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Astrological Symbology
Author: Alison Price – Published: October 2024
Symbology
In this post I want to chat with you guys a little bit about symbology. Specifically, symbolically in the New Age space and symbology in astrology. Basic shapes are symbolic in themselves. Even the simple shapes like the circles and the lines have meaning. It’s only as we start to explore New Age topics such as astrology that you come across the symbology within shapes. When you take it one step further and look closely at the planetary glyphs, you can see this symbology in action.
Even though these days there are very stylized drawings for the planet symbols, if you break them down to their simplistic parts you can see hidden meaning within each of the planets. Personally, I think this is a very interesting topic and it gives you something to think about as you’re learning to even practice drawing the planetary glyphs.
Once you get the idea that shapes are symbolic and have meaning, you can see them in everyday life as well through some business logos and what you see as you go about your day. I’m just giving you an introduction to the meanings of the basic shapes and how they are expressed through the planetary glyphs.
Circles
The circle represents the spirit and the cosmos. Furthermore, the circle itself is constructed from something. The unbroken line on nothing. The space inside and outside the line. The circle unifies spirit and matter. This structure itself has great strength.
Circles of Feminine
The perfect circle has no beginning and no end. It is unassailable. The magic circle creates a fortress of psychic protection. A physical and spiritual safe haven where unwanted or uninvited entities cannot enter.
Hermes Trismegistus said of the circle, “God is a circle whose centre is everywhere and circumference is nowhere.”
Arcs and Crescents
Arcs or crescents are parts of a circle. One clear example is a rainbow. As part of a circle, the arc symbolizes the spirit as well.The position of the arc is important as well.
Upright Arcs
If an arc upright or shaped like a cup or chalice, it implies the feminine principle of containment within the womb.It contains the spirit.
Inverted Arcs
If the arc is inverted like an umbrella, then the opposition is true.Now it becomes a triumphal, victorious masculine symbol thrusting upwards. The inverted arc is often on church doors and is representative of the vault of heaven. The arc shape often appears in planetary symbols.
Lines
Vertical Lines
The vertical line represents the physical symbol of the number one and man striving towards spirit. The simple line is the basic shape of the World Tree, or the axis Mundi that connects the heavens, the earth and the lower regions. It is not only a basic phallic symbol, but also signifies the soul that strives for union with the divine.
Horizontal Lines
The horizontal line is opposite of the vertical line. It represents matter and the forward and backward movement of time. This line also signifies the skyline or horizon and man’s place on the earth.
Crosses
In across, the vertical and horizontal come together to form a cross. The cross symbolizes the union of the material and the spiritual. And in some instances, the cross is said to give birth to the square. Because of its four cardinal points, the cross represents the elements and the directions of north, south, east and west.
Squares
The square represents the Earth and the four elements.
Plato described the square, “Like the circle, as being absolutely beautiful in itself.”
Astrology Planetary Glyphs
Spirit, Soul and Matter
The planetary glyphs used in astrology hold deep symbolic meanings, connecting to the concepts of spirit, soul, and matter. These three components represent the layers of existence and experience, providing a framework to understand the planets’ roles in shaping life and consciousness. Here’s a breakdown of how spirit, soul and matter are symbolically embedded in planetary glyphs.
Spirit (Circle)
In many planetary glyphs, the circle represents spirit. It signifies the eternal, the divine and the source of life. The circle has no beginning or end, symbolizing unity, wholeness and the infinite potential of consciousness. Spirit is the purest form of being, often viewed as the connection to the higher self or the divine essence that animates all life.
Soul (Crescent)
The crescent shape, found in several planetary glyphs, symbolizes the soul, the vessel of experience and emotion. The soul is the part of us that navigates through life, gathering experiences, feelings, and impressions. It is the receptive aspect of consciousness, like a cup that collects the light and wisdom from spirit.
Matter (Cross)
The cross is the symbol of matter, representing the physical world, form, and structure. It often grounds the planetary glyphs, showing how spiritual energy and the soul’s experience are manifest in the material plane. The cross symbolizes the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) and the physical reality in which spirit and soul are embodied.
Glyphs
Spirit, Soul and Matter
I want to share some of my ideas on the shapes that make up the planet’s glyphs. The combination between these three symbols (circle, crescent, and cross) in each planetary glyph shows how each planet expresses different aspects of spirit, soul and matter.
