CRAZY EIGHTS

Can you believe it's August already, and where does the time go etc etc? Instead of dwelling on the passage of time, let's look at why this eighth month of the year is numerologically significant. Because cultures throughout history and throughout the world have recognised importance in the number eight, let's take a trip and explore.

The number eight is significant in so many ways when it comes to mathematics - none of which make any sense to those of us who aren't mathematicians. So, let's move right along to science, where eight is regarded as a magic number. Again, the reason for this is highly complex and confusing. But magic is magic, so we'll take it.

You might have wondered why the Beijing Olympics kicked off at 8:08:08pm on 8 August 2008. It's because the number eight is considered to be lucky in Chinese and other Asian cultures. It's also why a number plate containing an eight was recently sold for over half a million dollars in Hong Kong. It's all because the word for eight sounds similar to the word for building wealth... which adds a linguistic angle to the numerological one.

Eight is a critical number in Ancient Egyptian mythology. Also, there were apparently eight people on Noah's Ark in addition to all the animals (though it's unclear whether the people marched onto the ark two by two).

And, in the Middle Ages, there were believed to have been eight unmoving stars in the sky. This notion symbolised the perfection of planetary energy. Speaking of perfection, all music is perfectly encompassed within the octave... and hey, the Beatles must've been onto something with Eight Days a Week.

The figure eight is considered to be perfect and endless and has a strong connection to the figure of infinity. (Just turn it on its side and you'll see.) It's the name of the knot that climbers use, and the most important ball on a pool table. (You know, the black one you're not supposed to sink until you really have to sink it.)

Our solar system used to have nine planets, until Pluto got demoted in 2006. True story. Now there are considered to be eight planets orbiting the sun. (Shame, sorry Pluto...)

What's more, eight is the atomic number of oxygen. It doesn't get much more important than that.

And, while we've stayed away from anything heavily mathematical, it needs to be said that the number eight represents "overcoming" in Pythagorean numerology. Since we're living in a place of frequent darkness, water shutdowns and earthquakes in a country that shouldn't get earthquakes, the idea of overcoming doesn't sound so bad.

So happy August. May you enjoy prosperous wealth and a positive sense of overcoming.

Whichever way it goes, at least we know it's just a few weeks to go until Spring Day... which, by proud South African tradition, is the coldest day of the year.