1 and 4

So, you know how on digital clocks the number “14” kinda looks like an H if you superimpose the 1 onto the left upper vertical line of the 4?? Well…now you do! And you’re welcome for giving me the chance to gift you yet another product of my overthinking, hair-splitting mind. Now see, the 1-4 is a very tense flow of energy. It’s the timeless story about the endless battle between the unstoppable force, which refuses to quit moving through its limitless initiative (1) pitted up against the immovable object, which refuses to be moved in any possible way through its boundless inertia (4). If the 1 is a type of victor and conqueror, then it meets its match in the 4, which is undefeated and inconquerable. In principle, neither would win, and would simply result in a deadlock; but, if we look at other presumptuous situations where one of these digits may overpower or triumph over the other, then we can unlock some new interpretations. One is the valiant victory over seemingly crippling challenges and difficult obstacles. Another angle on this would be the act of defence, protection and security against harmful threats and attacks. Thirdly, we can extrapolate further to say these two forces act contrary to one another in order to keep a harmonized balance of a process or thing, much like in Duality. Next, the themes of creation and manifestation become enhanced through the marriage of the creative 1 and the constructive workhouse of the 4, something I alluded to back in Holding Down the “Four”t.  Lastly, the summation of the numbers of this combo leads to a single digit which perfectly matches the synchronization of qualities the two addends together.

To get it started, this grouping could mean facing stiff resistance (4) in the form of monumental challenges, opposition, limitations, setbacks and delays on our path to achieve (1) stubbornly impossible and yet, epic and heroic goals: a theme very relevant to my own life. In this way then, we must find and draw from within ourselves the courage, resilience, determination and sheer strength of will (1) to bust through that resistance (4) like a battering ram, a rhino, a bull or a bulldozer smashing through a solid building. The consequences of this former scenario may include either: a steady increase in strength and power, such as bodybuilders bulking or martial artists with iron shins or fists by continuously hitting (1) the involved body parts against solid objects (4); but, the other scenario is an immense, cataclysmic release of energy after the resistance suddenly breaks due to an endless build up of pressure and force ie. a dam (4) bursting due to the increasing water level (1) or a volcanic eruption. If we take the former, then imagine a wrecking ball smashing through an old, decaying building. Weightlifting is symbolized by this number arrangement where we have: heavy masses + gravity, both unchanging resistances like the immovable 4, and the lifter persistently lifting, like the 1, against these resistances to build strength. What comes to my mind is trying through sheer force (1) to twist open a stubborn cap (4) off a container or bottle. Or, urgently trying to kick down (1) a locked door (4) with someone trapped with a fire inside or someone about to off themselves in order to save them. Even the most persistent of water waves (1) can erode away a solid rock (4) over time. Then, we have spinal taps (1) to relieve potentially fatal build up of CSF in brain and spinal cord (4). You get the point where the 4 is the challenge, obstacle or problem in all these examples. So, the appearance of this combo is pretty simple: keep chasing your dreams and goals no matter what stands in your way until you reach them. And if you do so, you may reap rewards in the form of sudden, massive success (the hare) or in spread in the form of slow, steady, cumulative but solid, everlasting gains (the tortoise) such as building muscle through weight training.

Remember what I said about a “tense flow of energy” between these two numbers?; well, there’s a reason for that because it involves themes like transformation. Before I get into that though, let’s make a quick analysis of these numbers’ distinct personalities. On one hand, you have the hard-shelled and wise as “old-man Winter” tortoise, representing things like protection, resistance and shelter aspects of the 4, as well as its dogged and stubborn persistence; yet, it can also symbolize the aspect of delay and restriction also common to the 4. On the other hand, the Spring-like, childish and reckless hare, with its fast, driven, energetic and restless nature could be symbolized by the 1; but again, the downside in this case could be an inability to stay persistent and committed. Instead, it could just scatter its energy through powerful bursts of activity in all different directions, only to burn itself out and accomplish nothing in the end. So, you can see clear differences in the way these two digits behave; yet, they can work together. When they do, the result would be an almost magical alchemy, channeling or sublimation of energy; but, is alchemy ever an easy process? Hence, the tense flow of energy. For the sake of the point I’m making here, consider the 1 and 4 in the following roles: you’re forcing and redirecting an energy of a typically primal, “lower” or raw 1 quality into a higher, refined, sage-like, wise 4 quality, and so this takes a lot of dedication, effort, struggle, and “fighting” to do so. In fact, this plays in well with traditional numerology sites out there touting the association of the 1-4 pair with hard work. So, seeing this combo could play out in your life in the form of pointing out a need to refine and redirect something to a higher and improved form. This obviously includes spirituality, but can also mean a subset of things such as: channeling an explosive temper into intense exercise or martial arts; or, people (especially *surprise*: men) with too much free time or monks/priests sublimating certain, let’s say, “drives” into flowing freshwater rivers of positive relationships, creative art, literature, music, projects and practical solutions instead of allowing the same to degenerate into the stagnant, stinking swamp water of twisted perversions (man, how’s that for poetry?). But, perhaps it’s just as simple as brushing up the language if you’re prone to using too many casual simple words or swearing too much, for example.

