Most people know that the signs of the zodiac share their name with the twelve constellations in the sky, through which the Sun travels throughout the year. It is what astrology is based on.
You may even know that these constellations were named after characters from Greek myths.
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But how familiar are you with the ancient legends and traditions associated with these characters?
What about the other gods and creatures related to your sign?
Could you imagine the signs of the zodiac as gods that have guided and protected you throughout your life?
The Greeks did not live in a vacuum.
The Mediterranean region where they first appeared was (as it still is now) shared by many different countries and cultures.
The Greeks got many of their ideas from the Mesopotamians and they also greatly admired the eastern persian people.
Over time, the Greeks contributed to the civilizations that followed them.
The romansThey, for example, were heavily influenced by their Greek ancestors and adopted several of their deities into their own pantheon just by changing the names.
You will surely recognize these names: Mercury, Venus, Mars; Yes, All the planets in the solar system are named after Roman deities, going back to Greek roots.
However, zodiac deities are not limited to Greek and Roman cultures.
Most of the cultures of the world have some kind of spiritual conception of the basic elements of life (earth, fire, sky, seas, love, war, death, birth, abundance, misfortune, inspiration, strength, etc.).
In ancient times, the gods were involved in the various aspects of daily life, as well as the spirit guides of the animals. Terrestrial and human nature, without a doubt, is divine and is full of life and energy that may well be the work of God. And, if you pay attention, you will surely find the divinity you need.
But to help you connect with these divinities, here is a brief guide to get you started.
By the way, there is no way I can list all the thousands of entities from around the world here, as it would make for a very long book, but this list should help you start your own theological research to define your personal pantheon.
ARIES (March 21 – April 19)
The sign of Aries is a young and full of energy sign, so it is found always eager for action, fire, lust, rage, passion, confrontation, etc..
Your ruling planet, Marswas adapted by romans of the Greek god of war, Ares. (However, despite the similarity of names, the constellation Aries represents the ram with the golden fleece of greek history Jason and the Argonauts).
Other deities of war and passion include Morrigan (Celtic); Montu (Egyptian); Huitzilopochtli, God of war in Aztec mythology; Karttikeya, God of war in Hindu mythology; Inanna She was the Goddess of love, war and protector of the city of Uruk in Sumerian mythology and the Epunamun who would be a spirit in the Mapuche culture, equivalent to a god of war, which was described as a giver of battle advice.
TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)
Venus, the ruling planet of Taurus, is the Roman goddess of love and prosperity. Taurus has a gentle fondness for the finer things in life.
So where does the «Bull«? The most common myth is that Zeus took the form of a beautiful bull to kidnap and seduce the Phoenician princess Europe. The king minos (mino-taur, do you understand?) From Crete was his son.
Other deities of wealth and beauty include Lakshmi (Hindu), Aphrodite (Greek) and Freya (Nordic). Bi Gan is the God of abundance and prosperity in Chinese culture. The representation of him is mounted on a black tiger and, in addition, holds a gold bar.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)
The Gemini constellation contains the two stars Castor and Polluxwhich are named after the twin warriors of Greek mythology.
Gives It was his mother, he king of sparta was the father of Beaver Y Zeus was the father of Pollux.
Mercury governs Gemini, and this roman god of youth and charm grants intelligence and eloquence. Other deities dealing with these concepts include tir (Armenian), Papa Legba (voodoo) and Ganesh (Hindu).
CANCER (from June 21 to July 22)
Greek myth tells us that during the battle of Hercules with a Hydrathe goddess Hera he sent a giant crab to distract the warrior. When the battle was over, he placed the crab in the sky as a token of thanks.
As a zodiac sign, Cancer gets its traits from Hera a powerful mother figure who rules marriage, birth, and the home.
There are many mother goddesses in world mythology, such as Bast (Egyptian), Brigid (Celtic) and Yemaya (West Africa).
LEO (July 23 – August 22)
Many cultures saw this constellation as a Lionand the Babylonians also associated her with royalty.
For the Greeks, Leo was the Nemean Lion (another of Hercules’ challenges) – His skin was impervious to all weapons and could only be defeated by strangulation.
Hercules he wore his skin like a cape, much in keeping with the legendary hero.
Leo is ruled by the sun. Every pantheon has a solar deity, but if you want something more specific, Leo is also a sign of kings and generosity.
