by Tess Boardman

Created on: July 21, 2009   Last Updated: July 25, 2009

The number thirteen has a long tradition of being unlucky. However, in occult circles, the number 13 has its own significance. The definition of occult when used as an adjective is: of or pertaining to magic, astrology, or any system claiming use or knowledge of secret or supernatural powers or agencies.

The definition is quite broad and encompasses many beliefs and is not limited to popular conception that the occult equals Satanism. Perhaps the most famous occultist of all time was

Aleister Crowley who believed he was the Beast 666 from the book of Revelations chapter 13.

Superstition follows the number thirteen across time and throughout cultures; however, it has sacred meanings, as well. And like superstitions, the number thirteen's significance is found in many places throughout history. For instance:

The lunar calendar, favored by many spiritual belief systems, is sacred and contains thirteen lunar cycles with a moon that moves thirteen degrees across the heavens each day. The Tarot Deck contains thirteen cards of each suit in the minor arcana. The Death card is numbered 13. Like many representations of thirteen, it represents the end of one thing, only to lead to a new beginning. The human body has thirteen major joints. In the ancient runic alphabet, the thirteenth rune symbolized the end of a cycle and the new beginning that followed. Witches covens have thirteen members. The final step on the ladder before Egyptians souls reached to their eternal rest is the number thirteen.

While it seems this would be bad luck, they saw it as the step that led them into their immortal afterlife. The Aztec religious calendar centered on the number thirteen, though their regular calendar was based on a 365-day year with 18 months. The same day would fall concurrently on both calendars every 52 years - a multiple of thirteen. Paganism sees the number thirteen as a time of transition and in Celtic beliefs was considered the "coming of age" for boys. Old Celtic beliefs say that the number thirteen is sacred as it represents the one joining the Goddess, represented by the number three. Numerology puts significance on the number thirteen when the equation 1+3=4 is considered, four being representational of the circle of life.

While modern superstitions place negative meanings on the number thirteen, in older belief systems, now considered to be linked to the occult, 13 is a number of transition and change. One ending becomes a beginning, continuing the sacred cycle of life.

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