My Brazen Life: Numerology Case Study 1: Bonnie Parker of Bonnie and Clyde

Case History

Our Subject:

Bonnie Parker
Female
Born: October 1, 1910 in Rowena, Texas, USA
Died: May 23, 1934

Life Path: 22
Expression: 11
Soul's Urge: 8
Inner Desires: 3
Day of the Month: 1
Astrological Sign: Libra 1
Life Theme: Unknown
Tree: Hazelnut Tree
Chinese Sign: The Dog

Bonnie Parker is a perfect example of a negative 22 Life Path. On the good side of the coin, this life path indicates a person who must work through many ideas and emotions to fulfill their life mission. This "Master Number" is the most powerful Life Path number and the person attached to it must use it as a mighty gift but must work to understand it. Literally, these people can achieve anything they set their minds to. They can create a new idea, implement it, and complete the project. Many of these individuals can be famous, wealthy, and wise and make it look really easy, as if God Himself gave them a special leg up on talent. In addition, they seem to be extremely intuitive but practical at the same time. In the best circumstances, Life Path 22 people become statesmen, spiritual leaders, great philosophers, or famed artists.

Most Life Path 22's are good entities that operate within the law and recognize a moral or ethical code, even if they make up their unique code without the shackles of majority rule. They could even be renegades who refuse to bow down to any "tried-and-true" set of rules and regulations. A truly negative Life Path 22 is hard to come by, but it does happen. Uber-powerful entities that have achieved great status and success that happen to be dark souls can run amok and cause serious problems into the world. They may be motivated by power or money and become totally ruthless, reckless, dictatorial, dominant, and intimidating. On the other side, some Life Path 22 people become overwhelmed by their strength and allow their passions to overwhelm them.

Whether Bonnie was a dark soul or not will never be proven in this realm of reality, and we must try not to judge her soul…her actions, yes, her soul, no. Her Life Theme may have been extremely complicated or difficult and she may have been suffering from some sort of psychological disorder such as depression. Regardless of the reasons why she made certain decisions is almost a moot point.

It is known that Bonnie was deeply enamored of Clyde Barrow. Her love for him was all consuming and this passion facilitated their criminal union. When combined with his volatile personality, Bonnie allowed the power of Life Path 22 to become corrupted while remaining vigorous and headstrong. So basically we have a person who could do anything doing bad things.

Add the Destiny number to her chart and we become even more interested. Eleven is a "Master Number" and is quite rare in numerology. It represents idealism, inspiration, strength, beauty, philosophy, sensitivity, introspection, and the supernatural realm. The Expression 11 individual can do almost anything he sets his mind to but usually prefers to dance to beat of his own drum rather than follow a structured checklist. Money is important but not necessary to feel successful. On the flip side, with all great power comes a great taxing on the mind, body, and spirit. An Expression 11 individual who does not feel comfortable in his own skin may express high anxiety, be overly sensitive, moody, explosive, impractical, or a know-it-all.

What we know about Bonnie Parker is that she had an insatiable desire to learn. She was an avid reader, especially when it came to crime or mystery novels. Imaginative and clever, she enjoyed non-fiction accounts of crimes as well. She once lived vicariously through books, but eventually made the stories come alive in real-life bloody terror. She enjoyed sinking into a dream world and often spent days reading while life passed her by. Remember, Bonnie was a child of the early 20th century, a time in which women were relegated to becoming homemakers, mothers, waitresses, or prostitutes. There were simply not many outlets for a woman to spread her intellectual wings. Indeed, a woman's intellectual prowess was looked at as a downfall, not a gift. Men controlled almost every aspect of life (with the exception of notable women in history who themselves "broke the mold") and the mere idea of a 4'10" woman robbing men at gunpoint, shooting cops, and stealing cars was a horrifying concept. She was aggressive, both socially and sexually, and was apparently comfortable with Clyde and living life on the wild side.

