The Sabian Symbols in Astrology
I recently made a talisman for the Sabian Symbol of this past Sunday's Supermoon Total Lunar Eclipse: Aries 5, "A Triangle With Wings". This inspired me to share a bit more about Sabian Symbols and why you should use them in chart study. When I first discovered the Sabian Symbols, I was blown away by the imagery and detail in them. I use them in all of my work, and encourage you to do so as well. Working with the Sabian Symbols has opened up my chart study, and I know it will inspire you too.
What are the Symbols?
The Sabian Symbols are symbolic phrases that describe the energy of each degree in the entire Zodiac. The Zodiac wheel is made up of 360 degrees, each sign containing 30 degrees. Each individual degree, all 360, are represented by a symbol, or poetic phrase, that describes the energy of that specific degree.
Each of the Sabian Symbols conjures a visual image that connects us and transports us to the vibration of the degree it is assigned to. The phrase may be long, like Aries 24, "Blown Inward By The Wind, The Curtains Of An Open Window Take The Shape Of A Cornucopia". Phrases can also be short, like Virgo 3, "Two Guardian Angels". The phrases are all completely unique, and quite beautiful. Not all sound cheery however, but they all certainly communicate some sort of emotion. For example, Aquarius 2, "An Unexpected Thunderstorm" has an electric and even uncertain feeling to it. Aries 4 represents a different picture and emotion altogether, "Two Lovers Strolling On A Secluded Walk".
The Sabian Symbols provide us with much deeper meaning and interpretive substance when used in chart study. Uranus on a particular degree, will be framed by the energy of that degree & influenced by the sign it is in. The Moon on Libra 15, "Circular Paths" will be different than Pluto there, as each body is unique in what they represent and rule. You will have a Sabian Symbol for every position in your chart, from your Ascendant, to planets, & even calculated points like the Vertex. If it sits on a degree, there is a Sabian associated with it.
Where did they come from?
 |
| Image Source: Lynda Hill |
 |
| Image Source: Sabian Assembly |
These phrases, or Sabian Symbols, were the result of a collaboration between astrologer Mark Edmund Jones and clairvoyant Elsie Wheeler. Jones was and still is a well known astrologer. He is credited with founding the Sabian Assembly & published several books on the topics surrounding chart interpretation. Many of his books are still well known and widely used today.
For some time, Jones had explored the idea of assigning each zodiac degree with a particular symbol. However he felt each symbol should be channeled and intuited, as opposed to using the rational mind in their manifestation. He would eventually meet a wheelchair bound clairvoyant named Elsie Wheeler, a gifted intuitive who was crippled with arthritis. Together, the two planned how the symbols should be channeled. They met in a local San Diego park, where all 360 would be channeled individually by Elsie. She was prompted by Jones, who held up cards one by one, each card contained a degree of the zodiac at random. He would then transcribe her response, sometimes asking her to clarify or revisit if he felt it wasn't clear or totally resonating. Wheeler simply relayed what she was seeing in her mind, for every single degree. The degrees would later be published by Jones, in a book titled
How can you use them?
Sabian Symbols can be used in any kind of chart interpretation, regardless what Zodiac system you work with (Tropical or Sidereal). If you are looking at a degree, you can always reference the Sabian Symbol for that degree. It can be used as an oracle, by changing the letters of questions to numbers using the Pythagorean Number System (what is used in Numerology for name numbers). This is actually really fun to do, and is very insightful as well. You can obtain the Name Sabian Symbol this way, by exchanging the letters of your name for numbers, adding them up, and matching this number to the correct Sabian Symbol. Many people view a Sabian Symbol of the day, which looks at the Sabian Symbol for the degree that was on the Eastern Horizon at sunrise. I love to look at the Sabian Symbols for all planets, points, and other calculated objects in a chart. It is incredibly insightful! Using Sabian Symbols in Synastry (interpersonal astrology) will really provide further understanding into the relationship between two people. This is especially so in Composite chart study.
How to read them?
Finding the right Sabian Symbol to use is not as easy as matching 25° Aries with the Sabian Symbol, Aries 25. You might have already noticed, but zodiac degrees are written as follows: Degree ° Minute ' Second. There are 30 degrees in a sign, 60 minutes in each degree, and 60 seconds in each minute. This means that a planet might sit between Aries 24 and Aries 25, if the planet is at say, 24°48'02. It is sitting at 24° degrees, 48 minutes, 02 seconds, of Aries.
The Sabian Symbols account for every minute and second that is contained within a degree. Therefore, the Sabian Symbol for Aries 25 would be Aries 24°01 - Aries25°. This means if you had a planet at Aries 24°03, you would read the Sabian for Aries 25.
Here are the following "rules" for choosing which Sabian Symbol to use, from the Sabian Assembly:
- If the position of the planet is at an even degree (i.e., 26 Leo 00), read the Sabian symbol for that degree (i.e., 26 Leo).
- If the position of the planet is at least one minute over an even degree (i.e., 26 Leo 01 or 26 Leo 02) read the Sabian symbol for the next higher degree (i.e., 27 Leo)
- If the position of the planet is over 29 degrees and 01 minute, it is read as 30 (i.e., 29 Leo 01 is read as 30 Leo).
- There is no 0 degree of anything in the Sabian symbols. The symbols are written for the degrees 1-30 of each of the 12 signs.
- If the planet is at zero degrees of a sign then round down to 30 of the previous sign if it hasn't yet reached the one minute mark (i.e., 00 Leo 00 would be rounded down to 30 Cancer). Round up to the first degree of the sign (1) if the planet is at zero degrees and at least one minute (i.e., 00 Leo 01 would be read as 1 Leo).
Resources
The Sabian Assembly is a really fantastic resource for learning more about the history of the Sabian Of course, the book The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, comes straight from the creators of the Sabian Symbols themselves.
Dane Rudhyar did a tremendous amount of work in interpreting each symbol in his book An Astrological Mandala, by applying it directly to the progression of the human soul and psyche. He felt many of the Symbols needed a bit of a refresh or update, and provided a re-interpretation of each symbol. His insights are invaluable, and work is greatly appreciated by the astrology community. Rudhyar's interpretations are incredibly insightful, and I encourage you to check them out on Mindfire.
Lynda Hill and her Sabian Symbol website, is a tremendous resource for personal study. She updates interpretations for symbols daily, and also provides readings. She has also written a book on the topic, and did some additional research into the history behind the symbols, and Elsie Wheeler.
Additionally, I always list the Sabian Symbols involved in the current month's transits for you! This information can be found here, or by linking to it at the top of the page, by linking to "(Current Month) Planetary Overview". I look at a solar month when updating this information, meaning I update the chart when the Sun passes into the next Sign (generally around the 22nd or 23rd).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thank you for reading! I hope to be wrapping up my chart services soon, which includes a breakdown of your personal Sabian Symbols from your natal chart. I will also be able to share Sabian Symbols for the charts of any other significant event. As always, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out: twelfthhousestudio@hotmail.com
No comments
Post a Comment