Article © 2016 by Joyce Mason
This is my Sun Sabian. It also could be
said to be The Radical Virgo blog’s, as 30 Virgo encompasses the full Virgo
experience at the completion degree of the sign. It’s about Laser-like focus that resists
distraction.
"The Sabian Symbols are a set
of 360 phrases of words that correspond with each of the 360 degrees of the
wheel of the zodiac, from Aries 1 to Pisces 30.”
~ From
Lynda Hill’s website
In my last post, Your Sabian
Self, I suggested a starter exercise as a means to get better acquainted with
your Sabian word pictures. Several of my astrologer friends really got into the
process. I discovered I had lost my original document where I had done this
exercise years ago, so I was right in there doing it again with them. As I dug
in, I realized that putting your Sabians by degree and title of the symbol was
only the beginning of an even better, three-part process. Here are my additional
suggestions, including the first so they’re all in one place for you.
Playing the Sabian Symbols1. Symbols Word Snapshot. Referring to your chart, create a document with the degree of each of your planets and sensitive points (angles, nodes, Part of Fortune or Spirit, Vertex or whatever ones are meaningful to you). Remember to round up unless the degree is exactly 00, e.g. 12 Pisces 00 is 12 Pisces. (Twelve Pisces 01 is 13 Pisces.) Write just the text of the symbol next to the degrees. Keep this Sabian snapshot of your birth chart and learn the “pictures” each symbol suggests. Notice how they play in your life. If you don't already own a book on the Sabians, they are posted online at Cafe Astrology.
2. Symbols Collage. Create a collage of pictures, one that represents each Sabian symbol. This is a project that takes a big piece of poster board, glue, scissors, old magazines and 2-4 hours. It can be done over time rather than in one sitting. Use images only—no words. You can also find possibilities by doing an image search on Google or whichever search engine you prefer. For example, in searching for the Sabian featured on this post, I used “image, man, laser and focus” as keywords. If you don’t mind paying a small fee per image, a great source is Fotolia.com or other stock image sites.
3. Symbols Synthesis. Journal what you learn from #1 and #2 after completing both. Keep an open journal, where you can record insights over time, as they bubble up. Periodically, meditate on your Symbols collage to drink in your Sabian chart portrait. Let it stimulate more ahas.
The structure of this three-part journey is to start with
word pictures, continue by representing them with actual pictures, and then to see
what chemistry happens when you pair your impressions from #1-2, allowing them
to morph into ahas in #3. Note that I
suggest the important bridging step of an images-only collage to represent your
Sabians. By accessing your right brain, you will also be in the “dream world”
of your memories and the Creative One. This is where Inspiration lives. It is
the best symbols incubator, housed in both your personal and the collective
subconscious.
I have drawn my ideas for “playing the Symbols” from my
experiences with other oracles. For example, suggesting a visuals-only collage of
Sabians comes from doing Soul Collage work. (See the guest post by Sandra Mosley,
A Prescription for Planets in Pisces: Soul Collage® Your Natal Chart, for
more on this process.) Using only the word pictures without going instantly to
interpretation using books, expert websites and/or your own analysis comes from
my experiences with Motherpeace Tarot readings. (See How I
Read Tarot Cards.)
Please share your experiences in the Comments. Enjoy your this new way of looking at your chart.
~~~
Photo Credit: © visivasnc - Fotolia.com