95+ Sabian Symbols: A Complete Guide to Their Meanings

Last updated: September 30, 2026 at 10:38 am by info.behlolpur@gmail.com

When I first discovered Sabian Symbols, I was fascinated by how a single zodiac degree could carry such a rich and unexpected meaning. They can turn an abstract astrological degree into an image, story, or idea that feels much easier to explore.

If you are curious about what your own degrees mean, you are in the right place. You can use Sabian Symbols as a thoughtful way to explore themes connected with your birth chart and understand familiar astrological placements from a different perspective.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through Sabian Symbols in a simple and practical way. You’ll learn what they are, how they work, and how you can begin interpreting them without feeling overwhelmed by complicated astrology.

What Are Sabian Symbols

Sabian Symbols are 360 symbolic images, with one image associated with each degree of the zodiac. The system originated in San Diego in 1925 when astrologer Marc Edmund Jones worked with Elsie Wheeler, who supplied the images while Jones recorded them.

The basic idea is simple:

• The zodiac has 360 degrees.
• The Sabian system assigns one symbolic image to each degree.
• A planet or chart point located at a particular degree can be examined through its corresponding image.
• Astrologers then interpret the image in relation to the planet, sign, house, and situation.

For example, an astrologer might look at the Sabian Symbol associated with the degree of the Sun in a birth chart. The image does not replace the normal interpretation of the Sun. Instead, it can provide another layer of symbolic reflection.

The 360 images are often described as vivid scenes rather than abstract definitions. That makes the system different from a simple dictionary of astrological terms.

What Are Sabian Symbols in Astrology

In astrology, Sabian Symbols are used as degree-level interpretations. Instead of looking only at a planet’s sign, an astrologer can examine the exact zodiac degree occupied by that planet.

Suppose a natal chart places Venus at a particular degree of Taurus. An astrologer can identify the corresponding Sabian Symbol and consider its imagery alongside Venus in Taurus.

A useful way to think about the process is:

Planet → Exact degree → Sabian Symbol → Symbolic interpretation

The symbol can be considered for many chart factors, including:

• Sun
• Moon
• Mercury
• Venus
• Mars
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune
• Pluto
• Ascendant
• Midheaven
• Other points used by a particular astrologer

Sabian Symbols are therefore not a separate zodiac system. They are an additional interpretive technique applied to the degrees of the zodiac.

Sabian Symbols Astrology

Sabian Symbols astrology focuses on the relationship between an exact degree and its associated symbolic image.

The system is especially interesting for people who enjoy visual, psychological, or intuitive approaches to astrology. Instead of treating a degree as nothing more than a number, the symbol turns it into a small scene that can be contemplated.

A common approach is to begin with important chart placements rather than trying to interpret all 360 degrees at once.

A simple way to use Sabian Symbols

• Find the exact degree of a planet or chart point.
• Identify the corresponding Sabian Symbol.
• Read the image without immediately forcing a fixed interpretation.
• Consider how its theme relates to the planet and zodiac sign.
• Compare the symbolism with the rest of the chart.
• Treat the interpretation as reflective rather than as a guaranteed prediction.

This approach helps prevent the symbol from being taken out of context.

Sabian Symbols Meaning

The meaning of a Sabian Symbol comes from its imagery and from the interpretive tradition surrounding the 360-degree system. There is not one universally accepted interpretation for every image.

Two major interpretive traditions are associated with Marc Edmund Jones and Dane Rudhyar. Jones published The Sabian Symbols in Astrology in 1953, while Rudhyar later developed a broader philosophical and psychological interpretation of the same 360-degree material.

This means a symbol can be approached in several ways.

A Sabian Symbol should generally be treated as a prompt for interpretation rather than a single sentence that predicts exactly what will happen.

The Sabian Symbols

The phrase “the Sabian Symbols” refers to the complete 360-image system.

The historical development is important because the system is sometimes incorrectly described as an ancient collection handed down unchanged from antiquity. Available historical sources date the creation of the modern Sabian set to 1925. Marc Edmund Jones and Elsie Wheeler produced the original set, and Jones later published his interpretation.

The name and historical theories surrounding the system have sometimes been connected with older Mesopotamian traditions, but the 360-image collection itself is a modern twentieth-century astrological system.

Dane Rudhyar played a major role in bringing the symbols to a wider audience. Marc Edmund Jones himself credited Rudhyar with helping popularize the degree interpretations.

Sabian Symbols List

A complete Sabian Symbols list contains 360 entries: one for every degree of the zodiac.

