Developed in India probably about 4000-6000 years ago, Vedic astrology is basically a forecasting and trend analysis tool. The most popular sage of ancient Vedic astrology, also called Jyotish, was Maharishi Parashara. Most Vedic astrologers, called Jyotishis, use his system today. One of the distinguishing elements of Vedic astrology is that it is believed to have sprung from the highly intuitive minds of enlightened seers, such as the sage Parashara. Vedic astrology is the science of light or insight into nature. It is not held to be the product of years of experimental development, but is believed to be cognized completely and directly from the Veda, the wellspring of all knowledge, as it is known in India. (Hence the term, Vedic astrology). The knowledge of the Veda is said to be apurusheya, or originating beyond man. It is interesting to note that another ancient Indian seer, Patanjali, gives mental techniques in his Yoga Sutras for directly comprehending the placement and motion of celestial bodies as well as knowing how to differentiate the past, present, and future. Vedic astrologers refer to some of these intuitive abilities as trikala gyana or knowledge of the three times. Vedic astrology is founded on the law of karma or action, or as we say in the West, "What you sow is what you reap." This is the basis of the predictive nature of astrology - it can show when the results of previous actions might come to bear in the present life. Patanjali states that we should avert the dangers that have not yet come. This, I believe, is the aspiration of astrology, not only to help predict the future but to aid us in giving a good shape to our lives. It's important to understand that Vedic astrology indicates events, but does not dictate when things will happen. Forecasting does not mean fatalism. The future is not required to happen in a specific manner. Vedic astrology believes that one's karma can be improved in this life. Destiny is negotiable. The free will of properly motivated persons, under competent guidance, gives the opportunity to make improvements and live a happier and more mistake free existence. Vedic astrology is distinct in terms of its vast repertoire of remedial measures. Again, Vedic astrology has a strong basis in the development of consciousness. It's not just that Vedic astrologers forecast tendencies of behavior over time - they also look to a vast tradition of corrective actions to fortify individuals. Vedic practitioners, trained by their astrological gurus or through serious study of the shastras or astrological scriptures, have learned how to reinforce people to deal vigorously with the future. These astrologers have become adept at dispensing techniques to teach individuals how to generate positive outcomes for themselves. Some examples of these remedial measures, linked to planetary placements in the chart, are mantras, gemstones, and yagyas or performances to propitiate planets for favorable results. I should caution you to make sure you know that the person giving you astrological remedies is well trained. There can be a lot of mystery-making with astrology, with all its Sanskrit terms and fantastic-sounding remedies. Exotic and esoteric systems always tend to invite novices or the less competent to use astrology for their immediate advantage. Parashara, in his major work, the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, cautions astrologers to be very prudent in the use of astrology, reminding them of the rather severe karmic consequences of not acting responsibly. In terms of remedial actions, and I cover this in my book, we also find that Vedic astrology is truly comprehensive in covering other areas of life. Vedic astrology has two very defined links to other Vedic systems. One is Ayurveda, the science of health. The other is Vastu, the science of space - which we could say is a cousin of Feng Shui. We analyze the birth chart to help understand ourselves and to determine the best actions to take (or not take) in time. We stay healthy with Ayurveda and pick a place to live in contentment with Vastu. While I'm not an expert in Western astrology, I would like to mention a few areas where I understand Vedic astrology to be different from its Western counterpart, called Tropical astrology. I would also like to say that I am not attempting to state that Vedic astrology is better than the Tropical system, but it is different. Each approach looks at the universe in its own way and represents specific methodologies. First of all, the charts are shaped differently. The traditional Western chart is round and the Vedic chart is square. In fact there are two major square chart formats used in India. In the North they use a chart crisscrossed with lines, resembling a box of triangles. Any of you who have seen charts created during the European Renaissance period, such as those constructed by Kepler, will find it similar to the North Indian style. In Southern India, a large box containing 12 smaller boxes on its inner edges forms the chart. You may be unaware of this, but the earth actually wobbles backwards on its axis of rotation, much like the motion of a spinning top. Vedic astrology compensates for this backward drift of the earth's rotation, which amounts to about 1 degree every 72 years. The Western systems do not. The Western Tropical system and Vedic astrology were somewhat aligned until the late 200's AD, but are not so today because of the back shifting. One of the effects of this backwards position change, called precession of the equinoxes, is that the earth is now located differently in relation to the stars than it was in ancient times, such as the time of the Greek astrologer Ptolemy. What this means is that the Vedic dates of the Sun's apparent "entry" into the different constellations of the zodiac are no longer the same as the dates given by traditional Western astrology. Astronomically, the Sun does not really enter the constellation of Aries until around the middle of April, instead of the third week of March as in the Western convention. What this means, for the Vedic system, is that unless you were born around the 15th to the 20th of the month, your Sun sign will move back one whole sign. Actually, all planetary placements will shift back by about 24 degrees, putting a lot of the Western planets in different signs and houses. Another distinction of Vedic astrology is that it tracks planetary cycles in relation to the Moon's journey through the night sky. Not only do Vedic astrologers have the 12 signs of the zodiac, they also have at their disposal an additional 27 Moon signs, called nakshatras. Still another difference between the East and West is that astrologers trained in the Indian technique have not just one chart to work with, but a set of 16 variations of the birth chart called the shodasavargas. The most important of these shodasavargas is the navamsa, which is one-ninth of a Sun sign, and is said to give more specific information. Many scholars have linked the shodasavargas and the navamsa to the harmonics theories used today in quantum mechanics. Some compare the navamsa to the leaves of a tree and the natal chart to the trunk. The navamsa is used extensively in marriage matching, a big enterprise in India. Vedic astrologers also put a lot of emphasis on the Moon. In fact, in India, astrologers traditionally count all the planetary positions from the Moon, in addition to the ascendant or rising sign. In Vedic astrology, forecasting of life events is shown through a detailed system of planetary time cycles, called dasas. These planetary periods, implementing five levels of time in descending detail, cover the entire span of human life. In fact they go a bit over - they cover 120 years, with each planet allotted a specific range of time to deliver the effects as seen in the birth chart. There is no corresponding timing technique in Western astrology. By watching the movement of the Sun, the Moon, and the interrelationship of planets in their orbits, Parashara and the early astrologers saw the overall patterns of life. They matched these cyclical planetary patterns to individual patterns, as seen in birth charts, and kept a grand record of how people might tend to behave over time. Armed with this body of knowledge, called Vedic astrology, the modern astrologer can come to aid his community by helping to shape their future in a positive manner. The astrologer understands that the best way to help people get out of trouble is to show them how to not get into trouble to start with. As one ancient scripture in India said, "Blessed are the villages that have astrologers, for they can help people steer their boats over the ocean of time." (Click on the image above to order book) The article above is based on the new book Beneath a Vedic Sky: A Beginner's Guide to the Astrology of Ancient India, by William R. Levacy. It is published by Hay House and is available at all bookstores, or by calling 800/654-5126. You can also visit the Hay House website at www.hayhouse.com.