Cosmic symbolism — A Closer Reading

From Principles to Planetary Sounds

The table of contents reveals a deliberate progression: after establishing the meaning of occultism and problems of science, Sepharial moves through therapy, the Star of Bethlehem, cosmic symbology, and into the mechanics of Kabalism. By chapter XV, “Planetary Sounds,” the reader encounters the most concrete material in the excerpts—a detailed table assigning vowel and consonant combinations to zodiacal signs and planetary rulers. The author explains that each asterism of 13°20′ divides into four padams of 3°20′, yielding 108 amshas corresponding to 108 sounds. Five primary vowel sounds each last 24 minutes, or one Indian hour, equal to 6° of the zodiac. This systematic mapping of sound to celestial measure is the book’s most distinctive feature.

The Construction of Mantrams

Sepharial describes how mantrams are formed from planetary positions at a given time or at birth. By combining the five vowel sounds, consonants attached to each sign, and the relative positions of planets, a mantram can be created “in exact harmony with the astral vibrations.” He notes that some mantrams are traditional in Hindu families, and that at one time they were “delivered with the horoscope immediately after a birth.” The author provides a complete “Table of Planetary Sounds” showing how consonants like L (Aries), V (Taurus), K (Gemini), and H (Cancer) combine with vowels across five divisions of each sign. This table is the practical core of the book’s method.

A Second Table and the Limits of Consistency

Following the planetary sounds table, Sepharial introduces a “Table of Initial Sounds” that assigns consonants to planets: Saturn (J, Y, L, M, V, W, K, Q, H, U, O, O), Jupiter (G, B, N, Th, R, P, Dh, S, Z, X, Ch, A, T, D, Sh, I). He acknowledges eliminating some Sanskrit sounds without English equivalents and adding allied ones like Q and C under K. Notably, he attempts to fix vowels under planets but finds them “not consistent,” leaving that effort incomplete. This admission of inconsistency is rare in the excerpts and suggests the author’s willingness to present unresolved problems.

Structure and Reader Expectations

The book’s 28 chapters move from broad occult philosophy to specific techniques: after planetary sounds come planetary hours, celestial magnetic polarities, Vulcan, alfrideries, the law of vibrations, equalization of epochs, lunar and solar influence, astrology, character and environment, the law of sex, and a final test of value. The excerpts show that Sepharial expects readers to follow a logical chain from abstract principles to applied tables. The opening quote from Laotze and the mathematical criterion recur implicitly throughout: the reader is asked to hold paradox and number together. The work does not assume prior Kabalistic knowledge but builds its system step by step.

A first-time reader should begin with the introduction to grasp Sepharial’s dual commitment to paradox and mathematics, then move directly to the tables in chapters XV and XVI to see the system in action. The later chapters on cycles, vibrations, and planetary influences will make more sense once the sound-number framework is understood. The book rewards careful attention to its tables and cross-references, but the author’s own admission of inconsistency in vowel assignments warns against expecting a closed, flawless system.

That damp afternoon, Sepharial’s tables of planetary sounds felt more like poetry than arithmetic—each number a small, patient door. By evening, I found myself reaching for An Apology for the True Christian Divinity Being an explanation and vindication of the principles and doctrines of the people called Quakers — A Closer Reading, where the inner light speaks with a quieter, steadier voice than any mantra.