K.P.System of Astrology

The deviation from Vedic concept begins when equal houses are not considered and instead the Placidus system of house division has been adopted where each cusp ie. the begining of a house has some unique measure in degrees - minutes unlike the Vedic concept where the cusp starts at 0 and ends at 30 degrees.

The Cusp of the House is considered to be a very important factor over the life time. The span of a house could be less than 30 degrees and hence the Sign associated with the Cusp will be limited to the span of the house and at times a sign may be completely missing or 2 houses may have the same signs. The House or the Cusp Lords will be as per the signs calculated by the Placidus system. This is one of the deviation from the Vedic concept.

We thus have a total of 27 divisions in 360 degrees each segment being 13d-20m. This is only a rough measure. Imagine that you have some length of a stick which you would like to use as a measuring tool. You may sub-divide this stick by any means into finite sections, may be equal or unequal depending on your end use. The time when you decide to use this as a tool you discover that some objects are falling between the markings, you then realise the need to sub-divide to come to a finer measure.

This conclusion was also arrived at by the propounder of KP System and he sub-divided the span of each star into smaller portions called as a Sub-division or a Sub. This Sub when further divided into finer sections is called as a Sub-Sub which will be refered to as SSL, The next will be SS4 followed by SS5, SS6.

We are all aware that a measuring tool would also need some Units of measure then its sub-units followed by a sub-sub part of it. The unit of measure adopted by KP is the Vimshottari Mahadasha Paddhati again an accepted Vedic concept based on the 7 Planets and 2 Nodes, each planet being allocated a fixed number of years. The span of each Star is divided into 9 parts in accordance with Vimshottari Mahadasha Paddhati as the primary Sub division, again he has sub-divided each primary Sub division or 1/9th part into 9 parts which are called as Sub-Sub. This is a very important contributing factor for the accuracy of predictions as the resolution or the least count has now increased.

A transiting planet is a variable, next is the Sign-Lord followed by Star-Lord. This transiting planet will now occupy one of the 9 Sub-parts in the Star, this sub-part is ruled by one of the 9 planets hence the term Sub-Lord was introduced followed by the Sub-Sub-Lord. The planet transiting a house is now a source of an event, Star-Lord, Sub-Lord, Sub-Sub-Lord and the Sign-Lord will decide the course of events indicated by the House.

This is only a preliminary explanation for one planet whereas there are other such 8 entities which will contribute and offer variations to the event as projected by the house. We have earlier discussed that the Placidus system of house division results in each cusp having some unique measure in degrees - minutes.

These 12 Cusp's are given the same consideration as given to the planets explained in the above paragraph. Thus each Cusp has a Star-Lord, Sub-Lord and the Cusp-Lord which is the Sign-Lord himself. These stay fixed throughout the lifetime in a Natal Chart. Refinement to Vedic Astrology as you must have now realised is due to the introduction of additional variables for the Cusps & Planets.

The nature / type of event for each house depends on the Lords of star, sub & sign on the cusp.

Planet is a source of event having a star, sub & sign lords. A sub-sub is considered at times to improve the precision.

The relationship between all the above variables and the additional parameters which are partly derived from the Vedic concept and partly from the Western concepts are called as the Rules of KP or Krishnamurti Paddhati itself.

KP has recommended the use of Ayanamsa which varies for each year. This Ayanamsa is closer to Chitrapaksh. Chitrapaksh or Lahiri Ayanamsa differs with KP Ayanamsa by 6M. The yearly rate of change assumed in KP is 50.2388475 Seconds.

Every planet in its Dasha, Bhukti and the house it occupies does not give results for occupied house but gives results according to the house where the Star-Lord is placed. Planet 'A' offers the result of the house occupied by the Lord of Star 'B', wherein this planet 'A' is deposited. Results being Good or Bad is decided by the Lord of Dasha and Bhukti being placed in the Sub portion of which Planet.

Rahu - Ketu ie Moons North Node ( MNN ) - South Node ( MSN ) the shadow planets are very important and they do not have a specific Sign assigned to them. The Signs associated with the Planets are not important as the Nakshatra Swami ( Star-Lord ) is more important. Any planet when it is placed in a Nakshatra has more power than the Lord of Nakshatra.

In a natal horoscope if any planet is Retrograde then it does no harm and is to be considered as in normal motion. In Prashna Kundali a retrograde planet gives results only in direct motion, retrograde planet is considered powerless.

KP assumes that no Planet is Good or Bad by itself. In KP all Western Style Aspects ( Graha -Yog ) are accepted along with all Indian Style Drishti-Yog.

Working Rules of KP System For each Planet consider in which Star it is placed. The Star-Lord of this planet own's a house or houses and will indicate the event matters of those houses owned by the Star-Lord.

The Planet will occupy a Sub portion, the Sub-Lord of the Planet also own's a house or houses. The nature of house decides if the event indicated by the Star-Lord is good or Bad. Planet considered to be a Benefic by Lordship offers the results signified by it, through the Planet deposited in its Stars. Planet is the source, star-lord shows the nature of results and Sub-Lord decides whether the event is favourable or not.

Nadi Astrology

Among the various characteristics of man, one is "his obsession for probing things unknown. From ancient times, man is obsessed and eager for seeking more and more knowledge. He has succeeded too. It is an unending quest.

