The Different Types of Astrology

Astrology is one of humanity’s oldest symbolic systems, developed across many cultures as a way of understanding personality, destiny, relationships, and the cycles of life. At its core, astrology is based on the idea that the movements of celestial bodies reflect patterns and meanings within human experience. The three major traditions most widely practiced today are Western, Vedic, and Chinese astrology. Western astrology focuses on personality, psychology, and self-development; Vedic astrology, originating in ancient India, places greater emphasis on karma, destiny, and spiritual evolution and Chinese astrology, rooted in Chinese philosophy, considers cycles of years, symbolic animals and harmony between the individual and the natural world. Despite their differences, all three systems attempt to answer the same type of questions: Who am I? What is my life about? This is what makes it so interesting: different cultures have always asked the same questions; using the planets and stars to get answers. The essential technical difference between Western and Vedic astrology lies in the wobble of the earth on its axis, called the axial tilt. This can be observed by rotating a spinning top. As the top slows down, it loses momentum and starts to wobble until it eventually falls over. Now, while the earth doesn’t fall over, it has the same type of wobble and it takes a very long time indeed for it to be very noticeable. The exact reason has a lot to do with the equator having a slightly bigger diameter relative to the rest of the planet. This causes a gravitational pull, which over 26,000 years makes a big difference, but lucky for us, nothing that would affect our lives today. The precession of the equinoxes is what it takes to complete a full rotational wobble and this is important for understanding the difference between Western and Vedic astrology.

Western astrology is seasonally orientated. The start of the ‘calendar’ is the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, which relates to the end of the third week of March. This is a fixed process that commences as the day and night are more or less of equal duration. This point is marked 0° 00’ Aries and is constant each year, although the exact time it reaches this point varies each year by a few hours relative to the leap year process. This is a seasonal mapping related to the earth’s movement around the sun and therefore impacted by the axial tilt.

Practically, this places the earth at the centre of our experience and the Sun placement as a leading indicator of personality. However, the earth’s wobble has changed the constellation pattern by 23° backwards, so that what was Aries is now viewed as Taurus. The actual constellation of Taurus can be seen as Gemini, etc. Strangely, the interpretations of each sign has not gone out of sync with personality readings which is what we would have assumed.

Vedic astrology makes no such correction for wobbles. The constellations are seen in the same place with the same sign attached to it. However, the interpretation and entire purpose of a Vedic chart is totally different when compared to Western style charts. Used mostly for guidance for career, finance, marriage timing, health, strengths and karmic lessons.

A Vedic practitioner postulates that the meaning of life is destiny, free will and how we react to them in thought and action. Therefore, the four goals of human life are :
Dharma - required conduct for spiritual growth. Brings meaning and purpose into life.
Artha - the acquisition of wealth in order to have the ability to acquire spiritual growth.
Kama - the embracing of joy or emotional happiness.
Moksha - liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Chinese astrology on the other hand works on a 60 year zodiac cycle of five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water), coupled to the duality of yin/jang and associated with an animal sign (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig).

The major planets used are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

According to Chinese astrology, a person's fate can be determined by the position of the major planets at the person's birth along with the positions of the Sun, Moon, comets, the person's time of birth, and zodiac. By fate, we mean how a person can be in harmony with the universe and global forces. Individual strengths and weaknesses come from understanding the date and time of birth.

The Chinese believe in balance. For everything, there is also the opposite. Yang is action. Yin is receptivity to action. Similarly, Ming is the journey mapped out for us at birth and Yun is the luck we make on our life’s journey.