2. The Book of Knowledge. 4. 2. Algebra

The BOOK of KNOWLEDGE,
a novel by Alexandra Kryuchkova
in the “PLAYING ANOTHER REALITY” series

PART 2. ANOTHER REALITY

Day No. 4

CHAPTER 4.2. ALGEBRA

Before going to bed, I decided to go to the roof.

“Daphne!” I heard a familiar voice behind me. “What does fourth day mean? Did you understand something?”

We sat on the roof and looked at the stars. I thought about it.

“You know, Sasha, once upon a time, they had a universal secret language to transmit the Knowledge. All the scriptures in the world are written in it. There is such a concept of the digital and geometric key of the linguistic Mysteries.”

“Translate it to me!”

“Everything that surrounds us — processes, things, and even people — can be described in terms of numbers.”

“Is it mathematical modeling, or what?”

“It doesn’t matter the name, but the meaning. There were several numerological schools, one of them was Pythagorean. Pythagoras tried to penetrate into the mystical connection of each number with everything in ourselves, around us, in the Universe. This science of number was called Arithmetic by the Pythagoreans, it was considered by them inseparably with Geometry, Music and Astronomy. Numbers for Pythagoras were hieroglyphic symbols by means of which he explained ideas concerning the nature of everything. Pythagoras represented our Universe as a combination of thousands of elements and at the same time an expression of a single element –number. All numbers are just an image, an illusory chimera, since they are all One, summed up X times. Moreover, each prime number from 1 to 9 carries its own energies, vibrations (sounds – therefore, it has to do with Music), one way or another can be expressed geometrically (by figures – therefore, it has to do with Geometry) and is influenced by the Planets (it has to do with Astrology).”

“How can a number be expressed as a geometric figure?”

“For example, 3 and 6 can be attributed to triangular numbers, because the triangle consists of 3 sides, respectively, has a connection with the number 3. And 6 is two triangles. Plato believed that numbers that have geometric properties (square, rectangular, triangular, and so on) occupy a middle position between things and ideas, so they should be studied very carefully. But this is already a field of Geometry. Even numbers, starting from 2, belonged to the feminine and were negative.”

“So the odd ones are masculine and… positive?”

“Almost guessed!”

“Why almost?”

“The Pythagoreans considered 1 as combining male and female qualities. What do you think why?”

“I can think for a long time, until tomorrow morning, until tomorrow’s dinner. If you want to get enough sleep today, don’t ask me questions, Daphne! Until you tell me everything about the numbers, I won’t let you go from the roof, don’t even hope!”

“Because when you add 1 to an even number, you get an odd number: 1 +2 = 3. And when added to an odd one, it becomes even, and thus the masculine becomes feminine: 1 +3 = 4.”

“Listen, it’s already difficult for me to count such nonsense even in my mind … How did they, the Pythagoreans, manage it without calculators? They had to describe the whole Universe with numbers!”

“They counted with pebbles.”

“What is it like?”

“Each number had its own pebble. They put them on the board, mixed them around. Written fixation of numbers appeared later in the Attic and Ionian varieties. But you again lead me somewhere into the wilds. Let’s get back to the numbers.”

“Stop, you said that there were several schools of numerology. And what others, besides Pythagoras?”

“Chaldean and Kabbalistic. I can’t say much about Chaldean. It seems to me that it existed even before the Kabbalistic one. One of the differences between them was the meaning of the number 9. In Chaldea it didn’t correspond to any of the letters of the alphabet, considered sacred.”

“Kabbalah, is it a book?”

“It’s an esoteric union that claims to have secret knowledge in Judaism. It appeared somewhere in the 12th century. The practical branch of Kabbalah deals with the study of the correlations between letters, numbers and sounds. It has three main directions – Gematria, Notarikon and Temur. Gematria is one of the three methods of revealing the secret meaning of a word or phrase by summing up the meanings of its constituent letters.”

“Letters? What do the numbers have to do with them?”

“Each letter has its own number, its own vibration, its own sound and, I would say, its own color. In Kabbalah, special significance had the first ten numbers (from 1 to 10). They were considered to symbolize the 10 Spiritual Spheres, or Sephiroth, as emanations of God, filling the space between the Creator and Creation. 10 Spheres form the Tree. Each subsequent Sphere is an emanation of the previous one.”

