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Introduction To Numerology

A Brief History Of Numerology

Although the great mathematician and philosopher Pythagorus is considered the Father of modern numerology, numerology's history begins well before the famous Greek's irrevocable influence on our understanding of numbers. The exact date of numerology's origin may forever remain unknown despite the fact that many devotees still search the history books for clues. Hints abound in the religious doctrines of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam; it has been suggested that the answer may even be locked inside the walls of a great pyramid or Egyptian tomb we are yet to uncover. Time may or may not tell.

For the most part, numerologists recognize ancient Babylon as the earliest period of recorded history of numerology, where the Chaldean system of numerology was born under the influence of the Hebrews. However, with the birth of a certain Greek philosopher in 569 B.C.E., Chaldean numerology fell into a state of relative anonymity. The system is seldom used amongst numerologists and is generally unheard of by the average lay person.

Reinvigorated with the Pythagorean system, numerology has flourished, remaining largely untouched since the days of Pythagorus and enjoying worldwide recognition. Along with the practices of Feng Shui and Astrology, numerology is often used by business tycoons, entrepreneurs and spiritualists to increase their levels of success and happiness.

Various Systems Within Numerology

So, if we define numerology as the philosophy that everything in the universe can be explained through numbers, how do we determine what those numbers are? Within the vast field of numerology, you will find different charts that display alphabets and their corresponding numbers. Although there are several, including the Kabbalah and the Ulian, there are generally only two that are used on a regular basis. As mentioned in our brief history lesson, these two systems are the Chaldean and Pythagorean conversion methods.

Pythagorean System
By far the most popular systemat found in numerology, the Pythagorean conversion chart is featured directly below. Easy to use and understand, it incorporates the numbers one to nine in its conversion system.

Chaldean System
Based on the Hebrew alphabet, Chaldean numerology is another system used in numerology, albeit used much less often than the Pythagorean system. It incorporates the numbers one through eight.

For the duration of this course, we will be using the Pythagorean system. You can feel free to research and/or experiment with the other systems if you like, but you are not expected to know them for this course. As a quick example, I will demonstrate how to translate a name into a number. Using the Pythagorean chart I can change each letter of my name into a number.

We would then add up all of those numbers:
= 3 + 8 + 1 +5 + 2 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 5
= 35
= 3 + 5
= 8

The vibration or number of my first name, then, is 8. CONGRATULATIONS!! You have just mastered the fundamental aspect of numerology.

The Meaning Of Numbers

In numerology, each of the numbers one through nine has an inherent meaning that is found within its vibration. The meaning of each of the numbers is the basis of numerological analysis. Before we learn how to calculate our personal numbers, let's take a closer look at what each number symbolizes or represents. In this section I will briefly describe the meaning of each number. The Complete Idiot's Guide To Numerology, however, has a much more in-depth look at all of the numbers.

The Number One
The first of all numbers, The Number One is also the Leader of all numbers. People with the number one in their charts are creative, energetic, independent, and intuitive. These are the people that exude self-confidence from their every pore and silently beckon us to follow them. But even though number ones tend to be very generous, they can also become self-obsessed and insolent, deluding themselves into believing they are almighty and all-knowing.

The Number Two
Almost the complete opposite of the number one, The Number Two represents synergy and diplomacy. Not interested in becoming great leaders, people with the number two in their charts are content to work behind the scenes supporting and encouraging others. Gentle, sweet, supportive and loving, number twos have a tendency to allow others to walk all over them and influence their already fragile self-confidence and self-esteem. Depression and low self-confidence may become a problem for the number two.

The Number Three
The Number Three is exuberance incarnate. Happy-go-lucky and full of life, people with a number three in their charts are the consummate "life of the party!" Lucky, creative, and very extroverted, number threes love the finer things in life, spending money as quickly as they receive it. A flirt with his or her head in the clouds (can you say "delusions of grandeur?"), the three person has the negative tendency to become overly critical and sharp-tongued. Their moods are also known to fluctuate.

The Number Four
The Number Four represents pragmatism, security and stability. A hard worker with a practical mind geared toward the future, a person with the number four in their chart is the quintessential "head of the family" who looks after those he or she cares about. The number four's strengths are its steadfastness and tenacity; its weaknesses, rigidity and lifelessness. Along with that streak of practicality comes the tendency to be a bit of a bore.

The Number Five
The Number Five symbolizes change, rebellion, and freedom. People with the number five in their charts value freedom above all else, oftentimes rebelling against the status quo, going where no one has dared go before, and refusing to allow others to dictate any control over them. Number fives often have trouble with commitment and can be talented at many things, but specialized in none. Because of this lack of commitment, people with the number five in their charts can begin to feel overwhelmed, having started many projects but finishing none.

The Number Six
The Number Six represents the home, family, love, beauty and romance. People with the number six in their charts are very loving, kind, and gentle. They are affectionate and tender and are natural born parents. And yet, since most of their decisions come from their heart it may be impossible to reach these soul creatures with reason. Add to this their unrelenting and fixed natures, and they can become difficult to live with, possibly even leaving the nest if they feel the love is no longer deep enough to sustain them.

