The Shamanistic Approach To Numbers

Earlier this year I wrote a brief overview article on the Bare Minimum Basics of Numerology. From that article several people asked for more information on the method I’m most familiar with and the meaning behind the numbers from that perspective; Shamanistic Numerology.  I don’t want to re-write the information in that original article, so you might want to start there and then finish reading about the approach I have been taught and use from time to time.

I do want to restate that I am not a Numerologist, nor have I spent a great deal of time utilizing this method of insight and wisdom. There are many forms of Shamanism around the world and this is only one method in that venue. So do more research and if you like some of the approaches here, merge them with things you like in other methods and create your own version of personal Numerology. Stick with what rings true to you and follow your own instincts.

Shamanistic Numerology In Brief
This version of Shamanistic Numerology is the one I am most familiar with and the method that was taught to me. It is a combination of Celtic and Cherokee approaches merged into one and places a great emphasis on the Great Spirits and nature as a whole. If I were pressed for a specific name for this method, I’d probably call it Deborean Shamanistic Numerology. Deborean is my pagan tradition and it is a mix of Celtic and Cherokee spiritualism. Since this method of numerology is based on the same combination, I would feel comfortable naming it after that pagan clan. But I’m not the owner or guardian of this method. So call it what you feel comfortable with.

This approach doesn’t see singular numbers as being more important than double digit numbers. So when assigning numbers to the alphabet, it uses as many numbers as is needed. In the case of the Western Alphabet A to Z, the numbers assigned would be 1 to 28.

Numbers are added together until a single number has been derived. That number then becomes the number for analysis. For instance, in the article: It’s 10.11.12 – Does It Mean Anything? we looked at the meaning or significance behind that date. To find that insight you begin by adding the numbers 10+11+12=33 and then add the 3+3=6. The number for analysis would be 6/six.

In Shamanistic Numerology, this would be interesting; but it wouldn’t be an accurate analysis of the date. For accurate date analysis you need to include the full year: 10+11+2012=2033, and carry that out to a single digit as: 2+0+3+3=8. In this view, the 8/eight would be the number to analyze.

Number Analysis
There are several types of information that can be analyzed for insight. Each system has a basic set of personality, event or spiritual categories that can be applied to an individual person or their life for insight and introspection. Each method has its own name and characteristics for these aspects. Some may work solely on numerical dates, others define dates and names, some may denote places you have lived, your phone number then and now to view how you’ve grown and changed and so on.

Some methods define this information in groups. There maybe a set of primary numbers and sub-prime numbers. For instance, your birth date and birth name would be listed as primary numbers for who you are. But your phone number or address may also have insight into your personality or aspects of your life and they can be grouped as sub-prime numbers. This is the approach used in the form of Shamanistic Numerology that I’m used to.

Prime and Sub-Prime Numbers
Your Prime numbers define your overall personality or insights about who you are. The sub-prime numbers change over time and denote information about you and your life through changes and cycles. You may have several phone numbers in your lifetime. What do they say about your ability to communicate with others?

How you use a number or name will define what the derived number says about you. For instance, your phone deals with communication so phone numbers provide insight into how you communicate with people. Your home address is where you live. It will denote how you relate to your home life. If you have a partner and children at this address, it will denote insight into your family situations and family relationships.

Consequently work numbers and addresses will provide insight into your work life, your profession or career and so on. Anniversary dates look at intimate relationships. Whether the anniversary is for a marriage or when you started working at a particular company. The relationship between you and that date are very personal for you. So you can apply the information from a more personal point of view or perspective to both the anniversary of a partnership and the anniversary of work or career.

Aspect Numbers
Within the Prime and Sub-Prime numbers are the Aspect numbers. These look at the spiritual impact vs the physical impact of a number and it’s meaning.  Even within your Prime and Sub-Prime events, you will have a spiritual influence and a physical influence within that information. The Aspect numbers help you look into those two sides and gain more understanding and insight into your relationships, work, and family events.

You can apply the approach listed below to either an individual for their Prime numbers, or to events in your life for Sub-Prime numbers. For instance, one of the Prime numbers to look at is your Spiritual Number. This is determined by your birth date based on its numerical representation alone. 05/20/1971 instead of May 20, 1971. The numerical number represents your spiritual aspect, the alphanumerical version (May 20, 1971) represents aspects of your physical life.

