What is up with Friday the 13th?
Unlucky for some, but not for others!
The history of fear and misfortune surrounding Friday 13th can at first be broken down into two parts: fear of Friday and fear of 13.
Friday has been long associated with some pretty negative events. From Jesus being crucified on a Friday to the story of Eve and Adam eating the forbidden fruit, there have been a few shady connotations linked to this day.
And then we have triskaidekaphobia: fear of the number 13. Remember Mary Magdalene? She was the 13th apostle, and she wasn’t exactly loved by the church. Plus, there’s the tale from the Norse banquet of gods. Loki was the 13th, and uninvited, guest who came to cause chaos. This event ultimately led to the death of beloved Baldr.
On top of all this, the downfall of the Knights Templar began in the early hours of October, Friday 13th 1307. So it’s no wonder people began to associate this day with misfortune. During the burning times, the witch hysteria added to the fear with everyone convinced it was the day that dark forces and malevolent spirits were at their most active.
But hey, for pagans and witches? Friday is the day of love, and associated with the goddess Frigg (‘Friday’ = ‘Frigg’s Day’). It has ties to Venus, and works well with Libra and Taurus.
The number 13 corresponds to moon magic, the astral realm, manifestation, wisdom, unity, and is the number for witches and witchcraft. It’s also the number of lunar cycles in a year, which corresponds to menstruation and fertility, and symbolises the cycle of creation, death, and rebirth.
For a great many cultures, association with the Moon in this way was a connection to the divine feminine, which makes thirteen a divinely feminine number to work with.
So when we’ve got the number 13 PLUS a Friday PLUS associations with women’s reproductive health, love, and the divine feminine? We’ve got a day truly dedicated to effing up the patriarchy! No wonder they’ve tried to ‘evil’ it!
“We all have feminine energy in us, so Friday the 13th is not just for women. It is a day for all of us to honour our own abilities to create and receive energy from the world around us.”
Tanaaz Chubb
So next Friday 13th – remember that it’s your time to shine, witch! Show them what it’s really about.
