2020 numerology promises we’ll (finally) work things out as people this year—here’s why

Given it’s an election year, and one in which the country is divided to an unprecedented degree, I highly doubt anyone went into 2020 thinking, “Finally, the chaos will stop and we can all relax.” No, 2020 does not seem to be shaping up as anything other than a contentious nail-biter, unless that is you dig into the significance of the year from a numerology perspective. Here, there is good news.

Numerology, for the uninitiated, is one of the divinatory arts (think astrology or tarot). Its practitioners rely on the significance of specific numbers—your birthdate, birth name (and its corresponding numbers), for example, and more—to glean information about an individual and the trajectory of their life. As is the case with astrology, numerology can also be used more broadly to tell stories which apply to all of humanity. One way in which this is done is to look at the significance of the numbers which make up a year.

Numerologist Josh Siegel tells me there is quite a bit to learn about what lies ahead of us from the numbers 2020. “2020 is two 20s together, and I’ve noticed since the year 2000, when we started going into these 20-related cycles, there’s been kind of a polarization between people picking one side or another that’s political but also just more general,” he says. “The opportunity in a year like this is for us to awaken to more of a balanced, harmonious picture—trying to see the other side. The challenge for us is to reach across to the other side and see a way we can work together,” Siegel says.

In an election year, this feels like exceptionally healthy advice, whether you believe it’s a message delivered by the universe or not; however, Siegel points out that it doesn’t only apply to politics. “Everyone’s got someone in their family that they don’t get along with very well, or somebody at work, and it’s about being willing to find a way to practice cooperation and diplomacy [with these individuals],” he says.

Siegel explains that 2020 is also a “4” year, and that the number 4 rules work. “So it might be we can mutually work together to build something great that’s good for everybody and not just for one side,” he says. “So what are we building is a better world a world where we’re more conscientious of the other.”

Strong 20s also tend to signify a crossroads. “At some point in a 20 year,  people tend to have some sort of realization about something where they go, ‘Look, my mind is giving me the pros and cons, I’m going back and forth, but my gut’s telling me what I’m going to do,'” says Siegel. “It’s about moving beyond the indecision of the mind and working from our intuition—people tend to have spiritual awakenings in a cycle like that.” In other words, you might find yourself examining where in life you’re stuck and finding yourself at last able to move forward in some way. We can circle back to the 4 here, too, because making big moves often entails blood, sweat, and tears.

Ultimately, Siegel tells me he wouldn’t necessarily expect this year to be relaxing. There’s a lot of work to be done. “But with the 20s it’s elevated work, not just like, ‘Oh, I’m grinding away at my job,” he explains. “We’re thinking in larger terms, we’re building a more awakened, inclusive world—that’s the potential if we wake up and allow ourselves to see another way.” Cue John Lennon’s “Imagine,” and no, I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Having trouble seeing the other side? Here’s why it’s so hard to change your mind. Plus, a primer on how to conduct intergenerational conversations productively.