Maps of Existence
Planetary glyphs serve as symbolic maps of existence. The circle represents the infinite and eternal spirit, the crescent symbolizes the receptive and emotional soul and the cross embodies the physical and structured world of matter. Together, these symbols illustrate how the planets influence our experience, guiding the interplay between spirit, soul, and the material realm. The symbolism of the planets can be understood by exploring how they represent the dynamics between spirit, soul and matter. These planets govern the more personal aspects of life and consciousness, shaping our individual experiences and growth.
The Sun (☉)
Spirit
The Sun’s glyph is a circle with a dot in the center, representing pure spirit and the divine essence. The Sun symbolizes the source of life, vitality, and individuality. The circle is the unbroken, eternal symbol of wholeness, and the dot within it signifies the core self, the conscious ego, and the spark of spirit within each of us.
Soul
Though the Sun primarily represents spirit, it also illuminates the soul’s purpose. The Sun symbolizes our higher calling, the essence of who we are meant to become. It guides the soul toward self-realization and the expression of one’s true nature.
Matter
While the Sun itself doesn’t directly embody matter, it animates life in the material world. It brings warmth, growth, and vitality to the physical body and reality. Through the Sun, spirit manifests in the material plane, expressing individuality and creativity.
Symbolism
The Sun represents the manifestation of spirit in the world. It brings light and awareness to the soul’s journey and fuels the material world with life force and vitality, driving self-expression.
The Moon (☽)
Spirit
The Moon, as a symbol of the subconscious and emotional world, doesn’t directly represent spirit but acts as a reflective vessel for the light of spirit. It mediates between the inner soul and outer experiences, reflecting the spirit’s energy through intuition, emotions, and the inner self.
Soul
The Moon’s crescent shape directly symbolizes the soul. It is receptive and reflects how the soul absorbs, reflects, and processes the experiences of life. The Moon governs emotions, instincts, memory, and the unconscious mind, where the soul navigates through feelings, nurturing, and intuition.
Matter
The Moon influences the physical body through rhythms and cycles, such as the tides and biological cycles. It connects the soul to the material realm by influencing our instinctual responses and emotional attachments to physical surroundings, home and family.
Symbolism
The Moon is the emotional and intuitive vessel of the soul, reflecting spirit and influencing the material world through cyclical patterns and nurturing connections.
Mercury (☿)
Spirit (Circle)
In Mercury’s glyph, the circle represents spirit and connects to Mercury’s role as a bridge between the higher mind and earthly existence. Mercury governs the transmission of ideas and communication, facilitating the movement of spirit into thought and intellect.
Soul (Crescent)
The crescent of soul sits atop the circle of spirit in Mercury’s glyph, symbolizing how Mercury helps the soul receive and express information. It mediates between spirit and matter, helping the soul communicate its needs, learn, and adapt to different experiences.
Matter (Cross)
The cross of matter at the bottom of Mercury’s glyph anchors its energy, showing how thoughts, communication and intellect are grounded in the physical world. Mercury governs logic, analytical thinking, and the practical application of ideas in everyday life.
Symbolism
Mercury is the mediator between spirit, soul, and matter, facilitating the flow of communication and thought. It helps translate spirit into conscious awareness and practical understanding, guiding the soul through learning and expression.
Venus (♀)
Spirit (Circle)
The circle in Venus’ glyph represents spirit, showing that the higher ideals of love, beauty and harmony have their origin in the divine essence. Venus connects spirit to the experience of unity, pleasure, and connection in the material world.
Soul
Venus guides the soul in its desire for connection and harmony with others. It rules relationships, affection and the soul’s longing for balance, beauty, and love. The soul, under Venus’ influence, seeks to merge with others in a harmonious and peaceful way, fostering cooperation and emotional fulfillment.
Matter (Cross)
The cross of matter beneath the circle shows how Venus expresses spiritual ideals in the physical world, particularly through relationships and beauty. It governs sensual pleasures, art, and the appreciation of material beauty, showing how the soul’s desires are manifested in the material realm.
Symbolism
Venus represents the union of spirit and matter through the soul’s longing for connection and beauty. It brings spiritual ideals into physical form, guiding relationships and the pursuit of harmony and pleasure.
