Seventh son of a seventh son

Hi all,

I've been a (quiet) member here for a long time, mostly reading posts etc. I have done a search here on ats for information that anyone might have regarding the "seventh son of a seventh son" phenomena and have not found much.
I have a friend who I lost contact with for a few years and recently we have met up. He has brought me some luck however coincidental it may seem but I feel everyone around him seems happy and at ease when normally they are tense etc.
Does anyone have any information relating to this topic?

I would really appreciate it

Regards,

Wes.

[edit on 14-4-2009 by wes_dublin]

Hmmm. I've never heard of this.

Do you have any insight you could offer on it?

I'll see what I can dig up as well.

Well my favorite band (see my sig)has a great concept album of the same name and this is the title track

I believe it sums up the mythology

Iron Maiden

Here they stand brothers them all
All the sons divided they'd fall
Here await the birth of the son
The seventh, the heavenly, the chosen one

Oh...

Here the birth from an unbroken line
Born the healer the seventh, his time
Unknowingly blessed and as his life unfolds
Slowly unveiling the power he holds

Oh...

Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son

Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son

Oh...

Then they watch the progress he makes
The Good and the Evil which path will he take
Both of them trying to manipulate
The use of his powers before it's too late

Oh...

Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son

Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son

Oh...

Today is born the seventh one
Born of woman the seventh son
And he in turn of a seventh son
He has the power to heal
He has the gift of the second sight
He is the chosen one
So it shall be written
So it shall be done

Sarah Cooper wrote a fantasy series in the 70s called "The Dark is Rising".

One of the books was recently turned into a movie with a strong cast.

The young hero of the books was the seventh son of a seventh son.

The books are based in the British Isles, and draw heavily upon the folklore of that region. So I'd imagine that beliefs regarding 7th sons of 7th sons are contained in Celtic mythology, for one.

Basically in the books, being a seventh son of a seventh son meant you were pre-destined and were bestowed with powers that could be used for either good or evil.

EDIT: Susan Cooper not Sarah

[edit on 14-4-2009 by Exile71]

i do not offer this bit of info in a trite manner...

that being said, Iron Maiden (a band from england) had an album from the late '80s early '90s called: 7th son of a 7th. iron maiden liked to take history and mideval folklore and put it into their songs. it could be a strange route to follow, but you could check out their take on the whole thing. despite the preconceptions that get heaped onto a band that had a mummie's head for a mascot, those blokes did their research.

anyhow, from my own understanding, i do believe the phrase in question referred to a "charmed" or "cursed" child who would lead an auspicious life.

oh geez... powerslave beat me to it.

anyhow... long live eddie... may he rest in peace.

reply to post by PowerSlave

Eddie!
I always liked "Run to the HIlls" myself, that is right up there with "Freebird" and "Balls to the Wall" in terms of songs that should be the national anthem.


Run to the hills, RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIIIVVVVEESSS!!!!!!

From Wikipedia

The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from folklore regarding special powers given to, or held by, such a son. The seventh son must come from an unbroken line with no female children born between, and be, in turn, born to such a seventh son.[1] The number seven has a long history of mystical and religious associations: seven sleepers, seven-league boots, seven ages of man, seven hills of Rome, seven lucky gods of Japanese mythology, the Seven Sages, seven sisters, seven stars, seven wonders of the world, and so on. In this case, it refers to a man who is the seventh son of a man who is himself a seventh son. In some beliefs, the special powers are inborn, inherited simply by virtue of his birth order; in others the powers are granted to him by God or gods because of his birth order.

Imagine the actual logistics of this. For one family to have seven sons and no daughters in between is not so common. And then the odds go way down for the seventh son in that family to repeat the same. But then again, do all seven children need to be from the same mother?

reply to post by PowerSlave


Awesome reply and I too love my Iron Maiden!!!!!!! Good place to start here is with this song and google. I'll try to find some time to dig deeper this weekend!

Cheers guys,

I have heard previously that they possess healing powers. I was wondering if anybody had any experience with or met any of these people

The Seventh Son of the Seventh Son can be taken one of two ways...

1. As mentioned, the seventh son born to a father who was a seventh son.

2. Or a child of the 15 generation.

What it comes down to is that science has already discovered significant genetic and personality links to birth order. First borns have common genetic and personality traits. Second borns have another. Third borns are entirely different from the first two, and so on.

Science has also discovered a link in generations that has an impact upon genetics and personality as well.

For example, the disposition to bear birth to twins or triplets is a genetic trait that skips generations in females. Same with Pattern Baldness in men.

Although Science hasn't been able to do considerable research spanning across multiple generations in humans, we do see similar things that occur in other species.

For example, purebred Arabian Horses, no matter what traits you genetically breed them for, will always revert back, after a number of generations, to one of the five original genetic types (templates), losing all the traits that were so carefully bred into them through selective breeding.

So, it is conceivable that the human genome may have similarities over long generation spans.

The seventh son of the seventh son, is also considered to be predisposed towards having magical abilities.

If it is any merit, my Birth Name was formed after my great, great, great, great, great grandfather (7 generations) as my Middle Name and after my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather (14 generations) for my First Name. My mother says it was an old family tradition to do such, although she knows not why. She definitely didn't bat an eye though when I took up esoteric pursuits in an otherwise long-standing Protestant family line (just as those I was named after did).