Twelve as seven and five
As described in the Book of Ten Pages, twelve is the number of the zodiac and the spirit world and has a relation with space, seven is the number related with the planets and the astral world and and human consciousness (see also Schema FMC00.551 below).
The division of twelve aspects or properties into seven and five corresponds to - or is often denoted by - the terms such as 'day and night', 'visible or invisible', 'enabled or latent'.
As with all numbers, there is never only one explanation or context, but each figure is representative of various characteristics of the Cosmic fractal at different levels. Below follow a few of many.
A first perspective:
Our current reality that the human being experiences with contemporary waking consciousness is really only a part of what is called the Cosmic Fractal, an emanation of spiritual beings working together, as also represented in what is called the Golden Chain, see Schema FMC00.141 an variants on that topic page. Hence, because our reality has its origin in the spirit and astral worlds, it carries the characteristics of twelve and seven just as it carries the characteristics of space and time (see Schema FMC00.532).
Space and time do not exist in the unformed or higher spirit world (also called arupa devachan in theosophy), but they appear as the flow of the Golden chain carries downwards through the formed or lower spirit world and astral world. See also Schema FMC00.472B.
A second perspective
The development of humanity in the current solar system evolution is studied in spiritual science as consisting of seven planetary stages of evolution, and what takes place in the dynamic between the different worlds between the higher spirit world and the physical plane. However, there are further planes of worlds of consciousness above, and also five levels of consciousness above the seven discussed in the context of current solar system evolution, see Twelve Conditions of Consciousness.
For illustrations eg lower right on Schema FMC00.196, and Schema FMC00.414. For more on the pralaya process and the 'reversal' as described on 1904-11-09/11- GA089, see also Christ Module 7 - Cosmic dimension and FMC00.077A.
Aspects
general
- seven and five also appear in:
- the symbolic meaning implicit in the sign of the 'feeding of the five thousand', that Christ expected his apostles to understand.
- the seven incarnate and five invisible Bodhisattvas, see more on the topic page of the White Lodge
- twelve apostles appearing as seven and five in the Old Testament (seven sons of the Maccabean mother and five sons of Mattathias) and again as their reincarnated souls in the twelve apostles (1912-09-16-GA139) - more on Holy Supper symbolism - apostles
- the seven day and five night senses: twelve senses as faculties of the Human I and related to the zodiac (spirit world), and seven life processes as related to the planets. (1916-08-12-GA170)
- the seven visible and five etheric colours
- the symbol of the Mystical Lamb, see Schema FMC00.068 (and relate to Schema FMC00.551)
zodiac
- Rudolf Steiner links the seven and five to the constellations through which the Sun works by day and by night, corresponding to two states of human consciousness (1910-09-10-GA123)
- the seven and five ascending and descending zodiac streams
- James Morgan Pryce describes the kundalini force in Man as consisting of seven lunar forces working in the ganglionic system; and five solar forces pertaining to the cerebrospinal system. In the Book of Revelation these twelve forces are represented as the seven 'breaths' and the five 'winds', as corresponding to the twelve signs of the zodiac
- for more on the Sun and Moon influences, see oa The two etheric streams, Schema FMC00.190A on Lucifer and Jehovah, etc
- see more on: Zodiac streams: seven and five
Inspirational quotes
1916-08-12-GA170
The more one presses on and achieves a vision of cosmic secrets, the more one sees that all this talk about the relation of seven to twelve is not just a game. This relationship really can be traced through all the manifestations of life. .. the relationship of the number twelve to the number seven expresses one of the mysteries of existence, the mystery of how Man, as bearer of the senses and faculties of perception, is related to Man as the bearer of life. ... The number seven is concerned with the mysteries of the astral body just as the number twelve is concerned with the mysteries of the human I.