The Number Seven
The Number Seven is often seen as the most eccentric of all the numbers. Mystical, deep, analytical, wise and intuitive, people with the number seven in their chart are the quintessential loners who seemingly abandon society in exchange for their own personal quests of knowledge and wisdom. But the number seven has many gifts and talents to share with the world and often makes a wonderful teacher. The number seven can become a bit out of touch with the needs of others if they withdraw too much; a balance should be sought.

The Number Eight
The Number Eight is one of the most powerful numbers in numerology. People with the number eight in their charts are born for achievement, success and leadership. They thrive on rising through a hierarchal organization and manipulating those working alongside of them to become part of their own vessel. They love money and grandeur and may stop at nothing to achieve their desired success.

The Number Nine
As the number one is the beginning of all things, the Number Nine is the end. It represents humanitarianism, compassion, tolerance and both spiritual and material success. People with the number nine in their charts are idealistic mystics that long to leave the world a better place. They are blessed with more charm and compassion than all of the numbers added together. Unfortunately, they can become too idealistic, forcing their beliefs onto others and/or becoming prejudiced against those who do not follow the path they themselves have chosen.

The Master Numbers
In addition to the numbers one through nine, there are numbers that numerologists refer to as master numbers. These numbers are 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, and 99. For this course we will look only at the master numbers eleven and twenty-two. The higher master numbers are quite rare in the Western world.
It is said that the master numbers operate at a much higher vibration than the numbers one through nine, and that they also include the vibration of their single-digit reduction. For instance, the master number eleven would be written as 11/2, and consequently carries both the vibrations for eleven and two (even a double dose of ones).

People with a master number in their charts are called upon to bring many great gifts to the world. As noted in their book, The Complete Idiot's Guide To Numerology, Kay Lagerquist and Lisa Lenard tell us that many numerologists believe that if you have a master number in your chart you have probably made a pact with the higher power to return to earth for the betterment of humanity.

The Number Eleven (11 / 2)
The Number Eleven represents spiritual truth and communication. People with a number eleven in their charts are often highly intuitive and have a great message to share with the world. However, they may never be heard unless they can overcome their impulsivity and tendency to transpose their faults onto others.

The Number Twenty-Two(22 / 4)
Whereas the master number eleven has a message to convey to the world, the Number Twenty-two has come back to build something. People with the number twenty-two in their charts long to leave something grand and everlasting behind them that will hopefully remain standing long after they have gone. They have an amazing ability to turn dreams into reality. However, twenty-twos can be very sensitive, falling victim to the demands placed upon them by others and becoming generally overwhelmed, failing to complete their dream.

The Life Path Number
Now that we know what numerology is and where it came from, let's move on to the good stuff--let's discover your destinies! Of all the numbers found in numerology, none is hailed as highly as the "Life Path Number." Often found next to our horoscopes in magazines and bookstores, this single digit number is considered by the average person to be the whole of numerological theory. In this lesson, we will take a closer look at the Life Path Number, discovering both its breadth and its limitations.

How Do We Calculate The Life Path Number?

In order to calculate the Life Path Number all you will need to know is your date of birth. You do not need to know the time you were born, whether or not the moon was full that particular day, or which planets were squaring the planet the exact minute you were born. The simplest way to demonstrate how to calculate the Life Path Number is to give you an example. We can use my birth date to do so. Birth Date = February 26, 1975

The first step in calculating the Life Path Number is to convert all of the birth date into a numerical value. Therefore, the month in which we were born must also be translated into a number. Most of us are familiar with the numbers of each month, but just in case you are not familiar with this system, I'll list them below.

January = 1 / February = 2 / March = 3 / April = 4 / May = 5 / June = 6 / July = 7 / August = 8 / September = 9 / October = 10(1) / November = 11(2) / December = 12(3)

It is important to note that if you were born in either the month of October, November or December you must reduce your birth month to a single digit. For instance December = 12, but in numerology we would need to REDUCE that number to a single digit. We would do this by adding the 1 and 2 to get a 3 (i.e. December = 12 = 1 + 2 = 3).

So, back to our example…

February 26, 1975 becomes 02 26, 1975. We then add up all the numbers.
2+2+6+1+9+7+5
=32
=3+2
=5

My Life Path Number, then, is the number 5. For this course we will use another—but very similar—method of calculating our Life Path Numbers. We will separate each of the elements of our birth dates. You can add up your day of birth, month of birth, and year of birth and then add them together.

For example…
February 26, 1975
=2 + (2+6) + (1+9+7+5)
=2+8+(22)
=2+8+(2+2)
=2+8+4
=14
=5

When we discuss Karmic Numbers in Lesson 5 this method will be important in discovering our karmic debts. This brings me to another point: When calculating the Life Path Number, yes, we want to reduce it to a single digit. But, the double-digit number also holds information from our past and the lessons we need to learn. Henceforth, my Life Path Number would be written as follows:

Life Path Number = 14/5

Before we move onto the next section, let's try another example.

Birth Date = April 25, 1975
= 4 + (2 + 5) + (1 + 9 + 7 + 5)
= 4 + 7 + (22)
= 4 + 7 + (2 + 2)
= 4 + 7 + 4
= 15
= 6

This person's Life Path Number would then be 15/6.

Now that we know how to calculate the Life Path Number, let's discover exactly what this numerological number has to say about each of us.