Episode 70: An Experiment with Sabian Symbols
Dena DeCastro joins me to experiment with the use of Sabian Symbols in Tarot Readings.In 1925, Spiritualist Marc Edmund Jones worked with psychic Elsie Wheeler to bring forth images for each degree of the Zodiac. The intent was to capture something essential about that degree.
Sabian Symbols look a lot like the Magical Images. Aries 3: The Cameo Profile Of A Man, suggesting The Shape Of His Country
The ultimate peace and unity of Kether is represented by a special anthropomorphic symbol known as a Magical Image. Such an image is given for each of the sephiroth, and has been built up over the centuries by meditative work on the inner plane. These images are, along with applicable symbols points of contact with the Sephiorth. In the case of Kether, the image is of an Ancient Bearded King seen in profile. This is a crowned and white-bearded head, seen from the right side, its left being unknown to us as it borders on the Unmanifest. – The Qabalistic Tarot by Robert Wang Pg. 56
I am proposing that we could use the Sabian Symbols in the same way magical images are used and you can associate most Tarot Cards with degrees of the Zodiac (see notes handout below).
Sabian Symbols Resources
Podcast
TURNING OF THE WHEEL
Learning Life Cycles Through Astrology with CHRIS FLISHER
The Sabian Symbols with Lynda Hill 10/25/07
Lynda Hill, FAA Pract. Cert. has been a professional astrologer for more than 18 years. 2006 marked her 22nd lecture tour of the States, in addition to the many lectures she has conducted for astrologers and the public throughout Australia, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand and Canada. Lynda is the astrologer for Good Taste and Take Five, and writes astrological commentary for publications all over the world. She divides her time between Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches and the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains (when she’s not traveling the world delivering lectures!).
Lynda has been a tireless researcher on the Sabian Symbols. Listen to the amazing story of this remarkable divination oracle. Her book, “360 Degrees of Wisdom: Charting Your Destiny With the Sabian Oracle” is published by Penguin USA (Plume imprint) and was released in February 2006 by Sony Japan in Japanese. This is a revised edition of her self-published book The Sabian Symbols as an Oracle, which comes with a special set of divination cards and can still be purchased through Lynda by emailing her at www.sabiansymbols.com
Websites:
Books:
Handouts
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| Notes | Business Card Size |
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| Sabian Oracle Reference |
Using Dice
 12 sided |
1. Aries 2. Taurus 3. Gemini 4. Cancer 5. Leo 6. Virgo |
7. Libra 8. Scorpio 9. Sagittarius 10. Capricorn 11. Aquarius 12. Pisces |
 6 sided |
1. 1st decan (1-10) 2. 2nd decan (11-20) 3. 3rd Decan (21-30) |
4. 1st decan (1-10) 5. 2nd decan (11-20) 6. 3rd Decan (21-30) |
 10 sided |
1-1st Degree in Decan 2-2nd Degree in Decan … |
… 9 – 9th Degree in Decan 0 -Last Degree in Decan |
Example (9, 3, 9)
- 12d -> 9. Sagittarius
- 6d -> 3. Third Decan
- 10d-> 9. 9th Degree
Sagittarius 29: A Fat Boy Mowing The Lawn Of His House On An Elegant SuburbanStreet
Sukhi’s Reading (Calculating a Degree)
- Sukhi: Hermit (Virgo)
- Crossing: Page Pentacles
- Crowning: King of Pentacles
- Undercurrents: Ace of Pentacles
- Past: Page Cups Rx
- Near Future: Six of Wands
- Internal: 8 of Swords Rx
- External: Death Rx
- Hope & Fears: 10 Swords Rx
- Outcome: Empress
I selected the Hermit/Virgo as the significant sign on the reading then added the numbers from the spread together and reduced the sum to a number between 1 & 30.
9 + 1 +6 + 8 + 13 + 10 + 3 = 50 (5+0 = 5)
Virgo 5
A Man Becoming Aware Of Nature Spirits And Normally Unseen Spiritual Agencies
My Chart, Tarot Cards, Sabian Cards
I printed out a set of the Sabian Symbols on Color Card stock. This picture is of my Natal Cart with the associated Tarot Cards around it.
For example:
- Sun in Aries – Sun/Emperor
- Moon in Capricorn – Priestess/Devil
The outer rim is the symbol associated with the degree of that sign.
Dena DeCastro
A professional astrologer in the Portland area for several years, Dena has appeared on local radio shows, taught workshops, and given lectures on topics in Evolutionary Astrology. The evolutionary perspective is that our souls progress from lifetime to lifetime. The focus of Dena’s readings is upon your chart as the dynamic representation of your highest potential, and the guide toward achieving it.
Dena hosts the podcast Evolutions of Astrology featuring interviews with astrologers and other readers, as well as discussing various topics of astrology and chart interpretation.
Basics of Astrology: Teleclasses with Dena
Have you ever attempted to read your own birth chart, and found you just didn’t know where to begin? Or, have you always been curious about astrology, but found books on the topic to be complex and incomprehensible? If so, these teleclasses are for you (see info to the right on teleclasses).
