What IS the Significance of the Number 13? 1313 Mockingbird Lane.

Friday the 13th and 13 black cats . Baaaad omens. It's 2009 and there remains an air of mystery surrounding the number 13, carried from dark times that still causes most of us to avoid anything associated with the number 13. High rise buildings are built without 13th floors (if there are 14 floors, there is a 13th floor but it's either skipped or renumberated?!?) , airplane flight numbers are reassigned to avoid this association. Yet in many indigenous traditions, the number 13 is considered to have auspicious meaning and to bring blessings and happiness. In this lense we'll look at the number 13 and debunk some of those myths and explore the true significance of the number 13.

>>Significance of 13: Myths and Misconceptions Around 13 To indigenous cultures the number 13 has spiritual significance and often holds prominence in ritual art, ceremonial songs, time and placement. So where did it all go wrong? How did it go from having positive, spiritual significance to holding such an air of forboding? It seems that the stories begins in the year 1307 during the time of forced suppressed by the King of the the Knights Templar and rumor of beginnings of Freemasonry. It makes sense that the origins of the Friday the 13th theory would be associated with these secret orders, shrouded in mystery, conspiracy to the throne and death. Tradition says that the final act of suppression of the Knights Templar occurred on October 13, 1307. Which I am sure resulted in the violent death of Templar leaders and known associates. As the stories go the particular day of the week happened to be... Friday. And since that time, Friday the 13th has been held as the most ill-fated of all days. Although I found no where to confirm this, only other similar incidents, I believe that it would have been consistent with the practices of some early church leaders eager to increase church followings to seize the opportunity to discredit pagan and/or indigenous beliefs by misrepresenting the significance of the number 13 and incorrectly associating it with frightening pagan rituals, secret orders, mysterious symbols, bad luck and the number 13. Recent inquiries into hidden documents of the church along with new fields of study such as fractal

geometry have opened up the conversation about numbers, esoteric knowledge and the significance of numbers in art, science even spirituality.

>>The Significance of 13: Christian Traditions According to tradition, Jesus received the three Magi on the 13th day of his life. This day was once associated with the Ephiphany. The Magi were "wise men guided by the stars" and would have trained, if not experts, in astronomy, divination and what we would now call esoteric arts. Certainly, it is not beyond reason to suppose that there was more going on there than a casual visit to an infant child but more of an investigation of great spiritual, even historical proportion. At the Last Supper, a primary historical moment for the Christian Church and the subject of Leonardo DaVinci's famous painting, there were a total of 13 in attendance including Judas Iscariot whose betrayal of Jesus led to Jesus's act of sacrifice in his crucifixion. Tradition says that Judas was the 13th to sit at the table and the first to leave. Again, recent fictional writings about Leonardo DaVinci and research into his involvement in secret societies and studies of esoterica has created significant questions in the minds of a great number of people, experts and laypeople alike. . Artists of old such as DaVinci, Fibronacci, Michale Angelo and many others are inspiring a new generation of artists, scientists and religious leaders in a quest to unfold life's mysteries.

>>The Significance of 13: Judaic Traditions The foundations of Judaism is based on the 13 Tribes of Israel. Yes,13. They consist of the eleven sons of Jacob/Israel and the two sons of Joseph comprising the original 13 Tribes of Israel. 13 Tribes of Israel The foundations of Judaism is based on the 13 Tribes of Israel. Yes,13. They consist of the eleven sons of Jacob/Israel and the two sons of Joseph comprising the original 13 Tribes of Israel. Two primary reasons for this misunderstanding are based on passages in the Bible which could provide casual readers with incorrect assumptions. 13 Attributes of Mercy At the core of Judiac traditions are the Selichot prayers and the 13 Attributes of Mercy, words taught to

Moses taught to the repentant children of Israel seeking mercy and compassion through repentant prayer and still practiced today. Kabbalists introduced the custom of also reciting the 13 Attributes of Mercy before taking the Torah from the ark during Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.

>>Significance of 13: Copic, Egyptian & Lunar Calendars Coptic Christians and Ancient Egyptians divide the year into three seasons based on the agricultural year. For the Egyptian, their calendar and the seasons are interwoven with the life cycle of the Great River Nile. Similarly many Indigenous cultures evolve their calendars around the cycles of the moon or lunar cycles which are 28 days in length (like a woman's menstrual cycle) and consist of 13 months in an annual cycle. Introduction of the Roman calendar was not only an attempt at increased popularity for Ceasar and Augustus with merchants and businessmen, but more important it was a deliberate effort to "civilize" indigenous communities and to commercialize and regulate agriculture. A new dimension of time was created and indigenous concepts of time and cycles were nearly destroyed. In recent years more people, especially women are integrating an awareness of lunar cycles/earth cycles with their own natural cycles and returning to more natural relationships with time and as part of a movement back to more sustainable patterns in our lives. Perhaps bringing back the spiritual dimension of time as well.

>>Significance of 13: Tibetan Traditions In pre-Buddhist Tibetan cosmology the number 13 is used frequently. Early Tibetan Kings were enthroned at the age of 13 and often ruled for a period of 13 years, to be succeeded by the next 13 year old king. A story of a mythological king emphasizes the significance of the number 13 to Tibetans wishing to rule their kingdoms in accordance to heavenly and earthly guidance. Thirteen is used in specifying a definite period of time dedicated to meditation whether measured in days,months or years as well as in the successful completion of political or religious accomplishments. In this context it is a determining omen of great success. http://www.squidoo.com/significance-of-13