By: Reema S.
For hundreds of years people put their heads down and looked at the ground thinking, this is it…this is my world.
Until they started looking up.
Long before humans had ever set foot on this planet, well maybe even before earth was big-banged into existence, the sun and the stars have bedazzled the night sky.
When looking up at the illuminated night sky it can be breathtaking. But throughout history, people have used the sky not only for its beauty, but also for science and to gain knowledge; and one of the earliest countries to have done this was India through Vedic astrology.
The History and Science Behind it
Vedic astrology had really started to blossom in India around 5,000 to 10,000 B.C. But back then, the original name for Hindu astrology was Jyotish; it is derived from the word “jyoti,” which in Sanskrit means “light.”
Hindu astrology uses the “sidereal” system, which compares the planet’s position to the stars. Observable constellations and stars are the founding pillars of Vedic astrology which means that scientific predictions based on planets and stars one year can change a few years later because celestial bodies do gradually move across the sky. Vedic astrology is thus not a stagnant type of astrology but adapts to the current elliptic path of things in the sky.
Astrology in Society
Vedic astrology is based on scientific astronomy, but also incorporates rich spiritual traditions and myths of ancient Indian society. The scientific positioning of the planets is believed to have an impact on us by our ability to harmonize with the energy and making it either a positive or negative energy. Even in today’s modern India, Vedic astrology is an accepted science, and, for many throughout India, a part of their lifestyle.
In Hindu teachings it says life is a chance for you to grow into a better person every day, and a way to earn positive karma for an easy and blissful journey to the next life. Some people choose to look to astrology to see if they are doing just that.
Others may use the constellations to determine the fate of future endeavors and make life altering choices, such as if it is wise to take the risk on a new business venture, and even giving the stars the power to decide if someone they love is the right match for them.
When a baby is brought into this world it is a very auspicious occasion. In many Indian cultures, families may take their babies to astrologers to get them blessed and for the astrologers to inform the family about their horoscope and to predict future events in their life.
Sun Signs in Vedic Astrology
Similar to western astrology, there are 12 Vedic sun signs. And interestingly, the attributes and traits of the signs are pretty much the same, too. The difference lies in the dates.
A sun sign is the position the sun was in the sky the day of your birthday; sometimes to get more accurate results you might even need the exact time of your birth.
These are the twelve signs:
Capricorn: Makara (January 14–February 11)
Aquarius: Kumbha (February 12–March 12)
Pisces: Meena (March 13–April 12)
Aries: Mesha (April 13–May 14)
Taurus: Vrishaba (May 15–June 14)
Gemini: Mithuna (June 15–July 14)
Cancer: Karkata (July 15–August 14)
Leo: Simha (August 15–September 15)
Virgo: Kanya (September 16–October 15)
Libra: Tula (October 16–November 14)
Scorpio: Vrishchika (November 15–December 14)
Sagittarius: Dhanus (December 15–January 13)
For more information on Vedic astrology, check out this article: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/vedic-astrology-101
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