India's contribution to this search of the unknown is very important. India has a tradition that has always kept alive its link with the unknown. India is not just a nation, a country, or a piece of land. India is much more than that - something symbolic, poetic, and talent-invisible! The reason is that India is the only country in the world, which has concentrated on and devoted its entire talent and intelligence in the search of the truth. For thousands of years millions of people have been making efforts towards that single objective. For that, they shunned riches, adopted poverty, risked ill-health etc. But they never gave up their search for the truth. The divine, blissful vibrations of all those sages are always present in the atmosphere here. They include saints, mahatmas, Rishis, Munis, Gurus, Scholars, great poets, painters, and talented intellectuals who were the medium of Divinity. They have obliged mankind by opening up various avenues to divine knowledge. But to grasp that divine knowledge, it is necessary that one attain a certain high standard of moral behavior, asceticism and knowledge.

Of the many aspirations that humans have, one is to peep into one's future. A number of sages (Rishis-munis) have dwelt on that in a number of ways. One of its outcomes is the science of Naadi Astrology.

Needless to say that these Rishis and munis were experts in the science of Yoga, which describes the different states of one's being. If we grasp them, some light can be thrown on how the Yogis get or may be getting the knowledge of ascertaining and recording the future of every human being. That is just a small part of that vast store of cosmic knowledge.

Can you believe that someone in India is storing records of your entire life cycle ie. Your past, present and future, hard to believe but Yes, this is called Naadi Astrology. Nadi is an ancient astrology, which has been composed by great Maharishis (sages) of India in the past using their spiritual powers. The sages recorded these predictions for every individual for the betterment of humanity and to safeguard dharma (righteousness). These sages predicted the characteristics, family history, as well as the careers of innumerable individuals contain in several thousand volumes, each containing around a hundred predictions.

These Naadi prediction recordings, being the repository of wisdom of the Great Saint was one of the well preserved books for thousands of years by the many generations of rulers, until an auction during the British rule, when it finally became the proud possession of an influential family of Valluvar community at Tamilnadu.

The Rishis (sages), who dictated those Naadi's, were gifted with such a remarkable foresight that they accurately foretold the entire future of all mankind. Many scholars in different parts of India have in their safekeeping several Granthas. Initially, Naadi Astrology predictions was thought to be just writing on Astrology, but soon it became evident that the scriptures contained some unique predictions of specific natives, who will come seeking them, at a particular stage of their lifetime, as foretold by the Great Saint in these predictions.

Nadi Jothidam is the name of an ‘exact science’ by which all details about a person can be told by consulting palm-leaf inscriptions attributed to Agastya Muni, a very famous ancient sage from the South. There is, supposedly, one palm-leaf inscription for every human on this earth, past present and future! Taking into account population explosion, the whole place should be chock full of palm leaves, but miraculously this is not so. This could mean two things- either the ancients had the foresight to know as to who would visit the place and hence only the bio-data of those visitors would be available,or the leaves are preserved in some format wherein terabytes of data could be compressed and stored. The prints would be taken after the candidate arrives on the spot!

Either way it goes to show the remarkable wisdom of our ancients! Anyway, after one arrives at the place their thumb impression is taken along with their date of birth. Then, the palm leaf pertaining to the individual is searched for. This is the source of the name Nadi- search. There are a number of write-ups praising its accuracy and there are blogs testifying to the same. There have been numerous accounts stating that the practitioners of Nadi have an accurate method of telling all about the past, present and future of any individual. All they need for identifying the right leaf is the thumb-print of the person and the date of birth.

On obtaining the aspirant thumb impression, it is handed over by the Naadi reader at the library, as it the scientific fact the whirls and loops of every individual is unique and it is next to impossible to be replicated. The thumb lines are classified into 108 types. The writings in palm leaf bundles are indexed & classified in the library according to thumb impressions to facilitate easy searching of the bundles. For each thumb impression there are likely to be around 5 to 6 bundles; each such bundle in turn containing 50 to 100 leaves. One particular leaf might be that of the individual, but the process of finding out that specific leaf is laborious and time consuming. The reader has to read out one statement from the first leaf and it confirms to the individual, he will read out the second statement to verify its veracity. If this statement does not hold true for the individual, the reader passes on the next leaf, discarding the previous one. It will therefore will be evident that the reader will have to go on searching leaf after leaf, bundle after bundle to trace out the one leaf in which all the particulars concerning the individual correctly appear. To expedite this process, the aspirant seeker has to extend his full cooperation and support because this process may take weeks or months.

These results in the tracing out of not only the index leaf but also the first leaf of the individual also called General Kandam. The General Kandam will furnish brief predictions corresponding to the 12 houses of the individual's birth chart. It detailed predictions of any particular aspect of one's life are required; they can be listened from the remaining 11 leaves of that individual's Horoscope.

For the predictions to come true, Rishi Agasthiyar or Siva Vakiya Maha Rishi insists that the individual be free of any previous birth sins. He therefore suggests and specifies the performance of certain Parihars remedial procedures to wipe off the maximum extent any such balance of sins. If these remedies are performed with full involvement and without any deviation, he assures the happening of the events predicted by him. These remedial procedures are to be found in separate chapters called Shanthi & Dheeksha.

The taken in locating the right index and subsequently the predictions, can sometimes span across month. After few attempts, searching these index volumes if the native does not find his or her index page it may be concluded that either the index is lost or he/she is destined to find it at later stage.

