All Things Nine
Cardinal: NINE
Hindu-Arabic: 9
Ordinate: Ninth
Roman: IX
Greek: Theta
Pythagorean number: the ennead
1+8, 2+7, 3+6, 4+5, 3x3
Words of Nine:
Roman word
- novem, nonus – November (Roman 9th month)
- noveni – 9 each
Greek words
- ennea – ennead
Time Associations:
- September (November was ninth month of Roman Calender)
- Nones: Roman ninth day before the ides, included the 7th day of March, May, July & October; the 5th of the other months.
Science, Technological Associations:
- Fluorine F periodic table
- cube of three
- nine months of human gestation
Social, Family, Religious Associations:
- Christain: number of mystery or the angels (9 choirs of angels)
- Ninth Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness
- Biblical: In the ninth hour – the hour of prayer – Christ on the cross said "It is done."
- Novena: Catholic period of prayer lasting nine days
- Holy number as the cube or trinity
- Number nine is associated with descent of divine power to world
- Nine feathers in eagle in U.S. seal
- Nones (Eccles.) the 5th and 7th Canonical hours of service originally fixed for 9th hour of day. 9th hour.
- Nones was the ninth day of Roman month
- Novena: devotion of prayers on nine consecutive days.
- Games, sports: Nine pins (bowling), tic-tack-toe; guinine; Caroline nine (dice)
- Baseball team: 9 members on each team, nine innings
Astrological Association: House of Sagittarius
Alpha Association: letters i, r
Literary, folk lore, art referecnes:
- Ennead: a group of nine persons or deities
- Osiris, Isis and Set
- Nine muses
- Hydra had nine heads
- Vulcan fell for nine days
Prophetic referecnes:
- Nine is the last and greatest of the series of numbers 1 through 9 which are the root of all things. Considered the greatest of all primary numbers because it contains the qualities of all the others.
- It reduplicates the creative power of three and stands for completeness. When multiplied by any other number, the sum of the digits making up the final number is always nine, which signifies a tendency towards egotism. Nine is the pinnacle of mental and spiritual attainment.
- The number of consciousness; the Trinity of Trinities
- It is the first square of an odd number. Because it fell short of the perfect number 10, therefore, it was associated with failure.
- It is the number of man because of the nine month gestation period.
- A limitless number because there is nothing beyond it but the infinite number ten and therefore it was associated with the ocean & the horizon which is viewed as boundless.
- Associated with Prometheus, Juno, Vulcan, Prosperine & Hyperion.
- Sometimes regarded as evil because it is an inverted six.
Negative connotations:
Tarot divination: the hermit card: The ninth card indicates pure intellect, number of initiation. Means silent counsel, prudence, discretion. Receiving wisdom from above. Instruction from an expert in your field. A meeting with one who will guide the seeker on a path to material and spiritual ends. Attainment of goals. A journey may be necessary to gain knowledge.
Symbols:
- Mars has always been connected with war. It indicates the inability to accept and work with the prevailing circumstances.
- the nine white winged horses of Helios
- the Greek Sun God.
Sign: the scepter and the orb.
Common usage, slang:
- As nice as a ninepence
- nine days’ wonder
- dressed to the nines
- nine lives of a cat
- on cloud nine
- whole nine years
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Sources Some information drawn from:
- The Discoverers by Daniel J. Boorstin
- The Numerology Workbook by Julia Line
- Dartmouth, Number Symbolism in the Middle Ages at http://www.math.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit8/unit8.html
site offers much info on Christianity.