Finally, to conclude with our discussion of magic numbers, I'd like you to search the web for other numbers (besides 3 and 7) which have symbolic significance.
I would particularly be interested in the connection between magic numbers and literature, myth and superstition.
Please don't use Wikipedia as your only source!
Write your answers in a comment below.
NUMBER 10
ReplyDeleteBoth the Greeks and Hebrews held 10 to be the perfect number. Pythagoras considered that 10 comprehends all arithmetic and harmonic proportions, and, like God, is tireless. All nations calculated with it because when they arrive at 10, they return to 1, the number of creation.
NUMBER 13
in the American society most people considered number 13 unlucky. Therefore, things connected with 13 are too be avoided such as the 13th day of the month, especially if it is a Friday, the 13th floor, 13 dinner guests, and so on.
ZERO
Zero is a powerful number which brings great transformational change, sometimes occurring in a profound manner. It has much intensity, so caution is needed wherever it appears to ensure that extremes are not encountered.
NINE
Nine is a sacred number; three multiplied by itself to give eternity, completion and fulfilment.
In China, number 9 is the number of celestial power, the nine storeyed pagoda is a symbol of heaven
I'm very intrigued by what you mentioned about number 10... what do you think it means to say number 10 is tireless like God?
Deletethat means difficult to race i think.
DeleteI don't believe in god so it was a mistake to put that. I will ommit that little part, sorry.
Pythagoras considered that 10 comprehends all arithmetic and harmonic proportions. (That's all)
I didn't mean to say it was wrong, mind you. It's definitely not a mistake, I just wished you'd developped the concept a bit more
DeleteWell, what I found there are many games, but no magic numbers! * Think of a number from 1 to 9. * Multiply by 9. * Add the digits of that result. * A Subtract that number 5. * Assign a number to this number. If 1 ... A If 2 ... B If 3 ... C If 4 ... D If 5 ... E And so on * Now think of a country that starts with that letter * With the 2nd letter of that country think of an animal that begins with that letter * And finally think of a sport that starts with the 3rd letter of that country elected to the top Now tell me who makes a swimming iguana in Denmark
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I undestand the game... is it a joke?
DeleteAnyway, try to do reaser on the symbolic/superstitious implications of numbers :)
*I meant RESEARCH
DeleteIn Argentina there is a superstition that has relation with the time. For example, when one looks at the 9:09 hour and are means someone is thinking of you. Also happens when 1:01, 02:02, 03:03 o 'clock.
ReplyDeleteAnother superstition related with the time and the magic numbers is when you look the hour and it marks 11:11 o' clock it means that you must make a wish.
I looked for some information in internet but I find more intresting these superstitions.
Those superstitions are quite interesting indeed! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteI found something interesting about number 5:
ReplyDeleteRelated dreams, number 5 is the cat. For glambers is fatal to wager this number. But if glambers wager this number they must have a photo of a cat and supposedly it brings lucky.
I had never heard that before!
Deletei found somthing interesting about numer 4
ReplyDeleteThe number four is considered inauspicious because it is pronounced the same as the word for death (shi). Therefore, one should not make presents that consist of four pieces, etc. In some hotels and hospitals the room number four is skipped.
In which language is the number 4 pronounced like death?
DeleteIn Japanese the number 4 is pronounced the same way as death. In Chinese and Corean, the number 4 is also pronounced similar to the word death in their respective languages.
DeleteI found things about number 4
ReplyDeleteFor the ancient Hebrews, the number 4 was considered to be especially significant. This connects to a mystical understanding of YHVH, the four-letter name of God, which was traditionally never written down. The number 4 and its equivalent geometrical shape, the square, were considered to be sacred by ancient cultures that believed the world was flat.
Many modern Pagan religions find within the number 4 a representation of the four directions (north, south, east and west) as well as the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water.
Deities associated with the number four are the fatherly Gods such as the Roman God Jupiter, the Norse God Odin and the Greek God Zeus.
Number 4 is associated with the colors green and emerald. The gemstones symbolized by 4 are jade and emerald. Plants associated with four are ivy, bamboo and baby's breath.
Some superstitions about the number 4 include:
A four-leaf clover brings luck.
If four cookies fuse together in the oven while you are baking there will be a wedding.
Four ravens clustered together on a tree branch means there will be a wedding.
Finding four colors in one pansy petal bodes health, wealth, happiness and prosperity.
A house with the number 4 in the address is very inauspicious.
Keeping the four aces of an ordinary playing deck on your person is thought to bring power (spades), wealth (diamonds), love (hearts) and popularity (clubs).
Finding four colors in one pansy petal bodes health, wealth, happiness and prosperity.
If you hold the four of clubs while playing a card game, you will always lose.
If you wash your hair on the 4th day of the month you will go gray early.
It is unlucky to get married June 4th or October 4th.
If you dream about the number 4, you will soon be handed a lucky opportunity.
Very good research! Great information. I particularly enjoyed the superstitions :)
DeleteThe puzzle 23 is the strange frequency of this issue in different events of our daily lives, but, we believe significant events. In a way, "is everywhere." Here I review some numerological coincidences with the number 23:
ReplyDelete1. Each parent contributes 23 chromosomes to the DNA of a child.
2. It takes 23 seconds for blood to circulate throughout the body.
3. In humans, the number 23 chromosome that determines gender.
4. There are 23 letters in the Latin alphabet.
5. Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times when he was killed.
