A fascination with birthdays and numbers
I have been fascinated with birthdays for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would read my horoscope daily in the Toronto Sun newspaper, convinced that the three or four lines of predictions for the day ahead were set in stone. I would choose Aries or Taurus based on which star sign offered the most fortunate predictions. My birthday might be the last day of Aries or the first day of Taurus so I could choose which sign I’d be for that day. I felt very lucky that I could choose between two signs (born on a cusp) while everyone else had a birthday smack in the middle of a sign’s date range.
My interest in my daily horoscope readings evolved into reading about all twelve zodiac signs. I memorized the date ranges for every sign. I memorized the symbols, archetype and elements associated with each sign. I expanded my knowledge further by researching Chinese astrology that uses a persons year of birth instead of the month and day. Combining the western astrological sign with a Chinese sign filled in many gaps for friends and family members I would read for that didn’t seem to match the best with their typical zodiac sign’s traits. But it still wasn’t a perfect match even combining these two.
A perfect example; me and my twin brother. We were born the same day, and the same year mere minutes apart but still had clear distinctions in our personality traits and aspirations. Surely having the same birthdate, the same parents and the same upbringing would make our personalities nearly identical as well but they are not. Far from it. He is loud, aggressive, a comedian. I am more calm, gentle and a good listener, He’s an extrovert, I am more introverted. What was the key indicator for for us to be so distinct as twins? I kept expanding on my knowledge and came across the study of numerology.
Numerology 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.
Western Astrology groups everyone into twelve zodiac signs. Chinese Astrology groups us into twelve animal signs. Numerology adds another layer into an additional twelve number groups -ranging from numbers 1-9 and including master numbers 11, 22 and 33. And there it was. The distinguishing factor between us twins – our names. This number explores what you are destined to do in your lifetime and who you are destined to become. It points to the strengths you should use and develop to lead a fulfilling life.
Your Destiny Number is also referred to as the expression number / name number / potential number. The Destiny/Expression number reveals the talents and abilities instilled in you at birth and is one of the most important numbers in your chart. My Destiny number is 8 while my twin brothers is a 3. We radiate the energy of our destiny or expression number much more than our star sign.
How to calculate your Destiny Number
Use the chart below to assign a numerical value to each letter in your full birth name. Next add all the single digits together until those digits reduce down to a single digit gives you your Destiny Number.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I |
| J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R |
| S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Then sum up the total of each of your names separately, ensuring you reduce each double-digit to a single-digit number.
Finally, sum up the single digits from each of your names to find your special number.
For example, if the name is Nicole Mary Kidman the calculations will look like this:
Nicole: 5 + 9 + 3 + 6 + 3 + 5 = 31 = 3 + 1 = 4
Mary: 4 + 1 + 9 + 7 = 21 = 2 + 1 = 3
Kidman: 2 + 9 + 4 + 4 + 1 + 5 = 25 = 2 + 5 = 7
Next, sum up 4, 3 and 7 to get 14. Reduce 14 to a single digit 1 + 4 = 5.
The destiny number is 5.
What Are Master Numbers?
Your expression number/destiny number is usually a single digit, as was just demonstrated. But that’s not always true. There are a few master numbers that act differently. These are number 11, number 22 and number 33. If you get one of these as your final result, that’s your destiny number — not the sum of the two digits. Consider yourself blessed if you have a master number. Master numbers are special because their energy is amplified or of double significance. Carriers of master numbers have double blessings and double expectations that can come in the form of life lessons attached to them.
Your Destiny Number Meaning
What does your destiny number mean for you? Each number comes with a set of traits the person has and the roles the person fits in. I have included my favorite destiny number interpretations from numerologist Felicia Bender below.
Destiny Number 1
Your destiny is to become #1 at all you do in your life.
Your task is to develop your true, authentic self and to become in leader in whatever field you find you’re the most passionate and skilled. You’re all about power. You want to be the best at everything you do. You expect very high standards of performance from yourself and, in turn, also expect the same from others, which can set you up for frustration and disappointment.
Your purpose is to take the lead and take initiative—the 1 Destiny number is not lack-luster or low-key! You’re meant to have courage, act independently on your unique and original ideas, be innovative, and take charge. All this while communicating and acting with clarity and compassion.
