Blog
Astrology Around the World
Whether you believe in astrology or not, chances are you’re familiar with the Western zodiac. We bet you know your starsign and the common traits associated with it...any proud Leos out there, harmonious Libras, practical Capricorns?
Astrology - the practice of divining information from celestial movements - has its fair share of sceptics. People who doubt astrology and horoscopes normally do so because they consider it arbitrary or coincidental. But the idea that our personalities and fates might be shaped by the celestial world doesn’t have to be wishy-wishy conjecture.
In older times - both ancient and not-so-ancient - people were far more influenced by the cycles of the natural world. Our lifestyles, systems, ceremonies and ways of living and working were very much shaped by the seasons and the cosmos. So perhaps it’s not too much of a stretch to believe that a child who was born in January - the dead of winter - would develop hardier more resilient personality traits, than one who was born in July - the high summer - an easier more pleasant time.
Certainly, many cultures throughout history have believed something of the sort. The Western branch of astrology is actually just one kind. Do you know your Chinese zodiac sign? What about your Celtic Tree sign? Let’s take a look at some other astrological systems from around the world.
Celtic Tree and Animal Astrology
If you’re familiar with the the Druids - the spiritual leaders of the Celtic tribes - you’ll know that trees were very important to them. They believed that trees contained great spirit, wisdom and power. In some stories, it was even told that Druids believed humankind was born from trees and that trees consequently shape who we become.
Animals were also a big part of this ancient culture. The Celts saw elements of themselves - their personalities and behaviours - reflected in creatures of the natural world.
In Celtic Astrology, the year is broken into 13 lunar months, based on the cycle of the moon. Each month then has a corresponding ‘tree’ and ‘animal’ sign, similar to the Western zodiac.
Like all information passed down from ancient times, there is some disagreement over the exact timings and breakdown of the thirteen-month calendar, and the corresponding animal signs - though the tree signs have remained mostly consistent throughout the ages. Here’s a quick summary of each sign, their animal and tree association, and their key characteristic.
December 24th - January 21st: BETH ‘The Achiever’
Tree: The Birch Tree, Animal: The Stag/Deer
January 22nd - February 18th: LUIS ‘The Thinker’
Tree: The Rowan Tree, Animal: The Dragon (sometimes The Cat)
February 19th - March 28th: NION ‘The Enchanter’
Tree: The Ash Tree, Animal: Merfolk (sometimes The Snake)
March 19th - April 15th: FEARN ‘The Trailblazer’
Tree: The Alder Tree, Animal: The Falcon (sometimes The Fox)
April 16th - May 14th: SAILLE ‘The Observer’
Tree: The Willow Tree, Animal: The Sea Serpent (sometimes The Cow)
May 15th - June 12th: UATH ‘The Illusionist’
Tree: The Hawthorn Tree, Animal: The Seahorse (sometimes depicted as The Chalice in non-animal iconography)
June 13th - July 9th: DUIR, ‘The Stabiliser’
Tree: The Oak Tree, Animal: The Horse
July 10th - August 6th: TINNE, ‘The Ruler’
Tree: The Holly Tree, Animal: The Lion
August 7th - September 2nd: COLL, ‘The Knower’
Tree: The Hazel Tree, Animal: The Salmon
September 3rd - September 30th - MUIN, ‘The Equaliser’
Tree: The Vine Tree, Animal: The Swan
October 1st - October 29th: GORT, ‘The Survivor’
Tree: The Ivy Tree, Animal: The Fairy (sometimes The Butterfly)
October 30th - November 27th: NGETAL, ‘The Inquisitor’
Tree: The Reed Tree, Animal: The White Hound (sometimes The Wolf)
November 28th - December 23rd: RUIS, ‘The Seeker’
Tree: The Elder Tree, Animal: The Raven (sometimes The Hawk or Falcon)
Do you feel an association to your Celtic sign? An affinity to your tree, or a connection to your animal? We’ve got a beautiful range of pewter pendants for your Celtic zodiac sign here.