Each class module will focus on a different topic of astrology. Included will be on-line visual aids, downloadable chart examples, and/or specific hands-on demonstrations of the techniques discussed. There will also be a 15-minute period devoted to Q & A.
Class sessions are 90 minutes, and are conducted via phone.
Module 1: Planets and Signs
This module is geared toward those with an interest in learning the basics of astrology. No previous experience is required. We will explore the archetypes of each planet and sign, and begin interpreting the placements of planets within different signs.
Module 2: Houses and Beginning Interpretation
This module delves into the meanings of the houses, and we begin to combine the interpretation of planets, signs and houses. This is the first step toward chart synthesis, and necessary in order to read a natal chart.
Module 3: Aspects
Aspects between planets in the natal chart add an important layer to interpretation. This module illustrates how aspects to our personal planets and Ascendant give us more information as to how these planets function within the natal chart.
- To subscribe to “Evolutions of Astrology” via iTunes, click here.
- To learn more about Dena’s Teleclasses, click here.
Music Credits
- Opening Music: The Oracle Speaks by William Wilde Zeitler from Elegy for Atlantis
- Closing Music: Title and Registration by Death Cab for Cutie (Podsafe Music)
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January 18th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
thank you for another instructive and interesting podcast. i much enjoy the interplay between you and dena decastro. actually – between you and your guests in general.
quick question: have you thought of drawing a card, a set of cards, or a sabian symbol to shed light on the “911″ aspect of the dream you shared? like “what is hidden” or something?
January 19th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I caught a bad cold today, took cold medicine and a big nap and had a 3rd dream where I called 911
Paul & I were Kidnapped by a group of people in our neighborhood. They wanted us to do something that involved using a telephone number like a ransom money drop off. They reminded me of the merc’s in the movie Riddick. They didn’t seem to totally have their act together because the left us alone while they rested and we were still in my neighborhood. I knew where there was a free phone by a tree at the edge of the neighborhood.
I dialed 911 and Paul was able to give me the number from the heist so I could pass that on.In this case it felt like I was calling for re-enforcements or calling in the calvary.
We got away & I hid in my car but they were able to take over the driving for cars that had computers in it.
My car got inline with a could dozen others (with me in it) And slow moved down hill towards my neighbors hours. Crushing me slightly when it met up with the side of my neighbor’s house. I tried to play dead but they were able to reach in an feel I was alive. When I look ed up there was an even more evil group of people at my house at odds with the first group. I felt glad that the kidnappers had gotten me out of the way of the 2nd group.
I was cornered for a while by one of the 2nd group but was really sassy to him and felt like the whole thing was resolving too much help was there or on the way.
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Note 1: I am using, on the kitchen table Paul’s Merck Index a big chemistry book.
Maybe the Merc’s were the chemicals in the cold medicine.
Note 2: I fell asleep with the idea of the pun emergency services = Emerge & See.
Note 3: Robert Place had a big dream where he got a phone call that led to his relationship with the tarot.
January 21st, 2008 at 11:46 am
I’ve been using the Sabian Symbols for about a year and was looking for others interested in these. I’m looking forward to hearing this episode! It never occured to me to use dice -[duh!] ~Thanks so much!
~Christine in Nevada.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Leisa:
Symbols used in any and all contexts are interesting to me. The nature of channeled symbols, how they came to us, and their relevancy to their time is well worth investigating!
Blessings,
Bonnie
February 21st, 2008 at 9:19 am
I have to say that I had a transits reading with Dena this week. She is a compassionate astrologer who was able to use the symbols and give me information that confirmed my journey to this point and gave me direction as well as hope for my journey forward. I can not recommend her highly enough!
February 25th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Hi Leisa: I got to listen to Episode 70 at last! I really appreciate the points you brought up about the Symbols as an Oracle without a system behind it, as well as your own skepticism about a channeled oracle. I hope you will have Dena back for more future episodes!
I have a question about using the six-sided die: I’m not as practiced in the art of astrology, so I’m trying to figure out how you are using the decan system here. What I’ve got so far from searching is this:
Each sign is 30 degrees.
Each sign is further divided by three, to give the decan[ate] sign that influences it, for example:
0-9 Aries is ruled by Aries/ 1-19 Aries is ruled by Leo/ 20-29 Aries is ruled by Sagittarius.
Okay, then with the 10-sided die you are breaking that decan down further to get the degree within it, so you arrive at the exact degree for the Symbol. [Okay, typing it out helped, I think I've got it! ]
I think there is a 30 sided die available, [but harder to find, that is according to my gaming-geek husband!], so if I find one of those I could omit using the 6- and 10- sided dice.
I think my confusion occurred when I thought you were about to consider the influencing sign as the Sabian Symbol, rather than just trying to arrive at the exact degree. It might be an interesting question to ask Linda Hill, no? What’s your opinion on it?
Thanks! Keep on’ podding! ~Christine.