on Sacred Numbers

Dr. Steiner, and those who followed similar paths, observed that the number seven, as days of the week, correlates to many aspects of life which manifest in a seemingly infinite number of ways. Scared numbers, or geometry, have long since been a fundamental aspect of spiritual studies. All numbers originate from fundamental spiritual principles which manifest in the physical world.  Foundational numbers which manifest repeatedly throughout the world include 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 12.

For example,  at right is an image of a bookmark given out by the Anthroposophical Society in 2007 taken of examples of the number 7 including the 7 core colors, 7 musical notes, 7 days of the week, 7 core virtues, and 7 deadly sins.  These correlations, in addition to many others,  are manifestations of spiritual influences and the activities of beings in the physical world that lies behind the created universe. The cosmos, or macrocosm, expresses itself in humanity, and the world, or microcosm. 

There are  7 leading Archangels, for example, who govern humanity through "regencies" by way of 7 successive cycles during which time they bring unique influences to the human being. Dr. Steiner confirmed that these cycles occur on average every 350 (300-400) years with the last change occurring in 1879. 

The facts regarding sacred numbers and geometry, which yield hidden truths, was brought publicly to the West through the Greeks such as Pythagoras, Aristotle, and Plato; all of whom were initiates trained in the ancient Mysteries.  Numbers that reflect divine laws, however, have always been a part of the world and were observed through the wisdom contained in the Mysteries in all cultures of the world.

"These seven stages of the Earth, as recorded in occult science, are preserved in the days of the week." 

Saturn: Saturday

Sun: Sunday

Moon: Monday

Mars: Tuesday

Mercury: Wednesday

Jupiter: Thursday

Venus: Friday

-Rudolf Steiner, "At the Gates of Spiritual Science", Lecture 9, Evolution of the Earth https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA095/English/RSPAP1986/19060830p01.html

The number 12 manifests in a variety of ways including 12 months of the year, 12 ribs of the human being, and the 12 houses of the zodiac that cycle every 2,160 years and comprise one "cosmic" year of 25,920 years. Dr. Steiner observed that there are 12 spiritual aspects to the human being that are depicted in the geometric symbol of the dodecahedron which has 12 flat faces.  This symbol is considered one of the Platonic solids in geometry which represents the universe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_solid

In Ancient Greece , for example, the Greeks worshiped the 12 Gods of Olympus.  We see the number 12 manifest through religious documents and the mythos of ancient cultures which are not myths, in terms of fantasy, but were tales and vehicles that observed and revealed certain deeper spiritual insights clothed in the images, situations, and cultures in which they were constructed. 

In the Christian Bible, there are 12 Apostles and the 12 Tribes of Israel. In the Book of Revelations, there are several references to the number 12 including the 12 gates. It is an important spiritual number that reflects the organization, structure, and activities of higher beings of the spiritual worlds which manifest in the human being and the physical world.

The spiritual leaders and initiates of the ancient world (and modern world) perceived these facts and truths objectively and taught them to the candidates for spiritual initiation at the mystery centers. For example, the number 5 correlates to the Etheric, or energy body, of the human being portrayed by the 5 pointed star which correlates directly, as a deeper spiritual mystery, to the 5 wounds of Christ. The 5-pointed star also correlates to the Star of Bethlehem and the Christmas Star. The number 6 correlates to the Astral Body (or feeling aspects) of the human being which is portrayed as a six pointed star (The Star of David). 

Pythagoras, and Euclid, are remembered as leading innovators in sacred and modern algebra and mathematics. 

"Euclid was the first to give geometry to humanity; but he merely communicated it to humanity in general. What Euclid gave in the way of geometry had already lived in the Mysteries for thousands of years as something communicated only to the most carefully selected Mystery-pupils. It had a different effect then than in later times. It may seem strange and paradoxical, but it is nevertheless true, that what our children learn as arithmetic and geometry was taught in the Mystery-schools to selected individuals who were considered specially endowed and so accepted in the Mysteries."  -Rudolf Steiner, The Two Christmas Annunciations, GA 203, https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA203/English/Singles/19210101a02.html  

Pythagoras acquired his extensive knowledge of mathematics not as concepts, but as sacred ideas that reflect the realities and spiritual truths that permeate the physical world. According to Dr. Rudolf Steiner, he attained his advanced spiritual training and education through 2 ancient Mystery Centers; one in Persia (Chaldea) and the other in Egypt, where after 20 years he returned to Greece and conveyed the Mysteries to his students. For example, he demonstrated the meaning of the "Monad" or number 1 which represents the undifferentiated Father who created and sustains the universe.  

Wikipedia: "The first four numbers symbolize the Musica Universalis  and the Cosmos (of Pythagoras) as: 

1. Monad – Unity
2. Dyad – Power – Limit/Unlimited (peras/apeiron)
3. Triad – Harmony
4. Tetrad – Kosmos.

Pythagoras gave the name of Dyad (or 2) to matter.  Aristotle equated matter as the formation of the elements (energies) into the material world as the static material was formed by the  energies being acted upon by force or motion." -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetractys.

This study is an expansive one, and this summary merely scratches the surface, but the basic manifestations in human life of numbers which reflect spiritual cadences and movements (from the macrocosm to the microcosm) are relatively straightforward to observe and have been well documented over time and by learning about them, new truths and facts are revealed that can yield deeper insights into ourselves, the world, and the cosmos.

Further Reading/Media

-Rudolf Steiner, Occult Signs and Symbols, GA 101, https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA101/English/AP1972/OccSgn_index.html

-Rudolf Steiner, Mathematics and Occultism, GA 35, https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/MatOcc_index.html

 -Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophy and Science, GA 324a, https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA324a/English/AP2001/index.html , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CevAPJjF9iQ

-Search on the name Pythagoras at the Rudolf Steiner Archive, https://rsarchive.org/Search.php?q=pythagoras&type=keywords

-Elizabeth Haich, Initiation, specifically in chapters 32-34 where a robust overview of sacred geometry and cosmosophy is recounted. A free PDF of this book can be found here which was not published by the author: https://houseoftruth.education/files/pdf/Elisabeth_Haich_Initiation.pdf 

The book on Amazon can be found here:  https://www.amazon.com/Initiation-Elisabeth-Haich/dp/0943358507