Mesopotamian Astrology: Baraqyal's Teachings

The constellations below are the Sumerian equivalents of our modern counterparts. The yellow stars represent stars which are used in the constellations we are familiar with, while the blue stars are those which are currently unused (depending on sources). The names of most of the main stars will appear if you hover the mouse pointer over them. Each constellation diagram below is oriented accurately and is correct size in relation to each other. Details of how to read the sky are included within the book.
To view the full celestial sky, click the following links for the modern version compared to the ancient Sumerian.

Influence: Purity of thought, honour and dignity, but causes improbable and fantastical fears and discouragement. Strengthens familial connections, particularly partners. Can affect officially sanctioned deaths via hanging, decapitation, crucifixion, or impalement. Encourages lack of mercy, devotion to justice and punishment. Unwavering decisions.

Influence: Enhances danger of persecution, both through unplanned dangers and officially, including lawsuits. Provides luck in new ventures, increases likelihood of success. Boosts charisma and charm, although in some instances this may bring about jealousy in others and eventual persecution.

Influence: A dominating character with influence over others. Great imagination, strong passions, willpower, clairvoyance, and a keenly intellectual mind. Associated with love and friendship. Better suited in causes as a second-in-command than the leader. A warrior spirit, but too impulsive to rule on his own merits.

Influence: Devotion to and a love of ecclesiastical matters, but an underlying egotism and aptitude for scientific study.
Includes b g d z h ARA.
Includes b IND.
Includes all but b and e PAVO.

Influence: Strength and barely controlled aggression that could manifest as foolhardy behaviour. Avoidable danger, and dangerous circumstances of his own making are emphasized. An underlying desire to protect and control can express itself violently. Some influence over travel, expansion, and migration.

Influence: Self-confidence, and an interest in social and economical positions. Often linked to public positions of trust. A highly inquisitive nature that can be directed towards the welfare of many, or if left to selfish concerns, will result in ruin due to excessive pleasure seeking. Likely will influence the upbringing of children. Emphasis on sudden and drastic life changes.

Influence: Prosperity from work, strong desires, a tendency to excess. Interest in overall picture of social structures. Mostly act as guides for groups of people, especially as conservative politicians, administrators, and directors. Much will be hidden, and if this is taken in excess, the guidance will become restraint and servitude.

Influence: It is said to confer patience, endurance, and great wisdom, and to cause those under its influence to become teachers or instructors of some kind. Patience is required to reap the benefits of actions. Gradual change for the better. Steady passions and emotions.

Influence: Incites activity, but usually in an unbalanced ‘jumpy’ manner. Underlying this is a need for charity or a desire to foster. This can lead to heroic acts, or, misplaced, it will encourage strong defiance. Despite these influences towards high-profile positions, dealings with the public are unfavourable, and result in self-imposed isolation. Emotional distancing by many means.

Influence: Regarded as the harbinger of fame. Sirius in particular is said to spread fiery passions and dangerous obsessions, but these in themselves may lead to honour and wealth. The Bow is the more settled nature of this constellation, influencing protectors and custodians. There is an emphasis on military matters, but more in the sense of singular acts of warfare than ongoing aggression.

Influence: Incites pride, carelessness, and violence. Influences people to become easily angered, jealous, or abnormally stubborn. It provides motivation to follow through with plans - particularly self-centered ones - but there is a likelihood these will collapse soon after. Strongly associated with the fluid nature of water, within which the Rooster cannot stay afloat.

Influence: A dual nature of beneficence and destructiveness, sorrow and happiness, that causes many life-altering changes. An emphasis on professions reliant on speaking, particularly legal advisors or councilors. It brings about understanding of opposing ideals, the nature of man.

Influence: A flashy and showy influence concerned with material gain. It causes haughtiness, boastfulness, and exaggerated pride, but at the same time it commands a certain amount of genuine respect. It can incite hubris and dissatisfaction for anything lesser. Associated with desire more than jealousy.

Influence: Position in society, friendship, and a sense of moral obligation to that society. Health and well-being through combined assistance, and some signifier of success and prosperity, although not overly so. Can result in gossip and scandal if other influences are unfavourable. Social rather than individual achievement.

Influence: (As associated with Udkadua, which overlaps part of Cepheus) Authority figures of serious nature. Exposes useless or outdated practices, sometimes ungently. Connotations of divine guidance, by beings different and of slightly varying morality. Refers only to the base of Cepheus. The 3 stars of the head are Gal, and they speak of the same authority but with a more benevolent edge.

