D. A. Freher was a significant figure in the mystical tradition initiated by Jacob Boehme. He had a remarkable talent for illustrating mystical ideas in pictorial form, which he applied to Boehme's work by creating a series of 'Paradoxical Emblems.' This series consists of 153 emblematic diagrams, each accompanied by a short line of text. Although prepared for publication in the early 18th century, these emblems unfortunately never appeared in print.

The emblems form a coherent and integrated system of interior exercises, each focusing on a simple fundamental spiritual statement. Freher captures the essence of these statements in pictures for meditation. The sequence of 153 emblems begins with Emblem 1, depicting the point everywhere in empty space and the maxim of Hermes Trismegistus: "The Center of Centres is everywhere, the Circumference is nowhere." It concludes with Emblems 152-153, stating, "All things were, are, and will be, out of the One, through One, and to One."