Indian or Vedic astrology

Jyotisha from India is the most time-tested and oldest system of astrology in the world. The Sanskrit word "Jyotisha" (ja-yo-teesh) means "science of light." In Western countries, it is called Vedic astrology, which refers to Indian or Hindu astrology. The origin of Jyotisha is from the Vedas, the scriptures of Hindus. Jyotisha is the science of understanding the subtle influences that come to us from the greater universe.

Vedic astrology reflects the understanding and experience of ancient spiritual teachers regarding the facts of life. Hindu philosophers, sages, went into great intricacies to explain God. They explain that world is evolving under the benevolent influence of a Divine Being. The Supreme Intelligence takes care of every individual and puts him under those circumstances which are best suited for his growth. This gives faith and confidence to the individual. Vedic astrology believes in the spiritual nature of man, and guides him in realizing his true self. It helps him realize that each soul is learning his lessons, which he can only learn under those circumstances. Thus, he comes to know that astrological prediction comes true because the soul is guided by Higher Beings, planets whose Judgment is never err.

Now, you may wonder how these planets and stars can influence events on Earth. Obviously the Sun is the basis of all life. According to the Vedas, it also projects a force of intelligence and spirituality. The Moon is important to all creatures and governs the fertility cycles of animals. In the Vedic system Moon rules the emotional nature. It is well known that the planets with their large magnetic fields and gravitational interaction with the Earth, affect it physically. It is not illogical either that they might have subtler influences.

Without the Law of Karma to explain the pattern of our lives, starting from birth, astrology makes little sense. Philosophically, Vedic astrology reflects the law of Karma, which includes both the aspect of fate and that of free will. Fate in Karma means that our present condition is the result of our past actions from previous lives. The outer events of our present life are ruled by past Karma and can be difficult to change. Free will in Karma means that we shape our future by our present actions.

Vedic astrology does not leave us helpless before the onslaughts of fate. It provides ways of dealing with our Karma. Vedic astrology holds that spiritual practices, like Yoga, prayer and meditation neutralize the effects of a bad astrological chart. Vedic astrology helps us to realize our true self, and helps us to know the divinity of the soul. It provides a clarification of your Karma. Vedic astrology alleviates what is perhaps the greatest fear for human beings uncertainty and anxiety about the future. It helps us navigate confidently through the confusing waves of Karma, aware of our outer destiny and our inner timeless self as well.

Vedic astrology uses the sidereal (according to the stars) positions of planets against the backdrop of the relatively fixed stars, as astronomers do. Vedic astrology calculates as the stars appear in the night sky. This is the most important difference between Vedic and tropical Western astrology. Tropical Western astrologers based their zodiac on the Equinox instead.

The arithmetic difference between planetary positions calculated sidereally and tropically is a value for what is called the procession of the equinoxes, or the Ayanaunsh. Today, this difference is 24 degrees. This 24 degrees causes the entire astrological chart to move back about 24 degrees from the Western to the Vedic chart. The positions of most planets go back to the previous sign. This naturally results in a very different chart. It can be confusing for those used to their Western chart, especially with the Sun sign, which is a likely to change in Vedic system.

Vedic and Western astrology share a common heritage of 12 zodiac signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces), and seven planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn), which they describe in a similar manner. There being 12 Zodiac Signs and 12 Houses is an accepted and undisputed assumption all over the World.

In the Vedic context 27 Stars or Nakshatra's or Constellations are also being considered to be assigned in association with the 12 Signs and Houses. There are numerous methods of dividing 360 degrees into 12 parts or houses to which the 12 Signs & 27 Stars are assigned. Each Star thus gets 13d-20m out of the 360 degrees. In any house or Sign a part of the Star spills over into the next house or Sign as per the calculations involved.

In simple terms each house is allocated 2-1/4 stars. Thus when a Planet is said to be placed in a house it shall be placed in one of the Stars as per its current location in degrees. This is still a part of the Vedic concept. The variable factor in Vedic concept was only the Planet visiting a House and moving into the 3 Stars allocated to the house. The House or Sign Lord and the 3 Star-Lords were fixed due to equal house concepts.
 
Vedic astrology also uses the Moon's North and South calculated nodes prominently. They are called Rahu and Ketu. The outer planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are not part of classical Vedic astrology. But Vedic and Western astrology differ in several ways. The Vedic system is more complicated, with many different types of charts and calculations to consider.

In Jyotisha, the positions of the planets and other significant points are calculated with respect to a person's, or event's, birth data. Based on this information your Vedic astrologer calculates about 100 charts and tables. It is the job of the Vedic astrologer to study them simultaneously and derive useful information based on the rules of interpretation created by ancient sages.

Both systems use the same twelve houses and interpret them similarly (though with variations). The Vedic system makes the cusp the same beginning of the house, while Western astrology makes the cusp the middle of the house. This causes half the planetary positions in the Vedic chart to move forward to the next house relative to the Western chart.

Vedic astrology uses an 27-fold division of the zodiac called Nakshatra (constellations). Personality traits are read more through the birth star (Nakshatra of the Moon) than by the Sun sign. Nakshatra positions of planets are examined in the birth chart as well. The use of Nakshatra is very important in Vedic astrology, much more than with zodiac signs.

Vedic astrology uses a system of planetary periods called Dasha, Major Period of various planets. Most important is Vimshottari Dasha, a 120-year-long cycle of planetary positions based upon the birth Nakshatra, stars. With the help of this Dasha, Major Period system a Vedic astrologer can predict future events very accurately. However, Western astrology does not have the Dasha system, with predictive capabilities as Vedic astrology does.

