Pythagoras, the ancient Greek philosopher, certainly made his contributions to the mathematical community – after all, if you ask most people what they know about Pythagoras, chances are they will recall the familiar equation we all learned in school, “A squared plus B squared equals C squared,” known as the Pythagorean Theorem, and used to determine the value of the sides of triangles. However, he considered himself a philosopher above all else. How did he view mathematics? More importantly, what were his philosophical, neurological, and religious contributions?

Who Was Pythagoras?

Pythagoras was born in Samos, a Greek island in the Aegean sea, in 570 BC. The son of a seal engraver, not much is known about Pythagoras’ early life. However, most scholars agree that when he was about age 40, Pythagoras traveled to Crotone in Calabria to found a school.

The school developed into a commune, the teachings of which were kept secret. It is thought that Pythagoras’ scientific, mathematical, and philosophical discoveries were taught there, and in his day he was associated with a great many discoveries. Among them were the Pythagorean theorem, which was named for him.

He was also credited with Pythagorean tuning – a system of musical tuning based on the pure, perfect fifth – the five regular solids that were later credited to Plato – the discovery of the spherical earth, and identifying Venus as a planet rather than a star. Later, some of these discoveries were attributed to his contemporaries or students, but Pythagoras began the school of philosophy which led to all.

What Did Pythagoras Believe?

Pythagoras believed in the continuity of life and rebirth of the immortal soul and believed he had lived over 99,000 lives in a row. He believed himself able to communicate with enlightened spirits, and that the planets themselves had their own particular music. This spherical music was said to correspond to the mathematical formations made by the planets, stars, and their paths in the sky. To that end, he also believed in the healing powers of music.

Most relevant to modern numerology are the beliefs Pythagoras held regarding numbers. To Pythagoras, everything in the entire universe could be explained using numbers. This did not only apply to mathematical purposes but also to spiritual purposes.

• Pythagoras held that letters corresponded to numerals, two or three to each numeral from 1 to 9:

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

A person’s entire destiny could be determined by analyzing the numbers associated with their name and date of birth. In addition, Pythagoras assigned numbers to all gods, goddesses, and other deities relative to their name and station in his society.

Destiny Number

A person’s Destiny Number, also known as an expression number, was obtained by adding up the numerical values for each letter and reducing down to a final single digit number. This number was said to reveal the opportunities a person would encounter in life.

The Destiny Number is calculated in a way similar to today’s Soul Urge number and Karmic numbers, which are calculated with the numerical equivalents to the vowels and consonants in a name, respectively. These numbers are said to represent the inner challenges and heart’s desires, and the inner hopes of each person.

Life Path Number

The more modern concept of the Life Path Number was derived from a practice of Pythagoras as well. A person’s birth date is added up and reduced to a single digit, which corresponds to a specific path in life, strengths, weaknesses, talents, and drives. Pythagoras had previously assigned qualities to each numeral he believed to correspond to the very nature of those numbers and their relation to the planets and the universe at large. These qualities also applied to individuals who were associated with those numerals.

In general, numbers could have either masculine or feminine qualities, positive and negative qualities, and could carry karmic debts – or sins from past lifetimes – into the present. The following are examples of Pythagorean number qualities

• 1 = The beginning of all things, initiative, selfishness

• 2= Matter, cooperation, indecisiveness

• 3 = The ideal number, creativity, pessimism

• 4 = Four seasons, industriousness, ill health

• 5 = Marriage (2+3), freedom, restlessness

• 6 = Artistic, responsible, coldness

• 7 = The sacred number, spirituality, laziness

• 8 = Organization, impatience

• 9 = Selflessness, must learn to be more selfish

• 10 = The perfect number – Pythagoreans never gathered in groups over 10

• 11 = Master number, intuition (another master number was 22)

Many of these qualities still hold with today’s numerologists, and it can be argued that Pythagoras is the father of modern western numerology. Other religions and schools of thought around the world study numerology, but Pythagoras’ beliefs are the very foundation of numerology as it exists today.

