that can lead to truth.
With no more elements to rule these stages, this is known as the stage of Hermes/Thoth, the first transcendental stage. It was said by the Pythagoreans that whoever dies before 35 had a clear reason to not experience these stages, be it personal failure, lack of readiness or grave mistakes.
In this stage, growth is no longer "forced and natural", the only natural thing is decay. Anything that isn't decay from this stage onwards was fully the decision, manifestation and radiance of the soul itself, from a higher nature.
7. Ἀρχή (Arche) - Authority, Years 42-49
This is the stage of rulership, power and authority. One has gone through the stage of Hermes and enters the realm of Saturn. Macrobius does describe this as a Saturnic stage, and for good reason.
This is where, if stages beforehand have not been well managed, one will start to really feel the sting of Saturn. If stages have been handled properly, there is very little decay here, only further moderation of power as "yelling turns into speech". This is symbolically characterized as the stage of lower volume speech, where one no longer yells, only speaks.
This reflects a change in attitude, but also a moderation and sharpening of the authoritative principle. In one's family, one is already Jupiter, or the younger Saturn, but one is NOT the Jupiter that defeats the Titans. One is only the young Jupiter, with ideals and responsibilities, and a dream to kill the rotten old man that keeps messing with your plans, which at this point might actually be valid plans.
Here, the first stages of mentorship also happen, as one already has valuable knowledge to give to the next generation. Every man is a king in this stage, and this gives every man the opportunity to succeed and get a taste of Godly authority, or fail spectacularly and see for oneself that they are not ready for this power yet. Maybe next life.
That being said, this is not just a Saturnic stage, there is a later stage that is entirely Saturnic. This stage, beyond being Saturnic, is also Solar (see Black Sun symbolism here).
However, there was already a Solar stage. Solon speaks here that this stage is not the Sun itself, but rather "Solar Fire". I have no idea what this means, and I'm, at the very least, too young to know anyway.
8. Βουλή (Boule) - Deliberation, Years 49-56
I will not explain this name too much, it is beyond me. Βουλή means "plan", "deliberation". I know Clergy-worthy material when I see it. This name has many layers, including the "bargaining" that comes from this stage if the previous stages were not properly followed, "bargaining with God for life and for one's mistakes". For one who properly followed these stages, you start "planning" your death, as has been put in previous sermons. Any more words than this I can drop about the name itself will likely be mistakes and not worth listening to.
Here, the senses weaken, and the body starts demanding rest. You already did everything! Except you absolutely didn't.
This is a cleverly designed stage by the Gods, to show that there is so much more. Around one's 50s, one will always reflect on past mistakes and on the meaning of life, it is a highly contemplative time. It is also the time of the mouse-hole. Think of your life as a room, where you've already analyzed everything, and even destroyed the walls themselves to gain wood for furniture you yourself desire. But, at this age, you realize there's a mouse hole in your room, which you never noticed, and this mouse hole leads to Wonderland, to an entire new world of possibilities.
There will ALWAYS be a sense of missing out in this stage. You realize what you missed out in terms of mistakes made, but you also realize what you missed out on due to human nature. Regrets surface, but also a powerful desire to:
a. Do the right thing "next time" (a vague "next time" that you can ALREADY feel, this is where the first signs that you will reincarnate arise, to a level where the soul can feel it)
b. Do the right thing RIGHT NOW, either a mid-life crisis, or, in the case of properly followed stages, a wish to transcend what was given to you, go further beyond.
9. Γνῶσις, Gnosis, Years 56-63
Here is where physical decline genuinely comes. There might be early signs in the Deliberation stage (personal genetics also play a role here), but by the time of the Gnosis Hebdomad one is guaranteed, even if physical health was respected, to have a clear decline in physical power and vigor. This fact is sad, and should be taken as a sad fact of aging, but also respected. Saturn here is to be respected as we are here in the Gods' domain, where every decision and every feature of the world is cleverly designed. But this doesn't mean we can't be sad, we absolutely can be. Saturn is depicted as eating his children for a reason. Shani is a Divine energy for a reason, but one that is depicted as scary and painful for, again, a reason.
However, as the foreshadowing of physical decline in an earlier stage was to be treated as an opportunity to moderate, this is also an opportunity to achieve temperance.
Philo the jew speaks of this stage as the life's Sabbath, a time of contemplation. Sure, maybe for jews this is the end, and all you have left to do is think about life. We gentiles did our contemplation already, though. The theft here does come from somewhere, though, and that is the fact that this Hebdomad has been identified with the Star of Kronus.
The Star of Kronus hasn't been addressed by Clergy, and its very idea, which I believe relates to the 8th Chakra, makes me nauseous with its mysteries.
What I can give is that this Star is a sign. It's a sign of authority and itself a test of character for others.
This is reflected in a very simple metaphor that I will drop, that of the old man. The old man tells you wisdom and gives you advice, and you just SEE the power and the righteousness of this advice if the previous stages were done well. You SEE that this person is wise, but they have no authority over you. A 60 year old can't beat you up if you don't obey, but one can still obey if they see value.
10. Τελείωσις (Teleiosis) - Completion, Years 63-70
Macrobius calls this teleiosis animæ, or completion of the soul, the perfection of the soul before release back into the Aether.
"Release back into the Aether" will still reincarnate the soul with its characteristics, so it is less of a release into the Aether and more of a release into the Astral as an individual. The Pythagoreans were speaking to a Hellenic Greek audience. Maybe, if they lived today, they'd be more clear with the notion of reincarnation, similarly to how ancient texts speak of reincarnation into animals whereas this is not "true reincarnation". This kind of clarification simply wasn't necessary in a world without abrahamic corruption, so we are here, left with the task of making things a bit clearer.
This stage (similarly to the Gnosis stage) is highly mysterious, and is once again of the Aether, but a higher Aether.
One reviews their life, forgives, understands more, and has a sort of conclusion. This stage is massively colored by one's spiritual advancement, and can be very varied in its manifestation.
Solon wrote: “If he live past the tenth seven, the gods add the rest”. Life doesn't end here, not in the sense of the soul, nor in the sense of actual life, and life beyond this usually has a purpose and a reason, be it for others or for one's personal ascension.
