Sidereal Astrology believes that the starting point is at a particular fixed position in the background of stars, while Tropical Astrology (which is adopted by the vast majority of Western astrologers) believes that the starting point is the position in the background of stars where the Sun appears in the sky at the vernal equinox (when the Sun appears to cross over from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere) each year.

Western Astrology embraces the traditional charts and tables, and abandons the traditional emphasis on the positions of celestial bodies. This camp maintains that precession is irrelevant because the qualities of astrology are really based on the seasons, and all the talk about stars and planets has always been just a convenient, symbolic way to keep track of the seasons, and the exact positions of the heavenly bodies really don't matter.

The sidereal camp does the opposite: embracing the traditional precept that the exact positions of the stars and planets are critical, because that's where the energies that affect us originate, and abandoning the traditional charts and tables, changing them to reflect the effects of precession and the true positions of the heavenly bodies, relative to the Earth.

As the Earth spins on its axis, it "wobbles" like a top, causing the vernal equinox to move gradually backwards against the star background, (a phenomenon known as the Precession of the equinoxes) at a rate of about 30 degrees (one Zodiacal sign length) every 2,160 years. Thus the two Zodiacs are aligned only once every 26,000 years, with the most recent alignment being about 2,000 years ago when the zodiac was principally established.

Following is a list of approximate dates that the Sun is in each of the Sidereal Constellations:

Aries -- April 14 - May 14
Taurus-- May 15 - June 14
Gemini-- June 15 - July 16
Cancer-- July 17 - August 16
Leo -- August 17 - September 16
Virgo -- September 17 - October 16
Libra -- October 17 - November 16
Scorpio- November 17 - December 16
Sagittarius -- December 17 - January 13
Capricorn -- January 14 - February 12
Aquarius -- February 13 - March 1
Pisces -- March 15 - April 13

There are twelve Signs in the Tropical Zodiac but they no longer coincide with the Constellations, even though the Signs are called by the same names (creating quite a bit of confusion to beginners). The 360 degrees of the Ecliptic are divided into twelve 30- degree sections, one section for each Sign.

Following is a list of the approximate dates that the Sun is in each of the Tropical Signs:

Aries -- March 21st - April 20th
Taurus --April 21st - May 20th
Gemini --May 21st - June 21st
Cancer --June 22nd - July 22nd
Leo -- July 23rd - August 22nd
Virgo --August 23rd - September 22nd
Libra --September 23rd - October 23rd
Scorpio -- October 24th - November 22nd
Sagittarius -- November 23rd - December 21st
Capricorn -- December 22nd - January 20th
Aquarius -- January 21st - February 18th
Pisces -- February 19th - March 20th

Dear Swetha --

You said: >Western Astrology embraces the traditional charts and tables, and abandons the traditional emphasis on the positions of celestial bodies. This camp maintains that precession is irrelevant >

You must be a sidereal astrologer at heart, because they sometimes assert, as do the Vedic astrologers, that tropical astrology does not think that precession is relevant.

In truth, tropical astrology IS based on precession, because the spring point does slowly progress through the constellations. (!)

Further, the 'aries point' you posted was true -- I think, some 200BC or 400 BC.

Obviously, the tropical chart moves with the seasons, and if someone does not believe that character and temperament also change with the seasons, that is their right.

But, in the service of Truth, both Sidereal and Vedic astrology ignore precession, and therefore most astrology books reference them as an 'older' system.

shantana

but how does one decide which system to follow?
isnt it difficult for beginners to grasp the true meaning?
i had been reading up.... in many places( not that u bring it to my notice:)and i realise)... vedic astrologers insist that they r more accurate than western astrology?
whats is the basis for their conclusion? and is it true?

hello swetha,

can u explain some more thoughts related to Tropical and sideral.
What abt swiss effemeris.
Thanks and Regards
Tarun.

As an astrologer I have found that a ‘reading’ is based on intuition, a sort of Yin (feminine) connection between the reader and the readee. The theory behind a chart – the marks we make on paper, represent the Yang (or masculine) side. So different charts are, to my mind, no more than different ‘‘forms’ or structures’, in which the Yin intuition can happily roam. The picture here is somewhat like that of a snake, wiggling down a rabbit burrow, hoping to snare a meal.

Which form is best for the Hunter? A personal choice perhaps?

The Tropical Chart is a form based on a simple and rather obvious synchronization that exists in Nature. We humans are organically based, and the elements that make up our bodies – our cells and our organs, are identical to those found in all other life. And the Clocks for organic growth, for all plants and animals, are the planets. All life forms, for example, follows the cycles of the Moon and the Sun in their growth. The cycles of the Moon govern both the tides and a woman’s menstrual flow. The seasons govern the cycles of vegetation, and the birth of animals.

And our emotional and cognitive growth is also synchronized with the planets. During the last century, Piaget did pioneer work on relating the growth of an infant and a child to – first the months (the Moon) and then the years (the Sun). His work has so impressed other psychologists and philosophers that some are relating these phases of an infants growth to the stages of human society – the magical period, the mythical period, and so forth. Obviously, Mother Nature takes care of all of this for us.

Tropical Astrology simply adds more detail. The terrible twos begin after the first Mars return. We reach puberty with the first Jupiter return, and – later, all of our ‘social growth’ seems to be in sync with Jupiter’s orbit – hence its title as a ‘Social Planet’.

Piaget’s discoveries linking mental development to 7 years, identifies a quarter-cycle of Saturn as the clock – marking out 7, 14, 21 and 28 years. And we all can identify with those stages.

But – when an astrologer looks at a chart, and if he (or she) is honest, they know they cannot predict what the native will do. Free Will and Free Choice still remain. But I find that it is curious how Nature seems to make certain that we wake up at some point, and start to take conscious charge of our lives.

For example, becoming an adult regularly occurs after age 21 (Saturn return); then the stressful forties, usually coincide with transiting Uranus in opposition to natal Uranus, and sometimes with T. Pluto square N. Pluto.

But why do some people fall completely apart, and others seem to triumph? Could it be their free will choice? (ha ha)

And – in conclusion, if my ego felt threatened I might insist that Tropical Astrology is best. But, in truth, it all seems rather amusing and enjoyable to me.

Morton