Your Real Sign and Vedic Astrology: Avoid the Sidereal Zodiac Trap of Jyotish at All Costs

Avoid the astrology trap of using the Sidereal zodiac exclusively (or practitioners who do) or risk vast inaccuracies.

You’ve always thought that you had a Sagittarius Sun sign, but then you’re confused when a friend shows you a “cooler” form of astrology, one which totally changes what you thought you knew about your basic natal chart. You think, “How can I have a Scorpio Sun?” You don’t.

Sidereal zodiac (the zodiac of constellations) advocates will tell you, “...but Sidereal is the ‘oldest astrology,’ it’s the basis for Hindu astrology!”

While it is the basis for Hindu astrology, functional Chaldean and Greek predate horoscopic Hindu/Vedic/Jyotish/Indian, and evidence shows that Hindu horoscopic astrology borrowed heavily from these cultures.

You’re not alone if you’ve fallen for a smooth-talking Internet marketer telling you that she’ll help you fix all your problems if you buy her products and services based on the Sidereal zodiac. Her getting testimonials from big, recognizable names (who happen to use the same publishers in many cases) means that she has a good P.R. machine, that’s all.

How to Escape This Trap

We recommend using the Tropical zodiac (and practitioners who do) instead as the primary zodiac. This is the zodiac of Western astrology and it’s what you’ll find at most non-Easte
astrology sites.

While we’re sure there exist talented astrologers in India who rely upon the Sidereal zodiac and have shaped their systems to be efficient in the real world, we have yet to encounter an American, European or other Western astrologer who uses the Sidereal zodiac exclusively and offers even consistently semi-acceptable accuracy rates.

If the practitioner who uses Sidereal is very psychic and, or has developed their own unique, reliable system using it, then perhaps they might be able to obtain consistently high accuracy. But our experience since the 1980s tells us that they don’t exist in America or anywhere else in the Western world.

Your “Real” Signs

It must be said that you won’t find your “real Ascendant/Rising sign” (or “real Sun sign,” or “real Moon sign,” etc.) by using the Sidereal zodiac.

Make no mistake: you won’t find out “…what sign you really are…” using the Sidereal zodiac (basis for Hindu/Vedic/Jyotish/Indian astrology), and it isn’t the “…true zodiac.” Don’t fall for this nonsense.

Sidereal Zodiac Origins

Usage of the Sidereal zodiac is from an era when practitioners had an inadequate understanding of the realities of our planet and solar system. It was already developed (in a very rough form) before the origins of horoscopic astrology.

The origins of the actual precise astrological horoscope (horoscopic astrology), which includes the Ascendant or Rising sign, etc. is traced back to Hellenistic Egypt (about 330 BC - 30 BC). Prior to this time (when the Hindus adopted horoscopic astrology), our findings show that Hindu astrology was essentially an ambiguous spiritual philosophy, without distinct means for explicit delineation and prediction.

The Hindus borrowing the functional horoscope, which includes the Ascendant/Rising sign, from other cultures is certainly acceptable, but using the Sidereal zodiac in conjunction with it results in some technical conce
s, as outlined below.

The Sidereal Zodiac system is based on fixed stars, hence the problem. We attach importance to the fixed stars, but we don’t like how the Sidereal system links the degrees of the Ecliptic to them.

The True Ascendant

The true Ascendant (Rising sign), in our opinion, is where the Eastern horizon intercepts the Ecliptic. This is so in the Tropical zodiac system, but not the Sidereal. Using that system, due to the current 20+ degree difference between the zodiacs, you’ll likely have a different Ascendant, Sun sign, and Moon sign, among other differences.

Precession

Due to precession, there exists the current 20+ degree discrepancy between the Tropical and Sidereal zodiacs, but it’s only a conce
with transits and other superficial timing indicators. The natal calculations are absolutely valid under Tropical, in our opinion. Anyway, you can always adjust Tropical zodiac transit charts, lunar return charts, solar return charts and other methods that are altered due to precession.

Complicated Forms of Astrology

Furthermore, while the techniques of Hindu, or Vedic astrology are said by some proponents to be “more complicated” than those of modern Western astrology, they aren’t more complicated in the least than the collective methods of ancient astrology, including those of Chaldean, Greek, Egyptian, Arabic, and others.

Real Astrology Symbolizes Personal Fate

The more deeply a practitioner objectively explores the science of astrology, instead of trying to find ways to manipulate life to one’s desire (e.g., “getting astrologically unstuck and finding and keeping the love of your life”), what is really discovered is that the comprehensive charts symbolize immutable fate—predestination. Although you can’t turn your charts into a magic genie who will grant all of your wishes, self- understanding, thus acceptance is obtainable.

We accept Sidereal zodiac astrology as an alte
ative, yet we believe the Tropical zodiac is optimum for precision. We recommend you seek out astrologers who are well-versed in the Topical zodiac, which is the basis for Western astrology. Also, due to proven, more reliable methods, you’re better off hiring astrologers who favor ancient rather than modern astrology, as we’ve detailed in many articles.

Scott Petullo
http://www.scottpetullo.com

Stephen Petullo
http://www.holisticmakeover.com

Copyright © 2009 Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo