A Study in 12
12 is sublime. In western mathematics this is a literal statement. First, it’s an integer. Second, it can be divided by exactly 6 numbers. (1,2,3,4,6, and 12)
Still with me? Because now the plot thickens…
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 + 12 = 28
6 (the number of ways we can divide 12) and 28 (the sum of the ways we can divide 12) have something in common.
They’re both perfect. Again, this is a literal statement.
6 can be divided by 4 numbers (1,2,3,6)
By excluding the 6 we’re left with 1 + 2 + 3 = 6.
I’ll spare you the exercise of going through this with 28, but I promise it’s the same result.
Back to 12… Not only does it have a perfect number of divisors (6) but those 6 divisors (1,2,3,4,6,12) add up to another perfect number (28)
This is very, very good.
Enter Religion
These facts have not gone unnoticed by the worlds religions and myth makers.
Here’s a brief list:
- 12 disciples of Christ (Christianity)
- 12 signs of the zodiac (Western and Vedic astrology)
- 12 Olympian Gods (Hellenistic)
- 12 labors of Hercules (Hellenistic)
- King Arthur won 12 great battles against Saxon’s (British)
- Aleister Crowley born on the 12th of October (Western Esotericism)
- Most numbers in Book of Revelation divisible by 12 (the 12th book is also interesting (Christianity )
- Jacob has 12 sons (Judaism)
- 12 Imams or legitimate successors of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (Islam)
- 12 names with only two letters in the Bible Ai (Joshua 7:2), Ar (Num. 21:15), Ed (Joshua 22:34), Er (Genesis 38:3), Ir (1Chronicles 7:12), No (Jeremiah 46:25), Og (Num. 21:33), On (Num. 16:11), Pe (Psalm 119:129), So (2Kings 17:4), Ur (Genesis 11:28) and Uz (Genesis 10:23)
Also, because at the place and time of this writing many of us are recognizing the great sage and Messiah of Christianity, Christ himself, it seems apt to pay particular attention to his relationship with 12.
Christ is the fishermen of men (Matthew 4:19) He’s most likely a Pisces, the 12th sign of the zodiac. His first words are recorded in the gospels when he’s 12 years old.
The 12th major arcana in many western esoteric Tarot Decks is the Hanged Man a symbol of sacrifice that many relate to Christ.
Enter the Writer
I bring this to your attention today because this is the 12th day of a blogging challenge I accepted as a countdown to Christmas Eve 2017.
If you ever get the chance to participate in something similar, I highly suggest it. It’s been quite difficult to battle the perfectionism and writers block, but I’m thrilled that I made it.
Many of the words aren’t so good, but looking back much of what I came up with makes me grin. I’m happy that it exists.
Here’s a list of everything I wrote:
The Over Fulfilled Baby (psychoanalysis and Dudley Dursley)
The Surprising Benefits of Self Decapitation
Dangling from the rings of Saturn (part 1)
Dangling from the rings of Saturn (part 2)
Dangling from the rings of Saturn (part 3)
Dangling from the rings of Saturn (part 4)
Towards a Self Directed Healing
Archetype (Precept 2)
Collective Unconscious (Precept 3)
My total word count for this project was 9,066. Thanks so much for reading and supporting my writing! I really appreciate it.
Namaste!
