“Those who deepen themselves in what is called in the Pythagorean sense ‘the study of numbers’ will learn through the symbolism of numbers to understand life and the world.”
—RUDOLF STEINER, FOUNDER OF ANTHROPOSOPHY AND THE WALDORF SCHOOLS
Your Life Path Number
Your birth date forms a very important personal number and its energy influences you throughout your lifetime. Numerologists refer to this as your “life path” number because it indicates your direction or role in this lifetime. To find this powerful number, add the month, date, and year of your birth together. Keep reducing the sum by adding the digits until only a single digit remains. (Note: Usually the double or so-called “master” numbers 11 and 22 are left as is, rather than being reduced to the sum of their digits.) For example, if you were born on August 21, 1986 you would figure your life number this way:
Add 8 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 9 + 8 + 6 = 35
Reduce the sum to a single digit by adding 3 + 5 = 8
The following brief interpretations describe the life roles that each number indicates:
Number Interpretation
1 Leader, initiator, pioneer, a person who breaks new ground
2 Diplomat, mediator, agent, a go-between who assists others
3 Artist, musician, creator, someone who brings beauty into the world
4 Builder, artisan, technician, someone who makes practical, useful things
5 Teacher, writer, communicator, an idea person
6 Caretaker, homemaker, farmer, someone who nurtures and supports others
7 Truth seeker, religious leader, philosopher, mystic, wise wo/man
8 Businessperson, manager, industrialist, a person who uses money and resources in a productive way
9 Humanitarian, social worker, healer, a person who helps improve conditions for everyone
11 Inventor, visionary, avatar, someone who leads by positive example
22 A master builder who organizes people, nations, or institutions on a large scale
Calculate your life path number and note it in your grimoire. Does this describe you? Are you fulfilling the purpose to which you were born? How do you see the characteristics inherent in this number operating in your life? In your spiritual and magick work?
Life Cycles
Our lives are never static. Indeed, change is essential for personal growth. If you understand the influences guiding you, you can align yourself with them and utilize them to your advantage. Numerologists examine what they call “life cycles,” which are based on your birthdate, to determine what you’re likely to experience in any given year. By working with these cycles you can increase your success and satisfaction in life. You’ll be more effective in your magickal work too, because you can harmonize it with the energies influencing you.
Let’s look at the numerological cycle known as your “personal year.” This changes each year and tells you what forces are operating in your life during a particular twelve-month period. To determine this, add the numbers of your birth month, date, and the year at your last birthday. If you were born on May 16 and you want to know what personal year cycle you will be experiencing from May 16, 2016, through May 15, 2017:
Add 5 + 1 + 6 + 2 + 0 + 1 + 6 = 21
Reduce the sum to a single digit by adding 2 + 1 = 3
Your personal year number for this period is 3. Therefore, you’ll want to do things that correspond to a 3 vibration: have fun, enjoy more leisure time, express your creativity, expand your horizons physically and spiritually.
The following table briefly describes the essence of the nine yearly cycles and indicates where you are likely to focus your attention during those years.
Personal Year Cycle Your Focus for the Year
1 New beginnings, action, independence, self-interest
2 Cooperation, partnerships, balance, developing plans
3 Expansion, travel, creativity, opportunity, personal growth
4 Stability, building, organization, financial matters, security
5 Communication, change, movement, sharing ideas
6 Give and take, balance, domesticity, love, comfort, beauty
7 Rest, retreat, withdrawal, introspection, healing
8 Manifestation, responsibility, power, managing resources
9 Fulfillment, completion, endings, transition, wisdom
In addition to personal year cycles, you also experience personal month cycles. You can tap the energy of these shorter periods in magickal work and in other areas of your life. To find your personal month, add the number of your personal year to the number equivalent of the current month (or any month in the future that you want to know more about). For example, if this year is a “7” for you, and you want to see what March has in store:
Add 7 + 3 (March’s number) = 10
Reduce to a single digit by adding 1 + 0 = 1
March is 1 month for you, so during this time plan to do things that correspond to a 1 vibration. Use the table that describes the characteristics of personal years given earlier—the energies for the months are similar, though of shorter duration. This will help you to determine how to tap the power of your personal cycles in your spellwork and your life.
Record in your grimoire what you experience during these monthly and yearly cycles, both in your everyday life and in your magickal practice. Where did you focus your energies? What spells and rituals did you do? What areas of interest called to you? What knowledge and insights did you receive? Write down everything that you consider meaningful: your feelings, ideas, areas of concern, successes and setbacks, interactions with other people, dreams, and so on. In the future, you can compare what you experienced now with what transpires later.
ANIMALS AS SYMBOLS
Animals hold symbolic meaning for us too. A robin serves as a herald of springtime. A lion represents courage; a dog signifies loyalty. Celtic and Old European clans believed that certain animal deities oversaw entire groups of people. Irish clans called their members griffins, wolves, deer, etc., and individuals took their names from these animals. Animal guardians performed numerous functions for a clan, including protecting its warriors in battle.
