ruben stelzner

„Joy arises when I put my abilities into the service of the greater whole.”

Hans-Peter Dürr

„Joy arises when I put my abilities into the service of the greater whole.”

Hans-Peter Dürr

The Meaning of Number 6: The Flow of Life and the Human Task

In the philosophy of numbers, the number 6 symbolizes the flow of life the individual experiences. The individual emerged as a subject (5) out of the world (4), and now experiences the world’s ups and downs in the interplay of opposites (see also The Meaning of Number 4 and The Meaning of Number 5). The number 6 shows that every single person has a role within the whole. It stands for the functioning and interplay of the details in light of the greater whole. The symbolism of the 6 symbolically stands for the interaction of opposites, in the sense of a functional and fruitful further development.
The Hexagon (Hexagram): A “Composite”
With the 6, the subject (5) that emerged from the world (4) enters into relationship with it and fulfills its task. It goes to work in service of that world. The related word “sex” symbolizes the coming together of polarities in service of a higher purpose: in this case, the continuation of the species. The individual fulfills its destiny within the symbolism of the 6. In many fairy tales, myths, and wisdom traditions, the hero has a task and devotes themselves to it. They put their ego in service of the greater whole, and become fruitful because of it. This taking action and functioning in service of a higher purpose sometimes appears in these stories as the hero’s downfall: the downfall of the ego (more on this in Numbers in Fairy Tales, Myths, and Literature). The Gospels report that Jesus was nailed to the cross on the sixth day, in the sixth hour (see the post The Meaning of Numbers in the Bible). With his death, he seemed to go under, but in truth, as an individual, he was following his destiny and fulfilling his task, his purpose in life: bringing faith to humankind.

The individual experiences fulfillment when they follow their destiny and, in doing so, serve a higher purpose. That’s why the 6 is also often connected to the enjoyment of life. We recognize its forms: the feeling of satisfaction that comes from completing a task, the experience of flow, sexuality, or even the pleasure of eating. Among the universal principles, Pythagoras held the 6, which he also called the hexad, to be a symbol of marriage as well.

Synonyms for the Number 6:

Harmony, perfection, love, or the good work (Latin “vita activa,” which can be translated as “the active life”).
Symbols include the heart, the cycle of life, and also money.

Question:

Did you know the hexagon is a figure made up of two triangles, which in wisdom traditions often stand for the masculine and the feminine?

Quotes on the Meaning of Number 6:

„Why, surely, if a God first plagues Himself six days, then, self-contented, Bravo! says, must something clever be created.“
(Mephistopheles in Faust, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

„The number six is not perfect because God created the world in six days; rather, God completed the world in six days because the number was perfect.“
(Hrabanus Maurus)

„Six is a number perfect in itself, and not because God created all things in six days; rather, God created all things in six days because the number is perfect.“
(Augustinus von Hippo)

Related Topics:

For the meaning of the other numbers, see: The Principle of Numbers.

Image credit: iStock.com/LagartoFilm (numbers on a green background)