What is Chaldean Numerology?
When people get started with practising numerology, one of the first conundrums they face is which strand of this very broad topic should they branch down. Many contemporary sources of numerology study the so-called Pythagorean method, which whilst being Greek in origin, it is lost to history as to whether Pythagoras can be credited as its innovator. And there are other numerological sources relating to the Mayans, Indians, Chinese, Babylonians amongst many others. It seems a common theme with many long standing civilisations is that they had a school of numerology.
Chaldean numerology is arguably more known in the popular consciousness than the Chaldeans themselves, natives of a who were a relatively short-lived country in the Middle East called Chaldea which existed from the 10th to 6th centuries BC. When we think of mystical topics stemming from this part of the world, the qabalah is always on the shortlist, and it should no surprise that there are links a plenty between Chaldean numerology and other schools of mystical learning of this part of the world.
Does the provenance of Chaldean numerology give it extra credibility? Practitioners would seem to think so. In the nature of the qabalah tradition, letters, numbers and sounds are inextricably linked to mystical concepts, if not creation itself - the famous quotation "in the beginning was the word, and the word was God" explains succinctly the mindset of philosophers who looked to the symbology of the alphabet in order to explain the reason of their very being. As such, the natural interweaving between symbols, metaphysical concepts and states of being, as now studied for millennia, makes Chaldean numerology a solid choice when evaluating paths to take in the study of numerology.
What can you do with Chaldean Numerology?
The practical applications of Chaldean numerology can be far reaching. One reason is because in the qabalah system, numbers are key to forming correspondences between all physical and metaphysical practices, such as astrology, tarot, and the paths we take through life. So it is quite easy to describe the meanings of numbers making reference to various other systems that are commonly worked with. Furthermore each letter of the alphabet has a number, and whole words, serving as collections of letters, can show their higher meanings when added together - a practice known as Gematria.
It is the highly personalised nature of a reading that makes Chaldean numerology particularly attractive. Many numerological systems employ evaluating people's names and birth dates, but with Chaldean methods we can also dive into other disciplines such as astrology and tarot to say more about what that individual faces at this particular point in time, and also what the future holds, should they not change anything about their current predicament.
Basic principles of Chaldean Numerology
As Chaldean numerology is thousands of years old, and indeed the Chaldean culture is long dispersed, attempting to provide a definitively authentic account of its practice is somewhat moot. The best we can do is to look at the ingredients that make up the Chaldean school of thought and reconcile them with the methods with which contemporary numerologists have had success. We find that the correspondence and meaning of numbers is a fairly stable measure shared by Chaldean numerologists, but when it comes to deciding how calculations should be carried out, approaches differ somewhat between practitioners.
Consider for example a reading based on a person's name. Are we interested in a calculation based on their whole name? Including middle names? What if they are known mainly by a nickname or a married name? Are the initials more important than the other letters? You will see where I'm going with this. It is fair to say that some numerologists will hone in on some details and not others, but this isn't to discredit either the principle or the abilities of the numerologist outright. More, it is the realisation that numerology is a tool with which the numerologist's skillset can navigate the soul and journey of a person they have never met before, much like a calculator carries out a rigid set of operations but can be used very skilfully in different ways in the hands of an accountant or an astrophysicist. It is likewise part of the numerologist's own journey how they have developed their methods through studying related disciplines, continuous practice and research, which combine to their attunement and their own personal touch that they can give to a reading.
To strip away these questions and look at Chaldean numerology in the most straightforward sense, we have to understand that:
- numbers from 1-9 have particular meanings
- many numbers above 10 also have particular meanings, the importance of which may vary based on the numbers, and to some extent the numerologist
- numbers that relate to you can be very direct such as your date of birth, or are discovered indirectly by converting words (such as your name) into numbers
- numbers may be "reduced" down by iterative addition of individual digits where numbers are deemed too "large" to be meaningful
- In the next sections we will look at these topics individually, in order to see the key ingredients with which a numerological reading is carried out in the Chaldean method.
