If life is a complex equation, some think Chinese numerology can solve it. Discover its possible effects on your life.
Numerology seeks to establish a relationship between numbers and other physical objects or living things. Numerology is said to have originated during the time of Pythagoras, in Ancient Babylonia. In China, the study of numerology became widespread. Numbers have deep significance for the Chinese. They believe that numbers have a magical quality, through which they can affect human life and destiny.
The Elements of Numerology
According to Chinese astrology, the universe is made out of five basic elements, wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Each of these elements is bestowed with a specific characteristic.
Characteristics of the Elements of Numerology
* Wood is the element associated with creativity and is also known as the tree. It is associated with the numbers 3 and 4.
* Fire is the element of enthusiasm and motivation and is denoted by the number 9. This element has the magical quality of being able to reveal the truth by bringing things to light.
* Earth is the element that will give people stability in their lives and help them to reach their goals. Considered to be an element that enhances your determination, it is denoted in numerology by the numbers 2, 5, and 8.
* Metal is often associated with riches and valour. This is denoted in numerology by the numbers 6 and 7. It is said to empower you to stand up for your beliefs.
* Water is associated with the ability to break down boundaries by communication. This is a powerful element that can help in removing stumbling blocks and paving the way for better things in life. Water is denoted by the number 1 in numerology.
To achieve harmony in your life, you need an equal distribution of these elements. The missing numbers in your birth chart indicate the missing elements in your life. It is believed that by surrounding yourself with these elements, you can imbibe the properties (vibrations) of these elements.
The Luo Shu Square (Birth chart / Magical square)
An important element of Chinese Numerology is the birth chart. This chart gives a person guidance to understand his numerological strengths and weaknesses. A birth chart is a square that is formed by a 3 x 3 matrix of numbers. The numbers are filled from bottom to top and left to right. Each square in this matrix is allocated a certain number. This matrix is known as the basic magical square (Luo Shu) and was said to have been discovered by Chinese Emperor Fu Hsi around 4,000 years ago. The square is also related to directions with the south above and the east to the left. The number five is located at the centre of the matrix.
A unique aspect of the square is that the sum of any row or diagonal will be equal to fifteen. This is said to represent the 15 days of the 24 cycles of the Chinese Year. By entering your birth date into the birth chart square, matching the digits with the existing numbers of the square, you can identify your strongest personal direction. This number can help you predict and influence your success. The Chinese believe if they change their numbers, they can change their lives as well. This is the basic tenet of Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space. Feng Shui and Chinese numerology are intertwined. The aim of both is to achieve harmony with the environment and in your life.
The Luo Shu magical square is illustrated below:
SE South SW
4 9 2
East 3 5 7 West
8 1 6
NE North NW
If a person's date of birth is July 31, 1982, then his birth chart would be filled in the following manner (the numbers in the brackets represent the frequency of the occurrence of that figure in his date of birth). The number zero is not included in the square. The numerical equivalent of the month is used, thus 7 is used for July.
SE South SW
- 9(1) 2(1)
East 3(1) - 7(1) West
8(1) 1(2) -
NE North NW
As the frequency of number 1 is the most, the person's strongest direction is the North in this case. If there are two numbers that have equal weightage, then both the directions are deemed to be equally important.
In this example, water is the person's strongest element. He may fill the gap in his birth chart by surrounding himself with wood (4), earth (5), and metal (6), thereby imbibing the qualities that the elements possess. This is believed to lead the person to become more creative (wood), have a stable life (earth), and gain riches and valour (metal), which would be missing in his life.
Uses of Numerology
The numbers in Chinese numerology may be used to calculate a number of things. For example, it may be used to calculate the auspiciousness of a geographical direction, the presence and alignment of the aforesaid elements in the environment, and even predict the future.
In Cantonese, numbers are associated with words that sound similar to them. For example, 8 is considered to be a prosperous number because it sounds similar to the word for prosperous. 6 is another lucky number as it is sounds similar to the word for profitable in Cantonese. Numbers in certain combinations are considered to be extremely lucky. For example, the number 168 is known as the road to prosperity or being prosperous together. In the same fashion, the number 518 means I will prosper, 888 means three times prosperity, and 1314 signifies a whole life time of prosperity.
