The mystical study of numbers, derived mainly from Hindu and Arabic teaching, but also from Jewish and Chinese traditions. In the Chinese tradition, odd numbers are yang in quality and symbolize the celestial world, whereas even numbers are yin in quality and represent the terrestrial world. Pythagoras believed that the character of each of the nine numbers is linked to cosmic influences, and that numbers can be used to interpret the energies available at a particular hour, day, week, month, or year. Each number has a size, quality, vibration, and mystical value, and the study of their symbolism can be used as a method of divination.
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Numerology refers to any of many systems, traditions or beliefs in a mystical or esoteric relationship between numbers and physical objects or living things.
Numerology and numerological divination were popular among early mathematicians, such as Pythagoras, but are no longer considered part of mathematics and are regarded as pseudomathematics by most scientists.
Today, numerology is often associated with the occult, alongside astrology and similar divinatory arts.
Digit summing
Numerologists often reduce a number or word by a process known as digit summing, then reach conclusions based on the single digit that is produced.
Digit summing, as the name implies, involves taking the sum of all of the digits in a number, and repeating the process as necessary until a single-digit answer is produced.
Examples:
3,489 ->The resulting numbers are usually assigned definitions to provide the desired insight.
Different methods of calculation exist, including Chaldean, Pythagorean, Hebraic, Helyn Hitchcock's method, Phonetic, Japanese and Indian.
In some cases, in a type of numerological divination, the name and birthdate of an individual will be used to numerologically analyze and define personality and propensities.
History
Historians believe that modern numerology is an integration of the teachings from Ancient Babylonia, Pythagoras and his followers, (6th century B.C.
Pythagoras and other philosophers of the time believed that because mathematical concepts were more "practical" (easier to regulate and classify) than physical ones, they had greater actuality. 354 - 430) wrote " Numbers are the Universal language offered by the deity to humans as confirmation of the truth."
In 325 A.D., following the First Council of Nicaea, departures from the beliefs of the state Church were classified as civil violations within the Roman Empire.
An example of the influence of numerology in English literature is Sir Thomas Browne's 1658 Discourse The Garden of Cyrus.
Chinese numerology
Some Chinese assign a different set of meanings to the numbers and certain number combinations are considered luckier then others.
Chinese number definitions
Cantonese frequently assign the following definitions, which may differ in other forms of Chinese:
- 一 sure - 二 easy - 三 live - 四 - considered unlucky since the pronunciation of 4 ( sì } sounds like the word for death ( sǐ ). - 五 - the self, me, myself, nothing, never - 六 - easy and smooth - 七 - together - 八 - sudden fortune, prosperity - 九 - long in timeSome lucky number combinations include:
168 - road of prosperity or to be prosperous together - many premium-pay telephone numbers in China begin with this number. 518 - I will prosper, other variations include: 5189 (I will prosper for a long time), 516289 (I will get on a long, smooth prosperous road) and 5918 (I will soon prosper) 888 - prosperity x3.54 - never die 18 - sure prosper 28 - easy prosper 48 - forever
Numerology and astrology
Some astrologers believe that each number, from 0 to 9, is ruled by a celestial body in our solar system.
"Numerology" in science
Scientific theories are sometimes labelled 'numerology' if their primary inspiration appears to be mathematical rather than scientific.
The best known example of 'numerology' in science involves the co-incidental resemblance of certain large numbers that intrigued such eminent mathematical physicists as Dirac, Weyl and Eddington.
Large number co-incidences continue to fascinate many mathematical physicists. Gilson has constructed a 'Quantum Theory of Gravity' based loosely on Dirac's large number hypothesis .
In popular culture
In the movie π, the protagonist meets a numerologist searching for hidden numerical patterns in the Torah.
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