| Symbolisum Lesson Four |
| We know, symbols are something that represents something else, be it a �picture� (hieroglyphics), slash mark (runes), or parts of the fingers, (ogham). An actual thing like a rose, in a painting is a symbol of something. To basic number symbolism we add the Old Testament, in which everything is numbered. Sometimes the numbers have symbolic meaning, but the numbers are often used, it seems, just to make the narrative more real, saying, for example, that "Solomon built a house 100 cubits long� instead of "Solomon built a really long house.� So, let us get started!
Let us look at the symbolic meanings of numbers from mythology, astrology, and the Old Testament, which is loaded with symbolic numbers. To understand more in depth numerology, see that subject in this Arithmancy class, here are just going to look at some symbolic meanings of a few numbers. We'll be able to connect some of the numbers used symbolically to larger ideas, but others will seem completely random. For those, my only justification in mentioning them is their repeated use as art motifs, and whose recognition may help us to understand a work of art. |
| Numero Uno
The first advance towards counting is with the use of words for one and for many, the separation from the self from the group. We still say numero uno to speak of ourselves. One - the first - the greatest - the beginning - is usually identified with the Creator. In the beginning God created . . ., so in the beginning there was only one. |
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| Two & Duality
The number two appears to always have carried with it the idea of duality, of opposites and mutual direct opposite, as we've seen with the Pythagoreans (see Numerology class). Aristotle said, "most human things go in pairs." We have many sets of dualities, like night and day, hot, cold, etc. and especially male, female. Like: Day/night, light/dark, cold/hot, and fire/water...see the next paragraph. Yin and Yang The Chinese believed that heaven and earth produced everything by the interaction of opposites called Yang and Yin, the masculine Yang and the feminine Yin, just as offspring are the result of the interaction of a male and a female parent. They believe you cannot have one without the other, for is we do not understand the bad things we would not see the good and visa versa. Good/bad |
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| The Three
The 3 emerge from interaction of opposites. The idea of 3 may represent something that is created from two opposites like a child from male/female or a system that embodies the duality as a harmonious condition. Famous Trios Three represents the triad of family; male, female, and child; beginning, middle, and end; birth, life, and death; Father, Son, Holy Ghost. Of two things we say both; of three things we say all. We come to think that a single occurrence is of no statistical significance, a second occurrence might be just coincidence, but a third occurrence gives the event the impress of law, thus the Gypsy belief that if a dream comes three times it is certain to be true. Three became the most universal number of deity, like the Holy Trinity. There were three primary gods of Babylon Anu, Bel, and Ea representing heaven, earth, and the abyss. Sun worship is one of the most primitive forms of religion, and early man sometimes distinguished between rising, midday, and setting sun. The Egyptians, for example, divided the sun god into three deities: Horus � rising sun, Ra or Re � midday sun, and Osiris � setting sun. Triple Goddess: Just as three positions of the sun are represented by three deities, so with the moon. Robert Graves writes about the White Goddess, * The triple goddess of the New, Full, and Old Moon, * Goddess of Birth, Love, and Death . . . * Beautiful, generous, fickle, wise, implacable. |
| Quiz: 1.) Which number is identified with the Creator? 2.) Give two examples of 'duality. 3.) Give two examples of a trio. |
| We cover more on '3' in next lessons... |