Astrology is the superstition that the stars can influence the events on Earth. Believing that these stars were celestial beings that could exert their control on the people of Earth led people to study them. It was a type of divination that can be traced back to the Greek empire and influenced many other cultures. It was called Western Astrology or Western Zodiac and is the most common version of the Zodiac that people know. Other types of zodiac include Chinese, Celtic, and Native American Zodiac, all with their own stories and histories. All these Zodiacs have one thing in common, the belief that what you are born under affects who you are.
Western Zodiac is well known by many people and is what comes to mind when the word “Zodiac” is mentioned. In no particular order, the twelve signs include Aries, Taurus, Pisces, Scorpio, Libra, Aquarius, Cancer, Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Capricorn, and Sagittarius. Each sign has a symbol, planet, and element that represents them. Due to the belief that when you are born affects who you are, phrases like, “You are such a Gemini.” or “That was such a Capricorn thing to do.” and the ever-famous, “Oh I’m such a Scorpio.” Libras are decisive and want to maintain balance, hence the scale being their symbol. Aries are hot-headed and strong-willed, hence the symbol of the ram. So on and so forth. Although there is no science behind the signs affecting who you are and what you become, many people use it as such. The most common way to do this is by reading a horoscope and researching your sign.
The Chinese Zodiac is the one that stands out from the others with its rotation being yearly instead of monthly. This year is the year of the dragon. Its origin starts with a story. Depending on the one telling it Buddha or the Jade Emperor summoned all the animals of the universe to a race or a banquet (again depending on the teller). That order of the 12 animals dictated the order of the animals in the rotation. Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, and last but not least, Pig. The journey of these animals involved underhand tricks and heroics. A truly entertaining history of this Zodiac but it is only a story. The real history doesn’t have magical animals or races but rather pottery. During the Tang Dynasty, these animals were popular and it is said that the animals traveled on the same route as the Buddhist belief, the Silk Road. It is argued that they used the planet Jupiter as a constant due to the 12 years of its orbit around the Earth. Others have argued that it came from nomadic tribes in China who based their calendar around the animals they hunted and gathered.
The Celtic Zodiac is another outcast with its Zodiac having 13 signs instead of 12. Although some can argue that the Western Zodiac has a 13th sign, not many acknowledge it. The Celtic Zodiac comes from Druidism, a religion that believes in the spirits of nature. The fantastical story by Helena Patterson, titled Celtic Moon Signs. The story is about how Celtic Priests found their 13-month lunar zodiac through astronomical knowledge and religion on their travels. Others say it was from the poet Robert Graves and his book The White Goddess in 1948. They say it had little to do with astrology and more with pre-Christian Celtic society. Each sign is connected to a letter in the tree alphabet, a tree, and the usual animal. The order of the signs follows Birch Tree (representing B or Beth/Beith in the tree alphabet and a stag/deer), Rowan Tree (representing L or Luis and a cat), Ash Tree (representing N or Nion/Nuin and a snake), Alder Tree (representing F or Fearn and a fox), Willow Tree (representing S or Saille and a cow), Hawthorn Tree (representing H or Huath/Uatha and a seahorse), Oak Tree (representing D or Duir and a Wren), Holly Tree (representing T or Tinne/Teine and a horse), Hazel Tree (representing C or Coll/Call and a salmon), Vine Tree (representing M or Muin and a swan), Ivy Tree (representing G or Gort and a butterfly), Reed Tree (representing ngetal/nGeatal and a wolf), Elder Tree (representing R or Ruis and a falcon).
Native American Zodiac is similar to Western due to the sign names being the same (Virgo, Taurus, etc). The difference is the animals that represent them. Unlike Western with the mix of animals and objects to represent the signs, the Native Zodiac just has animals. Aries (Red Hawk), Taurus (Beaver), Pisces(Wolf), Scorpio(Snake), Libra(Raven), Aquarius(Otter), Cancer(Woodpecker), Gemini(Deer), Leo(Salmon), Vigro(Brown Bear), Capricorn(Snow Goose), and Sagittarius(Owl). Like Native American culture and traditions, the signs revolve around nature. The Medicine Wheel, used by Native tribes for health and healing, divides into four clans (sections), then divided further into three. This creates 12 sections much like the 12 zodiacs.
Many people find the zodiac clique and associate it with those weird girls who ask for your sign to decide how compatible you two are but it can still be a fun way to get to know who you are, even if it isn’t always correct. Although astrology is no longer a common practice with science giving us the answers to many big questions, many still use it, even if it isn’t used in the same way anymore.