There are five main uses of Vedic astrology:
1. Kama - family and relationship issues like marriage compatibility, timing of children and domestic happiness; 
2. Artha - help with finances, business and investments; 
3. Dharma - determination of career and vocation; 
4. Moksha - guidance in the spiritual life and cosmic and self-knowledge; and 
5. Arogya - physical and mental health.

In simple words, Kundli or horoscope is an astrological chart used by astrology practitioners to gain insight into the personality and life of an individual. Kundli of a person shows the exact position of various planetary bodies at the time of his/her birth. Astrologers consider janam kundali as a very important document which helps them understand and explain the various events in the life of an individual.

The term kundli is hindi and is used by north Indian people and in south India 'Jathakam' is the term which refers to horoscope.

Chinese Astrology

The Chinese zodiac is a mathematical cycle of 12 animals. Each animal represents one year. Chinese Zodiac signs are subdivided into inner animals -- representing months of the year, and secret animals -- representing each hour of the day. This enables the 12 basic animal signs to be interpreted in 8,640 possible combinations! 

The well-trodden (no pun intended) story of the Chinese zodiac is cute, but a bit trite. The tale usually begins with the Jade Emperor, or Buddha, depending on the teller, who summoned all the animals of the universe for a race, or a banquet, depending on the teller. The 12 animals of the zodiac all headed to the palace. The order that they came in determined the order of the zodiac. 

The Shengxiao, called the Chinese Zodiac colloquially, is a traditional Chinese system that relates the birth year of a person to an animal and its characteristics. The word 'Sheng' means 'year of birth' and the word 'Xiao' means 'resemblance'. Based on the lunar calendar, this system is a twelve-year cycle as opposed to the monthly cycle of western zodiac signs, although both have a twelve-part time cycle. This twelve-year cycle is a sub-cycle of the larger 60-year cycle, which is formed by the amalgamation of each one of these twelve earthly branches with ten heavenly stems.

The animals in the Chinese zodiac are believed to be created in order to count years. The time division in ancient China (during 200 A.D.) was mostly related to the number twelve: one ji = 12 years, one year has 12 months, and one day has 12 time periods called shi chen. Each of these time divisions is also named in the same manner as the twelve years.

People are associated with the animal for the year that they are born. The 12 animals in order are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Zodiac animals can also represent hours of the day and directions. Although it is called the Chinese zodiac, this system is also used in several other countries in Asia such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

The twelve animal zodiacs are the base of Chinese astrology. Here we have listed each zodiac and its unique characteristics. The birth year correspondence for the people born in January, or February should be double checked as the Chinese new year changes each year, usually falling between the end of January and the start of February. So, for example, if your birthday falls on January 13, 1900, and the Chinese new year that year is on January 29, your zodiac is Pig and not Rat, even though the table shows the people born in 1900 to be "Rat" people.

The foundation of Chinese Astrology is from Yin Yang and Five Elements, which are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth. All Chinese Horoscope signs, Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog and Pig, 12 Chinese Zodiac signs can be converted into Five Elements. Our free Chinese Five Element Astrology site provides you the advice on Baby Gender Prediction, Baby Lucky Names, Dating and Marriage Match, Lucky House and Bedroom Selections, and your Lucky Years using the combinations of Five Elements. We hope you can find the Chinese Astrology secrets of you and your family's members and wish your family live luckier, wealthier, healthier, happier and longer.

Actual History of the Zodiac

The actual history behind the Chinese zodiac is a much less fantastical and much harder to find. It’s known from pottery artifacts that the animals of the zodiac were popular in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), but they were also seen much earlier from artifacts from the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), a period of disunity in ancient Chinese history, as differing factions fought for control.

It’s been written that the animals of the zodiac were brought to China via the Silk Road, the same central Asian trade route that brought the Buddhist belief from India to China. But some scholars argue that the belief predates Buddhism and has origins in early Chinese astronomy that used the planet Jupiter as a constant, as its orbit around the earth took place every 12 years. Still others have argued that the use of animals in astrology began with nomadic tribes in ancient China who developed a calendar based on the animals they used to hunt and gather.

The scholar Christopher Cullen as written that beyond satisfying the spiritual needs of an agrarian society, the use of astronomy and astrology was also an imperative of the emperor, who had the responsibility for ensuring harmony of everything under heaven. To rule well and with prestige, one needed to be accurate in astronomical matters, Cullen wrote. Perhaps that is why the Chinese calendar, including the zodiac, became so entrenched in Chinese culture. In fact, reforming the calendar system was viewed as appropriate if political change was eminent.

Personality

Chinese people believe that each zodiac animal has a personality, and people born in the same year may have similar personalities.[1] During the journey, however, the animals got involved in everything from high jinx to heroism. For example the rat, who won the race, only did so through guile and trickery: it jumped onto the back of the ox and won by a nose. The snake, apparently also a little sneaky, hid on the hoof of a horse in order to cross a river. When they got to the other side, it scared the horse and beat it in the contest. The dragon however, proved to be honorable and altruistic. By all accounts the dragon would have won the race as it could fly, but it had stopped to help villagers caught in a flooding river cross safely, or it stopped to assist the rabbit in crossing the river, or it stopped to help create rain for a drought-ridden farmland, depending on the teller.

Rat or Mouse
years: (1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 add 12 years for each subsequent year)
Honest, freedom, hard working, charming. Can be selfish, ruthless, controlling, scheming.

Ox
years: 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Smart, calm, patient, inspiring, modest. Can be stubborn, narrow-minded, demanding, rigid.

