Master Numbers - 11 & 22
The Master numbers 11 and 22 have always intrigued me. Where did they get them from? Why are they considered to be Master numbers? Some authors have other Master numbers such as 33, 44 etc. The number 11 is perhaps even more enigmatic than the 22. I have found associations with the number 22 that make it special, particularly the 22 paths of the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life and the 22 cards of the Tarot Major Arcana. The best and most interesting use of the number 11 is found in the Chartres Labyrinth.
The Master numbers 11 and 22 have always intrigued me. Where did they get them from? Why are they considered to be Master numbers? Some authors have other Master numbers such as 33, 44 etc. The number 11 is perhaps even more enigmatic than the 22. I have found associations with the number 22 that make it special, particularly the 22 paths of the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life and the 22 cards of the Tarot Major Arcana. The best and most interesting use of the number 11 is found in the Chartres Labyrinth.
The 11-circle path of the Labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France makes a great statement about the relationship between 11 and 22. The labyrinth is known as a walking meditation and it is believed that for the Knights Templar who constructed it that it replaced the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The path is what they call unicursal and starting from the outside, you enter the sanctuary of the labyrinth, and follow the path through 11 concentric circles into the middle – returning to your spiritual centre. In the middle is a 6 petal rose and this is why the Chartres Labyrinth is also called the Rose Labyrinth. After some time in the spiritual centre, you then return, following the same unicursal path back through the 11 concentric circles and return to the outside world.
I have found another interesting relationship that involves the number 11. When the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life are numbered downwards from 1 to 10 and then numbered back up the tree from 1 to 10, the two numbers assigned to each of the Sephiroth, add up to 11.
I have found another interesting relationship that involves the number 11. When the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life are numbered downwards from 1 to 10 and then numbered back up the tree from 1 to 10, the two numbers assigned to each of the Sephiroth, add up to 11.
Having established this slightly less than significant quality, the only other redeeming feature of the number 11 is that it is half of 22.
If we count the connecting lines from the top to the bottom there are 11 connecting paths and similarly returning back up there are 11 connecting paths – a total of 22.
If we number these downward connecting paths using Roman numerals, starting with the first path being 0, then we get the following numbering on the downward paths.
If we count the connecting lines from the top to the bottom there are 11 connecting paths and similarly returning back up there are 11 connecting paths – a total of 22.
If we number these downward connecting paths using Roman numerals, starting with the first path being 0, then we get the following numbering on the downward paths.
These Roman numerals are the numbers assigned to the first 11 cards of the Tarot Major Arcana:
0 Fool
I Magician
II High Priestess
III Empress
IV Emperor
V Hierophant
VI Lovers
VII Chariot
VIII Justice
IX Hermit
X Wheel
Note that the Tarot card at the bottom of this list is known as the “Wheel of Fortune” and the imagery of this card actually shows a Wheel. The following images are from the Marseilles Tarot and the Rider Waite Tarot.
0 Fool
I Magician
II High Priestess
III Empress
IV Emperor
V Hierophant
VI Lovers
VII Chariot
VIII Justice
IX Hermit
X Wheel
Note that the Tarot card at the bottom of this list is known as the “Wheel of Fortune” and the imagery of this card actually shows a Wheel. The following images are from the Marseilles Tarot and the Rider Waite Tarot.
The significance of this image is generally missed but there is a creature riding the wheel down and another riding the wheel up. If we take this into consideration when we number the upward paths, Path X ends the downward cycle and then commences the upward cycle, and the numbering looks as follows:
These Roman numerals are the numbers assigned to the next series of cards of the Tarot Major Arcana:
X Wheel
XI Strength
XII Hanged Man
XIII Death
XIV Temperance
XV Devil
XVI Tower
XVII Star
XVIII Moon
XIX Sun
XX Judgment
Note that the Tarot card of the World (Number XXI – 21) is not listed as one of the paths. This is because the World relates to the full collection of elements – Everything and is shown in the following diagram identifying the complete structure.