As far as her soul's urge, Bonnie Parker (Soul's Urge 8) turned out to be almost everything she wanted to be. Deep down, possessing authority was an undeniable passion, privileged social status was a goal, and material gain was an ambition. She had an intense impulse to organize and lead. Using her well-honed confidence and energy, she never accepted failure as an option. Intelligent, stubborn, analytical, and of strong character, she was mentally under complete control of her faculties and calm under pressure. To a Soul's Urge 8, following others, such as Clyde, may foster feelings of resentment or worthlessness. Power struggles may have made her uneasy and unhappy, but in the end, she allowed him to usurp her power…probably because she loved and trusted him. Leading is the only way this soul will feel fulfilled and she must use talents and skills to their potential. On the bad side of Soul's Urge 8, the individual may become controlling, unyielding, severe, obstinate, and annoyed. It is important to remember that she wanted to feel this way. No one kills and robs people for four years without wanting to do it.

Her Life Path (22), Destiny (11), and Soul's Urge (8) were all in accord. Granted, she capitalized on the negative aspects of these numbers, but she also stayed true to her fate. For better or for worse, Bonnie Parker willing chose her path and used her talents to hurl her into a life of crime. Apparently, she would have not had it any other way.

Most people numbers are contradictory. For instance, had Bonnie's Soul's Urge been a number 2, she may have been more interested in building a little clap-board house in the country and raising a few kids instead of going on a killing spree, murdering other people's children. This contradiction in numbers would have served to keep her from engaging in criminal acts instead of actually doing mischief. Unfortunately, numerology had other things in mind. Her numbers were so intense and similar that she could probably not help but commit heinous crimes alongside Clyde. Of course, I am not in any way, shape, or form condoning Bonnie's behavior. I am simply pointing out that when certain desires are hard wired in the psyche and soul it may be extremely difficult to deny them.

The Inner Desires number concerns itself with secret desires hidden within the heart or even fantasies that can never be realized (for instance, a person who is not coordinated cannot possibly be a world-class ballet dancer, but that does not mean she cannot dream about it). Now let us analyze Bonnie Parker's Inner Desires Number. Bonnie's Inner Desires number was 3, a number that denotes a free spirit who enjoys life and searches for beauty in any form.

This number concerns a person who wants to be fashionable, esteemed, and admired. She may yearn to create literature, paintings, and music even if she has no talent. This desire may be almost overwhelming. She may stare at a beautiful work of art and wonder why she has the passion to create but yet does possess the gifts to paint like Monet or compose like Mozart. She wants to spread her wings and experience life on her terms, not someone else's. She wants to express herself and be a freethinker who contemplates ideas without the shackles of organized dogma. On the flip side, the negatives may be a real damper on these dreams.

A suppressed Inner Desires Number 3 may have serious problems if she cannot crawl out from under the heavy weight of rules and regulations that crush the spirit's drive will make her want to slither out of her skin. If the creative spirit cannot go free occasionally, she may become resentful, unfulfilled and depressed.

We will never completely know how Bonnie's Inner Desires Number affected her. By all accounts Bonnie was a very attractive woman who admired beauty. What did she daydream about? We will never know, but what we do know is that she was a decent poet and writer who dreamed of publishing her works. In the early 1930's, had she known she and her lover would still be household names she may have made a concerted effort to leave additional works behind.

One of the problems with Bonnie Parker's numerology makeup may have been that the numbers added up to a personality that knew no fear, no bounds, and little compassion. She was thief and a murderer. She betrayed her family and fell in love with a common criminal. From her power to accomplish anything she desired (Life Path 22) to her fascination with creativity and beauty (Destiny 11 and Inner Desires 3) to her built in need to dominate and intimidate (Inner Desires 8), it was no surprise she turned out to be infamous criminal she came to be.

Now, let us examine her astrological sign. She was a Libra 1. Intelligent, knowledgeable, and a self-taught philosopher, Bonnie was a brilliant blend of brains, beauty and gumption. Lurking underneath her cool and attractive façade was a private person who loved the spotlight but enjoyed slinking into the shadows with her own convoluted thoughts. A walking contradiction, Bonnie had to come to terms with her complicated thoughts and ideas in order to understand who she was and what she wanted from life. Clyde loved her but was controlling. She loved Clyde but resented his roughneck sexual persona. Bonnie wanted to be in love and accepted the high cost of keeping that affair alive. She wanted to write but had a deep-seeded need to control and intimidate others.