Tiger or Lion
years: 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Aggressive, rebellious, strong, daring, generous. Can be restless, clumsy, hot-temper, impatient.

Rabbit or Hare
years: 1987, 1999, 2011
Kind, sensitive, elegant, artistic, cautious. Can be moody, shy, lazy, opportunistic.

Dragon
years: 1988, 2000, 2012
Strong, proud, direct, eccentric, show off. Can be arrogant, violent, brash, controlling.

Snake
years: 1989, 2001, 2013
Wise, graceful, calm, mystic, shrewd. Can be a loner, bad communicator, possessive, distrustful.

Horse
years: 1990, 2002, 2014
Cheerful, popular, talkative, witty, earthly. Can be fickle, rude, gullible, stubborn.

Goat or sheep
years: 1991, 2003, 2015
Righteous, honest, shy, artistic, understanding. Can be moody, a worrier, a complainer, and or too soft.

Monkey
years: 1992, 2004, 2016
Witty, curious, flexible, sociable, smart. Can be vain, clumsy, trickster, snobbish.

Rooster
years: 1993, 2005, 2017
Neat, organized, alert, scientific, responsible. Can be critical, egotistical, rough, opinionated.

Dog or puppy
years: 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Honest, smart, loyal, sense of justice, affectionate. Can be lazy, cold, stubborn, quarrelsome.

Pig
years: 1995, 2007, 2019
Simple, hard working, strong, peace-loving, trusting. Can be naive, gullible, materialistic, clingy.
 
The Hours
 
In the old days, China and Japan used a 12 hour system to tell the time of day and night (unlike the 24 hour system used today). The 12 hour system divides the day of 24 hours into 12 hours, each of which has a sign of the zodiac:

11:00 PM to 1:00 AM is the hour of the Rat.
1:00 AM to 3:00 AM is the hour of the Ox.
3:00 AM to 5:00 AM is the hour of the Tiger.
5:00 AM to 7:00 AM is the hour of the Rabbit.
7:00 AM to 9:00 AM is the hour of the Dragon.
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM is the hour of the Snake.
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM is the hour of the Horse.
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM is the hour of the Goat.
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM is the hour of the Monkey.
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM is the hour of the Rooster.
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM is the hour of the Dog.
9:00 PM to 11:00 PM is the hour of the Pig.
 
Directions
 
The Chinese and Japanese would call the different directions (North, Northeast, Northwest, East, South, Southeast, Southwest, West), based on the names of the zodiac animals.

1. Rat (Water, North)
2. Ox (Earth, North-Northeast)
3. Tiger (Wood, East-Northeast)
4. Rabbit (Wood, East)
5. Dragon (Earth, East-Southeast)
6. Snake (Fire, South-Southeast)
7. Horse (Fire, South)
8. Goat (Earth, South-Southwest)
9. Monkey (Metal, West-Southwest)
10. Rooster (Metal, West)
11. Dog (Earth, West-Northwest)
12. Pig (Water, North-Northwest)

Zodiac Fits With Confucianism

The belief that everyone and every animal has a role to play in society translates well with Confucian beliefs in a hierarchical society. Just as Confucian beliefs persist in Asia today alongside more modern social views, so does the use of the zodiac.

It’s been written by Paul Yip, Joseph Lee, and Y.B. Cheung that births in Hong Kong regularly increased, bucking declining trends, to coincide with the birth of a child in a dragon year. Temporary fertility rate increases were seen in the dragon years of 1988 and 2000, they wrote. This is a relatively modern phenomenon as the same increase wasn’t seen in 1976, another dragon year.

The Chinese zodiac also serves the practical purpose of figuring out a person’s age without having to ask directly and risk offending someone.

Western Astrology

The astrological signs are not defined by the constellations you see in the sky. In antiquity, when both astrological and astronomical thinking were based on insufficient data, the names of the constellations happened to be paired with the astrological signs. Today, those pairings are no longer in sync: Astrological signs do not line up with the constellations in the same way they did way back then, due to the precession of the equinoxes.

Modern Western astrologers understand this perfectly. It 's irrelevant to their work because the information upon which they base their hypotheses does not involve a study of distant stars or constellations. Rather, their data have to do with the movements of the planets in our own solar system within a zone of influence defined by the relationship between the Earth and Sun.

Western Astrology originated way back, around 500 BC, with a concept called the Zodiac being developed. This comprised of an imaginary sphere surrounding the earth, which followed the path of the Sun through the constellations during the year. The Zodiac was split into twelve sections, each named after the specific constellation noted in that area.

The key demarcation points in that relationship are the equinoxes and solstices. At the Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox, which occurs on about March 20th of each year, the Sun enters into the sign of Aries. At the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice, the sun enters into the sign of Cancer. The locations of the constellations are irrelevant; the "influence of the stars" isn't considered.

To reiterate: Western astrologers don't work with stars or constellations. Their focus is our solar system. They study the patterns of the planets and the moon as they pass through 12 zones defined by the relationship between the Earth and sun. Those zones have the same names as constellations because of a historical quirk, but they are unrelated to the constellations.

When Parke Kunkle triumphantly says, "There is no physical connection between constellations and personality traits," as if he has finally stamped out the delusions of us astrologers, he doesn't realize that we agree with him completely. We don't deal with constellations.

There haven't been many corrective articles in the mainstream press -- most publications have been content to let their un-fact-checked stories stand as if they were gospel -- but the New York Times and the Daily Beast did have the journalistic integrity to make a stab.

