SimplyNumbers

Understanding numbers in dreams

I'm often asked about numbers in dreams. I believe that your numbers have importance for you, and a book, psychic or Numerologist can really only give you guidance. Of course, that guidance can be extremely helpful, but these resources may only point you in a direction. They won't help you reach your goals, without some of the work being taken on by you. Truly understanding the meaning of your numbers is up to you. Curiousity and imagination are required.

Everyone is curious! As you think about your numbers, let your mind wander! Work with any connections, memories and emotions that come up as you think about the numbers that have appeared in your dream. Over time, once you learn to understand what certain dream symbols mean for you, working with your dreams can become exhilerating.

Of course, discovering the meaning of each number and symbol within a dream may seem a little difficult at first. It can make things easier if you break the dream down into manageable parts, and then look at the basic elements within those parts.

The most basic dream symbols are often the four elements: air, earth, water, and fire, which I explain in the dream tool post. Often we may have dreams about escaping a burning building, drowning, swimming, flying, falling, or being in an earthquake. Looking at the "elements" within your dream can help you to develop a basic understanding of the message that the dream has for you. Use the tool to get yourself started, but try to make your own connections and build up your very own dream dictionary.

Looking at the elements within a dream from a numerological perspective can be illuminating.  Again, you can work with the dream tool mentioned above to learn more about the numbers, elements and symbols within your dream. From a numerological perspective the fire in the dream above can relate to the numbers 3 and 9 (as these numbers are correlated to the fire element). These numbers deal with joy, passion, excitement, daring, romance and spirituality. You may want to ask yourself where in your life these qualities are missing or readily available. Perhaps you are afraid of going deeper into a relationship or your unconscious is encouraging you to take some kind of risk.

I would recommend taking the process a step further and looking at the appropriate tools that you are comfortable with, such as Tarot, Runes, or I Ching. By bringing these other tools into your work, you can make the process of understanding your dreams fun, exciting and easier.

 

Understanding reappearing numbers (part 2)

Wow, you’ve looked up at your screen and it’s 11:11 again. Have you read my previous post about reappearing numbers? Please, take some time to read it and reflect on the questions there. After you have reflected on your answers, some parts of the puzzle may be a bit clearer for you. You can now use your answers to help you to dig even deeper.

If you believe that the numbers are something beyond mere coincidence, then what are you willing to do to work with them? Yes, understanding their meaning may be confusing at first. But, consider it an opportunity to work with your intuition. In her book Angel Therapy, Doreen Virtue discusses how seeing these reoccurring numbers is a form of clairvoyance and the numbers are a “vision”. This vision becomes more important to you as the regularity of its appearance increases. If you’re seeing your numbers on a fairly regular basis, then you may want to begin to dig deeper.

Numerologically, the number 1 represents qualities like creativity, inventiveness, direction, dedication, drive, and persistence. You might ask yourself where these qualities are in your life. How are you using them for your growth? What are you building or creating right now? What new idea are you bringing to the world?

In the Tarot, you can look to the Magician card and all four Aces. As you may already know, each card in the Tarot represents particular dynamics and energies. The Magician strongly relates to independence, vitality and power. Each of the Aces has a particular message as it relates to your drive, stamina and creativity. But, they can also relate to new beginnings, initial investments, new perspectives, raw energy and creative power.

You’ll want to dig these cards out of your favorite deck and leave them someplace where you will pass by them regularly. Reflect on them throughout your day. As you reflect on them, images and ideas may come into your mind. Record your thoughts and review them when you have the time. You may want to notice if there is anything that seems to be repeatedly coming through. Again, you may wish to keep a log of your thoughts. You may also wish to use some of the questions below for reflection.

Good questions to ask of the Magician:

• Where do I need to be more independent?
• How can I be of service?
• How can my voice be heard?
• What are my intentions?
• Am I willing to do the work that needs to be done?

Good questions to ask of the Aces:

• Where is my enthusiasm needed at this time?
• Where do I need to be clear and focused in my life?
• How can I manifest my dreams right now?
• How can I sharpen my intuition?

