the number seven

The number seven is often considered lucky and holds a certain mystique, partly because it is a prime number. It is the sum of the spiritual number 3 and the material number 4.1

Key associations with the number seven include:
* Time: There are seven days in a week, named after ancient gods and planets. The phases of the Moon last approximately seven days.1
* Culture and Religion: In Christian tradition, there are the seven deadly sins. In ancient Egypt, there were seven paths to heaven. The number seven is also prominent in Indian Vedas.1
* Life Stages: In China, seven marks stages of female life, and in the Hippocratic tradition, illnesses are often associated with seven-day cycles.1
* Music: There are seven distinct notes in a musical scale.1