The belief of numerology is deep set in Chinese culture. In fact, the 2008 Olympics in China will begin at 8 am on 8.8.08 because of the importance of the number 8 in Chinese numerology. Decisions regarding telephone numbers and car registration numbers are influenced by numerology in China. The effectiveness of numerology comes from your perception of what the numbers can do for you in your life.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Chinese Numerology
The Chinese concept of numerology is shared with other cultures and is based on mystical as well as I-Ching traditions. The common premise is that certain numbers are associated with good or evil.
The element that makes numbers good or bad in Cantonese is the punning and word play possible in a many-tone language. For example, the number two is fortunate, because it is similar to “easy.” Three is associated with living or giving birth, eight with prosperity, and nine with eternity or power. Combinations of numbers are also prized for their punning references to good luck and prosperity, the two most important issues in the minds of many Cantonese. This belief that certain numbers bring good luck is often put into practice when naming businesses and clubs that hope to attract customers.
People take what the numbers say very seriously, sometimes spending quite a bit of money to make sure the numbers look favorably on them. For example, in 1970 a Hong Kong businessman paid more than $60,000 for a car license plate with the number six, because the words six and longevity are tone variations of the same basic word.
In Hong Kong, the government is well aware of the importance numbers play in its citizens’ lives, and so it auctions off auspicious car license numbers. Between 1973 and 1980, these auctions raised more than $3 million. This phenomena has traveled to the United States now as well. Observe the number of personalized automobile license plates ordered by Chinese with the numbers eight or nine, which of course signal the dear symbols of longevity and prosperity for the owners.
The year 1988, the year of the Dragon, witnessed an incredible interest in numerology. Throngs of Chinese women rushed to the hospital on the final days of that year, requesting Caesarean deliveries so their child would be born a Dragon child with double prosperity blessing. (The Western year also 2000 coincides with a Year of the Dragon!)
There are also numbers you want to avoid. Unfortunate numbers are one (the lonely number), and four and seven, which represent the death numbers. Some numbers are bad luck when they are combined with other numbers. For example, Chin and Ng are both common Chinese surnames. Chin can mean money and mg can mean no, or zero. Therefore, a man named Chin would be ill-advised to marry a woman named Ng, because together they would be Chin-Ng, or No-Money.
The possible omens associated with numbers and sounds of numbers by the Chinese, and in particular the Cantonese, is inexhaustible. And so, let us all count our good fortune that this year’s Chinese Summer Festival falls in 1998, a date linked with longevity and prosperity. May it bring both to us all!
The element that makes numbers good or bad in Cantonese is the punning and word play possible in a many-tone language. For example, the number two is fortunate, because it is similar to “easy.” Three is associated with living or giving birth, eight with prosperity, and nine with eternity or power. Combinations of numbers are also prized for their punning references to good luck and prosperity, the two most important issues in the minds of many Cantonese. This belief that certain numbers bring good luck is often put into practice when naming businesses and clubs that hope to attract customers.
People take what the numbers say very seriously, sometimes spending quite a bit of money to make sure the numbers look favorably on them. For example, in 1970 a Hong Kong businessman paid more than $60,000 for a car license plate with the number six, because the words six and longevity are tone variations of the same basic word.
In Hong Kong, the government is well aware of the importance numbers play in its citizens’ lives, and so it auctions off auspicious car license numbers. Between 1973 and 1980, these auctions raised more than $3 million. This phenomena has traveled to the United States now as well. Observe the number of personalized automobile license plates ordered by Chinese with the numbers eight or nine, which of course signal the dear symbols of longevity and prosperity for the owners.
The year 1988, the year of the Dragon, witnessed an incredible interest in numerology. Throngs of Chinese women rushed to the hospital on the final days of that year, requesting Caesarean deliveries so their child would be born a Dragon child with double prosperity blessing. (The Western year also 2000 coincides with a Year of the Dragon!)