Test Amun or Ra (Egyptian), Apollo (Greek) or Yhi (aboriginal).
VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)
Virgo could have been astraeathe Greek virgin goddess of justice and virtue.
According to the stories, as humans grew more warlike at the beginning of the Iron Age, Astraea gave us all a stern warning before disappearing into the mountains.
Perhaps the cynical nature of this zodiac sign can be traced back to the Goddess’s keen analysis of everything that was wrong and her knowledge that it was only going to get worse.
Mercury rules both Virgo and Gemini. In this sign the rational, intellectual side of him is emphasized. Minerva (Roman), nidaba (Sumerian) and Gefjon (Nordic) are goddesses of similar spheres.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22)
Libra, the scales, is the only zodiac sign represented by an inanimate object.
In some stories, it is the balance that holds astraea (the Virgo goddess of justice). Others make it the claws of Scorpio, a sign that rules legal systems (among other things).
The Greeks also thought it was the chariot of Hadeswho kidnapped persephone and caused the first winter. (The Sun in Libra marks the fall equinox, the end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.)
Venus rules both Libra and Taurus.
His love for harmony and compassion is emphasized here. Other kind deities of justice, equality and peace include shamash (Mesopotamia), Maat (Egyptian) and Vishnu (Hindu).
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21)
When the hunter orion he boasted that he planned to kill all the animals on earth, Gaiathe goddess of the Earth (or Artemis the Huntress, in some versions), sent a giant Scorpion to deal with him.
We can still see scorpio chasing Orion through the sky every year.
Scorpio is a sign of mystery and extreme emotions that hide beneath a cool exterior, an assassin sent to show us the consequences of letting our pride get out of control.
Scorpio is ruled by Pluto.
With his dark and secret agenda, he can be considered a «Cheater» and can be found in the same company as Anansi (Africa), Loki (Nordic) and Coyote (native American).
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)
The story of Sagittarius is that of Chironthe centaur (not to be confused with the asteroid Chiron). Chironthe gentlest and wisest of his kind, was a healer, a teacher, and a seeker of knowledge.
Hercules he accidentally shot him with a poisoned arrow, but as an immortal, he couldn’t die.
To end the unbearable pain, Zeus He placed it in the sky as a constellation, with its arrow always pointing towards the mysterious heart of the Scorpion.
Jupiter (the Roman version of Zeus) is the planet of Sagittarius.
It is associated with abundance and good luck. Similar deities include Tyche (Greek), the «seven gods of fortune» (Japan) and Copy (Roman).
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)
Capricorn is «the goat», or more specifically, «the sea goat». The lower half is a fish! In fact, the goat in question is none other than the god Bread.
When the olympic gods they fought against the titansit was Bread who found a conch in the sea and blew it like a horn to scare (or frighten) the enemy.
In other myths, Bread he has the lower legs of a goat and the upper body of a man (like a satyr), and he plays on reed flutes (also called Pan pipes).
Pan is always cunning, calculating and ambitious.
Capricorn is ruled by Saturna planet associated with the weather, patience and rational thinking.
Other deities like this include Chronos (Greek), janus (Roman) and the Norns (Nordic).
AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)
Ganymede was a young man who was taken to Olympus to serve as a cupbearer to Zeus.
He was the first mortal human to achieve immortality, and because he asked to be allowed to carry water for humans as well, he became into a rain god.
The «water» that Aquarius carries could be seen as the understanding and wisdom of the gods.
When you share it with humanity, it ignites a divine spark in mortal souls, inspiring us to evolve.
Aquarius is ruled by Uranusa planet of surprises and transformation.
Other gods of change, wisdom, and evolution include psycho (Greek), etain (Irish) and saraswati (Hindu).
PISCES (February 19 – March 20)
Aphrodite (the goddess of beauty) and her son Eros (the god of love) tried to escape from Typhoona monster as powerful as the Greek gods.
One version of the story is that they jumped into a river and turned into fish.
Another version is that when they hit the water, two fish came to their rescue and helped them escape.
To show their gratitude, the gods immortalized the fish in the constellation of Pisces.
Ruled by Neptune (the planet named after the Roman god of the sea), Pisces is associated with imagination, dreams, emotions, and psychic abilities.
The gods include Enki (Sumerian), Morpheus (Greek) and nott (Nordic).