Numbers 1-9
The numbers 0-9 form the digits of every number in our counting system. They may therefore be regarded as the foundation of numerology, since they can be formed in any sequence to make up any other numbers.
The first thing to understand is the role of 0 (zero), which in numerology is by and large discarded. From a mathematical point of view. 0 is different to other numbers, firstly in that in its rawest form it signifies the presence of "no numbers". Mathematical operations with zero either disregard it or, in the case of division by zero, cause a failure in logic. The other common use of zero is to indicate order of magnitude, eg. the scale that differentiates the general "size" of a number in the 10s, 100s, 1000s, or 0.1, 0.01 etc. So 0 can be thought of as defining either the concept of nothingness or serves a purely utilitarian value, neither of which give it any sense of meaning when transferred to the basis of numerology.
So for the remaining numbers 1-9 which form a common set in terms of obeying the same mathematical usage, we can ascribe particular meanings, which are laid out in simple terms as follows:
Number 1 - Can be interpreted very literally as the first: an originating source of energy and a leader. Take these both together and you have a personality that stands strongest as an individual, one who creates plans, and the one who naturally takes charge. All whole numbers can be created by addition of 1, so it has all encompassing qualities. However those that show such uniqueness do not necessarily form good bonds with others, so winning personal understanding is not as easily obtained as the many material achievements.
Number 2 - Like 1 is an individual, 2 represents pairing and harmonious balance, and all the benefits of mutual collaboration and understanding. Also the active reaching out to people, helping others, resolving issues and learning from experience and feedback. However the openness and empathy can turn in a mess when it falls out of control, especially with the conflicting and self-serving demands of closest family and friends.
Number 3 - The number 3 stands for the three key components that guide us along in life - mind, body and spirit. It in particular represents the birth of ideas in the spiritual and mental realms, and their conception into the physical. Those with this number in their charts experience high levels of creativity which they can channel into the disciplines of mind, body and spirit. Number 3s are not always aware when it's best to slow down, and need to self reflect at times where the demands of the mind exceed the capacity of the body.
Number 4 - This number represents a certain stability and structure, such as the four directions on a compass or the sides of a square. Stern logic and groundedness are key here, as are risk aversion and safety in decision making. Reliability and consistency are strong qualities, thanks to sticking to routine and the tried and tested. Very dependable qualities at times, but the room for growth is questionable, if a shifting in attitude or the promise of a surprise is ever on the cards.
Number 5 - Corresponds with the five elements - earth, air, fire, water, ether - and the movement of energy between each of these. For that reason, those under the number 5 tend to be regarded as having a lot of strings to their bow and highly transformative, yet at the same time balanced with an ease to all that they do. Their main fuel is that of free will, they will work well as long as they are not tied down and can get what they want from the situation. As such, may be perceived as non-committal or deliberately hurting others, when they are trying to put their right to freedom first.
Number 6 - The number 6 gently loops around on itself, and focuses on promoting peace and harmony, with qualities of empathy and acceptance. This person puts people at ease and is seen as the go-to person where wise advice and counsel is required. The pros and cons of being a 6 are therefore fairly obvious, with the downside being that their own development is stalled by the amount of energy given to others, not least finding themselves having to absorb the emotional waste of others.
Number 7 - The number 7 is almost like a question mark and people under the number 7 are the ones who tend to ask lots of questions, and as such learn, think and advance, often taking others with them. In some ways they blend the best qualities of 3 and 4, willing to be rational but test rationality to its limits. However questioning everything is not the purest mindset with which to enter relationships, and the negativity of scepticism can just as much sow seeds of doubt as opportunity.
Number 8 - The number 8 is drawn as two circles looping together, representing the physical and the astral, or money and happiness, and so on. The circles do not overlap, merely touch, with one only barely knowing the other, but somehow finding union. Those who are number 8 can find themselves disadvantaged into being too focused in excelling in one circle but not the other, much to their detriment. If they can fix this, then they will find far more windows of opportunity open to them. Some people say that the sign for infinity is an 8 lying on its side, so is the symbol of 8 an infinity trying to stand upright?