There are also numbers you want to avoid. Unfortunate numbers are one (the lonely number), and four and seven, which represent the death numbers. Some numbers are bad luck when they are combined with other numbers. For example, Chin and Ng are both common Chinese surnames. Chin can mean money and mg can mean no, or zero. Therefore, a man named Chin would be ill-advised to marry a woman named Ng, because together they would be Chin-Ng, or No-Money.
The possible omens associated with numbers and sounds of numbers by the Chinese, and in particular the Cantonese, is inexhaustible. And so, let us all count our good fortune that this year’s Chinese Summer Festival falls in 1998, a date linked with longevity and prosperity. May it bring both to us all!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Number "1" numerology
The number one "1" stands in this symbolism for the Sun. It is the beginning-that by which all the rest of the nine numbers were created. The basis of all numbers is one-the basis of all life is one.
This number represents all that is creative, individual, and positive. Without going into further details, a person born under the Birth number of I, or any of its series, has the underlying principles of being in his or her work creative, inventive, strongly individual, definite in his or her views, and in consequence more or less obstinate and determined in all they as individuals undertake. This relates to all men and women born under the number I, such as on the first, 10th, 19th, or 28th of any month (the addition of all these numbers making a I), but more especially so if they happen to be born between the 21st July and the 28th August, which is the period of the Zodiac called the" House of the Sun," or from the 21st March to the 28th April, when the Sun enters the Vernal Equinox and is considered elevated or all-powerful during this period.
It is for this reason, which you will observe has a logical basis, that people born under the number "1" in these particular periods must have the qualities that I have given to all number "1" people in a distinctly more marked degree.
Let us read about qualities of Number "1" people
Number I people are ambitious; they dislike restraint, they always rise in whatever their profession or occupation may be. They desire to become the heads of whatever their businesses are, and as departmental chiefs they keep their authority and make themselves respected and" looked up to" by their subordinates.
Favorable Dates & Days
These number I people should endeavour to carry out their most important plans and ideas on all days that vibrate to their own number, such as on the 1st, 10th, 19th, or 28th of any month, but especially in those periods I have described before, namely, from the 21st July to the 28th August, and from the 21st March to the 28th April. Outside of their own numbers, number I people get on well with persons born under the 2, 4, and 7, such as those born on the 2nd, 4th, 7th, nth, 13th, 16th, 20th, , 22nd, 25th, 29th, and 31st, especially those born in the strong periods indicated
.
The days of the week most fortunate for number "1" persons are Sunday and Monday, and especially so if one of their "own numbers" should also fall on that day, such as the 1st, 10th, 19th, or 28th, and next to that their interchangeable numbers of 2, 4, 7, such as the 2nd, 4th, 7th, nth, 13th, 16th, 20th, 22nd, 25th, 29th, or 31st.
Lucky Colors and Jewels
The most fortunate colours for persons born under the number "1" are all shades of gold, yellows and bronze to golden brown. Their "lucky" jewels are the topaz, amber, yellow diamond and all stones of these colours. If possible, they should wear a piece of amber next their
flesh.
Alexander the Great
1st July
James I .
28th June
Charles I
19th Nov.
George I
28th May
George II
10th Oct.
Duke of Wellington.
1st May
General Gordon
28th Jan.
President Garfield (U.S.A.)
19th Nov.
" General" Booth
10th April
Field-Marshal Earl Haig.
19th June
Quem Alexandra
1st Dec.
Field-Marshal Lord French
28th Sept.
David Livingstone
19th Mar.
Lord Charles Beresford
10th Feb.
Annie Besant .
1st Oct.
President Wilson (USA.).
28th Dec.
President Monroe (U.S.A.)
28th April
President Hoover (U.S.A.)
10th Aug.
This number represents all that is creative, individual, and positive. Without going into further details, a person born under the Birth number of I, or any of its series, has the underlying principles of being in his or her work creative, inventive, strongly individual, definite in his or her views, and in consequence more or less obstinate and determined in all they as individuals undertake. This relates to all men and women born under the number I, such as on the first, 10th, 19th, or 28th of any month (the addition of all these numbers making a I), but more especially so if they happen to be born between the 21st July and the 28th August, which is the period of the Zodiac called the" House of the Sun," or from the 21st March to the 28th April, when the Sun enters the Vernal Equinox and is considered elevated or all-powerful during this period.