The Chinese Zodiac
Like Celtic animal astrology, Chinese astrology is based on the animal kingdom. But unlike Celtic and Western astrology, the Chinese zodiac is not split into months, but years. The Chinese zodiac, or ‘shengxiao’ is a repeating cycle of twelve years, with each year corresponding to an animal and its attributes.
The Chinese zodiac is believed to influence both on an individual and universal level. The animal of your birth year determines your personality and character make-up, while the animal of the current calendar year will impact community and world events.
A lesser known fact about the Chinese zodiac is that the animals also correspond to a 2-hour period in the day, and that these hours directly relate to that animal’s ‘special time’. So for example, the hour of The Rat is 23:00 - 1:00, when rats are seeking food, and the hour of The Monkey is 15:00 - 17:00, when monkeys are most lively and active in the wild.
Below is a list of each year, hour and its corresponding Chinese zodiac animal. Remember that the Chinese New Year falls between January 21 - February 20, so if you’re born between those dates you must check the year of your birth to see what Chinese year you were actually born in.
Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960 (Hour 23:00 - 1:00, when rats look for food)
Ox: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961 (Hour 1:00 - 3:00, when oxen start tilling the land)
Tiger: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962 (Hour 3:00 - 5:00, when tigers hunt)
Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963 (Hour 5:00 - 7:00, when the jade rabbit on the moon starts grinding herbs, according to Chinese myth)
Dragon: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964 (Hour 7:00 - 9:00, when dragons start marching westwards in legend)
Snake: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965 (Hour 9:00 - 11:00, when snakes leave their holes)
Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966 (Hour 11:00 - 13:00, when the horse is most rigorous)
Goat: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967 (Hour 13:00 - 15:00, the best time for goats to eat grass)
Monkey: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968 (Hour 15:00 - 17:00, when monkeys are lively)
Rooster: 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969 (Hour 17:00 - 19:00, when roosters return to their coops)
Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970 (Hour 19:00 - 21:00, when dogs guard the house)
Pig/Boar: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971 (Hour 21:00 - 23:00, when pigs are sleeping)
If you want to show off your Chinese zodiac sign or find a gift for your zodiac-loving friend, have a look at our Chinese astrology pendants.
Hindu/Vedic Astrology
The traditional Hindu astrology system is called 'jyotisha', from the Sanskrit jyótis meaning 'light/heavenly body'. This is an apt name for this ancient science, which studies and interprets the 'lights' (celestial bodies) in the sky.
Vedic astrology has some similarities to its Western counterparts and is based on the same constellations. But it is far more specific. The key difference is that Vedic astrology is focused on your 'rising' sign, rather than your 'sun sign' as in Western astrology. While the sun stays in the same sign for the whole month (roughly), your rising zodiac sign is accurate to your exact moment of birth.
Because the 'jyotisha' is much more specific than the other astrological systems we've explored, it's best to use a calculator to find out your chart. We'd recommend this one here, thanks to the Vedic Astrology Centre.
Sceptic or supporter, it's hard to deny that the celestial world has fascinated humans for millennia and that we're constantly drawn to the meanings in the sky. And even thought we try to intimately know ourselves - what influences our personalities and dispositions, our fates and decisions - it's compelling to think that perhaps it is all written in the stars. Which system do you find has the most significance to you? Let us know in the comments below!
Related Products
Our beautiful range of Josephine Wall Zodiac cards are the perfect addition to a birthday gift.
Our Zodiac Fairy trinket boxes are gorgeous little treasure chests for precious jewels or dainty knick-knacks!
Other astrological gift ideas
Sacred Samhain
As the air grows crisp and golden leaves crunch underfoot, one of the most important festivals of the Witches’ year approaches. Samhain - also known as All Hallow’s Eve or the Feast of the Dead - heralds the Pagan new year and the arrival of darker days. It’s a time for celebrating the close of summer and preparing for the winter months ahead; a liminal in-between time when the boundary between this world and the Otherworld thins.