In Western astrology, astrological signs are the twelve 30º sectors of the ecliptic, starting at the vernal equinox (one of the intersections of the ecliptic with the celestial equator), also known as the First Point of Aries. The order of the astrological signs is Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

The concept of the zodiac originated in Babylonian astrology, and was later influenced by Hellenistic culture. According to astrology, celestial phenomena relate to human activity on the principle of "as above, so below", so that the signs are held to represent characteristic modes of expression,[1] or primary energy patterns indicating specific qualities of experience, through which planets manifest their dimension of experience.[2]

The twelve sector division of the ecliptic constitutes astrology's primary frame of reference when considering the positions of celestial bodies, from a geocentric point of view, so that we may find, for instance, the Sun in 23º Aries (23º longitude), the Moon in 7º Scorpio (217º longitude), or Jupiter in 29º Pisces (359º longitude). Beyond the celestial bodies, other astrological points that are dependent on geographical location and time (namely, the Ascendant, the Midheaven, the Vertex and the houses' cusps) are also referenced within this ecliptic coordinate system.

Various approaches to measuring and dividing the sky are currently used by differing systems of astrology, although the tradition of the Zodiac's names and symbols remain consistent. Western astrology measures from Equinox and Solstice points (points relating to longest, equal and shortest days of the (tropical year), while Jyotiṣa or Vedic astrology measures along the equatorial plane (sidereal year). Precession results in Western astrology's zodiacal divisions not corresponding in the current era to the constellations that carry similar names,[3] while Jyotiṣa measurements still correspond with the background constellations.[4]

The planets in signs information that is being dispensed here is based on the western or tropical zodiac. The western astrological year begins around March 21 with the spring equinox. This is when the Sun enters Aries. All of the sign positions are based on this western concept. The tropical zodiac is used by most astrologers in the western world and is gaining in popularity elsewhere. The pages linked here will describe how the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn tend to behave as they move through each of the twelve signs of the zodiac.

In Western and Asian astrology, the emphasis is on space, and the movement of the Sun, Moon and planets in the sky through each of the zodiac signs. In Chinese astrology, by contrast, the emphasis is on time, with the zodiac operating on cycles of years, months, and hours of the day. A common feature of all three traditions however, is the significance of the Ascendant - the zodiac sign that is rising (due to the rotation of the earth) on the eastern horizon at the moment of a person's birth.

While Western astrology is essentially a product of Greco-Roman culture, some of its more basic concepts originated in Babylonia. Isolated references to celestial "signs" in Sumerian sources are insufficient to speak of a Sumerian zodiac.[5] Specifically, the division of the ecliptic in twelve equal sectors is a Babylonian conceptual construction.[6]

By the 4th century BC, Babylonians' astronomy and their system of celestial omens were influencing the Greek culture and, by late 2nd century BC, Egyptian astrology was also mixing in. This resulted, unlike the Mesopotamian tradition, in a strong focus on the birth chart of the individual and in the creation of horoscopic astrology, employing the use of the Ascendant (the rising degree of the ecliptic, at the time of birth), and of the twelve houses. Association of the astrological signs with Empedocles' four classical elements was another important development in the characterization of the twelve signs.

The body of astrological knowledge by the 2nd century AD is described in Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos, a work that was responsible for astrology's successful spread across Europe and the Middle East, and remained a reference for almost seventeen centuries as later traditions made few substantial changes to its core teachings.

TYPES OF ASTROLOGY

Current traditions

Traditions still practiced in modern times include:

Chinese astrology

Electional astrology

Horary astrology

Horoscopic astrology

Natal astrology

Indian astrology

Sidereal astrology

Sri Lankan Astrology (Sinhalese Astrology)

Western astrology

Tropical astrology

Historical traditions

Traditions which were once widely used but have either partly or fully fallen into disuse:

Agricultural astrology

Arab and Persian astrology and Islamic astrology

Babylonian astrology

Burmese astrology

Celtic astrology

Egyptian astrology

Hellenistic astrology

Judicial astrology

Katarchic astrology

Mayan astrology

Medical astrology

Meteorological astrology

Mundane astrology

Nadi astrology

Political astrology

Tibetan astrology

Recent Western developments

Traditions which have arisen relatively recently in the West:

Cosmobiology

Evolutionary astrology

Financial astrology

Hamburg School of Astrology

Uranian astrology, subset of the Hamburg School

Heliocentric astrology

Huber School of Astrology

Locational astrology

Astrocartography

Psychological astrology or Astropsychology

Sun sign astrology

Esoteric systems of astrology

Astrological concepts applied to various esoteric schools of thought or forms of divination:

Alchemy and astrology

Astrology and the classical elements

Chiromancy

Christianity and astrology

Esoteric astrology

Geomancy

Kabbalistic astrology

Numerology

Physiognomy

Phrenology

Rosicrucianism

I Ching

Tarot divination

Western, Indian, and Chinese astrology approaches are the 3 main types that can help you understand your true zodiac sign.

Astrologists believe that the positions of the stars and planets at the time of our birth can bring many insights to our life such as knowledge, luck, or love. That is why many people are enthusiastic to know about their zodiac signs and use them as a way to understand more about themselves, guide them in their successes, and overcome trials. But before you can truly appreciate zodiac signs, you must be aware that there are at least 3 major types of astrology featuring different zodiac signs. It is up to you to decide which one you prefer to follow. They are listed below.

