Numerology

Numerology (known before the 20th century as arithmancy) is the belief in an occult, divine or mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It is also the study of the numerical value, via an alphanumeric system, of the letters in words and names. When numerology is applied to a person's name, it is a form of onomancy. It is often associated with astrology and other divinatory arts.^[2] It is based on the premise that we are timeless souls who have lived and will continue to live many lives for the purpose of wisdom and growth. ^[3]

Number symbolism is an ancient and pervasive aspect of human thought, deeply intertwined with religion, philosophy, mysticism, and mathematics. Different cultures and traditions have assigned specific meanings to numbers, often linking them to divine principles, cosmic forces, or natural patterns. 666 is associated with the beast, 888 is said to represent Jesus, and then there's the Holy Trinity. Hanukkah lasts for eight nights. In Tarot, each card is numbered, and those numbers have unique meanings. In Chinese tradition, the number four is associated with bad luck.^{[4] [5]}

The term numerologist can be used for those who place faith in numerical patterns and draw inferences from them, even if those people do not practice traditional numerology. For example, in his 1997 book Numerology: Or What Pythagoras Wrought (Dudley 1997), mathematician Underwood Dudley uses the term to discuss practitioners of the Elliott wave principle of stock market analysis.