Quantcast
Signs of the Body 2022 | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

The Man of Signs: What are Signs in the Body?

Primary Image
Photo Credit
Wellcome Images/Wikimedia Commons
No content available.

Signs in the knees, signs in the feed, signs in the head

Print Friendly and PDF
Body

Ancient astrologers believed that each astrological sign of the zodiac influenced a specific part of the body, i.e., sign of the feet, sign of the knees, sign of the head, etc. The Man of Signs was created to visually represent this belief. Learn more.

From the beginning, this Almanac has been calculated on astronomy, not astrology. But just as we include a few pages of astrology in each edition, so too did founder Robert B. Thomas include an annual table designating “The Names and Characters of the Signs of the Zodiac.” After each sign is a body part: Virgo, belly; Sagittarius, thighs; Capricorn, knees, and so forth.

Early Almanac readers were very familiar with “The Man of Signs.” Before someone had a diseased arm bled, for instance, he or she wanted to be very sure that the Moon was located in Gemini (Gemini is in charge of the arms). Along with the signs, or separate from them, the phases of the Moon were used to determine the most propitious times for a variety of activities: weaning a baby, planting certain vegetables, quitting smoking, making sauerkraut—you name it.

How to Follow the Man of Signs

The first sign of the zodiac—Aries—is attributed to the head, with the rest of the signs moving down the body, ending with Pisces at the feet. 

Consult the chart below to see which parts of the body are associated with which signs and dates. According to astrology, it is considered a poor time to do an activity that involves the given body part within the associated range of dates. For example, because Aries is connected to the head, it would be considered unfavorable to have an eye examination during the time of Aries (March 21 to April 20).

Please Note: The Old Farmer’s Almanac does not give medical advice. Consult with a medical professional before making any decisions related to your health or the health of loved ones.

Learn More

Just as in Thomas’s time, Almanac readers today use both our astronomical data and astrological tables to determine the timing of a variety of events. The astrological Best Days (to do things) advice continues to be one of the most popular features and traditional practices of the Almanac and as do the dates of Mercury Retrograde.

2023 Almanac Club