It is for this reason, which you will observe has a logical basis, that people born under the number "1" in these particular periods must have the qualities that I have given to all number "1" people in a distinctly more marked degree.
Let us read about qualities of Number "1" people
Number I people are ambitious; they dislike restraint, they always rise in whatever their profession or occupation may be. They desire to become the heads of whatever their businesses are, and as departmental chiefs they keep their authority and make themselves respected and" looked up to" by their subordinates.
Favorable Dates & Days
These number I people should endeavour to carry out their most important plans and ideas on all days that vibrate to their own number, such as on the 1st, 10th, 19th, or 28th of any month, but especially in those periods I have described before, namely, from the 21st July to the 28th August, and from the 21st March to the 28th April. Outside of their own numbers, number I people get on well with persons born under the 2, 4, and 7, such as those born on the 2nd, 4th, 7th, nth, 13th, 16th, 20th, , 22nd, 25th, 29th, and 31st, especially those born in the strong periods indicated
.
The days of the week most fortunate for number "1" persons are Sunday and Monday, and especially so if one of their "own numbers" should also fall on that day, such as the 1st, 10th, 19th, or 28th, and next to that their interchangeable numbers of 2, 4, 7, such as the 2nd, 4th, 7th, nth, 13th, 16th, 20th, 22nd, 25th, 29th, or 31st.
Lucky Colors and Jewels
The most fortunate colours for persons born under the number "1" are all shades of gold, yellows and bronze to golden brown. Their "lucky" jewels are the topaz, amber, yellow diamond and all stones of these colours. If possible, they should wear a piece of amber next their
flesh.
Alexander the Great
1st July
James I .
28th June
Charles I
19th Nov.
George I
28th May
George II
10th Oct.
Duke of Wellington.
1st May
General Gordon
28th Jan.
President Garfield (U.S.A.)
19th Nov.
" General" Booth
10th April
Field-Marshal Earl Haig.
19th June
Quem Alexandra
1st Dec.
Field-Marshal Lord French
28th Sept.
David Livingstone
19th Mar.
Lord Charles Beresford
10th Feb.
Annie Besant .
1st Oct.
President Wilson (USA.).
28th Dec.
President Monroe (U.S.A.)
28th April
President Hoover (U.S.A.)
10th Aug.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Numerology
Numerology is the study of the occult meanings of numbers and their influence on human life. Since there are no occult meanings to numbers and since numbers by themselves can have no significant influence on anyone's life, numerology is nothing but superstition masquerading as science or art.
Some alleged psychics, like Uri Geller, claim that numerology helps them understand events such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
According to an advertisement in Parade magazine (Feb.25, 1996), the definitive text on numerology was written by Matthew Goodwin, an MIT graduate who once worked in the personnel department of an architectural firm. He learned "this science of numbers" (as he calls it) from a clerk at the office. The ad is a pseudo-article, a print "infomercial," allegedly authored by J.J. Leonard, and is nothing more than an invitation to send him $9 for a numerological reading worth "$80 or more." In his advertisement, he explains how numerology works.
It all starts with your name and birth date. They are the data base from which a numerologist is able to describe you, sight unseen. Number values are assigned to the letters in your name. By adding these--with the numbers in your birth date--in a multitude of combinations, a numerologist establishes your key numbers. He then interprets the meaning of these key numbers, which results in a complete description of your personal characteristics.
According to Mr. Goodwin, through numerology you can "see all the diverse parts of your personality and how they uniquely come together to make the person you are." This will enable you to "make the most of your strengths in a way that wasn't possible before."
