After having time to read properly the report Natalie Wolchover wrote on 'MSNBC' (referenced by Administrator Gene) there are a few discrepancies in Natalie's report. In it she began by saying -
"In medieval times, numerologists — those who searched for the mystical significance of numbers — believed all numbers had both positive and negative aspects … except for 11. In the words of the 16th century scholar Petrus Bungus, 11 "has no connection with divine things, no ladder reaching up to things above, nor any merit." Stuck between the divine numbers 10 and 12, 11 was pure evil, and represented sinners."
Lets suppose she's right, the number being the only number of exception makes it a special number in it self, why would 11 have an exclusion to the other numbers? Why single out this number? Natalie also mentions, "11 has no divine connection, no ladder reaching up to things or any merit' but at the same time says "Stuck between the divine numbers 10 and 12, 11 was pure evil, and represented sinners." The bible teaches us of the countless sinners Christ walked with, loved and saved. Christ is all about saving the sinners, walking with the sinners, he died on the cross for the sake of sin and sinners. It's not just the number 11, 9 is also playing a significant role.
She goes on to say -
"That doesn't bode well for Nov. 11, 2011, the date when three 11s will align for the first time in a century. A new horror film, "11/11/11," has even been made for the occasion, and it plays on (or perhaps plays up) people's fear of coincidences surrounding the number. Film characters experience the so-called " 11:11 phenomenon," a tendency to look at the clock more often at 11:11 than at other times of the day. In the film, this is a warning of what's to come: "On the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the eleventh year, a gateway will open … and on this day, innocent blood will spill," says a voiceover in the trailer."
The date 11/11/11 is only a period of time, that I feel, 'could' be being used to help serve the purpose of heightening peoples awareness, almost like using a metaphor to heighten the meaning of communication. Being made aware of just the number without something to substantiate or heighten it could be easily ignored or brushed aside. Using this date and time serves to emphasize awareness.
Film makers will make films about anything that makes money and entertains and horror films based on fact, or part fact, usually do well at the box office and make for popular viewing and a sure bet for making profit. There are a number of films that are similar like 'Numbers' staring Nicolas Cage. This film was made aware to me personally even before it's trailer release. Now, I know this will sound unbelievable but, with witnesses, I foresaw the trailer of this movie weeks before its release. Prior to that I was lead to 'Premonition' with Sandra Bullock and a couple others on similar lines that, combined, communicated a specific message to me personally that relate to my experiences of the phenomenon, however, that's another story that I'll be happy to share at a later date, in the meantime...
Natalie continues to say -
"Indeed, the 11:11 phenomenon is widely reported in real life, with entire online discussion forums dedicated to figuring out what the number means. People say they feel haunted by 11s, which appear to them eerily often. To them, the impending date is bound to seem ominous."
Evidence of our experiences being recognized as widely reported, not only are we not alone in this experience but the numbers are growing. I don't say this to side against Natalie but as a wow! This is bigger than we think! :/ I'm aware the figures are in the early millions but perhaps there's a lot more out there yet to come forward to a forum like this one.
She then says -
"On the flip side, some modern-day numerologists have deemed 11/11/11 auspicious, and according to local news sources around the country, an unusual number of couples have planned to marry on the day. The number 11 is also a favorite of gamblers — particularly blackjack and Keno players. So, amid all these alternative perspectives, what's the real deal about repeating 11s? Is there anything special about the numbers lining up? No"
She says "no" but if she takes a more detailed look at the forum sites and reads peoples genuine experiences of the phenomenon and takes into account the "unusual" number of people getting married on this date, that is recorded by news souses around the country, (another emphasis for awareness), how could she say 'no' so out-right without knowing the full truth yet? Even we don't know what the truth really is at this time and we're the ones experiencing this phenomenon? And, it's special enough for so many people around the globe to experiencing the same thing isn't it?
Natalie continues by saying -
"With regards to the 11:11 phenomenon, rather than being a supernatural warning sign, psychologists say it is a classic case of "apophenia," or the human tendency to find meaning or patterns in randomly occurring data. This condition feeds on itself, because the more conscious you are of something — such as repeating 11s — the more often you'll notice it in the world around you, and thus the more certain you'll become that the pattern is real."
