There is a mystery around the number 13, this post will explore some of the esoteric meaning behind this number to helps us understand it.
First we look to nature.
Thirteen and the Moon Cycle
There are thirteen full or new moons in a year. The moon cycle has always been closely related with the feminine- the synching of the moon cycle with the menstrual cycles, the growth of the moon that mirrors the growth of pregnancy.
The mystery of death and resurrection is contained in the disappearance and reappearance of the moon every month. The number thirteen therefore represents the mysteries of the moon and of that which we cannot control. Certain governments have even wanted to destroy the moon in an unconsious reaction against this mystery.
“Unlucky”
Unlucky number thirteen is considered a superstition or even a cliche but there is something behind it.
The roundup of the Knights Templar began in earnest on Friday, October 13, 1307, in some schools of numerology, so the bad omen associated with Friday the 13th may have come from this.
The number twelve is related to perfection and completion of a process. The addition of another number to become thirteen then ruins that perfection.
Christ, who was the one to die, surrounded by his twelve disciples, was then the 13th member at the table at the Last Supper.
Prayer to Angel Gabriel
Samael Aun Weor taught a prayer in his book in Occult Medicine and Practical Magic to conjure the atmosphere. Called the Prayer of the Angel Gabriel, explains it as part of a practice for protection using the Mammee tree, a native tree to Columbia,
Gabriel is the regent of the moon. Using this prayer clarifies our atmosphere to help with esoteric practices such as meditation and prayer.
Thirteen thousand rays has the sun.
Thirteen thousand rays has the moon.
Thirteen thousand times may the enemies I have repent.
Arcanum Number Thirteen
“Death is the crown in the path of life. This path is formed by the hooves of the horse of death. The Egyptian Book of the Dead is for those that are alive, yet are dead. It is necessary to know how to understand this book. It is related to the deceased initiates who already are dead, yet still are alive. They have already entered into the region of the dead, and they go out in sunlight in order to give their teachings.
The first thing that we must do in order to die is to dissolve the “I.” This “I” is a conjunction of demons, which the Egyptians refer to as the “red demons of Seth.” We must dissolve the “I” in order to awaken Consciousness, in order to receive direct knowledge. The red demons of Seth are all of the demons that we have within. They are Satan. They must be killed. Horus must defeat those demons. Seth has two aspects. His negative aspect is Satan and in his positive aspect he corresponds to the dorsal spine.
This tenebrous and satanic Seth must be killed. This is the lunar ego which is constituted by thousands of demons and which Horus must defeat with the help of Isis, the Divine Mother. These demons must die. Those “I’s” must be reduced to dust; their seeds must be scorched and then one must be bathed in the waters of Lethe in order to forget, and in Eunoe in order to fortify virtues, to then ascend to heaven. In order to ascend to each of the heavens one has to first descend into the infernos.
That is not all. Tremendous battles come. [ ] The thirteenth card contains the gospel of Judas. Judas represents the death of the ego. The death of the ego is his gospel. The script that he performed was commanded by the great Master Jesus. Judas is now working with the demons in the infernal worlds in order to redeem them. He has succeeded with a few. When he finishes his work, he will depart with Jesus into the Absolute because he will have greatly earned it.”
-Samael Aun Weor, Tarot and Kabbalah Ch. on Arcanum Number Thirteen
Tarot Card: Immortality
Number 13 is after number 12 the Hanged Man and before number 14 Temperance.
12 is related with sacrifice necessary for completion of the Great Work. 13 is related with the death of the ego and the possibility of rebirth. 14 is related with balance and integration of the forces before confronting the Lucifer in card number 15.
“In this arcanum, the sheaves of wheat and the flowers represent rebirth. The flowers symbolize the beginning of life; the wheat symbolizes the end. A hierarch of the law cuts some stalks of wheat that have large and small grains, which are called Bobbin-Kandelnosts. They represent the values, the capital, that each human being carries in the three brains (intellectual, motor, emotional).