Illustrations
Schema FMC00.042 below depicts the concept and is discussed further on the page of the zodiac streams
Schema FMC00.551 illustrates what was taught through the ages as the mystery or secret of numbers, the esoteric or spiritual scientific significance of how the number relates to fundamental characteristics of the macrocosm and microcosm. See Book of Ten Pages.
In the lectures of 1906-09-GA091, Rudolf Steiner starts with Pi and develops the numbers 1 to 10, showing how 5 is a result of 3 (triangle, see Man's higher triad) and 4 (see Man's bodily principles) - see also Schema FMC00.095 on Lord's prayer - that combine into 5 and the pentagram as symbol of Man.
Five (5) represents the number of revelation as an expression of seven spiritual influences that worked during the descent. On Earth, Man is halfway in its development. Ten (10) represents the number of completion and will be the result of 14 forces, as Man will make the seven spiritual influences his own during his ascent.
During the evolution during the seven planetary stages of the solar system evolution, Man will go through seven stages or Conditions of Consciousness (CoC, see also Three dimensions of evolution), later Man will develop further as the Tenth hierarchy to five further stages and become part of active creation of the cosmos, and ultimately the Logos, see IAO. The Twelve Conditions of Consciousness can be related to manvatara and pralaya stages as seven and five (see also Twelve as seven and five). Twelve (12) relates to the spirit world, the Sun forces, the zodiac signs; as seven (7) relates to the Human 'I'; and five (5) with the pentagram the symbol of incarnated physical Man.
Lecture coverage and references
1909-08-31-GA113
.. gives a high level introduction. Going back to beyond Old Saturn and the spheres of eternity, before time, and the zodiac:
quote A
But there is also an inner relationship of space and time which I can only indicate here in bare outline with which the numbers twelve and seven have something to do. And my illustration shall be made as was usual in the mysteries when the relations of twelve to seven in the cosmos was being portrayed. It has been said that if we do not consider universal space in an abstract sense, but really relate earth conditions to universal space, we must refer those earth conditions to the circle described by the twelve essential points of the Zodiac, viz. Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.
These twelve points of the Zodiac were not alone the real and veritable world symbols for the very oldest divine spiritual beings, but the symbols themselves were thought to correspond, in a certain sense, with reality.
Even when the earth was embodied as old Saturn, the forces issuing from these twelve directions were at work upon that ancient planet; so they were later on the old Sun, and on the old Moon, and are now and will continue to be in the future. Therefore they have as it were the nature of permanence, they are far more sublime than that which arises and passes away within our earth existence. That which is symbolised by the twelve signs of the Zodiac is infinitely higher than that which is transformed in the evolutionary course of our planet from old Saturn to old Sun and from that to old Moon and so on. Planetary existence arises and passes away, but the Zodiac is ever there. What is symbolised by the points of the Zodiac is more sublime than what upon our earth plays its part as the opposition between good and evil.
In an early chapter I called your attention to the fact that on penetrating into the astral realm we enter a world of change — where something which from one point of view works for good, may from another point of view appear as evil. These differences between good and evil have their meaning in evolution and seven is the key number.
That which is the symbol of Gods in the twelve points in space, in the twelve points of permanence is above good and evil. Out in space we have to seek for the symbols of those divine-spiritual beings which considered in themselves and without reference to their effects upon our earthly sphere, are beyond the differences between good and evil.
But now let us conceive that which becomes our earth beginning to be active. That can only happen by a division as it were coming to pass in the permanent deities and that which takes place entering into a different relation to these gods of permanence, who are divided into two spheres, into a sphere of good and a sphere of evil. In themselves neither is good nor evil; but inasmuch as it influences the evolution of the earth it is sometimes good, sometimes evil; so that all that belongs to the one may be described as the sphere of goodness, and that which belongs to the other, as the sphere of evil. In order to obtain the correct conception, we must consider the civilisations of the post-Atlantean era, which had gone through the old Indian, the old Persian, the Chaldaic-Egyptian civilisations, and which will also go through the civilisations which are to follow these, up to the next great catastrophe, and beyond it.
quote B
As soon as that which in the spiritual world (which as I have said is permanent, eternal, having nothing to do with time) passes into time, it divides itself into good and evil.
