The Encyclopedia of Crystals, Herbs, and New Age Elements: An A to Z Guide to New Age Elements and How to Use Them - Adams Media 2016

Numerology
The Power of Insight: Divination Systems, Tools, and Practices

ORIGINS

Numerology is the study of numbers, their meanings, and their effects on human life. There are many different forms of numerology that originated in cultures all over the world. Gematria, for instance is a system that assigns numerical value to a word or phrase. An example is the Hebrew word Chai, meaning “alive,” which translates to the number 18, making this a lucky number among the Jewish people. Birthdates are considered important numbers in numerology, and the “life path” number is the sum of a person’s birth date.

HISTORY/LORE

Numerology has its roots in ancient Greece and the studies of philosophers and mathematicians such as Pythagoras (c. 570—c. 495 B.C.E.) who believed numbers were the universal language of truth. In the Arabic system of numerology, each letter of the Arabic alphabet has a numerical value. In Chinese numerology, even numbers are considered lucky, due to the belief that good luck comes in pairs.

USES

There is no limit to how deep you can go into the practice of numerology. A quick online search will reveal countless resources about this ancient system. But if you’re new to numerology, you probably want to start with the basics. Try one of the many websites that will generate your numerology chart based on the letters of your name and your birth date. You can also calculate your own life path number by adding up the digits of your birth date. For example, if you were born on October 23, 1972, the equation is 10 + 23 + 1972 = 2005. Then you add those digits together: 2 + 0 + 0 + 5 = 7. Once you know your life path number, you can learn about the meanings behind this number. Another fun way to explore numerology is to have your numbers read by a professional numerologist.