WHY 11

Why eleven?
The number 11 is actually a coded symbol, which means "one ten plus one unit." Since ten plus one is eleven, the symbol 11 represents the number eleven. All numbers are inherently loaded with meaning and symbolisms, and as much as any, eleven has gathered it’s full quota over time. The number Eleven is thought to possess the qualities of intuition, patience, honesty, sensitivity, and spirituality – and is idealistic. And somewhat extraordinarily, eleven is the fourth number that stays the same when written upside down – with the first three being 0, 1 and 8.

In systems such as Astrology and basic Numerology, eleven is considered to be a Master Number. Eleven is also thought of as representing sin, transgression and peril. If ten is the perfect number, eleven exceeds it. For example, in the scale of conductivity copper is considered ‘the perfect conductor’ and has been given the value of ten but silver exceeds copper's conductivity – and all other metals – and thus it has been given the value of eleven.

It is interesting to note that eleven when broken down (1+1=2) comprises the Two of duality. The number eleven is a master vibration and as such should not be reduced to a single number. People with this number are thought to be both idealistic and visionary – and attracted to the unknown. Typically they are thought to be unusual, interesting and magnetic personalities.

Eleven is thought to bring the gift of spiritual inheritance. Eleven is thought of as the number of “the light within all” strengthened by the love of peace, gentleness, sensitivity and insight. Eleven‘s greatest facility is imagined to be the awareness of universal relationships. Eleven is thus related to the energy of the Oppositions and the Balancing needed in order to achieve synthesis. Eleven is The Peacemaker.

An interesting outcome of Einstein's theory of relativity was the discovery of dimensions of time and space that exist separately and distinct from the four dimensions we experience. In fact, these dimensions may even be in our midst but not visible to us. More recently mathematicians have shown that up to eleven dimensions may exist in the universe. Many physicists believe that there are places in the universe where time ceases to flow. One of these places is in a black hole. Now it is interesting that the Bible tells us that God dwells in a place where time does not flow. For centuries, scientists mocked this concept but it is one that is now considered a scientific fact – and somewhat curiously the sun spot cycle repeats about every eleven years.

The eleventh of the eleventh, the eleventh day of the eleventh month – at eleven past eleven – is the time that marks the beginning of the ‘Silly Season’ – or Karneval – and it ends on Shrove Tuesday when all merrymaking and foolishness must come to a sudden halt and yield to the observation of Lent. Some say that it is an open question as to whether or not the WW1 Armistice was a 'time' imposed upon the capitulating power or one that they themselves insisted upon – or something of pure coincidence.

'Silly Weeks' have eleven days! Akin to the ‘Silly Season’, a 'Silly Week' is a local festival where the suspension of normality is celebrated; where various social transgressions are tolerated; and typically it is 'a week' that is timed around an auspicious day for a particular community – a famous local son's birthday, the anniversary of something or other, etc. worldSILLYweek is celebrated Mid-Year. In the Southern Hemisphere it is linked to the celebration of the Winter Solstice and it the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Solstice. worldSILLYweek starts at 11.11am on the Friday before the Solstice and finishes at 11. 11am on the Monday following the Solstice – when all silliness must cease. Local 'Silly Weeks' work in much the same way.

In England the number eleven sometimes appears in the decoration of Easter cakes. The eleven almond paste decorations on such cakes represent the twelve apostles, but excluding the treacherous Judas Iscariot.

The space shuttle went up on its eleventh mission, weighing eleven tons and fixed an errant satellite on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The first lunar landing was made by Apollo11 and a rocket must travel at over 11km per second to escape the Earth's gravity.

Elevenses is a mid-morning refreshment such as tea and biscuits taken around 11am – and it is the agreed time that sun passes over the yard arm and thus an appropriate time to begin imbibing in alcohol for the day. A rugby ball is eleven inches long. Soccer, cricket, American football and field hockey are all played with teams of eleven players on the field.

Eleven of the twelve apostles died martyrs' deaths, according to reasonably reliable tradition and there are 'The Parables of Jesus' that Jesus told on his way to his death in Jerusalem, of which there are eleven, as recounted in Luke's Gospel.

There are actually eleven statements in the Bible texts of the traditional Ten Commandments. Roman Catholics combine the first two statements into one and the Protestants combine the last two in order to arrive at the number ten. How to number the Ten Commandments was a major issue during the Protestant Reformation. There are three lists of the Ten Commandments or Decalogue (Greek for "Ten Words") in the Old Testament. Two of the lists are very close in meaning and make up the traditional Ten Commandants, however the third list is quite different and consists mainly of religious/ritual laws. Interestingly only the third list is actually called "The Ten Commandments" by the Old Testament itself.

So if one is looking for an idea to play with, eleven offers a multitude of loaded possibilities.

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