Many family crests or coats of arms include animals, and those animal symbols convey distinct meanings. The crest of the Rothschild family—one of the most powerful families in the world—features a lion, a phoenix, and a unicorn. We see a version of this symbolism expressed today by our athletic teams. The Denver Broncos, the Boston Bruins, the Miami Dolphins, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Chicago Bulls are some of the dozens of animal-named teams among the professional leagues.
Both Western and Chinese astrology link zodiac signs with animals. Zodiac means “circle of animals.” You likely share some traits with the animal that represents your zodiac sign. If you’re a Capricorn with the goat as your symbol, you persevere one step at a time and can climb to great heights. If you’re a Leo, you may have regal bearing like the lion and proudly assume your role as a leader.
“Animals are sacred. They are living expressions of the divine principle—the Goddess and the God manifest in living form.”
—TIMOTHY RODERICK, THE ONCE UNKNOWN FAMILIAR
Spellworking with Animals
Perhaps you’ve heard the term “familiar.” In spellwork, a familiar is an animal that works with a witch. Remember Harry Potter’s owl? Black cats have long been associated with witchcraft. Ravens, snakes, and other creatures also have special places as wise beings in magick and folklore.
You may want to work with a familiar, but not every animal is intended for this type of relationship. Your beloved Fido or Fluffy may be a wonderful companion, but that doesn’t necessarily make him or her your familiar. Often a witch experiences a strong psychic link with her familiar. Your familiar may serve as a guardian, guide, or healer. It can help you connect more deeply with the natural world and your intuition. The witch and her familiar are allies in the work—you don’t own your familiar, it is a free being that deserves your utmost
respect and gratitude.
Regardless of whether you work with a flesh-and-blood animal, you can incorporate animal symbolism in your magick. Think about various creatures and their distinctive qualities. Cheetahs are known for their speed and hunting skills. Foxes are clever, expert at dodging difficulties. Which animal’s characteristics will best serve and guide you now?
Animal Deities
In India, people call upon the elephant-headed deity Ganesh to give them the strength to overcome difficulties. For many indigenous people of North America, the spirit of the bear provides protection.
Spirit Animal Protection Spell
According to shamanic traditions, spirit animal guardians provide protection and guidance in this world and beyond. Think of a creature who symbolizes protection for you. When you’ve chosen an animal helper, find a photograph, small figurine, or another symbol of that animal.
TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS
A black candle
A white candle
2 candleholders
Matches or a lighter
A photo, figurine, painting, or other image of the animal whose help you are soliciting
Cast a circle around the area where you will do your spell.
Fit the candles in their holders and set them on your altar (or another surface, such as a tabletop). As you face the altar, the black candle should be at your left and the white one on your right.
Light the candles and place the image of the animal between them. Gaze at the animal image. Sense this animal’s presence near you, as a spirit being who will accompany you wherever and whenever you need him or her.
Breathe slowly and deeply, bringing into yourself the qualities you seek from that animal: strength, courage, speed, cunning, and so on. Feel your fear ebbing away, replaced by the knowledge that your animal guardian is there to take care of you.
Ask this animal to share any suggestions that might help you. Listen carefully for an answer—it may come in the form of a vision, insight, sensation, sound, scent, or inner knowing.
Commune with your spirit animal guide for as long as you wish. When you feel ready, extinguish the candles, pick up the image of your animal guardian, and open the circle.
Carry the image with you for protection and reassurance.
In your grimoire, write down the results of your spell. What animal did you choose and why? How did the animal help you resolve your problem? Also describe your experiences—feelings, thoughts, impressions, insights, and so on.
Animal Divination
Dream researchers believe that when an animal shows up in a dream it bears a message for you. Sometimes you’ll see an animal in nature, and if it’s a creature you wouldn’t ordinarily find in your locale, this could be a sign for you. If you see a ram, for example, think about what it represents to you. Power? Daring? Aggression? Competitiveness? Is it telling you to tackle a matter head on? To engage an adversary forcefully and directly? Are you being too aggressive or not aggressive enough?
Notice your reaction when something like this happens. Record your experiences in your grimoire. When and where did the animal appear to you? How does it relate to what’s going on in your life? What message did it convey to you? How can you benefit from drawing upon its traits? Sketch or paste pictures of the animal in your book of shadows. You might even design a sigil that includes the animal’s image. To learn more about animal divination and how to understand animals as symbols, see my book The Secret Power of Spirit Animals.
Chapter 18
DREAMS AND MAGICK
Some of the greatest moments of inspiration occur while we sleep. In the dark of night, thoughts begin to take form and significance. Shimmering dreams materialize into energy that seems to emanate from an unknowable source. When traveling the river of dreamtime, your mind is unbound, uncensored, and released from ordinary daytime expectations. Images, whether comforting or frightening, flow freely in an endless succession of vivid possibilities. Your grimoire is the perfect place to record your dreams, as dreams often contain guidance and insights. Keeping a log of your dreams also allows you to review them periodically to gain deeper understanding.