“God bless them, the Spheres. Tell me better, it turns out that our name is a number, isn’t it?”

“What stands behind the number. Both names and words can carry both positive and negative energy, based on the hidden effects of the letters that make up the word or name, and the numbers (sounds, vibrations) corresponding to these letters.”

“So, a person who changes his surname changes his destiny?”

“In a certain sense, but it’s impossible to say yes unambiguously, because a person can always make adjustments both in himself and in his destiny.”

“So, can we count the number of a name?”

“Anything can be counted. The number of the name, patronymic, surname, the sum of these numbers. The sum of the date, month and year of birth. You can add the number of the current year to the number of a person and, based on the theory of cycles, assume what the coming year is preparing for us. You can make an analysis of the psycho-matrix according to Pythagoras: count the number of different numbers encountered in the calculations of a person, then read it line by line, column, ascending and descending diagonals. There are many techniques and ways. You can even make a mandala of the numerological code. In the mandala, numbers are energy, lines show the direction and quality of energy, dots show its deepening and stagnation. Such mandala can serve as an object of meditation, a talisman for the person to whom it belongs. It’s possible to calculate the Golden Alchemical Number, that is, with the help of what energies a person influences the world and transfers his Lower Self to the Higher.”

“Daphne, one can go crazy! And what is your Golden Alchemy Number?”

“6, this number is controlled by the planet Venus, which is responsible for love and creativity, harmony and beauty.”

“It turns out that you are here to influence the world with the help of love and creativity, harmony and beauty, doesn’t it?”

“Right.”

“It’s interesting, I’d rather say, it fits you. Come on, Daphne, tell me about all the numbers: who is who and what do we eat them with?”

“1. What does it remind you of?”

“Nothing special.”

“It’s like an arrow. A ray of the Sun. In Astrology, it corresponds to the Sun. It symbolizes the beginning of something new, activity, source, Spirit, Consciousness. In Kabbalah, it means the Essence, God, the First Cause of Everything. I have already said about Pythagoras: for him, it’s the beginning of all beginnings, carrying in itself both male and female principles. As for the people having 1 as their number, they have aspiration for supremacy, leadership, power, a desire to be better than others. They are ambitious, self-confident and freedom-loving, have a strong character and will. Born organizers, pioneers, leaders. Fast as an arrow, single-track people, whose path is only forward and straight. They are ready to take responsibility, but often show aggression, intolerance, arrogance, pride and selfishness. They should learn to help others, giving themselves to the world, not waiting for a reward.”

“If the coming year number is 1, what does it have for us in store?”

“It’s time of Beginnings, implying global changes. It’s necessary to make new plans, not to brush aside new ideas, because such years we put the bases for the subsequent growth in the cycle and choose our path for the next 9 years.”

“Oh, Daphne, wait. I’ll take notes and make my counting in the room later!” Sasha took out a notebook and a pen out of his windbreaker pocket.

“You are just like Svetlana,” I sighed.

“Daphne, don’t waste time sighing. Dictate about number 2.”

“2 symbolizes the dual nature of man. Good and Evil, Higher and Lower Self, Day and Night, Yin and Yang. The Pythagoreans refused to recognize the number 2, even as an abstract idea, because it is depicted in geometry by a double horizontal line that has neither width nor thickness, from which it is impossible to build a geometric figure – to form a triangle of 2 straight lines, you need to add one. In Roman calculus, 2 is depicted in the same way – by two parallel, but vertical lines. In Kabbalah, it means union and opposites. The Moon is in charge of the number, which symbolizes traditions, connection with ancestors, deep roots, the Subconscious, intuition. People of number 2 have the spirit of contradiction initially, they seem to be always between something and something, they weigh everything for a long time. If three numbers 2 appear in the calculation at once, it’s a sign of an extrasensory person. Among other things, he has a magnetic charm.”

“Daphne, I know you have three of them, don’t deny it. And what is your name?”

“Full name means the Sun, and short means the Moon.”

“It’s so hard with you, Daphne!”

“It’s so hard for myself!”

“Well, let’s not get distracted. If the coming year is 2, then …?”

