Friday 6 January 2012

Astrology Spotting

I don't want to go into how astrology was once accepted by the church and now it's shunned.    However, I do want to share some visual evidence of their union once upon a time.  

I first witnessed this union back in the winter of 2003, during a 2-week tour of Europe.  I saw a stained-glass window depicting the 12 signs of the zodiac inside Cologne Cathedral in Germany.  Initially, I was shocked to see it, as I normally get an ear full from my Christian friends on how sinful I am and how I'll grow out of it 'When you know all you need is God', so seeing glimpses of astrology inside a church was simply unbelievable.  My disposable camera  couldn't capture its splendour at the time, so here's a link of it from another traveller's blog:  http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/39773.html

In the majestic setting of Oxford in 2008, I attended the annual Summer School organised by the Faculty of Astrological Studies.  If I recall correctly, over dinner or breakfast one day, John Etherington told us about the astrological stone roof bosses found at the gate of Merton College, so one afternoon, I set off with some other faculty students and captured the following:
Can you identify some of the zodiac signs represented here?
Libra
Gemini
Cancer and Leo
Aries and Capricorn
Pisces

Sagittarius
Aquarius

In the summer of 2010, during a visit to the Victoria & Albert museum in London, I encountered more astrology.  You can read about them here:

http://cosmicpotential.blogspot.com/2010/10/astrology-inside-v-1.html?spref=fb
http://cosmicpotential.blogspot.com/2010/10/astrology-inside-v-2.html?spref=fb
http://cosmicpotential.blogspot.com/2010/10/astrology-inside-v-2.html?spref=fb
http://cosmicpotential.blogspot.com/2010/10/astrological-aspects-on-painting.html

Have you come across any astrological symbols in churches, cathedrals or other ancient buildings?

4 comments:

  1. I used to work for the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC. It wasn't easy there, being a person who believes that humans have both a rational mind and a connection to the spiritual world and the energies depcited by the zodiac symbols. I was fond of pointing out to my colleagues that the iron gates at the entrance to the main building of the academy have beautiful zodiac symbols.

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  2. Hi Karen. Thanks for sharing that fascinating piece of info about the National Academy of Sciences - do you have a picture of the entrance gates by any chance?

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  3. This post has great personal interest to me, and I'll be linking to it on my own blog!! Great information, Great pictures, thank you!

    Aine

    http://thehemlockgrove.blogspot.com

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  4. Thanks Aine. Please do. If you spot any Astro symbols around you, share them with us!

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