The "Teen" Numbers
A Journey of Integration Between Material and Spiritual
“I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words.” Hesiod (8th century BCE)
On our journey through the numbers, we have explored how ten, eleven, twelve, and thirteen embody a deeper archetypal and energetic pattern through their digits, numerological digit sums, and interrelationships. Ten, with its two digits reflects the archetypal energies of both one and zero. Eleven similarly integrates the energies of zero, one and two. Twelve expands to encompass the energies of zero, one, two, and three. Thirteen brings together the archetypes of zero, one, three, and four, initiating a powerful transitional phase. All ‘teen numbers’ from thirteen to nineteen embody the energies of four distinct numbers: zero, one, their inherent numerical essence, and the energy of their numerological digit sum. This unique composition makes them a powerful expression of the four-fold nature of transformation, equally engaging Mind, Spirit, Emotions, and Body—or, more generally speaking, they reflect the alchemical process of spiritualizing matter, equally engaging Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.
Teen—”Ten more than”
The suffix “-teen” adds profound insight into these dynamics. Derived from Old English -tene or -tiene ( and Proto-Germanic tekhuniz, it means "ten more than," connecting thirteen to nineteen as a distinct cycle.
“Teen” also connects to the word "teenager," marking the transitional phase from childhood to adulthood, and links etymologically to Old English teona, meaning “grief, sorrow, trouble, harm inflicted,” as well as “irritation” and “vexation.”
When reading vexation, one—like in my case—might feel reminded of "vaxation," evoking the phases of the Moon. This intuitive connection is fitting, as the Moon, with its cyclical nature and emotional influence, symbolizes fluctuation and inner stirring—paralleling the agitation and disturbance inherent in vexation. Both reflect the unsettling forces that drive transformation and growth, profoundly tied to the archetypal energy of thirteen, representing the “dark night of the soul”—the death of the old self and the birth of the new.
So, in summary, the “teen numbers,” 13 through 19, symbolize a powerful transitional phase. Through their etymological roots, they carry the dual energy of growth and struggle, reflecting the challenges of integration. All these numbers mirror the journey of releasing the old to make way for the new, encapsulating the transformative process of self-discovery and renewal.
Ten: The Mystical Bridge between Speech and Number
At the heart of this transformation lies the energy of 10, representing completion, manifestation, and divine order. Esoterically, ten is the culmination of creation, reflected in mystical traditions and the Tetragrammaton, the 10 fire letters—Yod He Vav He (יהוה)—revealed in the burining bush, a symbol of divine revelation and eternal creative force.
As discovered on our journey into the energy of ten, these fire letters, seen as tetrahedrons of light, form the vibrational structure through which creation emerges, embodying the sacred interplay of word and form. This interplay is deepened by the linguistic and symbolic connection between dicere ("to speak"), and decem/decim ("ten").
In Latin, dicere relates to the logos, the divine “word” that orders and sustains the universe. As decem/decim, ten reflects the fullness of creation and the structure of divine order. Together, they highlight ten’s role as a mystical bridge between speech (the creative word) and number (the foundation of creation).
This also magically captures the essence of Abracadabra, often interpreted as "I create as I speak." The Pythagorean Tetractys, with its ten points symbolizing the unfolding of unity into creation, mirrors the transformative power of speech to manifest thought into reality. Both express the creative force of vibration, harmonizing word and existence.
Ten: The Mystical Power of Holding Creation in Harmony
The connection between ten, -teen, and -tene/-tenen reveals a shared linguistic and symbolic root tied to the profound idea of holding, possessing, or containing and strongly connects to what we have discovered about the mirror in TENET.
Tracing its origins to the Proto-Indo-European root ten-, meaning "to stretch, hold, or grasp," this root evolved into Latin tenere ("to hold"), and Spanish tienen ("they have"). Each carries the essence of possession and containment. While primarily numerical, ten also signifies completeness, resonating deeply with the “holding together” implied by tenere.
In esoteric traditions, ten embodies completion, wholeness, and divine order, symbolizing the “holding” or “containing” of creation within a structured framework. This is reflected in the ten sephirot of Kabbalah, which carry the blueprint of existence, as well as in the ten fire letters we have discussed before.
Through these sacred connections, ten emerges as a profound symbol of containment and completion, weaving together language, number, and the metaphysical act of holding the universe in perfect, divine harmony.
A Heartfelt Invitation on Reflection
At the threshold between 13 and 14, we are called to pause and reflect deeply on this sacred process of integration. This moment invites us to honor both the challenges and triumphs of the journey, gaining clarity about the terrain behind and the path ahead.
The ‘teen numbers’ reflect humanity’s collective journey of awakening, as we grow from the unawareness of an “ignorant” child into the authentic responsive maturity of an adult fully embodying the divine essence of our true nature.
They echo a deeper truth about the cycling nature of integration, reflected in the lyrics of Mike and the Mechanics’s “Living Years”:
“Every generation
Blames the one before,
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door.”
Here, we feel the tension of transformation passed from generation to generation—mirroring the energetic dynamics of the teenager numbers. Just as 13 through 19 unfold with intensity, grief, and renewal, we inherit the unresolved hopes, fears, and imperfections of those before us.
“I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my father held so dear,
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears.”
The numbers 13 to 19 represent this cycle of inheritance and transformation: carrying forward the weight of the past, grappling with its frustrations, and ultimately integrating it into something new.
“We all talk a different language,
Talking in defense.”
This phase of growth, like adolescence itself, is marked by conflict—between generations, within the self, and between material and spiritual realms. Yet, the numbers invite us to see these tensions not as obstacles, but as sacred catalysts for integration and wholeness.
The Journey of Transformation continues
As we have now paused and took a deep breath of fresh air at the threshold between thirteen and fourteen, I wholeheartedly invite you to continue the journey through our Advent Calendar. Together, let us explore the transformative energy of fourteen—a number that embodies balance, renewal, and spiritual integration. The path forward is calling—let’s step into it together!
“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.” — Marc Twain
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Yet another EPIC transliteration of number my love, so deeply initiated by 11 and 12, as centered by the most transformative as the heart of the center is 2^4=4^2=2x8=16 or six is sweet sixteen as the face of the 4X4X4 magic cube of 64 on the chessboard of the Queen and King (45) as the Alpha and Omega of TEN (37) NET (73) in TENET time of Pater Noster, the Lord's Prayer, "on Earth as it is in heave [heart]" in eart|H|eart anagram palindrome and palindromic prime 181 in prime time proper time where we are timeless to carry the time within vs the coordinate time of Lat/Long lay-line landline mascuLINE projections of sacred form of the Chestahedron within the earth as the Heartland of the USA (Kansans, Oz) and Japan and Russia Russia Russaia, with the apex in the Arctic Circle as Master Frank Chester shares with such brilliance and saintly good will for X-mas and the 12 edges of the heart of the matter of mind over matter of eYe do not mind so it does not matter.