Now, let’s talk about these ideas of protection and defense. So here, the 4, which functioned as an evil, villainous obstacle in the second paragraph, now transforms into the hero, with the previously heroic 1 becoming the tyrannical invader here. In this way then, the 4 offers us its qualities of protection, security and defense through steely, determined, resilient and unbreakable willpower to hold the line against the onslaught of evil invaders and refuse to crack under pressure like the hardest diamond. Naturally then, things like car alarms and locking systems, security forces, police forces (ok, the few good, non-corrupt ones I mean), the Army and even our immune systems, all in the form of defence (4) against thieves, invaders and attackers (1), come to mind. A medical example (because I know you asked for it) would your abdominal wall (4) locking in tightly one’s bowels secure inside the abdomen to prevent the abdominal contents from protruding (1) through that wall (as in the case of an abdominal wall weakness /tear you see in a hernia); you’re welcome. Or, there’s the instance of the body’s immune system (4) fighting intensely, to prevent the invasion of potentially fatal pathogens (1). But, let’s switch it up now: the 4-1 pair could also be signalling a time where, instead of fighting an offensive strike (1) with a counter-strike (1), you would win the current battle, be it with another person, place, thing or situation, instead through the sheer, solid, tank-armour strength of simply being inert, stoic, and refusing to react at all to the offensive strike; instead, letting it simply slide or deflect off you (4), thereby giving the opposing force the message that: knocking (1) against a wall (4) will only hurt them, not you. Or, we could also say the opps is like a tornado as the unstoppable force (1) meeting a massive, solid mountain as the immovable object (4), which remains unaffected for the most part and absorbs the tornado’s energy. A last example could be a fast and violent meteor smashing into the Earth (1); and yet, the Earth, like an “ultimate 4”, having an extraordinary ability to bear and tolerate enormous amounts of punishment without any meaningful compromise to its structural integrity, simply absorbs the impact without being overly affected in the long run. But, we can even think of the 4’s restriction in a different way: as acting as a guardian gatekeeper. Now, this isn’t the same as simple defence in the form of soldiers, police or even security; rather, here we’re talking about allowing a safe degree of restricted access to something until a certain threshold of ability or need is proven, which would then cause this gatekeeper to allow access to that something. A simple example could be a family doctor, who wouldn’t make a specialist referral until the patient’s signs, symptoms and lab results actually warrant a specialist’s intervention. Alternatively, a bouncer at a club could function the same way with the age criteria being met; the same could be said for a pressure cooker not releasing until sufficient pressure builds up or even those “high striker” hammer games only dinging with enough force- you get the point…

These two digits also lend themselves to keeping a balance of processes by acting in opposition to each other for a greater good. For instance, driving a car also requires the intricate play between driving (1) and braking (4); even, starting a car requires the effort of turning the key (older cars) in the ignition or pushing the start button (1) to cause the starter to start the engine in the first place; otherwise, until we put in that effort, the ignition functions as a stop-guard or block (4), not allowing us to turn on the engine. An enzyme (1) will bind to the substrate (4) to convert it into a product. You could also have a pressure cooker that contains and restrains the steam from escaping (4) until a sufficient amount of pressure builds to release it outwards (1), or the same can be said about building water levels (1) in a dam (4) in order to generate hydroelectricity. The same thing for wind turbines as the wind (1) must push and “fight” with force against the “resistant” turbine blades (4) to generate wind power for electricity. Or, if we really wanna talk about “fighting,” then consider swords or guns for attacking (1) and shields/armour/bullet proof vests/kevlars for defense (4). In modern combat, tanks are the perfect combination of the 1/4, since they are able to fire artillery and shells for your offence (1), while simultaneously armoured for defense (4). Hell, look at governmental structures where, for example in democracies, you have checks and balances that ensure a balance of power across different sectors, and where the opposition will constantly oppose and criticize the ruling party to ensure that the ruling party doesn’t become overly powerful or “dictatorial,” and to keep them in line, which helps to serve the interest of the common people, at least in principal. In this sense then, seeing these numbers could tell you about such a balance being achieved in your life through opposing forces, or the need to do so for your highest benefit.

Then, the 1 with 4 also means creative manifestation, construction and the process of chasing after our goals; though, unlike the 1-3 combo with its focus on social expansion and progeny, whether actual or metaphorical like “pet projects,” the 1-4 epitomizes material manifestation, a statement which agrees with your bread and butter numerologists and would make ’em happy. In fact, this combo perfectly describes the processes of architecture and construction. You come up with a creative goal/vision (1) that then directly translates into the actual physical building (4) of that goal/vision through the technical application of all your complex geometry, physics and engineering formulas, planning design and groundwork. So, the message here’s not too complicated: you need to take your creative ideas and do the hard work of constructing them into a solid, long lasting physical form. 

Lastly, guess what?! (What?)..Since 1 and 4 together indicate breaking through obstacles, then what happens when you add 1+4 hmmm? That’s right: 5! Which again is in line with the 5’s energy of change, freedom, liberation, revolt, rebellion and revolutionary changes. So here we have a perfect example of how the pairing and interaction of two digits together take on a specific energy to behave in a way that perfectly aligns the energy of another number. In this way then, numbers 14 and 41 would be prime examples of this theme. In fact, consider a solid structure, whether that be a human body or a fixed belief system (4), which is then overwhelmed with “attackers”, which could be overwhelming infection like sepsis, or a huge onslaught of people attacking and rebelling against a belief system (1), so “4+1”, which would result in death of either that physical body, or of that belief system (5). The point being that the summed result of these digits is the “5”, meaning change. So, you can either get that sudden, breakthrough change, symbolized by a cataclysmic release of enormous amounts of energy (ie. a volcanic eruption, earthquake, tornado, tsunami, a revolution and overhaul of an oppressive way of living etc.; you get the picture) or simple, steady and progressive change (again, like a natural bodybuilder); but, the idea’s the same: it’s all achieved through the relentless, ruthless and painstaking push (1) against obstacles (4) to our success, which is exemplified by the 5 energy: that representation of change, whether of the sudden, liberating and sweeping variety, or of the incremental, small, one-step-at-a-time, evolutionary kind…So, this means in life, if you keep at it and overcome all adversity to your goals, you will also achieve such breakthroughs and success.