Five, 5, V

The number 5 is the most prevalent number to people who interact with the spirit realm. There are five principle requirements, five main classes taught in the Secret Academies, and five techniques possible through the use of paper spells.

Five digits on each hand and foot, four limbs and the head spread from the human trunk, five senses mediate contact with the world...obviously this is a figure deeply engrained in human experience. There are five books in the Torah, central to the Jewish faith. According to the Christian Bible, the fifth day of creation was the day that God created the first life on the earth in the form of fish and birds. There are five sacred commandments or pillars of faith in Islam, and adherents of that faith pray five times a day. Sikhism recognizes five evils to be abjured, five physical articles of faith that should be carried at all times, and five steps of behavior that bring one closer to God. Many ancient mystical traditions believe the world is made from five elements (water, earth, air, fire, and ether).

Different systems of numerology place various meanings upon the number 5: grace, liveliness, adventure, change, freedom, exploration, travel, variety, imagination, curiousity, playfulness, sensuality, being without attachments, experience, the seeking or teaching of knowledge, etc.

Among Ghost Hunters religious freedom is accepted, and in some cases these two parts of their life fit together very well; for instance, Sikh holy texts encourage them to be 'saint-soldiers', concerned with fighting daily on behalf of their fellow man. In their daily practices, even agnostic or atheistic students find the number five a psychological aid, using the five requirements as a mantra to aid concentration and keep the pain of injuries at bay. Five can be said to be the nearest thing to a 'sacred number' to students of the spirit realm.