Numerology is the practice of analyzing numbers and their energies and is thousands of years old. It’s no surprise, then, that some of the major world religions incorporate numerology into their studies, reaching more with numerology than ever thought possible. So let’s look at Indian numerology. How is numerology applied in Hinduism, the world’s third-largest major religion?

Background on Hinduism

One of the oldest religions on the planet, Hinduism is practiced by nearly 15% of the world’s population – approximately 1.15 billion people. Hinduism originated on the Indian subcontinent and makes up nearly 80% of India’s religious population, though it now has adherents around the world. Otherwise known as Hindu dharma, after the eternal law of the religion, Hinduism can be traced back to the second millennium BC.

Generally speaking, adherents of the Hindu religion see Hinduism as a way of life and not just a religion. They believe that truth comes in many forms and depends on the circumstances of the believer. A long, continuous tradition and many ideas, practices, and experiences form a large network of diversity within the religion.

Numerology Basics

Generally speaking, numerology is the study of numbers. However, it is necessary to dive much deeper than the surface level when it comes to discussing numerology, because numerology isn’t only about mathematics. Instead, numerology involves the understanding of each number as a different source of energy. These building blocks of energy comprise how we understand ourselves, individuals around us, and the universe at large.

Individually, each number can be analyzed to isolate particular traits, behaviors, and qualities. When taken together, patterns of numbers can be used to understand the way it all fits together, a more in-depth, overall picture of a person and their motivations. However, where do we get these numbers?

Perhaps you’ve noticed a particular number, appearing again and again in some way, shape or form, throughout your life. Maybe you’ve always had a lucky number, or a number that’s held significance for you for one reason or another. Still, other significant numbers are found in your birth date or associated with the letters of your birth name. In short, significant numbers can be found anywhere.

Numerology and Hinduism

Given the nature of the Hindu religion, it is not difficult to see how practices such as numerology came to be intertwined with the faith. Perhaps more so than other religions, Hinduism uses numerology to describe people and even their motivations. Overall, three different types of numbers are considered important to Hindus

Psychic Number

The Psychic number is said to define an individual’s character and reveal the way a person looks at him or herself. It is said to influence personality, daily interactions, and explain the actions of a person. Arguably the most fundamental number, it is derived from the day of the month on which an individual was born.

People born on the 1st through the 9th have already arrived at their psychic number. For two-digit numbers, simply add the digits. For example, a person born the 27th of the month has a Psychic number of 2+7=9.

Destiny Number

A Destiny number, on the other hand, is said to reveal how the world views a particular person. It is related to a person’s Sankara, or vibration patterns related to karma or past deeds. It is said that throughout life, people become more and more like their destiny number as they learn lessons, particularly in the late 30s and 40s.

A Destiny number is calculated by adding up the day, month, and year of birth, continuing to add until a single digit is reached. For example, a Destiny number for a birth date of 1-12-2001 would be accomplished by adding 1+1+2+2+0+0+1=7.

Name Number

A name number is said to influence relationships with other people. A person can have different name numbers based on the different names people call them, or the names they choose to go by. A name number is calculated using the sound frequencies of the original pronunciation of a name, which correspond to various numbers.

Hindu Number Meanings

Each number has a certain meaning in Hinduism, and individuals with psychic, destiny or name numbers corresponding to a certain number may be said to carry certain traits:

1. Leadership, success
2. Teachers, healing qualities
3. Artists, idealists
4. Builders, radicals
5. Entertainers, social
6. Nurturing, support
7. Mystical, philosophical
8. Hardworking, driven, fame and fortune
9. Compassion for humanity, works for humankind

Certainly, these characteristics do not entirely describe a person, but many Hindus believe that a combination of traits of the three numbers described above can provide a basic picture. Take a moment and check out your Hindu numbers – do the listed traits describe you?

Sources:

• https://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_numerology.asp
• http://www.sanatansociety.org/vedic_astrology_and_numerology/indian_numerology.htm
• https://astrologybay.com/indian-numerology
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/hinduism

Numerology, the study of the energy and inter connectivity of numbers, is often considered mysterious. Tarot, on the other hand, is the study of cards and how they can predict the future. These are philosophies that date back thousands of years, and they are often connected. This article will describe some basic concepts of numerology and how it relates to the Tarot.