The structure can be understood as 12 zodiac signs × 30 degrees:

The wording encountered online can vary because Jones’s original material and later interpretations by Rudhyar are not always presented in exactly the same form. Rudhyar’s later work is especially influential in modern discussions of the symbols.

For that reason, it is useful to check which interpretive version a website or book is using.

A full list is best navigated by sign and degree, such as:

• Aries 1°
• Aries 2°
• Aries 3°
• Taurus 1°
• Taurus 2°
• Taurus 3°
• and so on through Pisces 30°

This makes the system easier to use with an astrology chart.

Sabian Symbols Chart

A Sabian Symbols chart is essentially a reference system connecting zodiac degrees with their corresponding images.

A simple reference structure looks like this:

When reading a chart, the exact degree matters. A planet at 10° Aries and another at 11° Aries correspond to different Sabian Symbols.

Some astrologers also use the degree immediately following a displayed decimal position because the traditional system is organized around whole-degree images. The exact convention should be checked in the calculator or reference being used.

Sabian Symbols Zodiac Wheel

The Sabian Symbols zodiac wheel divides the entire zodiac circle into 360 degrees.

The twelve signs form the larger structure:

Aries → Taurus → Gemini → Cancer → Leo → Virgo → Libra → Scorpio → Sagittarius → Capricorn → Aquarius → Pisces

Each sign contains 30 degrees. Each of those degrees has its own Sabian image.

This creates a useful mental picture:

12 zodiac signs → 30 degrees per sign → 360 symbolic images

The zodiac wheel therefore provides the framework, while the Sabian Symbol supplies an additional image for the exact degree.

For example, if a chart point is located in Scorpio, you first identify its Scorpio degree. You then look up the Sabian Symbol assigned to that degree rather than using a generic “Scorpio symbol.”

Sabian Symbols Astrology Wheel

A Sabian Symbols astrology wheel combines ordinary chart information with degree symbolism.

A normal astrology wheel may show:

• Planets
• Zodiac signs
• Houses
• Aspects
• Ascendant
• Midheaven
• Exact planetary degrees

The Sabian approach adds another question:

What image belongs to the degree occupied by this chart point?

This can be particularly useful when examining major placements. An astrologer may compare the Sabian image for the Sun with the images associated with the Moon, Ascendant, or other significant points.

The wheel itself does not create a new set of zodiac signs. It simply gives you a visual way to locate the degrees from which Sabian Symbols are selected.

Sabian Symbols Calculator

A Sabian Symbols calculator is an online tool that helps identify the symbol connected with a particular zodiac degree.

Some calculators work from an astrology chart or birth information, while others allow users to work directly with degrees. Astro-Seek, for example, lists a dedicated Sabian Symbols calendar/tool among its astrology resources.

A typical workflow is:

• Enter or calculate the relevant astrology information.
• Find the planet or point you want to examine.
• Note its zodiac sign and degree.
• Match that degree to the Sabian Symbol.
• Read the associated interpretation.
• Compare it with the broader chart.

The calculator is mainly a convenience. The important part is understanding what the resulting degree represents and how it fits into the chart.

Astro Seek Sabian Symbols

Astro-Seek provides several astrology calculation and calendar tools, including a Sabian Symbols calendar. Its tools directory identifies a Sabian Symbols Daily Calendar, which displays the Sabian Symbol associated with the current Sun degree.

The site is useful when you want a quick digital way to explore degree-based symbolism instead of manually searching through a printed reference.

It is worth remembering that an online calculator provides a result based on its own calculation and presentation conventions. If two websites appear to give different results, check:

• The zodiac system being used.
• The exact degree.
• How the site handles degree boundaries.
• Which Sabian interpretation or wording it displays.

This can explain apparent differences without assuming that one website has necessarily made an error.

Sabian Symbols Dane Rudhyar

Dane Rudhyar was one of the most influential interpreters and popularizers of the Sabian Symbols.

Rudhyar incorporated the symbols into his earlier astrological work and later published An Astrological Mandala: The Cycle of Transformations and Its 360 Symbolic Phases in 1973. His approach connected the 360 images with a broader developmental and psychological understanding of the zodiac.

Rudhyar’s contribution is important because his work helped establish the symbols as more than a simple collection of degree descriptions.

It is also useful to distinguish the sources:

• Elsie Wheeler — supplied the original images in the 1925 session.
• Marc Edmund Jones — recorded, developed, and published the Sabian material.
• Dane Rudhyar — reinterpreted and popularized the symbols through his own astrological framework.