Number 9 - Regarded as a particularly spiritual number. Here is where intuition presides over reasoning, creativity over stasis and chaos over order. For number 9 individuals, they live by the quest for transcendence, but there is often much turbulence in how this is reached. For every moment in their lives where they have displayed a sudden spark of true inspired genius and shown ascended qualities, there is another where they have hit rock bottom having pursued shadier pathways when seeking something more out of life.
What is my number?
As inferred above, there is no substitute for a professional reading by an experienced numerologist, who knows how to deal with some of the questions surrounding an analysis such as this. However you can still get a sense for where a reading would be heading by attempting a basic analysis on your own.
Consider your full name, including all middle names where applicable, eg.
MARK ANTHONY SMITH
The next obvious step is finding out how to turn this name into something that is useful for a numerological reading. We need to take each letter and convert it into a number via the Chaldean system as follows:
1 = A, I, Q, J, Y
2 = B, K, R
3 = C, L, G, S
4 = D, M, T
5 = E, N, H, X
6 = U, V, W
7 = O, Z
8 = F, P
So let's do this.
M A R K A N T H O N Y S M I T H
4 1 2 2 1 5 4 5 7 5 1 3 4 1 4 5
Which is great, but we still can't get an awful lot out of this!
To achieve some coherence, we next need to find a way of reducing all the above numbers into one core number that can serve as the basis for an analysis. Numerologists do this by first adding all the numbers a name presents together as follows:
4+1+2+2+1+5+4+5+7+5+1+3+4+1+4+5 = 54
And then we need to address the number 54 which is out of the range of 1-9! We now need to add up the individual digits of the number as so:
5+4 = 9
So we can see that Mark Anthony Smith is a 9.
Already we can see some of the reasoning here that encourages people to change their names to improve on their numerological fortune. For example, Mark Anthony Smith could take the simple measure of reducing his middle name to Tony - Mark Tony Smith - and then be (4+1+2+2 + 4+7+5+1 + 3+4+1+4+5) => (4+3) => 7, if he chose to be.
You can apply the same methodology to date and time of birth, place of birth, current residence, phone number, and so on and so forth.
Higher numbers
Chaldean numerology does not always rely on making all things fit to one of nine categories. There are all sorts of numbers from 10 upwards which have detailed correspondences, which tend to be less about the here and now, and rather more about what the universe possibly has in store for the future. I would hazard against seeing this as plain fortune telling however, but rather providing cautionary tales of how situations may wind up without conscious intervention.
Taking the example of our good friend Mark Anthony Smith again, we could conduct a similar exercise by taking the raw sum of all the letters of his name.
M A R K A N T H O N Y S M I T H
4 1 2 2 1 5 4 5 7 5 1 3 4 1 4 5 = 54
And also taking the raw sum of all the letters of each name eg.
MARK = 4+1+2+2 = 9
ANTHONY = 1+5+4+5+7+5+1 = 28
SMITH = 3+4+1+4+5 = 17
So we have a good range of numbers now (9, 17, 28, 54) with which to delve deeper into Mark's life and perhaps give him some useful pointers for future guidance.
Number 10 - whilst this reduces to 1, a definitive yet polarised number, 10 has more fruitful and positive backing behind its ventures. Bumps along the road are seen as just that, with graceful acceptance they can move on and are confident they will do better next time.
Number 11 - 11 is known as a "master number" along with some other multiples of 11, which is particularly powerful, for good or otherwise. Inheritants of 11 characteristics tend to have very potent creative ideas, but the opportunity to realise them is restrained by competing needs of those closest to them. Part of their journey is to have the strength and conviction to move their ideas on, whilst keeping the naysayers at bay.
Number 12 - Combining the numbers of individuality and pairing, gives us an often high ranking individual with deeply rooted concerns for the less fortunate. The journey is one away from the purely material, although this means leaving comforts and the wishes of the family behind.
Number 13 - Signifies change and a fresh start. A demonstration that constantly battling along with one way of thinking might not be as productive as simply starting again under a different premise.