The cards can help you to review any current challenges and opportunities in a new light. They will also help you to empower yourself to harness and sharpen your own intuition, rather than having to solely rely on others. Outside guidance can be extemely beneficial, but inner wisdom is of far greater value. And, with some patience you may begin to see new, and previously unthought of, possibilities and solutions for your life.

Your “visions” have a message and a purpose, and may be offering clues that can help you to better navigate your life. But, you have to be willing to take the time to both understand your message and integrate potential solutions into your own life. You can do it. Have faith and compassion for yourself. Be willing to continue to dig deeper, by asking important questions and having a curious mind. Be discerning, but allow your life to unfold in new and unexpected ways as you explore the meaning of your numbers for yourself.

Understanding numbers that reappear in your life

Understanding the meaning of reappearing numbers, such as 111, 444, 11:11 or 12:34, in your life can seem a little bit frustrating. However, just as I recommend that you at least learn the basics of dream interpretation, I recommend that you find a way to "intuitively understand" these numbers for yourself. Nobody can tell you what they mean for your life. You need to discover their meaning for yourself. Understanding their message doesn’t have to be difficult, and it can be fun.

Ancient Shamans would interpret the meaning of the animals that appeared in their visions. They used their visions to lead their tribes to safety and to find medicine, water and food. Today, many people try to work with imagery from their dreams in order to make changes and bring clarity, health and greater joy into their lives. Perhaps, like the images in a dream or the symbols from a Shamanic vision, you might consider your numbers to be important guidance searching for you. What message do they carry? What wisdom do they have to offer? What empowering actions might they be connected to? If you're willing to be curious, you can be able to answer these questions.

Authors that write about spirit, angels or healing might say that these numbers are indeed from spirit. Psychologists might say that they are connected to the collective unconscious. The methods and wisdom that these groups utilize does have importance. But, their guidance may not directly help you to develop a more intimate understanding of your numbers in a way that is truly personal and empowering.

For me, the real goal is to understand what your numbers mean for you. For someone else, these numbers may have a totally different meaning. Your mission is to find a way to work with the potential that the numbers represent. But, you first need to understand their meaning for your life. How can you begin to connect with and understand your numbers, so that you can work with them to empower yourself? As I mentioned above, you can begin to develop a curiosity about the guidance your numbers may be carrying. When you notice a number, you might ask:

• "What do you have to offer me?"
• "What is your guidance?"
• “What have I forgotten about?”
• “How can I allow myself to deepen?”

-- Or, something more offbeat (these are still for your numbers) --

• “Where are you in my life?”
• “Who are you in my life?”
• “What kind of music do you like?”
• “Where do you like to spend your time?”
• "What questions should I be asking?"

Wait for your answer and record any images, thoughts, feelings or ideas that come up. Be calm and patient, as it may take some time for your answer to come to you. Try to not make the process overly serious, and be open to having fun with this. Ultimately, you’re trying to find a way to work with your numbers in ways that are encouraging and empowering.

Keep a log, and track your questions, sightings and answers. Over time you may notice a common thread to your answers. When you begin to notice this common thread, you will have a course of action that you can take. For instance, you might notice that your answers tend to relate to a particular emotion or feeling. You might then begin to look more deeply at these emotions in your life, to see how you typically express or react to them. Don’t be afraid to explore, as your discoveries could be part of a much larger process that you're helping to unfold.

Another step that you might take is to use your numbers as a page or chapter reference to a book you’ve read. Open the book up to page 111, or chapter 11 page 1, and simply be open to the guidance that is there. You can even use it to help further answer the questions above. I am currently reading a book on ideas about growing a business. I open it to page 111 and find guidance about being a volunteer, so that you can become better known in your community. It's a good idea and generally helpful. Of course some, guidance might not be so immediately clear.

The same advice can work for a film clip, music video, song or movie as well. For instance, you could forward a movie to 1:11 or to 11:11.

