Lesson 4: The Wheel, the Signs, and the Seasons
Tackling global seasonal variations and incorporating seasonal symbolism
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Review
In the previous lesson, we divided the wheel into four quadrants and considered the meanings of the signs on the natural wheel based on where they fell in the quadrants. We also saw that, on the natural wheel, the signs are placed around the wheel in a counter-clockwise direction.
In this lesson, we will see that the flow of the seasons also proceeds in a counter-clockwise direction and that the signs can be assigned symbolic meaning based on where they fall in the seasonal flow. To get there, we will look a little more closely at the wheel, cover some related astrology history, and address the problem of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere seasonal differences.
In the next lesson, which I expect to be out in a couple of weeks, we will take a look at the elements.
The Wheel and the Seasons
When the wheel is divided into quadrants using the two primary axes, the axes create four points of intersection with the circle, the horizontal line intersecting in two spots and the vertical line intersecting in two spots. Among other things, the points of intersection on the horizontal line represent the equinoxes and the points of intersection on the vertical line represent the solstices. (See wheel on left below.)
Northern Hemisphere Perspective
Looking at the center wheel above, we see that, from a Northern Hemisphere perspective, the left point on the horizontal line represents the Spring Equinox and the right point represents the Autumn Equinox. Looking at the vertical line, we see that the bottom point represents the Summer Solstice and the top point represents the Winter Solstice. Further down, we will look at the wheel from a Southern Hemisphere perspective. For now, we will stick with the Northern Hemisphere viewpoint.
We saw in the previous lesson that the convention we use for the natural wheel in astrology is to start the wheel with the slice on the left side of the chart that descends down from the horizontal line. We designate that slice as the first house and we place Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, there. We then place the rest of the signs in order, counter-clockwise, around the wheel.
Again looking at the center wheel above, we see that, from a Northern Hemisphere perspective, the Vernal Equinox aligns with the first sign of the zodiac, Aries. Three signs later, we see that the Summer Solstice aligns with the start of Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac. Another three signs later, we see the Autumn Equinox aligning with the start of Libra, the seventh sign. And, finally, three more signs later, we see the Winter Solstice aligning with the start of Capricorn, the tenth sign. Thus, the seasonal turning points line up with the natural, counter-clockwise order of the signs on the natural wheel when we look at the wheel from a Northern Hemisphere perspective. (Notice, by the way, that the signs that align with the equinox and solstice points are the cardinal signs.)
When we consider the equinox and solstice points on the wheel further, we see that their counter-clockwise direction matches the counter-clockwise direction of the Sun as it appears to travel around the Earth. In this way, the wheel encodes our geocentric perspective. We placed the signs, the astrological analog to the constellations, counter-clockwise around the wheel because, from our perspective, that is the direction the Sun appears to travel through them.
Because of the correspondence between sign and seasonal turning point, each quadrant represents a season, as shown on the wheel on the right above. From a Northern Hemisphere perspective, the first quadrant represents Spring, the second quadrant represents Summer, the third quadrant represents Autumn, and the fourth quadrant represents Winter.
We saw in the previous lesson that each quadrant is made up of three signs. Looking at the wheel on the right above, we see that the first three signs of the zodiac, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, fall in Spring. The second three signs, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo fall in Summer. The third three signs, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius, fall in Autumn. And the last three signs, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces, fall in Winter. Because of these sign alignments with the seasons, we can tune into the seasons to help us better understand the signs.
However, there’s a catch. The sign-season correspondences detailed above only work from a Northern Hemisphere perspective. From a Southern Hemisphere perspective, things are different.
Seasons and the Southern Hemisphere
At first glance, there seems to be no difference in the sky when we look at the seasonal turning points on the wheel from a Southern Hemisphere perspective. Just as in the Northern Hemisphere, the equinoxes align with the left and right points of the horizontal line and the solstices align with the top and bottom points of the vertical line. (See wheel on left below.)
But, when we start to look at specifics, we see a significant difference.