A 1 Destiny number sets you up for a lifetime of development of your sense of self (banish that sense of self-doubt), your willpower, and setting out with determination without allowing the naysayers or glitches along the road weigh you down or demolish your vision. You work hard and play hard. You need to have an exercise routine that helps you burn off excess stress.
Your 1 Destiny number insists that even if you struggle with self confidence or hold yourself back from manifesting your full powers, you’re lined up for a destiny that demands that you embrace leadership. You need to demonstrate your originality and leadership and also teach it to others. The 1 Destiny number will demand that you develop yourself from a dependence to independence, individuation, and – ultimately – achievement and initiative.
Destiny Number 2
Your destiny is to bring people together in an atmosphere of harmony and love.
Your mission is to create harmony, balance, cooperation, and love wherever you go and in whatever you do. Love is the cornerstone to your life and finding that perfect mate is important to you. You’re here to learn how to develop your sense of relationship; how to successfully understand and relate to others and to yourself.
Your path includes developing diplomacy. Your 2 Destiny encourages you to seek to be of service to the “larger cause;” whether that’s your family, your company, or any other cause or group you feel strongly about. Your destiny is to develop adaptability, open- hearted caring, and focus on the higher good. Understand that you need to get out and socialize, because when you isolate yourself, you suffer from pessimism, depression, and inaction.
You thrive when you’re involved with other people and contributing to the group dynamics, whether it’s with friends, work, family, or a community group. You’ll be tested with being overly sensitive and can resort to becoming confrontational rather than the harmonizer. Beware of needing incessant reinforcement from everyone around you, because you’re not likely to get it! Even if you find that you’re challenged with being passive or aggressive—indecisive or lacking focus—your calling is to become a peacemaker and harmonizing influence on whatever you touch.
Destiny Number 3
Your destiny is to inspire, motivate, heal, and uplift people.
If you find you have a Destiny Number 3, you’re being called to inspire, heal, uplift, and energize others. You’re all about performance, however that manifests for you in your life. Your ultimate purpose comes through when you’re operating with a core sense of optimism, enthusiasm, compassion, and joy.
Some of the qualities you bring to the table are beauty, possible eccentricity, excitement, and fame. When you’ve tapped into your authentic sense of expression and then inspire others to use and express theirs, you’re fulfilling your life’s purpose. If you give up on your dreams and don’t use your talents creatively, you’ll battle with depression and find yourself traveling down other unsatisfying or destructive pathways. You must pursue your true calling, so make efforts to focus on what that is for you, believe in it and don’t be deterred from embracing it.
Often the 3 brings so many talents and ideas with it, it’s difficult to focus on just one, making procrastination or scattered focus a hurdle. You’ll be challenged with learning to identify and embrace your own emotional life and often will be most effective in helping yourself help others through your gift of words (both verbal and written), through your amazing sense of wit and humor, and by being lighthearted and a good communicator and listener.
You might find challenges in the areas of emotional ups and downs, depression, or being judgmental and critical. You’ll also have a tendency to over-think just about everything, so schedule in brain-relaxation or you’ll go nuts. If you find that being onstage doesn’t feel natural to you, chances are this is the result of residual wounds from your childhood. Don’t resist your feelings; they offer you profound wisdom. Your 3 Destiny number calls you to express yourself and help others do the same in the most positive, funny, joyful way possible.
Destiny Number 4
Your destiny is to leave something of value that people can find beneficial in their day-to-day lives.
You’re intent on building something of lasting value; whether that’s a family of your own, a business, or other enterprise. You’re all about stability and security. You’re hardworking, can be a pillar of your community, and are immanently trustworthy. In fact, honesty is a big issue for you.
You have the potential to be a stellar marriage or business partner. Your life purpose revolves around being practical and hardworking. You’re the systems-builder. You’re the keeper of order and thrive on stability and security. You might lean toward rigidness or stubbornness.
You could avoid putting down roots, shy away from hard work, and avoid having a family of your own. Sometimes you can become so self-sacrificing that you become the martyr or a tyrant. This stems from your need to control and also from your high level of expectation about your own performance—and the performance of others. Your intentions are always for the greater good, yet that’s not often clear to anyone but you.
