As the author of The Seven—a tale where seven humans and seven horses decide the fate of humanity, I’ve got a bit of an obsession with the number seven. It’s not just a random digit I plucked from the sea of numbers; it’s a figure that’s been influential in history, religion, and culture throughout the centuries. So, let’s navigate the wild, wondrous number seven – complete with some nautical twists.
Seven in History: A Number That Packs a Punch
Seven has been strutting its stuff since humans first started counting. The Babylonians, those stargazing geniuses, divided the week into seven days, each tied to a celestial body they could spot from their ziggurats: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. That seven-day week? It’s still steering our calendars today. Meanwhile, the ancient Greeks called seven the “perfect number” because it’s the sum of three (the divine triangle) and four (the earthly square). It’s like seven’s the captain of balance, bridging heaven and earth.
And then there’s the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—monuments so epic they’d make any sailor drop anchor in awe:
- The Great Pyramid of Giza—the only survivor, a tomb so massive it’s like a mountain on the Nile.
- The Hanging Gardens of Babylon—a mythical oasis, dripping with greenery (if they even existed—jury’s still out!).
- The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus—a marble marvel so grand it dazzled pilgrims and pirates alike.
- The Statue of Zeus at Olympia—a golden thunder-god towering over Greece, lightning in hand.
- The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus—a tomb so ornate it turned death into art.
- The Colossus of Rhodes—a bronze giant straddling the harbor, waving ships in (until it toppled).
- The Lighthouse of Alexandria—a beacon for sailors, lighting the way through stormy seas.
These seven stunners cemented seven as a number of ambition and wonder.
Seven in Religion: Sacred and Mysterious
Religion loves the number seven like a ship loves the wind. In the Bible, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, a holy breather. Then there’s the Book of Revelation, with its seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven churches, all swirling in apocalyptic drama. Seven’s the rhythm of divine judgment and renewal, a cosmic tide washing over humanity’s fate.
Over in Hinduism, seven chakras align your spirit, while Buddhism has the Seven Factors of Enlightenment to guide you to nirvana. Islam sails with seven heavens, each a layer of celestial splendor. It’s as if seven’s the sacred crew aboard every spiritual vessel, deciding who sinks or swims.
Seven in Culture: Luck, Lore, and a Dash of Mischief
Culturally, seven is a rock star. Seven colors in the rainbow? Check. Seven notes in a musical scale? You bet. Seven continents keep our globe spinning (sorry, flat-earthers). And don’t get me started on luck—seven’s the golden ticket in slot machines and dice rolls. Sailors, though, might squint suspiciously at it; seven’s tied to the “seven seas,” a phrase that’s more poetic than precise, but it conjures adventure and peril alike.
Here’s a quirky tidbit: In Japan, seven’s a lucky number, but beware the American “Seven-Year Itch”, that cultural myth about relationships hitting choppy waters after seven years. And speaking of water, pirates swore by the “Seven Whistlers,” mythical birds whose cries foretold storms at sea. Seven’s got a knack for stirring the pot and the waves.
Seven and the Sea: A Nautical Knot
As a sailor, I can’t resist tying seven to the briny deep. Ever heard of the Pleiades, the “Seven Sisters” star cluster? Sailors have used it for navigation since forever, a twinkling guide across uncharted waters. Norse mythology gives us the seven waves of the sea god Aegir, each a temperamental swell with its own name. There is even a tie to going seven knots, the magic speed for a ship cutting through the tide.
Fun nautical fact: Old salts say a cat has nine lives, but a sailor’s got seven because after seven storms, you’re either a legend or fish food. We haven’t been through seven yet… should I be worried? My husband, Captain Dan, says we will be fine. Metaphorically, we have been through way more than seven storms if we can add those to the list.
Seven in The Seven: Humanity’s Crossroads
So why seven humans and seven horses in The Seven? It’s no accident. Seven’s the tipping point that decides if humanity’s ship sails or sinks. With seven, there can be no tie. In my book, these fourteen souls, human and equine, mirror the number’s legacy of judgment, balance, and mystery. Are they the seven wonders of a new world or the seven seals of its end? You’ll have to read to find out.
Seven’s not just a number – it’s a story engine. It’s the seven-league boots of fairy tales, the seven-headed hydra of myth, the seven-year cycles we swear our lives follow. It is even scientifically stated that the human body’s cells are regenerated every seven years. It’s the heartbeat of my tale, pulsing with history, faith, for those who love an unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat story.
Bonus Seven Fun: Did You Know?
- A ladybug’s seven spots mean good fortune – spot one on your deck, and the wind’s in your favor!
- The shortest war in history lasted seven minutes. Blink, and you’d miss it.
- Seven’s the most likely roll with two dice – probability’s little wink at fate.
So, next time you’re counting waves or stars, give a nod to seven. It’s more than a number – it’s a divine digit recognized by history and culture world-wide. Dive into The Seven and see how it steers humanity’s course. Fair winds and following seas, friends!
