Origins and History of Numerology

Numbers play an important role in one’s life. Numerology is the art of interpretation of numbers related to the date of birth or name of the individual. In simple terms, it deals with the predictions in relation to numbers. Numerology caters to the basic desire of any human being to know the future. Numerologists believe that everything, including abstract concepts, can be converted into numbers and that every number represents a spectrum of related concepts ranging from positive and progressive to negative and destructive.

For instance, the numbers of our name describe the things we were born knowing. The numbers of our birth date describe the things we need to learn. The Birth name can reveal what you want out of life, your fantasies and daydreams, your abilities, your strengths, your karma, and your experiences in life. Knowledge of these numbers can be utilized to better ones strengths, diminish the weaknesses and move within the flow of life and use your energies more wisely. In other words, one can build the positive aspects and progress in life or use the negative and find setbacks and even ultimate destruction.

Numerology deals with the nine major planets of the Universe and their characteristic features. The planetary position at the time of a person's birth ascertains the personality of that individual. These planets are given numerical values depending on their vibrations in relation to the number. The characteristics of the individual, ranging from thinking, reasoning, emotions, philosophy, desires, aversions, health, career, etc. are all dominated by these numbers or their corresponding planets.

Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician who lived from 569-470 B.C., is generally accepted as the "father" of Numerology. But there is evidence that numerology was in use much before in China, Greece, Rome, and Egypt. The actual origins of numerology predate Pythagoras, the most popular being from the Hindu Vedas. Numerology is based on Pythagoras belief that reality is mathematical. For their readings, modern numerologists adopt the original Pythagorean system in which a number value ranging from one to nine is assigned to every letter of the alphabet: A is 1, B is 2, C is 3 and so on for interpretation purpose.

Check out my hubs on the importance and calculation of destiny number, birth date or ruling number in Numerology and Wearing Gemstones based on Numerology.