Numerology:An Introduction

   The use of numerology - that is, the attachment of mystical meaning to mathematical trends and patterns - dates back as far as the sixth century BC. The famous mathematician Pythagoras was a believer in numerology, and believed that all things had mathematical relationships - though Pythagoras' work would bear little resemblance at all to the numerology which we use today.

   Numerology, as practised today, is a method of divnation which creates a kind of character profile - much like astrology - based on the significance of numbers derived from a person's name and birthdate. These numbers are determined using a Jewish alphabetical system known as gematria

 

                                    1   2  3  4   5  6   7   8   9
                                    A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I
                                     J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q R
                                     S T   U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Using this system, M=4, X=6, etc. The system is used to derive a 'birth number', 'vowel number', 'consonant number' and 'name number'.

The Birth Number

The birth number is also referred to as your destiny number, and is considered the most important of the four as it indicates your basic character. Your birth number is deduced by adding together the digits in your birthdate until they are reduced to a single digit:

                   16th May, 1988 = 1+6+5+1+9+8+8= 38
                                    3+8=11    1+1=2

This gives you a birth number of two.

Repeated numbers are also significant, i.e if you are born on the 3rd of the 3rd, or in June 1966, the number 3 or 6 would also be of some importance.

The Vowel  And Consonant Numbers

The vowel number is said to repesent the ego - the conscious, public version of you. It relates to your sense of self, and external mindset. It is determined by adding together the vowels in your name using the above method:

                      CLETUS KEGGINS           E=5   U=3    I=9   
                           5   3      5     9          5+3+5+9=22    2+2=4

So in our example, Cletus Keggins has a vowel number of 4.

The consonant number is calculated in the same way only - naturally - by adding the consonants:

              CLETUS KEGGINS   

               33   2  1  2    77  51     

                                        

          3+3+2+1+2+7+7+5+1=31   3+1=4

              

As we can see, his consonant number would also be 4. 

Since the consonant number represents the hidden, subconscious side of you (your id), Cletus' identical numbers would show us a man who is at ease with himself, and sleeps easily. (More on this later)

The Name Number

Finally, to calculate the name number, we add the consonant and vowel number together. This is a number which represents our most changable and superficial selves: what we like to do, our lucky colours, our interests.

Next Time: What It All Means