Sabian Symbols in Astrology: The Meaning Behind Each Degree #

How the Sabian Symbols Were Created #

The Sabian Symbols originated in San Diego in 1925. Marc Edmund Jones, a prominent astrologer and philosopher, collaborated with Elsie Wheeler, a clairvoyant who was confined to a wheelchair. Jones prepared 360 blank cards, each corresponding to one degree of the zodiac, and presented them to Wheeler in random order. For each card, Wheeler provided a brief image or scene that arose in her consciousness. The entire set of 360 symbols was completed in a single day.

Jones later organized and published the symbols with brief interpretive notes. Dane Rudhyar subsequently reworked the entire set, providing more detailed interpretations that drew on his background in philosophy, psychology, and music. Rudhyar’s version, published as “An Astrological Mandala,” remains the most widely referenced interpretation of the Sabian Symbols, though Jones’s original formulations continue to be used and valued.

The name “Sabian” was chosen by Jones as a reference to the Sabian sect of ancient Mesopotamia, who were known for their interest in stellar wisdom. The term served as an evocative label for the project rather than a strict historical connection.

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How to Find Your Sabian Symbols #

Each planet, angle, and significant point in your birth chart occupies a specific degree of the zodiac. The Sabian Symbol for any placement is determined by the degree it occupies, rounded up to the next whole number. This convention means that a planet at 14 degrees and 33 minutes of Aries would use the symbol for the 15th degree of Aries, while a planet at exactly 0 degrees and 0 minutes of Aries would use the symbol for the 1st degree of Aries.

Locating Sabian Symbols requires an accurate birth chart with degree positions for all planets and angles. Many online birth chart calculators provide exact degree positions. Once these are known, the corresponding Sabian Symbol for each placement can be identified.

The most commonly examined Sabian Symbols are those for the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, and Midheaven, as these represent the most personal and prominent points in the chart. However, every planet and angle has its own Sabian Symbol, and exploring the full set often reveals unexpected connections and themes.

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How to Interpret Sabian Symbols #

Sabian Symbols work differently from most astrological techniques. They do not provide systematic, logical interpretations but rather offer images that invite contemplation and personal association. The interpretation process is more akin to reading poetry or reflecting on a dream image than applying a formula.

Several approaches to interpretation have proven useful. A direct approach involves sustaining awareness of the image and observing what associations, feelings, and insights it evokes. The symbol functions as a seed image that can unfold in different ways depending on the context of the chart, the individual’s life experiences, and the question being explored.

Rudhyar’s approach emphasizes the symbol’s place within the larger cycle of 360 degrees, treating the entire set as a mandala of human experience that progresses from the first degree of Aries through the last degree of Pisces. Each symbol is understood not only on its own terms but also in relationship to the symbols that precede and follow it, and to its position within the cycle as a whole.

Some practitioners use Sabian Symbols primarily for the Sun and Ascendant, treating them as focal points for understanding core identity and life purpose. Others apply them to transits and progressions, using the symbol of the degree being activated to add color and specificity to the transit interpretation.

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Working with Sabian Symbols from Specific Signs #

The 360 Sabian Symbols are distributed across the twelve signs, with each sign containing 30 symbols corresponding to its 30 degrees. While every symbol is individual, the symbols within each sign tend to resonate with the broader themes of that sign, expressed through a diverse array of specific images.

The articles that follow in this series explore the Sabian Symbols for each sign, providing the images and interpretive notes that can help you work with these symbols in your own chart. The signs covered include Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, with each article presenting all 30 symbols for that sign along with guidance for personal interpretation.

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Integration: Working with Sabian Symbols in Daily Life #

The process of working with Sabian Symbols typically begins with the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant. Contemplating the images for these three positions allows personal resonance and unexpected connections to surface.

Because the symbols respond well to contemplative engagement, they function effectively as meditation seeds. Holding a single symbol in awareness for several minutes allows associations and insights to emerge without forcing a definitive interpretation.

Tracking the Sabian Symbol of the current lunar degree is another useful practice. Since the Moon moves through approximately 12 to 14 degrees each day, looking up the Sabian Symbol for the Moon’s current degree provides a daily focus point that connects the individual to the symbolic dimension of the sky in real time.

Sabian Symbols can also be applied to transits. When a significant transit activates a natal degree, examining the Sabian Symbol for that degree often adds a layer of meaning that complements the traditional transit interpretation.

Reflective Questions:

• Which Sabian Symbols in the chart feel most resonant with lived experience?
• Are there symbols that initially seem puzzling but reveal significance over time?
• How do the Sabian Symbols for the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant interrelate? Is there a coherent narrative between them?

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This article is part of Kerykeion’s learning series on astrological techniques. To explore your birth chart and find your planetary degrees, visit our birth chart calculator.