Whosoever carries small grains lives little, dying within a few days, months, or within the first year of life. One lives by thirds and dies by thirds. Whosoever squanders their intellectual capital falls into insanity, schizophrenia, etc. Whosoever squanders their motor center, or center of movement, ends up paralyzed, deformed, etc. Whosoever squanders their emotional center suffers from illness of the heart. This arcanum has a physical and internal representation. It is the arcanum of Judas Iscariot, which represents the death of the ego.
The scythe is the funeral symbol of the angels of death. Indeed, death is the return to the womb. Life and death are two phenomena from the same source.”
-Samael Aun Weor, From Tarot and Kabbalah
The Absolute
“The Ten Sephiroths or emanations, plus the Ain Soph Aur and the Ain Soph are, in reality, the Twelve Aeons. The Twelve Aeons are, in reality, Twelve Regions. The Thirteenth Aeon is terribly Divine.”
-Samael Aun Weor, Pistis Sophia Unveiled
“The Thirteenth Aeon reminds us of the Thirteen Heavens of the Aztecs or Nahuas from ancient Mexico. There also exists Thirteen Katuns among the Mayas of Yucatan, Palenque, and Central America in general. These are the Thirteen prophetic Katuns, Thirteen periods of time for each human race. Obviously, the prophecies for each one of the past Katuns of our Arian race were exactly fulfilled. Actually, we are approaching the Thirteenth Katun. The Mayas say that between the years 2040 and 2043, the Thirteenth Katun will enter into activity. The great catastrophe that will destroy the actual Humanity that lives in the five continents of the world will occur during the Thirteenth Katun.
Our Solar System has thirteen worlds, which are as follows: Earth, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Vulcan, Persephone and Clarion. The Thirteen Katuns, the Thirteen Worlds, the Thirteen Heavens of Anahuac keep the relation with the Thirteen Sephiroths of the Hebraic Kabbala as follows: Ain, Ain Soph, Ain Soph Aur.
Kether, Chokmah, Binah, Chesed, Geburah, Tiphereth, Netzach, Hod, Jesod, Malkuth. These are the Thirteen Aeons or Suprasensible Atomic Regions, which are mutually penetrating and co-penetrating without being confused. Beyond these Thirteen Aeons, is the Unmanifested Absolute.”
-Samael Aun Weor, Pistis Sophia Unveiled
“Thirteen is a very complete and representative number, in that it is the universe, personal and external, as a single universe. If we understand this and above all if we draw it on the blackboard, the student begins to put it into context. It will seem like all of this is external to him, but we tell him, it is not external to you, it is part of you. It could be said that the thirteen Aeons within us are all the intimate aspects of the human being.
Let us begin with number one which is the physical aspect; two, the vital aspect; three, the astral; four, the mental; five, the Human Soul where will is also contained; six the Buddhic Body or Geburah; seven, the Intimate, Chesed; eight, the Holy Spirit; nine, the Christ; ten, the Elder of the Days.
Towards within, the third circle, the second circle and first circle of the Absolute. All of this forms part of each one of us. The physical energy, the etheric energy, the astral or emotional energy, the mental energy, the energy of will, the energy of the consciousness, the energy of Pure Spirit which is a high frequency, and the energy divided into three parts which is the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All of this is contained within a human being, but furthermore it is contained within a tree, because a tree is physical, etheric, astral, mental, it has will, consciousness, spirit, and so on.
Everything that exists, exists in thirteen ways, in thirteen vibrations, thirteen levels of matter and Spirit. Therefore this is directly connected to our psychology, our physical and energetic behaviour. Energy is moved by our character, our way of being, sometimes with serenity and sweetness, other times with wrath and violence; emotional energies, energies of thoughts, of preoccupations, or on the contrary, of positive imagination.
The energy of ill will, the energy of good will, the will of the Father, and so forth in a scale of thirteen values, which correspond not only with the dimensions but also with aspects of our own psychology, soul and spirit.”
-Rafael Vargas, Pistis Sophia