The distinction matters because wording found online may come from different versions or interpretations. Rudhyar’s published wording is also subject to copyright, so a responsible article should explain his approach rather than reproduce the complete copyrighted text.

Sabian Symbols Images

Images are central to the Sabian system because each degree is represented by a short visual scene.

The images are designed to encourage interpretation through pictures, situations, and symbolic relationships. The official Sabian Oracle describes the image and keyword as a starting point for exploring a question or situation.

When studying a Sabian image, ask:

• What is happening in the scene?
• Who or what is involved?
• Is there movement, conflict, cooperation, transformation, or stillness?
• What emotion does the image suggest?
• How might the scene relate to the planet occupying that degree?
• Does the image make more sense when viewed through the zodiac sign?

Visualizing the image can sometimes make the interpretation easier to remember than memorizing a keyword.

Because different books and websites may present different wording or artistic representations, it is better to identify the source of an image rather than assuming every graphic online is an official version.

Sabian Symbols Oracle

The Sabian Symbols can also be used as an oracle-style reflective tool.

The Sabian Oracle presents one of the 360 images and keywords after a person focuses on a question or situation. Its stated purpose is to use the poetic imagery as a way of accessing reflection and guidance.

This is different from using Sabian Symbols strictly as part of a birth chart.

For an oracle-style exercise:

• Think clearly about one question.
• Avoid packing several unrelated questions together.
• Select a Sabian image using an oracle or random method.
• Read the image carefully.
• Write down your immediate associations.
• Consider how those associations relate to your question.
• Use the result as a reflection tool rather than a guaranteed prediction.

The value of this approach comes from the open-ended nature of symbolic images. The same scene can suggest different ideas depending on the question and personal context.

Sabian Symbols Drums

“Sabian symbols drums” is a potentially confusing search phrase because Sabian is also strongly associated with SABIAN, the Canadian cymbal manufacturer used by drummers.

That musical meaning is separate from Sabian Symbols astrology.

If you are searching for:

• Sabian cymbals
• Drum cymbals
• Crash cymbals
• Ride cymbals
• Hi-hats
• Drum equipment

you are probably looking for the musical-instrument brand rather than the 360-degree astrological system.

If you are searching for:

• Sabian Symbols astrology
• Sabian degree meanings
• Sabian Symbols chart
• Sabian Symbols calculator
• Sabian oracle

then you mean the astrological symbolism discussed in this article.

The word “symbols” can therefore create an unusual overlap between two completely different subjects. Search context is the easiest way to tell them apart.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Sabian Symbols are there?

There are 360 traditional Sabian Symbols, corresponding to the 360 degrees of the zodiac. Each zodiac sign contributes 30 degrees to the complete set.

Who created the Sabian Symbols?

The modern Sabian Symbols originated from the 1925 collaboration between astrologer Marc Edmund Jones and Elsie Wheeler in San Diego. Wheeler provided the symbolic images while Jones recorded them.

Are Sabian Symbols ancient?

The modern 360-image Sabian system dates to 1925, so it should not be described as an unchanged ancient system. Its name and some of the ideas surrounding it have been connected with older traditions, but the modern set has a documented twentieth-century origin.

How do I find my Sabian Symbol?

Find the exact zodiac degree of the planet or chart point you want to examine, then use a Sabian Symbols reference or calculator to identify its corresponding image. Online tools such as Astro-Seek can make this process easier.

Are Sabian Symbols the same as zodiac signs?

No. Zodiac signs divide the zodiac into 12 sections of 30 degrees each, while Sabian Symbols assign a separate symbolic image to each of the 360 individual degrees. The two systems can be used together.

Conclusion

Sabian Symbols provide a degree-by-degree symbolic layer for astrology. Their structure is straightforward: 360 degrees of the zodiac correspond to 360 evocative images. The system began with Marc Edmund Jones and Elsie Wheeler in 1925 and was later significantly developed and popularized by Dane Rudhyar.

The symbols can be explored through a list, zodiac chart, astrology wheel, calculator, images, or oracle-style practice. Each method serves a slightly different purpose, from finding a natal-chart degree to using an image as a prompt for personal reflection.

The most useful way to approach Sabian Symbols is to treat them as an interpretive tool rather than a rigid prediction system. Start with the exact degree, understand the image, consider the astrological context, and then allow the symbolism to add another perspective to your reading.

Mason Ellington