Numbers seem to have been with the human race since the very beginnings of directed thought and they probably have made the most vital contributions to our learning. Numbers play an extremely vital role in astrology. Some theories go so far as to calim that Numerology was extensively used for understanding people and making predictions when Horoscope reading was not developed.

All Sun Signs have a planet and every planet has a number allocated to it. Every alphabet of English has been given a number between 1 and 9. Totalling up these values in a name gives the Identity Number of an individual. The various numbers present in a name are ‘mapped’ in a particular manner to arrive at various observations.

A = 1	N = 5
B = 2	O = 7
C = 3	P = 8
D = 4	Q = 1
E = 5	R = 2
F = 8	S = 3
G = 3	T = 4
H = 5	U = 6
I = 1	V = 6
J = 1	W = 6
K = 2	X = 5
L = 3	Y = 1
M = 4	Z = 7

Example:

A L E X A N D E R	G R A H A M	B E L L
1+3+5+5+1+5+4+5+2	3+2+1+5+1+4	2+5+3+3
31	16	13
3+1 = 4	1+6 = 7	1+3 = 4

Identity Compound Number = 4+7+4 = 15
Identity Single Number = 1+5 = 6

The date on which a person is born is known as Birth Number and the total of the date, month and year of birth is known as the Basic Number. These names vary in books of Numerology, but keeping in mind the numbers of an individual’s name and also the date of birth, calculations are done to find out compatibility in relationships and suitability to various other aspects of life.

Example:

Date of Birth: 14^th January, 1975
Birth Number = 1+4 = 5
Basic Number = 1+4 + 1 + 1+9+7+5 = 28 = 2+8 = 10 = 1

Numerology, like Tarot, is not as extensive and elaborate as Horoscope reading, but a good astrologer makes the best use of all the occults, maximising the benefits for an individual.