The biggest roadblock for the 4 Destiny number is a fear of appearing dumb (or let’s say “under informed”) and a fear of taking risks. A person with a 4 Destiny number can wake up one day when they’re older and realize that none of their dreams have been realized because of their inability to step outside their own self-imposed box.
Even so, your 4 Destiny number puts you on the path of managing, organizing, and creating a foundation from which to build your life or enterprise. Don’t let fear of criticism stop you from creating the foundation from which you build your contribution to the world.
Destiny Number 5
Your destiny is to effect change and show people how to live life to the maximum.
The freewheeling 5 Destiny number pushes you toward a mission of adaptability, progress, freedom, and embracing the adventure of life. Freedom is the guiding force in your life. You thrive on hands-on experience. You’re task is to develop your constructive use of freedom.
Your purpose is to embrace your sense of fearlessness and follow your curiosity to explore the world and offer your magnetic presence and gifts to those around you. Most often the 5 Destiny number is intelligent, philosophical, and spiritually minded.
You’re a natural salesperson when you’re dealing with something you believe in. This Destiny number leads you on a roller coaster, where life can feel as though it’s coming at you without a filter. Your destiny is one of liberation and freedom, no matter how you slice it.
If you find yourself on the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ll do battle with self-absorption, paranoia, myopia, fearfulness, and emotional paralysis. Remember there’s truly nothing to fear but fear itself (thank you Franklin D. Roosevelt).
You can move through intimate relationships like you’re changing your socks. Your effect on other people can be baffling to you, as others might feel tricked or “played” by you, even when you’re simply moving to the beat of your own music. Your heightened self-centered emotionalism might also try your friendships and intimate relationships. You can swerve over into the “high maintenance” category with great ease, making your love relationships, family interaction, and friendships potentially exasperating to those on the other end of your relationship-pole.
Move forward, recalibrate yourself, and embrace positive change. Ultimately, your gift is showing others how to live fearlessly through your example. The key to your 5 Destiny is to work with boundaries and certain parameters or life could be chaotic and out of control.
Destiny Number 6
Your destiny is to provide a nurturing safe ‘nest’ for yourself and your loved ones.
Your mission is to nurture and serve, plain and simple. Whether it’s your family and loved ones or your business or community, you are a master at creating beauty, harmony, and balance. Love (shaken and stirred!) with acceptance is key for you as a 6 Destiny number.
You have a polished presentation about you and denote an air of authority in whatever you do. One of your specialties is damage control, so when things are moving along without trauma or drama, you have a tendency to either sweat it (while you wait for the other shoe to drop, so to speak) or you stir things up in order to have a problem to focus your energies on. Give yourself permission to accept things when life is good and smooth! They’ll always be another problem to solve down the line. No need to push it.
You may find yourself in positions of responsibility early on in your life and that sense of responsibility will continue as you mature. You’re a people pleaser, sometimes to your detriment. You need to feel indispensable to others and yet resent the fact that others rely on you too much. Beware of partnering with someone who is more of a “patient” than a partner because you’ll find yourself becoming an enabler rather than a nurturer. Remember that your mission is to balance and modulate your sense of responsibility – not overly responsible (meddling, self-righteous, perfectionist) and not overly irresponsible (self-centered, judgmental, controlling).
You’re in your element when you’re expressing gratitude, generosity, acceptance of others, and giving comfort to others in times of need. You express your life’s purpose through love and service. While you may tend toward self-righteousness, codependency, or fall into being a martyr, your true calling is in healthy nurturing, compassionate detachment, acceptance of others (get past that perfectionism!), and adding beauty and your beautiful vision to the world.
Destiny Number 7
Your destiny is to develop trust and faith and find your own answer to the meaning of life.
As a 7 Destiny number, your mission is to seek out information and analyze it. You’re all about knowledge and spiritual seeking. You dig deep and contemplate heavily. You’re the perfect researcher and everything always comes back to informing your own sense of inner wisdom. Your life-long task is to get to know the true you, inside and out.
