You might be singing the catchy lyrics by De La Soul now, but did you know that even more than 3 that 5 is a magick number...?
5 is the number of human beings. It represents the 4 limbs controlled by 1 mind.
It’s also the number of our senses, sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
The number 5 is known as the 'hieros gamos' as it represents the connection between the heavens and the earth.
5 is also the number of the planet Mercury and is 'The Hierophant' in tarot, a representation of peace and harmony.
It’s also the number associated with the pentagram and represents the elements of air, water, fire, earth and spirit.
5 is the number of balance, and we can use the balancing power of 5 in our everyday lives to help bring ourselves back into to place of equanimity and calm.
When something has upset you and you’re feeling angry or hurt, stop, take a couple of deep breaths and ask yourself the following questions:
1. “Will this still matter to me in 5 minutes?”
2. “Will this matter to me in 5 hours?”
3. “Will this matter to me in 5 days?”
4. “Will this matter to me in 5 weeks?”
5. “Will this matter to me in 5 months?”
If the answer to any of these questions is no, then don’t spend more than 5 minutes dwelling on it - it will only steal your joy for your hour, your day or even longer.
By limiting the time we allow something to bother us to 5 minutes only, it enables us to let it go and bring ourselves back to a state of balance quickly.
And by doing this we are allowing ourselves a short time to process, feel and accept our anger or frustration, but then we are letting it go as it’s not going to serve us going forward.
By sticking to this 'rule of 5' we are able to regulate our nervous system into not reacting to things negatively for long, and instead train ourselves to quickly rebalance our being and bring us back to the present.
After all, 5 is the human number. The number of the human being.
So the quicker we can get back to ‘being’, the more joy we can experience.
High five to that!
For more musings, why not join our Facebook group 'Beneath The Canopy?