IV The Emperor, who rules the power of reason. He motivates and invigorates, he helps you to get things done, the ruler of things material. He stands for worldly authority, organisation, government, law and order, the outward form and arrangement of things. The alter ego of the Pope.
Four is the number of solid, practical, uninspired and uninspiring people. They lack any creative spark, but they may be efficient organisers and administrators. Down-to-earth, calm, steady, industrious, respectable, they think of themselves as pillars of society. They like routine and detail and hard work. They have an unfortunate tendency to be stern, grim, repressive, plodding, suspicious and resentful of anyone whose ways are not like their own.
There is an odd streak in the 4 nature, which comes out in fits of melancholy or sudden outbursts of rage and violence. Fours are not likely to be successful in life and any success they have will not be won easily. 4 is the traditionally the number of poverty, misery and defeat. Most modern numerologists try to gloss this over as far as they can, but their picture of 4 is not a happy one.
In tradition, the Sun is awarded two numbers, the second being four, as its daily and yearly cycles are divided into two. This is the number of the waning Sun, whose symbol in many cultures is the serpent. the Greeks believed that the Sun God's chariot was drawn by four horses and that Zeus fathered four Olympian dieties, Hermes, Apollo, artemis and Dionysus. These antecedents often favour number fours with a Greek nose. And then there are the four seasons, the four elements, the four winds, the four cardinal points, and the four letter YHVH, which represent the secret name of God in the Kabbalah and other mysteries.
The Pythagoreans called 4 even-even, and both 4 and 8 were associated with harmony, truth, perfection and justice. There are four cardinal points of the compass, four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water, represented respectively by the cube, octahedron, tetrahedron and icosahedron. It is very common in many religions for obeisance to be made in four directions, or for real or symbolic gates or watchtowers to be created in four directions.
The attributes associated with 4 in modern numerology are order, discipline, dependability, stability, practicality, homeliness, and patriotism. In numerological analysis, 4 represents directness, the straight solution. Esoterically, 4 is the real, the physical, the mundane, the material, the Lords of Destiny, the guardian angels and guardian beasts, a blue star, loving action or protection, charity, community service and dedication.
Those who are governed by the Sun numbers, will be of very well balanced nature on the outside, masking a tough aggressive inside. A naturally tough body and mind is always engaged on some hard task. Work is a pleasure and its rewards are thoroughly enjoyed. Diffidence makes starting relationship difficult, not helped by a wevering lack of confidence, but once made they are firm and faithful. Think twice before unleashing that interior aggression. Remember the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