Of the twelve points of permanence there remain belonging to the good, the five actually within the sphere of good and the two on the border, making seven. Therefore we speak of seven as remaining over from the twelve. When we wish to speak of that which is good and which acts as our guide in time, we must speak of seven wise men, of seven Rishis, for this corresponds to reality. Hence also comes the conception that seven signs of the Zodiac belong to the world of light, to the upper world, and that the lower five beginning with Scorpio belong to the world of darkness.
This is only a mere indication serving to show that space, when if forsakes its sphere of eternity and takes into itself created things which run their course in time, is divided into good and evil; and in bringing out the good, seven is raised out of the twelve; seven then becomes the true number for temporal conditions. For truths, which belong to time, we must take the number seven as our clue; the remainder, the number five would lead us into error. That is the inner meaning of these things.
1910 - James Morgan Pryce
in 'The apocalypse unsealed' (1910)
when describing the kundalini force:
quote A
[Zodiac - twelve as seven (lunar) ‘breaths’ and five (solar) ‘winds’]
The force, as specialized in the ganglionic system, becomes the seven tattvas, which in the Apocalypse are called the seven pneumata, "breaths," since they are differentiations of the Great Breath, the "World-Mother," symbolized by the moon.
Concurrent with these seven lunar forces are five solar forces pertaining to the cerebrospinal system, called the five pranas, "vital airs," or "life-winds," which in the Apocalypse are termed "winds" (anemoi) .
The Apocalypse represents these twelve forces, the seven "breaths" and the five "winds," as corresponding to the twelve signs of the zodiac, of which, therefore, a brief description will here be appropriate.
quote B
A scroll ("book") is the next symbol introduced. It is simply the human body, esoterically considered : it is "written inside and at the back," referring to the sympathetic and the cerebro-spinal systems, and "close sealed with seven seals," which seals are the seven major chakras. The sacrificial Lamb, the neophyte who has attained to the intuitive, noetic consciousness—which is symbolized by his having seven horns and seven eyes, that is, mental powers of action and perception - opens the seals (arouses the chakras) successively. As they are opened, however, they change to zodiacal signs, the zodiac being applied to the microcosm, Man, as shown in the diagram here presented, the Man being depicted as lying in a circle, and not standing upright as in the exoteric zodiac. The seven planets are assigned to the twelve signs of the zodiac in the order followed by Porphyrios, and, in fact, by all ancient and modern authorities. In Sanskrit works the planets are made to correspond also to the seven chakras in the following order, beginning with mdl'ddhdra: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Moon, and Sun. According to this zodiacal scheme, therefore, seven signs, with their planets, extend along the cerebro-spinal region, and correspond to the seven chakras, which are the focal centres of the tattvas, and have the same planets; while the remaining signs pertain to the five pranas.
1910-09-10-GA123
the excerpt below is just a short extract to point to this lecture where Rudolf Steiner links the seven and five to the constellations through which the Sun works by day and by night, corresponding to two states of human consciousness.
Read full lecture for more, and see also: Christ Module 16 - During sleep.
quote A
Thus the disciples lived in these two states of consciousness. Of the one they could say: In our waking state Christ brings us from the great Universe the forces of the cosmic worlds, communicating them to us as spiritual nourishment. Because He is an embodiment of the Sun's power, He brings down to us everything revealed by Zoroastrianism when understood in the light of Christianity.
He is the intermediary for the powers which the Sun can send forth from the seven day-constellations of the Zodiac, From thence streams the nourishment for the day-consciousness.
Of the night-consciousness the disciples could say: In this condition we become aware of how, through the power of Christ, the Sun that is invisible during the night while passing through the other five constellations sends the heavenly food into our souls.