While Samhain is considered a traditional Gaelic festival, it’s believed to have ancient origins stretching as far back as 2000BC. Ancient monuments in Ireland and the Celtic lands align with the sunrise on Samhain - October 31st to November 1st - signalling that this day has held sacred meaning for millennia.
In modern times, ‘Halloween’ is a widespread holiday, a combination of Samhain and the Christian All Hallow’s Day. Halloween is synonymous with glowing pumpkins, horror films, buckets of candy and children running amok in quasi-frightening fancy dress. But all of these rituals have their origins in the traditional Samhain, a magical and powerful time.
During Samhain, the veil between worlds flutters open, allowing deceased loved ones and lost souls to re-visit their homes. In honour of this belief, people traditionally would offer up food and wine to the dead, or set empty places at the dining table to welcome them in. Merrymakers would dress up in animal skins or theatrical costumes in an attempt to imitate, or disguise themselves, from the visiting dead. These rituals have now translated into the modern-day ‘trick-or-treating’, where children dress up as ghosts and ghoulies and request treats from their neighbours.
But for Pagans, death is not meant to be something that’s feared or pantomimed. It’s a natural and necessary part of the cycle of life, and the dead are to be honoured. So Samhain isn’t a time of horror, but of celebration.
Samhain also has a strong connection to the natural world and signals the close of the seasonal harvest. It’s the final chance to dry herbs and salt meat for winter’s storage, and is also the perfect time for harvesting nuts. Certain plants, fruit and vegetables are associated with Samhain, such as apples (the food of the gods and the Otherworld), rosemary (a herb for remembrance), squashes and pumpkins (late harvest vegetables) and mugwort (for divination and dreaming).
Samhain is an ideal time for divination and spell-casting. The transitional nature of the season means that psychic and magical abilities are heightened. Ceremonies for releasing the ‘old’ are popular at this time, clearing the way for a fresh new season. Rituals for honouring your ancestors, animals or deities such as The Crone or The Horned God are also popular.
If you wish to decorate your altar for Samhain, think about putting up photographs of deceased loved ones; adorning it with oak leaves, apples and pumpkin lanterns; and burning herbs such as nutmeg, mint and sage. Colours traditionally associated with Samhain are black, white, orange, silver and gold.
There are certain sacred sites that are frequented at Samhain. In the Irish Boyne Valley, the Hill of Tara is the site of the Mound of Hostages, whose entrance passage is aligned with the rising sun on Samhain morning. And Tlachtga, another great hill in the Valley, was the location of the Great Fire Festival, which began on the eve of Samhain. Stonehenge in England is another popular Samhain site, a place that would have hosted many sacred rituals by the ancient community that assembled the stones. Neopagans and Wiccans flock to these sites for Samhain to gather and celebrate this important festival.
But you don’t have to venture to these sacred sites or spend lots of money on a fancy dress costume to celebrate Samhain in style. Remember that Samhain is considered the Witches’ and old Celtic New Year, meaning it’s a time for new beginnings and reflection. Cast away any negative energy or stagnation from the summer months and look ahead towards a refreshed and renewed winter season. Honour and pay tribute to your ancestors and respect the cycle of ageing and gathering wisdom. Celebrate nature and the shifting seasons, and get ready for long cold nights of magic and moonlight. And if you get trick-or-treaters ringing your doorbell, be merry and glad that the old traditions still persist and the festival of the dead has a place in our manic modern world.
From Dragonspace to you, Samhain blessings!
Related products:
Puff, Smaug and Other Famous Dragons
You might have guessed that we love dragons here at Dragonspace. Perhaps our name gave it away? We're fascinated by these enigmatic beasts and the stories they inspire. Guardians, protectors, sages, monsters, villains, friends and companions - dragons have appeared in lore and legend as all these things and more.