Number 14 - An entrepreneurial number. A good sense of business, where and how to invest, but this shouldn't mean being reckless and overestimating capabilities. Needs to discover the value of moderating their confidence, and not always being about boom and bust.
Number 15 - Charismatic leadership, in both technological and cultural disciplines. Known for dominant personality just as much as the persuasion by which they disseminate their credos. Overall well respected, even in family life.
Number 16 - A great empire that gradually falls into obscurity, often due to a single momentous event. It's not the end of the world however, as long as your morals and actions are seen to be above board.
Number 17 - The will and desire to surmount obstacles and rise above inherent difficulties. The courageous journey in doing so will bring fame to the bearer of this number, however they would be warned to avoid self-congratulatory behaviour.
Number 18 - A number of ill-will, corruption and disease, all brought on by greed and poor moral fibre, and a general feeling of life being empty and futile. This must be addressed by remedying deficiencies and imbalances in spiritual and intuitive affairs.
Number 19 - Signifying bright successes, good progress, and being well regarded from all quarters. Â Might be a good number for a startup business?
Number 20 - Demonstrates an awakening, particularly in directing one's life to greater inner fulfilment, but the journey itself is difficult and fraught. Problems may be solved better by a more philosophical approach rather than throwing money at them.
Number 21 - A due promotion to higher positions, having demonstrated the required amount of determination and grit. Or to look at it chronologically, a long struggle followed by the breakthrough moment of recognition.
Number 22 - A master number, like 11, and again has a strong dualism in its interpretation and is not for the fainthearted. With other balanced mature numbers in the mix to temper out the unevenness, it will work out well. But more often than not, it shows somebody on the rise but becoming more snide and crooked as time progresses.
Number 23 - Another number of success, not so much from individual effort, but having the aptitude to draw the right sort of people around you. Those people will give their time and energy, protection and respect as and when required.
Number 24 - A rather energetic character who won't do tomorrow what can be done today. Their tireless focus and fast decision making is an inspiration, as is the speed at which they implement plans. In most cases good, but sometimes the resonance with other numbers leads to a less desirable prognosis.
Number 25 - Learns from mistakes and by seeing what works for others. A relaxed attitude and willingness for others to take the lead, which means that when it comes for their time to shine, it will be later rather than earlier in life.
Number 26 - Problems are on the horizon here due to earlier decisions and partnerships. The message now is to mitigate issues carefully, and if done so correctly you might make more successes than originally forecast.
Number 27 - An influential figure in the creative realm, with long lasting ideas and well-loved character traits. As long as these people steer their own ship, they will do fine.
Number 28 - Has many profitable aspects, but in practice are applied poorly. Easily outsmarted and prone to poor investment and unsavoury reputation. Can be countered by considerable firming up of Plan B's, or simply taking ideas down a rung.
Number 29 - Easy to annoy and provoke, with overreactions taking centre stage over rationality. Requires self-reflection on behaviour and how to manage conflict better.
Number 30 - A master of their craft, but only in the theory! Their own skills won't necessarily make the headlines, but they will be regarded as great educators and will pioneer in the more arcane fields of expertise.
Number 31 - Quite a force to be reckoned with, have their own principles well instilled and fights keenly for their cause. Have a good memory and a way of getting things to happen. Know how to enjoy themselves and when it's best to disappear from the limelight.
Number 32 - Has a firm ear to the ground, and will capitalise on new incentives as early as possible. Sympathetic and enjoys diversity in friends and opportunities. Motivates others and inspires hope. However is far more successful going their own way than bringing others into their enterprise.
Number 33 - Master number in the same series as 11 and 22, but has more positive bias. Powerful for sure, but also wise and ethical. Is forthcoming about sharing their experience, expertise, and even gains.
Number 34 - Well regarded and generous, as well as wise and succinct. Also an effective mentor with good work/life balance.
