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The Wheel of the Zodiac

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The diagram below illustrates a number of the divisions applied to the Zodiac in astrology:

In the center are the elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, as they are assigned to the signs of the Zodiac.
In the next circle outward are the planets which rule those signs; the original classical rulers are shown, not
reflecting the later assignments of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto to rule Aquarius, Pisces and Scorpio respectively.
Then the signs themselves are shown.

The next circle outwards shows the ancient assignment of rulers to the decans. The spaces in this circle are
colored to provide a key to a color code to be used later. Note that here the sequence of seven planets
consistently repeats:
Mars
Sun
Venus
Mercury
Moon
Saturn
Jupiter
Then, the modern system of decanate rulership is shown. As the decan rulers are derived from the other signs
that share the same element ruler as the sign within which they are located, the signs, rather than the ruling
planets, are shown.
The older system of decanate rulership is called the Chaldean system, and was the one traditionally used in
Western astrology. The system based on the triplicities originally came from India, but was introduced to Western
astrology by the influential astrologer Alan Leo as a result of his background in Theosophy, and was considered
the authoritative one in the mainstream of astrology in the English-speaking world at least. Today, astrology is
more eclectic, and it may well be that astrologers consciously returning to mediaeval astrological practice
outnumber those who make use of decans among conventional astrologers.
Now, the color code established previously is used to indicate the rulers of the individual degrees by the system
known as monomoira. The same repeating sequence of seven planets as used for the decanate rulers is also
used here, but beginning anew in the first degree of each sign with the ruling planet for that sign.
Then, the Egyptian Terms are shown. Two other systems, the Ptolemaic and Chaldean terms, which were less
frequently used, are not illustrated here.
The outermost circle indicates the planet that is exalted in each sign. The specific exaltation degree for that
planet, within that sign, is enlarged within the monomoira circle to extend into the circle of terms.
This diagram illustrates the various items of information about the individual degrees of the Zodiac that are
hallowed by astrological tradition, although admittedly monomoira have not been that commonly used.
As some of the major systems of degree symbols originate from individual psychic sessions, this poses a difficulty
of giving them credence for some astrologers. Other systems are felt to be unusable today on the ground that the
prognostications given are too fatalistic in nature.
Some of the older systems of degree symbols are:
Theban Calendar
The term "Theban Calendar" refers to the set of degree symbols that appeared, along with house cusps, in
the Astrolabium Planum of Johannes Angelus. An English translation of these symbols, which include
symbols and interpretations for the decans (called faces) as well as for the degrees, was prepared by
William Lilly, and was later made available by Raphael in a book entitled A Description of the Faces and
Degrees of the Zodiac.
Charubel
Charubel obtained, through psychic means, a set of degree symbols and meanings for them, which were
published in a work entitled The Degrees of the Zodiac Symbolized, as well as appearing in the British
magazine "The Astrologer's Magazine", also titled "Modern Astrology".
Sepharial
Sepharial prepared a set of degree meanings, accompanied by descriptive keywords, which were
published together with Charubel's symbols and meanings.
The Sabian Symbols

These symbols were also obtained through psychic means in 1925. Mark Edmund Jones and Dane
Rudhyar have published different interpretations of those symbols.
Alan Leo
Later editions of Alan Leo's Astrology for All included a set of degree meanings. Each meaning applies to
the area beginning and ending on the half degree.
Firmicius Maternus
In his Mathesos, Firmicius Maternus included a set of meanings for each degree of the Zodiac. Some have
been lost, and as several of the descriptions refer to fixed stars, the meanings apply to the sidereal Zodiac
rather than the tropical Zodiac.
Given that there is no single set of degree meanings that can be viewed as the automatic, natural choice for an
astrologer, this area is problematic.
But before it can be considered a real problem, another question has to be asked: does astrology need individual
degree symbols, and if so, why?
Since there are so many degrees in a circle - 360 of them - if degree meanings were a basic element of astrology,
there would be a temptation to rely on them rather than to do a proper chart analysis, as those meanings would
suffice to give each enquirer an apparently unique interpretation of his horoscope.
Also, even in a rationalized astrology of the type Kepler dreamed of, where signs, decans, terms and degree
meanings were discarded as arbitrary, but planets and their aspects were counted, one could obtain the
equivalent of a meaning for every degree of the Zodiac these days simply by taking into account enough
asteroids.
Heliocentric aspects between Mercury and the Earth are known to influence the amount of radio interference that
we receive from the Sun. One book on astrology, Sky Diamonds, suggested that Ganymede, the largest moon of
Jupiter, be placed in astrological charts. But, as it is very close to Jupiter itself in our sky, how would one do that?
Jupiter also emits radio waves that can be detected on Earth. Thus, one could argue for supplementing the normal
astrological chart with a Heliocentric chart to show factors affecting the influence of the Sun, a Jovicentric chart to
show factors affecting the influence of Jupiter, and so on. Since Uranus and Neptune have very long periods, the
motions of their moons would allow them to play a greater role in the more individual factors of a chart in this way.
Astrological House Systems
Our Solar System, Real and Imaginary
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Copyright (c) 2012 John J. G. Savard