What Are the 7 Liberal Arts

What Are the 7 Liberal Arts?

When I was starting my college stage in life, I was unsure as to what path I would follow. It was an extreme challenge for me to pick a major, as my mind was intertwined in a myriad of areas of interest, and no one by itself was complete for me. As was suggested to me by my councilor, majoring in Liberal Arts, which encompasses a broad spectrum of areas, is a choice that may serve well someone in my situation. And that is what I did.

There are many steps in my life which, looking back now, I have unknowingly taken which are in step with the processes of the mystery school traditions. It seems as though, more often then not, the path that we are destined to take, delivers itself underneath our feet when we are not looking. And for this reason, as I learn more and more about the world that has been hidden, I see the imprints of that path upon examination of the past.

The 7 Liberal Arts

The 7 Liberal Arts are divided into two main categories, known as ‘The Trivium’ and ‘The Quadrivium’. Trivium means “three roads; three ways”, or “the place where three roads meet”, and quadrivium, “four roads; four ways, or “the place where four roads meet”. The Trivium includes:

Grammar

Rhetoric

Logic  

The Quadrivium includes:

Geometry

Arithmetic

Music/Harmony

Astrology

As we explore the components of the 7 Liberal Arts, it will become more clear as to why these items have been compiled into the this doctrine.

Of the Trivium:

Grammar

The definition of grammar is the relationship and interaction of language components to form competent communication. One who has superior communication skills possesses the gift to convey ideas and thoughts in an understandable manner. On the path of life, one can not proceed with any true success without proper communication in some form or another. This is the reason behind the application of language requirements within the educational system, particularly as one advances to and up through the university level. 

Rhetoric

Once we know the rules and components of communication, its  skillful application is the next required step as one progresses through day to day life. A master of ‘upholdment’ of conversation and storytelling is a master of rhetoric. To persuade or to convince, to illicit joy or invoke sorrow, one uses rhetoric. 

Logic

It is argued that that logic should come before rhetoric, due to the fact that effective rhetoric requires the application of logic, however, since traditionally rhetoric is put first before logic, I too put it first. No matter which one is more important than the other, logic is the intellectual process which puts proper argumentative components in their place. It is the application of mentality in lieu of arbitrary emotional and “etheric” concepts. A logic argument gets to the bones of a situation, via processional points of intellect.

Of the Quadrivium:

Geometry

The interaction of points and form in space is what we call geometry. Its relation to the members of the Trivium is more esoteric than tangible intellectual reasoning. However, though it sways to a different side of the spectrum, it is still of relation nonetheless. On a literal point, the origin of letters comes from geometry, thus we have our tie to the components of the Trivium. On a deeper level, when we examine geometry, say a triangle for example, what does it comprise? It is a three-sided figure with lengths and degrees—numbers. Reality is made up of numbers, which have their quantitative values, being reductional components of the apparent physical world. In other words, numbers are also frequency, and in physical terms, the quantitative form of frequency is geometry. Thus, the basic components of reality are reflected in geometric representations and patterns.

Arithmetic

As discussed in the preceding section, geometry is a physical representation of the interactions of numbers. The dealing with numbers comprises the field of arithmetic. Along the path of a Hermeticist (or a liver of life in general), the knowledge of numbers and basic arithmetic is an indispensable skill that will lead one to know the world more integrally as one approaches the depths of becoming one with “godhood”. 

Our bodies are the product of geometry and arithmetic, where we have form, measures of vibrational output, both vocally and bio-electromagnetically. A conversation (tying back to grammar rhetoric and logic) is a conglomerate expression of frequency, sound and vibration, both being emitted and received.

Music

In direct relation to arithmetic and geometry is music, or harmony (vibration and sound). When we listen to music, it too is replete with numbers—frequency. Music has measures of the number of times a pattern expresses (rhythm), it has volume, and sonic frequency, all of relation to the concepts touched upon earlier. The brain is hardwired to deal with and recognize rhythm and frequency. We ourselves are rhythm and frequency, as each atom pulses at a frequency, and thus on the macro level we too pulse at certain frequency. 

Astronomy (Astrology)

The study of astronomy, in relation everything that has come before it, is the study of the rhythm and vibrations of the celestial world. Traditionally, what this was called was astrology. The more recent ‘astronomy’ came about as result of the scientism influence to “de-esoterisize” the celestial realm. But as millions can attest to, there is a direct correlation to the energy of the ‘heavens’ with our processes here on the earth, as we see from the propagation of zodiac signs and readings and things of the sort. 

As one can see, the 7 Liberal Arts is not just a major that some choose to pursue in university, but is an ancient doctrine, that encompasses the workings of reality, as compiled by practitioners who were in the know. 

Further Reading/Sources

https://www.mn-masons.org/sites/mn-masons.org/files/3998.pdf

https://blog.philosophicalsociety.org/tag/seven-liberal-arts-and-sciences/

https://www.oundleschool.org.uk/Trivium-and-Quadrivium

https://www.hillsdale.edu/hillsdale-blog/academics/understanding-trivium-quadrivium/