Mars (♂)
Spirit (Circle)
Mars’ glyph contains the circle of spirit, but it is directed outward by the arrow. Mars symbolizes spirit in action, representing the drive to assert oneself, act, and initiate. It channels spirit into dynamic, purposeful activity, expressing willpower and desire.
Soul
The soul under Mars seeks action and experience. Mars governs desire, passion, and the urge to assert oneself in the world. It represents the soul’s courage to face challenges and express its willpower, driving personal development and growth through conflict and assertiveness.
Matter (Arrow)
The arrow of Mars represents matter and the physical world in motion. Mars is associated with the body, action, and the material consequences of one’s will and desires. It governs physical energy, vitality, and the power to change or shape the material world through force and action.
Symbolism
I believe that Mars symbolizes the dynamic expression of spirit and soul through matter. It channels willpower and desire into action, driving the soul to assert itself in the physical world and make tangible changes.
Jupiter (♃)
Spirit (Circle)
Jupiter’s glyph contains the crescent of soul rising above the cross of matter, with the circle of spirit subtly implied. Jupiter represents the expansion of spirit through growth, abundanc, and wisdom. It embodies the search for meaning, higher knowledge and the spirit’s journey toward enlightenment and understanding.
Soul (Crescent)
The crescent in Jupiter’s glyph shows the soul’s desire for growth, adventure, and exploration. Jupiter governs optimism, faith, and the soul’s drive to expand its horizons, seek truth, and gain wisdom. It represents the soul’s journey toward greater awareness and fulfillment.
Matter (Cross)
The cross of matter grounds Jupiter’s expansive energy, showing how spiritual and soulful growth are often pursued through experiences in the material world. Jupiter naturally governs abundance, prosperity and the ability to manifest wealth and opportunity in the physical realm.
Symbolism
Jupiter symbolizes the soul’s journey to expand its understanding of spirit through experiences in matter. It represents the search for meaning, knowledge and wisdom, guiding the soul toward greater spiritual and material fulfillment.
Saturn (♄)
Matter (Cross)
Saturn’s glyph shows a cross above a crescent, with the cross symbolizing the dominance of material reality, structure, and limitation. Saturn is often associated with boundaries, discipline, time, and karma, all elements rooted in the material plane. It reminds us that physical form and the laws of nature govern life.
Soul (Crescent)
The crescent beneath the cross represents the soul’s role within these limitations. Saturn brings lessons of responsibility, maturity and endurance. The soul, under Saturn’s influence, learns through hardship, restriction and perseverance, shaping character through trials in the material world.
Spirit (Circle)
Saturn’s spirit is not as prominent in the glyph itself, but it shows up in the planet’s function. Saturn’s lessons are ultimately spiritual, forcing us to confront and overcome our fears, limitations and ego-bound structures. By embracing Saturn’s discipline, spirit is refined and given form.
Symbolism
Saturn is the planet of form and structure, showing how spirit (our higher purpose) is grounded and expressed through matter (physical boundaries). And how the soul (through experience) navigates these limitations to achieve growth.
Uranus (♅)
Matter (Cross)
Uranus’ glyph shows the circle of spirit flanked by two crescents of the soul, with a cross at the bottom. The cross is the grounding point, but Uranus’ energy disrupts the material order, challenging fixed structures and traditions. This planet represents rebellion, innovation, and sudden change, often breaking apart established forms in the material world.
Soul (Crescents)
The two crescents of soul on either side of the circle show Uranus’ ability to push the soul beyond its comfort zone, awakening it to new possibilities. Uranus stimulates sudden shifts in awareness, often leading to radical transformation and the breaking of old emotional or psychic patterns.
Spirit (Circle)
The circle of spirit in the middle represents divine inspiration and universal consciousness. Uranus connects to the higher mind, flashes of insight, and the awakening of spirit that transcends the limitations of the material world. It embodies the spirit of freedom, liberation, and the urge for individuality.
Symbolism
Uranus symbolizes the awakening of spirit through the breaking down of matter and structure. It brings sudden and unpredictable change that shakes the soul out of complacency, pushing humanity toward greater consciousness and evolution.
