by Lynn Hayes
The Sabian Symbols were originally conceptualized in a partnership between astrologer Marc Edmund Jones and spiritual medium Elsie Wheeler in the early part of the 20th century, and published in a book by Jones called The Sabian Symbols in Astrology. Channeled by Ms. Wheeler, there is one symbol for every degree of the zodiac, from the first degree of Aries to the 30th degree of Pisces. Jones was a Theosophist and therefore well acquainted with the concept of channeling Ascended Masters and the Babylonian Brotherhood.
According to
Diana Roche, Marc Jones was also influenced by the symbolic astrological degrees of a Welsh seer named John Thomas (called Charubel) which were “obtained psychically for the basic purpose of helping him rectify the ascendents [sic] of horoscopes.”
Astrologer Lynda Hill, a noted modern expert on the Sabian Symbols, writes that the symbols were called “Sabian” because of the connection that Jones felt to the “ancient mind matrix” of ancient Mesopotamia and that the Sabians were ancient alchemists. However, the website for the
Sabian Assembly, the group started by Jones back in 1923, says:
The Sabian Assembly has been in continuous formal existence since October 17, 1923. Selection of the term, “Sabian,” formally adopted in January, 1928, proved fortuitous on a number of counts. “The students themselves picked the word Sabian, which was lucky because it afterward turned out that the Sabians were a Mohammedan group, and nobody knew just what they were. It is not a historically legitimate word for what we do, but it’s a good substitute, and it did represent people who were interested in what was then astrology. Later Jones would derive the word from the Hebrew phrase “Yahweh Sabaoth” or Lord of Hosts, referring to the Hosts as the potentialities or basis of all study in the Sabian work and calling it a convenient term for the pre-Biblical Mesopotamian mysteries “in lieu of the much abused terms Chaldean and Magian.” Significantly, the Koran entitles Sabians, Christians and Jews to toleration.
The Sabians were indeed a religious group spanning many centuries in the area who appear to have been connected to the early Hebrews and possibly therefore to ancient mystical practices. WIkipedia reports that “[a]fter the conquests of Alexander, Harran came to be a center of intellectual and religious activity, which evolved into a philosophical tradition centered on Hermes Trismegistus.” Hermes Trismegistus is widely believed to be an Atlantean survivor and is also associated with the god Thoth. This would have occurred around 300-350 b.c.e. and could not therefore have taken place in ancient Babylonia.
In any case, Dane Rudhyar, the father of modern astrology, popularized the Sabian Symbols in several of his books including his early work
The Astrology of Personality in 1936. Rudhyar conceptualized the Symbols as an Oracle, such as the I Ching, which can stand alone outside of the astrological framework.
Gavin Kent McClung writes on the wonderful Khaldea site devoted to Rudhyar’s vast body of work:
The concept of the Sabian symbols as an “astro-poetic” tool of interpretation or inspiration strikes like lightning into the heart of a subject that some consider lost in the darkness of intellectual confusion. In the literature of all ages, we see inexplicably powerful images used to convey messages of great scope and power, through words of a forcefulness that is entirely out of proportion to their everyday usage. Here is a mystery with which one must inevitably contend, in order to contemplate the deeper meaning of astrology. Poets have known about this dynamic source of human response for many ages, from the modern school of the Imagists to the European Romantics, from the writers of brilliant Japanese haiku to the magical bardic singers of the Druidic age, and beyond.
The Sabian Symbols, then, are not so much tools for astrological interpretation of the birthchart as they are a synchronistic medium for gleaning new insight into a situation or motivation. There is a synchronistic magic to all divination tools: the I Ching, the Tarot, Runes, pendulums, or the Sabian Symbols – all tap into the deep subconscious mind to bring out information that we already know but of which we have not yet become aware.
I personally do not use them in astrological interpretations because to me these are divination tools rather than tools that provide true astrological insight. Also, for me once a certain threshold of symbolism has been exceeded the details just confuse the issue of the chart and there is an infinite amount of wisdom permeating every detail of the chart itself. Frankly, Western astrology itself is a symbolic system. The twelve constellations do not line up neatly in 30 degree segments; the tropical zodiac does not line up with the sidereal. But it is a relatively exact system that has been proven for over 5000 years, and it works.
