Numbers in Dream

Numbers often have a symbolic meaning. If a dreamer is presented with a number, alone or in series, and cannot extract any meaning from it, then he or she may want to consider other possibilities: as in biblical dreams, numbers may represent time. Remember Joseph's dream of seven fat cows and seven slim cows, representing seven years of prosperity and seven of famine.

In numerology, numbers have symbolic representation. Numbers of two digits or more are reduced to one; for example, if the number thirty-four appears, the three and the four are added together, so the number to work with is seven. If there is a series of numbers such as 1893, all the digits are added together: 1 + 8 + 9 + 3 = 21; then two and one are added together, and the number to work with becomes three. Following is the standard numerology chart for the purpose of determining the numerical value of letters.

In numbers ending with zero, the zero is dropped, leaving a single digit. On the other hand, zeros added to a number give it strength or intensity (see zero). If numbers come up as money, symbolically it may indicate what something is costing you or the price you will pay for something. It can also be prophetic, if so determined by other symbols associated with the dream.

In numerology, the numbers eleven, twenty-two, and thirty-three are considered master numbers and are never reduced. In a dream containing a master number, it is suggested that the dreamer refer to the meaning of both the master number and the reduced number to determine which interpretation is applicable to the present situation. For additional meanings to the numbers one through seven, see "Spiritual Centers" in Archetypes chapter.

ZERO

• everything evolves from zero; eternity, no beginning no ending; deity, God. When zero is straightened out it becomes an upright human, and one is then the beginning. When numbers are followed by zeros it adds strength or elevation to their meaning; for example, 100 presented in a dream will have the meaning of number one but intensified because of the zeros (100, 1000, etc.). In mathematics, zero is symbolic of the absence of all magnitude or quantity—the symbol for the number at the center of all negative and positive numbers.

ONE

• the beginning; the one force, one power, one energy known as Universal Force; creative energy; God, unity, indivisibility, and individuality. The oneness of humankind, the power of mastership; ourselves in relation to the world; a person who holds power over us, such as a boss; the first person, Adam, as well as people's power to stand erect; the straight and narrow path. It is the first spiritual center—the gonads, the basis of creative energy, material sustenance, security. Some strengths of number one are helpfulness, being protective, a hard worker. On the weak side, one is unimaginative, materialistic, and lazy. Personality traits: the instigator, independent, and individual, a leader, courageous. On the negative side, stubborn, lazy, weak, egotistic. This number must guard against self-centeredness.

TWO

• the beginning of a division of the Whole; God and people, lower and higher nature; a couple, as in a love or marital relation. The symbol of duality; the number of polarity, good and evil, choices, life and death, spirit and matter; two languages—physical and metaphysical; Adam and Eve—Creative Force manifesting in human form. The second spiritual center—the cells of Leydig, balancing of masculine/feminine qualities. Some strengths of the two are courteousness, consistency, gentleness, orderliness. The weaknesses, being doubting, critical, shy, gullible. Personality traits: someone who desires companionship, full of love and service, charming, tactful, gentle; having a desire for balance; a dual nature that is the binding of opposites. On the negative side, careless, discontented, cowardly, tends toward a bad temper and cruelty. The two needs to learn the value of discipline.

THREE

• a number of great strength because it represents the threefold nature of the one God. In scripture it stands for a completed period of time. Peter denied Christ three times; Christ asked Peter three times if he loved him; Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days; the third day Christ rose from the dead; the fig tree did not bear fruit for three years and was to be cut down; at the marriage in Cana, on the third day Jesus turned the water into wine, implying that a transformation took place. (There was no mention of a bride, and so one can assume it was a union of Jesus' Higher Self.) Jesus' ministry lasted three years. Triune concepts symbolized by the three—God, Christ, Holy Spirit; body, mind, soul; parents, child; Mary, Joseph, Jesus; conscious, subconscious, superconscious; fire, air, water. The third spiritual center—the adrenals, the use of power in the earth, self-preservation. Earth is a three dimensional experience. Some strengths associated with this center are that the person participates, takes responsibility, strives to improve, has patience. Weaknesses are lack of initiative, prejudice, envy. Personality traits: need for self-expression that often exhibits itself in art, literary endeavors, or the entertainment field; optimistic, imaginative, friendly. On the negative side, extravagant, jealous, gossipy, hypercritical. The three needs to develop self-control and patience. "Two against one" (being treated unfairly).

FOUR

• symbolic of humans in the earth; the number of reason and regularity; balance and stability on the earth plane. Familiar quaternity concepts are the four fixed signs of the Zodiac; the four corners of the earth; the four winds; the four beasts in the Revelation; the four elements (water, air, fire, earth). The fourth spiritual center—the thymus, love in an earthy sense, love at an emotional and personal level. Some strengths associated with this center are being appreciative, generous, punctual, sympathetic. On the weak side are greed, self-pity, and jealousy. Personality traits: dependable, organized, loyal, logical, hard-worker. On the negative side are narrow-mindedness, inhuman, crude, full of hatred. The four needs to learn tolerance and open-mindedness. In the Bible, the number forty (an elevated four) symbolizes a period of cleansing, or preparation; the flood of Noah's time cleansed the earth of corruption; Jesus fasted for forty days. Edgar Cayce predicted a forty-year period for humankind, from 1958 to 1998, comparable to the forty years of the Israelites in the wilderness, the historical Exodus, symbolic of a cleansing period.

