| From the first day that man began to study numbers | | | | millions of times, almost universally in a bad connotation. |
| and their significance in every day life, some numbers | | | | · 13 – The hysteria surrounding unlucky 13 in |
| have been assigned certain characteristics. Some | | | | Western culture has become so commonplace that |
| numbers have been thought to be lucky, while others | | | | an actual sickness called triskaidekaphobia; the fear of |
| are considered unlucky. And it’s not just Western | | | | the number 13. You would be hard pressed to find a |
| culture that has done this. | | | | building with a 13th floor in North America. The origin of |
| Cultures in Japan, China, India and Africa have done | | | | this superstition is mainly unknown. In the famous |
| the exact same thing, but for different reasons. | | | | painting of Jesus at the Last Supper, the 13th person |
| Let’s take a look at some commonly known lucky | | | | at the table, reading left to right, was Judas, who |
| and unlucky numbers to see why some numbers are | | | | betrayed Jesus. Others believe it is because of the |
| cursed and some are loved. | | | | tie-in with 13 and the lunar cycle. 13 is the exact |
| · 7 – Everyone knows that 7 is lucky. But why? | | | | number of full moons in a calendar year, and since |
| The root of most lucky numbers can be found in | | | | people have thought that the moon controls emotion |
| religion. God, for instance, is said to have created the | | | | and makes people a bit crazy, then 13 is bad luck. In |
| world in 7 days. There are also several references to | | | | many Persian cultures, 13 is unlucky as well, showing |
| seven in other places in the bible, like the length of | | | | that this superstition crosses cultural borders. And of |
| festivals and the arrangement of the Sabbath. Seven | | | | course, Friday the 13th is considered very bad luck. It |
| also comes up repeatedly in ancient history. Until the | | | | originates from the massacre of the Knight’s |
| 1800’s, there were seven known planets in the | | | | Templar on that date in 1307. |
| solar system, mathematician Pythagoreans considered | | | | · 2 – In many Asian cultures, two is good luck. It is |
| seven to be the perfect number and as any craps | | | | thought that good things come in pairs, which is a |
| player can tell you, seven is the most desirable role on | | | | phrase that even appears in Western culture. It is used |
| the dice. In most major instances, seven is a lucky | | | | often in advertising or on menus in restaurants by |
| number from culture to culture. Seven is even the | | | | saying that a product is doubly effective or it will bring |
| usual number of spots on a ladybug. Lady bugs are | | | | double happiness. In Cantonese, the number two is |
| considered good luck in their own right. | | | | pronounced much like the word easy, hence it is |
| · 4 – This number is bad luck in the far east. The | | | | considered good luck there, as well. There is an |
| pronunciation of the number four in Japanese is very | | | | emphasis on the number two in Western culture, as |
| similar to the word death, and because of this, four has | | | | well, but not relating to luck. |
| been considered bad luck in Japan, Korea and China. It | | | | · 8 – Maybe no culture in the world is more |
| is considered very bad luck to give a gift that is made | | | | fascinated with lucky numbers than the Chinese. In |
| up of four pieces to someone. Many buildings in heavily | | | | many far eastern cultures, 8 is considered a lucky |
| Asian areas do not have a fourth floor, much like the | | | | number to the point of obsession. A recent news |
| way North American cultures treat the number 13. In | | | | article reported that the phone number 8888-8888 |
| Western culture, four isn’t necessarily considered | | | | was sold for over $200,000 in China recently because |
| lucky or unlucky, however, there are a few unlucky | | | | it was thought that it would bring luck. In Cantonese, the |
| fours. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from | | | | pronunciation of the number eight is similar to the |
| the Christian bible, and most swear words are called | | | | phrase “good luck.” |
| “four letter words.” | | | | · 11 – Craps players know that 7 goes hand in |
| · 666 – Six hundred and sixty-six is an interesting | | | | hand with 11. In numerology, 11 is the first master |
| number. It is both extremely bad luck in Western | | | | number. In recent years, 11 has taken on a negative |
| culture but very good luck in many Asian cultures. As | | | | significance due to the events of September 11th, 2001 |
| everyone knows, according to the Christian bible, 666 | | | | and the flight number of one of the doomed planes |
| is the number of the beast and is synonymous with | | | | was American Airlines Flight 11. |
| Satan. 666 might actually be the most avoided number | | | | Trying to figure out what your lucky numbers are is a |
| in Western culture, followed closely by the number 13. | | | | personal decision. You may embrace historically |
| But in cultures in Asia, the pronunciation of 666 sounds | | | | unlucky numbers in an attempt to buck the trend. You |
| very much like the phrase, “things going | | | | may have a completely random number come up |
| smoothly,” and it is considered to be very lucky. | | | | again and again in your life that proves to be lucky. |
| Many shopkeepers will place a sign or plaque with 666 | | | | Whichever method you choose, numbers can make a |
| written or carved on it in their window as a good luck | | | | big difference in your life if we could just figure out |
| charm. The same goes for the front door of a home | | | | their proper meaning. |
| or apartment. In Western culture, 666 has appeared | | | | |