The world is full of strange patterns, coincidences, and cycles. If you’re paying attention, you might even find that some of these curious phenomena can help guide you towards things you should be healing, changing, learning from, or interacting with. Numbers are no exception. The following will explore some interesting facts about numerology and the role of numbers in our culture that might change how you feel when you glance over at the clock, think about your birthday, or notice the license plate in front of you at the drive-thru.
What Is Numerology?
Numerology involves an awareness of the connection between numbers and the mystical. Analyzing the meaning of numbers has been going on for thousands of years. Suppose you recall the Pythagorean Theorem (a2 + b2 = c2) from grade school. In that case, you might be surprised to learn that Pythagoras also developed an entire spiritual practice based on numbers and the perfection of geometry. His philosophical work greatly influenced some of the biggest names in philosophy — Plato and Aristotle, and therefore all of the Western philosophy more broadly.
Life Path Numbers
One of the most common uses of numerology involves the calculation of a life path number. This is done by adding up all the numbers of your birthdate. If you end up with a multiple digit number, add those numbers up. Continue until you are left with only a single digit. Numerologists view this number as your life path number. It can indicate why you’ve come here and what you’re trying to accomplish in your life, consciously or unconsciously.
There are a few other calculations that, similar to understanding your birth chart in astrology, can reveal useful information to you about your life, purpose, relationships, and abilities. Experts at https://straightforwardguidance.com/ explain that it takes years of study to understand all the possible meanings and connections between yourself and your numerology. If this interests you, you may want to focus on one specific number (like your life path number) and learn all you can about that before moving onto another number.
Many People Practice Some Level Of Numerology
If you’re someone who finds yourself a little skeptical of this (life path 4s especially), you might first need to grasp how pervasive these ideas are across cultures. Think about the following numbers and what they make you feel. Humans have been building connections with numbers for thousands of years.
Seven
Seven is widely considered to be a lucky number. Studies have shown that if you stop a bunch of strangers on the street, one at a time, and ask them to pick a number, overwhelmingly, people choose seven. Seven also has religious connotations, particularly when it comes to the Abrahamic faiths.
Thirteen
To this day, many hotels don’t have a thirteenth floor. This is because this number has been considered unlucky for a long time. Friday the 13th is seen as doubly unlucky as this was the day hundreds of templar knights were hunted down, tortured, and killed for heresy.
420
This is a bit of a funny one. 420 has been widely associated with marijuana culture for a long time. It comes from a misunderstanding. Police forces have codes they use to let each other know what type of crime they’re calling in over their walkie-talkies. For some reason, marijuana users came to believe that 420 was the code for someone smoking weed where they weren’t allowed to. Even though this has been proven false, the number still holds its meaning and is used across the world to tell others that a place or person is marijuana-friendly.
666
Maybe you’ve heard that 666 is “the devil’s number.” Maybe you’ve seen it in horror films used to mark the evil child. In the ancient Hebrew language, numbers often meant letters, and letters meant numbers. 666 also means Nero Caesar (he was a ruler of the roman empire widely considered to be evil at the time the later additions to the bible were written).
1111
Maybe you’ve heard someone say, “it’s 11:11; make a wish.” 1111 is thought to be a sign that the things you’ve opened yourself up for in the world are coming to you. Many people who undertake a spiritual journey claim that they began seeing this number all over the place and felt like it was encouraging them to keep going.
The above factoids about numbers and the way that they are used within cultures to communicate ideas and messages are just the tip of the iceberg. Numerology has endless applications in our lives and in helping us understand cultural differences. If you notice a certain number appearing again and again in your life, consider doing a bit of research. It might be a message.