What is the difference between Vedic and western astrology?
Vedic Astrology uses the ‘true astronomical position’ of the planets. By contrast, Western Astrology uses a ‘tropical zodiac’ that is based on the seasons – which means that the beginning of the zodiac at ‘zero degrees Aries’ is determined by the position of the Sun on the Spring Equinox (21st March). However, due to a slight wobble in the Earth’s rotation about its own axis, this ‘equinoctal point’ is moving backwards in the zodiac at the rate of 1 degree every 72 years, such that the Sun’s position on the 21st March now is actually at 6 degrees Pisces (a difference of 24 degrees). This is known as ‘the Precession of the Equinox’ and it means that you have to subtract 24 degrees from all your Western planetary positions to obtain their Vedic positions. Of course, you may find that a planet moves back to the previous sign!
