Number

0

In Tarot: The Fool. In some decks the Fool is numbered 22—see below.

1

Root of all numbers, unity, principle of all things, indivisible

Gender: male and female (containing the odd and even)

Time: The present now

Positive Attributes: Essence; beyond all knowledge

Negative Attributes: chaos, confusion, obscurity, darkness; ambiguous

Mind of Man: Intellect (source of all ideas)

The number One represents ambition and courage; associated with the sun.

In Tarot: Aces/One—Potential, gift, spark, ideas, beginnings; births; initiation, opening, opportunity, starting point. Concentration of will; mindfulness, intention, commencement, focus.

The Magician – male principle; new beginnings and potential as suggested by the four suit symbols on his altar.

Mercury.

2

First increase; first change from unity; indefinite.

Gender: First female

Time: night and day as a twofold aspect

Positive attributes: power, summit, patience, harmony, root

Negative: strife, falsehood, ignorance, defeat

The number Two represents emotions and harmony.

In Tarot: Personality, feelings; reflection; duality; opposites. Striving for balance; subconscious. Passivity, choice, intuition, inner guidance.

The High Priestess – female principle.

Moon.

3

First odd, first number to be called multitude; cause of plurality of numbers; allows power of monad to proceed into energy and extension

Gender: the first male number

Time: Past-Present-Future as a threefold measure of time

Positive Attributes: harmony, good counsel

Mind of Man: Intellect, intelligence, knowledge

The number Three represents creativity, joy and expansion; associated with the planet Jupiter.

In Tarot: Manifestation, foundation, affection, understanding, harmony, beauty, integration, combination, fecundity, growth. Unfolding; co-operation.

The Empress.

Venus.

4

First square number among even; second even number

Gender: Female in first extension; to open and shut the recesses of generation

Time: the four seasons

Positive Attributes: Fountain of natural effects; keybearer of nature

Mind of Man: the fourfold division of Man in terms of soul, body, desire

Will, discipline, construction; associated with planet Uranus.

In Tarot: Grounding, focus inward on self, stasis, boredom, stability, order, completion, turning point. Reason, consolidation; assessment of needs; organisation, establishment.

The Emperor.

Earth/Sun.

5

First number to combine odd and even; second odd number; privation of strife (as a number uniting 3 + 2)

Gender: Male (as odd); male and female (as 3 + 2)

Positive: Justice

Negative: Vengeance

Associated with the planet Mercury.

In Tarot: Challenge, strife, struggle, conflict. Breakdown. Chaos, upheaval, stress. Disturbance, anger, loss (of temper, feelings, security or integrity).

The Hierophant – authority, education, dogma, structure; potential for rebellion.

Mars

6

First perfect number. Gender: Female (as even)

Time: Regeneration (which occurs after 6 x 6 x 6 years)

Positive attributes: harmony, perfection of parts, benevolence, peace, principle

Mind of man: Truth; only number adapted to the soul of Man

The number Six represents love, wisdom and responsibility; associated with the planet Venus.

In Tarot: Advancement, reciprocation, sharing, contemplation. Exuberance; co-operation, choice;

The Lovers – responsibility.

Jupiter.

7

Only number in decad that did not arise from any union and does not unite with anything.

Gender: Male (as odd)Time: The lunar cycle as four sets of seven days

Positive Attribute: Veneration

Mind of Man: Dream (vision)

The number Seven is the highest mystical and sacred number; it represents life, higher learning, spirituality and contemplation.

Associated with the planet Neptune.

Male magic (based on anatomy—7 orifices)

In Tarot: Movement, mastery, struggle, new direction, inner growth, self-reflection; discipline, restraint, self-expression, independent action, foresight, indecision.

The Chariot.

Saturn.

8

First cube number among even; first cube of energy

Gender: Female (as fourth even number)

Time: One third of a day; the day divided into 8 + 8 + 8 hours; the eighth day as rejuvenation, or regeneration of the cycle of seven days

The figure of Eight is a symbol of spiralling motion of the creative forces, also representing karmic justice ‘as above, so below’.

Female magic (based on anatomy—8 orifices)

In Tarot: Energy, thrust, evolution, movement, inspiration, restrictions, evaluating, prioritising, persistence, resilience, expansion.

In the RWS tradition: Justice.

In the Marseille/Crowley tradition: Strength.

Uranus.

9

First square number among odd numbers; the number which flows around the other numbers within the decad like the ocean around the earth; the first triangular number (3 x 3)

Gender: doubly masculine (as odd and as the first odd square)

Time: the nine months of gestation

Positive Attributes: concord, freedom from strife

The number Nine represents unconditional service and action.

Associated with the planet Mars.

In Tarot: Solitude, gestation, self-reliance, isolation, integration, experience. Fulfilment, peak, self-awareness, narrow-mindedness, inflexible.

The Hermit.

Neptune.

10

Contains in itself both even and odd

Gender: containing both male and female

Positive Attributes: strength (ruling over all other numbers), faith, necessity

Mind of Man: Memory (as mental calculation)

In Tarot: Completion of a cycle; endings and beginnings, result, regeneration, release, responsibility, consolidation; new direction or re-commitment; purpose.

The Wheel of Fortune.

Pluto.