I streamed “Mars Attacks!” and forwarded it to 11:11 and Jack Nicholson, playing the President, says: “We are entering the dawn of a new era.” Wow, that message is fairly powerful. Now, I could sit silently and let this message sink in. I could also record how that makes me feel. In the moment, it makes me feel hopeful and ready to take on the world.

Next, I streamed “Shutter Island” and forwarded it to 11:11. In the movie, they were talking about a woman who had escaped the night before. Now, escape can mean freedom, or it could mean letting go of a responsibility. The interpretation is up to you. You might return again and again to this movie to develop a deeper understanding of the message. You might use it a part of a “mosaic” of movies, where you watch certain sections of various movies to develop your understanding of your numbers. Also, you might never watch the movies that I or others might choose.

The movies, books or music that you do pick are part of the fabric of who you are. Think of your questions, movies and books as doorways and your numbers as symbolic keys, which can unlock the deeper mystery of your life. What will you find? What are you expecting? This process might seem strange at first, but you can have fun with it as you begin to see whether the “advice” that your numbers brings in, actually matches or blends with the “answers” that you’ve recorded.

If you're willing to dig even deeper then you might look to the Sutras, Torah, Koran, Bible or other sacred text and reference the appropriate sections within them. If you’re already in a study of one of these texts, then this may have a deeper significance for you.

Allow yourself the time to fully delve into a deeper exploration of your numbers. Don’t give up. Find a process that works for you. At first, understanding and interpreting your numbers might seem a bit daunting. But, with time, patience and dedication, you will eventually see that the guidance that you’re receiving is helping to shape your life in new, vibrant and exciting ways.

Book ideas: The Three Only Things - by Robert Moss

"The Three 'Only' Things - Tapping the Power of Dreams, Coincidence & Imagination" by Robert Moss.

Robert Moss has written several books on the subject of dreaming and leads popular seminars about learning to understand your dreams all around the globe. He even offers an intensive training to learn to teach his dream interpretation techniques.

Moss was born in Australia, where he managed to survive multiple life threatening illnesses in his childhood. During his early career he worked as a journalist and as a lecturer at the Australian National University, where he taught ancient history. I believe that the skills and training he acquired in these fields adds further depth and validity to his wisdom that he tries to portray in an honest, simple and fully intelligent manner throughout his books.

The title "Three Only Things" refers to dreams, imagination and coincidences. The book urges that we not be dismissive about them. How often do you find yourself treating a dream, idea or chance encounter as if it were meaningless. Think about how often you hear phrases like the following:

• "It’s only a dream."
• "Our dreams are meaningless."
• "That was only pure chance."
• "That was only a coincidence."
• "It was only in my imagination."
• "Don't let your imagination run wild."
• "I was thinking of X, and I bumped into him at the market."
• “Funny meeting YOU here.”
• “I was just thinking of you.”

The ultimate goal of the book is to help you to begin to see that your dreams, imagination, experiences and synchronicities have value, importance and meaning for your overall life and well-being. The well structured guidance from the book can help you to better appreciate that what you once considered "only" a dream might actually offer a solution to a particular challenge. Perhaps, what you consider "only" to be your wild imagination might be important guidance to keep you out of harms way. A remarkable opportunity might unfold from what you initially perceived as "only" a coincidence. Moss helps you to look at dreams, imagination and synchronicities as personal guidance. 

“In our everyday speech, in our unconsidered reflexive behaviors, we discount or put down dreams, coincidence and imagination as only this or that. Ironically, these three ‘only' things are extraordinary sources of guidance, healing and power - if we will only pay attention.” ~ Robert Moss, The Three Only Things

Throughout the book Moss shares stories that help you to see that somehow, buried within the trappings of everyday life, important personal symbols are awaiting your discovery. Through various simple, yet often fun, games and exercises Moss teaches you how to recognize the value and uniqueness of your experiences. The book is packed with powerful examples of people who have begun to recognize the power of the "Three Only Things" within their own lives. Personal stories from anonymous and well known people are included. He mentions Mark Twain, Winston Churhill and others. For many of these people, it's interesting to see that their lives were probably not that different from yours, but they learned to work with their intuition, and became keen observers of the events and surroundings in their lives. Their stories make you eager to try out the examples and exercises for yourself.

