What Are the Degrees in Astrology? Degree Theory

There are a few different ways astrologers interpret degrees. If you’ve ever looked into astrology before (even your own birthchart), you likely noticed a degree beside the sign. For example, you may have your Moon in Pisces at 14°.

This degree (°) can then be further dissected through various methods such as Sabian Symbols (if you want to learn more about this, consider reading this wonderful book), decans, dwads, Arabic Parts, etc. All of these methods tell us something unique about the degree in a given chart.

Although there are various ways to interpret a degree in astrology, for this infographic we’ll follow the teachings of Degree Theory. This method was created by Serbian Astrologer Nikola Stojanovic.

Stojanovic proposes that each of the 360 degrees in an astrology chart have a specific meaning. This meaning influences the energies of the planets positioned at those degrees. This adds nuance and deeper insights into its expression and impact. Degree theory means that we are not only interpreting the sign and house a planet is in, but the exact degree, thereby fine-tuning the interpretation significantly.

The added infographic is a simple way to remind yourself to be mindful of degree theory. As mentioned earlier, there is of course more methods for interpreting degrees & I highly recommend exploring all of them!

Please note: I have tried to find information on Nikola Stojanovic & his creation of Degree Theory, but his website is down at the time of creating this blog post. It looks like he practiced astrology since 1997 until his death a few years ago.