Neptune (♆)
Matter (Cross)
Neptune’s glyph contains a crescent of soul above a cross of matter. The cross is faint in Neptune’s symbolism, representing the dissolving of material boundaries. Neptune’s energy is ethereal, elusive, and transcendent, often blurring the lines between physical reality and the spiritual or imaginative realms.
Soul (Crescent)
The crescent at the top of Neptune’s glyph emphasizes the soul’s receptivity and sensitivity. Neptune governs intuition, dreams, and the unconscious. It dissolves the boundaries of the ego and the material world, encouraging the soul to merge with the collective, the spiritual, and the unseen.
Spirit (Implied Circle)
Neptune is the planet of spiritual longing, compassion, and the search for the divine. Though the glyph does not contain a visible circle of spirit, Neptune’s influence is deeply connected to the spiritual realm, often manifesting through mystical experiences, visions and a desire to return to source.
Symbolism
Neptune represents the dissolution of matter and the elevation of the soul toward spiritual unity. It dissolves the hard edges of reality, leading to spiritual awakening, creativity and the exploration of the unseen dimensions of life.
Pluto
Matter (Cross)
Pluto’s glyph contains the circle of spirit above a crescent of soul, with a cross at the base. The cross of matter is the foundation, representing Pluto’s transformative power in the material world. Pluto governs death, rebirth, and regeneration, and its energy often works through deep, intense processes that fundamentally alter physical structures and forms.
Soul (Crescent)
The crescent of soul beneath the circle of spirit indicates the soul’s journey through profound transformation. Pluto governs the shadow, the unconscious, and the soul’s hidden depths. The soul under Pluto’s influence confronts the darker aspects of existence—power, fear, destruction and rebirth—transforming through these experiences.
Spirit (Circle)
The circle of spirit at the top of Pluto’s glyph suggests that Pluto’s ultimate purpose is spiritual transformation. Though it works through matter and the soul’s depths, Pluto’s influence is about the evolution of consciousness, forcing a release of the old so that something new and more aligned with spirit can emerge.
Symbolism
Pluto symbolizes the transformation of matter and the soul through the power of spirit. It destroys to create a new, guiding both personal and collective evolution through death, regeneration, and deep spiritual awakening.
Summary of the Planets
The Sun’s spirit is expressed as the core self, guiding the soul toward individuality and vitality in the material world.
The Moon echoes the emotional and intuitive soul, reflecting spirit and influencing the material world through instinct and nurturing.
Mercury sends messages between spirit, soul, and matter, facilitating communication and the practical application of ideas.
Venus unites spirit and matter through the soul’s longing for love, harmony, and beauty in relationships and the physical world.
Mars activates the spirit, driving the soul’s desires and willpower to shape and change the material world.
Jupiter expand the spirit through the soul’s pursuit of wisdom, growth, and abundance in the material world.
Saturn grounds spirit in matter, teaching the soul through the limitations and laws of the physical world.
Uranus liberates spirit, breaking the chains of matter and tradition, awakening the soul to new dimensions of freedom and individuality.
Neptune dissolves the boundaries between matter and spirit, guiding the soul toward unity with the divine and the transcendence of physical reality.
Pluto transforms and regenerates both matter and soul, facilitating profound spiritual evolution through destruction and rebirth.
Sign Sigils
Let’s just have a quick look at the basic symbolic meanings ascribed to the signs of the Zodiac.
- Aries symbolically means impulsion, the urge to act and will.
- Taurus symbolically means perseverance and consolidation.
- Gemini symbolically means polarity and adaptability.
- Cancer symbolically means passivity and attachment.
- Leo symbolically means creation and life.
- Virgo symbolically means differentiation and diligence.
- Libra symbolically means balance and harmony.
- Scorpio symbolically means passion and endurance.
- Sagittarius symbolically means cultivation of spiritual side and expansion.
- Capricorn symbolically means elevation and conservation.
- Aquarius symbolically means transition to higher states and adaptability.
- Pisces symbolically means intuition and self-sacrifice.
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Author Bio
Alison Price: Professional Astrologer
Alison helps you uncover your individual creativity and lead a fulfilling life using your own astrology. She shares her wisdom from the heart with a touch of humor. She offers Consultations for everyone and Coaching for Aspiring Astrologers.
If you’d like to get in touch with Alison, you can reach out to her via email at starzology@gmail.com.
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