6. The earth's axis is 23.5 degrees.
7. The Temple of the Knights Templar had 23 Grand Masters.
8. William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564.
9. William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616.
10. The ancient Egyptian and Sumerian calendars begin on July 23.
11. The Titanic sank the morning of April 15, 1912 (1 +4 +5 +1 +9 +1 +2 = 23).
12. The Mayans believed the world would end on December 23, 2012 (20 +1 +2 = 23).
13. John Dillinger robbed 26 banks, but only 23 for money.
14. The distance from the center of Mars to its nearest moon is 23,500 km.
15. 230 people died on TWA Flight 800.
16. Kurt Cobain was born in 1967 (1 +9 +6 +7 = 23).
17. Kurt Cobain died in 1994 (1 +9 +9 +4 = 23).
18. The Revelation began filming on January 23, 2006.
19. The letters in the names Joel Schumacher and Jim Carrey add up to 23.
20. The letters in the names Virginia Madsen and Jim Carrey add up to 23.
21. Charles Manson was born on November 12 (11 + 12 = 23)
22. Number 23 was released in the U.S. on February 23, 2006.
23. The declaration of the independence of Venezuela was signed on July 5, 1811 5 +7 +8 +1 +1 +1 = 23
The number 23 is present in many real facts.
That's very interesting, Andres, where did you get all this info from?
DeleteI found some interesting information about number zero. I think this number is full of mystery, because it can meant emptiness but yet it can also meant completeness.
ReplyDeleteNUMBER 0
In Numerology the number 0 is often not used, though I consider it to be one of the most valuable numbers in numerology as it enhances any other number that appears with (before, or after). It can be thought of as a two dimensional spiral of divine force representing both female and male qualities. The number zero is represented by the Moon and vibrationally by eternity and the sound of the OM. From this sound (or vibration) all other numbers came. Inside of the circle (representing our universe) you can think of all other things existing. If you think of this circle as enclosing all physical space in the universe you will see that it contains all of the other elements of the universe inside of it (earth, water, fire, air, and the ether itself).
Some superstitons about numbers...
In China, Japan and Corea (most Asia) there is a phobia known as tetraphobia. This is because number 4 is pronounced like death in the majority of Asian's countries.
Number 666
The phobia to the number 666 is called Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. (Such a long name!) The number 6 is considered to be the perfect number. The book of Genesis describes Gods work of creation as taking 6 days to complete.
Though, the number 7 is considered to be the magic number. There are many 7 references throughout ancient religion: 7 sacraments, 7 virtues, 7 sins, 7 petitions, 7 'gifts of the spirit' - wisdom, understanding, cooperation, strength, knowledge, holiness. Seven is associated with the moon and therefore a number of reflection (symbolically from the reflection of sunlight from the Moon. Overall the implication is that this is a magical number; the person or thing referred to may be mystical and 'all-knowing' or desiring knowledge beyond all other things. A completeness which is gained only from true insight, but at the expense of an inward focus, aloofness and isolation.
So we can associate the 'Holy' significance of number 7 to the meaning of 666. Because the 6 will never be 7 (sacred), it is repeated 3 times (another number that means completeness).
I found this in an interesant website called "The Dream Time". It has the meaning of lots of numbers and a lot of different interpretations, so feel free to check it out if you want! Here is the link: http://www.thedreamtime.com/Numerology/Numerology-Meanings.html
Very interesting indeed. I found this idea of phobias to numbers quite bizarre.
DeleteThanks for sharing your source with us!
There's a group of musicians called "the 27 club" by the press, this is more specifically a group of passed away musicians, that died at the age of 27, often as a consecuence of their extreme lifestyles. This group includes Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Amy Whinehouse, among others. Quite a lot of artists have died at this age, it's almost scary haha.
ReplyDeleteI know! I know it may very well be a coincidence, but it does freak me out a bit too
DeleteI know something about the number 11 and the sad events wich took place in EE.UU the September the 11th with the Twin Towers.
ReplyDeleteThe date of the attack: 9/11 - 9 + 1 + 1 = 11
September 11th is the 254th day of the year: 2 + 5 + 4 = 11
After September 11th there are 111 days left to the end of the year.
119 is the area code to Iraq/Iran. 1 + 1 + 9 = 11
Twin Towers - standing side by side, looks like the number 11
The first plane to hit the towers was Flight 11
State of New York - The 11th State added to the Union
New York City - 11 Letters
Afghanistan - 11 Letters
The Pentagon - 11 > Letters
Ramzi Yousef - 11 Letters (convicted or orchestrating the attack at the WTC in 1993)
Flight 11 - 92 on board - 9 + 2 = 11
Flight 77 - 65 on board - 6 + 5 = 11
It's awesome the coincidenses, I wont put them all but you can find out more on this web (http://www.september11news.com/Mysteries2.htm)
I hadn't thought about that, quite a lot of coincidences indeed
DeleteNumber 5:
ReplyDeletePenta- means five. A pentathlon is an athletics contest with five events and a pentagon is a figure with five sides and five angles. A pentasyllabic word has five syllables, like the word pentasyllabic itself.
Pentagram, pentangle and pentacle are all names for a five-pointed star. This mystical symbol was supposed to keep away devils and witches. A pentacle headdress folded from fine linen was sometimes worn as a defence against demons.
There are five rings in the Olympic symbol.
Number 7:
There are seven days in a week.
Hept- or Sept- means seven. A heptagon is a figure with seven sides and a heptachord is a seven-stringed musical instrument. A septennium is a period of seven years and September used to be the seventh month in the year, but not any longer.
The Seven Deadly Sins are avarice, envy, gluttony, lust, pride, sloth and wrath (listed in alphabetical order, not order of wickedness).
Number 13:
13 is the `unlucky number' and Friday the 13th is supposed to be particularly unlucky.
(more about this here: http://richardphillips.org.uk/number/Num3.htm)