“Waiting time. We must not lose what was started in the past. We should bypass sharp corners, look for a compromise and not conflict. Trust your intuition, because there may be mistakes in assessing the situation with the mind. It’s necessary to make changes inside, to clearly understand what you want from life.”

“Let’s move on to number 3.”

“3 is a magic number, often found everywhere, even in fairy tales. Three is the link between the Present, Past and Future. Trinity: Body, Soul (Personality) and Spirit. Three levels of Being. Basic Three Worlds: physical, Subtle (World of Forms) and Divine (Fiery World, having no Form). Three theological virtues: Faith, Hope, Love. The resurrection of Christ took place on the 3rd day. What else is associated with the number 3?”

“Traffic lights!”

“By the way, in India, the colors of the Trimurti (Trinity) are red, yellow and green.”

“Wow!”

“The sorcerers used 3 ingredients for their potions, threw them into a cauldron with 3 legs and repeated the spell 3 times.”

“And we had 3 horses.”

“The planet number 3 is Mars. A fiery planet with explosive energy, which, like the Sun, means activity. But the Sun is on the Spiritual level, and Mars is more on the physical one.”

“Well, for Pythagoras, as I understand it, 3 is a sacred number, because it’s a triangle.”

“An equilateral triangle. 3 is one of the numbers of the so-called triangular ones. But in Kabbalah 3 means reproduction.”

“What does the year mean?”

“The third year of the cycle is the Time of Creativity and Communication. A person is in the center of social life, makes new acquaintances, gets vivid impressions, travels a lot. Even at job, a creative approach, non-standard solutions are welcomed. The year is financially successful. The main thing is to be surrounded by people with an optimistic view on life.”

“I’m already looking forward to hearing about number 4, because of which you have your hooves almost lost today.”

“4 is the unluckiest number. In Chinese, the word 4 sounds like the word death. According to Feng Shui, the shape of the number 4 is angular, sharp, therefore, shooting bad arrows. I personally associate 4 with the cross. But for the Pythagoreans 4 is sacred. They swore by this number. For them, 4 is the manifestation of Unity, or One Whole in 4 different aspects. A square number, because in geometry it can be expressed by the figure of a square, which is the emblem of moral justice and divine balance. The number 4 is often found in sacred texts and not only.”

“For example?”

“The Cherubim have 4 faces: a human angel, a lion, a bull and an eagle, symbolic creatures that support the throne of Christ. Some believe them to be the 4 Apostles: the human angel is St. Matthew, the lion is St. Mark, the bull (calf) is St. Luke, the eagle is St. John. In India, there are four-armed gods.”

“4 wheels on the car!”

“4 cardinal points, 4 winds, 4 elements: Air, Water, Fire, Earth. 4 suits in a deck of cards.”

“And in Kabbalah?”

“It means Law, universal stability. Apparently, because the square, or rather, the cube, is the most stable figure.”

“What planet rules this number?”

“Mercury. Although somewhere I read that it just symbolizes mobility and intelligence. In general, when analyzing the psycho-matrix, the presence of a four indicates physical health.”

“Listen, I was born in April. Is April the same 4?”

“Yes, that’s right. Just a little different. April is the first month after the Spring Equinox, which used to be the New Year’s Eve. The energy of April is extremely strong. It’s ready to break through everything on its way, although at first glance it’s not particularly visible. This is the energy of the Solar Beam, which brings awakening to the Earth. People of April are rather straightforward, that rather indicates a connection with the number 1. Other people are looking for some pitfalls and a double bottom, which April doesn’t have at all.”

“Okay, we are not getting involved in Astrology. Tell me better about the year, which is the 4th in the cycle.”

“Time for Caution. More attention should be paid to details, not to neglect trifles. You will have to work hard, perhaps taking on extra work or a complex project. Some things put aside before will suddenly pop out of the box and require an urgent solution.”

“Okay, let’s talk about number 5.”

“5 is ruled by authoritarian and powerful Jupiter, in charge as well of intuition and Magic. Five is a pentagonal number. Its symbol is the Five Pointed Star, the Pentagram.”

“The one we form in the gym hall periodically?”

