Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
My Account | Help | View your shopping cart Shopping Cart We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express
Browse ProductsAuthorsArticlesBlogsEncyclopediaNewslettersAffiliate ProgramContact UsBooksellers
Advanced Search
ENCYCLOPEDIA
Glossary
What's New
Most Popular
List of Articles

Email Exclusives
Sign up to receive special offers and promotions from Llewellyn.

Get the Latest Issue of New Worlds

March / April 2010 Issue

New Worlds Catalog

Download the PDF File version of the latest issue of Llewellyn's New Worlds Catalog


The Llewellyn Encyclopedia

Term: zodiac

DEFINITIONS

Zodiac: The Zodiac is a circle of space surrounding the Earth. It may be imagined as a belt in the heavens about 15 degrees wide in which the planets travel. It is the Sun's apparent path, called the ecliptic. The zodiacal circle is divided into twelve parts, each part containing 30 degrees of space called the Signs of the Zodiac. Thus a sign is a one-twelfth division of the zodiacal circle and is defined as containing 30 degrees of celestial longitude: 12 signs each measuring 30 degrees constitute the circle of the zodiac or 360 degrees. In this circle the planets travel each in its own orbit, one outlying beyond the other. The zodiac, then, is a circle divided into twelve signs through which the planets travel or transit from west to east, going through one sign after another in their order from Aries to Pisces. Although the zodiac is generally referred to as a circle it is, in fact, elliptical.

Each sign possesses a certain specific influence of its own.

The motion of the Earth around the Sun once a year causes the Sun to appear to pass through one of the 12 signs each month. Its influence, according to location, determines not alone the seasons but the general nature and character of persons born at that time.

The signs in order are Aries the Ram, Taurus the Bull, Gemini the Twins, Cancer the Crab, Leo the Lion, Virgo the Virgin, Libra the Scales, Scorpio the Scorpion, Sagittarius the Archer, Capricorn the Goat, Aquarius the Water-Bearer, and Pisces the Fishes.
source: A to Z Horoscope Maker and Delineator, Llewellyn George (Llewellyn Publications)

Zodiac: The zodiac is divided into twelve signs, each comprising 30 degrees. The signs of the zodiac do not correspond to the constellations of the same names, although the mythologies of the signs and the constellations are related.
source: The Truth About Astrology, Gloria Star


ARTICLES

The Zodiac Tarot Review
Summary: A unique deck that can aid in understanding astrology basics and the correspondences between the Tarot cards and astrology as made by the Golden Dawn. Also great for psychologically oriented readings. Name of deck: Zodiac Tarot Publisher: ...
Relevance:  60 % 60%


Signs of the Zodiac
The signs of the zodiac are the most widely known part of the astrological system. As mentioned earlier, almost everyone knows your Sun sign. The daily horoscopes in the newspaper are based on the position of the Sun in the zodiac. The zodiac is ...
Relevance:  37 % 37%


Review of the Celtic Oracle
Summary: The twenty-two oversized cards of the Celtic Oracle provide both an excellent divination tool as well as an introduction to Celtic studies. It elegantly combines Celtic astrology with the Ogham (or Celtic alphabet) and tree symbolism ...
Relevance:  17 % 17%


Angels of the Zodiac
Angels have been associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac for thousands of years. It is a logical association as angels, stars and planets are all associated with the celestial realms. Here are the traditional associations of angels with the ...
Relevance:  13 % 13%


Precession of the Equinoxes
A slow shift in the positions of the Earth’s axis relative to the sun and the fixed stars, precession is the source of a great deal of myth, speculation, and esoteric theory. The Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of just over twenty-three degrees ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Review of The Gilded Tarot
Summary: A spectacularly beautiful Tarot deck using modern digital art that is firmly based on the Rider-Waite-Smith model—making it easy to use for traditionalists and beginners, as well as a compliment for any book—yet significantly original so it ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Divination
The word divination is based on a Latin word that means "the faculty of foreseeing." The word comes from the Latin word for "divine power," or "of the gods." This indicates that the true meaning of the word divination is "to make divine." Far from ...
Relevance:  7 % 7%


Planets
The planets (including the Sun and Moon) are the actors in the astrological drama. They represent ten general categories of energy – ten sub-personalities – that reflect facets of your personality and ways that you function in the world. Each planet ...
Relevance:  5 % 5%


Astrology
Astrology is a science that examines the action of celestial bodies upon all living beings, non-living objects, and earthly conditions, as well as their reactions to such influences. The study of the stars is one of the oldest sciences known to ...
Relevance:  5 % 5%


Astrological Houses
Your astrological chart is divided into twelve sections called houses. They are numbered from the left side counterclockwise around the chart. The chart represents the planets against a background of the signs of the zodiac, and these signs rise in ...
Relevance:  3 % 3%



Curiosity is a great cure-all because it generates energy and enthusiasm. Even if you don’t have much control over your present circumstances, you can nevertheless indulge your curiosity with simple tarot readings. The following is a “card search” technique that gives you something to look forward to. As you shuffle your deck,... read this article
The Astrological Elements: How Compatible Are Your Sun Signs?
The Everyday Clairvoyant: What’s Your Gift? (And Does It Help You Clean The House?)
Court Cards, Part I: The Kings of Tarot
Court Cards, Part II: The Queens of Tarot
Court Cards, Part III: The Knights of Tarot

Most recent posts:
Sun Enters Aries
Aries, The Ram March 20 to April 19 Modality: Cardinal Element: fire Ruler: Mars Keywords: Initiative, action, adventurous, enthusiastic,...

Tomorrow is International Astrology Day!
Tomorrow is International Astrology Day! Considered by many to be the start of the astrological new year, International Astrology Day is...

Potatoes and Competition
There is a famous song by George and Ira Gershwin called "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" which they wrote for the 1937 movie, Shall We Dance? It was...


Some of you may be familiar with the name "Oliver Haddo." It's the name Aleister Crowley used (he used lots of pseudonyms) when he wrote a few...



Llewellyn's 2010 Astrological Calendar Llewellyn's 2010 Astrological Calendar
By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $7.00 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Datebook Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Datebook
By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Calendar Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Calendar
By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $7.00 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2010 Magical Almanac Llewellyn's 2010 Magical Almanac
By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2010 Moon Sign Book Llewellyn's 2010 Moon Sign Book
Plan Your Life by the Cycles of the Moon

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!