What are the Sabian Symbols in simple terms?

The Sabian Symbols are 360 short symbolic images, one for each degree of the zodiac. Each image is a small scene associated with that celestial position, used as a prompt for reflection and self-understanding rather than as a prediction or rule.

Who created the Sabian Symbols?

The symbols were brought forward in 1925 through the combined work of Elsie Wheeler, who perceived the 360 images clairvoyantly, and astrologer Marc Edmund Jones, who designed the experiment and recorded her words in a single day in Balboa Park, San Diego [1].

Which version of the Sabian Symbols is correct?

None is uniquely correct. The closest to an original is Wheeler's brief 1925 wording as Jones recorded it. Jones's 1953 book stays near that wording with added keywords, while Rudhyar's 1973 Astrological Mandala is a full psychological reinterpretation. Moonlit Zones uses Wheeler's original recorded phrasing [1][3].

Do the Sabian Symbols predict the future?

No. The symbols are not predictive in any rigid sense. Each is a symbolic image associated with a degree, and the practice is reflective: you sit with the picture and notice what it illuminates in your life, rather than expecting it to announce events.

What if my planet is at 14 degrees of a sign, which symbol do I read?

Round up to the next whole degree. A planet at 14°17' Aries reads as Aries 15, because the first degree spans 0°00' to 0°59'. Moonlit Zones performs this conversion automatically from your birth details [2].

Understanding Sabian Symbols: 360 Degrees of Meaning

The Sabian Symbols are 360 images, one per zodiac degree, brought forward by Elsie Wheeler and Marc Edmund Jones in 1925. Learn what they are and how they work.

Category: Sabian Symbols
Published: June 1, 2026
Author: Moonlit Zones
Read time: 8 min

Frequently asked questions

What are the Sabian Symbols in simple terms?: The Sabian Symbols are 360 short symbolic images, one for each degree of the zodiac. Each image is a small scene associated with that celestial position, used as a prompt for reflection and self-understanding rather than as a prediction or rule.
Who created the Sabian Symbols?: The symbols were brought forward in 1925 through the combined work of Elsie Wheeler, who perceived the 360 images clairvoyantly, and astrologer Marc Edmund Jones, who designed the experiment and recorded her words in a single day in Balboa Park, San Diego [1].
Which version of the Sabian Symbols is correct?: None is uniquely correct. The closest to an original is Wheeler's brief 1925 wording as Jones recorded it. Jones's 1953 book stays near that wording with added keywords, while Rudhyar's 1973 <em>Astrological Mandala</em> is a full psychological reinterpretation. Moonlit Zones uses Wheeler's original recorded phrasing [1][3].
Do the Sabian Symbols predict the future?: No. The symbols are not predictive in any rigid sense. Each is a symbolic image associated with a degree, and the practice is reflective: you sit with the picture and notice what it illuminates in your life, rather than expecting it to announce events.
What if my planet is at 14 degrees of a sign, which symbol do I read?: Round up to the next whole degree. A planet at 14°17' Aries reads as Aries 15, because the first degree spans 0°00' to 0°59'. Moonlit Zones performs this conversion automatically from your birth details [2].