Origin and Meaning of the Astrological Symbols for the Planets
Question: When and where did the symbols for astrological symbols come from used in Western Astrology?
and where did they originate? are they similar to Egyptian heiroglyphics or Bablonian or Greek? when and where and how adopted to west? and how compared to Vedic or chinese symbols?
Answer: The glyphs or symbols we use in astrology today are of Western origin. That is to say, they do not originate from India or China. They are first found in Byzantine texts. Thus they originated in the west and were not adapted or adopted there.
I like these glyphs very much and each one tells a visual story about the planet it signifies. Although I practice a form of astrology that predates these glyphs, I do use them because I personally like them so much.
Western, Indian and Chinese astrology ALL predate the use of these glyphs (obviously, since before the study of the planets there would be little need to develop a system of symbols for them). The full names were originally written out in a chart.
In India / Vedic Astrology, the first syllable of each planet is written - so each planet has a unique Sanskrit letter which represents it in a traditional Vedic chart.
In Chinese astrology, the planets are represented by Letters signifying the element they represent. the "Ka" symbol for Mars (fire), the "Sui" symbol for Mercury (Water), etc.
The symbology of these signs is that every planet contains the elements of
- a circle
- a cross
- sometimes (for mars only) an arrow (distorted cross)
The circle represents the world, the totallity of experience. The cross represents effort.
Mercury and Venus draw the soul into matter by providing it with intelligence (Mercury) and senses (Venus), therefore their cross is at the bottom of the circle. Mercury's symbol differs from venus in that there is a semicircle at the top of the main circle, indicating that with intellect (Mercury) there is still a very subtle connection to the higher soul.
Mars represents the energy and ambition of the soul who has arrived in matter/a body. Therefore his cross is distorted into an arrow. The arrow is pointed up, as the best use of mars energy is towards noble aims.
The outer planets, Jupiter and Saturn have semi-circles only. Jupiters cross is connected to the lower part of the semi-circle. This means that his effort is to elevate the soul from the illusions of matter back to the reality of spirit. He tries to help the soul "up" the curve to reach the top again. This illustrates jupiter as the benefic guide and source of philosophy, wisdom and morality.
Saturn has his small cross instead at the top of the semicircle. This illustrates that saturn DRAGS or PULLS the soul forcefully out of ignorance without much gentleness or encouragement. Thus saturn represents all the forces that do so - the passage of time, the presence of death, grief and suffering - all of which are supposed to forcefully wake our soul out of the slumber of material illusion.
Planets without a cross:
Rahu, the northern node connects two circles with an upward arc. While Ketu, the southern node connects two circles with a downward arc. This indicates that both of them are paranormal influences bridging the conscious and subconscious - the past/present/future. Rahu directs this primordial energy OUTWARD towards the world, while Ketu directs the same energy INWARD towards the soul.
The Sun is a circle with a dot in the middle. This indicates the soul which is at the center of all awareness, exactly as the sun is the center of the universe (this also indicates that ancient astrology was aware that the solar system was astronomically helliocentric). This illustrates that the Sun is the central force, the ego or identity itself, and the authority figure around which all other things revolve.
The Moon is two semicircles. This indicates the duality which generates attraction and aversion, which forms love and hate and thus gives rise to all the emotions which are the domain of the moon.
More Astrology Questions & Answers