Your birth date is a Prime number. But what if this were the date you started working at a company? The numerical representation of that anniversary date would represent the spiritual impact this work and the relationship with this company have in your life. Where as the alphanumeric representation, May 20, 1971 would represent the physical aspects.

You can apply this same approach to names you want to analyze. For instance your name as it appears on your birth certificate is a Prime number that defines Personality from a spiritual perspective.  The name of the company you work for has it is legally represented name that defines the Personality of the company from a spiritual perspective.

You may spell your name slightly differently than it appears on your birth certificate. You might be Tony instead of Anthony, or Vicky appears on your birth certificate but you use Vickie in your every day life. The same is true for Companies.  For instance Circuit City Stores Inc. maybe the legal name of the company, but when talking about the company, on signs or in advertising you’ll see the company call itself Circuit City (well you would, but they went out of business). The way you represent your name or the way the company represents itself will define the physical aspects or what you represent to the outside world.

Keep this in mind as we move forward to talk about the different aspects of this Shamanistic approach to numerology.

One last topic are the labels given to each set of numbers as they are calculated. There is no special or extra meaning behind these labels. They are simply used to help identify where you are in the calculation for conversation or discussion purposes.

• The Actual – is what you start with; for instance your birth date or your name.
• The Designed – is the first calculation of the number or the assigned numbers to the name you’re analyzing.
• The Derived – is the next calculation of the number, which should get your numbers down to 2 digits. If it doesn’t then there is a Derived 1 and a Derived 2 (as long as derived 2 is a 2 digit sum).
• The Calculated – And lastly there is the final number you’re looking for, the Calculated number. The Calculated number is a single digit and its the number you want to use to analyze the event.

Calculating The Numbers:
There are four areas of the individual that can provide insight into who you are. These define your Prime numbers.

Prime Numbers:

• The Numerical representation of your birth date: 05/20/1971
• The Alphanumerical representation of your birth date: May 20, 1971
• Your full name as it appears on your birth certificate: Anthony Wayne Stewart.
• Your full name that you use in every day life: Tony Stewart.

Birth & Anniversary Dates:
There are two aspects of the self from a birth point of view. Who you are as spirit (your spiritual number) and who you choose to be as the physical embodiment of the soul (your life number).

° The Spiritual Number
The Spiritual Number is based on the numerical form of your birth date or anniversary, etc. This number is used to analyze the spiritual purpose or mission, what the strengths or challenges might be in this lifetime as you have decided to work with them for learning, or for karmic purpose. This is all about the inner soul of the event, the person or company etc.

If you were born on 05/20/1971 for instance, here’s how you find your number:

Actual	Designed	Derived	Calculated
05/20/1971	05+20+1971=1996	1+9+9+6=25	2+5=7

°  The Life Number
The Life Number is based on the date in its alphanumerical form. This date represents the physical impacts and aspects of the person’s life, the company or event and so on. It describes how the spiritual mission or impact will apply to the physical events of life. How free will and choices maybe made, what physical challenges may be faced and so on.

Using the alphabet and their assigned numbers shown in the table above, you can work out the date of the birthday like this.

Actual	Designed	Derived	Calculated
May 20, 1971	13+1+25+20+1971=2030	2+0+3+0=5	5

Names:
There are three aspects of self from a presentation point of view or by name. Who you are to yourself (your personality number), who you show to the outside world (your character number) and who you really are (the holistic self number).

°  The Personality Number
The Personality Number is based on the given legal name as it appears on your birth certificate, or incorporation papers for a company, or the legal street address for a home or building. This defines who the individual person or business is, beneath the surface. What you show to yourself so to speak, what the company really is within its protected walls of media control. This number is based only on your first and middle name(s). For a company it’s based on the full name, without the “Incorporated” or “Corporation” etc.

Actual	Designed	Derived	Derived 2	Calculated
Anthony	1+14+20+8+15+14+25	9+7	1+6	7
Wayne	23+1+25+14+5	6+8	1+4	5
	Add the two calculated numbers	7+5	1+2	3

°  The Character Number
Your Character Number is based on the name you use. Some people alter the spelling of their name from their birth certificate to how they choose to represent them self to the outside world. This is based on your first and last name as you spell it today. Some practitioners use only the first name, others use both the first name and middle name(s).