But there is no denying the power of the magic of words, and it is here where the Sabian Symbols erupt in magnificent splendor.
posted July 14, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Oooooh, that is a beautiful post. And I’m very happy to see you focus on the Sabian Symbols, an object of my curiosity for decades now. The images are part of my thought process; the book (I have Rudhyar’s An Astrological Mandala) is the most well-worn volume I own.
posted July 15, 2009 at 12:34 am
Mary H Ruth (14th at 7:40 PM)…yes, Lynn really puts together great articles…prolifically.
Your comment on Sabian Symbols as “…an object of my curiosity for decades now…images are part of my thought process…” and Rudhyar’s book as “…the most well-worn volume I own” indicates maybe I can tap your experience with 2 QUESTIONS.
My introduction to Sabian was so long ago (began with Jones), I’d be embarrassed to say when. Since I use the symbols sparingly (my volumes will hold awhile yet) they’re far from being internalized. Yet each time I open the pages, eye-opening discoveries jump out. My project to go deeper into the ‘system’ is at least a couple of years off. Recently however there’s been an interest overlap…with the works of Ellias Lonsdale, which are just as remarkable as those of Jones, Rudhyar, Roche…perhaps more so. Shifting dimensions may be necessary for Lonsdale’s degrees.
So my 1st question, Mary…have you experience with Lonsdale ??? He’s touted as timely for the Piscean-Aquarian age cross-over.
Keeping on topic…as a rather recent poster, have mentioned Sabian symbols on 2 separate occasions. Last comments are 4th / 6th on Kim Jong Il’s natal Chiron in Lynn’s article yesterday .
Personally (and different from Lynn), I use the Sabian system for astrological interpretation at any step (as needed) in the process…it works for me. In fact I also use astrology for divination purposes. This all is OK ’cause I experience the whole of life synchronistically. Early on, ‘synchronistic’ events sometimes proved too much…had to turn the tap off for breaks. Now, seems more that “things show themselves” only when needed (the confusion aspect of Neptune here is less…though confusion itself can be revealing at any time). You’ve worked decades with the symbols…so, 2nd question…do you experience life synchronistically otherwise ???
Hope the queries are OK with you. Thanks !!!
posted July 15, 2009 at 3:58 am
Beliefnet distorts the tarot again. Tarot as originally conceived is not a divination system. The cards were meant for games which are still played in continental Europe. Tell the whole truth about tarot. The cards were meant for game playing and not for divination.
posted July 15, 2009 at 5:51 am
Thanks Mary Ruth – this was a fun research project because even though I have owned Jones’ 1953 copy of the Sabian Symbols for many years I never really knew its history.
Yoshi – I have not heard of Elias Lonsdale but I did find a description of his books online, all sadly out of print. It looks like he is calling his symbols the “Chandra symbols.” Thanks for the tip!
posted July 15, 2009 at 5:53 am
TarotGamePlayer…it may be that the cards were meant for game playing. But that was a long time ago, and most who use the cards for divination know the origins. So now they are also meant for divination. Lynn isn’t hiding the truth on this. She doesn’t have space to write every blinking fact about everything.
One can build a small dog house, stick it up in the air and have birds nest in if it moves one to do so. It may seem strange to some people but not to the birds. So far there are now laws on these matters.
Anything that can get tumbled about in a random way can be used for divination (and even things that are more or less predictable…such as the solar system…it’s only because the bodies are orbiting relatively slowly that their movement is predictable…in other words, what seems random is not really random). So there’s no ‘distortion’ involved.
You may be trying to distort reality by saying usage of the cards is fixed (no contradiction here with above paragraph). In fact, it was probably predictable that you would come to this page with your complaint. How about reflecting on these 2 points re. yourself ???
posted July 15, 2009 at 5:53 am
Tarot Game Player makes this comment every time I mention the Tarot. First of all, Beliefnet doesn’t write this blog. I write this blog. Second, I never said that the Tarot originated as a divination system, simply that Tarot is used as a divination system. Regardless of the originational intention for Tarot, or Tarocchi as it was called in Europe, the cards were taken by members of the Golden Dawn and given esoteric meanings which we now use for divination.
posted July 15, 2009 at 6:09 am
Was that a slip for the Aquarian future? ‘Now’ in 2nd para. of my 2nd post above should be ‘no’…definitely ‘no’ now.
Also, Lynn…I may not be correct here because my Ellias Lonsdale books are not accessible to me for the current while, but my recall says he ‘based’ his work on the Chandra symbols. Will have to check this when I can.
posted July 15, 2009 at 11:17 am
Very informative post, Ms. Lynn!