With their Imaginative clairvoyance the disciples could feel:
- In our waking state we are united with the power of Christ, with the power of the Sun. This power transmits to us what is meet and right for men of the present (i.e. the fourth) epoch of civilization.
- And in the state of sleep the power of Christ conveys the strengthening forces of the nocturnal Sun from the five night-constellations. But this applies to the epoch that is to follow our own — to the fifth epoch of civilization. — That is what the disciples experienced. In what way could it be expressed? We shall go further into this in the next lecture. I want now to speak briefly about the following.
the lecture then continues and covers: quote B
- During the waking state we are aware of what Christ's power transmits to us from the Sun-forces radiating from the seven day-constellations; we receive the nourishment that is destined for men of the fourth epoch, the ‘fourth thousand’.
- And in our clairvoyant state during sleep we are made aware, through the forces radiating from the five night-constellations, of what applies to the immediate future, to the ‘fifth thousand.’
Food that is destined for men of the fourth epoch, that is to say for the ‘four thousand’, comes down from Heaven through the seven day-constellations, the seven ‘heavenly loaves’; and men of the fifth epoch — the ‘five thousand’ — are fed through the five night-constellations, the five ‘heavenly loaves.’ The point of division between the day-constellations and the night constellations is indicated by specific mention of the constellation of Pisces, the Fishes.
A secret is touched upon here. Indication is given of something deeply significant, namely the magical intercourse of Christ with His disciples. Christ makes it clear to them that He is not speaking of the old leaven of the Pharisees but is bringing down heavenly food to them from the Sun-forces of the Cosmos.
On one occasion He has at His disposal only the seven loaves of the seven day-constellations, and on another the five loaves of the five night-constellations. And between the day-constellations and the night-constellations stands the constellation of Pisces, the Fishes, indicating the division. Indeed in one place, for the sake of even greater clarification, mention, is made of two fishes.
Senses
1916-08-12-GA170
at the end of this lecture, Rudolf Steiner concludes with:
What has been said is just a small, an elementary part of all that needs to be said to show that our account is not the product of arbitrary whims. The more one presses on and achieves a vision of cosmic secrets, the more one sees that all this talk about the relation of seven to twelve is not just a game.
This relationship really can be traced through all the manifestations of life. The relation of the fixed stars to the planets is a necessary outer expression of it and reveals one of the mysteries of number that underlie the cosmos.
And the relationship of the number twelve to the number seven expresses one of the mysteries of existence, the mystery of how man, as bearer of the senses and faculties of perception, is related to man as the bearer of life.
The number twelve is connected with the mystery of how we are able to carry an I. The establishment of twelve senses, each at rest in its own proper region, provided a basis for earthly self-awareness. The fact that the senses of Old Moon were still organs of life meant that Moon man could possess an astral body, but not an I; for then the seven senses were still organs of life and only provided the basis for the astral body.
The number seven is concerned with the mysteries of the astral body just as the number twelve is concerned with the mysteries of the human I.
In the lecture he covers the twelve senses as faculties of the Human I and related to the zodiac (spirit world), and the seven life processes as related to the planets.
1924-01-08-GA316
makes the link between the senses and the zodiac
Colours
In 'Rudolf Steiner - Recollections by some of his pupils', F.W. Zeylmans talks about his first meeting with Rudolf Steiner and how he presented his findings regarding colours and sat there spellbound as he couldn't believe that anyone could give the answers to questions he could not even formulate properly.
The spectrum with the seven colours is only one part of the whole spectrum, the part that is visible in the solar system. To understand the whole spectrum one must draw a circle, and then there are the seven colors of the solar spectrum and on the other side the five peach-blossom colours. You ought really to have taken your start from these twelve. One sees these seven colours because there the astral body swims, as it were, in the colours. But the peach-blossom colour is so subtle and ethereal that it hardly appears at all in external nature; there the 'I' is living in the etheric; peach-blossom is actually the colour of the etheric.
