By: Lillian Wouters, NN4
“When I first spoke to Susan to learn about my Natural Number, I was so amazed to see how quickly she was able to gauge what Natural Number I was and the type of person I am. It was as if she was able to read through me. I am Natural Number 4, which means I go inside to get in touch with the passion of being alive. My region of activation is my lower abdomen, my movement centers around this part of my body. I value connections with people and create a “bubble” with the relationships I establish. Susan said I will do well in careers where I can establish strong relationships with people.
As a Natural Number 4, I make relationships with people, and those relationships are very important to me. People with Natural Number 4 value, generate, and use alignment. By settling into the lower abdomen they drop into the deep and intimate space of self, which creates a sense of alignment and thereby safety. They share that experience of alignment and acceptance through connection with others. People with Natural Number 4 understand how our pace is part of our wisdom.
What was also amazing was that Susan looked at my pictures on Facebook and Instagram and saw what kind of Natural Numbers my husband and my two sons have. For example, my husband, Jonathan, has Natural Number 9, my oldest son, Miles (age 3), has Natural Number 1, and my youngest son, Jamison (age 1), has Natural Number 7. When she described the characteristics of each of them, I was shocked to see how much she and her husband already knew about my family! – without ever meeting any of them. I didn’t have to explain anything and she knew exactly what was going on in our family.
What was also interesting for me was how I (Natural Number 4) deal with challenges. I may be slower to react but I need to know how it makes me “feel”. I need to figure out how I feel and then I can talk about it.
My husband has Natural Number 9, which means he understands that we exist in a flow of energy. People with Natural Number 9 value balance. They know when things are not balanced when one side of the scale is tipped in favor of the other. They are always looking for ways to right the imbalances. He wants us all to live in harmony, each person taking responsibility for their own actions.
One thing I notice about my husband is that when we get into an argument, he may disappear and may become completely unavailable. He puts up a glass box – he can see out, but no one can get in, but they don’t necessarily know why. One of the ways for him to revitalize is to get physical exercise – to move and breathe. So I’ve noticed that when he works out at the gym or even goes outside to go for a walk with our dog, he’s happier and more relaxed. As I work, I feel emotions, when we argue I tend to tell my husband how it makes me feel, but emotion doesn’t really work with him–only logic and reasoning, which doesn’t come right away to me. I also learned from Susan that I need to give him permission to say “no”, and asking him over and over again will just irritate him more. I need to pick my battles and allow him to do what I have asked in his own way.
For my kids, Miles has Natural Number 1. People with Natural Number 1 intrinsically know the value of beauty, people, life, circumstances. They love people as they are, where they are, who they are. They know that people are doing the best they can with where they are right now. They know deep in their being that all people are equal and should be honored.
People with Natural Number 1 value deep sustained connections at the level of the essence of life. They recognize the essence of our being, enabling us to understand our existence. They value being fully present to the connection with you at this moment. That’s a lot to support in a child. Those are big concepts, so I have been thinking about what that means for everyday parenting.
Miles is 3 years old and is a very happy, smart, and sociable boy. He does everything to be a good boy – he truly hates to displease anyone. He loves school, his friends, and loves to learn. He always wants to read books, is great at doing puzzles, and always amazes us with his new findings. He likes order and follows directions. What we’ve noticed is that he’s also very particular – a bit of a perfectionist wanting things to be in just so. What I learned from Susan was never to say “bad boy” to him as he’ll take that very seriously and internalize that message. He already has a strong internal voice saying that he’s not perfect. So as parents, I want to always remind him how much we love him, he doesn’t have to be “perfect” and he’s wonderful the way he is.
Jamison is Natural Number 7. From Susan and Martin, I learned that people with Natural Number 7 value freedom. The freedom for themselves and others, to experience adventure, to open to where vision, curiosity, and intuition can take you that you have not yet been. This may show up as a resistance to boundaries, status-quo, and rules. Fun and adventure are staples to People with Natural Number 7. The experience of exploration of their inner world can be highly entertaining. In that space, they can be very adaptable to the ideas and possibilities that present. People with Natural Number 7 value staying open to possibility, exploring different directions, seeing where curiosity leads, heading toward open-ended possibility.
Jamison is 1 year old, and a very adventurous and curious baby. He definitely has a shorter attention span compared to his older brother and tends to switch his interests quickly and often. He also challenges everything. But he loves to climb all over the house. He uses his forehead to push me. He’s a bit more aggressive than Miles was and has a tendency to throw toys or accessories we give him. This past summer when we were visiting our grandparents in Tokyo, Japan, Jamison decided to climb and jump inside the toilet bowl for a quick cold bath…!
What I learned from Susan is that he is more vulnerable than he lets on, especially when I get mad at him for his antics, so I must encourage his curiosity and boundary-pushing, we just need to keep him safe as we can.
I loved talking to Susan and look forward to learning more about each of our Natural Numbers. I want to learn more about how knowing my Natural Number (as well as my family’s), would help us make decisions and get along better in our everyday lives! So far the insights have been accurate and enlightening!
Ready to learn more about your loved ones like Lillian? Download the free ‘Four Practices for Presence’ worksheet here, and begin exploring the impact you can!
