Adages for the New YearWritten by Sam Stevens
The old familiar adages just don't do it for me any more. For instance, consider "the early bird gets worm." In this age of freelancing, premature ejaculation and peaking too early in one's career (by age 24) a more appropriate adage might be "The early bird dies earlier." Another one that has been puzzling me lately is "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise.' Sure it does if woman is staying up late cleaning house and taking care of kids after working a full day at office. Not only is adage sexist but it also doesn't make any sense. Most people who work these hours slave at low paying jobs with little chance at advancement. Shouldn't it read, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes corporation I slave for wealthy and wise?” "The doors of wisdom are never shut." This also should be revised to read, "The doors of a 24 hour Drug or Convenience Store are never shut." It is more truthful. Another migraine-maker is "You reap what you sow." Now whether this is supposed to apply to gardening or whatever, we know this is not true. Many individuals slave for years on projects that don't pay off, couples copulate to try and have babies with no result and people sow wheat all time only to have it destroyed by frost or rainstorms. In these hard times, doesn't a saying such as "You reap what is available" make much more sense? Also problematic is ultimate adage about being sweet -- you "attract more flies with honey." The trouble with this kind of "honey" is it also attracts other creatures such as raccoons, bears and others that would rape you of your charms. Also I am very suspicious of charming people. Often they want to borrow money from you or some other favour. I think it should be changed to "Beware those bearing gifts of honey, as they probably want bread." I also have a problem with "He who laughs last, laughs best." I think that should be changed to "He who laughs last, laughs alone." Nobody likes a joke at his or her expense.
| | Holy and Unholy NumbersWritten by Sam Stevens
Many of our great religions hold that numbers contain hidden meanings that in turn hold mysteries of universe and God within them. Ancient Hebrew mystics referred to this as Gematria. The number 1 is also associated with Aphrodite, Greek Goddess of Love; Apollo, Greek God of Beauty and Truth; Diana, Roman Goddess of Hunt; Vesta, Roman Hearth Goddess; Freya, Norse Goddess of Fertility, and Chinese God Pangu. The number 1 is associated with colors red, crimson, scarlet and cherry. Gemstones associated with number 1 are ruby and garnet. Flowers associated with number are red roses and red carnations. Common superstitions about number one are: •Break one egg and you will break a leg •If you dream about number 1 you have received a direct message from God. The Number 2 In Tarot deck, number two represents duality, choices, decisions and partnerships. The Chinese believe that it represents polar forces of Yin (the receptive, constrictive female energy) and Yang (the creative expansive male energy.) The number 2 is also associated with Ceres, Greek Goddess of Grain from whose name we have word Cereal; Frigga Norse Goddess of Hospitality and Wife of Odin; Freya, Norse Goddess of Fertility and Venus, Roman Goddess of Love. Superstitions about number two are: •If two shoots grow from root of a single cabbage, you will have good luck. •Two people should never pour tea from same pot. •Finding an egg with two yolks means there will be a death in family. •It is unlucky to get married January 2nd and September 2nd. The Number 3 Christians interpret number 3 as representing Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The number 3 is associated with Cronos, Greek Titan who fathered Olympians; Hecate, Queen of Witches and Goddess of Crossroads; Pluto, Roman God of Death; Saturn Roman equivalent of Cronos and Tyr, Norse God of Battle and Strength. Some superstitions about number three include: •If a cat washes his ears three times you can expect a visitor. •A three-legged dog brings luck. •Try anything a third time and it will succeed. The Number 4 For ancient Hebrews, number 4 was considered to be especially significant. This connects to a mystical understanding of YHVH, four-letter name of God, which was traditionally never written down. Deities associated with number four are fatherly Gods such as Roman God Jupiter, Norse God Odin and Greek God Zeus. Some superstitions about number 4 include: •A four-leaf clover brings luck. •Keeping four aces of an ordinary playing deck on your person is thought to bring power (spades), wealth (diamonds), love (hearts) and popularity (clubs). •Finding four colors in one pansy petal bodes health, wealth, happiness and prosperity. •If you wash your hair on 4th day of month you will go gray early. •If you dream about number 4, you will soon be handed a lucky opportunity. The Number 5 Pythagoras believed that 5 represented man in perfect balance with universe and containing sum of male and female elements. In Wiccan circles, five can be found in star shaped pentagram that symbolizes four elements of earth, air, fire, and water surmounted or united by spirit. Deities associated with number 5 include Dionysus, Greek God of Wine and Ecstatic Revelation; Ishtar, Babylonian Goddess of Love, Sex and War; Mars Roman God of War and Thor Norse God of Thunder. The colors sky blue and turquoise symbolize number 5. The gemstones associated with 5 are turquoise and aquamarine. The flower associated with 5 is anemone. Some common superstitions about number five are: •A five-leafed clover is even luckier than a four leafed one. •If you wax your hair on fifth day of month you will go bald. •It is unlucky to get married on November 5th. The Number 6 For Christians, Jews and Moslems, number 6 represents day that man was created. Mathematicians revere number 6 because it is first perfect number. The number 6 is symbolized colors deep blue, navy and royal blue. Gemstones associated with 6 are sapphire and lapis lazuli. Flowers that symbolize number are thistles and bluebells. Some common superstitions about number six are: •It is unlucky to purposely turn number six upside down in jest as it means your projects will not be completed. •If you find a rose with six petals it means you will be lucky in love. •If you find a pansy petal with six colors in it, it means you will receive an unexpected visitor. •A talisman with number 6 worn on it means you will be protected against hurricanes and tornados. •It is unlucky to get married October 6th or November 6th. •If you dream about number 6 you will soon have sex. The Number 7 The number 7 is equally sacred amongst Islamic, Christian and Jewish religions. According to Jewish and Christian mythologies it took six days to create world with seventh day being holiest day - a day of rest. The Bible, Zohar and other religious texts also recommend that fields were to be left fallow every seventh year as means of allowing earth to regenerate itself. Some Christians believe number 7 represents seven levels of hell. It is Hebrew tradition to mourn, or sit Shivah, for a period of 7 days. Deities associated with number 7 include Frigga; Minerva, Roman Goddess of Intelligence and Wisdom and Mithras Sun God in Zoroastrian lore. The number 7 is associated with colors violet, purple and plum. 7's gemstone is amethyst. Flowers associated with 7 are irises and deep purple roses. Some common superstitions about number 7 are: •If your date of birth can be reduced to a single number that can be divided by seven then you will have a particularly lucky life. •Shattering a mirror brings 7 years of bad luck. •If you sing before 7 am then you will cry before 11 am. •Wrapping her husband's belt 7 times around a tree causes a woman to become fertile. •The seventh child of a seventh child is said to have psychic powers. •If you wash your hair on 7th day of month you will have trouble with law. •It is unlucky to get married April 7th or December 7th. •If you dream about number 7, you will soon meet a soul mate. The Number 8 The ancient Greeks associated number 8 with unhappiness and imperfection. The psychologist Carl Jung equated number with secret and dark movements of subconscious that constantly folds into itself like a snake eating its tail.
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