Part Two: The Meanings of the Degree Symbols
By Omra Oramaat (Pseudonym for Robin Armstrong) Toronto, Ontario.
In this work, it is necessary to distinguish between the Zodiac of Signs (or seasons) and the Zodiac of Constellations. To do this a new set of symbols were evolved. The traditional symbols are used when referring to the constellations. The new symbols are used when referring to the Tropical Zodiac of Signs. The traditional symbols are like letters, in that they appear to be fixed. The new symbols for the Tropical Zodiac which measures the constantly changing ratio of day to night throughout the year, all contain some form of spiral or wave motion and seem to echo the reality of Time. The two sets of symbols have a sympathetic similarity. In a very simplistic manner some thoughts about these symbols will be presented.
The main purpose of this article, however, is to present a simplified version of the symbols for the degrees of the Zodiac. You will find a condensed symbol for each 6 degree segment of the Zodiac. The meanings have been derived from a psychological study of the Chinese Book of Changes (the I Ching).
Using the focus of the Sun, Moon, or any of the planets in your chart, or the Ascendant, the Descendant, M.C. or I.C. look up the symbol for the section of the Zodiac it is in.
Any comments, criticism, or questions that you the reader may have are welcome. Any feed-back will be appreciated.
The mandala of the correspondences is on the back of the Zodiacal Tortoise. It is available in an 11”x17” poster
ARIES is the symbol of the whale (almost all head) with water spouting out of its head. Water also streams whale-like from the head of Shiva, Hindu God of Death (the water represents the new beginning or the new life). Every ending is a new beginning.
00º – 06º Aries, SENSITIVE PLEASURE: an active search for personal enjoyment in an acceptable social manner. Impulsive indecision.
06º – 12º Aries, MEDITATIVE PLEASURE: To enjoy or to meditate ? that is the question. The two seem to take away from or decrease each other.
12º – 18º Aries, ABYSMAL PLEASURE: Here we find the many dangers on the path of pleasure. Personal enjoyment can lead to dangerous situations.
18º – 24º Aries, GENTLE PLEASURE: Happiness brings a gentle response. Joy has a way of lighting the darkness. Pleasant penetration. There is an enjoy able sensitivity here.
24º – 30º Aries, STIMULATING PLEASURE: Pleasure is stimulated and passions are aroused. Tendency to generate happiness.
TAURUS is a cosmic bull with spiral horns.
00º – 06º Taurus, CLARIFYING PLEASURE: Clinging to the passions hampers clarity. One is caught here between a desire for enjoyment and a search for clarity.
06º – 12º Taurus, ENJOYING PLEASURE: Here we have grand indulgence. Enjoying things to the full. Pleasure upon pleasure.
12º – 15º Taurus, STRONG PLEASURE: Individual enjoyment. Powerful desires. Tends towards insensitive and selfish indulgence.
15º – 18º Taurus, SENSITIVE INDIVIDUALITY: Responsible independence. Receptive to freedom. Creative sensitivity. Motherly strength.
18º – 24º Taurus, MEDITATIVE INDIVIDUALITY: Restrained strength yields a mountain of creativity, “Mount Olympus”, or an individual at rest.
24º – 30º Taurus, ABYSMAL INDIVIDUALITY: Dangerous strength and creative depth. One can become afraid of freedom.
GEMINI represents mental duality. Two evolving spirals of thought. There is the left-hand path and there is the right-hand path.
00º – 06º Gemini, GENTLE INDIVIDUALITY: Persuasive communications and penetrating insights establish independence. Powerful penetration. Gentle strength.
06º – 12º Gemini, STIMULATING INDIVIDUALITY: Aroused strength. Exciting creativity. Shocking independence.
12º – 18º Gemini, INDIVIDUAL CLARITY: Clings to independence. Creative clarity. Strong perceptions.
18º – 24º Gemini, PLEASANT INDIVIDUALITY: Enjoys freedom and creative expression.
24º – 30º Gemini, CREATIVE INDIVIDUALITY: Creative strength. Strong individual. Freedom at all costs.