Influence: (As associated with Gubamesh, which overlaps part of Cetus) Repressed force on a large scale, when it is released it causes catastrophic and unintentional events. Possibly steered towards productive ends, but if unforeseen and unrestrained, will often be devastating. Refers only to the forequarters, Gubamesh. The tail is Ganur, and expresses this force more inwardly, turning to self-sabotage and self-destruction.

Influence: (As associated with Ganur, which overlaps part of Cetus) Repressed force on a large scale, when it is released it causes catastrophic and unintentional events. Possibly steered towards productive ends, but if unforeseen and unrestrained, will often be devastating. Refers only to the forequarters, Gubamesh. The tail is Ganur, and expresses this force more inwardly, turning to self-sabotage and self-destruction.

Influence: Gives wealth and prosperity with little work but without gratitude or understanding. Has a smooth and integrating manner, but this can act as a façade atop other motives. Everything is cast in its best light, and there is a heavy emphasis on acting, but this may result in complacency.

Influence: It brings honour and recognition in artistic and literary fields. Can overshadow other, more pressing concerns, as it focuses on the ‘rose-coloured glasses’ view. It increases material luxury, and all associated with it, which in turn can breed dissatisfaction, even while enhancing a dreamer’s ideology.

Influence: Generally associated with unclean things and unsavory habits, the Raven nonetheless performs an essential task of removing that which has become putrid. In societies, this may result in the revelation of disgraceful actions, and their subsequent excising from the community. It is a cleansing influence that, while unpleasant, has a beneficial outcome.

Influence: Encourages a nature-loving influence, appreciating the art and planning in the environment. Especially affects any aspect of the environment which is managed or artificially created by man, although more areas like parks or dams than anything relating to agriculture.

Influence: (As associated with Gal, which overlaps part of Cepheus) Authority figures of serious nature. Exposes useless or outdated practices, sometimes ungently. Connotations of divine guidance, by beings different and of slightly varying morality. The 3 stars of the head are Gal, and they speak of the same authority but with a more benevolent edge.

Influence: Encourages a love of simple pleasures, a contentment with what has already been attained. This in turn results in a cheery influence that takes the pleasantries of life for granted, and can turn a blind eye to large scale concerns.

Influences: Gives clear direction and purpose in life, but not always an easy path. Emotions are heightened, but much hides beneath the surface. Indicates travel, either unplanned or one-way, and influences long lasting change, although gradually and gently.

Mercury is the planet of communication, travel, and trade. It dominates the mind, that which can be objectively seen, and the perceptions. To the constellations that it comes in contact with, it dominates with an analytical influence; inquisitive but essentially unemotional. The areas its authority will be felt most clearly are those of study, literature, journalism, and any form of impersonal interaction.

Venus rules love, luxuries, and relationships. It dominates the sense of touch, everything we derive pleasure or value from, and our feelings of sympathy and compassion. When wandering through the constellations it will affect them with influences creating abundance, sociability, and peaceful intentions. Areas where Venus’ power is most felt include the arts, marriage or partnerships, and entertainment. It encourages a recognition and pleasure of accomplishments.

The Moon, as the closest non-terrestrial body to Earth, directly affects tides and fluidity. As such, it has long been recognized to rule over the emotions, memories, and external expressions of feeling. It has a domestic and maternal energy that interacts directly with the imagination and unconscious, which is often interpreted as instinct. As it travels quickly through the skies its touch is felt in areas we have strong habits or instinctive reactions, our sources of creativity, and in matters where introspection is required.

Mars is well-named for the god of warfare. Its dominion is in the areas of competition, desires, and aggression. It has a powerful and far-reaching influence as it travels through the constellations, inciting them to action, both construction and destruction, and focused determination. The likelihood of accidents is heightened, as is insurrection, and the success of decisive enterprise. The areas of life its pressure is most felt is within the workplace, large scale wars or acts of aggression, and unplanned adventures.

Jupiter, as the chief of the gods, has a patriarchal authority which is expressed through optimism, mercy, and benevolence. Morality, honour, and the law are focused upon, as is reason and judgment, but with a calming influence that tends to tolerance. As it intersects each constellation it focuses on insight through wisdom, the greater purpose perspective of our lives, and optimism from productivity. The legal and political systems are where its influence is most strongly felt, focusing on the ideals of both.

Saturn is a cautious and restrictive planet that rules over structures, organizations, and cohesive groups of any type. It focuses heavily on responsibilities, commitments, and discipline while providing boundaries and giving meaning to unpleasant situations. Its influence through the constellations is likely to be felt as discrimination, delays, and feelings of inhibitions. The areas it affects most are those which are most tightly bound by rules and regulations.

Modern Sky

The Sumerian Sky