Eight – 8
"I came upon a Path of choosing and although the promise was great for learning my own nature I must first go back to the beginning and build the foundations anew."
The number Eight (8) represents the mastery over one’s self through the sacrifice of contraction and expansion.
This is the journey of holding and funnelling what has desire to reach beyond itself and the ultimate need for release into a state of expansive formlessness.
This is the point of sacrifice of what one has gathered to oneself through experience and seeking and trusting that it will become the container that provides structure for further expansion.
This is the number that is the doubling of the stability and foundation expressed by the number four. It is the mirroring of two bases of four sides that reflect back to one another in perfect symmetry.
And, when these two platforms of stability reflected as above, so below, unite the cube of creation is enabled.
The planetary energy of the number eight is Saturn.
Saturn is the Lord of Time and the energy of structure as held by the Gates of Time.
Another of Saturn’s function is that of contraction, and linear time is one of the greatest restrictors of natural flow.
The Roman god Saturn is strongly influenced by the Greek God, Cronus. The word Cronus is related to “cronos” which means time. Saturn, astrologically, is the “Keeper of Time”, and brings maturity, wisdom, and simplicity to people over time.
It is human nature to be impatient and aware of time in a way that is not always productive.
Developing “patience” in these matters opens an awareness of the infinite nature of things.
It is with great patience and care that a mother nurtures and teaches her young, with the hopes that as time passes they will heed the lessons well and move forward through time in health, joy and growth.
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Astrology:
The House of Transformation and Endings – Death and Rebirth
The Eighth House is concerned with what lay hidden in the shadows of the subconscious that we are fearful to bring into the Light.
This is also the space where the greatest transformation takes place once we allow the process of death to allow the necessary release of what we hold on to that keeps us from growth.
The ruling astrological sign is that of Scorpio. Scorpio is the sign of extremes and if we consider the cyclical nature of the number eight, the dynamics of Scorpio’s intensity runs the gamut from the deep subconscious of the Scorpion to the lofty heights of the renewed and reborn Phoenix.
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Tarot: Strength
Tarot Key VIII – Strength represents the eternal nature of conquering what could otherwise overpower our more civilised nature.
The number eight and the image of the lemniscate over the head of the feminine principle gives indication of the timelessness of this pursuit.
Most spiritual practices work to develop the refined nature of humanity and often this work includes facing those aspects of ourselves which would be considered more primal, fierce and baser in nature.
The energy of this key lies in the ability to tame through gentle action what remains part of our baser nature.
There is great strength in knowing when the fiercer aspects of ourselves justifiably will serve a better purpose, but we cannot effectively control those appetites if we have not first acknowledged and embraced them.
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Qabalah: Hod – Glory
The sphere of Hod is one of Pure Reason and Logic that has not yet been refined and balanced by heart and emotion.
Its function is to make Order of the Universe through objective reasoning and higher thought.
Within its rationale and reasoning are the tools that may be used in discovering the deeper mystery contained within information.
It is through the crystal clarity of pristine thinking that enables a better and more efficient means of communicating what knowledge has been extracted.
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Source - https://themagickalpen.com/2014/07/24/0-9part-two-the-esoteric-meaning-of-numbers/