New: The circle: where to begin!

Circles and Natal Charts

As you study astrology, note that the birth chart is not always a circle as you see presented by Western Astrologers today. In fact, Asian Astrologers today use a square shape to depict the signs, and planets in the heavens. Although ancient use is of the square is fascinating; I think, what is referred to as the Western model, is much more useful, understandable, and as one becomes acquainted with Western Astrology, it just makes the most sense than the vedic system.

So today, a little about the circle: The circle was developed and refined by the Sumerian's. The shape, with 360 degrees allows a close proximity to the earths annual year. The Sumerian's, recognized that are 365 annual days and compensated with 5 annual holidays. Still not a perfect system, but measuring with degrees matched planetary movements pretty darn close. And the 360 degrees pretty much works, creating divisions by half, third, sixths, twelves. Opposite points in space (oppostions), matching points in space (conjunctions) useful for following the sea tides and our internal ebb and flows. Most useful with Astrological references to lunar movements. The number of degrees in the circle is so close to the number of days in a year that the circle, and its devision by degrees can be a useful measurement tool for time. Not exact, but very close.

How did they discover the circle, or begin to design with the circle, probably with a stick in the ground, a string attached to the stick at the top and some kind of marker at the end of the string to make a path around the stick and thus creating a circle. Simple!

The circle allows cardinal points (compass points), thus also creating directional reference. These references allow mapping the heavens as well as our earth space. A most useful development in civilization. Further the circle provides a total reference to the totality of the universe.

Daily the earth makes a complete circular movement (spin) thus providing a complete view of the zodiac and all our heavenly neighbors. And the circular (eliptical) motion of the earth around the sun pretty much creates seasons and earth time. And those cardinal points come in handy creating dates for the seasons. Although there is some "progression" (regressive, not very apparent backward movement as measured in time...see Article Age of Aquarius) and it's not perfect, modern resources more than compensate time variations with this annual movement/time cycle.

Smart as they where Sumerian's couldn't get past the math issue of Pi, but they took that issue as far as possible, and its still perplexing today. When reading about Angles and Aspect you will appreciate the simplicity of measuring planetary movement within a circular space as well. As a final note consider the symbolic space of the circle....real geological/astronomical objects have no straight lines. Objects with lines are a pure construct of man's imagination. Sometimes useful for building square houses on square lots,but not so much for astrology.

Symbolically the circle represent completion: no beginning no end. Ever expanding, or contracting, an image for reincarnation, seasonal change, and the continuity of life. The circle: the symbol of the sun represented with a dot in the middle...meaning man's place in the universe, time, or timelessness.

Article by Joseph