Number 35 - This person has strong inner needs to fulfil, and will uproot themselves and go far away to do so. Their relationship with money is a bit of a tightrope, in that they will do better managing several small investments rather than one big one.
Number 36 - Sheer effort and graft go into making number 36 a success. Once they have found their niche, they find it easy to rise to the top. They need to put similar work into making personal relationships happen as well.
Number 37 - There's a certain charm and ambition that the number 37 carries. Known for their clear communication and honesty, which indirectly acts as a repellent to the competition.
Number 38 - Cheerful and satisfied folk, who know the right people. A good balance of the material and the spiritual, and an unbounded positivity for the future.
Number 39 - Always keeping plenty of projects on the boil, life works out well for them in the end. Suits some corporate and political roles. Far from accruing much street credibility, but it doesn't matter much to them, or really to anyone else.
Number 40 - Charm their way into prominent positions and take advantage of the perks, flexing the rules as much as they can get away with. Things end up rather messy and litigious, but at least they have some stories to tell and as such not too surprisingly make good authors, both creative and non-fiction.
Number 41 - Finds leadership a breeze and does well to stay at the top. The problem is thinking that it will last forever. Will disappear after their prime, unless ambition is tailored responsibly.
Number 42 - Their background and character allows for steady and assured foundation. They would rather learn their trade patiently and slowly, rather than be the bright star that burns out quickest. As such they are in tune with the ways of the world and know not to rest on their laurels.
Number 43 - Rather than subtly introducing their agenda, number 43 will ram it home with all the force they can muster. They will be notorious for holding their position that they believe is in the best interest of everyone, with disregard for opponents.
Number 44 - Master number. Know the ins and outs of business, but not necessarily when to stop. Sometimes a bit of a tangled web envelops their dealings. There is a fine balance between 44s keeping on the right and wrong side of the law.
Number 45 - Another number with ambition and success in the business world. Known for their fairness and for speaking out at the right time, and always has a great putdown for the opposition.
Number 46 - A mixed bag of innate skills that can be very profitable if blended in the right measures. Sees the wood for the trees, and has the right clarity about important decisions.
Number 47 - Very good at picking apart problems and working with data. Most crucially can communicate the abstract into understandable relatable terms. Recognises the key facts and is regarded for maturity and responsibility.
Number 48 - Efforts are always brought down by friction from all sides and the frustrating sense of two steps forward, one step back. Ends up mitigating various types of problems one by one with little energy left to get on with the main task at hand.
Number 49 - A keen proponent of order, fair justice and organising the masses. On the other hand, not all projects will gain momentum so may be perceived by some as blundering.
Number 50 - Quite at home in the world of the verbal debate, and find self-expression in person exceptionally easy. They find themselves more drawn to technical disciplines, and usually find complementary partners.
Number 51 - 1, 5 and 15 are all numbers displaying exceptional prowess, so naturally 51 follows suit. As ever, a shining individual whose sets a good example to their peers and understudies by their sheer accomplishment. Money is secure as is their healthy constitution.
Number 52 - Caring and charitable people who do what they can to bring emotional peace and a touch of lightheartedness to all concerned, including themselves. Unfortunately this personality type goes in and out of fashion, and during boom times their skills are quite forgotten.
Number 53 - This number has a sense of satisfaction about beating the odds, in fact they'd rather have the obstacles than not. Can put on a defence, perhaps too strong a defence when they have to, which can ruffle a few feathers. After the vigours of youth, their attitude settles down somewhat although it's fair to say that a sense of tempestuousness never leaves them.
Number 54 - We have seen a few numbers where success brings likability and generosity - this is not one of them. Would rather others were disadvantaged so that they could cling onto their position, which ultimately doesn't bode well.
Number 55 - The final master number. Physically and mentally robust, they soak up information and throw it out into all sorts of successful but short lived projects. The key lesson for them is to stick to one thing patiently enough to see what the magnitude of real returns looks like.
And so it goes on!
There is plenty of documentation describing numbers going higher and higher, but I thought I would stop at 55 since it forms a good juncture, being the last master number, and for an introduction this is more than enough!