Nowadays the most widespread image of time is that of a line. For instance, our life is usually viewed as a linear path from birth to death. But in most traditions, no matter Eastern or Western, time is usually perceived as a circle, or often as a spiral. This image is based on how we actually experience time around us.

For example, the seasons are rather cyclical than linear. So are the patterns of the moon and the sun, as well as the very cycles of our lives: sleeping and waking, breathing in and out. Even concepts of birth and death.

These cycles are one of those that make up our lives. Come to think of it, our life is a never-ending succession of cycles. Some of them are easy to identify, and you may even recognize some kinds of lessons that you learned or experiences that you got during each of those cycles. For instance, in a certain period of life you might have had to learn a particular lesson, only to come across it a second time later in life and be able to address it from another point of view.

Here's one example. At a certain time in your life you had to learn to deal with authorities. Later on, you met new authority figures and this time you could apply your knowledge and experience to the situation. You may have even become an authority yourself, and this time you had to put all your knowledge to practice: both the experience of a follower and of a leader. Another cycle was completed at that point.

The basis of our life is wisdom and knowledge that we accumulate over many years and, consequently, over many numerology cycles. Moreover, this knowledge does not remain frozen – we constantly apply it during our life and our development.

There are a great many cycles in numerology connected to your date of birth and your name. Some are long-term cycles, for example 30 years or longer. Others are shorter, from nine days to as long as nine years.

The majority of these cycles is grounded on 9 stages or development, and operates according to the 9 single-digit numbers. It doesn't have anything to do with arbitrary choice, but with the understatement of an organic pattern according to which our lives develop.