CANCER is the spiral movement of the Moon around the Earth. This is a most profound key to YIN-YANG cosmology.
00º – 06º Cancer, INDIVIDUAL GENTLENESS: strong penetration. Independent feelings. Creative gentleness.
06º – 12º Cancer, PLEASANT GENTLENESS: Happiness cuts through moods. Enjoyable feelings. Desires affection.
12º – 18º Cancer, GENTLE CLARITY: Clear but sensitive feelings. There is a tendency to cling to gentleness.
18º – 24º Cancer, STIMULATING GENTLENESS: Aroused feelings and gentle excitement. Sensual appeal.
24º – 30º Cancer, PENETRATING GENTLENESS: Gentle persuasion. There is an abundance of soft feelings.
LEO is like a comet moving in a spiral orbit, challenging the Sun.
00º – 06º Leo, ABYSMAL GENTLENESS: Dangerous affections. Deep feelings. Penetrating depth.
06º – 12º Leo, MEDITATIVE GENTLENESS: A mountain of warmth and kindness. Inner penetration. A warm mountain breeze.
12º – 15º Leo, SENSITIVE GENTLENESS: An uncanny ability to penetrate to the centre of any group or situation.” The Centre of Attention”. Responsible gentleness.
15º – 18º Leo, INDIVIDUAL ABYSS: Delusions of grandeur. Individual danger. Deep creative work. Conflict between the High and the Low.
18º – 24º Leo, ABYSS OF PLEASURE: Dangerous enjoyments. Attracts danger and delusion. Desires depth. Exhaustion from indulgence.
24º – 30º Leo, ABYSS OF CLARITY: Clear and vivid discrimination is needed. Here is the depressing and sometimes dangerous realization of one’s own delusions. . . Self esteem and pride are seen through.
VIRGO represents a spiral dance of pure or virgin energies.
00º – 06º Virgo, STIMULATED ABYSS: Aroused depths. Dangerous excitement. Shocking discrimination. Stimulating work.
06º – 12º Virgo, ABYSS OF GENTLENESS: Penetrating depths. Danger from gentleness. Soft work. Gentle discrimination.
12º – 18º Virgo, DANGEROUS ABYSS: Up to one’s neck in hard work, and/or danger. Danger of too much discrimination . Dangerous depth. The Psychological Abyss.
18º – 24º Virgo, MEDITATION ON THE ABYSS: To keep still in danger is folly indeed. One can get lost in the abyss. A frightened animal freezes.
24º – 30º Virgo, RECEPTIVE TO THE ABYSS: Sensitive to danger. Responsible discrimination is needed. Inactivity is dangerous.
LIBRA is the atomic balance between the dance of days and nights.
00º – 06º Libra, INDIVIDUAL MEDITATION: “The wise sage on the mountain top”. Creative restraint. The individual retreats to find a vision.
06º – 12º Libra, PLEASANT MEDITATION: Joyfully keeping still. Transcendental bliss, or an enjoyable rest ……. sweet dreams.
12º – 18º Libra, MEDITATIVE CLARITY: The path to clarity. Cling to the light within. One should not be attached to comfort and ease and rest. Let go of the wandering mind and be still.
18º – 24º Libra, STIMULATING MEDITATION:
Shocking inspiration through keeping still. This could mean upsetting dreams and nightmares.
24º – 30º Libra, PENETRATING MEDITATION: In keeping still, the mind becomes alert or gently goes off to sleep. Penetrating meditation develops gradually.
SCORPIO represents a spiral dance of energy – a dancing partner for the Virgin. This symbol is a profound key to YIN-Yang cosmology.
00º – 06º Scorpio, ABYSMAL MEDITATION: In keeping still, obstacles to meditation are encountered. One is challenged to go beyond the abyss. This means self discipline. Most people can’t sit still for 6 minutes.
06º – 12º Scorpio, KEEPING STILL IN MEDITATION: one becomes as solid and as steady as a mountain ……. immovable.
