Vedic Astrology - What Is It?

Vedic Astrology is defined as Indian or Hindu astrology, an astrological structure that was formed in ancient India and documented by sages in the ‘Vedic scriptures’ (the definitive and most sacred book in India, filled with original Hindu scripture and teachings). Sometimes referred to as ‘Jyotish’, Vedic astrology is the art of divination through the study of astral light patterns, believed by many to govern our fate.

What Is Astrology?

Astrology is known to be the study of the effects of planetary movements upon our lives. Generally, it is grounded in astronomy, and at any point, psychic astrologers must be aware of the correct planetary positions, in relation to the unmoving stars. They should also have an understanding of the signs of the zodiac in relation to times and locations. An astrologer who has knowledge of these signs and planets is able to create charts that can represent these positions. One can then examine these charts and deduce various pieces of information about the precise moment for which the chart was created. Astrology is mainly used to gain a greater knowledge of oneself.

The Basic Principle

‘All things are linked’, so says the fundamental principle of Vedic Astrology. The belief is that cosmic design has predetermined your destiny, and currently your soul is trapped in a human body during this current time and location. To glimpse insights into the soul outside of our current incarnation, one can assess charts created for this examination.

Vedic Birth Charts

The most important item of Vedic Astrology is your chart, an astrological map of planets and their relation to the signs of the zodiac. Every chart created has to be based on an exact chronological and geographical location. This means that, technically, a chart can be created for any moment in human history. Consequently, this means your precise place and moment of birth has its own chart, known as a ‘birth chart’.

An astrologer doing a reading of this form would assess your birth chart, and through doing so would be able to determine new information about you. Through an examination of your birth chart, with emphasis on the planets, signs, and house placements, they would be able to learn about your personality, along with your upcoming potential for future events.

Using Vedic Astrology for Divination

Another part of Vedic Astrology is the ‘Dasha’. This is a pattern that shows which planets will be ruling at particular times, in accordance with Jyotish. The use of these Dashas allows a greater range of accuracy in divination than can be achieved using Western astrology. These ruling times are unique to Vedic Astrology, and allow practitioners to make accurate predictions for future events. This also means that a Vedic astrologer is not confined to giving general spiritual guidance as some psychics are, and can offer more concrete predictions on your life.

How Does It Differ from Western Astrology?

Vedic astrology is the main branch that opposes the equally popular Western astrology. There are many differences, some subtle and some more obvious than others. However, the main and most commonly quoted difference is the use of the fixed zodiac rather than the zodiac that can move (the relative zodiac). The zodiac is viewed by many to be moving. This is due to the Earth’s steady tilting on its axis, and when formulating the zodiac based upon the relationship between the Earth and the Sun, you will reveal that the zodiac is indeed moving each year, around 1/60 of a degree.

At the moment it is around 23 degrees that this relative zodiac is removed from the acknowledged fixed star-based zodiac, close to covering an entire zodiac sign. Due to these systems both being slightly removed from one another, your average seeker’s zodiac sign may be the sign that is trailing behind the one that they are used to.

Therefore, many people will find this a surprising difference between the two systems, in that your sign may have changed! It is possible for someone born later in the month to share the same sign with both forms of astrology.

Bottom Line

With a rich, long history spanning thousands of years, Vedic astrology still has its place in the modern world. Many use it for psychic and divination purposes, and some countries still use these charts to this day, determining the answers to questions related to career, marriage, caste, creed, business, health, family, and even how many children to have.

If you are interested in exploring more of astrology, the Vedic branch is a great place to begin. It offers interesting and exciting opportunities for learning, and the knowledge offered within the ancient Vedic literature can provide a great wealth of profound insight, offering a method of knowing and foreseeing the potential in life’s upcoming events.