As shown on the center wheel above, from a Southern Hemisphere perspective, the Vernal Equinox, signifying the start of the seasonal year, aligns with the right point on the horizontal axis, not the left point, and the Autumn Equinox aligns with the left point, not the right point. Thus, the equinoxes fall in polar opposite positions on the wheel from where they fall on the Northern Hemisphere wheel. Similarly, when we look at the vertical axis, we see a similar reversal: the Summer Solstice aligns with the top point on the vertical line instead of the bottom point and the Winter Solstice aligns with the bottom point instead of the top point.
In terms of sign alignments with the seasons, this reversal makes a difference. Looking at the wheel on the right above, we see that the start of Spring, the first season of the year marked by the Vernal Equinox on the right of the wheel, aligns with Libra, the seventh sign of the zodiac, not Aries, the first sign, located on the left. The start of Summer, four months into the seasonal year, aligns with Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac, located at the top of the wheel, not Cancer, the fourth sign, located at the bottom of the wheel.
Continuing, the start of the Fall, seven months into the seasonal year, aligns with Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, located on the left of the wheel, not Libra, the seventh sign, located on the right. Finally, the start of Winter, ten months into the seasonal year, aligns with Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac, located at the bottom of the wheel, not Capricorn, the tenth sign, located at the top of the wheel. Thus, while the flow of the seasons is in the same direction on the wheel (counter-clockwise), the sign alignments are off.
These sign polarities continue for all the signs. Looking at the Southern Hemisphere wheel on the right below, we see that Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius make up the season of Spring, which falls in the third quadrant (upper right) on that wheel. Looking at the Northern Hemisphere wheel on the left below, we see that Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, the signs that sit directly opposite Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius, make up Spring, which falls in the first quadrant. The same is true for all the seasonal alignments of the signs, as seen in the wheels below. You can also see these polarities in the table included beneath the wheels.
In future lessons, we will see that this polarity between North and South exists in other ways, too. For now, we will keep our focus on this seasonal polarity and consider the origins of the wheel to make sense of it.
How the Wheel Came to Be What It is
The Sun, appearing to transit around the Earth over the course of a year, looks to pass through the belt of constellations known as the zodiac. Because the constellations in the sky are all different sizes, making standardization, a presumable desire, impossible, and because it can be hard to tell where one constellation ends and another begins, the constellations are not the best reference points for tracking the Sun. Since the other planets travel in the same circle as the Sun, the constellations are also not the best reference points for tracking the movements and positions of the planets.
To address this issue, in ancient times, Babylonian astronomers decided to divide a circle into twelve equal-sized slices. This circle represented the ecliptic, or the apparent path of the Sun around the Earth over a year of time. They then chose signs with which to label each slice. Using this wheel, they could plot the positions of the Sun and planets and also track the Earth’s yearly relationship with the stars.1
The Greek astronomer Hipparchus, discovering that the signs drift back through the constellations over time, something the Babylonians were not concerned about,2 decided to fix Aries to the Vernal Equinox such that, each year at the Vernal Equinox, the zodiac, called a tropical zodiac, begins anew starting with zero degrees Aries. Anchoring the tropical zodiac in this way, Hipparchus tied it to the seasons, or the Earth’s relationship with the Sun rather than the stars. Thus, the tropical zodiac became a way to track planet positions and to track the seasons, or the Earth’s yearly relationship with the Sun as opposed to the stars.
The catch is that Hipparchus lived in the Northern Hemisphere and so the Spring Equinox he used to fix the tropical zodiac was the Northern Hemisphere Spring Equinox in March, not the Southern Hemisphere Spring Equinox in September. Thus, a Northern Hemisphere bias was built into the tropical zodiac regarding the seasons.3
So What Do We Do?
If I am making the assertion that we can gain insight into the signs based on their seasonal associations, how can that be true if there is no universal correspondence between the signs and the seasons? As astrologer Christopher Warnock reminds us, not only is there a difference between Northern and Southern Hemisphere seasons, some places on Earth only have two or three seasons.4 And, even when we think about the four seasons, there are differences in how they manifest from one place on the globe to another.
