Happy Friday the 13th! Woohoo! I love Friday the 13th. Possibly because I don’t embrace the superstitions associated with it. And I’m usually the odd ball out. If those around me dislike something, then I’m going to embrace it. Maybe that’s my way of spitting in the face of society. Either way, I like Friday the 13th and abhor April Fool’s Day. :-/
Before I forget, we are having a contest today and tomorrow in honor of Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day, so be sure to leave comments today and tomorrow for your chance to win! The books being given away are listed at the end of this blog!
Anyway, I thought I’d give you some interesting facts about Friday the 13th and just the number 13 in general.
On Friday, October 13, 1307, the Knights Templar’s were arrested and damned in the predawn hours. The presumption is that the Templar’s followed the guideline that the number 13 played a prominent role in sacred traditions. Additionally, Friday was considered a holy day by many traditions. Therefore, it is significant that the Church had the Templar’s arrested and condemned on a not just a holy day, but also on what would have been considered sacred date—the 13th. In essence, the Church’s final way of saying, “screw you, hurrah” to a group that it both feared and envied. I found this terribly interesting and it was something I had never heard before.
Architects omit the 13th floor from hotels and other high-rise structures. I find this comical, seriously, I do. What makes the floor that was skipped not number 13 just because it is labeled 14 instead of 13? It’s still the 13th floor unless a 13th floor is built and bypassed altogether.
The number 13 was vital to certain customs of sacred geometry, simply because it represented a blueprint which could be present in nature, humanity, and the heavens. For example, the body has 13 major joints. In a solar year, there are 13 lunar cycles. Each day the moon traverses across the sky 13 degrees. Christ and his 12 disciples equaled 13. Likewise, King Arthur and his 12 knights equaled 13. Furthermore, there are 12 major constellations in correlation to our sun.
The Aztec calendar is known as the “13 Cane” and it represents both the start and end of a cycle, symbolizing the death of one cycle and the rebirth of another. This is similar to what the Northern European mythos called the 13th rune, which represented the equilibrium linking the heavens and the Underworld. But at the same time it is also Alpha and Omega, signifying death and eternal life.
In the tarot deck, Death is the 13th card, but it doesn’t represent just death, but also rebirth and renewal.
The first culture to create a superstition for the number 13 was the Egyptians, but to them it was a number that brought good luck. The Egyptians believed there were 12 steps to eternal life and when they took the 13th step, they would then be going all the way through death and into eternal life. The number 13 represented immortality to the Egyptians.
The Romans associated the number 13 with ill omens, in particular those that brought death and destruction.
For the Christians, the number brought bad luck because Judas Iscariot was the 13th diner at the Last Supper and he later betrayed Jesus, culminating in his crucifixion. It is still considered bad luck for 13 people to dine together because it is believed that it will result in the death of one dinner guest within the year. Norse mythology has a similar bad luck superstition regarding 13 dining together.
How unlucky do you think Friday the 13th is? Do you think the number 13 is a magical number or one that should be associated with the occult? Or is it just another day in the year? How do YOU feel about Friday the 13th or the number in general?
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FRIDAY THE 13TH CONTEST!!!!!
In honor of Friday 13th, we will be giving away a copy of three e-books, so make sure you leave a comment today to be entered for your chance to win! I will announce the winners sometime later this evening. The books up for grabs today, Friday 13th, are the following:
LEARNING CHARITY by Summer Devon
http://katerothwell.blogspot.com
DRAGON'S MATE by Beth Caudill
INFORMALLY YOURS by Beth Caudill
http://www.bethcaudill.net/
*******
Don’t miss the VALENTINE’S DAY CONTEST!!!!!
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we will be giving away a copy of two e-books and one paperback book, so be sure to check back tomorrow. The books up for grabs tomorrow are the following:
PORTRAIT OF A KISS by T.D. McKinney (e-book)
www.tdmckinney.com
Before I forget, we are having a contest today and tomorrow in honor of Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day, so be sure to leave comments today and tomorrow for your chance to win! The books being given away are listed at the end of this blog!