This is a plausible explanation, we could be apophectics, however, this doesn't explain the details of all the accounts of peoples experiences recorded on the forums most starting, on average, 5 to 6 years ago, as Gene explained in her last post.
It's not just 11's and there is a sort of randomness in the patterns according to the individual's accounts and yet a unity in the phenomenon holistically. It's also humanistic to want to find a logic explanation to a phenomenon like this, especially among skeptics who need to rationalize.
She adds -
"In online forums about the 11:11 phenomenon, people often say they didn't notice how many 11s appeared to them until hearing about the phenomenon from someone else. This is a tell-tale sign of apophenia: When they found out about the phenomenon, they subconsciously started keeping track of all the 11s they saw, with each new sighting seeming more significant than the last."
This is not my experience, nor my experience of reading members accounts. In most cases member have reported that they thought they were 'alone' in experiencing the numbers and I'd like to bet they have also experienced other events that they haven't dared to express or found too complicated to write about or haven't dared to in fear of reprisals or being branded crazy. I have personally had other events take place that coincide with my 9's and 11's such as dreams, premonitions, de-ja-vou's etc. Many of us also, at some point, have tried to brush the experience away and tried to ignore it because it can be frustrating and annoying, sometimes scary but, the numbers appear elsewhere and/or in other forms and patterns and randomness.
She then says -
"Just as there is nothing to fear about 11/11/11, there is no reason to be optimistic about the date, either.
According to Alan Lenzi, professor of religious studies at University of the Pacific who studies biblical numerology, seeking meaning in numbers is a natural human tendency. "Cognitive scientists have demonstrated that the human brain is hard-wired to look for meaningful patterns in the sensory data it collects from the world," Lenzi told Life's Little Mysteries."
Aren't these 'professors' of religious studies at University of the Pacific who studies biblical numerology, seeking a meaning in numbers for themselves too however, but in an enforced method still driven to find meaning? They are searching the meanings enforceabley or voluntarily as the Cognitive scientists have demonstrated? We are too but from real experiences. :/
And finally Natalie says -
In most situations, this cognitive wiring helps us: It enables us to pick important information out of a background of random noise. But sometimes we overdo it by finding patterns where they aren't — from faces seen in the clouds to numerical coincidences. Once found, these patterns "are easily imbued with imaginative meaning," he said.
There is nothing unusual about the time 11:11 or the date 11/11/11, but our brains can't help noticing the repeating digits, and seeing them as meaningful. "Numbers that are already significant to us, such as calendar dates that also coincidentally fall into an obvious pattern, become doubly significant," Lenzi said. "11/11/11 is another example of people doing what people are cognitively prone to do: find significance."
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What's So Special About the Date 10/10/10?"
She could be right, I'm still open hearted on this even though my experiences are as they are and feel very real to me, through no auto-suggestion or wild fantasy thinking, I was alone when this started and I'm self aware of who I am and what my mind does. I'm aware of Cognitive behavior patters, self awareness etc. I, like many others, have a gut feeling about this phenomenon, a real, deep down gut feeling that whatever it is, is real.
Scientists are often wrong and are often proven wrong. We could be wrong. But, something about all this is telling me that there is meaning behind our experiences and I don't believe in coincidences and nor should scientists, truth be known. I can't even say I want it to be either true or false but, This is too big to be a mere coincidence or superstition and I'm not superstitious either. The number 13 has never bothered be nor has any specific date. It's not just didgets on a digital clock, it's til receipts, it's events, accidents at sports venues. For me it's 9's and 11's in any configuration 1:9:1, 11:9, 9:11, 119, 911, 191, numbers that add up to 9 and/or 11. It's not just digits on a digital clock, it's on analogue clocks and other non-digital items but the digits on a clock are the most heightened because they are most easily recognized. How can I be suddenly draw to a house numbers I have never seen before, in a town I only ever visited that once, on licence plates of a cars I've never seen before etc etc?
Like I said, I'm not pulling against Natalie, just searching for the truth.
Phoenix0911