The medicine wheel is circular symbol broken into four areas, or quadrants. The four areas of the medicine wheel have attributes assigned to them such as the four directions, states of being, sacred medicines, seasons, elements and stages of life. The wheel also represents the seven directions as east, south, west, north, up [sky], down [earth] and center [you].
What is the significance of the 4 and the 7?
To some, numbers are just arbitrary symbols that exist to communicate scale for a variety of things in our lives. To others, we see more meaning to them because our whole existence is sacred geometry and mathematical equations. Once you begin to see the patterns, you can derive meaning and understanding to situations and circumstances. The older I am getting, the more I’m realizing how this presents itself in my life and environment.
Last January, specifically, I began ruminating on the number 47 as I was approaching 47 years old in November, which is three measly years away from 50, which is half of a 100, which means that my life is less than half way over and holy shit…..am I truly happy with where I am, personally?
Having this conversation with a younger friend of mine, I mentioned that I wanted to find a motiving program or ‘challenge’ I could participate in that would inspire me to stay accountable to me and my self-care. She told me about the 75 Hard program and I immediately Googled it and prepared to give it a shot. After just reading about it, I felt defeated and knew it was not for me at this time in my life and I’d only be setting myself up for failure.
Somewhat discouraged, I considered all my options based on all the things I’ve done in the past, like hiring a personal trainer, joining OrangeTheory and choosing a very restricted diet. None of those things appealed to me anymore for a number of reasons, but mostly because the bottom line is that I ALREADY KNOW WHAT I NEED TO BE DOING. It’s just a matter of DOING IT and doing it consistently.
So, I embarked on a creative process of put all my life coaching, nutrition and fitness education to work for me and dashed a little personal and professional experience on top and the 47 Aware Challenge was born on January 16, 2023. I had a handful of fitness enthusiasts on board with it and the Instagram page was hatched and consistency began. About a month or two later, many beautiful things began to happen, I began traveling and the accountability group kinda fizzled out….because I did. Then, my life took a wild turn and by the end of 2023, I felt completely lost again. By January 1, I was living in our house alone, relocating my practice after six years in the same location, navigating perimenopausal symptoms, managing a demanding property, deep in depression and had gained weight again. Finding myself, yet again, looking for a [simple] solution to pull myself up and out of the rut.
That voice inside my now 47-year old vessel again whispered, you already had your marching orders with the 47 Aware program, you’re just not doing it. So, for the last couple of months, I’ve been loosely following and revising that program and am in the process of truly committing to it.
While researching the science behind the 4-7 action steps in my program, I also learned that according to an article published on 1/16/20 (did you catch that date of 1/16!?) that ‘your happiness is more likely to hit rock bottom at age 47.2’ according to an article published on CNBC’s website. So, basically, exactly three years prior to my original launch of this program, CNBC was talking about it.
So, besides age and mid-life crisis prevention, what are the other reasons for the numbers 4 & 7?
Keeping it Achievable
Using an option for doing something 4-7 times, like saying a mantra in the mirror, by not giving an absolute like 10, which was in the original program, it can cause some to feel overwhelmed and in a box. Being able to choose whether you feel comfortable saying something four times or maybe seven times gives you more perceived control over the task.
Drinking 47 ounces of water in the morning and in the afternoon/evening is way more MENTALLY achievable than drinking a gallon of water a day. And, most people, if calculating their recommended ounce intake by their weight, are going to achieve their number by shooting for 47 ounces in the morning hours and the rest in the afternoon hours.
Half of 75 Hard, but more Aware
Let’s face it, the program was inspired by the 75 Hard program so when I realized my age and that it was roughly half of 75, I went with it, but had to come up with a word to accompany it. I didn’t want to call it easy because I didn’t feel that word was reflective of it at all. This is where my Awareness Coaching comes in and I began to consider my own journey with my health patterns and the ones of my clients.
Awareness is the first step of healing. And, well, our society needs more PERSONAL awareness. We are constantly distracting ourselves with anything and everything we can in order to avoid feeling and listening to our bodies. It’s time for that to change. So, Aware became the perfect word to accompany 47.
Numerology & Spiritual Connection
As I mentioned above, number patterns are something I pay attention to, just as I notice when animals send me messages or synchronicities begin to happen. The universe/Great Spirit/God/Mother Earth/Buddha/Jesus/energy/League of Angels or whatever else you choose to call the divine thread that runs through us all doesn’t communicate with us in conventional methods all the time. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a fully intact bird on your doorstep or a number repeatedly showing up in front of you. In this case, the numbers 4 & 7 also have meaning.
In numerology, Angel Number 47 is a combination of the energies and vibrations of the numbers 4 and 7. Number 4 resonates with practicality, hard work, organization, and determination, while number 7 represents spiritual awakening, intuition, inner-wisdom, and higher purpose. When combined, these energies create a powerful message of balance and harmony between the physical and spiritual realms. According to Astrology.com, the appearance of this number may indicate that you are on the right path towards achieving your goals and dreams, and to keep moving forward with determination and focus. It’s a message to trust your inner-wisdom and intuition and to take practical steps to manifest your desires.
Rooted in the Indigenous Medicine Wheel
The circle represents the circle of life, the circle of self-awareness and the circle of knowledge. This wheel demonstrates how all aspects of life are interconnected. And, from my 20+ years of professional practice, personal experience and times in the trenches….I knew that in order for an accountability program to be effective and have a long-term impact, it had to incorporate all of these aspects of life.
So, there you have it. THAT’s why I named it 47 Aware. If you’re interested in utilizing this program to be held and hold yourself accountable to staying committed to maintaining this life balance, get started here.
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