I prefer to use the name that a person or company uses on a daily basis, whatever that is. Some one might be Mary Elizabeth on their birth certificate, but go by Mary Beth in every day life. A company might be Circuit City Stores, but go by Circuit City. And then some people may not use their birth name at all, but go by the nick name; Tony for Anthony.

Actual	Designed	Derived	Calculated
Tony	20+15+14+25	7+4	1+1=2

°  The Holistic Self Numbers
The Holistic Self is who you are in both spirit and physical embodiment. It can identify your talents and abilities, as well as your weaknesses. This number is based on how you define your first and last name as you use it today at this moment. For some businesses this might be the same the Character number. But consider a company like the old Mobil Oil Corporation. Mobil Oil was typically used in advertising but sometimes they also used simply Mobil. For a product they use Mobil One.

For a person, you might be Mary Elizabeth Hawkins on your birth certificate, but go by Mary Beth Hawkins. A woman might hyphenate her name after marriage and go by Mary Beth Hawkins-Bristol. I know a couple of guys who go by their nicknames given to them as kids. Some of them have nothing to do with their given name. But today they use their nickname at work, when they sign a note or letter and so on. Some one might be Daniel William Prestone, but as a kid he got the nick name PJ and today he signs his notes PJ Prestone.

Actual	Designed	Derived	Derived 2	Calculated
Tony	20+15+14+25	7+4	1+1	2
Stewart	19+20+5+23+1+18+20	1+0+6		7
			7+2	9

Addresses:
Addresses can get a little tricky, especially if you’re talking about apartment numbers, such as 128-A or Suit 456B or #4 Route 1. Looking for the spiritual number behind an address is based on the numeric view only. But when the address includes an alphanumeric then what? If you look only at the number 128, you could be looking at the location in a general term. In this case, translating the alphanumeric letter to a number to get more specific analysis is ok. So you’d really look at 128-1 (1 representing the A).  In the case of a route number, you’d simply use 4 to derive the spiritual number.

Out in the country where you may find more instances of Route addresses. Consider looking at the map coordinates of the location. That can provide a great specific insight over the #4 Route 1 number.

Remember how you refer to an address can also provide insight. You may legally live at 652 Market Boulevard, but everyone in this area may simply say 652 Market. That’s what you’d use to define the Character number.

Everyday Analysis
Finally there’s the every day analysis that people like to look at. What’s the number for today mean? Why do I keep seeing a certain time on a clock each day? How do you look at these calculated numbers?

Today’s Number:
To look at today’s number regardless of year can tell you the general energy of the date. It’s a very generic analysis of a particular day on the calendar. April 5th, will always have the same meaning from year to year. To look at the specific meaning behind the day, you need to include the year. But it can be interesting to view the generic overall energy and see how it applies to your day.

Today’s Generic Spiritual Number
In this case you simply add the month and day.

Actual	Designed	Calculated
5/20	5+2+0=7	7

Today’s Physical Number
This can get you a little more insight, but without the year; it’s still not specific.

Actual	Designed	Derived	Derived2	Calculated
May 20	13+1+25+20	5+9	1+4	5

Today’s Insight Number
This can provide even more insight, but again without the year; it’s still not detailed.

Actual	Designed	Derived	Calculated
Wednesday	1+0+0	1	1
May 20	13+1+25+20	5+9	1+4=9
Total the Calculated	1+9	1+0	1

Time Analysis
Analyzing time has a similar problem as the today number, because it’s never unique by itself. 11:12 will occur twice a day, every day regardless of what day it is. But time is looked at in two ways, digital time and military time.

In digital time, you would always include the AM or PM as part of the time calculation. So this would always be an alphanumeric physical analysis. Military time, would be the spiritual view of the minute and hour. 11:12pm would become 23:12 and you’ll get a different result. Of course you can calculate out to the millisecond if you’d like to as well.  Doing so will give you a little more information, but without something to make the time unique, you’re only analyzing an overall meaning or insight.

