MOON SIGN

[Guest guest]

Which sign am I?

 

Hi all. This is a short article to explain some universal points that need to

be explained. In my years of experience as a Vedic astrologer I meet often

with similar expressions like “You have mentioned Leo I am a Sagittarius.”

 

Well, we have different astrologies running popular around us. We have the well

known so-called Western astrology, Chinese astrology and getting very popular,

Vedic or Hindu astrology.

 

Almost every one knows their solar birth sign corresponding to the system of

Western astrology. There are many people that know their birth sign according

to the system of Chinese astrology, and there are few others, at least in the

Western countries that know their Moon sign according to the system of Vedic or

Hindu astrology.

 

Western Astrology

 

According to this system your sun sign is determined by the position of the sun

on the tropical sky. Therefore here we have 2 important elements to take into

consideration the sun and the tropical sky.

 

We all know the sun, which we can see or feel every day “travelling” in the sky.

Those born between the 21 March and 21 April will have the sun in the sign of

Aries, and therefore they can claim to be natives of Aries.

 

However, that sun sign is determined by the tropical sky.

 

Tropical Sky

 

What is the tropical sky? It is the imaginary line limiting the path of the

planets according to the tropical sky.

 

The word “Tropical” comes from the imaginary line that goes from the Tropic of

Capricorn in the South hemisphere to the Tropic of Cancer in the North

hemisphere, and back to the Tropic of Capricorn.

 

This tropical line crosses the equator on the days 21 March and 21 September.

 

Chinese Astrology

 

According to this system there are 12 main signs according to the year, which

you were born. Those signs are named after 12 different animals.

 

Vedic astrology

 

According to this system, your moon is determined by the position of the moon on

the sidereal sky. Therefore here we have 2 important elements to take into

consideration the moon and the sidereal sky.

 

 

Sidereal sky

 

The sidereal sky is the sky as that we can see at night. In other words, the

sidereal sky is the sky as it is, without any imaginary limitations.

 

According to the sidereal sky, to give an example, the star of Aldebaran

indicates the sign of the bull in the sky. Therefore, if we see Aldebaran we

know where the sign of Taurus (the bull) is. In comparison, western astrology

claims that at present, Aldebaran is in Gemini, and in some 2,000 years from

now, it will claim that the same star is in Cancer, another 2,160 years later,

the same star will be for them in Leo.

 

This means that all the signs will be “moved” by western astrology, one sign

every 2,160 years, or 1° per every 72 years.

 

Vedic astrology

 

Therefore, we can say that in Vedic astrology, we follow the sky as it is.

 

Furthermore, we do not base our horoscope on the sun sign but on the moon sign.

 

Vedic astrology is based on the Vedas. The Vedas are the oldest knowledge in

humanity and have been preserved in India. Vedic astrology is also known as

Hindu astrology because it is in India where it is more popular. But Vedic

astrology is not Hindu; rather, the Hindu religion is based on the Vedas.

 

However, Vedic astrology has been practiced in India for the past 5,000 years,

unlike western astrology that has been practiced in the west for the last 2,000

years.

 

In Vedic astrology, we ask, what is your natal sign? Understanding that we are

asking for the Moon sign and not the sun sign. In fact, the right question is

what is your janma rasi? In Sanskrit, janma means birth and rasi means sign,

therefore for janma rasi we understand the birth moon sign. And we can go

further to ask what is your janma naksatra, to understand the naksatra or

constellation in which the moon is located at birth in our horoscope.

 

There are 27 naksatras or constellations and one of them can be or natal naksatra.

 

If fact, there are some rituals or religious ceremonies which we can see in

India or in Hindu Temples, in which you are asked for your birth constellation.

 

When Vedic astrologers are asked, “What do you mean by Saturn being there etc.”.

We understand that Saturn has a lot of influence on the Moon sign and

therefore, Saturn plays a very important role in our predictions. But in

reality, there are other planets to consider as well, but the role of Saturn

affecting the Moon, which represents the mind, is very important to describe

some general trends in life.

 

I would like to end this article by saying that in the year 2002 there is a

difference of some 23°58’ between the tropical sky and the sidereal sky. This

means that for a baby born this year, his/her planets will be in a position in

the tropical sky, and another position in the sidereal sky.

However, do not try to mix both systems of astrology, stick to the system that

you want to follow, because both systems have a different approach.

 

A last word. Whenever you want to read about your Sun sign as given in daily

newspapers and monthly magazines, read your sun sign as given by western

astrology. Sidereal or Vedic astrologers in magazines dedicated to Vedic or

Hindu astrology only give your Moon sign forecast.

 

Best wishes

Natabara Das