Happy Tuesday! The 22nd day of the 2nd month of the year 2022 also fell on... the third day of the week. Imaginary; You will tell me that you have a lot of problems to deal with the abundance of 2. I will suggest you stay a little longer with us, to read about the significance of this number, for more than 2,000 years. Yes, the 2 in front of you again.
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of South Carolina, Barry Markovsky is both a scholar of paranormal claims (that data affect society) and the pseudoscience that deals with popular beliefs. As he writes in Conversation "these beliefs are almost always scientifically absurd, yet they illustrate how brains, people, groups and cultures work together to create shared meaning".
He explains that besides Twosday, there are obviously other dates with impressive patterns. Like 1/11/11 or 11/11/11 and all other cases of repeating numbers (06/06/06 etc) that occur with a difference of years from each other. "For example, we will experience Threesday on 3/3 of 33."
American celebrity astrologer Aliza Kelly wrote in Allure that "some people see a recurring number as a confirmation, a kind of green light from the universe to let them know they are on the right path or protected, or as having a guide or a spirit that communicates with them.
Yes, but why should we care about all this?
"The brain has developed an amazing ability to find meaning and connections. Once upon a time, this meant the difference between survival and death.
For example, recognizing paw prints in the soil signaled the presence of dangerous predators to be avoided or prey to be captured and eaten. Changes in daylight indicated when crops should be planted and when to be harvested.
Even when survival was not at issue, detecting a pattern, such as a familiar face or a song, always served as a reward. When we spot them, our brain gives its synapses a little dose of dopamine and thus motivates us to keep finding patterns.
If we happen to 'lose' a numerical sequence, it is taken as an example of apophenia:it is the spontaneous perception of associations and meaningful events, unrelated to each other. The term was first used by the German neurologist and psychiatrist (with a significant contribution to neuropsychology and psychopathology) Klaus Conrad, in 1958".
Apophenia has been defined as the tendency to see associations between seemingly unrelated objects or ideas. This probably links psychosis to creativity. Apophenia and creativity may be seen as two sides of the same coin".
Research has shown that high levels of dopamine influence the tendency to find meaning, patterns, and significance where none exist—and that this tendency is related to the tendency to believe in the paranormal."
American celebrity astrologer Aliza Kelly wrote in Allure that "some people see a repeating number as a confirmation, a kind of green light from the universe to let them know they are on the right path or protected or have a guide or a spirit that communicates with them". He explained that there are many who refer to repeating numbers as "angel numbers".
Markovsky explains that “another example of apophenia is astrology, which visually links the stars into constellations. These are the known signs. Each sign is associated with concepts related to its respective object (eg the scorpion is the coke calipers). However, these signs do not exist in the sky in any physical sense, and the whole system fails scientific tests.”
Let's go to today's -special- day
"The beginning of numerology can be traced back 2,500 years, to the Greek mathematician, Pythagoras. Alternative systems are emerging elsewhere, such as in China and the Middle East.
Numerology may seem to belong to mathematics, but it is more like palmistry and reading tea leaves. It has been popularized through magazines, books, films, television programs, websites and other social media. Its popularity cannot be estimated, however, there is a belief that certain numbers 'circulate' as good or bad throughout the world."
I would like you here to think of the number 7.
"There are many kinds of numerology. The most popular form assigns numbers to names or other words and then calculates their 'root', known as the destiny number (or expression number). It starts by matching each number to each letter of the alphabet:A =1, B =2, and so on.
Example:if I add the numbers of my first name, I get 28. To find the root, I add the digits of 28 and get 10. I add those two digits and get 1. I do the same with the middle name and the adjective, I take 4 and 9, add the three roots and get 14. Adding these two numbers gives me my 'destiny number' which is 5. In numerology it is associated with people who think freely, are adventurous, restless and impatient".
Let's see now, the hidden meaning of today.
We take the roots of 02, 22, and 2022. We have 2, 4, and 6. We add them and we get 12. So, 3 is 'the number of destiny'. It is associated with optimism and joy. It is a symbol of self-confidence and reminds of the need to have high self-esteem at all times. The energy of the 3 encourages us to express ourselves.
Let's see what 2 is
In mathematics the number 2 is the only even prime number:the first of the prime numbers (see those divisible by 1). The symbol is two vertical lines symbolizing male and female, day and night, life and death, sorrow and joy, and war and peace. In numerology "its energy is related to balance, sensitivity and cooperation".
In numerology 2 is also the most feminine number of all - it represents together grace and strength, it is collaborative and always aims to restore peace and balance to a relationship or condition. He is also the most sensitive, with the strongest intuition.
In Taoist philosophy Yin and Yang are the two forces that hold the universe in perfect balance.
In China, where they believe in harmony and balance, it is considered a lucky number - as all good things come in pairs.
According to the Pythagoreans (devotees of the Pythagorean theorem) it is unlucky - as it is of division.
In the Bible it is the number of Eve, the first woman. There it is also mentioned that the second day of creation is the only one in which 'God saw that it was good' is not mentioned - in the creation of the firmament between the waters and the separation of the waters "that were under the firmament from the waters that they were above the firmament. And so it happened. And God called the firmament heaven. And there was evening, and there was morning, the second day." So 2 might be unlucky.
In tarot it is the High Priestess card - symbolizing wisdom and good judgement. Of course, it also indicates making bad decisions.
In the temple of Solomon - the first temple in Jerusalem - there are two pillars. They appear on the tarot card we were talking about.
Two is also the number of the Moon.
In Judaism every Sabbath meal begins with two loaves of bread called challot.
The two challots represent the manna that the Israelites ate during their journey in the desert, after leaving Egypt.
In Islam, two angels follow each person and record his good and bad deeds.
An old superstition states that if two people wash their hands in the same bowl (sink etc) at the same time, they will fight before nightfall.