Though long associated with tales of old, dragons are still going strong in popular culture, becoming icons in some of our favourite contemporary fantasy stories. Let's take a look at a few of our favourites:
Puff
Are you already starting to sing the song? Puff was immortalised by the '60s pop-folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, though the lyrics to the famous tune are actually based on a poem by a university student named Leonard Lipton. In the song, Puff the dragon lives in a magical land called Honahlee, where he gets up to all kinds of adventures with his friend Jackie Paper. Puff is undoubtedly a docile friendly dragon, though his story isn't all sunshine and rainbows. At the end of the song, Jackie Paper stops coming to visit Puff, causing the dragon to "sadly slip into his cave." The tale is said to be about growing up and the loss of innocence - Puff represents the magic of childhood, when the imagination roamed free. Maybe that's why dragons continue to hold a mystical grip on us.
Smaug
Fearsome Smaug is the antagonist in Tolkien's The Hobbit tales. Like a traditional dragon of Western lore, Smaug greedily guards the treasure in the Dwarf kingdom of Erebor and launches a fiery attack on the village of Laketown. Some scholars theorise that Tolkien was inspired by the 'old night-scather' from the epic poem Beowulf when creating Smaug, as Tolkien was a Beowulf expert. Vengeful, treasure-hungry and aggressive, Smaug embodies the villainous dragon archetype. Tolkien interestingly chose to give Smaug the ability to talk, making him a little more humanoid than monstrous.
Falkor
Falkor the luckdragon is the faithful companion of heroes Bastian and Atreyu in the Germany fantasy novel The Neverending Story. In appearance, Falkor takes elements from a traditional Oriental dragon as well as a domestic dog, specifically a Golden Retriever or a Labrador...notoriously faithful animals! Falkor is optimistic, wise and friendly, and possesses extraordinary luck even in impossible circumstances. He's the type of dragon we'd definitely want as a pet, though he'd need a bigger backyard than your standard dog.
Mushu
Witty firecracker Mushu often steals the scene in the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan. In many ways, Mushu is a traditional Chinese dragon, with his blue horns, gold mustache and lack of wings, more resembling a lizard or serpent than a Western dragon. Once a guardian spirit of the Fa ancestors, Mushu was demoted after failing to protect a family member and is desperate to regain his prior position throughout the film. While Mushu is comedic and sometimes buffoon-like, he is ultimately a guardian and protector to Mulan. In Chinese mythology, dragons represent luck, fortune and protection, so Mushu fits the bill.
Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion
Game of Thrones has recently catapulted dragons back into pop culture fame. Even since Daenerys Targaryen stepped out of the fire holding her babies, these dragons have created some of the television show's most stunning scenes. While Daenerys's dragons are ultimately faithful to her - their mother - they're also wild and unpredictable, causing her to have to lock them up when she realises she can't completely control them. Fierce and impressive, everyone's looking forward to seeing what role these beasts will play in books and episodes to come. But no spoilers...
Norbert
Not a lot of people would use the word 'adorable' to describe a dragon, unless you're Rubeus Hagrid, of course. In the first of the Harry Potter books, we get to meet Norbert, the Norwegian Ridgeback baby dragon that animal-loving Hagrid hatches from an egg in his hut. In appearance, Norbert is a traditional Western dragon that looks like a 'crumpled black umbrella' with large spiny wings, stubby horns and orange eyes. Sadly, Hagrid has to give Norbert up to a dragon reserve in Romania after the dragon develops a reputation for biting. Norbert is just one of the dragons that feature in the series, from fierce Hungarian Horntails to Common Welsh Greens and Swedish Short-Snouts. We'd love to meet all the dragons of J.K Rowling's imagination (from a safe distance, of course).
From cuddly companions to wicked villains, dragons certainly add conflict and colour to some of our favourite stories! Who's your top dragon? Let us know in the comments below.
OUR FAVOURITE DRAGON PRODUCTS:
See our full dragon collection here!