Western astrology

Western astrology is the most popular of the 3 major types of astrology. Many people follow this one because figuring out a zodiac sign in this astrology is very easy. The zodiac signs in western astrology are termed as the sun or star signs. To know your sun sign, all you have to do is look at your birth date and find which specific sun sign falls under it. Under this type of astrology, there are about 12 different zodiac signs. They are as follows, with their corresponding dates:

Aries – March 21 to April 19
Taurus – April 20 to May 20
Gemini – May 21 to June 20
Cancer – June 21 to July 22
Leo – July 23 to August 22
Virgo – August 23 to September 22
Libra – September 23 to October 22
Scorpio – October 23 to November 21
Sagittarius – November 22 to December 21
Capricorn – December 22 to January 19
Aquarius – January 20 to February 18
Pisces – February 19 to March 20

Indian astrology

The zodiac signs in Indian astrology, whether Hindu, Jyotisa or Vedica, are more or less the same as the Western astrology’s zodiac signs, though they are named differently. The only difference is the location of the zodiac signs in the sky. This is because Indian astrology analyzes the stars’ movement. The following are its zodiac signs with their western zodiac signs counterpart:

Mesa “ram” – Aries
Vrsabha “bull” – Taurus
Mithuna “twins” – Gemini
Karka “crab” – Cancer
Simha “lion” – Leo
Kanya “girl” – Virgo
Tula “balance” – Libra
Vrscika “scorpion” – Scorpio
Dhanus “bow” – Sagittarius
Makara “sea-monster” – Capricorn
Kumbha “pitcher” – Aquarius
Mina “fish” – Pisces

Chinese astrology

In Chinese astrology, the zodiac signs are not based on the constellations or of the ecliptic sections. Instead, they are named after animals and with an interval of one sun year and one lunar month (based on the Chinese calendar) for each sign. This means that within a year only one Chinese zodiac sign rules and that it will take about 11 years for it to rule again. The twelve zodiacs are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

There is no restriction for which type of astrology and zodiac sign you will follow. You can even read more about them all to understand even more details about you.

Different Types of Astrology

In the last chapter we learnt about the introduction and expansion of astrology. Lets go ahead and learn few more things about astrology...

Vedic astrology is like a giant Banyan tree. It is impossible to completely separate the different branches of this banyan tree, because you never know when one branch merges into another. Before learning Vedic astrology, it is necessary to know the different types of Astrology.

In simple words Vedic astrology is divided into two parts:

Mathematical Astrology

Mathematical astrology involves Panchang and mathematical calculations. It also has many branches as follows. It gives calculations to determine the position and speed of planets. Mathematical astrology includes additions, subtractions, multiplication, square root etc. It also explains the method to calculate the speed and position of earth, sky etc.

Result Astrology

This astrology mentions the positions of planets and yogas being formed in the horoscope and their benefic results. This details the methods to calculate muhurat, which includes the calculations of planets, dates, constellations etc.

Tajik Astrology

Tajik comes under Result Astrology. This includes the making of yearly horoscope, which calculates year, month, days of whole year and good rewards are considered over it.

Question Astrology
 
In question astrology, horoscope is formed on the basis of the time the question has been asked and results are given or the question is solved thereafter. This is a unique form of astrology.

Maidneya Astrology
 
This astrology is also known as Rashtra astrology. This astrology is used to know about the rise or decline of a nation or country.

Samhita Astrology
 
Any earthquake or natural disaster involving Indra bows in a specific year is considered in it.   

What are the Different Kinds Of Astrology?

At last count there were over 80 branches of astrology in usage! That's really so amazing considering the minimal uses at its inception.

Most practicing astrologers today use astrology for self awareness, family, and clients. This self-contained system is probably the most complete system. It is interwoven with so many other paths of wisdom as well. Quaballa is rooted in astrology as are Numerology, Tarot, and Feng Shui.

Today we can work with Western astrology, Vedic, Hellenistic, Classical, Traditional, Mayan, Aztec, Chinese, Korean astrology, and more. But let's go through all the branches of application.

Humanistic astrology is what we now primarily practice in the West. Some refer to this as astrological 'readings' to assist people who want personal awareness, knowledge of their patterns, karmic issues, strengths, weaknesses, and predictions for their future.

Karmic/esoteric astrology focuses on the more spiritual side of interpretation and insights.
Relationship astrology of course deals with the energy between two people in relationship, which can be lovers, or child/parent, boss and employee, family patterns, etc.Vocational astrology focuses on assisting the client to understand where his greatest career potentials lie.
 
Specialty branches are Horary astrology is the branch of answering specific questions and finding lost items. Electional astrology is that of searching the sky for the most propitious time to begin an event, such as opening a business or buying a car or getting married. 
Rectification is the branch to rectify a birth chart for a person who does not know the time they were born.
 
Mundane astrology is a branch that covers political events, wars, countries and global changes.
Astro meteorology is the study of and prediction weather and geological patterns.
 
Financial Astrology or astro economics is a very recognized branch today used by many stock brokers on Wall Street. Astro Financial software is now available to astrologers to trade the markets.
 
Gambling and Sports astrology is a common branch and astro software is available for this as well. 