So, how do we make sense of the signs from a seasonal perspective if there is no universal expression of the seasons? The best answer I have found came from a comment on a Quora thread. This comment was made by Alexandra StarWalker and was based on her perspective as someone who lives in the Southern Hemisphere.5
In her answer, she makes the case that the basic qualities of the signs are the same in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, but with subtle differences that seem to be seasonally based. Aries, she says as an example, still manifests as Aries in the Southern Hemisphere, but in a more introspective way, which is consistent with Aries’ alignment with the start of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
Thus, based on her experience, StarWalker suggests that the solution to the issue surrounding hemispheric differences is to pay attention to what you notice, both in terms of the manifestations of the archetypes and the corresponding seasonal variations. Regardless of hemisphere, there will be a core to each sign that will still manifest. But the seasonal differences will show up as nuanced variations.
The reason I like StarWalker’s solution is because it makes sense for all seasonal variations around the globe. Also, it opens all of us up to recognizing that, while there are underlying essences to signs that are universal, these core essences manifest in subtly different ways depending on various factors, one of these factors being the seasonal variations of the Earth.
Thus, we can still use the seasons to gain insight into the signs. In fact, we can do so to gain insight specific to our location. Additionally, we can sharpen our understanding of the essence of each sign by comparing and contrasting our local observations with the local observations of others around the world.
Season-based Sign Symbolism
Below, I share my takes on the season-based symbolism of the signs. I was only going to include a few to keep the lesson from getting too long, but, since I haven’t thought a lot about this aspect of astrology beyond what I learned when I first started out, I decided to go through each one as an exercise for myself. I encourage you to do the same.
For my exercise, I divided each sign into two sections. In the first section, I listed the universals of the given sign - archetype, quadrant, quadruplicity, and element. In the second section, I noted the location-specific dates for the sign and wrote up a description of the sign from a seasonal perspective. To give the seasonal description, I drew on the universal designations.
If you try this exercise, work with what you know so far and don’t worry about what you don’t know. As you learn more about the signs, each part that you learn will enhance your understanding of the other parts. Over time, as you continue to reflect on and work with the symbolism, your understanding will clarify and deepen. So, start where you are and build from there as you learn more. If you get something wrong or if you can’t come up with anything, your effort is still a success because you have created the conditions for your mind to start asking.
If you are so inclined, please feel free to share some of your insights, noting where you are in the world. It would provide a fun way for all of us to learn.
Descriptions
The following descriptions are based on my Northern US perspective where we have four seasons, starting with Spring in March.
One last thing. If you notice, we have already looked at the symbolism of the signs from a seasonal perspective, although a generic one, when we looked at the quadruplicities (modalities). Consider the following: the cardinal signs are all the signs that initiate the seasons; the fixed signs are all the signs that fall in the middle of the seasons, sustaining them; and the mutable signs are all the signs that fall at the end of the seasons, transitioning from one to the next.
Aries
Universal Qualities
Archetype: The Ram
Quadrant: 1st (Identity)
Modality: Cardinal
Element: Fire (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Spring: Mar 21 - Apr 19
We see the identity aspect of Aries (first quadrant) in the seed, which contains the blueprint for the growing being. We see the cardinal initiation in the thrusting upwards of the germinating seed. We see the fighting and fiery aspect of Aries in the rams butting horns during the Spring mating season. We also see the fiery aspect in the germinating seed’s inner guidance as it makes its way in the dark underground.
Note: to truly understand the difference between an Aries manifesting in the Northern Hemisphere versus the Southern Hemisphere, I would need specific examples of how it manifests in the Southern Hemisphere. What would a more introspective Aries look like, eg? The same need for examples from other locations applies for all the signs.
Taurus
Universal Qualities
Archetype: The Bull
Quadrant: 1st (Identity)
Modality: Fixed
Element: Earth (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Spring: Apr 20 - May 20
We see the fixed modality manifesting in the stabilizing of the warmer weather and the continuation of rain. We also see it in the sustained blossoming of the flowers and trees, providing sustenance for the birds, insects, and other fellow Earth inhabitants, including ourselves. We see the identity aspect in the blossoms, clearly indicating the identity of the flower by sight and scent. We see Taurus’ rulership of the senses in the sight and smell of the blossoming flowers and the sounds of the birds and insects. In the time of Taurus, we settle in to the new season.