You need a good deal of private “alone” time. Your life is instructed by a powerful collision between practical, tangible data and the analysis of it. Then on the other hand, you’re highly intuitive and your gift—and your task—is to integrate the two (your intellect and your intuition) into a harmonious dance team.
If you find yourself isolated to the point of withdrawing from the “outside world,” you’re straying from the constructive nature of your 7 Destiny. The highest and best use of your extraordinary talents are cultivating knowledge, processing it into new ideas or practical usage, and applying your advanced wisdom to the data.
You’re a person people never really truly know because you’re most often attempting to figure that out yourself! Watch out for your sharp words, as you can hurt people without realizing it. You have exquisite observation skills and when you have a strong sense of spirituality (however that manifests for you), you’re at your best. Otherwise, you can fall into superficiality, skepticism, cynicism or depression. You’re a gentle soul and your destiny is to share your hard-won wisdom with the world.
Destiny Number 8
Your destiny is to manifest financial security that allows you freedom to make a difference in the world.
An 8 Destiny number is calling for you to gain self-mastery in a profound way. Your purpose is to achieve and succeed with business and organization—not to mention personal power, control, authority, and above all, ethics. The Eight is a relentless taskmaster and demands that you understand and employ all your abilities to achieve financial abundance and also to give to others generously. When you realize that you’re here to achieve power and abundance and then act on that knowledge, your destiny will be fulfilled. Right out of the gate, you have authority issues.
Do you walk into a room as if you own the place (even when you don’t)? Watch out for becoming an opinionated control-freak. Steer clear of greed, ruthlessness, or being overly opinionated and over-bearing. Instead, focus on wealth and abundance. Remember that as you give, you receive. Oddly enough, you can be extremely sentimental and emotional. It’s your task to learn to be a confident and charismatic person without becoming corrupted or hardened by power and money.
Remember that you have amazing potential for improving the lives of a lot of people. You’re a masterful leader; a powerhouse made for material success. You can be easily misinterpreted because of your gruff, direct, and opinionated manner. When you’re thriving financially and giving generously from your heart, you’re doing what you were born to do. Your word of caution: don’t allow the pursuit of money to overshadow your ability to build healthy relationships and don’t be so stubborn! Listen to other peoples’ advice; they can help you build your empire.
Your flip-side is that you find yourself in the opposite situation. The first item of business that’ll open the gate for you to achieve your 8 Destiny is to dig deep and tap into your sense of personal empowerment. And believe me, you’ll be handed a treasure-trove of opportunities to step up or be stepped on.
Money and power are a consistent theme in your life one way or the other. I know people who scoff when they hear they their Destiny number (or Life Path number) is an Eight (or their significant others’ is an 8) and comment with great exasperation: “I can’t even hold down a job!” or “If only it were true that I’m supposed to make a lot of money – I’m on disability” or “I’ve just never had the lucky break I need – I never get a break.”
If you struggle with money, start with healing and establishing your sense of yourself by establishing and acting on your personal boundaries. The energy of the 8 isn’t an easy walk in the park. It demands that you dig into your power and move through obstacles – and there will be many obstacles. An 8 Destiny number means you have to step it up.
Destiny Number 9
Your destiny is to achieve a higher state of consciousness and teach others how to achieve theirs.
Your mission is a humanitarian one. Yours is a spiritual path and you’re here to love unconditionally, however that may manifest in your life. You’re often a hopeless romantic at heart and can set yourself up for disappointment when people don’t measure up to your ideals. You’re at your optimal when you’re tapping into your creativity, sensitivity, and selflessness.
Beware that others may find that you’re ideas are a little on the cuckoo-side! This Destiny number is a powerful one demanding that you learn to transform and heal (both yourself and others) while letting go of the past freely and without bitterness.
You may find yourself tripping over into the arena of resentment, of intolerance, or gullibility. You may have to deal with enmeshment with your family of origin throughout your life. Your task is to let go of family issues fully and completely. You often feel either resentment toward the family or feel overly responsible for them.
You need to be aware that people respond much more favorably to you when you connect with them through being a compassionate active listener rather than a preacher, lecturer, or proselytizer. Understand that you can have an intimidating quality to you, despite your big heart. So be careful about how your frame your discussion so that people don’t feel as though you’re patronizing them.
