The Sound of Music

note: This post is a clarification of certain aspects of my mind-boggling post “Idealism” (don’t read it unless you want a challenge and a severe headache!)

The famed philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras firmly believed that the world was built upon two things: numbers and music.

I happen to agree with Pythagoras, and have done quite a bit of thinking about this, following this train of thought and elaborating as I come to greater understanding. The following essay is the fruit of that thought:

I believe the universe to be made of two things: Numbers and Music.

But let me first clarify this one point- there is another element that, although it is not actually part of the universe, it is the means by which the world is understood: Light.

Light is the graph upon which the musical score of the universe is written, the record upon which the music is played, and the software upon which the music is interpreted. So although it is not part of the universe (or perhaps because it is not), it is the means by which reality itself is interpreted.

But please note that when I say “light”, I do no refer to physical light– not anymore than the universe is “physically” music; in this cosmic context, Light refers to what I call “Relativity”— the formless judge of all that was, is, and will be.

For Christians, that light is “Jesus”; for Heraclitus and the Greeks, that Light is “the Logos”, and for the Taoist, “Tao” itself.

Moving on to the relationship between numbers, music, and the universe:

1. Numbers are the notes that determine the lyrics, melody, and harmony of the music.

2. Sound is the beat, rhythm, amplification, and vibrato of the music, and the ultimate source of the music itself.

I refer to Sound as “the Essence”, especially in relation to the soul (e.g. Essence of the Soul).

How Relativity plays into all of this: It is the graph upon which the music is played, the software through which the music is interpreted, and the record upon which the music is played– but what does that mean?

It means that Relativity determines how the music is interpreted, what form the music takes– and, because it is the grooves of the record that is played, Relativity is also the Pattern upon which the universe is built!

Not to shabby for a force that is technically not part of the universe, huh?

Now, to apply these metaphysical perspectives to human psychology:

(This is somewhat covered in greater detail in an older post of th3g1vr, “Spiritual Energy”).

If God is the universe, and we are made in God’s image, that must surely mean that human counterparts must exist. They do indeed, and are programmed into the human psychology:

At least according to mainstream psychology, the human mind is  split into two minds: the rational mind, and the intuitive mind.

1. Rational: produces logical thought, which itself is the offspring of the Logos. It is through this mind that we perceive reality, and develop thought patterns by which to deduce and choose our Path [in life].

The Logos is the organization of thought, and it can be considered God contemplating existence, and deciding the form that the universe, and everything in it, will take. In human form, the Logos is our nature.

In the Christian Trinity, the Logos would equate to “The Father”

In Freudian psychology, the Rational mind is called “the Ego”.

2. Intuitive: produces emotional thought, which itself is the offspring of the Essence (Sound). It is through this mind that we are motivated to actualize thought, and through it we are ultimately driven by sexual desires.

The Essence, in its pure form, is the energy the drives the whole universe and everything in it to exist, and to continue existing.

In the Christian Trinity, the Essence would equate to the Holy Spirit.

In Freudian psychology, the Intuitive mind is called “the Id”.

Finally, we have “Pythagoras’ Numbers”— the hard part!

The numbers are equivalent to Plato’s Forms; everything in existence has a Form attached to it, and that Form determines what kind of music it will make (and thus how it is perceived).

In other words, everything in existence projects its energy (Essence) according to the note(s) assigned to it by its Form.

The Forms, although inherently simple in nature, are perceptively the most complex of the three metaphysical devices that make up the universe, because of their interactions with each other.

For one who plays sheet music, this analogy makes perfect sense. After all, the hardest part about reading music isn’t the ability to read the grid or play the sound– The hardest part of reading music is the notes themselves!

Apart the Forms [notes] of the universe are relatively simple and easy to understand…– but the moment that they start interacting with each other, everything literally becomes infinitely complex. But it is also the complexity of these interactions that make the world such a beautiful, mysterious, profound place to live in and appreciate.

Applying this third aspect of the universe to the human psychology:

The Spiritual mind: Because of their collaborative nature, the Forms can only be truly felt in a Social setting– that is, when with Other people. The purpose of the Forms is the transfer, manipulation, and exchange of energy, and so it is through these activities that Your Spiritual mind will mature.

It is through this mind that we are able to appreciate and grow from the music the universe produces, and the means by which we pass on that appreciation and growth to the rest of the world (whether we like it or not!)

The Forms are energy in controlled form, and can thus be generically referred to as “conditions”. Perhaps one of the most powerful types of Forms: “the Soul”.

They are “thought clothing itself”– the true character of all that is.

In the Christian Trinity, the Forms would equate to the Son.

In Freudian psychology, the Spiritual mind is called “the SuperEgo”.

Well, that sums up my understanding of the universe in relation to music, and that of our psychology as reflected by the universe. Did any of it make sense to you? (I tried my best to simplify it!)