Holy and Unholy Numbers

Many of our great religions hold that numbers contain hidden meanings that in turn hold the mysteries of the universe and God within them. Ancient Hebrew mystics referred to this as Gematria. Numbers are also given corresponding associations to various deities, colours, plants, gemstones, and superstitions. Here are a brief list of associated correspondences and lore for the numbers 1 through 13.

The Number 1

In the faiths of Islamic, Jewish and Christian cultures the number 1 is associated with the unity of God. For medieval alchemists and metaphysicians the number was associated with the Philosopher's Stone, the unknown catalyst that was thought to transform base metals magically into gold.

The number 1 is also associated with Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love; Apollo, the Greek God of Beauty and Truth; Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Hunt; Vesta, the Roman Hearth Goddess; Freya, the Norse Goddess of Fertility, and the Chinese God Pangu.

The number 1 is associated with the colors red, crimson, scarlet and cherry. Gemstones associated with the number 1 are ruby and garnet. Flowers associated with the number are red roses and red carnations.

Common superstitions about the number one are:

Break one egg and you will break a leg

It is unlucky to walk around the house in one slipper.

Only keep money in one pocket or you will lose it.

People with one hand are psychic.

A one-eyed person is a witch.

Seeing one magpie bodes a death in your future.

Seeing one white horse brings bad luck.

If you wash your hair on the first day of the month you will have a short life.

It is unlucky to get married August 1st or January 1st.

If you dream about the number 1 you have received a direct message from God.

The Number 2

In the Tarot deck, the number two represents duality, choices, decisions and partnerships. The Chinese believe that it represents the polar forces of Yin (the receptive, constrictive female energy) and Yang (the creative expansive male energy.)

Early Christians believed that the number represented the Devil or the division between soul and God. Similarly, the Zoroastrians believe the number represents the forces of good and evil locked in an eternal, yet equal, struggle.

The number 2 is also associated with the Ceres, the Greek Goddess of the Grain from whose name we have the word Cereal; Frigga the Norse Goddess of Hospitality and Wife of Odin; Freya, the Norse Goddess of Fertility and Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love.

2 is associated with the colors orange, gold, tangerine and peach. Flowers associated with 2 are freesias, orange roses and orange lilies. Gemstones associated with the number 2 are gold and coral.

Superstitions about the number two are:

If two crows fly over the house there will be a wedding in the family.

If two people sneeze at the same time both will have good luck.

If two shoots grow from the root of a single cabbage, you will have good luck.

Two people should never pour tea from the same pot.

It is lucky to have two holes in the same sock.

Breaking two eggs accidentally is a sign that you will find your soul mate.

Finding an egg with two yolks means there will be a death in the family.

If you wash your hair on the second day of the month you will have good fortune.

It is unlucky to get married January 2nd and September 2nd.

If you dream about the number 2 somebody is jealous of you.

The Number 3

Christians interpret the number 3 as representing the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The great psychologist Carl Jung interpreted as meaning the merging of the will with the heart and the soul. The ancient Babylonians and Celts interpreted this number to represent creation being born out of the union of 2 and thereby being a 3rd and distinct thing.

The number 3 is associated with Cronos, the Greek Titan who fathered the Olympians; Hecate, the Queen of the Witches and Goddess of the Crossroads; Pluto, the Roman God of Death; Saturn the Roman equivalent of Cronos and Tyr, the Norse God of Battle and Strength.

3 is associated with the colors yellow, lemon, beige and cream. Flowers associated with the number are yellow roses and orchids. The gemstone associated with 3 is topaz.

Some superstitions about the number three include:

A series of unlucky events always happen in threes.

It is bad luck to see three butterflies sitting on a leaf.

Spitting three times shoos away the devil.

It is unlucky to light three cigarettes from the same match.

If an owl hoots three times, there will be misfortune.