The Fifth...

Now a new shape can be made that had no way of existing previously. As the third point of the number 3 gives us the triangle, the fourth point provides the potential not only for the square but also for the cross. The circle of the Earth can now be divided, and where the lines of latitude and longitude meet, a cross is formed.

4 is a masculine number and represents, among countless other things, the cardinal directions: North, South, East, and West; the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. In the Sufi tradition, there are four gates through which a person must pass on the way to enlightenment.

4 embodies wholeness; it is an organised and orderly number that seeks to make sense of things. The square, with its protective and stable nature, holds items within the embrace of its confines. This sober square often provides the framework for the exuberant, circular mandala.

In alchemy, four key ingredients contribute to the creation of the Philosopher's Stone: sulfur, mercury, salt, and azoth. In the Tarot, 4 corresponds to the Emperor, the archetypal male figure—the father, the King, the patriarch—who strives to create order and harmony in the universe. This number holds a hidden secret: if the digits within 4 are added together—1 + 2 + 3 + 4—the total is 10, implying the start of a new cycle, a rebirth, or reincarnation. These ten numbers form the Holy Name, or Tetragrammaton.

In Pythagorean philosophy, the number 4, or Tetrad, was considered the root of all things—the perfect, intellectual number. Pythagoreans believed that 4 symbolised God, a concept explored in a secret discourse that described God as "the Number of Numbers." They also posited that there are four parts to the soul: mind, opinion, science, and sense, which align with Carl Jung's four inherent qualities of sensation, intuition, thinking, and feeling. In the Yantric system of Hindu numerology, the number 4, or Chatvarah, represents the four paths to God and the Self: wisdom, devotion, meditation, and action.

Historical Context and Usage

The historical significance of the number four can be traced through several ancient civilisations, highlighting its role in cultural development:

Ta-Mery Empire (c. 6000 BCE and earlier): Encompassing Kemet (ancient Egypt) and Kush (ancient Sudan), where the number four was integral to their understanding of the universe and often represented in their mythology and social organisation.

Sumer (c. 3500 BCE): The Sumerians (ancient Iraq) used the number four in administrative and agricultural practices, reflecting its importance in measurements and societal structures.

Bharata (Indus Valley Civilisation) (c. 3300–1300 BCE): The early civilisations in Bharata (ancient India) integrated the number four into their spiritual and philosophical systems, particularly in relation to the four paths to enlightenment.

Mesoamerica (c. 1500 BCE): In various Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Olmecs and Maya (ancient Mexico and Central America), the number four was significant in their cosmological beliefs. It often represented the four cardinal directions and elements and appeared in their calendars and rituals, reinforcing the importance of balance and harmony in their worldview.

Zanghgu (c. 3000 BCE): In ancient China) the number four was recognised in spiritual practices and often reflected in their cosmological beliefs.

Hellas (Ancient Greece) (c. 800 BCE): Pythagoreans saw the number four as fundamental to their understanding of the cosmos, representing balance and order.

Agreeable Connotations:

Practicality, organisation and exactitude, service, patience, devotion, application, pragmatism, patriotism, dignity, trust and trustworthiness, endurance, loyalty, mastery, building solid foundations, conservatism, determination, production and hard work, high morals, traditional values, honesty and integrity, inner wisdom, security, self-control, loyalty, conscientiousness, reality and realistic values, stability and ability, progress, management, justice, seriousness, discipline, system and order, maintenance, constructiveness, dependability, conviction, passion, and drive.

Disagreeable Connotations:

Lack of convention and conviction, inability to adapt, clumsiness, laziness, and dullness.