Astrology: from Ancient Sumer to Star Wars and what it means for you in this new era.

By Alex The Builder Philosopher

2 February 2025

There comes a point when certain patterns become impossible to ignore. Just six months ago, I saw astrology as a fringe, esoteric system with little relevance to daily life. But the deeper I looked, the more I realized that astrology isn’t just about personality traits or, in extreme cases, deciding what to eat for dinner this Saturday. It’s a language—one that civilizations have used to map entire eras, shaping their understanding of God, destiny, and human purpose.

As I dove into ancient texts, a realization struck me like puzzle pieces clicking into place: the same stories repeat over and over. Their foundations lie in the writings of ancient Sumer, carried forward through Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome—woven so deeply into human history that they even shape today’s most popular franchises, like Star Wars.

For this article, I’ll cover both extremes: the origin story and how it manifests in modern days.

Ancient Wisdom & Astrology: How the Sumerians Used the Stars in Daily Life

Sumerian astrology wasn’t about personal horoscopes like today, or maybe. It was a tool for kings, priests, and the survival of city-states. Here’s how they used it:

A. Agricultural Calendar & Seasonal Signs

• The Sumerians tracked stars to predict planting and harvest times.

• The rising of GU.AN.NA (Heavenly Bull/Taurus) in spring marked plowing season—hence the bull symbol, since oxen were used for farming.

• Flood cycles of the Tigris and Euphrates were linked to celestial omens.

B. Kingship & Divine Favor

• Kings had court astrologers who interpreted celestial movements.

• If a king was born under an "unfavorable" sky, priests performed rituals to transfer the bad fate to a substitute king (who was then sacrificed).

• Eclipses were seen as divine warnings, prompting rituals to appease the gods.

C. War & Strategy

• Before going to war, priests checked the stars to see if the gods were in favor.

• Mars (linked to Nergal, god of war) shining bright was an omen of conflict.

• If Saturn (a dark omen) was visible, kings often delayed battles.

D. Medicine & Healing

• The Moon and Venus were associated with health, fertility, and women’s cycles.

• A dark or eclipsed Moon was thought to bring disease, prompting purification rites.

• Certain star alignments were seen as either beneficial for childbirth or dangerous for illness.

E. Personal Astrology?

While mostly reserved for rulers, astrology was also used privately by the elite—much like today’s wealthy figures, from the Pope to Bezos and Trump.

By the time the Babylonians (1800 BCE – 500 BCE) inherited Sumerian knowledge, they formalized:

• A fixed 12-sign zodiac, each covering 30° of the sky.

• Precise planetary tracking to predict future events.

• Birth horoscopes based on planetary alignments.

The Babylonians passed this system to the Greeks, who merged it with their mythology, creating the foundations of modern astrology. You’ll find similar archetypes in religious texts, Jungian psychology, and even pop culture—like Star Wars.

Astrology in Star Wars?

Astrological archetypes don’t just appear in ancient texts—they shape our modern myths too. Funny enough, I spent a whole day thinking about my favorite hero and couldn’t settle on one. Then, right before bed—bam! Luke Skywalker.

Turns out, he embodies my astrological sign, Virgo. He’s the disciplined student, always striving for mastery, questioning himself, refining his skills. His journey is very Mercurial—moving from naivety and curiosity to wisdom and mastery.  Coincidence? Maybe.  Let see if you can find yourself in one of the characters as well:

• Luke Skywalker (Virgo/Gemini - Mercury) → The seeker of knowledge, disciplined training, self-doubt leading to mastery.

  
  

• Darth Vader (Scorpio/Capricorn - Mars & Saturn) → The dark destroyer, rigid discipline, transformation through suffering.

  
  

• Yoda (Pisces/Sagittarius - Jupiter & Neptune) → The mystical master, wisdom from beyond, faith and surrender.

  
  

• Leia (Taurus/Libra - Venus) → The diplomat, love as power, harmony and strategy.

  
  

• Han Solo (Aries/Sagittarius - Mars & Jupiter) → The reckless adventurer, warrior-spirit.

  
  

• Palpatine (Capricorn - Saturn & Pluto) → The cold strategist, master manipulator.

  
  

• Obi-Wan Kenobi (Cancer - Moon) → The wise protector, intuitive and connected to fate.

Astrology shaping society?

Today, Astrology is labeled in western culture as fringe science, but if you look at major’s societal events and the constellation alignment, there is a mind-blowing correlation.  No surprise Nostradamus was an Astronomer!

• One of the most famous was Evangeline Adams, an American astrologer who predicted the stock market crash of 1929

• any astrologers predicted that a major conflict was on the horizon. One of the most famous predictions came from the French astrologer, Andre Barbault. In 1939, Barbault predicted that a major war would break out in Europe that would last for six years

  
  

in more recent times:

• July 13, 2024: The first assassination attempt occurred during a Mars transit through Leo, a sign associated with leadership and public figures. Mars heightened tensions and risk for prominent individuals.

• September 15, 2024: The second attempt happened as Mars entered Virgo, emphasizing meticulous, hidden threats.

• January 20, 2025: During his inauguration, key planetary transits highlighted transformation, governance, and dedication to reform.

Maybe these events are mere coincidence, or maybe it’s all shaped by a force greater than us, like universal consciousness.  If you’re pay close attention to it, these phenomena of celestial alignments quickly become as weird as the simulation theory.  Beware of the charlatans (most astrologers are as deep as influencers).

