The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook: A Complete Guide to Magickal Herbs and How to Use Them - Karen Harrison 2020
Creating Custom Formulas Using Numerology
Combining the Planetary and Elemental Influences
One of the most creative, challenging, and satisfying ways to blend herbs, oils, and resins for a beautiful alchemical and transformative result is by determining a formula based on an individual's numerological or astrological chart. You may create a custom formula that represents, through scent, the strengths and aspirations of an individual or a formula to help her to find the tools she needs to achieve her goals and overcome her natal challenges.
You, the Alchemist, can rectify imbalances or negatives in a chart by including Planetary and Elemental energies that may be missing or causing difficulty. Balancing the energy with the addition of an herb or oil of a missing Element will enable the person who is using the formula to have an outlet of expression for the missing or misaligned energy. Or perhaps you decide that you want to enhance or highlight a natural strength or talent inherent in a person's chart for a specific goal that she is working toward—in effect, creating her unique herbal scent signature. That, too, is possible when you create a custom blend.
Numerology is a science that is easily mastered by anyone who can do basic math. The two main areas looked at in Numerology are the number vibration of a person's name and the number vibrations of a person's birth date. To divine the energies of a person's name, one simply adds together the Numerological value of the name's letters to discover the number vibration that influences the individual's conscious and unconscious perceptions and actions. When examining the influences of a birth date on an individual's vibratory numbers, the birth date is dissected into the vibration of the birth month, the birth day, and the birth year. These numbers are first interpreted individually and then added together to discover the individual's Destiny Number—the number that reveals what that person came into this lifetime to accomplish and the best way for him to express his energies. When creating a formula using Numerology, you may work with the Numerological values of a person's name or birth date or use both to completely express that person's Self.
In Numerology, each number is associated with a Planet, and the herbs and oils of that Planet would be the herbs and oils corresponding to that number:
* You will have noted that there are two numbers associated with Sun energies. The number 1 corresponds with the energy of the personal ego Self: personal expression, success as it applies to specific personal goals, and such. The number 8 corresponds to the Sun, exalted: works and goals that effect more than just one's individual Self, those accomplishments with goals that can impact the world at large.
In Numerology, double numbers (11, 22, 33) are known as Master Numbers and correspond to the Outer Planets Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto, respectively. Master Numbers occur when you add together a string of numbers and they naturally equal 11, 22, or 33. Master Numbers can be reduced to a single digit by adding the two digits together (11 is 1 + 1 = 2; 22 is 2 + 2 = 4; and 33 is 3 + 3 = 6). You may choose to work with the more intense energy of the Planet associated with the Master Number or the Planet associated with the single digit from the reduced Master Number. Your choice will be determined by the way in which you want the energy of the formula to express itself.
To determine the number associated with each letter, use this traditional chart:
Some Numerologists believe that the name parents give to a child is the name most important to the identity of that individual and how he will tend to react to opportunities and challenges during his lifetime. This works in the same way that one's Natal Birth Chart shows the energies working upon a person at the exact time of his birth. In Astrology, the Natal Chart (Birth Chart) shows the talents and challenges that a person came into this lifetime to work with. A person's Progressed Chart (how the energies and Planetary placements have “progressed,” or moved forward during the lifetime) shows what energies are most active whenever the chart is consulted. It works the same way with Numerology.
While we usually begin life with one surname, when we marry, we have the option to change our last names by adopting our spouses' surnames or hyphenating our birth surnames. Sometimes over the course of a lifetime, a person may elect to change the spelling of parts of his name to make it different from his original birth name; he may never use his middle name; or he may have decided to rename himself entirely. The name and spelling that a person elects to use is what you will use to create the formula to represent the energies here and now for that person.
