Chaldean numerology does not recognize the master numbers 11 and 22. Although certain older European numerological writings hinted at the special nature of these numbers, even Pythagorean numerologists did not use them until relatively recently — at least not before the notorious and controversial numerologist Aso-Neith Cochran (Asenath Williams Woodcock Cochran) in the early 20th century.

After Cochran elevated the numbers 11 and 22 to a special status, her ideas were adopted by the even more famous Pythagorean numerologist L. Dow Balliett (actually Sarah Joanna Dennis Balliett). Around Balliett gathered a strong circle of neo-Pythagorean numerologists who significantly reshaped the Pythagorean numerological tradition. Soon afterward, Julia Seton, one of the aforementioned Pythagorean number enthusiasts, also classified 33, 44, 55, 66, and so on as master numbers.

It is possible that the Pythagoreans were also influenced by the Tarot cards XI (“Strength”) and 0 or XXII (“The Fool”). Card XI depicts a woman calmly standing beside a lion, closing its jaws with her bare hands. For this reason, the card is sometimes referred to as “ a Lion Muzzled.” Card 0 or XXII shows a man casually walking along his path while a dog — or some beast — bites at his leg. Perhaps this inspired Aso-Neith Cochran to attribute special power to these cards and numbers.

The number 22 is double 11, and in addition, the English word MASTER adds up to 22 according to the reduced numerical values of letters in the English alphabet:

M + A + S + T + E + R = 4 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 5 + 9 = 22.

All subsequent “master numbers” are multiples of 11.

Whatever the logic behind these Pythagorean ideas may have been, they eventually found their way into Chaldean numerology as well. Some Chaldean numerologists abandoned the older Chaldean tradition precisely because of this and adopted the Pythagorean interpretations of the numbers 11 and 22. They did not even exercise enough critical thinking to calculate the Chaldean value of the English word MASTER, which is actually 19, not 22:

M + A + S + T + E + R = 4 + 1 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 2 = 19.

And in other languages, the translation of the word “master” yields entirely different values.

In the Chaldean tradition, the numbers 11 and 22 are considered challenging numbers. In particular, the meaning of 11 here differs somewhat even from the Italian Tarot tradition.

Personally, when it comes to the numbers 11, 22, 33, and so on, I follow the older interpretations. There are not many situations in which 11 functions as a strong and stable number. It seems that this so-called “master level” is more the exception than the rule in the case of this number.

Let me ask you this: How many women would dare approach an untamed lion and close its jaws with their bare hands? And if the Tarot lion is already domesticated, then we cannot really speak of mastery at all…