An interview with master numerologist Hans Decoz

What inspired you to write this report?

I have wanted to create an in-depth talent profile since the mid-eighties, and have been working on and off the report since then. It is my experience that, while we have little control over some issues in life that directly affect our happiness (such as our childhood environments, medical maladies and so forth), we do have a fair amount of control over the productive parts of life. Finding the right work/career situation, for instance, is a major part of our identities in western culture; we devote a lot of time and energy to our work, so finding a career that is satisfying, energizing and rewarding can be crucial to our quality of life. And one of the ways to find a career that meets those requirements is to analyze your skills and talents, determine the intersection of "what you do best" with "what you enjoy doing," and find a job that fits that description.

The first step on that journey is, of course, to analyze your skills and talents. There are many ways to do this, and I thought, why not take advantage of Numerology's unique ability to help us reflect on ourselves and achieve a different perspective?

If my talent profile can help a person choose the right direction, that will be enormously rewarding to me. I've always been interested in education, and like to think that my Numerology work helps others learn about themselves and their world. So I suppose that would count as one of my inspirations for this report, as well.

Who can benefit the most from this report?

This report should be useful to anyone and everyone. I designed it with job-seekers in mind, but it can be beneficial to anyone who wants to be productive in their lives, in any arena. The same things in the report that would help a young person entering the work force for the first time can help someone choosing a graduate degree program, or trying to strengthen their family relationships, or simply looking for a new hobby or volunteer program.

Those who apply the report's findings in the work or career realm will see the most immediate and dramatic benefits, of course. Any kind of job-seeker will find it useful, whether they're just starting out, or are searching for work after a layoff. Those who are making a transition to a new career due to dissatisfaction with the old, or even are deciding which department to transition into in their current company can also use the insight from this report.

How do you recommend someone use this report?

As always, divination reports do not offer prescriptions. There is no specific dose taken at a specific time. Rather, the user should simply read the report, reflect on it, enjoy it (don't forget that "recreation" and "recreating yourself" come from the same root idea), and then decide how best to make it work for you. For some, printing out traits they want to work on and posting them on an office wall will keep them motivated; for others, focusing on the traits associated with a specific number each week is a way to go. You may be one of those who simply enjoys returning to the report and browsing through it every now and then. For more ideas, see both the Introduction and the Conclusion/Next Steps chapters.

This report is all about showing you your talents. What is your personal definition of a "talent"?

I see a talent as an ability to which one has an in-born affinity, a natural endowment. Talents can be improved upon, can be left "in neutral," or can even be smothered. Each talent is actually a combination of other traits, inherent strengths and personal attractions or interests. Combine certain traits (creativity, imagination, a need to express oneself) with certain strengths (the ability to distinguish colors, hand-eye coordination, strong opinions); if the person in question is interested in or attracted to certain things (visual beauty, harmony, intellectual stimulation), then you have yourself a talented artist.

What role can Numerology play in helping people find/use/improve their talents?

As with all divination disciplines, Numerology is a tool that can be used well, or used poorly. For those who use it well, it is a mirror. It helps them to follow the age-old credo, "Know thyself." When you understand who you are and what you are made of, you have a much better chance of finding the right profession and passion. Every one of us is plagued, to some extent, by illusions. People generally do not have sharp, objective perspectives of themselves. That is where Numerology-as-a-mirror comes in. It helps us see past those illusions to who we truly are.

How is this report similar to any of your other reports on Tarot.com? How is it different?

All of my reports attempt to help people find clarity and insight, and this one is no different. Unlike the other reports I've created, though, this one focuses very narrowly on career and work. Even though the Traits chapters of the report have value independently, they are all foundations for the report's keystone: the Career Strengths chapter.

Are there any numerological books, methodologies or exercises that influenced this report?

Many Numerology books have a chapter or two on career choices, but they are usually very general allusions to good potential careers for people with this or that Life Path Number. I do not know of a single divination method or book that tackles this subject in the same depth, regardless of the discipline. I truly think that the Numerology Talents Profile is unique.

I developed a new analytical system for the profile. It begins, as with most Numerology reports, with a chart comprised of the numbers generated from your birth date and your name. The numbers in your chart are then analyzed based on their associations with a wide range of traits. In addition to being matched up with certain traits, each number is given a certain amount of weight toward each trait based on its location in your chart. These numbers are then used to generate the Talents Profile. You'll see them in a pie chart version of your birth chart (where the more a number shows up in your chart, the bigger the slice of the "pie" it will take up); you'll compare them in bar graphs rating your talent and potential in various traits; and you'll learn about them in personalized written interpretations.

Have you run your own Numerology Talents Profile? If so, what did it reveal?

I did, of course. And to be perfectly honest, I found it to be one of the most beneficial Numerology experiences I've ever had. I am biased, of course, because it is my latest creation, and I'm very excited about it! Each report I've created will be useful to different people in different phases of life and in different ways, and perhaps this one was simply the right one for me at this time. Still, I believe it to have met my goal of constantly improving and pushing the envelope of Numerology.

As far as what the report revealed, it was extremely accurate and brought up deep and hidden desires that I have rarely spoken of with anyone. The same occurred for my wife and initial clients. I won't go into detail because of just how personal the revelations were … but suffice to say, all involved were quite moved by what they discovered about themselves and their potential in life!