General Number Analysis
Lastly there are the general numbers that pop up during the day. What do they represent or mean? To discover that, you would look at the calculated number in context with what the actual number is associated with. For instance, when I make a post on my blog, it always tells me what number post this is. It might be the 44th post I’ve made to my blog since it’s conception. So this number could represent growth, because I’m growing the blog. Or expansion, because the site is expanding or evolving over time.

To put that into context, 444 might not mean much to you except that it’s a repeating pattern. But to me, it’s significant because 4 is my favorite number, and my lucky number. So that number stands out whenever I see it.

It might be easier to explain how you can apply general numbers to their context by sending you to another post that goes into a little more detail. Check out the 444th Post I’ve made in the life of Springwolf Reflections.

You can approach any number in your day in the same way. How does the number of posts relate to a post that was for the daily tarot meditation message? What if you see the same number wherever you go during your day? Sometimes you have to calculate the number first, to see how the message might be applied to your day, events in your life at this time, or perhaps it’s a message to get you to notice something that you’re doing, or that you need to be on the look out for.

Numbers can be powerful things. But without context, they’re only numbers. The numbers used for TV ratings can make or break a show, which in turn can launch a career or ruin a livelihood. Numbers in your bank statement can provide stability, or create anxiety. Numbers on a clock can provide 10 more minutes of sleep, or cause stress because you’re late in getting up. The context of a number is its first important message, don’t ignore it.

The Meaning Of Numbers
Every system defines the meaning behind the numbers a little differently. Remember there is no such thing as a single list of correspondence to anything in the esoteric world. The meaning behind “things” such as color, moon phases and numbers can be influenced by culture, community and spiritual perspective. For instance in China the number 13 is associated with good luck, not bad luck as it is seen in the west. So where you are and what you feel connected to is the right way for you.

The following explains the meaning of numbers as they are viewed through this version of Shamanistic Numerology.

