Q: I just discovered your site while researching for a school project and find it very interesting. Can you tell me where it came from? Who invented numerology?

Here’s some background on numerology: Modern numerology is based on the understanding of ancient “archetypal” philosophies set forth by Pythagorus, the Kabbalists (Qabalists), the Egyptians, the Chaldeans and others. Western numerology is usually attributed to Pythagorus, “the Father of Mathematics” alone, however, it has been also been said that he learned it while studying spiritual philosophy in Egypt. There has been evidence of the mystical relevance of numbers as archetypes from the earliest recorded history and from many cultures. Modern Numerology is based on the premise, as Pythagoras taught, that numbers are the building blocks of all life and all creation. Everything can be reduced to a number and every number has an energetic “personality” which can be related to other known things such as; the character and personality of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses as the astrologers defined the planets, colors, sound frequencies, days of the week, and all manner of personality traits that the ancients observed and labeled. So, numbers achieved a symbolic personality and meaning of their own, which could be used to understand the truth about things and also their “purpose”.

Pythagorus was probably the first to incorporate this knowledge into a logic-based philosophy, a major tool he and his followers used to seek Truth and discover the nature of things. To the Kabbalists, if an object had the same numerical value as another thing, then the two could be used interchangeably to mean the same thing as the other, and would be assumed to be related to the other in meaning and purpose. This practice, called gematria was used all throughout the Old Testament in the bible to “code” important and secret teachings. The ancient practice of Tarot is closely intertwined with numerology and the two work together very well. Each card in the Tarot corresponds symbolically to a number so an understanding of each can greatly enhance one’s work with either.

Today, there is a finely tuned and remarkably accurate practice of numerology, largely made so by a woman named, Mrs. L. Dow Balliett. She actually helped to “un-shroud” this subject and make it accessible, which had previously been mostly hidden, studied and practiced in various versions by the Pythagoreans, Qabalists (Qabalah – “secret wisdom”), Sufis (enneagram), Christian Hermetic and many other esoteric “schools.” The modern day version of Pythagorean numerology has been refined and added to by the intuition, dedication and long years of research and practice of numerous numerologists.