Symbol Stories: Zodiac Signs

Why Do Zodiac Signs Still Fascinate Us?

Some symbols disappear with time. Others somehow stay with us for centuries.

The zodiac is a good example.

You can find zodiac symbols on necklaces, tattoos, paintings, notebooks, clothing and home décor. People use them to mark birthdays, decorate their homes, identify with a particular sign, or simply because they like the way the symbols look.

And that's what makes them interesting.

It's not only about astrology or whether we believe that the stars can tell us something about ourselves. There is something about these twelve symbols that has managed to stay relevant for a very long time.

So where did they come from?

Looking Up at the Same Sky

Long before astrology became something we read about online, people were already looking at the night sky and trying to make sense of it. The stars helped people navigate, keep track of seasons and measure time. They also became part of stories and mythology. Groups of stars were connected into constellations, and some of these constellations became part of the zodiac we know today.

The word zodiac comes from the ancient Greek word zōdiakos, referring to a circle or band of animals. The zodiac eventually became divided into twelve signs, each associated with a particular section of the sky. 
The names are familiar to most of us: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

We still use the same names today.
That's quite a long life for a set of symbols.

 

A Symbol Can Mean Different Things to Different People

This is probably the part I find most interesting.

A zodiac symbol doesn't have to mean exactly the same thing to everyone.
For one person, it might be something deeply connected to astrology. For another, it might simply represent their birthday. Someone else might choose a zodiac symbol because they love the mythology behind it.

And sometimes, it's simply beautiful.

We often give objects meaning through the stories we attach to them. A necklace can remind you of someone. A painting can remind you of a place. A particular symbol can become a small representation of something personal. That's one reason symbols have such a strong place in art. They can say something without actually saying anything.

Why Do We Like Seeing Our Own Symbol?

There is something strangely satisfying about seeing your own zodiac sign.
Maybe it's because it feels personal.

Your name is personal. Your birthday is personal. Your zodiac sign is something you can immediately recognise as belonging to you.

That makes zodiac symbols particularly interesting as visual designs. They can turn something as simple as a date of birth into an image.

A pair of horns.
A pair of scales.
A scorpion.
A lion.
Two fish.

Even without knowing anything about astrology, you can recognise many of them. And that makes the zodiac surprisingly powerful as a visual language.

The Zodiac as Art

Over the centuries, zodiac symbols have appeared in paintings, manuscripts, architecture, jewellery and decorative art. Today, they have found their way into completely different places too. You might see them on a delicate gold necklace or a bold graphic T-shirt. You might have your zodiac sign tattooed on your skin or framed on your wall. The symbols have changed their surroundings, but the idea remains familiar.

I think that's part of their appeal.
There is something beautiful about taking an ancient symbol and giving it a completely new visual life.

You Don't Have to Believe in Astrology

I think this is worth saying because zodiac symbols are often treated as if there are only two choices: you either believe in astrology or you don't.

But it doesn't really have to be that simple.
You can be fascinated by the night sky without reading your horoscope.
You can love the symbolism without believing it predicts your personality.
And you can choose a zodiac design simply because it looks beautiful.

Art doesn't always need to be logical.
Sometimes we like something before we even know why.

Why Yoga Mat With Zodiac Symbols

For me, the appeal of zodiac symbols is less about describing who we are and more about the stories behind them.

I like that something so old can still feel current.

I like the combination of mythology, astronomy, symbolism and art. And I especially like what happens when these familiar symbols are taken out of their traditional context and reimagined through colour, pattern and design.
That's what inspired my Zodiac Collection.
I wanted to take something people already recognise and look at it in a different way — not as a personality test, but as a piece of art.

Because sometimes you don't need a symbol to tell you who you are.
You can simply choose the one that feels like yours.

A Little Bit of the Sky, On the Floor

Maybe that's why zodiac symbols have lasted so long.

We have changed almost everything around us, but we still look up.
We still find shapes in the stars.
We still tell stories about them.

And every now and then, we bring a little piece of that sky back down to earth — and make it our own.

And What About My Own Zodiac Sign?

I have to admit, there is one part of the zodiac that I find particularly amusing.
I'm a Libra, and while I don't think my zodiac sign explains who I am, some of the classic Libra traits feel a little too familiar.

Indecisive? Definitely.

I can spend an unreasonable amount of time choosing between two things that are almost exactly the same. And once I've finally made a decision, there's a good chance I'll wonder if I made the right one.
Libras are also often associated with a love of beauty, balance and harmony. And that part feels pretty accurate too. So maybe there is something to those Libra stereotypes after all.

And if nothing else, being a Libra gives me a perfectly good excuse for taking far too long to choose which yoga mat design I like best. Don't ask me. I can't decide. :)