Are Numerology and Astrology Related?

Numerology and astrology are often lumped together as pseudosciences or divination practices.

But are they actually related beyond that?

Let’s take a closer look at what each practice involves and see where, if at all, they intersect.

What is Numerology?

Numerology is the study of the occult meanings of numbers and their supposed influence on human life. Numerologists analyze numbers related to a person, such as their birthdate, name, and address, to reveal insights about their personality, talents, challenges, and life path.

Some of the core beliefs in numerology include:

• Numbers have inherent meanings and properties. For example, the number 2 is associated with cooperation, the number 7 with spirituality and inner wisdom.
• The numerical values of letters and words hold significance. In numerology, letters and words are converted into numbers using various numerology charts.
• Important numbers and numerical patterns can reveal life lessons, opportunities, cycles or challenges a person may face.
• Specific numbers hold meaning for an individual based on their name, birthdate, and other personal data.
• Mathematical patterns and ratios like the golden ratio reflect spiritual principles.

Overall, numerology relies on converting personal data into meaningful numbers that can provide guidance about one’s inner and outer life.

What is Astrology?

Astrology is the study of how the positions and movements of celestial bodies impact human lives. Astrologers analyze the alignment of the sun, moon, planets and stars at the precise moment and location of a person’s birth to construct a natal chart.

This astrological birth chart is a visual map of the cosmic influences believed to shape an individual’s personality, future, and life events.

Some core ideas in astrology include:

• The positions of celestial bodies at birth imprint a person’s life pattern. The birth chart reveals your potentials, challenges, lessons and opportunities.
• The 12 zodiac signs reflect different personality archetypes and traits. Your sun, moon and rising signs are most influential.
• The movements and alignments of planets and stars influence human affairs on both individual and collective levels.
• Astrological transits and cycles can predict important life events and periods of challenge or opportunity.

So in summary, astrology looks at the symbolism of the heavens for insight into human life on earth. It focuses on the cosmic map related to exact time and place of birth.

Connections Between Numerology and Astrology

Now that we’ve outlined the basics of numerology and astrology separately, we can look at where these divination practices overlap and intersect. Here are some of the key connections between numerology and astrology:

Symbolic Systems

Both numerology and astrology rely on complex symbolic systems. Numerology uses numbers and the meanings ascribed to them, while astrology uses celestial bodies and their movements. But in both cases, practitioners must interpret the deeper significance of these symbols in relation to human lives.

Convert Birth Data Into Symbols

In both numerology and astrology, a person’s birth information is converted into symbolic form – into numbers in numerology, and a birth chart in astrology. The symbols are then analyzed for meaning.

Emphasis on Birth Timing

Your exact time, date and place of birth holds great import in both numerology and astrology. In astrology, it determines your natal chart and cosmic influences. In numerology, it provides key numbers to analyze, like your life path number.

Insights into Personality and Life Path

Both practices claim to reveal insights about an individual’s innate personality, talents, challenges and life path through studying the symbolic charts. The interpretations can sound quite similar.

Prophetic Potential

Numerology and astrology both hold that the symbolic systems used can help predict events, cycles and patterns in someone’s future life course and timing of major life events if properly interpreted by practitioners.

Intersections With Spirituality

Both numerology and astrology have connections to spiritual concepts like fate, soul purpose, karmic lessons, energy, the paranormal, and others. However, the extent of these spiritual associations differs between the two.

Important Differences Between the Two

While numerology and astrology share some common elements, there are also important distinctions between the two esoteric practices:

Numerology Simpler System

The system and tools used in numerology is relatively simple compared to complex astrology. Numerology mainly relies on finding key numbers and interpreting their meanings. Astrology uses intricate charts, celestial mechanics and mapping.

Numerology More Flexible

Unlike astrology which relies exclusively on your birth chart, numerology can provide analysis based on other personal numbers and data points, not only your birth name and date. You can generate numbers using anything meaningful to you.

Astrology More Detailed Forecasts

Astrology’s symbolic language is so vast and complex that it allows more detailed and specific descriptions and predictions compared to numerology’s relatively fixed numeric meanings. However, skeptics would argue neither is truly predictive.

Astrology Based on Astronomy

Unlike numerology, astrology is anchored in the science of astronomy and the actual movements and alignments of planets, stars and constellations. However, the interpretations astrologers assign to those movements is where it crosses into the mystical.

Astrology Linked to Myths

Astrology brings in ancient myths linked to the gods, archetypes and principles symbolized by each celestial body and constellation. Numerology does not incorporate mythic associations at the same level.

Astrology More Prominent Spiritual Ties

Historically astrology has been more intricately linked with religious and spiritual systems like Kabbalah, Hermeticism, and New Age beliefs compared to numerology. However numerology has some spiritual associations too.

So in summary, while the two have some similarities, astrology is grounded in astronomy and intricate symbolic celestial mappings while numerology relies on numeric calculations and their interpretations.

Can They Be Used Together?

Some people choose to use numerology and astrology together as complementary divination tools for self-insight and to foresee their life path. Here are a few ways they may combine astrology and numerology:

• Calculate your life path number and other numerology numbers from your astrological birth chart data, like your birthday
• Incorporate numerological interpretations into analyzing your natal chart
• Use astrology forecasts to predict when important numerology cycles may occur for you
• Study how personal year numbers shift as astrological transits occur
• Look for astrological influences that may impact events predicted by name numerology
• Combine astrological tarot with numerological tarot spreads for deeper insight

However, skeptics argue that since neither system has scientific validity on its own, combining them makes little sense logically and compounds the unsupported claims. Researchers have found no statistically meaningful accuracy either method can claim in predicting life events.

Some argue that while both astrology and numerology can be fun hobbies, their predictions should not guide important life decisions. They say these divination tools are vague and susceptible to subjective interpretation, confirmation bias and the Barnum effect.

Conclusion

In summary, while astrology and numerology share some common elements and both claim to provide insight into personality and life path, they are rooted in distinct symbolic systems and methodologies.

The core foundation of astrology is astronomy, mapping the heavens from one’s birth time and place. In contrast, numerology relies solely on numeric calculations from personal data like one’s name and birthday.

Some may combine the two systems for deeper insights, but critics argue neither has shown definitive evidence of predictive abilities. In the end, the decision to believe, follow or explore these occult practices is a personal choice.

References

Simmons, K. (2018). Astrology and numerology: More similar than we think. Cosmic Navigator Astrology. https://cosmicnavigator.com/astrology-and-numerology-more-similar-than-we-think/

The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. (n.d.). Astrology and numerology: Two Bedfellows. https://centerforinquiry.org/csi/astrology_and_numerology_two_bedfellows/

Hanson, R., & Morton, R. (2005). Numerology: Religious mysticism masquerading as science. Philosophy of Science and the Occult, 2nd ed., pp. 56-72. Prometheus Books.

Mayo, J., White, O., & Eysenck, H. J. (1978). An empirical study of the relation between astrological factors and personality. Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1978.9924112