Gemini
Universal
Archetype: The Twins
Quadrant: 1st (Identity)
Modality: Mutable
Element: Air (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Spring: May 21 - June 20
We see the mutable and air modalities in the leaves filling out the trees, creating many points of interchange between the tree and the world outside itself, allowing for the exchange of gases, and preparing for the shade that will be needed in the Summer months ahead. We see the identity aspect in the shape of the leaves, clearly indicating the type of tree.
Summer
Cancer
Universal
Archetype: The Crab
Quadrant: 2nd (Expression)
Modality: Cardinal
Element: Water (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Summer: June 21 - July 22
We see the cardinal initiation aspect of Cancer in the start of a new season. Cardinal energy is said to take one step forward and two steps back. We see the season start out warm and inviting, but giving way to thunderstorms punctuating the progress. We also see the emotional aspect of the expressiveness of the second quadrant in the thunderstorms and in the increased humidity (water = emotions) giving rise to greater physical discomfort, which can affect our emotions. The start of Summer initiates the time of year where we spend more time engaged in activities with our families.
Leo
Universal
Archetype: The Lion
Quadrant: 2nd (Expression)
Modality: Fixed
Element: Fire (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Summer: July 23 - Aug 22
We see the fixed modality and the fire element in the unrelenting heat of the Sun. We see the fiery aspect in the Sun’s ability to warm and burn. We see the expressiveness of the second quadrant in the Summer festival season in full swing, the joyful celebrations, the fireworks, and the play that Summer brings out.
Virgo
Universal
Archetype: The Virgin
Quadrant: 2nd (Expression)
Modality: Mutable
Element: Earth (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Summer: Aug 23 - Sep 22
We see the mutable modality expressed in the Sun’s light beginning to subside. We shift from an excess of outer energy supply to a decrease in that, so we shift to a more mindful use of energy and resources. We shift our attention from celebration to preparation for school and a more serious focus. The tents and booths of the festivals are taken down and packed up. A time of ending one season and preparing for the next.
Autumn
Libra
Universal
Archetype: The Scales
Quadrant: 3rd (Relationship)
Modality: Cardinal
Element: Air (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Autumn: Sep 23 - Oct 22
We see the cardinal initiation in the turning of the leaves, as the seasonal scales tip from Summer to Fall. We also see breathtaking beauty in the turning of the leaves, which fits with Libra’s association with beauty. Days are generally sunny and pleasant, not too warm and not too cold. Some extreme days are possible, which fits the Libra symbolism of the possibility of imbalance expressed as extremes.
Scorpio
Universal
Archetype: The Scorpio
Quadrant: 3rd (Relationship)
Modality: Fixed
Element: Water (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Autumn: Oct 23 - Nov 21
We see the fixed nature of Scorpio in the settling in of cooler weather and the darkness now more pronounced. We see the deepening of relationships in the move indoors and also, paradoxically, in the meeting of the shadow side that marks this part of the season (Halloween and All Soul’s day are seasonal holidays). We see the sudden turnover of the lakes, which isn’t really sudden but the result of a slow build up of a process that primes it to be susceptible to outer forces. That fits with fixed energy, where something can seem to suddenly shift, but in fact it has been building up within for some time, ready to be triggered by an outer event.
Sagittarius
Universal
Archetype: The Archer
Quadrant: 3rd (Relationship)
Modality: Mutable
Element: Fire (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Autumn: Nov 22 - Dec 21
We see the mutability in the decreasing temperatures and, sometimes, a snowfall or two signalling a change. We see the theme of expanding relationships in a holiday that harkens back to local people gifting transplanted Europeans with life-saving food. We also see the benevolence and generosity of the fire element in that gesture. (Sadly, that cross-cultural gesture of friendship didn’t end well, which perhaps also speaks to the changing nature of mutability.) We also see the fire element in a particularly benevolent, appreciative, Sagittarian way in the Thanksgiving celebration.