1. One – The number of individualism, independence, the self, the physical body and contentment, the start and beginning.
   • This number is associated with the Sun.
   • This number is associated with the Reed Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Snake.
   • It represents the physical world and masculine energy.
   • Positive direction: When the ‘1’ enters your life it represents confidence, self respect and empowerment. It denotes new projects or situations that are present. Consider the physical implications or impacts and how they will direct the path forward. What new conditions will be created, what old situations will need to be released.
   • Negative Direction: In reverse 1 indicates loneliness, feeling lost, self-doubt, poor self-confidence and illness. It shows the path of stagnation and a refusal to break old patterns that have proven to be detrimental.
     .
2. Two – The number of love, union or partnership, intimacy and feelings, being balanced.
   • This number is associated with the Moon.
   • This number is associated with the Elder Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Elk.
   • It represents the emotional world and feminine energy.
   • Positive Direction: When 2 is present,  it can denote trust, companionship, and unity. People with this number as their spiritual number are sensitive and compassionate. They make great holistic healers.
   • Negative Direction: In reverse 2 can represent selfishness, jealousy, bigotry or lack of acceptance of others. Having feelings of being cut off from others or being segregated in life.
     .
3. Three – The number of spirit, the whole (mind/body,spirit), wisdom and enlightenment, bringing empowerment.
   • This number is associated with Mars.
   • This number is associated with the Birch Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Snow Goose.
   • It represents the energy world or physical magik. It is a number of balance for feminine and masculine energy.
   • Positive Direction: 3 can denote intelligence and a unique ability to understand all sides. Because of this it’s a number of justice or fairness; being able to balance out all sides of an argument and working out the best for all sides. It’s a great number to have for those in the spiritual or legal professions.
   • Negative Direction: In reverse 3 can be overbearing, intrusive and disregarding fairness. It becomes a number of judgement based on self serving outcomes or a sense of righteousness.
     .
4. Four – The number of progression, the circle of life or the change of seasons, movement and cycles, the ability to endure, stability.
   • This number is associated with Mercury.
   • This number is associated with the Mountain Ash Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Otter.
   • It represents the flow of spirit and nature.
   • Positive Direction: 4 is the number of nature. It embodies the talent of instinct and the ability to change and fit in with its surroundings. It is a mailable number that feels comfortable in the spirit world as equally as it does in the physical world.
   • Negative Direction: In reverse 4 can indicate instability, being flighty and having a need to get back to your roots. Feeling confused and not being able to make decisions, or choices on your own.
     .
5. Five – The number of chaos and creation, influences, and leadership.
   • This number is associated with Jupiter.
   • This number is associated with the Holly Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Wolf.
   • It represents Chaos and Creation (out of chaos comes creation).
   • Positive Direction: The number of leadership and the executive. This is the number of optimism and vision. Being able to see through the chaos and create success. Those with 5 in their life are assured of their own ability to succeed and create success even in adversity. They are adventurous and easily take risks.
   • Negative Direction: 5 can sometimes be too risky and make decisions based on a whim instead of inner intuition and research. They can over simplify, or live in a perspective of what could be instead of what is. While this might be beneficial in business, it’s detrimental in relationships and family.
     .
6. Six – The number of family or community, coming together in harmony, working together and being in balance together as a whole.
   • This number is associated with Venus.
   • This number is associated with the Alder Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Red Hawk.
   • It represents Divine Harmony.
   • Positive Direction: This is the number of family, compassion, caring, diplomacy and children. Those with 6 in their life tend to be great parents, supportive and respectful to family and friends. They honor their elders and enjoy their children.
   • Negative Direction: Six can also be the number of indifference and argument. It can exhibit dissatisfaction through defiance and disrespect. It can fall into moments of being controlling in order to “make” things happen their way. Which never lasts for the long term.
     .
7. Seven – The number of higher existence, the Divine realm (as in 7th Heaven), the spiritual world or spiritual body.
   • This number is associated with Saturn.
   • This number is associated with the Willow Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Beaver.
   • It represents the Divine within (the higher consciousness), The Divine Universe as a whole (all consciousness connected). It’s more of a Divine place, rather than entity.  Such as Avalon, Heaven, Valhalla etc.
   • Positive Direction: 7 places an emphasis on the esoteric, scholarly aspects of magik. It represents wisdom and knowledge, a higher view or long term vision of things. The understanding of being accountable for your choices and actions, but not through making critical judgements.
   • Negative Direction: 7 can place too much importance on knowledge without exercising its wisdom. Brutally honest at times when there needs to be a soft touch of compassion. Though 7 doesn’t often make negative judgements, the need to be needed and helpful can get one into trouble.
     .
8. Eight – The number of infinity, the infinite possibilities, breaking barriers, always moving.
   • This number is associated with Pluto.
   • This number is associated with the Hawthorne Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Deer.
   • It represents our ability to strive for things, be they personal, family, professional.
   • Positive Direction: When 8 is in your life it can represent a time to strive on, use innovation to overcome challenges. Endurance is a big thing with the number 8, as that effort to continue can bring great success in physical matters of profession, abundance and finance.
   • Negative Direction: In reverse 8 can indicate stagnation, constantly digging a hole that’s hard to get out of. Refusal to see how patterns create dis-ease and strife. Always giving up because there’s too much in the way.
     .
9. Nine – The number of Divinity, bringing together all forms of mind/body/spirit into one alignment.
   • This number is associated with the Universe.
   • This number is associated with the Oak Tree.
   • This number is associated with the Raven and Crow.
   • It represents the ultimate source of everything, The All, The Divine.
   • Positive Direction: When 9 is present it represents accomplishment, attaining goals or dreams, the ability to achieve influence and impact over our circumstances.
   • Negative Direction: In reverse 9 can be egotistical and arrogant. Making assumptions that everything revolves around its presence. Nothing else matters and there’s nothing else to consider if it doesn’t involve itself.
     .

.
In this version of Shamanistic Numerology double digit numbers are not considered practical. They are viewed as being influenced by culture, location, and other physical or humanistic perspectives that cloud their energy and meaning. A good example of this would be the number 13. In many Western cultures it is seen as the number of transition, being represented by death, the Crow and Raven, and holding foreboding warnings. But in Eastern cultures it can be seen as a number of good luck and influence. Shamanism often says mankind tries to make life complicated because they can’t believe that something so amazing and beautiful can be so simplistic. For this reason, there’s no need to define the meaning of numbers beyond the single digits.

© 2012 Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D. Springwolf Reflections / Spring’s Haven, LLC. All Rights Reserved.