Understanding the astrological underpinnings of Karmic numbers

Karmic Numbers, Combust, and Cazimi: Lessons from the Past?

I am processing out loud, and this article will no doubt change as I add or subtract from my current juicy new pet theory about numerology. Am I off base? Are you a numerologist or astrologer with an opinion? Let me know what you think!

In numerology, Karmic Numbers are a small group of specific numbers that signify lessons or debts carried over from previous lifetimes. These numbers—13, 14, 16, and 19—highlight areas where individuals may encounter repeated themes or situations, compelling them to address unresolved issues from their past incarnations. Think of it as your soul putting a sticky note on this incarnation. So long as you keep making the same mistakes, you’ll have the same situations in your life. Learning the lessons of your karmic numbers can help you break many of these behavior cycles in your life.

Are these issues really from past lives? I don’t want to stomp on everyone’s reincarnation parade because there is certainly a case to be made for it. BUT — and this is a big but — we don’t remember our past lives, so it seems rather cruel of our souls to inhabit a body to live out a life that they can’t really perfect if they don’t remember what it is that they’re here to perfect or fix. A better way to look at these numbers is to reframe them: Karmic numbers are a sticky note on toxic patterns that we have IN THIS LIFETIME. They result from early learning and imprinting and continue because we do not do the work (such as going to therapy or talking to a doctor) involved with changing our behavior. For some of us, “karmic debt” in action might look like this:

Always dating people who cheat
Never prioritizing financial necessities over fun things and always being late with our bills or broke
Saying yes to everyone and bailing at the last minute because we just can’t.
Not taking care of ourselves: not eating properly, not sleeping, not exercising
Engaging in gossip and other hurtful types of communication
Keeping up with the Joneses
Using people
Jealousy
Passive aggression
Victim blaming others
Not taking accountability for your shitty decisions
Projecting your isms onto others

The four karmic numbers are:

13: Associated with laziness or misuse of power in a past life, leading to a need for hard work and discipline in the current one.
14: Linked to abuse of freedom, suggesting a necessity to learn restraint and adaptability.
16: Connected to egotism or abuse of love, indicating lessons in humility and spiritual growth.
19: Tied to misuse of power or authority, pointing toward learning independence and compassion.

These numbers indicate specific karmic lessons, guiding individuals toward personal growth by confronting and overcoming these inherent challenges. I also want to sneak one thing in here before we go any further: all numbers have their shadow sides that can be reflected in your chart. You can have zero karmic numbers in your chart and still have a Hefty bag full of toxic shite that you need to stop dragging with you into every situation.

Understanding Karmic Numbers

Karmic numbers are not all “bad”. Like all the other numbers, they have light and shadow sides. Their shadow side tends to be emphasized because it is the stronger of the two. The positive aspects of the Karmic numbers seem to be fleeting or rare.

Karmic numbers cause issues for chart interpretation because we don’t teach numerologists how to understand their origins. Numerology is a branch of Astrology, but that part of arithmancy seems to have been lost with the emergence of a modern Western system.

All numbers have a planetary ruler. The rulerships of the numbers 1-9 are:

1: The Sun
2: The Moon
3: Jupiter
4: Rahu (The North Node)
5: Mercury
6: Venus
7: Ketu (The South Node)
8: Saturn
9: Mars

The Karmic numbers are all teen numbers; they all start with 1. Therefore, their energy leads with The Sun and flows into whatever the next number is.

But in astrology, when The Sun is close to another number, it weakens it. This is called being “combust.” This occurs when a planet forms a conjunction with the Sun within a few degrees. The amount of degrees will vary between planets.

Combust Planets in Transit

When planets go combust in transit, they temporarily struggle to express themselves externally. Some general effects include:

Combust Mercury: Can cause communication breakdowns, overthinking, and difficulty expressing thoughts clearly.
Combust Venus: Can bring reevaluation of relationships and values. Social and financial matters may feel strained.
Combust Mars: Can create internalized anger, passive-aggressiveness, and frustration in assertive efforts.
Combust Jupiter: Can cause a temporary crisis in faith, philosophy, or overconfidence.
Combust Saturn: A time of significant restructuring of long-term responsibilities or feeling stuck in situations you don’t want to be in.
Combust Moon: This is a period of emotional reset during which feelings go inward, and clarity may be lacking.

The Karmic Numbers and Their Possible Astro-Numerology Links to Combustion

If we apply this idea, we might get something like this:

13 (1 + 3 = 4, Sun + Jupiter = Rahu)

The Sun (1) and Jupiter (3) create impulsive and transformative energy. Since 4 is associated with Rahu, it doesn’t experience combustion—but Jupiter, the ruler of 3, can. This results in a 4 vibration concerned with sudden shifts, rebellion, and abandonment of duty or responsibility to others.

14 (1 + 4 = 5, Sun + Rahu = Mercury)

The Sun (1) and Rahu (4) create an unstable influence that supports situations falling apart or being turned on their ear. Mercury (5) can be combust, and when it is, it creates confusion, manipulation, deception, and lack of discipline—themes found in 14 as a karmic number.

16 (1 + 6 = 7, Sun + Venus = Ketu)

The Sun (1) and Venus (6) can create ego-driven pleasures, which, when taken to excess, result in the fall from grace that 16 is known for. This number can represent the sudden destruction of those things we form attachments to, resulting in ending relationships, job loss, financial ruin, and a complete loss of status in life.

19 (1 + 9 = 10/1, Sun influence)

The Sun (1) and Mars (9) create fiery, overpowering energy. Since Mars can be combust, 19 represents a person who must undergo karmic purification of ego, power, and ambition. 19 is associated with pride, leadership, potential downfall, and redemption.

Cazimi: Planetary Proximities to the Sun

The bright spot in Karmic number energy!

Derived from the Arabic term “in the heart of the Sun,” a planet is in cazimi in exact conjunction with the Sun, usually within 16-17 arc minutes of the Sun. However, many astrologers allow a 1° orb of “wiggle room” on either side. Unlike combustion, cazimi is considered a position of great strength, where the planet’s qualities are enhanced and empowered. All things contain a little bit of their opposite, and the cazimi in astrology is a reminder of this. The bright spots in Karmic numbers are similar to the cazimi effects of their associated planetary correspondences. Karmic numbers can reflect some very fortunate and wonderful things in the lives of those who have them in their birth charts. For example, in Taylor Swift’s Expanded Life Path Chart, she has Karmic 13/4 and 16/7, as do many other billionaires.

The Karmic 13/4 vibration is associated with luck, great wisdom, and spiritual revelation or discovery, similar to the Jupiter cazimi.
Karmic 14/5 is associated with breakthroughs in thinking, writing, communication, and learning, similar to Mercury cazimi.
The 16/7 Karmic number pattern, similar to the Venus cazimi, is associated with financial windfalls, outrageously considerable life successes, and short, torrid love affairs.
The 19/1 Karmic number vibration is taught to most numerologists as a number of karmic blessings, where we are blessed with the forward momentum to kick ass, take charge, and bust through challenges quickly and easily, similar to the energy of the Mars cazimi.