X Wheel
XI Strength
XII Hanged Man
XIII Death
XIV Temperance
XV Devil
XVI Tower
XVII Star
XVIII Moon
XIX Sun
XX Judgment
Note that the Tarot card of the World (Number XXI – 21) is not listed as one of the paths. This is because the World relates to the full collection of elements – Everything and is shown in the following diagram identifying the complete structure.
In the diagram above I have encircled the Tree of Life elements with a green oval shaped ellipse, similar to the wreath in the design of the Tarot World card.
The vital part missing from this diagram is the Source – the Ain Soph Aur – the Absolute Limitless Light – Nothingness (Spirit). It sits above the Tree of Life and is usually displayed as three curved lines. In the diagram of the Tree below I have included the Ain Soph Aur and also, at the bottom of the diagram, I have included a circle with a cross in it – the symbol for Tau – the Hebrew letter that relates to the final path and the World (Earth).
The only documented reason I have found for making 11 and 22 Master Numbers is in the writings of Mrs L. Dow Balliett. In her book “The Balliett Philosophy of Number Vibration” published in 1918 in reply to the question “Why do we not add either 22 or 11?”, she replied:
“Pythagoras lived in the sixth century before Christ and recognised only the 10 or 1. The Jews held 7 as their sacred number. As the tribes advanced in evolution, the priesthood, who ministered in the Temple, went farther, as their names show. The Levites, Sacred Priesthood and other names vibrated 11, and in principle, they lived similar lives with the Christ.
The Bible says the Law and the Prophets should be fulfilled when the Messiah came. We find this proven as all the master numbers appeared in his name. Jesus and Messiah both vibrate 11; Lord vibrates 22; prophet vibrates 8; Law vibrates 9; and the so-called limited numbers come out in Priest and King vibrating respectively 6 and 5 – a Cosmic Mother, and a limited Master Sage.
We leave the numbers 11 and 22 untouched because they should live up to the Christ teaching.”
From that time forward most everyone who has dabbled in Numerology have not reduced the 11 and 22 and have held the numbers sacred as Master numbers whether knowingly or blindly.
In my system of Numerology, I do not use Master numbers. The 11, 22, 33, 44 etc. are just numbers. The power of the duplicated digit makes them special but they are just numbers. The Paths that are involved in the incarnation of souls are related to the 22 paths of the Tree of Life and the 22 cards of the Tarot Major Arcana. They are numbered 0 to 21. There is no path that bears the number 22 or XXII.
The 10 numbers derived from the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life are:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
The 22 Paths derived from the paths on the Tree of Life and identified with the Tarot Major Arcana cards are:
“Pythagoras lived in the sixth century before Christ and recognised only the 10 or 1. The Jews held 7 as their sacred number. As the tribes advanced in evolution, the priesthood, who ministered in the Temple, went farther, as their names show. The Levites, Sacred Priesthood and other names vibrated 11, and in principle, they lived similar lives with the Christ.
The Bible says the Law and the Prophets should be fulfilled when the Messiah came. We find this proven as all the master numbers appeared in his name. Jesus and Messiah both vibrate 11; Lord vibrates 22; prophet vibrates 8; Law vibrates 9; and the so-called limited numbers come out in Priest and King vibrating respectively 6 and 5 – a Cosmic Mother, and a limited Master Sage.
We leave the numbers 11 and 22 untouched because they should live up to the Christ teaching.”
From that time forward most everyone who has dabbled in Numerology have not reduced the 11 and 22 and have held the numbers sacred as Master numbers whether knowingly or blindly.
In my system of Numerology, I do not use Master numbers. The 11, 22, 33, 44 etc. are just numbers. The power of the duplicated digit makes them special but they are just numbers. The Paths that are involved in the incarnation of souls are related to the 22 paths of the Tree of Life and the 22 cards of the Tarot Major Arcana. They are numbered 0 to 21. There is no path that bears the number 22 or XXII.
The 10 numbers derived from the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life are:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
The 22 Paths derived from the paths on the Tree of Life and identified with the Tarot Major Arcana cards are: