7-1 On the structure of the Zodiac
"Every phenomenon is a symbol of the earth, and every character has open gates,
through which the soul, if it is ready for this, can penetrate to the depths of the world ...
Hermann Hesse
through which the soul, if it is ready for this, can penetrate to the depths of the world ...
Hermann Hesse
Overview of common knowledge
Signs of the zodiac known as twelve equal 30-degree sectors. They appeared about V century. BC .. The exact date and place of origin of the zodiacal signs are not installed. Names signs often associated decode and through the Greek myths. But in fact, marks the names came from the Indo-Babylonian antiquities. The Greeks later laid the foundation for the scientific development of the sky. These stars have joined in the group constellation. Greeks rethought images Babylonians, and gave them their mythological and sound design. Zodiac signs are also included in their legends. Due to the brief (already known) content characters in astrology was their original meaning.
Idea of Creation
In ancient times, zodiac discussed very intensively. "The ancients believed that the theory that man is made the image and likeness God, should be taken literally." It has long been associated with the Zodiac idea of Creation. The most famous translation of the word "Zodiac" - "circle of animals" or "circle of animals."
Levels of understanding
As part of the discussion should distinguish between several levels of understanding of the Zodiac:
What ideas could be laid originally in the system;
Нow to interpret these ideas as part of the subsequent history;
What is the goal pursued by the authors.
Topics here boundless. So I put myself frame: start from the structure of the semantic content of characters known for their location in the circle today. My interpretation is not exhaustive - it is generated by searching door to which, perhaps, may be appropriate key. Often, when trying to explain the zodiac symbols are trying to lay the arguments in line. But appearances that bind you can see many signs. The circle of the zodiac by itself does not fit the linear logic.
Identifying the structure
I think this is the main point, the reason. You must first determine the structure of the system. Then look at the layout, content and interrelationship of characters. We know from history that the earliest proto-state in India emerged in the III millennium BC. Due to the recent work of Jorge Quintana "theocratic rule of Mohenjo-Daro", became aware of the octal zodiac dating from the proto-Indian period of the III millennium. BC ..
This Zodiac was composed of the following characters:Edu (ram), Yal (harp), Nand (Crab), Amma (mother), Tuk(scales), Kani (javelin), Kuda (pitcher), Min (fish).
Therefore, the starting structural unit of the system will take the cross. (4)
In the ancient zodiac in India were two crosses (4x2 = 8). In today - three of them (4x3 = 12).
Expansion of the crosses in Astrology
They are:
- Cardinal (main) cross - includes signs: Capricorn, Aries, Cancer, Libra;
- Fixed (stable) cross - includes signs: Aquarius, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio;
- Mutable (variable) cross - signs include: Pisces, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius.
The starting point is the Cardinal cross.
Inside it are the reference points of the sky. This is the point of the spring and autumn equinox, the winter and summer solstice. In fact, the first people differ cardinal on the ground, in the sky and then identified four points of the celestial sphere associated with the circular motion of the sun. In the zodiac these points correspond to the beginning of the four signs: Aries Libra, Capricorn and Cancer. Symbolism Libra and Cancer makes quite clear the functions of these characters. Thus, the cross can be associated with the function of orientation. Important and well-defined function symbols included in this cross.
The second cross - Fixed has a great mythological and culturological load. This cross up signs: Aquarius, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio / Eagle (historical symbol of Scorpio and was considered as the Eagle). Taking the historical background *) and taking note of the symbol of the Eagle / Scorpio, we find ourselves in a rich and extensive historical space of four sacred biblical images of animals (Iez.1: 4-28; also 10:14 and 41:19); Revelation. (Sec. IV) St. John the Evangelist). On the Internet there are interesting historical research made recently by AV Podosinova **) about the origin of these four figures. Great stuff on the four-and four-faced creatures in the Middle East and Egypt, gathered the German scientist O. Keel
If you add these four figures of animals together, they are combined in the figure of the Babylonian Sphinx. It has a human head, torso bull, tail of a lion and wings of an eagle. Generally sphinxes can be made up of all sorts of animals, depending on the ideas that were relevant. My arguments are not new. This line of thought, I found the authors of serious work: in the "Encyclopedia of characters' B. Bauer, J. Dyumottsa, a German researcher Dr. Richard Henning. Leningrad astrologer S.Shestopalov in 1/1991 almanac "Aquarius" called "the four fixed signs of the zodiac - the four pillars on which rests the World ..."
Thus, the content of the cross is a fixed composite mythical animal of mystery. This Sphinx carries the same meaning as the Zodiac - "A man among the animals " or "at the head of the animals."
The third cross - Mutable (mobile). It consists of signs: Pisces, Gemini, Virgo and Sagittarius. In this cross - three characters "human". The fourth "human" sign - Aquarius - is in the previous cross fixed. Thus, it turns out that in the zodiac, there are four "human" character. They are marked in the figure in pink. Four "human" character also form a cross, but - it is unbalanced, oblique. If it would have been symmetric, there was no mystery. It would have been too easy, there would be food for thought and guess.
Unbalance
It's still stopped me for a while. But having got acquainted with the works of V.N.Toporov ("World Tree Universal symbolic systems Part 1" 2010.), I realized that the asymmetry in the cross - not a problem, on the contrary, it is a good signal. Here is his comment on the methods of transmission and protection of knowledge, characteristic of the early era mythopoetic (p.172): "However, even more important is that the very earliest historical description is usually built as an answer to be found. I never expected, the answer may be openly and fully in the text, to recognize that the source. In order to find the desired answer, it was necessary to perform certain operations on the text, comparative method rationalist interpretation of myths Herodotus (such techniques as motivated replacement, overlapping motifs, motifs and so on syncretism. n.), or the method of inverse inference Thucydides. "
This remark is more open: the asymmetry is natural, you can develop the idea further.