Natal astrology                                     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natal_astrology

Electional astrology                             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electional_astrology
Horary astrology                                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horary_astrology
Mundane astrology                             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundane_astrology
Chinese astrology                              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_astrology
Indian astrology                                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_astrology
Sidereal astrology                             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidereal_astrology
Western astrology                             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_astrology
Tropical astrology                             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_astrology
Arab and Persian astrology            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_and_persian_astrology
Islamic astrology                              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_astrology
Early Irish astrology                         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_astrology
Egyptian astrology                          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_astrology
Kabbalistic astrology                     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalistic_astrology
Hellenistic astrology                      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_astrology
Judicial astrology                          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_astrology
Katarchic astrology                      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katarchi_astrology
Mayan Astrology                          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayan_astrology
Medical astrology                        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_astrology
Meteorological astrology            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorological_astrology
Nadi astrology                               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadi_astrology
Tibetan Astrology                            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_astrology
Evolutionary astrology                       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_astrology
Financial astrology                               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_astrology
Hamburg School of Astrology        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburg_school_of_astrology
Uranian astrology                                 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranian_astrology
Locational astrology                            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locational_astrology
Astrocartography                                 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrocartography
Psychological astrology                      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological astrology
Sun sign astrology                               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_sign_astrology
Kabbalistic astrology                          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalistic_astrology
Esoteric astrology                               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esoteric_astrology

1. Medical astrology.

This is a rarely used but important division of astrology. A medical horoscope doesn’t look like an ordinary horoscope. It is made with a different system of houses. By using a medical horoscope it is possible to make a diagnosis of possible diseases, to predict their beginning and in many cases to stop them before they really take hold. The main planets used in the calculations are Hileg and Antihileg, which are indicators of the energetically strongest organs (Hileg) and the weakest organs, through which diseases enter (Antihileg). We look at what kind of diseases are: acquired, hereditary or karmic. Depending on this, we choose the method of treatment. For example, it is absolutely useless to cure diseases connected with karma of the family by ordinary methods. Medical astrology by no means substitutes for medicine. Astrologers will never recommend any chemical remedies (the pills that are so popular). The recommendations will concern lifestyle, diet, method of treatment in homeopathy – similar by similar or similar by opposite, and the use of herbs and crystals.

2. Horary astrology.

This type of astrology is used to answer a specific question. Almost every clearly asked question will receive a “yes” or “no” answer. Included in the answer will be the timing of the event, the influences surrounding it, the best way to achieve success, etc.

I had a boss once who, having learned that I was also an astrologer, asked me to construct a horary chart for him around a question regarding the firm’s business. I could see in the chart that what he really wanted was to ask a personal question, but he didn’t really trust me as an astrologer yet, and so had decided to ask the business question first as a test to see what I could do. I explained this to him and, in so doing, proved my expertise. He then asked me to cast his personal horoscope.

Horary astrology is absolutely necessary for deciding the best time for starting a new business: any business. It is particularly useful, when starting up a company, in deciding when to sign contracts, etc. This is because one is laying the foundation for the life of the company. Frequently, people buy a company founded many years before which, for some reason, has not been successful. The business continues to falter under the new management as well. This is not by chance. Evidently the founding was at a time when the locations of planets were negative, and blocked the development of the business. If you buy such a firm, its problems will not disappear by themselves.

3. Astro-mineralogy.

I love this type of astrology. It combines astrology and mineralogy. Every stone has the specific influence of certain planets. Using properly selected stones, it is possible to improve a person’s character, life situation and even health. You only need to know “how” and to be serious about what you are doing. That’s because this is magic at work.

It is impossible to select stones just by general recommendations. You have probably read things like: “Ruby suits Leo, hematite – Scorpio, garnet – Sagittarius, moonstone and pearl – Cancer, etc.” This is not always so. For example, garnet is really the stone of Sagittarius, because it has forces of Jupiter (and Mars), and Jupiter controls Sagittarius. But it might be, that your Jupiter is wicked, and the force of this planet shouldn’t be activated, or it might not be malignant, but be very strong. Its strength of force is seen in your life: you are ambitious and actively pursue your career. If the results are not always what you want, you shouldn’t make Jupiter stronger by wearing its stones. Let’s suppose, after looking at your horoscope, that you have weak Mercury, and this prevents you from expressing your thoughts as you want and, correspondingly, prevents you from being successful in your career. In this case, you would want to make Mercury stronger by wearing its stones, for example, rock – crystal.

If you are not familiar with your horoscope, it is better to select stones according to your inner feeling of what you “like or “don’t like”. Also, it should always be taken into consideration that a stone must harmonize with the metal into which it is set. For example, emeralds should not be worn in gold settings (even though they look beautiful), because the emerald carries the moon’s influence, and gold carries the Sun’s; this means they are incompatible. Finally, never wear stones with black spots inside and with cracks, except in cases when this is the natural structure of the mineral (for example, selenite).

4. Numerology.

Numerology doesn’t have a direct relation to astrology, but is closely connected to it because each planet is associated with a particular number. Numerology is important, for example, when selecting a name for your child. It is good when the name matches a strong and benevolent planet.

When my daughter was born, my husband and relatives waited patiently for over a month while I constructed every conceivable horoscope and calculated every benevolent and unfavorable planet. Finally, when I was ready, I announced her name. (Although, I will admit that I didn’t take exotic names into consideration).

With the help of numerology it is possible to calculate numbers that are significant in your life, as well as many other things.

5. Geographical astrology

Geographic astrology can help you discover in which country and region you will feel the best. When you move to a different apartment or open an office, it is important to take into consideration that your health and prosperity will depend directly on the place or the location of the new site.

6. Business astrology.

This is self-explanatory.

7. Mundane astrology.

Deals with world events.