Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

June 24,1971, Rochester, Ind.

As historical scholars have shown, zodiacal melothesia (sig rulerships of body parts) nowadays is the reverse of the original version. While browsing through the library recently I came across a 1970-printed college text titled simply Introduction to Astronomy. Being a liberal arts book, it has an excellent section on astronomy's history - which is largely astrology's history too.

On page 11 there is a table listing the symbols of the zodiacal constellations taken from a Euphrates table of circa 600 BC. Of course, many of the animal representations are different from the Greco-Egyptian symbols. Glancing through the table I noted a curious coincidence with the parts of the body ruled by the sign and that sign's name. For instance, Pisces as called "the cord-place." Libra, the head, was called "the Life-maker of Heaven." Even though na-Hertu, the Pair, was labelled by the Egyptians because of the two bright stars placed there, it isn't hard to associate our legs with "the Great Pair." Toi connect Taurus with "the Bull out front" is reminiscent of some modern-day pornographic magazine.

There are several other connections in Egyptian lore which make rather obvious anatomical descriptions with a little thought. Of course Aquarius and the heart, Pa-netith and the arms, and the maiden with the feet are somewhat obvious once you've read Cyril Fagan's commentaries on Egyptian astrology. But what about Pa-gerhedj, the crab or scarab, both members of the phylum Arthropoda, "jointed legs," and ruling the joints of our legs. Although this biological classification is a modern one, certainly the Egyptians had observed similarities in certain animals, the backbone of modern taxonomy. I'd also much prefer thinking of "the place of sunrise" as the Euphratean symbol of "Life-maker of Heaven," associating it thus with the head than to try to argue that the organs of "balance" are located in tis part of the body. After all, these early civilizations, especially the Egyptians, were masters of the pun, as can be clearly seen in the Lion-Sickle case, or in the Euphratean table.

I think the only key to why each sign was given its particular symbol is to be found nowhere else than in medical astrology. [I wouldn't say that today, 47 years later.] It is at least food for thought - and I've had quite an appetite lately.

By Jove wrote: Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:22 am You were an astrology expert at 16? Damn.

You were an astrology expert at 16? Damn.

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:19 pm

By Jove wrote: Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:22 am You were an astrology expert at 16? Damn.

My first published articles were in the July 1971 issue of American Astrology and the concurrent summer issue of Spica. When I look at my early articles, I'd in no sense call myself an expert - there is a lot of stuff I have to have a sense of humor about still being out there - but yes, I was 16 when those were written and published. The letter above was an unpaid "letter to the editor" item the same year.