Contact 2 and 3 cross
I assumed that the 2nd and 3rd Cross to communicate with each other. 3rd Cross can continue the idea stated in the 2nd cross, like a puzzle. And the head of the sphinx may hint at the direction of the search - on the "human" signs. The following characters are adjacent fixed and mutable crosses, namely: Taurus-Gemini Lev- Virgo, Scorpio (Eagle) - Sagittarius.Aquarius also comes in a fixed cross, and in the "human" signs of the zodiac.
Another very important point that confirms the connection of the 2nd and 3rd of crosses - is compared with the 8 characters of the ancient zodiac. In the ancient zodiac no cross - puzzle / sphinx. In octal Zodiac has 1st cross, associated with solar orientation is a cross, the symbolism of which is close in meaning to the human characters. I mean: the mother (the Virgin); Harp (Gemini); Javelin (Sagittarius). We can assume that the original idea had been uncovered, but then, with the development and understanding of the character of the system, the idea covered 2nd Cross, namely the guardian - the Sphinx. In favor of this version speaks and references 7 seals or 7 keys related to the ancient mystery. (Sphinx plus signs "human" signs).
I understand that it seems it's too simple, but I think this is some logic.
So I came to the conclusion that the "human" signs - the most important in the zodiac. Confirmation of this hypothesis found recently in the Indian zodiac. I was also pleased with the modern sculpture. Paul Menship (1885-1966) American sculptor, known representative of Art Deco of the twentieth century. His composition laid me in the subject.
Attention should be paid - in the Indian zodiac - the procession inside the circle that moves from Virgo to Aquarius. These figures are found in Gemini. The Indian zodiac sign Gemini two figures - a man and a woman. "In Indian philosophy, the universe lies between these two opposite, though complementary principles, all of creation is the result of these two games ... the universe is an extension of the mysterious union of Shiva-Shakti" (Madhu Khanna).
The final figure
In considering the relationship of the archetypes of 4 human characters - it can be assumed as follows: Sagittarius must be the final figure of the system. His figure as a centaur with a bow most clearly expresses the idea of transformation. The lower part of the figure belongs to the world of animals, and torso with a bow man already owned and directed outwards. This is the most dynamic sign of the zodiac. Its potential - in the string taut, he is looking to the future. Virgo and Aquarius, according to their archetypes, can be components of the environment. Gemini can be a kind of equality, equivalence, while the actions of these two components, two conditions, two principles.
So way it turned volumetric filling circuit of 4 characters. Deployment of the system signs and symbols is bounded by two distances, two Biner. One segment connects the signs-symbols of the Virgin and Aquarius (male and female symbols - elements of the world tree ***), the conditions, the other segment - (Gemini-Sagittarius) the process of implementation, subject to simultaneity. Symbols of human characters in the zodiac really break the ancient truth of creation these two symbolic components.
Thus, zodiac contains two ideas: the first - the orientation of the other - on my interpretation - the idea of creation, covered with mysterious Sphinx. Key approached.
Caption emblem (an allegorical figure, with commentaries) alchemist Michael Maier (1568 - 1622) from the book Atalanta fugiens В«Make of the man and woman a Circle, of that a Quadrangle, of this a Triangle, of the same a Circle and you will have the Stone of the Philosophers В». (Literally: "Create a circle of men and women, from a square of a triangle, a circle and from it you get the Philosopher's Stone.") Then Maier, among others, spoke about the importance of geometry, while stressing that the truth is revealed that, who does not think in terms of "a simple mathematical theory, divorced from matter," and understands "physical", "bodily" spatial geometry.
It turns out that I describe here is that in general has long been known/
The path I have chosen a simple and intuitive - with elements of geometry. I look for characters and simple bind.
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*) On the history and symbols of Scorpio / Eagle
1. Scorpio previously depicted as an eagle holding a snake in its talons. In ancient times, these symbols would like to express my great sphere of influence. The symbols are considered as the sign of Scorpio: Eagle, Ophiuchus, Lamp, Pyramid
2.F. Schwab "Scorpion (Scorpio). The eighth sign of the Zodiac, the second and third fixed Water sign, whose symbol is a snake, a scorpion and an eagle. "
3. V.K.Afanasev "The Eagle and the Serpent in the visual and literature of Mesopotamia."
4. According to the ancient Persian tradition called Hazdem sign Scorpio. "Haz" - an obstacle, "Dem" - victory awareness. Zoroastrian symbol of the zodiac sign - the eagle, hatch from eggs, ie conquers all snare start breaking fears. The shell - the symbol of Scorpio fetters shell. ... If a man lives out his lower nature - the nature of the Scorpion, it turns into an eagle, ie there is a qualitative transformation of the individual.
**) A.V. Podosinov В«EX ORIENTE LUX! Orientation of the countries in the light of the archaic cultures of Eurasia "(M .:" Languages of Russian Culture ", 1999).
***) V.N. Toporov "World Tree: the universal image mytho-poetic consciousness"
... Clear and universal system of binary oppositions, to describe the world in its macrocosmic and microcosmic aspects, was typical mytho-poetic outlook ...