“Exactly. In Kabbalah, 5 means Knowledge. A lucky number that brings good luck. On the other hand, it symbolizes unpredictability and surprise. Note that 5 in the shape of the outline is also an unfinished circle. Being at a rather high level of spiritual experience, which symbolizes a semicircle, 5 sets for itself the upper bar (horizontal line) to the maximum height. It always strives for self-improvement and never rests on its achievements. A person of number 5 has a high sensitivity. There are many mediums among them. ‘Fives’ feel unfavorable energy in houses with the past, their senses differ from ordinary people as much as the scent of a dog differs from the sense of smell of an ordinary person. Unusual phenomena can occur next to them: electrical appliances constantly fail, light bulbs burn out, clothes fall off the hanger, and so on. They are open to Another Reality, a point of contact is formed next to them, the Door swings open, and the Forces of Other Worlds rush into the Earthly Reality.”

“It’s dangerous to be next to such people!”

“You are now next to such a person!”

“Daphne, you said that you are 6!”

“6 is my Golden Alchemical Number, and I am 5. I have a lot of things as 5, whether you count me from left to right, or from right to left,” I laughed.

“You should have warned me! Okay, just kidding, keep going.”

“People of 5 are Initiators, their mission is to become a torch illuminating the Darkness. Possessing an analytical mindset, they are always eager to learn something new, get some knowledge, and enlighten those around them. They are constantly drawn to the beyond, at sky-high distances, they need an anchor for periodic grounding.”

“Here I am, Daphne, I keep saying, watch your step!”

“Such people can’t look down, Sasha. They are creative and need inspiration. They have an inexhaustible fountain of energy. Constancy and routine get on their nerves. I can’t look down at my feet all the time! They work, however, with full dedication and quickly, doing any work only for excellent mark. They are drawn to the stage, to publicity, they succeed in literature. They feel good where life is boiling and raging. They are brave, daring, often risky, because they crave explosive emotions, new experiences, acquaintances and changes, and therefore they are in constant motion, they travel a lot. They need freedom, but they know to love. Next to them there is everything except boredom and peaceful calmness.”

“R.I.P. Does the word ‘peace’ have nothing to do with the word ‘dead’?”

“Since childhood I haven’t liked the living dead. People of number 5 have a fire burning that cannot be curbed, but tamed.”

“Daphne, then in your Book, write in capital letters the instructions on how to tame you! So that the Man you are looking for would not beat around the bush, afraid of being burnt alive in your fire, but would immediately take the bull by the horns! Okay, you don’t have to write. Anyway, he’ll find you. It can’t be otherwise. So, tell me, what about the fifth year of the cycle?”

“The Time of Expansion of Horizons. A year of rapid change, when you have to show what a you are capable of, but the risk will be justified. No standard approaches to solving problems, only creative ones. Perhaps a person will meet his love or move to a new place. In any case, you should not lose your head.”

“Hooray, we have reached Venus!”

“Yes, 6, as I said, is the number of Venus. In Kabbalah it means Progress, Balance, Harmony. Often people attribute 6 to the animal principle, to the Forces of Darkness, many people consider Venus, the morning star in the firmament, a symbol of Lucifer, it’s associated with earthly love. In esotericism, on the contrary, it means the power of the Divine Mind, Cosmic Perfection.”

“What about 666?”

“This is the energy that will awaken the hidden in a person, that is, either his Higher Self will win, or the Lower. There will be a division of people into servants of the Forces of Light and the Forces of Darkness, an examination for everyone. A prototype of the Divine Judgment. They say that as a result of sharp natural and cosmic cataclysms at the End of the World, the human body won’t be able to survive if the Lower Self prevails in it. By the way, do you know that the Carbon atom, which is considered the basis of life, consists of 6 protons, 6 neutrons and 6 electrons?”

“Daphne, do you know who you are?”

“Not yet… But I know that 6 is also half a year, a symbol of the half-traversed Path. And two equilateral triangles or a six-pointed star. The triangular number 6 is responsible for relationships and connections with people. For example, people of number 6 are light, cheerful, good-natured, sociable, but to some extent overly grounded. People of labor, physical labor.”

“What about the sixth year?”

“Family time, easy career advancement, time to earn money. The family or loved ones need support and care. There is an opportunity to build or establish good relationships with others, problems are easily solved, especially if you listen to your feelings. During these years, children are born or prepare for their arrival.”

“Let’s move on to the number 7!”