Dreams let us explore what lies beneath the surface, the unspoken world of archetypes and mystery that usually lies dormant, ready to rise and make its presence known in our lives—what psychoanalyst Carl Jung called the collective unconscious. The Goddess may visit you in dreams through symbols and signs. She travels from a place beyond, both in and out of time. Enter into her temple with the intention to know her and to open your unconscious mind to her presence, her words, and her teachings.
ONLY A DREAM?
Since the beginning of time, dreams have fascinated and perplexed us. Why do they happen? Where do they come from? What do they mean? Are dreams merely the result of chemical changes in the brain, as some studies suggest, or vehicles for divine communication?
Sources of Wisdom
Dreams figure prominently in the literature and mythology of all cultures. The 4,000-year-old Epic of Gilgamesh speaks of temples built to Mamu, who was the ancient goddess of dreams. Early Egyptians believed the gods bestowed dreams on humans, and dedicated many temples in Memphis to Serapis, the Egyptian god of dreams. The ancient Greeks erected temples to Asclepius, the god of healing. People with illnesses spent the night there and received guidance in their dreams from the god; the priests then wrote the cures on the temple walls.
The ancient texts of the Egyptians and Hindus as well as the Old Testament of the Bible discuss dreams, indicating that for millennia people around the world have looked to dreams for guidance, prophecy, wisdom, and inspiration. Muslims believe that a divine source gave the Qu’ran to Muhammad in a dream. Both Native American and Celtic shamanic teachings tell us that the dream realm is a parallel universe, a place we journey to when we sleep—and it is every bit as real as the world we inhabit when we’re awake.
In his book Dreamlife David Fontana proposes “we sleep partly in order to dream. Sleep . . . may be the servant of the dream.” You’ve probably heard of Edgar Cayce, often referred to as the “Sleeping Prophet.” Although he had little formal education or medical training, he could go into a sleeplike trance and discover cures for thousands of sick people who sought his aid. He psychically “downloaded” wisdom that great minds before him had placed in the cosmic web (this web is sometimes referred to as the Akashic records).
What secrets and wisdom are your dreams trying to convey to you? Is a spirit or deity attempting to communicate with you via dreams? When you learn to decipher the meanings of your dreams, you can move with greater ease and grace through both the mundane and the magickal worlds.
Recording Your Dreams
Many people keep dream journals to help them remember and understand their dreams. However, you can record your dreams in your book of shadows if you like. Doing so can reveal connections between the realm of dreams and the realm of magick.
As part of your morning ritual, write down your dreams immediately upon waking. You will be better able to capture the fleeting images before they vanish into the ether or get lost in the busyness of the day. You may feel groggy and inarticulate from sleep. Your writing may seem as disjointed and unusual as the dream itself. No problem. This is precisely the point! You don’t want your brain fully engaged—you want to capture the images and symbols that linger in the shadowy recesses beyond rational thinking. Don’t worry about writing in complete sentences. You’re not trying to explain, entertain, or analyze your thought process at this time; you’re merely recording what you feel, sense, and recall.
Try a stream-of-consciousness approach to writing and let the images flow freely. Attempt to capture on paper what occurs so easily to your dreaming mind. Don’t place value judgments on what you write or censor yourself, just be honest. Record the dominant images, obvious symbols, emotions, or other events that occurred in your dream. Also note little things that might not seem significant at the moment—they may turn out to be important later
. As you write, ideas may bubble up to the surface of your consciousness, vying for your attention. Jot down whatever comes to you, even if you don’t understand it right away.
As a part of your evening ritual, write a few lines about your day in your grimoire. Did your dream relate to something you encountered during the waking hours? What do you see as significant between what transpired during the day and what you dreamt? Make sure to date your entries and include any other details that may be relevant, such as astrological influences or health issues. When this ritual becomes entrenched in your daily practice, you’ll probably notice that your subconscious eagerly presents more and more information to you and you become more facile at working with your dreams.
The Earliest Dream
The earliest known recorded dream, which belonged to King Thutmose IV, is carved upon a granite tablet that rests between the paws of the Sphinx.
DREAM SYMBOLS
No one knows exactly why people dream, yet researchers and psychotherapists generally agree that your dreams are trying to tell you something that can benefit you in your waking life. Usually dream messages are presented in symbolic rather than literal form. Some symbols appear in many people’s dreams; others are unique to the dreamer.
Over time, general interpretations have been attached to the most common dream symbols. Personal symbols, though, hold special meaning that only you can comprehend. The following list includes a number of familiar symbols that turn up in most people’s dreams at one time or another, along with their usually accepted meanings.
The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire Page 21