If you’re at all drawn to esoteric things or have been experiencing many coincidences lately, you might find yourself running into the idea of numerology. In the broadest sense, numerology is the study and belief in the meaning of numbers. It is the concept that numbers can be interpreted as messages that can help guide you when you’re feeling stuck or doubtful about what should come next.
Numerology has been around for thousands of years, going back to ancient Greece, China, and Babylon. The following will explore some exciting details about numerology and how paying attention to numbers in your life can help you feel a little more aware of what’s going on beneath the surface.
Life Path Numbers
The most straightforward part of numerology involves the calculation of life path numbers. This is a pretty easy thing to do. You take the year you were born, the month, and the day and add all these numbers up.
So, if you were born on October 31st, 1995, for example, you’d add up 1+9+9+5+1+0+3+1. If the number you end up with is more than one digit (like in our example, 29), you add those numbers again (2+9).
There are two exceptions to this step. If the two-digit number is 11 or 22, you leave it as is. So we end up with 11 when we add those. This means someone born on October 31st, 1995, is on life path number 11. There are eleven life path numbers (1 through 9, plus 11 and 22), and each one is believed to reveal what you came to Earth (this time around) for.
Once you know your life path number, you can look up an explanation of your particular path and see how this broadens your awareness of what you’re trying to do with your time here. You can also use this to better understand the people in your life.
Here’s a rough outline to get you started:
- Life Path One is organized around creativity, communication, and confidence. These are people with high standards who tend to be assertive.
- Life Path Two revolves around sensitivity and intuition. Understanding life’s subtleties and having deep connections is the goal.
- Life Path Three is about expression, development, and empathy. These people are nurturing and make great counselors.
- Life Path Four is geared towards family and security. Taking care of other people and building a legacy is where it’s at for fours.
- Life Path Five is focused on freedom and revolution. These people are adventurous and excellent storytellers.
- Life Path Six is about finding harmony. These folk are idealistic and aesthetically oriented.
- Life Path Seven is about faith and trust. These are the seekers who are trying to solve life’s mysteries.
- Life Path Eight revolves around abundance and leadership. These people are healthy, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
- Life Path Nine has to do with integrity and completion. Often called old souls, these people are understanding and great at communicating.
- Life Path Eleven is about finding inspiration. These folk tend to connect to higher senses of knowledge and share what they learn.
- Life Path Twenty-Two is related to spiritual strength. These people focus on bringing compassion to others.
Life Path Numbers Can Indicate Compatibility
Life path numbers can give you an idea of your compatibility with someone (romantic relationships, friendships, business partners, etc.). This is because each path has a different focus in this life. This doesn’t mean you can assume that you’re compatible with them if you have the same life path number as someone. Just like in astrology (two Sagittarians will end up in a never-ending competition cycle where the result is them burning a bar down and getting arrested), life path numbers don’t always pair best with someone who has the same life path as they do.
Numerology Also Works Alongside Words
In many numerology practices, each letter of an alphabet is given a numerical value. When you add up all the numbers from your name until you have a single-digit or 11, or 22, you have your expression number. This can inform how you show up in your life and on your life path. If you’ve gotten married or changed your name for whatever reason, you need to use your original name, the one given to you at birth.
People sometimes have trouble accepting that their name could influence aspects of their lives, but countless studies have shown that our names change our appearance and personality. This is because people have many associations made with each name they hear, so they unconsciously treat people with different names differently. Numerology simplifies these associations.
The above information is only a summary; a peek into the world of numerology. Each person has countless important and relevant numbers to pay attention to, so don’t think your life path number is the whole story.