Yoshinogawa, your comments have been very insightful and full of light. Thanks.
posted July 15, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Tarot game playing is not a long time ago. Card games with tarot cards are being played today in the 21st century. What’s more is that there are now some Americans learning these games from the internet. Divination may still be the majority use of the cards in this country but it does not excuse the tarot readers of speaking as if they monopolize this artifact. It can also be said that the Golden Dawn misreprested the tarot to the people of Great Britain and the United States by stripping it of its original context. My comments concerned Beliefnet as whole in terms of how they treat the subject of tarot in a biased and inaccurate way.
posted July 15, 2009 at 2:24 pm
What’s the best introduction to the Sabian symbols? I’d like to learn more.
posted July 15, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Visit Lynda Hill’s website via the link in my post, or get Dane Rudhyar’s book: http://www.amazon.com/Astrological-Mandala-Transformations-Symbolic-Phases/dp/0394719921/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247688335&sr=1-1
or Marc Edmund Jones’s: http://www.amazon.com/Sabian-Symbols-Astrology-Symbol-Explained/dp/094335840X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247688372&sr=1-3
posted July 15, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Here is more information about Tarot gaming from WIkipedia, in case anyone is interested. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarot,_tarock,_and_tarocchi_games.
I don’t think it’s erroneous to say that in the 21st century Tarot is best known as a divination system. That is not to say that Tarot is not still used for gaming, but simply that it has evolved over time into a system for spiritual discovery.
posted July 15, 2009 at 5:30 pm
oh pish posh!The real question is what were the origins of the iconography of the tarot decks? Most authorities agree that the classic tarot deck is actually derived from two separate decks with two very distinct origins and meanings. The suits origins can be traced to the ancient Persia and hold definitive meanings all on their own. The origins of the trumps are separate. However the art of divination is old and not unique to one culture. Cleromancy and Sortilege have distinct history. The Roman art of Sortes are the probable origin of the trumps and most assuredly used for divination using lots, tablets and pages from various books. The early Christians used pages from the bible for the same exercise and were known as the Sortes Sanctorum. If your interested, Paul Hudson has explored all this in his wonderful book “MYSTICAL ORIGINS OF THE TAROT”. Recommended reading.
posted July 15, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Very well-balanced article.
Since my introduction to astrology was preceded by the I Ching and Tarot, and since I’m a poet, the depth of this post was a welcome relief in my search for serious Internet astrology.
Added your column to my blog’s BlogRoll…
posted July 16, 2009 at 10:26 am
Thanks Alexander! I’ll return the favor.
posted July 16, 2009 at 9:49 pm
I just happened to check back here, so will respond to you, Yoshi. No I never heard of Lonsdale – will keep the name in mind! Thanks for the tip.
And, do I experience life synchronistically? Well, it’s true that it’s easy to see how things happen. Where they come from. And when an answer is needed, it arrives. Not that I’m always patient and unselfish … often I resist what I know to be true.
posted July 17, 2009 at 9:40 am
Mary H Ruth…glad you checked back.
By your experience…has it been to the extent, or in a way, that sometimes when your moment is full enough you can pick up on it in a kind of slow motion, or even sense something just before so your radar switches on, and catch the thing (that normally wouldn’t seem anything in particular or special) happening on the fly and make a significant connection at almost the same time (even though that connection might not be something you’d want to see…in fact, it might be because of normally held resistance you’ve been allowed a visit when least expected…and you probably say to yourself “Oh…jeez!”) ??? Is that how it works sometimes ?
There are probably (many) people who have this sort of experience (turn out to be a smashing coincidence), but I rarely meet them, never mind discuss with anyone.
In fact, my (and likely others’) astrology is like this, the difference is it’s a practiced, ritual case (synchronicities with background awareness going on all the time not taken as such)…unlike, e.g., a clap of thunder shattering my eardrums at the instant of a particular thought that then has its volume raised (for a reason…like, “you’d better listen up”).
You say “it’s easy to see how things happen.” In our natural state, I guess it is.
Thanks !!!
[ btw...am only now reminded from your 1st post of a coincidence for me in your name, which I can't relate here...a thread to it could be found in Arthur Guirdham's main work, though that's a stretch...still you might find this work of interest ]
posted July 17, 2009 at 9:59 am
Southeast0027…thank you for the compliment !
I try to tell myself that burning the candle at both ends the light may be brighter yet burn out quicker.