25 May Kotodama 18

The two letters in the Hebrew word for "life" have a numerical value, in terms of sequential order in the alphabet, of 8 and 10. Added together, they total 18. The number 18 is symbolic of life. Monetary gifts between Jews for various rites of passage (birthdays, weddings, holidays, etc.) are always given in multiples of 18 ($18, $54, $180, etc.). The number 18 also informs us that life is finite and eternal. 1 is finite as it's drawn from top to bottom, from heaven to Earth, from birth to death. 8 is eternal as it's continuous, with no beginning and no end. In life, the eternal soul is expressed as a finite self. Moreover, 1 implies that every thing is essentially one thing: the expression of the soul. 8  implies every thing is interconnected. Upon realizing all things are one interconnected thing, we treat every thing as we treat ourselves. That's compassion. Our oneness with every thing allows us to view the world from infinite perspectives. That's the essence of wisdom. Wisdom and compassion as the essence of a fully realized life....