The Stories Of 2020: Numbers Tell Stories
Pythagoras and his followers are credited with the development of what we call today numerology, the belief that numbers are not only designed to count objects but also to account for stories. In numerology, numbers, just like the astrological signs, are vessels of archetypes. In numerology, the year 2020 is reduced to two numbers: 22 as well as 4 (2+0+2+0=4). 22 is a Master Number and below I will explain what it means for the year ahead. But since the number 2020 is made out of the digits 2 and 0, it is important to understand their symbolic significance first.
The number 2 symbolizes relationships, duality, reflection, and, since it is the closest number to 1 (and oneness) that is not 1, it has the best view of number 1 and the unity it represents. Therefore, in Kabbalah, 2 is associated with Sofia, the sphere “Wisdom” in the Tree of Life. Wisdom is the ability to see oneness in everything you meet. That is why the Sufi say that a wise man or women is someone who sees God (oneness) in everyone they meet. The number 2 symbolizes the meeting of 1 with oneself, thus endorsing self-awareness and meditation.
The digit 0, a latecomer to the number gang, was first used in India in the 7th century and brought to the West by Arab voyagers. Zero was, of course, outlawed and excommunicated for a while, but mathematicians as well as merchants found it to be very efficient in calculation and thus it survived. Zero’s archetype is neither masculine (like 1) nor feminine (like 2). By default, it has zero gender. The best depiction of zero comes from the tarot as well as playing cards. The Joker or Fool is associated with the archetype of zero. The word “fool” comes from Latin follis, air, nothingness, therefore, full of potential.
In Kabbalah, this primordial emptiness is called Ain and, in Buddhism, Sunyata. In countless other traditions, creation emerges ex nihilo, out of emptiness, out of nothing. That is why the Joker in the playing cards can be replaced by any card of the deck. The Fool is none of the cards, therefore all of them. The Fool in the tarot symbolizes the leap of faith, a jump across the abyss, a need to take the plunge and trust! With so many zeros in 2020, the mantra of the year is: NO FEAR! Remember, that was also the mantra of 2000, when the Y2K madness was driving people crazy with fear.
Since in 2020 we have two 0s and two 2s, we are encouraged by our digital friends to take a leap of faith into our relationships or whatever it is in our lives that serves as our mirrors.
These mirrors of oneness could be anything from a lover, a partner in work, a child, art, literature, meditation, or a hobby.
2020 is a good year to explore new avenues of collaboration, peaceful solutions, diplomacy, justice, fairness, equality, and love, since all these aspects of life are represented by the number 2. Like the Fool, we should assume a “child mind” and reconnect to youthful naiveté, exploring anew the intoxicating uplifting feeling of love and enthusiasm.
In Numerology, 2020 is first reduced to 22, which, as was mentioned, is a Master Number, like 11 and 33, and therefore, traditionally, should not be further reduced to 4. The Master Number 22 is also called Master Builder and in some circles is associated with the idea of twin- flames. But first, let’s take a closer look at the story of number 4, since with a 2020 triple conjunction of Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter along with Mars, the planet of war, revenging through Aries, the fire cardinal sign, for six months, we should explore the darker aspects of the number.
In China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea, people will go to great length to avoid an encounter of the 4th kind. In many buildings, just like 13 in the West (which also adds to 4), the 4th floor does not exist. This tetraphobia derives from the fact that the word for 4 sì is homophonous with the word “death.” In Feng-Shui, one is highly encouraged to avoid clusters of 4, for example, four lucky bamboos in one jar, or four pillows on a sofa, etc.
Since there are over 1.5 billion people who consider 4 unlucky and inauspicious, we can deduce that even if it would have been a good number in another tradition, its shadow is cast far and long.
However, the story of 4 is also filled with strife in the West through its association to the square. In Hebrew, yashar is the word for “fight,” and is also used to describe a right angle or 90 degrees, corresponding to a square. In English, when two people prepare to fight, they square-off. Being “a square” is being a bore, conventional, out-of-date, and uninteresting. In astrology, when two planets form a square, meaning they are located in the chart 90 degrees apart, they bring out the worst of each other.
For example, in July 2020, Mars and Venus are squaring, which is synchronized with impulsiveness and aggression (Mars) in relationships or finance (Venus). The number 4 symbolizes structure, formidability, an impenetrable fortress.
For example, the 4 of Disks in the tarot deck is called Power and astrologically is associated with the Sun in Capricorn. This year, we have a rare alignment of Pluto (since 2008), Saturn (since 2017), South Node (since 2018), and Jupiter (Since 2019) in Capricorn. Indeed, 2020 is a year of power struggles where the forces of change will try to breach the formidable structure of fear, nationalism, and other such squares.
Ok, you might think, so what do I do with this information? Death, fights, squares, immovable situations?
Well, I think that there is a reason why magic, defined as creating something out of nothing, uses spells (words that transform) as well as symbols.
You can work with symbols by shifting them around. For example, a pentagram is a symbol of protection. When turned upside down, it becomes a symbol of ignorance. My suggestion is to shift the square 45 degrees, creating a diamond:
Diamonds are a solid form of the element, carbon, essentially coal that has been subjected to immense pressure over a long period of time. Diamonds are considered the strongest natural material on the planet, symbolizing endurance and experience gained through hard life lessons. Diamonds cut through glass, puncturing illusions and, in crystal healing, are considered enhancers or amplifiers of energy and intentions. Since so many planets are in Capricorn, the sign of earth and time, let us work with diamonds as an anchor or a capsule of space and time to help us through the squareness of the 2020. I am not suggesting buying a diamond. The glittering rock has been kidnapped by square-minded people who manipulate their prices for no reason.
I simply recommend working with diamonds, not with your seeing eyes, but with your all-seeing third eye. Imagine, visualize, and conjure a mega-diamond and work with it in your meditation this year.
Gahl Sasson is an author who has been teaching workshops on storytelling, Kabbalah, astrology, and mysticism around the globe for over 20 years. His book Cosmic Navigator is considered the essential reference guide to understanding your astrological makeup. He is a contributor to the Huffington Post, and Astrology.com, and has been named “Los Angeles’ Best Astrologer” by W Magazine. Visit www.CosmicNavigator.com. Gahl will be visiting Circles of Wisdom in Methuen, MA March 20-22 for two fascinating workshops.
