When you look at a clock, and it says 11:11, chances are you do one of two things: make a wish, or think about when you were a kid and you used to make a wish at this particular time. But where does the ritual come from? For some, it’s a part of the practice of numerology, which Tali Edut, one half of The AstroTwins, ELLE’s resident astrologer, describes as “the vibration of numbers.” And the whole 11:11 thing? It relates to the concept of angel numbers, i.e. repeating numbers that show up in your life that some think are “a message from the other side,” Edut explains.

So, what are angel numbers?

As mentioned, angel numbers are repeating numbers that might appear on a clock, an address, or somewhere else in your life. “People consider them a message from the other side,” Edut says. “Your angels are trying to get your attention by flashing this number to you.”

The practice of numerology then comes into play for interpreting and decoding those numbers. “One of the most popular ones is 11:11 or 1:11,” she explains. “A lot of people make a wish then. In numerology, one is the number of initiation. So it’s like, what’s happening right now? Pay attention. What are you starting? It’s like a little note that something new is happening.”

Get a breakdown of some of the other angel numbers from numerologist Felicia Bender here.

The connection between angel numbers and astrology

At least for Edut, there is a correlation between the two. For example, she says, she personally sees the number 444 a lot, which she connects to the fourth sign of the zodiac: Cancer. “Cancer is sign of female friendship and female empowerment and family, and it often shows up when I’m connecting to a dear female friend or spending time with my nieces. I tune into that a little bit.”

What you can take away from angel numbers

Edut clarifies that it’s not necessarily about what the number means as much as it’s about the fact that it keeps showing up in your life. “There’ll be periods of time I’ll start seeing 333, and me and a couple of other people will see the number a lot,” she says. “Whatever the number is may not even matter as much as it’s like, pay attention, pay attention. You’re not alone. It’s a way that our angels and departed loved ones and ancestors from the other side get our attention.”

Edut shared one other example from her own life: “My aunt, who was a real powerful force in my life, died of ovarian cancer. Right before she passed away, we kept seeing 906 all the time, and that has not stopped since. Her husband moved to Puerto Rico after she died, and we went to visit him, and his house was on Highway 906. The angel will pick the number and flash it to you, too.”

Mostly, Edut says, this can all be a reminder to slow down and be aware of your surroundings. “You can ask angels to send you numbers and therefore a sign.” She continues, “If you just ask for a little magic to show up, I feel like people start seeing it and noticing it. You don’t have to rack your brain interpreting it, unless you want to. It’s more just, okay, I’m not alone. Someone’s got my back.”