What Now? The Age of Aquarius: Humanity's Awakening and Integration

The Age of Aquarius is often seen as a profound turning point in humanity’s journey—a transition filled with challenges, opportunities, and spiritual awakening. If we consider the narrative we’ve constructed from the ages, the Age of Aquarius could be the next chapter in the biblical and cosmic story.

In Sumerian texts, water represents both the primordial source and spiritual transformation. Enki ruled the Abzu, the underground waters of wisdom—which gave life, healing, and knowledge. The flood myths in multiple traditions (Atrahasis, Noah) always signal a spiritual renewal through destruction and rebirth. The soul crossing the waters (like the Egyptian Duat or the River Styx) represents a transition from one state of being to another.

Now, applying this to Aquarius as the Water Bearer— It does align with bringing spiritual renewal in this new age as Aquarius isn’t the water itself but the bringer of divine knowledge—pouring wisdom down onto humanity. If we are truly in the Age of Aquarius, then spirituality will emerge not through isolation, but through collaboration, which would explain today’s main themes:

• Technology: AI could be seen as the next divine tools, potentially serving as humanity's co-creators rather than adversaries. However, the story warns us of the dangers of hubris—that in pursuing technological integration, humanity must not lose its spiritual grounding. will we use technological advancements for creation, or remain trapped in divisions and destruction

  
  

• Collaboration: the US republican party welcomed a lot of popular democrats like R.F. Kennedy, Tulsi and others to occupy key government positions, with the intention to tears down unnecessary bureaucracy to spark further innovation in pursuit of shared goals like addressing space exploration, AI Advancement and or global health.  However, The collective shouldn’t fall prey to conformity or technocratic control, sacrificing individuality and free will to a centralized power—a new form of Babel.

  
  

• Awakening and craving for meaning people woke up to the corruptions and the lies of the various ‘’empires’’ pushing for more control.  Also, the rise of public figure like Jordan Peterson connecting biblical stories to todays practical life.   The first Babel sought unity through a man-made structure but resulted in chaos and division. AI and global networks attempt to build its second Babel, we should be aware of over-reliance on technology without spiritual balance.

Reflecting at the meaning across time and cultures, the Age of Aquarius might be a biblical story of redemption and reunion: Redemption from the material excess and spiritual emptiness of the past. The fall of empires end of centralized powerhouses and the towers of babel, a reunion with the divine, as humanity learns to co-create in harmony with the universe.

How the Ancients Would Have Honored God in This New Era

Throughout history, different ages have carried distinct spiritual and societal themes oddly in line with the Zodiac of the time (Maternity, Hate between brothers, The Bull, the Lamb, the fish).

But how would ancient civilizations have honored this spirit, and how can we do so today?

Ancient cultures honored the divine through stories, rituals, structures, and ways of living that reflected the dominant spiritual forces of their time. If they had recognized the Aquarian spirit, they might have built temples focused on knowledge-sharing rather than hierarchy, created festivals celebrating unity across nations, or developed philosophical schools that encouraged independent thought over blind obedience.

Translating This into Modern Actions

To honor the spirit of Aquarius today, we can embrace its core principles in our daily lives:

• Seek Knowledge and Share It Freely – The internet has become our modern temple of wisdom. Use it not just for entertainment, but to expand understanding and contribute to meaningful conversations.

• Break Free from Outdated Systems – Whether in politics, business, or personal habits, question structures that no longer serve humanity’s progress and work toward building fairer alternatives.

• Foster Genuine Connections – Aquarius values community, but not in a shallow way. It calls for true bonds beyond social status or superficial differences.

• Innovate with Purpose – Technology should serve humanity, not enslave it. Use new advancements in ways that promote well-being, sustainability, and freedom.

• Act as a Steward of Humanity and the Earth – Instead of seeing ourselves as rulers over nature, embrace a role of cooperation with it, using knowledge to harmonize with the world rather than exploit it.

By living with these intentions, we can resonate with the spirit of Aquarius and align ourselves with the divine in a way that is meaningful for our era. 

Conclusion

The deeper I explored, the more I felt something ancient stirring within me.

What if our zodiac signs are more than personality archetypes? What if they hold keys to something older, something deeper, linked to the gods themselves? Weirdly enough, since I began to align my life with Aquarian principles, with a main trajectory corresponding to my Virgo archetype, all aspects improved.

It wasn’t just that astrology described me, but the same patterns kept resurfacing, as if my entire life had been a comedy scripted long ago. A lineage of symbols, myths, and celestial forces has shaped our world for millennia, and now, compels me to uncover their origins and true meaning.

Funny enough, I can trace the odd synchronicities in my life back to Enki, the divine trickster and guide of ancient Sumer, who became Ptah and Thoth in Egypt, merging wisdom with the written word. Thoth evolved into Hermes for the Greeks and Enoch in the Bible—the hermit who brought secret knowledge to humanity. And then Enoch, transformed once more, became the Archangel Metatron.

What if your zodiac sign is more than just a personality type? What if it carries echoes of an ancient god, a celestial force, or even a legendary figure woven into modern storytelling?

Would you be interested in uncovering the evolution of your sign across time—your Sumerian deity, your personal Archangel, and even which mythological or cinematic character embodies your essence?

If the stars have guided us for millennia, perhaps they still hold answers waiting to be rediscovered.

Comment your sign below. If I get 100 messages, I’ll break it down for everyone.

As we meditate on this, some pictures of the bathroom work in progress inside the A-Frame project who became for me the source of a spiritual awakening.