Lesson Three: The Life Path

[Dahlia Alexander]

In order to proceed to lesson three, you must first complete lessons one and two. Please submit assignments to Professor Alexander via owl.


The Life Path

Now that you're familiar with Arithmancy and have mastered the ability to translate letters, words, and names to numbers, I'll allow the use of Arithmancy calculators for future assignments. That said, today we'll be working entirely with numbers.

In lesson one we learned how to calculate the Character Number, Heart Number, and Social Number. Now we'll learn to calculate the Life Path Number.

The Life Path Number

The Life Path, as is the case with all numbers derived from your date of birth, has to do with the momentum and direction, of your life. The Life Path is based on three Period Cycles. In order to calculate your Life Path Number, you will calculate your Period Cycles first.

The three Period Cycles are based on your month, day, and year of birth, and represent the early, middle, and later parts of your life respectively. Your complete life's cycle - your Life Path - has all the attributes reflected in the Life Path's number. However, the Life Path is also influenced by the properties and traits revealed in each of these Period Cycles.

Finding the Life Path Number

First, reduce each unit (month/day/year) of the birth date to a single digit, or Master number. Next, add each of the resulting digits (or Master numbers) together and reduce the total again to a single digit.

For example:

October 12, 1936.
October is the 10th month. Reduce 10 to a single digit. 1 + 0 = 1
The day of birth is 12. Reduce 12 to 3 (1 + 2 = 3)
The year of birth is 1936. Reduce 1936 to 1 + 9 + 3 + 6 = 19, then 1 + 9 = 10. 1 + 0 = 1. The year 1936 reduces to 1.

Now add the resulting single digits.

month (early life) = 1, day (middle life) = 3, year (later life) = 1. Total is 5

The Life Path Number is 5.


Assignment 3:
Using the method above, calculate your Life Path Number. Show your work below.
Extra Credit:
Read Chapter 3, The Birth Day Number, and find your Birth Day Number. PM your results.

[Castiel Catalyst]

It was the first Arithmancy class of the year, and Castiel was excited. He loved words, loved intricate details, and this subject dealt extensively with both. It figured that he'd brought an Arithmancy calculator for nothing, but at least the work wasn't too horrible.


Castiel Catalyst
5th Year Arithmancy

Date of Birth: December 12, 1998
December: 12. 1 + 2 = 3
Day: 12. 1 + 2 = 3
1998. 1 + 9 + 9 + 8 = 27. 2 + 7 = 9

Month (early life) = 3
Day (middle life) = 3

Three represents the idea of completeness or wholeness, as in the threesomes past-present-future and mind-body-spirit. Three indicates talent, energy, an artistic nature, humor, and social ease. Threes are often lucky, easygoing, and highly successful, but they can also be unfocused, easily offended, and superficial.

Year (later life) = 9

Nine represents completion and achievement to the fullest degree (as it is the complete number, three, expressed three times). Nines dedicate themselves to service, often as teachers, scientists, and humanitarians. Strongly determined, they work tirelessly and are an inspiration to others. However, they can also be arrogant and conceited when things don't go their way.

I see a great deal of success in my future.


So maybe he was an overachiever, but how else was he going to live up to all that completeness, wholeness, and achievement?

My Birth Day Numbers are 1, 2, and 3, Castiel scribbled at the bottom. There, that would save him a trip to the owlery.

[Seiji Taira]

November 11, 1998

11 = 2
11 = 2
1998 = 9

Life Path Number: 4

[Castiel Catalyst]

Castiel leaned over toward Seiji. "You're supposed to show your work," he hissed. And somehow he'd gotten his period cycles and forgotten his life path number! He could scribble it in, or he could rewrite his work so it looked nice. A moment's debate and he pushed the old parchment aside, angling it slightly toward Mari, and drew out a fresh sheet of parchment.

Castiel Catalyst
5th Year Arithmancy

Date of Birth: December 12, 1998
December: 12. 1 + 2 = 3
Day: 12. 1 + 2 = 3
1998. 1 + 9 + 9 + 8 = 27. 2 + 7 = 9

Month (early life) = 3
Day (middle life) = 3

Three represents the idea of completeness or wholeness, as in the threesomes past-present-future and mind-body-spirit. Three indicates talent, energy, an artistic nature, humor, and social ease. Threes are often lucky, easygoing, and highly successful, but they can also be unfocused, easily offended, and superficial.

Year (later life) = 9

Nine represents completion and achievement to the fullest degree (as it is the complete number, three, expressed three times). Nines dedicate themselves to service, often as teachers, scientists, and humanitarians. Strongly determined, they work tirelessly and are an inspiration to others. However, they can also be arrogant and conceited when things don't go their way.

3 + 3 + 9 = 15. 1 + 5 =6

Life Path Number = 6

I see a great deal of success in my future.

My Birth Day Numbers are 1, 2, and 3.

There. That looked better.

[Hyacinth Duprel]

Arithmancy was, thankfully, a class which required no wandwork or physical magic. It also wasn't offered until third year, so he wasn't as far behind as he was in his other subjects. He got to work right away.

January 30, 1999
January = 1
30 = 3
1 + 9 + 9 + 9 = 28 = 10 = 1

Life path = 1 + 3 + 1 = 5

Life path number is 5