Basic Understanding of Houses in Vedic Astrology

Yet another tradition of Astrology, Vedic astrology is also known as Indian astrology or Hindu astrology. It has three branches. Siddhanta is traditionally Indian astronomy. Samhita, is similar to the western version of mundane astrology. For this branch, the positioning of celestial bodies are used to analyse events. Hora is a predictive form of astrology that analyses the natal chart based on the moment a question is asked.

The Vedas, or the scriptures, connect the microcosm and the macrocosm. It relies on sidereal zodiac rather than the more frequently used topical zodiac of Western astrology.

This science-art is also known as Jyotisa, which is Sanskrit for “light, heavenly body”. It plays a very important role in Hindu culture. In fact, many babies are named based on their jyotish charts. Vedic astrology is also used to make life decisions such as marriage, moving into a new home, having children and starting a business.

Vedic astrology also has it’s version of the zodiac signs. The 360 degrees of the ecliptic are divided into 12 equal parts and each 30 degree part is called a rashi. The Vedic astrology dates back 5,000 years ago. This is based on the body of knowledge called ‘Vedas’ which means wisdom or knowledge. Nowadays, millions of people now practice the use Vedic astrology.

In Western astrology, astrology conveys the personality of an individual, while in Vedic astrology it focuses is on foreseeing the cycles and events of the future, and understanding when these certain events are likely to take place. Dashas as the Vedic astrology calls it is a person's karmic tendencies. Such tendencies are likely to manifest for that person through a unique system of planetary time cycles.

In Vedic astrology, planets are referred as 'grahas'. It is ancient scriptures refer to them as the lords of karma and destiny. It is believed that the birth chart of an individual is based on their past karma, which is bequeathed upon them by the nine planets. However, it is not Vedic astrology's purpose to replace an individual's responsibility to decide what is best for them. The role of astrology is to make one aware of the presence or absence of certain tendencies, and used as a tool for making better decisions. Ultimately, the purpose of astrology is self-knowledge, self-awareness and improvement.

Vedic astrology is much like of the houses, signs and planets as those in Western astrology. However, there are many differences with the Western birth chart from the Vedic birth chart. If you would notice the Vedic birth chart is square and the Western birth chat is round chart.

The houses, signs and planets also take on different meaning under Vedic astrology. Vedic Astrology does not traditionally use the three outer planets of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in the horoscope or the many asteroids now used in Western Astrology, however, the Lunar Nodes are. The North Node is known as Rahu and the South Node as Ketu.

On each planet has ruler-ship over a particular sign of the horoscope zodiac and it is referred to as its lord. The ruling planet transfers a large part of its influence upon the sign it rules which is important in vedic Astrology Another major difference between the two is that Western astrology uses the Tropical Zodiac, which is based on the equinoxes. The beginning of the Tropical Zodiac or its first degree of Aries is always with the spring or vernal Equinox.

Vedic astrology uses the Sidereal Zodiac which tracks planetary movements against the actual movement of the stars, and the first degree of Aries or the start of the Sidereal Zodiac starts approximately 24 degrees ahead of that of the Tropical Zodiac.

Lastly, Western astrology considers the Sun as the center of our universe, and therefore the most significant influence in our lives. In Vedic astrology, there are 27 constellations of the Moon called the Lunar Mansions or Nakshatras. The Sun represents one's soul while the Moon represents one's mind. Both are important, and both have a significant place in astrology.

Jackson Swift is the author of this article for Universal Psychic Guild that offers zodiac signs love, psychic hotlines and psychic telephone services.