According to K. Campbell's Blue Fairy Moon article on Libra 1, "[The typical] Libra 1 has a tendency to become neurotic and confused on the direction she should take, but after hours of personal reflection, she will eventually find the right path. Even in her frequent indecision, she will inevitably realize that it is better to be anxious than impulsive and foolhardy. This hesitancy springs from her deep ethical convictions telling her she may be wrong." After deep deliberation, Bonnie decided to take the path less traveled by embarking on a crime spree. Some part of her broke free from her natural moral path, with dire consequences. Campbell continues, "This is not to say that the Libra 1 is hell bent on total domination. He is absolutely charming and easily admired; he simply has a hang up about being perceived as weak and undisciplined. He may fear being dominated. That concept is truly laughable, considering the Libra 1 is one of most steadfast and predicable signs in the zodiac." Of course, Bonnie may have allowed this aspect of her personality to run amok and may have been thinking about Clyde's needs and desires rather than her own. This need to dominate overshadows her need to appear strong to society. She was strong, at least on the outside. She was at the mercy of others and became a follower of Clyde and accepted her subservient role while perhaps hating it at the same time. Simultaneously, Bonnie was obviously strong and ruthless, lending credence to the supposition she was internally driven yet reserved; merciless yet insightful; and dominant yet dominated.

"On the outside [Libra 1] is a gracious and charming person, but inside he a mess of conflicting emotions," writes Campbell. To the world during 1934, Bonnie was considered a sociopathic monster at worst and poor pathetic girl whisked away by a smooth-talking thug at best. On the outside she represented a woman corrupted, but inside lived the soul of a poet caught up in a life of crime. She had no home, no future, and the inevitability of her and Clyde's death must have hung over her like a dark cloak of despair.

To recap, Bonnie Parker was living a life of crime, caught in a self-made prison of sin, despair, and excitement. Like a tightrope artist operating with no net, Bonnie must have understood early on that nothing, not even Clyde, could save her from fate. Numerology coupled with her unshakable astrological sign had her over a barrel, so to speak. But was what she did and who she was part of her Life Theme? I am no psychic and I cannot tell with any certainty what her Primary and Secondary Life Themes could have been, but through good 'ol logical reasoning may be able to at least narrow the playing field. Now, we are assuming she was NOT a dark soul (dark souls do not have Life Themes).

The contenders:

Creator
This soul is motivated to create. Whether he is a sculptor, writer, painter, illustrator, singer, musician, dancer, or designer, he must express himself. His creativity bursts from his soul like a butterfly from a cocoon. He is driven by a burning wish to provide humanity with art, whether it is a neo-classical operetta or watercolor pop art. His creations are his children, born from his mind, heart, and soul. He unselfishly gives them to humanity as reminders that regardless of all of the hatred, chaos and sadness in the world there is still, and will forever be, beauty in life. Suppression of his artistic desires may cause him to feel depressed, physically ill or useless. In addition, with the gift of creativity comes a great emotional burden, especially if he finds immense fame. If not handled properly, the Creator may find that his gift is more than he is willing or able to handle.

Emotive
This overly sensitive Life Theme experiences every emotion in the spectrum, from extreme anger to debilitating sadness to tremendous elation. Sometimes moody and frequently unpredictable, the Emotive may seem as though she is in state of perpetual PMS, but the depth of her emotion is deep as a wishing well. She loves profoundly and hates intensely. She is a cauldron of seething passion that runs the emotional gamut between heavenly highs and hellish lows. She must find balance or she will spin out of control.

Influencer
This Life Theme depicts a person who uses her wile, wit, and will to get exactly what she wants in life. If she is a good person who uses her beauty, intelligence, charm, or feminine sensuality to persuade others to either do her bidding or help her accomplish something good, she is not to be considered a wicked woman. If she is a dishonest, vindictive, jealous, or self-absorbed person she may very well turn this Life Theme on its ear and leave a trail of brokenhearted people in her wake. Spies, supermodels and housewives would be well suited for this theme, but socialites, go-go dancers, and political activists may not be prime Influencer material.