Often the 9 Destiny number can come off as arrogant or unapproachable. Realize that everyone thinks you have it all (or have it all together) and so you find it difficult to ask for help or support. It’s not only okay to ask for help, it’s very healing for you. Know that your 9 Destiny is a profound journey that offers you multifaceted opportunities to touch the lives of others and heal some of your own deepest wounds. You’re learning how to both give and receive.
Master Destiny Number 11/2
Your destiny is to heal and transform others through selfless service and artistic creativity.
Your special mission is to recognize and use your creativity, intuition, and healing abilities for the benefit of humanity as a whole. You can achieve this in a multitude of ways—eliciting an emotional response through dance, music, or art. Working one-on-one or in groups with various healing modalities. Or you can write, entertain, teach.
Remember, you are a double 1 (leadership, confidence) and yet also a 2 (harmony, love). So you come with some special challenges to fulfill your mission. A 2 Life Path will go out of their way to avoid being in the spotlight. A 2 is most at peace and satisfied when they’re taking the reins behind the scenes. The 11 pushes you into the spotlight and this will have some disconcerting effects on you. You’ll feel as though nothing you do is ever quite enough. You’ll have a nervous energy that you just can’t control. You’ll lean toward impatience and criticism (toward yourself and others) and arm-wrestle with self-doubt.
If you’re to embrace this Destiny number, you’ll do battle with a fairly hefty ego, which is ironic because you volley from feeling totally inferior to loftily superior; back and forth. This number sets you up for inspired leadership and achievement. Yet you’ll most likely feel as though you’re jumping through rings of fire to get there.
You might even think of yourself as “The Wounded Healer,” because your life provides you with plenty of obstacles to get your footing, embrace your high level of spirituality and intuition, and then act upon your gifts in a solid and practical way that will bring your message to the masses. This Destiny number requires that you build and use your emotional psychic shield daily or you’ll become so emotionally wounded you won’t have the strength or fortitude to fulfill your mission.
Master Destiny Number 22/4
Your destiny is to bring forth masterful teaching and inspired practical ideas.
Your mission as a Master number is to execute and build projects that will benefit a wide arena of humankind. This is a spiritual path (like all the Master numbers) that prods you to step out of the slow, steady security of the number 4 and kick it up substantially. This will be uncomfortable for you until you get the hang of it, because it’s contrary to the pull you have with the rule-following energy of the 4.
You’ll use all the hardworking, step-by-step qualities of the Four while tapping into a higher level of purpose and action. You’ll learn to take risks and look toward setting higher stakes with your enterprises. You’re the Master Builder extraordinaire, so look toward building solid foundations to your enterprise with the big picture in front of you at all times.
You might be challenged with not feeling up to the task or even entitled to do something that might take you into fame and fortune. You might even cringe at the idea of making a lot of money given the energy of the 4 is more about feeling a sense of security, not necessarily manifesting abundance. It sounds like a small detail, yet mentally this can drag you down.
You’re being pushed toward bringing spiritual practices down to the material, day-to-day world. Avoid your stubborn streak and a tendency to be a know-it-all. Gather your supporters around you, set up the systems to make it work, and hand over some of the responsibilities to others. If you find yourself doing it all yourself, you aren’t living up to your 22 Destiny.
Master Destiny Number 33
Your destiny is masterful healing and inspired vision.
This is a challenge from the get-go. If you find yourself with a 33 Destiny number, your mission (should you choose to accept it! . . . cue Mission Impossible music . . . ) is to be a Master Healer and to bring forth a higher form of love to the world. Since you have the double 3’s, you also have to do this with joy, fun, and heart-felt communication and expression.
It’s your calling to teach and show by example the power of love. You’re meant to serve as a conduit to healing on whatever level you feel most compelled to engage. The Master number presupposes that you’ll take on leadership positions and the 33/6 encompasses visionary goals, truth and beauty, and a nurturing and giving heart.
You might wrestle with feeling over-burdened. Your tendency will be to be emotionally raw, taking in the wounds of the world. Even so, you’re still on the path of helping and healing in whatever form you choose.
Holly May Cormier 