29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Chillingly Accurate Oracle, Feb 9 2005
By Janet Boyer "Author of Tarot in Reverse" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: 360 Degrees Of Wisdom (Mass Market Paperback)
"Based on the Sabian Symbols, first created in 1925 and consisting of 360 answers, the Sabian Oracle can be used to guide us through questions about our day-to-day lives... Using the Sabian Oracle will help you discover what's going on and why, leading to deeper self-awareness. You are able to make more informed choices and greatly enhance your life." Lynda Hill, author of 360 Degrees of Wisdom - Charting Your Destiny With The Sabian Oracle
In 1925, an extraordinary thing happened: two people--a clairvoyant medium and an astrologer--received messages from the spirit world for every degree of the Zodiac. Within each of the 12 constellations of the Zodiac, also known as Sun Signs, are 30 degrees--for a total of 360 degrees.
Astrologer Marc Edmund Jones wanted to participate in an experiment with his spiritualist-medium friend Elsie Wheeler. A gifted clairvoyant, Miss Wheeler was afflicted with severe arthritis and confined to a wheelchair, making movement difficult and painful. Nevertheless, she agreed to participate in this experiment with Jones in a public park; he wanted to be surrounded by the vibrations of modern American life, but not be disturbed by passers-by. Thus, Balboa Park in San Diego was the birthplace of the Sabian Symbols.
Jones made up a set of 360 index cards that were blank, save for a small notation of the Sign and degree number on one side (e.g. Aries 1, Scorpio 20--all the way up to Pisces 30). Jones shuffled the cards and placed the blank side up before Miss Wheeler. Neither of them knew the Sign or number on the card. Miss Wheeler would then report what she saw in her mind's eye...hurriedly noting the information on the card.
Amazingly, Elsie's psychic visions formulated the entire Sabian Symbols at random--completing all 360 Symbols in one day! On average, Miss Wheeler would have had to visualize a Symbol every minute and half. Jones believed that Miss Wheeler was given information by an "unseen agency": a "Brother" from the Sabian Brotherhood who were an ancient Middle Eastern race of alchemists. The Sabian Symbols are a set of 360 phrases consisting of as little as two words (Virgo 2: "A Harem") to as many as 21 words (Taurus 5: "A Youthful Widow, Fresh and Soul-Cleansed from Grief, Kneels at an Open Grave to Receive the Secret of Eternal Life").
Author Lynda Hill has a crafted an amazing book and oracle based on the Sabian Symbols: 360 Degrees of Wisdom - Charting Your Destiny With The Sabian Oracle. This book includes 42 cards to perform a reading: 12 red cards for the Signs, and 30 blue cards for each degree. Ask a question, pick a blue and red card, and then let the Symbols guide you to an answer. An entire page is dedicated to each Symbol, and features a commentary, oracle message, keywords, and a caution. In the page margins, Ms. Hill has included 5-9 quotations that reflect the message of each Symbol. At 363 pages, 360 Degrees of Wisdom also features Birthday Tables, which shows you the 3 degrees relevant to your birth date. She profiles several celebrities--such as Deepak Chopra, Michael Jackson, and Princess Diana--to demonstrate how the Sabian Symbols mirror the circumstances of your life.
In addition to using the cards provided with the book, Ms. Hill also shows you how to use 2 decks of regular playing cards (one red, one blue) in case you lose the cards that came with the book. She also shows you how to open the book at random to receive your special message.
I used the Sabian Oracle last night for insight into a back ailment that I've been dealing with. I picked a blue card and red card at random to get Scorpio: 20. Chillingly accurate, Scorpio: 20 A Woman Drawing Aside Two Dark Curtains That Closed The Entrance To A Sacred Pathway is not only the exact degree of Mercury in my natal chart (and one degree away from my Venus placement), but also this Sabian Symbol echoed the message I received from another oracle consulted a few days prior.
More accessible than the Tarot and easier to use than the I Ching, 360 Degrees of Wisdom - Charting Your Destiny With The Sabian Oracle will help you discover a modern and fascinating branch of mysticism and symbolic readings. I highly recommend this insightful and comprehensive book!
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Sabian Symbols Masterpiece, Mar 11 2005
By Will - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: 360 Degrees Of Wisdom (Mass Market Paperback)
I own a variety of the Sabian Symbols books by various authors, which are all insightful. However, Lynda's book is brilliant and by far the best I've had the pleasure to read to date. I give it a solid ten for skill, precision and prompting the reader to perceive their own messages. Lynda is also very available to her public and has a website, where you can use her free Sabian Oracle, talk to others in a web forum and even email her if personally if you feel the desire to do so. Check it out. http://www.sabiansymbols.com
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sabian Symbols / 360 Degrees of Wisdom, Mar 2 2006
By chickenlil - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: 360 Degrees Of Wisdom (Mass Market Paperback)
This is a wonderful book - I have been using the online
version of the Oracle for the past year and finally decided
I wanted to have the book. I am very happy with the depth
of each symbol, and the images are interesting and beautiful
to imagine - My only complaint is, I thought the Sabian symbols
would be illustrated in the book, but they are not. I will have
to keep looking for the visual component of the system, but after
years with other divination-type cards - animals, angels,
runes, tarot etc - this is different
and refreshingly appropriate for me at this time.