Just as the three accomplishes a change in the level of the relationship between the poles one and two in the cycle one-two-three, the six also puts us on a wholly different, new level in the relationship between the concrete, material world with its spiritual lack of consciousness (the world of the four) on the one hand, and the spiritually conscious individual (the world of the five) on the other.
The cycle four-five-six represents the visible creation. The six represents the world of the living ones, in which the four and the five are linked. On the sixth day of creation, the first couple of parents is created, according to Genesis, which completed creation. In nature, we find the six as the basis of life in all kinds of ways: carbon, the chemical basis element of organic life, occupies the sixth place in the periodic table, and has six protons in its nucleus. The benzene ring, a flat ring of six carbon atoms with a specific bond structure is the basic building stone of organic life. Its chemical formula is
C6 H6
The human being needs the created world as his basis of life (the level of the four). This level goes back to the Light. The two components, four and five, try to merge with each other through the principle of six.
In the two-dimensional plane, geometry leads us to the six-pointed star. The Solomon’s seal is generated by a downward-directed triangle – imagine this as the Spirit becoming visible – and an upward-directed triangle that may be seen as matter becoming spiritual. These two movements, the downward one and the upward one, are shown as a unity. Here, too, we clearly see the need of polarity.
In geometry, the four in space is referred to as the cube, limited by six squares. In the plane, the opened cube forms a cross, with the square as its basis.
The six belongs to the absolute, because it brings the absolute into the world. The Jewish mystics and cabbalists honoured the six by calling the sixth Sephira, ‘tiphereth’, beauty. Amongst the numbers, the six is also called a perfect number, because the sum of the numbers by which it can be divided, is also six:
1+2+3 = 6
The six is the number of the perfect Organisation in matter. For instance, it enables the construction of a seamless plane. The six is also considered the number of the ideal state. Nature provides us with an image of it in the form of the honeycomb.
Many examples in nature show that the manifestation of unity and perfection only becomes possible through polarity. A snowflake develops, because a six-pointed star is formed around a nucleus (a speck of dust) through crystallisation. Without this nucleus, the impressive structure of the snowflake would not be achieved.
Therefore, polarity and division do not exclude perfection, but rather lead to it. In this way, perfection can be experienced by the consciousness.
The six is also the number of the human sexual power that drives to unity and perfection. The ultimate goal far surpasses the bodily union of man and woman.The ultimate purpose is the alchemical wedding, the union of the receptive, purified soul with the eternal, Creative, pure Spirit. In fairy tales and myths, this is related in all kinds of ways. The way in which a person uses the sexual power, can be chosen freely.
This power may lose itself in the outward aspect, or it can become a source of intuition and creativity that implies the love for everything and everyone on a higher level.
The number six teaches us that growth, fullness and unity can be manifested if we have acquired skills and power of judgement. In its fullness, the six symbolises giving up the earthly ties and Crossing the limits of our world. In this respect, the cycle of four-five-six implies the path of inner purification and cleansing of our perception, feeling, willing and acting. This requires developing self-discipline and anchoring it within ourselves. Thus we arrive at the seven.
