What Is Vedic Astrology?

Delve into the ancient mysteries

by Carol Allen

Thousands of years ago, before there were the twelve signs of the zodiac we’ve all come to know, there were twenty-seven. These twenty-seven signs, called "nakshatras," or "lunar mansions" reflect the path of the Moon through the night sky. Since the lunar month is between twenty-seven and twenty-eight days long, the Moon spends roughly one day in each of these smaller signs before moving on to the next. This tradition of breaking the night sky up into twenty-seven signs began in ancient India, the home of the very first system of Astrology -- known as Vedic Astrology.

You see, the Moon is the brightest and fastest moving heavenly body of them all. And it was to the Moon that ancient peoples first looked to for determining time, connecting the months and seasons to the stars above. This makes sense because, although most of us think of the zodiac in terms of the motion of the Sun, when the Sun is traveling through the different signs of the zodiac, you can't tell. When the Sun is out, the stars and planets aren’t visible. I don't need to tell you, though, that when the Moon is out, the stars and planets are as well, twinkling and sparkling as they dance around the Moon in all of their glory. (Depending, of course, on how much wine you've had with dinner - kidding! :))  Ahhh... The Moon, on the other hand, acts almost as a pointer in the starry night sky, bringing attention to the different constellations as he travels through them.

The first zodiac therefore, was not solar, but lunar, and it's the very first thing written about in the entire history of Astrology. That's right, in one of the oldest books on the planet, "The Rig Veda" of India (which scholars date to have originated somewhere between 4,000 and 2,000 B.C.) several of the nakshatras are named. An entire listing of them appears in later Vedas - the Yajur Veda, and the Atharva Veda.

Amazingly, a system of lunar signs was also once used in the Middle East and China (though they both used twenty-eight signs), and the ancient Celts had a myth about the Moon king having twenty-eight starry wives. (India has a similar myth, as well.)

Though these constellations were originally used to determine the best times to do certain activities -- like religious ceremonies, farming and business practices, or marriage rites -- they were later looked to in order to understand the personality and psychology of individuals, and to give insight into relationships. They're still emphasized in Vedic Astrology to this day.

In fact, in India when they say, "Hey baby, what's your sign?" they're not asking for your Sun sign, they're asking for your Moon nakshatra. (And, forgive me -- they probably don't say, "Hey baby...") You see, it's the Moon sign and constellation in your Astrology chart that reflects your mind, emotions, and true inner self -- far more than your Sun sign. Therefore, it's these original twenty-seven constellations that best indicate how you and anyone you know are emotionally.

These nakshatras reveal far more subtlety, nuance, and detail than the twelve signs of the zodiac. Each constellation has several ways to be understood, including:

• Temperament (Are you an angel or a demon? Which is he?)
• Animal Symbol (Is your guy a snuggly cat, loyal dog, or mean mongoose?)
• Gender (Can your guy be "man" enough for you? Or do you have to lead the way?)  
• Sensibility (Are you conservative or a "wild child?"),
• Basic Energy (Are you analytical? Overly emotional? Easily angered?)
• Main Motivation (Are you driven by achievement, meaning, or fulfilling desires?)
  

What Is Vedic Astrology? | Tarot.com -- Continued »