Sabian Symbols

Capricorn 30 - A dimly lit boardroom where a small group of manly figures confer intently around a table
Read the Memo Before the Meeting
At Capricorn 30°, a secret meeting convenes for executive decisions in world affairs, the fifth and final stage of the sixtieth five-fold sequence, closing Scene Twenty and the entire sign... Read more...
Capricorn 29 - A fortune teller woman reading the scattered pattern of tea leaves in a tea cup
Signs Are Not the Same as Their Meaning
At Capricorn 29°, a woman reads tea leaves, the fourth stage of the sixtieth and final five-fold sequence, which Rudhyar calls true clairvoyance. A meditation on signature, testing genuine intuitive... Read more...
Capricorn 28 - A vast, light-filled aviary teeming with countless birds of varied color and song
The Peak Becomes a Plateau
At Capricorn 28°, a large aviary holds countless birds together, the third stage of the sixtieth and final five-fold sequence, which Rudhyar calls clairaudience. A meditation on community, trusting natural... Read more...
Capricorn 27 - Pilgrims in worn traveling clothes climbing an ancient stone staircase carved into a mountainside toward a distant shrine
The Mountain Tests Whether You Meant It
At Capricorn 27°, pilgrims climb steep steps leading to a mountain shrine, the second stage of the sixtieth and final five-fold sequence, standing in direct contrast to the previous degree's... Read more...
Capricorn 26 - An ethereal water spirit dancing gracefully within the iridescent mist of a cascading waterfall
Dance First, Explain Later
At Capricorn 26°, a nature spirit dances in the iridescent mist of a waterfall, the opening stage of the sixtieth and final five-fold sequence of the entire 360-degree cycle. A... Read more...
Capricorn 25 - A dimly lit shop interior stacked high with richly patterned oriental rugs
Bread, Not Words
At Capricorn 25°, a store stands filled with precious oriental rugs, the fifth and final stage of the fifty-ninth five-fold sequence, emphasizing what Rudhyar calls reliance on tradition. A meditation... Read more...
Capricorn 24 - A woman in simple robes walking through an arched stone gateway into a quiet convent courtyard
Lose the Self to Find the Self
At Capricorn 24°, a woman enters a convent, the fourth stage of the fifty-ninth five-fold sequence, aiming toward what Rudhyar calls transcendent security. A meditation on consecration, reorganizing life around... Read more...
Capricorn 23 - A soldier standing at attention as two medals are pinned to their uniform
Earned, Not Performed
At Capricorn 23°, a soldier receives two awards for bravery in combat, the third stage of the fifty-ninth five-fold sequence, extracting what Rudhyar calls recompense from the two degrees before... Read more...
Capricorn 22 - A weathered military general standing with quiet dignity on a battle field as he accepts defeat
Lose the Battle, Keep the Purpose
At Capricorn 22°, a general reveals nobility of character by accepting defeat gracefully, the second stage of the fifty-ninth five-fold sequence, standing in direct contrast to the previous degree's drive... Read more...
Capricorn 21 - A runner passing a baton to a teammate mid-stride on a sunlit track
Nobody Runs the Whole Race Alone
At Capricorn 21°, a relay race unfolds, the opening stage of the fifty-ninth five-fold sequence, and the beginning of a new Second Level, Emotional and Cultural, within the Span of... Read more...
Capricorn 20 - The interior of a grand cathedral bathed in soft light from stained glass
Sing Where No One Can See You
At Capricorn 20°, a hidden choir sings during a religious service, the fifth and final stage of the fifty-eighth five-fold sequence, closing what Rudhyar calls Scene Twenty, Group Performance. A... Read more...
Capricorn 19 - A small child determinedly carrying an oversized grocery bag along a sidewalk
The Weight Was Heavier Than It Looked
At Capricorn 19°, a five-year-old child carries a bag filled with groceries, the fourth stage of the fifty-eighth five-fold sequence, establishing what Rudhyar calls a pattern of accelerated growth. A... Read more...
Capricorn 18 - A British warship at sea with the Union Jack flying proudly against a dramatic sky
Protection Always Has a Price
At Capricorn 18°, the Union Jack flies from a British warship, the third stage of the fifty-eighth five-fold sequence, revealing what Rudhyar calls the ambivalence of political power. A meditation... Read more...
Capricorn 17 - A tranquil natural pool surrounded by trees
Nothing Essential Can Actually Be Lost
At Capricorn 17°, a repressed woman finds psychological release in nudism, the second stage of the fifty-eighth five-fold sequence, standing in direct contrast to the previous degree's healthy, open physical... Read more...