“A magical number under the control of Saturn, which, in particular, inclines us to loneliness, isolation, meditation and tests us for strength, crystallizing the inner core. Saturn is surrounded by rings, it seems to limit its space, isolates itself from others. In Kabbalah, 7 means Truth, while in China – thieves and women.”

“Daphne, admit it, there’s even something in this, sooner or later any woman must steal a man’s heart…”

“…In India, 7 is a sacred number. They recognize 7 races, 7 Higher and 7 Lower Worlds, 7 castes, 7 holy cities, 7 holy mountains, 7 sacred trees, 7 deserts, 7 seas, 7 rivers. There are 7 sacred islands or continents in the Puranas. In esotericism, there are 7 Planetary Spirits, Spirits of the Stars. 7 Rays, which form the full scale of the 7 occult forces of nature. Freemasonry has 7 degrees of Initiation. Their unpronounceable word is the 7th and highest of all, since there are 6 inferior substitutes for it, each of which belongs to one of the degrees of Initiation. In Christianity, there are 7 lamps or 7 Chief Angels in front of God, and the Holy Spirit has 7 gifts: fear, knowledge, strength, light, understanding, wisdom and inspiration. In the Apocalypse, it’s written, that the Book on the throne had 7 seals and no one could open it either in Heavens or on the Earth.”

“What is this book?”

“The Wise Memory of God, the Book of Life, everything and everyone is inscribed in it, including me and you, and our conversation on the roof. Then the 7th seal fell. The angel opened it, and silence reigned in Heaven, as on the eve of a storm. Then 7 punishing Angels with trumpets appeared, pouring out 7 bowls of God’s wrath on the Earth.”

“Listen, don’t tell me such horror stories at night! Better remember that the rainbow imagined by you today is 7-colored, too.”

“I didn’t imagine it, Sasha. It was, albeit in Another Reality. It’s you who imagine the Earthly as Reality.”

“Okay, Daphne, sorry, keep dictating!”

“7 Wonders of the World. The Pythagoreans called the number 7 the Chariot of Life, because it contained both body and soul. They represented the body as consisting of 4 main elements, and the Soul was considered by them to be triple: 3 +4 = 7.”

“There are 7 notes in Music.”

“Yes, that’s why Pythagoras based the theory of the Music of the Spheres on the number 7, calling the distance from the Moon to the Earth, from the Sun to Mars – ‘tone’, from the Moon to Mercury, from Mercury to Venus – ‘semitone’ and so on. 7 notes of the musical scale with all tones and semitones is the range of Divine Harmony, the laws of which all Spheres obey. In ancient Greece, the word Cosmos meant harmony, a harmonious system, an aesthetically designed organization of the Universe. On the basis of the Pythagorean concept of the structure of the Universe, Plato created the theory of the Heavenly Seven Strings, describing 7 Spheres tuned to each other in the corresponding musical intervals.”

“And if a person has 7?”

“7 pushes towards Knowledge, people of 7 respect Time: if you haven’t learned anything during the day, the day has been wasted. 7 is a symbol of spiritual growth, farewell to the Past. It endows a person with supernatural abilities, including clairvoyance, a penchant for mysticism, excellent intuition. Such person one way or another gravitates towards Another Reality. The only question is whether to the Forces of Darkness or the Forces of Light. After all, sorcerers and witches use the number 7 in spells and ceremonies.”

“What about the 7th year in the cycle?”

“Time of Inner Research. More often you want to be alone and delve into yourself than to go outside. However, this year you don’t need publicity. It’s worth paying attention to yourself, sort out your life, set priorities, relax and accumulate strength. For example, it was in such a year that I met RAM.”

“Very symbolic, no doubts! Okay, let’s move on to number 8, otherwise it will be offended by us.”

“Starting with 8, planets that are associated with numbers are considered carriers of higher vibrations. 8 corresponds to Uranus, the planet carries, in particular, the energies of transformation, innovation, reform and even revolutionary upheavals. In Kabbalah, 8 means the Unity of Forces and Means. 8 is a positive number; if you rotate it 90 degrees, you get the sign of infinity. It symbolizes balance, stability, constancy, continuity. If a person has the main number 8, he won’t experience many problems in life, including the financial sphere. If a person doesn’t have eights, some believe that this makes it difficult to communicate with people. And other sources say that 8 shows the presence of Karma, in particular, the sins of a person.”