FIVE

• an immediate change in any activities with which it is associated. A symbol of reaching out to learn and experience through the five senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing). Generally considered a number of imperfection or incompletion. The fifth spiritual center—thyroid, associated with the will, allowing "Thy will be done" instead of "my will." Strengths associated with this center are cooperativeness, peace of mind, subject to God's will. Weaknesses are inattentiveness, indecisiveness, stubbornness. Personality traits—versatile, adaptable, understanding, loves freedom and variety. Negatively, a five is irresponsible, thoughtless, inconsistent, has poor taste. The five needs to develop loyalty and patience and have a purpose in life.

SIX

• intuition, harmony, and beauty; balance or ambivalence, love that has gone from passionate to compassionate; accomplishment and growth; the cessation of movement, since creation took six days. Six adds the principle of soul to the human five. The sixth spiritual center—the pineal, higher mind, spiritual insight, intellect, the Christ center. Some strengths associated with this center are intelligence, seeking, reasonableness. The weaknesses are slow to learn, unthinking, and no conscience.

SEVEN

• is the combination of three (heaven) plus four (earth) when related to the dual nature of man. Perfect order; a complete period or cycle; a mystical relationship; a sacred number. Familiar seven concepts—basic series of musical notes; seven colors in the spectrum; from the book of Revelation, the seven stars, seven lamps, seven churches, seven seals, sounding of seven trumpets, pouring out of seven vials; seven knots on the rope Mohammed saw hanging from heaven; seven sisters of the Pleiades; seven steps of Mayan pyramids, Snow White's seven dwarfs. All are related in some way to the seven endocrine centers of the body, according to the Edgar Cayce readings. The seventh spiritual center—the pituitary, divine impersonal or universal love, spiritual healing. Some strengths of the seven are a sense of oneness, reverence, healing ability, inner wisdom, introspective, confident, spiritual. On the weak side, deflates others, lukewarm, self-righteous, skeptical, confused, and deceitful. The seven should guard against despondency and intolerance toward others.

EIGHT

• a symbol of balance or cause and effect; evolution, the inevitable onward rush of time; honest, just, dependable, a leader, manager, likes activity; is strong, discriminating, self-reliant, progressive, magnetic. On the negative side, an eight is intolerant, scheming, power-hungry. The eight must guard against becoming too materialistic, cruel, and misusing his or her energy.

NINE

• the number of the Initiate; universal mind, that which brings things to an end and prepares for a new beginning. The number of mystery, the number of mothers because of the nine months of pregnancy. Literature, art, music, and the stage are strong attraction for a nine. The nine needs to work on balance, guard against fickleness, obscenities, and the like.

ELEVEN

• the vibrations of eleven, twenty-two, and thirty-three are of the master numbers. When zeros are added in a dream, the number is elevated that much more. It is the start of a new and more advanced cycle of manifestation; hence, it is sometimes called the number of reincarnation, in consciousness if not in body. In numerology it is considered the first of the three master numbers and symbolizes perfection on the physical plane. An eleven can be a saint or an anti-Christ (Adolph Hitler's number is eleven). Personality traits: spiritual, electrical, inventive, idealistic, leadership qualities. On the negative side, miserly, shiftless, stubborn, fanatic. The eleven should strive toward selfless service to humankind.

TWELVE

• the number of fruition, complete expression, spiritual fulfillment, perfection, and completion; they have usually studied and applied and are now ready to reach out to others. We graduate from school in twelve years; there were twelve Disciples, twelve Apostles, twelve months of the year; twelve steps of service in Alcoholics Anonymous (the twelfth being that one is ready to reach out to help someone else); twelve days of Epiphany (December 25-January 6); twelve tribes of Israel, twelve angels in a Band of Angels, twelve signs of the Zodiac, twelve knights of King Arthur's round table. In Judaism it takes twelve months to be Bar Mitzvahed, at which time the thirteen-year-old is ready to become an adult in the community.

TWENTY-TWO

• the second of the master numbers, symbolizes mastery on the mental plane. Personality traits: shows power on all planes, highly developed, intuition, understanding of human nature, and diplomacy. On the negative side, may be malicious, cruel, involved in black magic or crime. There is great power in the twenty-two, but how it is used is up to the individual. Pythagoras, who founded a whole philosophy on numbers, considered twenty-two the supreme number of humans, representing the ultimate test of division. The twenty-two must work hard to hold strongly to a high ideal.

THIRTY-THREE

• the number of a master soul; this is the highest of the master numbers and symbolizes mastery on the spiritual plane. Personality traits: totally selfless in service to mankind; complete tolerance and patience, capable of accomplishing anything they desire; may possess great psychic powers. On the negative side, may be only six (3 + 3) greatly magnified. The thirty-three must always consider the great responsibility that goes along with the power of the number.