Numerology Explained

Numerology involves the study of numbers – specifically, the study of the unique energies numbers are thought to have and the way they relate and interconnect with each other to form the basic building blocks of the universe and the individual. When studied separately, each number’s appearance can be studied as its contribution to the overall energy.

People can derive meaning from numbers that frequently appear in their lives. Often, the numbers analyzed are those deeply rooted within the individual, such as the number associated with the birth year, or Life Path Number. Another example is that of the numbers derived from a person’s name, such as the Soul Urge and Karmic numbers.

The Tarot Explained

The Tarot deck is a deck of 78 cards, each with its own meaning, imagery and symbolism. The cards are divided into two groups, known as the Major and Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana are 22 cards that represent major life lessons and events, whether spiritual or otherwise. The 40 Minor Arcana are arranged into 4 suits and represent more day-to-day challenges, lessons and events. The suits of the Minor Arcana are said to represent specific qualities:

• Wands – will
• Cups – emotion
• Swords – intellect
• Pentacles – material

When a Tarot reading is performed, the properties of each card’s imagery, suit, and life lessons is said to be able to guide the subject of the reading on the right path toward self-discovery, certain goals, and self-development.

Many still believe that Tarot can describe a fortune or the future based on a similar set of circumstances that happened in the past. Others believe the lessons are meant only to cause self-reflection and reveal a path upon which one must travel to achieve goals. In either case, however, it remains that the numbers on a Tarot deck can allow further analysis of the cards drawn.

Numerology and the Tarot Compared

Each deck is numbered the same – the 22 cards of the Major Arcana are numbered from 1 to 22. The 40 cards of the Minor Arcana are numbered from 1 to 10 within each suit. Overall, then, there are five cards per deck that correspond with each number from 1 through 10 – one from the Major Arcana and one each from the suits of the Minor Arcana.

Numbers 1 through 10 are each given particular meanings as they relate to both the Major and Minor Arcana:

• New beginnings, the initial step of a journey
• Partnership, a choice between two things or paths
• Growth or progression of a project or relationship
• Foundations, structure, practicality, a measure of success
• Instability, change, and perspective
• Stability, friendship, helpers and community
• Patience with the journey, peace with waiting
• Progress, anticipation of the ultimate success of the journey
• Completion of the numerological cycle and the journey
• Rebirth, beginning the process over again

When cards are shown, the suit, number, and life lesson of each is taken into account. Numerology does not stand on its own within Tarot; rather, all aspects work together to form a picture of the journey.

Life Path Number and the Tarot

In some cases, the Major Arcana are considered to show numbers corresponding to the numerological Life Path Numbers. Your Life Path Number can be found by reducing the numbers of the day, month and year in which you were born to a single digit. For example, a person born 10-22-2001 would reduce those numbers to 1+0=1, 2+2=4, and 2+0+0+1=3, and then add each together 1+4+3=8. The final Life Path Number is 8.

The Birth Card is the Major Arcana card that corresponds to your Life Path Number. In this case, the eighth Major Arcana card is Justice, and its traits and meanings would correspond to the individual’s own. In addition, each birth card is said to have specific strengths, challenges, and insights for love, career, and more.

Overall, numerology does not encompass all of what a Tarot reading is meant to accomplish. However, the associations between the two are clear. Numerological analysis and Tarot reading can work hand in hand to provide a more complete picture of the goals, traits, abilities, and characteristics of the individual and the challenges they face.

Sources:

• https://www.astrology.com/article/its-all-connected-the-importance-of-numerology-in-the-tarot/
• https://www.biddytarot.com/what-is-tarot-how-does-it-work/
• https://numerologist.com/numerology/how-to-find-your-tarot-birth-card-life-path-1-the-magician/
• https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/learn-tarot-with-labyrinthos-academy/tarot-and-numerology-what-do-numbers-in-tarot-mean-for-the-minor-arcana-infographic
• https://tarotprophet.com/numerology-and-tarot-how-are-they-linked/