“Do you have a lot of eights?”

“Fortunately or unfortunately, I don’t have any. The only number not present in any of the miscalculations of me.”

“Are you pretending to be an angel?”

“What do I have in common with angels? The Karmic Number speaking of one’s tasks for the current incarnation is calculated differently. My godmother, almost a Fairy, likes to count people, and she counted me. I have the strangest Karmic Number possible, providing not for punishment for debts, but for the development of a line that a person didn’t adhere to enough in the past. My task is to open up to the world and help others.”

“Back home introduce me to the Fairy! So, the 8th year?”

“Time of Recognition or Retribution for the Past, in particular, for the previous 7 years of the cycle. If one has been sowing Good, this year will be very pleasant for him. He will finally understand that his efforts were not in vain and now everything is working out by itself. A person comes to the realization of the Passed Path, acquires wisdom. And vice versa, if one sowed Evil, he will pay for it.”

“Was that your previous year?”

“Yes, I published the spells I had been writing all my life. I was accepted into the Most Important Society of Spell-casters and even awarded.”

“Do you mean poetry?”

“Yes. It all happened by itself. First you follow the Path, and then the Path leads you.”

“9… Listen, Daphne, are we going to count up to 100 or up to 1,000?”

“Up to a million. You asked me that, so be patient.”

“Well, a million, thank God, is not a billion. Go on, I’m writing it down!”

“9 means Consciousness in Kabbalah. Complete Perfection. Number of Initiation and Sacraments. It corresponds to Neptune, which in the Highest Manifestation carries the energy of Cosmic Harmony, makes you penetrate into the essence of what is happening, meditate, defeat illusions. But in the Lower manifestation, illusions win, there is a retardation of development. The last of the prime numbers, 9 means the completion of the Path, summing up, looking down on oneself and on the Past. 9 has the maximum energy. Such people more often are leaders and managers. Smart and strong, self-confident and energetic, with the dominance of the Lower Self, they can show unprecedented ruthlessness, cruelty and step over others to achieve the goal, sweeping away everything on their path. They are extremely vindictive. They often have supernatural abilities. The Black Mages I knew were of this number.”

“So, the 9th year is the Time of Summing up?”

“Yes, right.”

“So is it your current year?”

“Yes. It ends a nine-year cycle, it’s necessary to complete the unfinished, pay off debts, throw away the unnecessary and leave the Past in the Past. Dig into yourself, unearth the reasons. The symbol of the final push, when there is just a little bit left to achieve the goal.”

“Daphne, it’s so obvious: you will finish writing the Book and open a new Chapter of Your Book of Life!”

“Don’t get ahead, I have to count to you up to a million!”

“So you weren’t kidding, were you?”

“Well, let’s continue. Until now, I have told you about prime numbers. As a rule, if a number is multi-digit, it must be summed up to a single-digit one. But there are a few complex numbers to be mentioned. For example, 10 is the mystical Decade of Pythagoras, the number of Universal Knowledge, which includes the entire Cosmos.”

“Daphne, I realized who you are! You are the Decade of Pythagoras! 100%!”

“Sasha, every person is a small Cosmos, and you are no exception, believe me!”

“Then I am some kind of a very, very small Cosmos!”

“Don’t underestimate. The Mystical Decade is 1+2+3+4=10, where 1 is the Deity (God), 2 is Matter, 3 is the objective world (Trinity), 4 is the ideal form and at the same time the Void of everything, Maya. In total, we get 10, the number of Perfection. It corresponds to the planet Pluto, responsible for the sublimation of Cosmic Energy, Pluto produces a radical transformation, affects the masses of people, there is a merciless breaking of the Past.”

“Pluto, apparently, has to do with the word ‘rogue’?”

“Don’t be kidding with the King of the Realm of the Dead!”

“I wonder, how you can talk for so long!”

“You asked me yourself. Be careful asking for something, so as not to regret when you get it. I’m in the Flow now. As soon as the Flow ends, I’ll stop talking. I suggest to wait for the natural end of the Marleson ballet.”

“Daphne, you are so funny!”