Provocateur
While many Life Themes would sit on the couch watching a reality television show while the room goes up in flames, the Provocateur Theme is the one to jump up, grab a fire extinguisher, and get everyone out of the house. He instigates movement and is often the first one to see a problem and decide something should be done…now. A mover and shaker, the Provocateur has the power incite passion in others. He is innovative and determined to complete the lofty goals he has set for himself. Problems arise when he becomes bored and unsure of himself.

Tormenter
The polar opposite of the Fretter, this Life Theme depicts a person who does very evil things within society to ensure humanity progresses into a heightened state of enlightenment. The Tormenter may be a real mean motor scooter and is often confused with a truly dark soul. He could be a murderer, sociopath, psychopath, or misanthrope who preys on the innocent. Often, he is a hardened criminal who shows no remorse for his despicable actions. He creates evil and is usually punished, and in the end his deplorable crimes force humanity to admit evil like his really exists. His very existence may force the legal system to reassess archaic laws, question the death penalty, or make new laws protecting children from predators. Whatever the reason for his life, he changes people's perception of good and evil. The person who charts this theme understands he will be hated, shunned and severely punished for his crimes but understands he will still wantonly and knowingly commit them in order to complete his soul's mission. It is important to remember that the Tormenter may look and act exactly like a dark soul. Avoid both types like the plague.

Villainy
This Life Theme is driven by a need to control individuals, groups, and situations. His well of power springs from a deep-seated need to dominate, destroy, or devastate other people. Psychologically, he is cruel, controlling, wicked and impervious and indifferent to the emotional pain of others. Without holding complete control over another, deep down he knows they would abandon him and his wickedly malevolent ways. He may physically and emotionally abuse his wife and kids; sexually intimidate, threaten, and terrorize an adolescent neighbor; or verbally and physically harass a coworker. Perhaps his soul's mission is to serve as a catalyst to those he abuses; by giving them a reason to stand up for themselves and leave a desperate and horrible situation behind, the abused may overcome an obstacle to their own mission in life.

It is my hypothesis that Bonnie Parker's Secondary Theme is Creator. She was a poet and writer who looked for beauty in unattractive or corrupted things.

Her Primary Theme is much more difficult to understand. Was she a purely evil misanthrope who purposely hurt others for her own gain? Or was she a Disciple who blindly followed Clyde into the abyss of crime and death? Is there another Theme(s) you think could have been her primary motivator? Remember, our two themes usually cross each other and are very dissimilar.

Another piece of the spiritual puzzle that was Bonnie Parker was her Chinese Sign, The Dog. According to the author of Blue Fairy Moon's Chinese Signs, " The dog is reliable, sincere, inspirational, faithful, critical, outspoken, and a fussbudget. Worry sometimes fuels the dog's deep desire to protect the people he loves and his natural aggressiveness may occasionally get him in trouble. The dog is most comfortable in occupations such as executive, humanitarian, educator, protester, or military spy."
Bonnie was loyal to Clyde, aggressive and violent, outspoken and opinionated, and protective.

Finally, Bonnie's tree was the Hazelnut Tree. "The people represented by this tree are sometimes charismatic, unchallenging, sympathetic, compassionate, social cause banner waver, well-liked, admired, changeable, an unpredictable lover, frank, and has good prudence."

Days of the Month

Ruled by the Sun

You are good at decision-making in the home and workplace; are self-assured and confident that your endeavors will succeed (sometimes unrealistically so); revel in your own brand of uniqueness; and may occasionally subdue your emotions. Your vision is far-reaching and you may not enjoy dealing with the pesky and tedious details of making plans; rather, you prefer to design and perhaps maintain a project rather than deal with the boring day-to-day problems that may be attached to it.

You are similar in style to those born on the 10th, 19th, and 28th