Enlightenment

To turn base metals into gold, we must become alchemists.

The eighth chakra is associated with POWER in the deepest sense of the word. It is where the paradox of the self and the Self is resolved; where opposites are united. Activating this chakra means that we become a king like Osiris.

As we are immersed in the energy of the Soul Star chakra, we feel a state of sovereignty. This golden chakra allows access to the upmost clarity and enlightened wisdom. The Vyapini chakra balances us between the soul and the universe:

The Soul Star chakra is a mixture of the third eye, throat and the root chakras. This is the essence of creation, or the use of the breath to inspire the physical world. By using this universal power, we can activate the consciousness within water. This is the heka tradition, or the magick legacy that the Egyptians used for thousands of years.

The third eye, or Ajna, is the sixth chakra. Blue in colour, the rhombic dodecahedron is made up of 12 rhombic faces. As a stellation of the cube, the third eye is not only the insight of wisdom, but also the seat of conscience. This is where you see what is going on and know what it means. Our sense of justice originates here.

The throat is called Vishuddha, or the fifth centre. Turquoise in colour, the octahedron represents the element of air, which is expressed in the throat chakra through our breath. Breathing is a reciprocal process of receiving and releasing life-force energy. Through regular practice and mindful awareness of breathing patterns, the breath plays an important role in achieving spiritual enlightenment.

The root chakra or Muladhara is red and refers to manifestation. As the inverse of turquoise, roots grow in the Earth and strongly resonate with the “root of existence”. Muladhara is considered the creative foundation of the “energy body”. Yogic systems stress the importance of stabilising the chakra where Kundalini awakens.

The colourful polygons above are united in the rhombicuboctahedron below. This complex solid encapsulates the expression “breath as creation as will”. If we look carefully, we can see a turquoise octahedron and a red square that are “blown out”.

Above: if the blue rhombuses are squares then we have an Archimedean solid

The combined shape is known as an expanded octahedron or an expanded cube. This is because the rhombicuboctahedron can be constructed by separating and pushing away the faces of an octahedron or a cube from their centroid. If we take the orthogonal projection of the rhombicuboctahedron, we are left with a golden starseed:

Above: reciprocal octagrams imply the inhale and exhale of the breath

The rhombicuboctahedron can be found in the depths of Hermetic philosophy, Renaissance art and the Jewish Kabbalah. This shape symbolises the spirit of creation and how diaphragmatic breathing can manifest our wildest dreams. The net above then, featuring two cubes, hints at the answer to the riddle:

As above, so below,
As within, so without,
As the universe, so the soul.

At the balancing point of the reciprocal octagrams is the Crown of Thorns: two interwoven squares. This mandala, best known as the Seal of Melchizedek, is also a symbol of Christ. Melchizedek is described in Genesis as “a priest of the highest God” and the “King of Salem.” This word translates to “‘peace,” making Melchizedek the “King of Peace.”

Here we are reminded that the Sphinx looks eastward to the vernal Sun and Regulus. This is the LIONSGATE that opens every year on August 23rd.