Alternatively Numeromancy and Arithomancy.
An ancient, sometimes sacred, system of divination and occult practice based on the idea that the universe is mathematically constructed, and all things can be expressed in numbers, which correspond to vibrations.
Because all letters, words, names, birth-dates and so on can be expressed in numbers, which in turn are ascribed complex religious and mystical meanings, a person's life, personality and destiny can be determined.
Occult numerology began with Pythagoras who, from certain observations in music, mathematics, and astronomy, believed that all relations could be reduced to number relations ('all things are numbers').
This formed the basis of a mystical system expanded upon by later Greek philosophers. Jewish Cabbala mysticism (see Gematria), ancient near Eastern religions (especially in Babylon and Egypt), and the Hindu, Buddhist and Chinese faiths have all erected elaborate divinatory systems based on mystical numerological correspondences.
Numbers were especially important to the Cabbalists in both ancient times and in the Middle Ages. Their magico-philosophical science of numbers (Gematria) found in the Cabbala is based on the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
In most occult systems only the numbers 1 to 9, together with 0, are considered in any depth, for all numbers greater than 9 can be reduced to a single digit by adding the digits together. This reductionism is the main tool of numerological divination. Consider the number 642 which can be reduced to (6 + 4 + 2 = 12), and then (1 + 2 = 3). The number 642 is therefore equivalent to the symbolic number 3.
Each number has its own characteristics and values male/female, strong/passive, harmony/disharmony and so on and also corresponds to a letter of the alphabet. Various formulae can be applied to a person's name, birthday and birthplace to determine a person's character and destiny. Numerology is also used to determine propitious days for certain activities, such as selecting marriage partners or choosing a baby's name.
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See Acutomancy, Divination, Coscinomancy, Cleidomancy, Augur, Stoichomancy, Dowsing, Tarot, Heptameron, Demonology, Sortilege, Demonomancy, Tephramancy, Anemoscopy, Eromancy, Austromancy, Chaomancy, Roadomancy, Capnomancy, Pyromancy, Meteormancy, Ceraunoscopy, Zoomancy, Felidomancy, Mystic Gifts and Charms - New Age Gift Shop & Wicca and Pagan Supplies, Love Spells -- Use these powerful love spells to help you find and keep your true love, The Tarot Store, The Chakra Store, Divination & Scrying Tools and Supplies, Unique Amulets, Talismans, Good Luck Charms, and Love Tokens, Powerful Witch Doctor Spell Kits, Powerful Spells - Cast by Andreika the Witch, Webmasters Make $$$, AzureGreen - Celebrating All Paths to the Divine, ISIS - Tools for Your Soul's Journey, and The Pyramid Collection - Myth, Magick, Fantasy and Romance.
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Sources: ; (1) Dunwich, Gerina, A Wiccan's Guide to Prophecy and Divination, Carol Publishing Group; (2) Shipley, Joseph T., Dictionary of Early English, Littlefield, Adams & Co. Publishers; (3) Hellweg, Paul, The Insomniac's Dictionary: The Last Word On The Odd Word, Ivy Books; (4) Walker, Charles, The Encyclopedia of the Occult, Random House Value; (5) Johnstone, Jane, and Pilkington, Maya (editors), The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Fortune Telling, Sterling Publishing.
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