How gematria works

gematria is an ancient method of assigning numerical values to letters of the alphabet, words, and phrases to derive further understanding of texts. It originated in the Middle East during the 1st century B.C. but has gone on to have an important role in many cultures, such as Kabbalistic and Jewish mysticism, Christianity, Islam, and Gnosticism due to its ability to uncover deeper meanings in words and scripture.

To start with Gematria, each letter must be assigned a numerical value. In English, this can be done by either starting at 1 for the first letter A and then continuing to 26 for Z or by assigning each letter a value from 0-9 depending on how many times it can be divided. Each word or phrase can then be converted into a series of numbers and calculations can be made with them.

For example, if the name "Jessica" is given a gematrical value of 819 (8 + 19 + 5 + 18 + 19 + 19), one could deduce that the numerical value of "J" is 8 (1 + 7), the numerical value of "E" is 19 (1 + 9), and so on. One could also look for correlations between this number 819 and other words or phrases that have a similar or related meaning by comparing their numerical values.

Gematria can also be used to interpret sacred text by assigning numerical values to certain words or passages that represent key concepts in religion or mythology. For instance, many Kabbalistic scholars believe that certain passages from the Torah such as "And God said 'Let there be light'" (Genesis 1:3) have deeper spiritual implications when observed through gematria. By breaking down each word into its corresponding number value—in this case 86—those studying Gematria might conclude that 88 signifies enlightenment due its connection with several important religious figures like Moses who spoke with God at mount Sinai while Moses's brother Aaron had 88 holy garments when he was ordained as high priest (Exodus 28:39-43).

In addition to personal interpretations like these, some practitioners also believe that numerological patterns revealed through Gematria contain hidden messages related to predestined outcomes such as fate and free will; present reality; past events; future possibilities; health concerns; etc. Consequently, gematrial divination — which identifies patterns between words numbers — has become increasingly popular among spiritualists who use it to explore their personal lives and manifest changes in their lives due its ability to provide insight into one's true inner nature or soul purpose when interpreted correctly.