Capricorn 16 - A lively school courtyard filled with children in matching gym suits
The Body Needs to Move Too
At Capricorn 16°, school grounds fill with boys and girls in gymnasium suits, the opening stage of the fifty-eighth five-fold sequence, beginning both the Span of Dependence and what Rudhyar... Read more...
Capricorn 15 - A sunlit hospital children's ward filled with colorful toys and stuffed animals
Care Is Never Wasted
At Capricorn 15°, a hospital's children's ward is filled with toys, the fifth and final stage of the fifty-seventh five-fold sequence, closing what Rudhyar calls Scene Nineteen, which began at... Read more...
Capricorn 14 - A weathered ancient bas-relief carved into a granite wall, worn figures still faintly visible after centuries
Carve It Deep Enough to Outlast You
At Capricorn 14°, an ancient bas-relief carved in granite remains a witness to a long-forgotten culture, the fourth stage of the fifty-seventh five-fold sequence, describing the will to unearth what... Read more...
Capricorn 13 - A robed figure sitting in deep meditation before a sacred fire
Guard the Fire, Not the Ego
At Capricorn 13°, a fire worshipper meditates on the ultimate realities of existence, the third stage of the fifty-seventh five-fold sequence, which Rudhyar calls the will to transcendence. A meditation... Read more...
Capricorn 12 - A teacher standing before an illustrated chart of natural phenomena
Explain, Don't Just Impress
At Capricorn 12°, an illustrated lecture on natural science reveals little-known aspects of life, the second stage of the fifty-seventh five-fold sequence, standing in direct contrast to the previous degree's... Read more...
Capricorn 11 - A large group of ornate pheasants with brilliant plumage gathered on the manicured grounds of a private estate
Don't Match the Flock
At Capricorn 11°, a large group of pheasants gathers on a private estate, the opening stage of the fifty-seventh five-fold sequence, and the beginning of a new Third Level, Individual... Read more...
Capricorn 10 - A weathered sailor standing at a ship's rail, a large white albatross gently feeding directly from his open palm
Feed First, Then Receive
At Capricorn 10°, an albatross feeds from the hand of a sailor, the fifth and final stage of the fifty-sixth five-fold sequence, which Rudhyar describes as a culture of harmlessness... Read more...
Capricorn 9 - A radiant black angel gently carrying an ornate golden harp through soft, pink, luminous clouds
The Note Was Already Playing
At Capricorn 9°, an angel carries a harp, the fourth stage of the fifty-sixth five-fold sequence, revealing what Rudhyar calls attunement to the rhythm of universal life. A meditation on... Read more...
Capricorn 8 - Small songbirds perched joyfully inside a sunlit domestic room
Joy Was Never Waiting Outside the Walls
At Capricorn 8°, domesticated birds sing joyously in a sunlit home, the third stage of the fifty-sixth five-fold sequence, describing the wholesome happiness that comes from unreserved acceptance of a... Read more...
Capricorn 7 - A mysterious veiled figure standing in dim, sacred light, robes obscuring their face
Seized by Something Larger
At Capricorn 7°, a veiled prophet speaks, seized by the power of a god, the second stage of the fifty-sixth five-fold sequence, standing in direct contrast to the previous degree's... Read more...
Capricorn 6 - Ten weathered logs stacked neatly beneath a dark stone archway
Finish Before You Cross
At Capricorn 6°, ten logs lie under an archway leading to darker woods, the opening stage of the fifty-sixth five-fold sequence, and the beginning of a new Second Level, Emotional... Read more...
Capricorn 5 - A large canoe filled with warriors moving swiftly across water at dusk
When Grace Isn't Enough
At Capricorn 5°, Indians on the warpath row a well-filled canoe while others perform a war dance, the fifth and final stage of the fifty-fifth five-fold sequence, which Rudhyar suggests... Read more...
Capricorn 3 - An ethereal, luminous female figure of light descending toward earth with arms outstretched
Why the Soul Keeps Choosing a Body
At Capricorn 3°, a human soul, eager for new experience, seeks embodiment, the third stage of the fifty-fifth five-fold sequence, revealing the desire to prove oneself that lies behind the... Read more...
Capricorn 2 - Three grand rose windows inside a Gothic cathedral, two glowing brilliantly with colored light, the third cracked and darkened with visible damage
Two Windows Survived
At Capricorn 2°, three rose windows in a Gothic church are shown, one damaged by war, the second stage of the fifty-fifth five-fold sequence, standing in direct contrast to the... Read more...
Capricorn 4 - A group of people carefully loading and preparing a large wooden canoe at a riverbank
Every Great Journey Starts With Packing Well
At Capricorn 4°, a group of people outfits a large canoe at the start of a journey by water, the fourth stage of the fifty-fifth five-fold sequence, emphasizing group activity... Read more...