With so much uncertainty in the world, many turn to ancient wisdom to seek guidance and answers. While astrology is a popular go-to, there’s another practice that takes things one step further to help you gain an even deeper understanding of yourself, your experience, and your purpose — it’s called Numerology.
This ancient practice can be traced back to 500 BC and it’s about the symbolism of numbers. And, in numerology, there are two important personal numbers — called your Personal Year and Life Path Number — that help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and how you’ll navigate the current climate of the year, aka the Universal Year. “Your Personal Year has a major influence on what you will experience in your current year,” says Aycee Brown. “Maximize the energy of your personal year to move forward in your life with alignment and become more self-aware,” she adds.
Curious to know what your Life Path Number and Personal Year are? We break it down, ahead.
Meet the Experts
Aycee Brown is a psychic channel and spiritual guide specializing in Human Design, Astrology, and Numerology.
What Is Numerology and How Does It Work?
Numerology is “an in-depth analysis of numbers and how those numbers help you discover what your soul’s purpose is in this lifetime,” says Brown. According to Brown, the practice works by “maximizing the energies of numbers to guide events, days, months, years, and anything else that can have Numerological significance.”
For those who love a good horoscope, Numerology is a great companion to astrology. Astrology is “the study of planets and their movement,” says Brown, adding that both are very different from each other, however, “they are interconnected.”
How to Find Your Numerology Year
In astrology, you have sun signs based on your birthday. Numerology is similar in that you are assigned a personal number based on your birth date — this is called the Life Path Number. “Your Life Path Number represents your personality and the energy your soul wants to express in this lifetime,” says Brown, adding that this number challenges you to “seek answers and ask ‘What am I here to learn?’ or ‘How can I create the most joy and maximize my gifts in this lifetime?’”
To calculate your life path number, you break your birthday down into a single digit. For example, if your birthday is February 10, 1985, you start by adding each individual number together — so, 2+1+0+1+9+8+5 = 26 — then add up 2 + 6 to get a Life Path Number of 8.
In addition to Life Path Numbers, you can also do a calculation to find out what your Personal Year number is. This is a number that represents a theme for the entire year, based on your birth month and birth date, plus the Numerology of the current year. The year 2022 is a 6 Universal Year (2+0+2+2 = 6), so you’ll add up your birth month and birthday with the number 6. Using the same example as above, if your birthday is February 10th, you would add 2 + 1 + 0 + 6 and find that you’re in a 9 Personal Year.
The Difference Between Your Personal Year and the Universal Year
In astrology, every year is a different single-digit number, which is called a Universal Year. But, that number could very easily be — and often is — different from your Personal Year number. Using the above example, if your birthday is February 10th, your Personal Year is 9, and we are currently in a 6 Universal Year. According to Brown, the Universal Year is like a season (such as spring) and the Personal Year is the current weather of that season. So, while we all might be experiencing a 6 season in 2022, our weather forecast looks different based on what our Personal Year is.
Numerology Themes
So, what do all of these numbers mean? Each of the single-digit numbers in Numerology has a symbolic theme. The energies of the different numbers are as follows:
- 1 = Clean slate, action, rebirth
- 2 = Growth, partnerships, rebirth
- 3 = Creativity, choices, joy
- 4 = Commitment, karma, growth
- 5 = Freedom, uncertainty, discovery
- 6 = Responsibility, foundations, love
- 7 = Inner work, intuition, self-awareness
- 8 = Advancement, personal power, polarity
- 9 = Completion, surrender, clarity
While every number in Numerology has a theme, some are more special than others. If your Personal Year adds up to 11 (which is a 2 year), 22 (a 4 year), or 33 (a 6 year), these numbers are called “Master Numbers” and the years “have heightened energy,” says Brown.
The 411 on Personal Numerology
With insight on how to find your Life Path number and Personal Year — plus what the years mean in Numerology — you can use your personal Numerology in a number of ways. This includes establishing goals and resolutions, allowing the wisdom of the numbers to guide you through your current climate, and gaining a deeper understanding of your life purpose. Here’s how your life path number plays a role in all of that.
One: If your personal numerology number is one, Brown says “you’re a leader and can come off as commanding, but that’s because you are clear about your life direction.” You’re also someone who takes action when others are afraid to and are able to “show others that hard things can be done.”
Two: Those with two for their personal number “are a breath of fresh air,” says Brown. “Your charming and diplomatic ways give others the opportunity to see things from a different perspective,” she adds. On top of that, you can do things with a level of grace and ease that doesn’t come as naturally to others.
Three: When your numbers add up to a three, you are likely an extremely creative and positive person. “Your optimism makes others feel seen around you, so you have a great social presence and attract people who feel safe to express themselves around you,” says Brown.
Four: People with four as their numerology are reliable and solid. According to Brown, you also have what it takes to be disciplined and go the distance. “There is a relatable quality that you have because you understand life’s ups and downs,” Brown adds.
Five: Many people fear the unknown, but not those with five as their personal numerology number. “You are a risk-taker and you love change,” Brown explains. “You need to embody every stage of your life to learn lessons and go and tell others about your experiences,” she adds.
Six: If you have six as your personal numerology number, you are stable and comforting. “Your energy is solid and you make people feel safe,” says Brown. “This is because you have experienced situations that may have put you in circumstances that were unfavorable and you vow to ever experience that again,” she adds, noting how this number also means your energy is outgoing and thoughtful, too.
Seven: Those with seven as their personal numerology are “intuitive and connected to the source [or spirit],” says Brown. “You know things that others don’t—you are a seeker of truth and love telling others about things of mystery,” she adds. This number is all about using your naturally philosophical energy to inspire others to see things differently.
Eight: “You are powerful and a master at getting others to buy into what you are doing,” Brown says of those with eight as their personal numerology. “You have the leadership qualities of a CEO and the nurturing of a mother,” she adds. With this combination, Brown says you are typically able to see what steps people should take in life and you can help them devise a plan to get there.
Nine: If you are a number nine, you are inspirational and others might view you through a humanitarian lens because it’s never just about yourself. “You have the ability to be above drama and confusion,” Brown notes. “Your connection to the spiritual world allows you to see the good in people,” she adds.
“It helps to look at your personal year to gain better insight on how to use the power of numerology in your life.”
In addition to understanding your personal life path number, it helps to look at your personal year to gain better insight on how to use the power of numerology in your life. “When you look at your personal year, you can use that as a way to pinpoint a focus of the year as each personal year has a strong theme,” says Brown.
For example, if you are currently in a personal year 1, “themes of new beginnings and planting seeds should be your focus,” she explains, adding that a 1 year might present an opportunity to move or start something new since the energy of number 1 is all about fresh starts. By applying the themes of your life path number and following your personal years, you can create a life that feels more aligned with who you are, or who you are meant to be.
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