Just what do you think the numerical odds are either (a) that a set of numbers associated with the letters of your name and your birth date will reveal who you are and what you should do with your life, or (b) that someone in personnel has figured out how to read those numbers? I'd say the odds are about zero. Nevertheless, numerology shouldn't be brushed off without a thorough examination of its underlying theory. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any. We are just supposed to take Mr. Goodwin's word for it that numerology works, even though we have no idea how it works. That is, numerologists can produce a "reading" for you, just as astrologers, biorhythmists and Myers-Briggs can. And you will be amazed at how "accurate" the reading is! You may not even be aware at how selective your thinking has become as you are dazzled by the accuracy of your reading.
When you get your reading, you may find yourself ignoring the parts that don't fit you at all, and focusing on those parts that do seem to fit. They may actually fit you or they may fit your image of how you would like to be. No matter; if they fit, you may fall for it. You may even be tempted to go one step further and call your own personal psychic on one of the "friends" psychic hotlines. (I think the $9 numerology reading might be cheaper, though.) The testimonials for numerology and the telephone psychics are quite similar. Marriages are saved, jobs are landed, personal problems are resolved and love is found.
Some of the attractiveness of numerology and psychics comes from the desire to find somebody who will tell you that you are full of hidden strengths and powers, and who will reinforce your deepest needs and emotions. Yet, one must be desperate if one doesn't mind that the encouragement comes from a total stranger with no knowledge of who you are. Of course, some people are simply waiting for somebody else to tell them what to do with their lives. On the other hand, at times, each of us is vulnerable. We feel unloved, misunderstood, confused, or rudderless. The testimonials sound good or a friend is a satisfied customer, so we give it a try.
But the real attractiveness of numerology, over say palm or crystal reading or other non-numerical personality analysis and prophecy, is that numbers give the quackery an aura of both scientific and mystical authoritativeness, especially if complex statistical analysis is involved. The ad mentioned above for Mr. Goodwin's $9 numerological reading, cites Pythagoras as the father of numerology. Certainly, the Pythagoreans were a cult with esoteric notions about the universe and numbers, including the notion of the harmony of the spheres. No doubt they found something mystical about the relations of sides of triangles, which we have come to know as the Pythagorean theorem. But there is no evidence that Pythagoras thought he could analyze his disciples' personalities by assigning numbers to the letters of their names and their birth dates. For one thing, he would have realized the unreasonableness of such a notion. Different languages have different alphabets; different cultures use different calendars. It is unreasonable enough to think the universe is arranged according to numerical transcriptions of names, but to think that there are several equivalent transcriptions to accommodate cultural differences stretches the limits of credibility almost to infinity. Even if the universe were so unreasonably designed, how would we ever know which "reading" of a person's numbers is the "correct" one? Does the concept of "correct reading" even have meaning in this so-called discipline?
It is one thing to recognize that many things in the universe can be explained by reduction to mathematical formulae. The formulae can be tested and demonstrated to be accurate or not. It is quite another to claim that somehow the name you are given at birth was preordained to coincide with the date of your birth and to be coordinated with certain numbers so that certain special people (the numerologists!) could calculate from this data who you are, what you will be, what you need and feel, and what you should do. It is a long, long way from Plato's admonition to those entering his Academy that they should know geometry, or from Galileo's assertion that Nature is written in the language of mathematics, to the notion that numbers related to my name are a key to who I am pre-destined to be. It is a misrepresentation of history to cite mathematical mystics or scientists who have been enamored of mathematics, as fellow travelers. In any case, even if Pythagoras, Plato, Kepler, Galileo, and Einstein were all numerologists it would not make the theory of numerology one iota more plausible.
Some alleged psychics, like Uri Geller, claim that numerology helps them understand events such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
According to an advertisement in Parade magazine (Feb.25, 1996), the definitive text on numerology was written by Matthew Goodwin, an MIT graduate who once worked in the personnel department of an architectural firm. He learned "this science of numbers" (as he calls it) from a clerk at the office. The ad is a pseudo-article, a print "infomercial," allegedly authored by J.J. Leonard, and is nothing more than an invitation to send him $9 for a numerological reading worth "$80 or more." In his advertisement, he explains how numerology works.
