What Are Sabian Symbols? A Clear Introduction to Degree Astrology

What are the Sabian Symbols and where did they come from?

In 1925 in San Diego, California, American astrologer Marc Edmund Jones collaborated with clairvoyant Elsie Wheeler to record 360 brief visual scenes on blank index cards—one for every individual degree of the zodiac. Rather than telling Wheeler which degree each blank card represented, Jones shuffled the hidden stack so her impressions remained spontaneous.

• Year of origin: 1925, San Diego (Balboa Park sessions)
• Primary creators: Marc Edmund Jones and Elsie Wheeler
• Modern philosophical synthesis: Dane Rudhyar, "An Astrological Mandala" (1973)

Why does Oracle Spheres combine Sabian Symbols with astronomical ephemeris?

Many seekers read horoscopes only to find that people born a week apart under the same Sun sign experience very different life themes. By calculating a planet’s exact longitude to arcminute precision and matching it to its active Sabian degree, Oracle Spheres reveals a far more nuanced archetypal storyline.

• Sun sign alone groups 30 degrees (~30 days) into one archetype
• Sabian degree resolution examines each 1-degree step (~24 hours of solar motion)

How can beginners start working with Sabian Symbols responsibly?

Start by looking up your natal Sun degree, Moon degree, and Ascendant in the Sabian Explorer. Read the symbolic image as a reflective metaphor—asking what personal strength, caution, or creative insight it highlights—rather than treating it as a rigid fatalistic rule.

Frequently Asked Questions