Here's an example from a name I have chosen at random:
KEVIN ABERLE
Using the Numerological Chart, we find these values for the letters:
Add the numbers for the first name together: 2 + 5 + 4 + 9 + 5 =25 Reduce the sum to a single digit: 2 + 5 = 7
KEVIN = 7
Add the numbers for the surname together: 1 + 2 + 5 + 9 + 3 + 5 = 25 Reduce the sum to a single digit: 2 + 5 = 7
ABERLE = 7
Add the numbers for the first and last names together: 7 + 7 = 14 Reduce the sum to a single digit: 1 + 4 = 5
Kevin's basic vibratory number is 7 because both his first and last name equate numerically to 7, the number of Mercury. This will be the base herb or oil for his formula. We note that Kevin is missing the numbers 6 and 8 in his name/number value. Therefore to balance his energies, he needs Jupiter/6 and exalted Sun/8 in his formula. He has a predominance of 5's in his name. The number 5 expresses the energy of the Planet Mars, indicating that Kevin tends to be impatient, impulsive, and perhaps overly energetic. He has only one 1, 3, and 4 in his name/number. He could use the calming and balancing influences from each in his formula to better express his talents and dilute all that fiery Mars/5 energy. We'll add one herb or oil of Sun/1, Venus/3, and Saturn/4, which should balance it out nicely, allowing him to recognize his goals and enjoy the process of achieving those goals as they manifest.
In this example, we then choose an herb or oil of Mercury/7, Jupiter/6, exalted Sun/8, Sun/1, Venus/3, and Saturn/4 to create his formula. In Planetary/number order, this formula could then be composed of lavender, cedar, frankincense, calendula, rose, and cypress.
You may elect to create a formula from the birth date Numerological values of an individual. The birth month number represents the First Cycle of your life, approximately the first thirty years. The birth day number represents the Second Cycle of your life, from age thirty-one through age sixty. The birth year number represents the Third Cycle of your life, from age sixty-one through the end of your time on the Planet in physical form. Each cycle's number indicates the main strength that a person has to bring to the opportunities and challenges he will face in that cycle.
We'll pretend that Kevin's birth date is May 21, 1946. As his birth month is May, the fifth month, his First Cycle number is 5, the number of Mars, the Planet of motivation, assertiveness, and impulse. His First Cycle will be one of initiating new pathways, and if he uses his immense energies well, he will make great strides. If he succumbs to the impulsiveness of the number 5, he will sometimes spin his wheels with impatience at the slow pace of the rest of the world. If we reduce his birth day (21) to a single digit (2 + 1), we find that his Second Cycle equates to 3, which is the number of Venus. His Second Cycle will be one where he seeks to bring beauty and harmony to those he encounters. By adding together the numbers of his birth year (1 + 9 + 4 + 6 = 20) and reducing this number to a single digit (2 + 0 = 2), we reach his Third Cycle number, 2, the number of the Moon and union. In his Third Cycle, he will find that working in union or partnership with others will benefit him and those he partners with the best. At the last third of his life, he brings people and situations together.
Then we look at his Destiny Number, the number that represents what he came into this lifetime to accomplish overall. His birth month, day, and year, when added together (5 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 9 + 4 + 6) total 28. We want to reduce the 28 to a single number to obtain the Destiny Number, so we add 2 and 8 together, which equals the number 1.
Kevin's Destiny Number is the number 1, associated with the Sun and self-expression. This is also the number of the Self, so he will most likely succeed by his own efforts alone, not with the help of others.
By utilizing the strengths of the Planets related to his cycle numbers he finds the tools to best manifest his destiny. His birth date equals Mars/5 of energy and motivation; Venus/3 of harmony and beauty; Moon/2 union and bringing together in balance. Using herbs or oils of these Planets will help him to be his authentic Self and give him the most satisfaction while fulfilling his destiny of self-expression. For his formula we will choose ginger for Mars/5; myrtle for Venus/3; white sandalwood for Moon/2 and frankincense for Sun/1.
You have a plethora of herbs and oils to choose from as you consult your Tables of Correspondences (appendix F) for Planetary/herbal matches. Take into account any allergies and strong likes and dislikes in terms of scent that the person for whom you are creating a formula may have. For example, most men will not be comfortable wearing a formula smelling strongly of rose, no matter how much Venus is highlighted in their Astrological Charts or Numerology. You have many other Venusian herbs you can pick instead of rose to bring the energy of Venus into a formula.