It all starts with your name and birth date. They are the data base from which a numerologist is able to describe you, sight unseen. Number values are assigned to the letters in your name. By adding these--with the numbers in your birth date--in a multitude of combinations, a numerologist establishes your key numbers. He then interprets the meaning of these key numbers, which results in a complete description of your personal characteristics.
According to Mr. Goodwin, through numerology you can "see all the diverse parts of your personality and how they uniquely come together to make the person you are." This will enable you to "make the most of your strengths in a way that wasn't possible before."
Just what do you think the numerical odds are either (a) that a set of numbers associated with the letters of your name and your birth date will reveal who you are and what you should do with your life, or (b) that someone in personnel has figured out how to read those numbers? I'd say the odds are about zero. Nevertheless, numerology shouldn't be brushed off without a thorough examination of its underlying theory. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any. We are just supposed to take Mr. Goodwin's word for it that numerology works, even though we have no idea how it works. That is, numerologists can produce a "reading" for you, just as astrologers, biorhythmists and Myers-Briggs can. And you will be amazed at how "accurate" the reading is! You may not even be aware at how selective your thinking has become as you are dazzled by the accuracy of your reading.
When you get your reading, you may find yourself ignoring the parts that don't fit you at all, and focusing on those parts that do seem to fit. They may actually fit you or they may fit your image of how you would like to be. No matter; if they fit, you may fall for it. You may even be tempted to go one step further and call your own personal psychic on one of the "friends" psychic hotlines. (I think the $9 numerology reading might be cheaper, though.) The testimonials for numerology and the telephone psychics are quite similar. Marriages are saved, jobs are landed, personal problems are resolved and love is found.
Some of the attractiveness of numerology and psychics comes from the desire to find somebody who will tell you that you are full of hidden strengths and powers, and who will reinforce your deepest needs and emotions. Yet, one must be desperate if one doesn't mind that the encouragement comes from a total stranger with no knowledge of who you are. Of course, some people are simply waiting for somebody else to tell them what to do with their lives. On the other hand, at times, each of us is vulnerable. We feel unloved, misunderstood, confused, or rudderless. The testimonials sound good or a friend is a satisfied customer, so we give it a try.
But the real attractiveness of numerology, over say palm or crystal reading or other non-numerical personality analysis and prophecy, is that numbers give the quackery an aura of both scientific and mystical authoritativeness, especially if complex statistical analysis is involved. The ad mentioned above for Mr. Goodwin's $9 numerological reading, cites Pythagoras as the father of numerology. Certainly, the Pythagoreans were a cult with esoteric notions about the universe and numbers, including the notion of the harmony of the spheres. No doubt they found something mystical about the relations of sides of triangles, which we have come to know as the Pythagorean theorem. But there is no evidence that Pythagoras thought he could analyze his disciples' personalities by assigning numbers to the letters of their names and their birth dates. For one thing, he would have realized the unreasonableness of such a notion. Different languages have different alphabets; different cultures use different calendars. It is unreasonable enough to think the universe is arranged according to numerical transcriptions of names, but to think that there are several equivalent transcriptions to accommodate cultural differences stretches the limits of credibility almost to infinity. Even if the universe were so unreasonably designed, how would we ever know which "reading" of a person's numbers is the "correct" one? Does the concept of "correct reading" even have meaning in this so-called discipline?
It is one thing to recognize that many things in the universe can be explained by reduction to mathematical formulae. The formulae can be tested and demonstrated to be accurate or not. It is quite another to claim that somehow the name you are given at birth was preordained to coincide with the date of your birth and to be coordinated with certain numbers so that certain special people (the numerologists!) could calculate from this data who you are, what you will be, what you need and feel, and what you should do. It is a long, long way from Plato's admonition to those entering his Academy that they should know geometry, or from Galileo's assertion that Nature is written in the language of mathematics, to the notion that numbers related to my name are a key to who I am pre-destined to be. It is a misrepresentation of history to cite mathematical mystics or scientists who have been enamored of mathematics, as fellow travelers. In any case, even if Pythagoras, Plato, Kepler, Galileo, and Einstein were all numerologists it would not make the theory of numerology one iota more plausible.
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