I’ve always been fascinated with the stars, astrology and zodiacs. The mysticism has always had a pull over me and astrology has definitely been one of those subjects I enjoy. There was a point in my life where I studied my own personal astrology chart for three years, and I just scratched the surface of this subject. Astrology can bring so much insight and guidance into our life when we are trying to figure things out.
It wasn’t long after I came across Sidereal Astrology. At first, when I learned about this, I was taken aback because when I pulled my chart my reading completely changed. And there was no way I was giving up being a Scorpio. I wanted to hang onto this identification for so long because I felt it defined me. Of course, when we begin working on ourselves, we learn that the subconscious mind is what wants to identify and label. Everything that is me or mine has such great attachment, because it creates the story of who we are, it supports the ego. Recently, I had been hearing again about Sidereal Astrology and decided to go ahead and pull my chart again. After reading through my chart, I am actually blown away at how much more relevant and spot on my reading was. This has inspired me to now share more about both astrology systems.
Tropical and Sidereal astrology are two systems that measure the positions of celestial bodies but use different reference points.
Tropical astrology is based on the position of the Sun relative to the Earth, using the vernal equinox as the starting point of the zodiac, which means the signs align with the seasons. It’s commonly used in Western astrology.
Sidereal astrology, on the other hand, aligns the zodiac with the actual positions of the constellations in the sky. It’s often used in Vedic astrology and can differ by about 23 degrees from the tropical system due to the precession of the equinoxes, a gradual shift in the Earth’s rotation.
I heard someone explain it as Tropical being the Feminine side of Astrology while Sidereal is the Masculine and it seems so fitting. I think utilizing both aspects is important. I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Now there may also be questions of if Sidereal Astrology is Vedic and the simple answer is no. Vedic astrology, also known as Jyotish, comes from the ancient Vedic traditions of India. It is deeply tied to Hindu philosophy and incorporates spiritual concepts like karma, dharma, and moksha (liberation). It’s a comprehensive system used for everything from personal life readings to auspicious timing for events (muhurta).
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, which aligns more closely with the actual positions of the constellations. This is one of the main differences from Western astrology, which uses the tropical zodiac. Vedic astrology incorporates many techniques unique to its system, such as the use of dashas (planetary periods), divisional charts, nakshatras (lunar mansions), and remedial measures like mantras or gemstones.
Sidereal astrology refers specifically to the use of the sidereal zodiac. The sidereal zodiac is based on the fixed stars and is aligned with the actual constellations in the sky. It accounts for the “precession of the equinoxes,” a gradual shift in the Earth’s axis over time, meaning the stars’ positions slowly change relative to the Earth. Sidereal astrology is used in both Vedic astrology and some branches of Western astrology. Western sidereal astrology uses the same sidereal zodiac but may apply Western techniques, interpretations, and concepts.
Vedic Astrology is a whole system that uses sidereal calculations, but it also incorporates a unique philosophy, spiritual practice, and its own methods.
Sidereal Astrology refers only to the calculation method of the zodiac (sidereal instead of tropical) and can be used in both Vedic or Western systems.
If you have not ever pulled your own charts for either system, I encourage you to do so. I am not endorsed by any of the companies I’m sharing. These are some easy websites that I like.
Astroseek
TimePassages (app)
TimeNomad (app)
TheGalacticPlanner (code: HIGHERSELF) for 1 month free
Blessings
Shannon 💙⚓️
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