Numerology is the mystical science of numbers that is used to interpret the special significance of the relationship between letters, numbers, sounds, music, events, names, birth dates, planets, and foretell the future. Out of the major methodologies that have been followed across ages, it is important to note that the basic meaning and interpretation of the numbers remain largely the same across all these different calculation methodologies, what changes is the technique that is used for the calculation.
While the Chaldean method is considered as the mother of all numerology systems, in reality, Vedic numerology is the actual origin of Chaldean Numerology. The Pythagorean System arrived only after Alexander conquered Babylonia and the Greek’s had access to the Chaldean Numerology Scripts. Let’s look deeper into the fundamental concepts of the Pythagorean Numerology.
According to ancient numerologist Pythagoras’s theories, certain letters have specific numerical values based on the position of each letter in the alphabet, which are as follows:
This form of Western Numerology was developed by Pythagoras, a brilliant Greek philosopher and mathematician, in the 5th Century BC. His theory was that there was a quantifiable relationship between numbers and musical notes, and that the vibrations in stringed instruments could be mathematically explained. All the numbers ranging from 1-9 hold certain energy and vibrations which can be both used positively or negatively. This form of Numerology is mostly used by western countries today and has gained a great deal of popularity and acceptance till date due to its easy way of assigning numbers in a simple sequence to the Latin alphabet.
Pythagoras theorized that there are 6 core numbers of immense significance in your life. Three of these numbers are computed from your name and three of them from your birth day. Analyzing these six numbers based on Pythagorean study will help you discover interesting facets of your personality and about your life. They are:
- Life Path or DOB Number: It’s calculated by adding all the numbers in a person’s full date of birth. If the final value is a double-digit, it’s reduced to a single digit number.
For example, Mandela’s birthday is July 18, 1918
His Life Path Number is, 1+8+7+1+9+1+8 = 35 = 3+5 = 7
It provides the most information about you and your life. It shows your life experiences and the lessons you will learn during your lifetime and tells us which direction we should take in life.
- Birth Day or DD Number: Take the day of the month you were born on and reduce it to a single digit number.
Mandela’s Birth Day Number is, 1+8 = 9
This number reveals specific talents and potentials that you were born with, which can help you fulfill your life’s purpose and destiny.
- First Impression or DDMM Number: Is derived by adding the day and month of one’s birth, and then reducing the sum to a single digit number.
Mandela’s First Impression Number is, 1+8+7 = 16 = 1+6 = 7
This number tells us about the first impression that we have for others when we communicate with them for the very first time as well as how you see yourself. It depicts our outer behavior; how we interact with the outside world.
- Expression Or Destiny Number: Add all the letters in your full name and then reduce it to a single digit.
For example, let’s take Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela name to reveal his Destiny Number:
Finally, we add 7 + 6 + 5 = 18, resulting in a Destiny Number of 9.
The expression number depicts a person’s natural capabilities, talents, and shortcomings that they born with, which might affect or help them in their lifetime.
By making changes to the name, the individual gets a new Destiny number. This is believed to change certain parts of the individual’s personality and destiny. The Birth number on the other hand, is permanent and cannot be altered no matter what and is viewed as an extension of the Destiny number.
- Inner Soul or Vowel Number: Add all the vowels in your full name, and then reduce it to a single digit.
Mandela’s Inner Soul Number is, 5+6+6+9+1+1+1+5+1 = 35 = 3+5 = 7
This number is an inner reflection of your hearts desires, cravings, passion and motivation in life.
- Character or Consonants Number: Add all the consonants in your full name and then reduce it to a single digit number.
Mandela’s Character Number is, 5+3+1+5+9+3+8+3+8+3+4+5+4+3 = 64 = 6+4 = 10 = 1+0 = 1
The character number tells us what people perceive about us when they interact with us and from what they hear and see of us.
Finally, the single digit core numbers are assigned a particular meaning and significance based on the Pythagorean system:
Numbers | Positive Personality Traits | Negative Personality Traits |
1 | Courageous, a leader, individual, and willing to take the initiative. | Selfish, lazy, egotistical and aggressive. |
2 | Loving, a partner, diplomatic and co-operative. | Tends to vacillate, timid, overly sensitive, and tactless. |
3 | Artistic and creative, expressive, imaginative, cheerful and sociable. | Loose talk, exaggeration, and pessimistic. |
4 | Practical, industrious, constructive. | Poor imagination, overly serious, argumentative. |
5 | Free-spirited, sexual, versatile, amusing and knowledgable. | Careless, restless, nervous and changeable. |
6 | Artistic, responsible, a family maker, care selflessly for others. | Sensitive, skeptical, and struggles to be alone. |
7 | Spiritual, wise, analytical. | Selfish, egotistical, aggressive and lazy. |
8 | Organized, good judgment, systematic. | Impatient desires too much recognition, materialistic. |
9 | Philanthropic, humanitarian, selfless. | Moody and impulsive. |
In the Pythagorean system, there are three master numbers (11, 22, 33), which do not get reduced to a single number. Hence, if your name number or birth number comes out to one of these master numbers, then you do not combine the numbers to form a single digit. When the same number is repeated, its vibrational power increases.
Numbers | Positive Personality Traits | Negative Personality Traits |
11 | Intuitive, inspirational, spiritual. | Nervous, impractical, a loner. |
22 | Practical and a spiritual master. | Conflict between those inner feelings and practical nature. |
33 | Master Teacher, nurturing, devoted, spiritual, healing, inspiring, altruistic, creative, compassionate, wise | Idealistic to a fault, self-righteous, meddling, self-absorbed, self-destructive through elevated self-righteousness and overcritical demanding perfectionism. |
Divinity World has conducted a comprehensive study of the various number systems showing the numerical values assigned within the Latin alphabet below, which gives a holistic view of how the Numerology systems stack up together:
Latin Script | Chaldean Method | Sepharial / Hebrew |
Pythagorean Method |
A |
1 | 1 |
1 |
B |
2 | 2 |
2 |
C |
3 | 11/2 |
3 |
D |
4 | 4 |
4 |
E |
5 | 5 |
5 |
F |
8 | 17/8 |
6 |
G |
3 | 3 |
7 |
H |
8 | 8 |
8 |
I |
1 | 10/1 |
9 |
J |
1 | 10/1 |
1 |
K |
2 | 11/2 |
2 |
L | 3 | 12/3 |
3 |
M |
4 | 13/4 |
4 |
N |
5 | 14/5 |
5 |
O |
7 | 16/7 |
6 |
P |
8 | 17/8 |
7 |
Q |
1 | 19/1 |
8 |
R |
2 | 20/2 |
9 |
S | 3 | 21/3 |
1 |
T |
4 | 22/4 |
2 |
U |
6 | 6 |
3 |
V |
6 | 6 |
4 |
W |
6 | 6 |
5 |
X | 5 | 15/6 |
6 |
Y |
1 | 10/1 |
7 |
Z |
7 | 7 |
8 |