Anyway, I thought I’d give you some interesting facts about Friday the 13th and just the number 13 in general.
On Friday, October 13, 1307, the Knights Templar’s were arrested and damned in the predawn hours. The presumption is that the Templar’s followed the guideline that the number 13 played a prominent role in sacred traditions. Additionally, Friday was considered a holy day by many traditions. Therefore, it is significant that the Church had the Templar’s arrested and condemned on a not just a holy day, but also on what would have been considered sacred date—the 13th. In essence, the Church’s final way of saying, “screw you, hurrah” to a group that it both feared and envied. I found this terribly interesting and it was something I had never heard before.
Architects omit the 13th floor from hotels and other high-rise structures. I find this comical, seriously, I do. What makes the floor that was skipped not number 13 just because it is labeled 14 instead of 13? It’s still the 13th floor unless a 13th floor is built and bypassed altogether.
The number 13 was vital to certain customs of sacred geometry, simply because it represented a blueprint which could be present in nature, humanity, and the heavens. For example, the body has 13 major joints. In a solar year, there are 13 lunar cycles. Each day the moon traverses across the sky 13 degrees. Christ and his 12 disciples equaled 13. Likewise, King Arthur and his 12 knights equaled 13. Furthermore, there are 12 major constellations in correlation to our sun.
The Aztec calendar is known as the “13 Cane” and it represents both the start and end of a cycle, symbolizing the death of one cycle and the rebirth of another. This is similar to what the Northern European mythos called the 13th rune, which represented the equilibrium linking the heavens and the Underworld. But at the same time it is also Alpha and Omega, signifying death and eternal life.
In the tarot deck, Death is the 13th card, but it doesn’t represent just death, but also rebirth and renewal.
The first culture to create a superstition for the number 13 was the Egyptians, but to them it was a number that brought good luck. The Egyptians believed there were 12 steps to eternal life and when they took the 13th step, they would then be going all the way through death and into eternal life. The number 13 represented immortality to the Egyptians.
The Romans associated the number 13 with ill omens, in particular those that brought death and destruction.
For the Christians, the number brought bad luck because Judas Iscariot was the 13th diner at the Last Supper and he later betrayed Jesus, culminating in his crucifixion. It is still considered bad luck for 13 people to dine together because it is believed that it will result in the death of one dinner guest within the year. Norse mythology has a similar bad luck superstition regarding 13 dining together.
How unlucky do you think Friday the 13th is? Do you think the number 13 is a magical number or one that should be associated with the occult? Or is it just another day in the year? How do YOU feel about Friday the 13th or the number in general?
*******
FRIDAY THE 13TH CONTEST!!!!!
In honor of Friday 13th, we will be giving away a copy of three e-books, so make sure you leave a comment today to be entered for your chance to win! I will announce the winners sometime later this evening. The books up for grabs today, Friday 13th, are the following:
LEARNING CHARITY by Summer Devon
http://katerothwell.blogspot.com
DRAGON'S MATE by Beth Caudill
INFORMALLY YOURS by Beth Caudill
http://www.bethcaudill.net/
*******
Don’t miss the VALENTINE’S DAY CONTEST!!!!!
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we will be giving away a copy of two e-books and one paperback book, so be sure to check back tomorrow. The books up for grabs tomorrow are the following:
PORTRAIT OF A KISS by T.D. McKinney (e-book)
www.tdmckinney.com
*******
PLEASE NOTE: By entering this contest you are in agreement that you will not permit the e-book you win to be copied, sold or transmitted from your computer to another computer through any means, which include, but are not limited to, upload, file sharing, peer-to-peer, bloggers, reader or any other computer or device. Furthermore, you agree that you will not offer this e-book as a prize in any contest without the express consent of the author. Such acts are illegal and violate the U.S. Copyright Laws. When you finish reading the e-book, it must be deleted from your computer.
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Good luck to all the participants!!!
I hope everyone has a safe Friday the 13th and a very romantic and naughty Valentine's Day.
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