“So, 11. In Kabbalah, it’s a warning: a person is on the thin line between Good and Evil, the Forces of Light and Darkness. 11 is called also the number of Enlightenment. People with the number 11 have access to the Subconscious, gravitate towards spiritual research. 11 has powerful psychic energy. It’s also the number of Heavens. The planet associated with the number 11 is Vulcan/Chiron. The manifested Higher Self comes in harmony with the Universe, a person lives in full accordance with the Cosmic Laws. The domination of the Lower Self means either a super-powerful egocentric Self, or the complete absence of one’s own Self at all. 11 is my grandfather’s number.”

“In its higher aspect?”

“Yes. The next number is 12, an interesting one. In Kabbalah, it’s a strong symbol expressing the idea of Wholeness. And the Pythagoreans revered 12, as 3 multiplied by 4. Or, conversely, 4 by 3. John the Theologian in the Apocalypse wrote about the City in the form of a Cube, with three gates on each cardinal direction, 12 of them in total.”

“12 chairs!”

“Yes, 12 seems to be similar to Wholeness: 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the Zodiac, 12 Old Testament Patriarchs and 12 Apostles. The Apocalypse speaks of 12 tribes. 12 is a sign of victory over demons.”

“Apparently, 12 defeats the number 13?”

“13 is traditionally an unlucky number, because it can be summed up to 4. According to Feng Shui, if guests come to the house and the total number of those present is 13, you should put the 14th chair with a teddy bear. The number 13 is haunting me in this life.”

“In what way?”

“I have the 13th garage, for example. The farthest one. By the Always Not Opening Gates, to which kind people dump snow in winter and garbage in summer. Once someone even brought windows and put them right at my door. Heavy ones. Lots of things 13. Don’t get hung up on that.”

“What other interesting complex numbers are there?”

“24, like two times 12. The Pythagoreans believed that there were 24 divine not manifested Forces. By the way, there are 24 hours in a day.”

“Is 40 an interesting number too?”

“Yes, in Kabbalah, it’s Absolute completeness. 40 is often found in sacred texts. The Flood lasted for 40 days. 40 days Moses communicated with God on Mount Sinai, 40 days and 40 nights he fasted. And they mourned Moses for 40 days. Elijah was 40 days and 40 nights on a journey to the mountain. Christ spent 40 days in the Wilderness after his baptism, and after the resurrection, he taught the Apostles the mysteries of the Kingdom of God for the same 40 days. It’s believed that on the 40th day after death, the Soul is sentenced at the Judgment Court, its place in the Subtle World is determined. In the church we order 40-days prayer.”

“They say, there are forty times forty churches in Moscow.”

“Right. There is another interesting number – 108, which is a constant in many branches of science. In Tibet, 108 spinning drums are installed on the way to the monasteries. The monks must go around and spin them 108 times. It’s the symbol of the Wheel of Life as Life-Death-Life. In Buddhism, it’s believed that a person will become a Saint if he goes around the sacred mountain Kailash 108 times. The rosary of monks in Buddhism traditionally has 108 beads.”

“What is the purpose of the rosary?”

“The beads are used to repeat mantras. The rosary originally served to automatically count the number of mantras recited, so that you don’t count from 1 to 108, but know that you repeated the mantra 108 times when you returned to the first bead. It’s necessary to calm the mind, and not overstrain it with calculations.”

“Smart monks!”

“108 is obtained by multiplying the main planets (9) by the number of signs of the Zodiac (12), the quarters of the Moon (4) by the number of Constellations (27) that the Moon passes during one month. In yoga, it’s believed that a person takes 10,800 breaths and exhalations per day or per night, that is, in 12 hours.”

“Did they calculate that?”

“You’d better ask them. You know, people count everything. Especially lately. I’ve seen an ad on the Internet recently. Some sorceress offered to ‘un-spell-cast’ for money everyone who has a zero or 27 in their date of birth. People sum up mobile phone and car numbers, not only their own, but also those passing by. Everything that surrounds them ceases to be anything but a number. People are turning into walking computer centers right in front of our eyes. I feel sorry for them.”

“Daphne, are you saying that everything dictated now is nonsense?”

“No, Sasha. It’s all true. I’m just saying that the world has many facets, each of which in no way diminishes the other. To enjoy the rainbow, it’s no need to know that it’s the magic number 7.”