The book offers plenty of tips, practical guidelines, ideas and tools. For myself, and I hope you too, the exercises and the stories were both motivational and inspiring. The book helps to melt away your disconnect with reality, symbolism and intuition. You learn that there is a place for mystery and wonder in your life. By being alert to the symbolism within your everyday waking life you can tap into an important, and often hidden, source of personal guidance.

Reading the book really helps you to begin to want to listen to the voice of your intuition. Gradually, the book will help you to begin to be able to decode messages hidden in your dreams, imagination and chance encounters. As you begin to work with the exercises, you'll come to understand the validity of the "Three Things" and realize that they do often contain guidance and insight for making changes, being creative and healing. You will come to realize that you can be your own guide, if you're willing and able to listen to your intuition. Your dreams, coincidences and chance encounters all can be vital sources of intuitive guidance. Moss teaches that by being discerning, yet curious, you can find meaning within all of your experiences by peering beneath the surface of your life. The process is about becoming more alive, awake and conscious of your choices and actions. It's also about having a sense of wonder. This process will help you to more deeply embrace and appreciate your life and the richness that it has to offer.

You'll find many simple exercises and suggestions for how to develop and sharpen your intuitive skills. One of the exercises I found most exciting is one done with a group of people. The exercise has everyone in the group write down something that "pops" into their mind on an index card. They are only instructed to write something on the card, but not about what is about to happen after they are done. They can jot down anything that they are thinking of in the moment. It could be a quote, song lyrics, something they said to their kids or whatever they are inspired to write or draw on their card. The cards are then collected and shuffled and placed in a basket. Then one at a time, everyone asks a question that they want an answer for. They do this aloud or to themselves, and then pull a card from the basket. The card is now treated as if it was a Tarot or oracle card, and you can use it to answer your question. I worked with this at a workshop that I attended and many people had amazing answers that brought wisdom and clarity to their questions.

The "Three Only Things" is a practical and simple to understand book that will help you to develop and enhance your intuition. I encourage you to read it, especially if you have an interest in dream interpretation or understanding more about the the power of your imagination, or the significance of coincidences in your life.

Find out more at: www.mossdreams.com

 

Tarot and the Fool

The Fool is number 0 in the Tarot. In order to understand how you might relate to zero, you can spend some time in reflection about what it brings to mind for you. What do you think of when you think of the zero? What shapes, images, phrases, ideas or concepts come to your mind when you think of this number? It is important that you develop your own understanding of the colors, numbers, symbols, archetypes and representations that are on each card. Don't just go with what you find in a book or on a website.

Develop your own personal symbolism book, and fill it with your own meanings that have power and purpose for you. To begin, here is a list of some the phrases/concepts that come into my mind. These may or may not have resonance for you.

• Zero is a circle
• Zero times itself is zero (it is all consuming)
• Zero is empty

It often represents:

• total failure
• the absence of anything
• emptiness
• potential

Culturally:

• Mayans first started using zero
• Greeks had no concept of a number like zero
• Pythagoras saw zero as the beginning of all other values

Symbolically:

• Wheel of Life
• The halo (especially in religious paintings/pictures)
• Rings
• Tunnels
• Female sexual organs

Interpreting the Fool:

Interpreting the Fool through the lens of the zero gives us a perspective of the cards Numerological importance. Pythagoras, founder of Numerology, really saw zero as the seed, or beginning, of all of the other numbers. The Fool is the starting card of the Tarot deck, from which all of the other cards spring.


Questions to ask of the Fool:

• Where can you lead me?
• What do you want me to give up?
• What important/sacred function do you serve?
• How have I failed?
• What risks can I take?
• What am I yearning/looking for?
• Where do I need to take a leap of faith?