"Hey Siri. What is today's date?" "Today is Friday....the 13th"
Eerie fog rolls into the streets and there is a smell of mystery in the air. Rolling out of bed you go to check your calendar on what you have in store for today. You see that today is the 13th circled with a red felt marker.Scanning upward all you see is Friday and a child goes down your spine. Thinking to yourself, the idea of getting a free tattoo comes to mind or binging scenes of Jason chasing after people. Then there is a little thought in the back of your head whispering into your conscious mind...what does Friday the 13th even mean?
Numerology:
Let start with the basic numerology of 13. Being one of the most feared numbers, this symbolizes bad luck to some and good luck to others. Breaking down the numer makes it a 4 which usually represents stability but since the number is off balance with 1 and 3 instead of 2 and 2, it makes the stability off set. Kind of in some unnatural way, the number becomes balanced in a weird ‘off balance’.
History of 13:
In most cycles, 12 plays an important role such as the 12 months of the year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 gods of Olympus, and 12 Tribes of Israel. When it comes to the number 13 it just shows as a bad sign of misfortune. Even dating back to the creation of the Code of Hammurabi, the 13th law from the legal rules was omitted which could have been no more than just an error, the superstitious people still find it is a valid example of the negative connotation of the number.
Witches Unite?
Back in the Colonial Times of America, it was seen that a coven held 12 members within its circle. Bringing about ceremonial magic under the Moon, those who felt they were Satanic Worshipers might question what they do. Of course since a coven was seen as a collective of 12 witches, the 13th is pretty clear. Unseen but a great force, amny suspected that witches would meet on a Friday the 13th to bring about their 13th member. That member being Satan himself. Therefore, many saw witches as conjurers of the Devil. Spooky and Satanic Indeed...
The Bible??
Referring to the biblical story of the Last Supper, there were 13 guests that had attended including Jesus but in which one of them was a betrayer creating trouble. You would think a dinner party with Jesus must be a holy occasion. Sadly if you know the story of the Last Supper, Judas was within the crowd of 12 Apostles so in doing so the number 13 is again validated as a bad luck number. Let’s say if God intended it, Judas wouldn't be there then we would not worry about Jesus being ratted on and put on the Crucifix.
Tarot?
The tarot deck has so many cards, 78 to be exact, and within this deck there is a major arcana. Major arcana represent big life changes but we will get into the technicalities of tarot in another article, so keep an eye out ;). Within the Major Arcana, the number 13 is correlated to the Death Card. Usually being a number of bad luck, people fear the Death Card but realistically the Death Card represents transformation! The event may seem unlucky in a way but helps transitioning into a new phase of your life. Either way, 13 is seen as a scary pivotal number even in the mysteriousness of the Occult!
Also on Friday the 13th, many bad things have happened in history:
October 13, 1307 = Officers of King Phillip IV of France arrested hundreds of Knights Templar in which most of them were executed.
German Bombing of Buckingham Palace (September 1940)
Murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens, NY (1964)
Tupac Shakur’s Death (September 1996)
CostaConcordia Cruise Ship killed 30 people (January 2012)
Superstition flies through the air when someone brings up Friday the 13th but what exactly are the superstitions behind it? We all know not to walk under a ladder, leave your purse on the floor, or even knock on wood. The build up is so strong with Friday the 13ht that it has its own superstitions!
Here are some things to avoid:
The popular Black Cat...don’t let it cross your path.
New Shoes = Shoes on Table...don't put your shoes on your table unless you want to risk a family member’s death.
Spider?!?! But don't kill it! Especially when indoors!
Umbrellas? Don't open them inside!
A bird just flew in your house? Watch out for death
Don't Step on a crack or it will break your mom’s back? Just Avoid at all costs even if your mom has a bad back
Avoid the 13th floor, the13th seat at the table, hell it is Friday the 13th we don't need more than one occurrence of 13!
Take a stroll in the nightly air. Windy Fall weather is shifting to Winter but here is one chance to embrace the creepiness of spooky season. Let Friday the 13th not stop you from doing as you please but keep a keen eye on anything peculiar that might make your intuition quake. Allow the energy to flow through you and let your mystery fill your aura.
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