Your Lucky Day

Do you celebrate the Goddess within? Or the Goddess without? Do you worship the moon, or practice wicca? Are you Chinese, Jewish, a Kabbalist, Mayan, Aztec or a Belgian woman? Then for you, 13 is a very lucky number.

In Jewish tradition 13 signals the arrival of maturity, and is celebrated with a Bar or Bat Mitzvah and is considered a lucky number. In many cultures that mark the months by the cycle of the moon, like China, most of the ancient world and the pagan world, thirteen was the full, natural cycle of the year and was therefore a lucky number.

The idea of 13 being unlucky or a sign of evil is thought to have come as a rejection of the pre-Christian religions. At the dawning of Christianity the clergy had to loosen the power of ancient, traditional, pagan religions over peoples all over Europe, so they told them that their lunar thirteen was unlucky and replaced it with the solar number 12. Others feel this idea instead comes from the Last Supper when they numbered 13 ’round the table. Similarly, in both Europe and India it is thought to be unlucky to gather 13 people in one place as it foretells a death of one member in the party.

Today many people consider the number 13 unlucky. Sadly, some people have even developed a phobia to anything connected with 13, this unusual syndrome is called Triskaidekaphobia. And for those it plagues, the 13^th day of the month and the 13^th floor of a building are terrifying. In order not to spook people city planners have often eliminated 13^th Ave or 13^th Street, while hoteliers don’t number any floors or rooms with the number 13.

So while some government officials and business-people are doing what they can to protect you from the number 13, it might be just as well to realize that deciding whether this number is lucky or unlucky is really your decision. You can choose to rely on ancient wisdom to consider it lucky, or you can give preference to the Christian tradition. And if you love horror films, you can thrill to the movies made about Friday the 13^th.

It might be a good day to host a party, either as a celebration of the goddess or a celebration of misfortune, Halloween style. In either case, it’s Friday night and any day you’re happy and healthy is lucky and worth celebrating. Live it up!