12º – 15º Scorpio, SENSITIVE MEDITATION: Keeping still in modesty, receptive and open, initiation comes.
15º – 18º Scorpio, INDIVIDUAL SENSITIVITY: Strong sense of responsibility. Collective or group strength. Creative sensitivity.
18º – 24º Scorpio, PLEASANT SENSITIVITY: Desires group participation. Enjoys responsibility. Receptive to happiness and pleasure.
24º – 30º Scorpio, SENSITIVE CLARITY: Clinging to the group. Attached to responsibility. Group clarity means progress.
SAGITTARIUS is a spear with a victory streamer spiralling from it. It is also the spiral movement of a dancer on one foot.
00º – 06º Sagittarius, STIMULATING SENSITIVITY: Enthusiastic group participation. Aroused sense of responsibility. Stimulated by collective endeavors. Aroused understanding.
06º – 12º Sagittarius, GENTLE SENSITIVITY: Penetrating understanding. Gentle participation in group activity. Responsible penetration. A contemplative view of responsibility is taken.
12º – 18º Sagittarius, ABYSMAL SENSITIVITY: dangerous social life. Sensitive discrimination is needed. Collective depth. The abysmal weight of responsibility. Group tastes and opinions …. gossip.
18º – 24º Sagittarius, MEDITATIVE SENSITIVITY: Keeping still and receptive. Group meditations. Responsible restraint.
24º – 30º Sagittarius, COLLECTIVE SENSITIVITY: Responsible comprehension of life. Sensitive understanding of the group. Receptive and open to others.
CAPRICORN shows the YIN-YANG movement of the light and the dark, of day and night, and of the Noon ruled like a captured snake (kundalini) held suspended from a stick.
00º – 06º Capricorn, SENSITIVE STIMULATION: Receptive to shock. Responsible initiatives. Aroused sensitivities. Stimulated by social activity.
06º – 12º Capricorn, MEDITATIVE STIMULATION: Stillness in movement. Restrained initiatives. Depth aroused by keeping still … mantric sound waves, chanting, perhaps even talking or singing or music.
12º – 18º Capricorn, ABYSMAL STIMULATION: Dangerous initiatives. Difficulty at the beginning. Aroused by the masses or else by inner depth.
18º – 24º Capricorn, GENTLE STIMULATION: Gently aroused. Penetrating initiatives.
24º – 30º Capricorn, AROUSED STIMULATION: A shocking ability to take penetrating initiatives.
AQUARIUS reveals YIN-YANG momentum – axial rotation and the resulting divisions of day and night.
00º – 06º Aquarius, CLARITY STIMULATES: Clings to stimulation and excitement. Penetrating initiatives bite through obstacles.
06º – 12º Aquarius, PLEASANT STIMULATION: Desires stimulation. Enjoyable initiatives.
12º – 15º Aquarius, STRONG STIMULATION: Individual initiatives. A creative arousing. Independence excites.
15º – 18º Aquarius, SENSITIVE CLARITY: Clings to the group. Keep your light within.
18º – 24º Aquarius, MEDITATIVE CLARITY: Restrained and limited attachments clear the way.
24º – 30º Aquarius, ABYSMAL CLARITY: Profound insights. As above, so below. There is nothing to hold on to here.
PISCES is the spiral sea-serpent or dragon to represent hidden depths. The Hindu God of Death, Shiva is adorned with snakes.
00º – 06º Pisces, GENTLE CLARITY: Clings gently to inner light. Penetrating visions.
06º – 12º Pisces, STIMULATING CLARITY: Shocking clarity. Attachment to stimulation and excitement. Aroused visions. Shocking perceptions.
12º – 18º Pisces, PENETRATING CLARITY: A star lights up the sky; a candle, the room. Light within, light without. A seer of mystical light.
18º – 24º Pisces, PLEASANT CLARITY: Clings to enjoyment but desires clarity. The romantic dreamer.
24º – 30º Pisces, INDIVIDUAL CLARITY: Strong visions. Attachment to individual dreams. Creative insights.