Winter
Capricorn
Universal
Archetype: The Seagoat
Quadrant: 4th (Greater Good)
Modality: Cardinal
Element: Earth (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Winter: Dec 22 - Jan 19
We see the cardinal initiation of Winter. We also see the one step forward, two steps back pattern of cardinality in that the initiation of Winter signals the beginning of the Sun rising higher in the sky (one step forward), yet also the beginning of the descent into the deep freeze (two steps back). We also see the theme of initiation in the Christian holiday of Christmas during which the birth of Jesus is celebrated, and in the New Year holiday celebrating the birth of a new calendar year.
Aquarius
Universal
Archetype: The Water Bearer
Quadrant: 4th (Greater Good)
Modality: Fixed
Element: Air (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Winter: Jan 20 - Feb 19
We see the fixity of Aquarius in the deep freeze of this time of year, the winter weather settled in for the season. We see the fixed Air in the constancy of the low level breeze during this time of year, adding to and sustaining the deep winter chill. We see 4th quadrant themes at play in the outdoor winter festivities put on by cities and towns, serving the greater good of keeping people’s spirits up during the most difficult time of winter, bringing people together, and giving them an opportunity to both participate and contribute (outdoor ice sculpture festivals as one example). Valentine’s Day speaks to the Water Bearer’s task of carrying the message of water (emotion). All the while, the Sun establishes a solid footing higher in the sky during this time, helping keep us future-oriented to the warmer weather to come.
Pisces
Universal
Archetype: The Fish
Quadrant: 4th (Greater Good)
Modality: Mutable
Element: Water (not yet covered)
Location Specific (Northern US)
Winter: Feb 20 - Mar 19
The weather is at its most messy, creative beginnings during the zodiac month of Pisces. We see the mutable energy in the ice thawing, the mud forming, the winds blowing, and the general unpredictability of the weather and temperatures. On any day, we could have glorious Sun, a down pouring of rain, high wind, or a blizzard. Water, though, is the theme of the month, setting the stage, together with the thawing of the Earth, for the bursting forth of growth to come in Spring. The most notable celebration during this month is St. Patrick’s day, a time of letting loose after a winter of restraint. St. Patrick’s Day fits with the Piscean themes of saints, saviors, and addiction.
Updates
March 12, 2024
I updated the table to one that includes the row labels of North and South, which were left out on the original.
Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed to my Substack for your support and interest in what I do. I hope that what I share continues to be helpful for you as you travel your path.
References
StarWalker, Alexandra. (2017, Nov 27). Do people in the southern hemisphere have different sun signs? [Answer to question]. In Quora. https://www.quora.com/Do-people-in-the-southern-hemisphere-have-different-sun-signs/answer/Alexandra-StarWalker
van der Waerden. (n.d.) History of the Zodiac. "Archiv für Orientforschung", Band XVI, Zweiter Teil. https://cds.cern.ch/record/96412/files/CERN-ARCH-PMC-06-353.pdf (This is an excerpt of a book. including the Introduction and chapters I - III, found in pdf form housed in the Pauli Manuscript Collection of the Pauli Archives on CERN’s Document Server.)
Warnock, Christopher. (2023, May 10). Using the Tropical Zodiac in Southern Hemisphere - Australia [Video]. Renaissance Astrology: YouTube.
Notes
My understanding of what I explain in this paragraph comes from van der Waerden, chapter 1. Though I do not fully understand everything in his text, I believe I have the gist of it right. On pp. 221 - 222, he discusses the relationship between the signs and both the stars and the months of the year in the Babylonian conception of the tropical zodiac. Without going into detail because it is beyond the scope of this article and something I am still working out for myself, while the Babylonians did connect the tropical zodiac to the year, it seems they did it based on the stars, not the seasons.
See van der Waerden, pp. 222-223.
Even without the seasonal bias, there is a Northern Hemisphere bias to the tropical zodiac because it was created by people looking at the sky from a Northern Hemisphere perspective. As mentioned in the article, we will touch on more of that bias in future lessons.
See Warnock (timestamp 9:32 - 11:55 ).
See StarWalker for the discussion in this section on how to make sense of the signs from a Southern Hemisphere seasonal perspective. Also see Warnock’s video for another perspective on this matter.
Hi Ellen, It has taken me a wee while to complete this and it is soooo insightful. So much insight and understanding. Much appreciation. Ann