last monday, during moonday messages, we played with the book the alchemical imagination by eliza swann, and my message was on page 99: “to understand their own creativity and the process of creation, alchemists often look to the origins of the universe itself.”

(it was in a larger section titled, “in the beginning, there was one mind,” and goes into the pythagorean cosmology of the monad begetting the dyad, and so on and so forth, so there was no doubt this idea was meant for me.)

as i’ve been writing, reading, engaging with others around, and experiencing the first few days of the cycle, i’ve been observing this concept of paradox, and how each number embodies it’s definition, which according to merriam-webster is: a statement or sentiment that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true.

one is both the singular and the totality; the beginning and yet the only true state of being. two appears limited, but is all-encompassing; it is oriented towards the other and yet longs for balance. three is constructive and destructive; it walks the thin line between life and death.

i think this is showing up for me because i feel very tasked with holding conflicting truths and nevertheless persisting, and i suppose if i’m to understand anything about myself, i must look to the universe, where contradictions are the soup tous les jours and i’m just swimming in it.

day one: