Friday, October 13, 2006

Some Thoughts on the Number 13

On Friday the 13th, I thought it would be fun to blog about the number 13. The poor thing has so many negative connotations in popular culture. Maybe people simply are not aware of its prominence in nature. Nature, of course, encompasses the balance of positive and negative forces, so what is the opposite of thirteen anyway? That's a subject for another blog!
The number thirteen is the first two digit Fibonacci number. The Fibonacci number sequence begins 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21...., etc., and continues by adding the previous two numbers together ad infinitum. In nature, particularly in biology, these numbers appear prominently and almost exclusively. Everything from patterns of animal reproduction to leaf development on plants to the spiral patterns on a pinecone or a seashell can be described by using this seqence of numbers. It is extremely unusual for a flower to have 4, 6, 10, 11 or 12 petals, for example. For more information check out: http://britton.disted.camosun.bc.ca/fibslide/jbfibslide.htm

There are thirteen lunar months in a year plus one day. Native north american indian calendars were based on the thirteen scales on the shell of an ancient turtle. In their mythology, the turtle represents the Earth Mother who taught them to mark the passing of time by the moon. Lots more at: http://www.13moon.com

According to the Torah, God has thirteen attributes of mercy. Thirteen was also once associated with the visit of child Jesus by the Magi (on the thirteenth day of his life).

And finally, although by no means all, the number thirteen Tarot card is the 'Death' card. When tarot is read, however, that card is generally interpreted not as death, but as change. Change can be bad or change can be good, but life is always what you make it!

Happy Friday the 13th!

18 comments:

gypsy noir said...

this is facinating rache..ive always loved the number thirteen..i use it for lottery and prize draws etc..i to think it gets an unfair bad press..its a beautiful number and your interesting facts have made it even more so..oh did you know that there apparently is always 13 steps/stairs..ive counted many and it appears so..even in the film the 39 steps there are 3 sets..

Anne-Marie said...

Hi Rache,
The origin of Friday the 13th being unlucky goes back to the 1400s when there was that messy massacre of the Knights Templar by the pope (Clement?) on a Friday the 13th.

I thought Toronto got pretty lucky avoiding all that snow yesterday, anyway.

Have a nice weekend, and thanks for such an informative post.

Cheers,
AM

Unknown said...

Thanks Gypsy, I hadn't noticed that about stairs. I'll have to start counting!

AM, yes, you're right. That masscre was also the point in history when the pentacle began to be associated with evil. Strange coincidence?

R

Koos F said...

Dear Rachel,
Reading your blog posts and your comments I get visions of clear blue skies and lots of pure air. Very refreshing and a pleasure to read.
Thanks a million for the really personal words you have written for me.
Love,
Koos

NYC TAXI SHOTS said...

seconds minutes hours days months years numbers time

Dale said...

Well, I'll be hornswoggled!

We have two sets of stairs down to the lower level of our house - a first set of 6 and a second set of 7...

Unknown said...

Wow. Koos, what a wonderful compliment! Thank you and you're most certainly welcome!

One of the things I find that I really enjoy about blogging is how much smaller and friendlier the world seems when 'meeting' new and interesting people online, such as everyone I've 'met' so far.

I call 'em as I see 'em...Red czechs..tee hee ;)

Dale & Gypsy - I think a superstitious person built my house. The basement stairs have a set of three and a set of nine!

NYC Taxi - I'm puzzled. Are you related to Dr. Who?

gypsy noir said...

3 and 9..and the bit in between = 13..

Unknown said...

Ahh Gypsy, nice try!

I want there to be thirteen stairs, but alas, from the floor at the bottom to the floor at the top, including the landing, there are but twelve.

Now I have to move! Thank you very much! lol

R

gypsy noir said...

maybe the guy who built those steps couldn't count..i wouldn't move though you probs have the only set of 12 stairs in exsistence..could add value to the property its unique..

Lannio said...

According to my horoscope, the #13 is supposed to be lucky. I myself like 13, a baker's dozen.

ian gordon said...

I know some house in England are numbered 12a and 12b then on to 14, because 13 won't sell....

Isn't 13 also a "Baker's Dozen"? I think in olden times a baker would stick an extra small loaf in with the twelve so as to avoid being accused of cheating people.

Lannio said...

.... and it's interesting that there is no "13th floor" in any Canadian building. The floors skip from 12 to 14!

Unknown said...

I'd buy #13!

But I think you're right, and it's probably safe to say that there are very few if any high rises with a 13th floor in the US, too.

I always thought that the bakers dozen was thirteen because the baker threw in a free sample? That's lucky in my book!

ian gordon said...

You'd buy 13 'cos it's in the fire swamp....

Unknown said...

Ah yes! Fire spurts, lightning sand and ROUS's.

But really... it's not that bad. I'm not saying I'd like to build a summer home (t)here, but the trees are actually quite lovely.

I'm milking the crap out of this post, aren't I? :P

Thanks to all for stopping by!!!

gypsy noir said...

id buy thirteen too!...

gypsy noir said...

rache is invermere in your country?..