Types of Astrology

Vedic Astrology is a science of the ancient ages in India, popularly known as Jyotish and understood as the Knowledge of Light or the Soul of Light. It is a study of behavior of spirits or souls under the light of different celestial luminous bodies like the moveable Planets and the fixed Constellations in the sky. This branch of science is a revelation of the secrets behind creation, transformation and functioning of our Universe and their effects on spirits or souls, as perceived by the sages of those times through their supernormal powers of perception. Astrology reveals about the transformations a soul undergoes over the ages and the Celestial energies that continue to persist in a soul.

Antiquity of Vedic astrology:

Vedic astrology is a part of the Vedas that were orally transmitted through the ages by the sages to their disciples. The oral tradition of Vedic astrology is said to have begun with sage Vashishta that was compiled into a text called Brihad Parasara Hora Shastra by Sage Parasara. Again, he gifted his knowledge of astrology to his disciple Maitreya. Other texts on Astrology were the Upadasa Sutras of Jamini and Bhrigu’s Samhita. Sage Parasara’s text provides the study of the Zodiac signs, the houses or Bhavas in a birth chart, location of planets in the Padas of Nakshatras, how to locate an Ascendant sign and Moon sign, which Gods rule over the signs and what kind of energy they create and so on. Sage Bhrigu made a great effort in compiling 45 million horoscopes and studying the interaction of energies they indicated, thus establishing the foundation of astrology as a predictive science.

Popular types of Vedic astrology:

Electional or Muhurta Astrology: It is a branch of astrology in which an astrologer finds the time when the planetary energies are supportive of any event or particular happenings. When an individual is about to take an important decision or become a part of important happening such as marriage, buying a property, starting a new business and so on, they consult astrologers to know about the time or the opportune moment when his or her planetary energies will be supportive of such an occurrence in life. It is also known as event astrology. Electional Astrology studies the important elements that include –

• Star or Nakshatra - Nakshatras are the 27 divisions recognized by the ancient Indian astronomers. Each of the Nakshatras covers 13 degrees and 20 minutes of the zodiac.
• Tithi or the Lunar day - Tithi is a phase among the 15 phases of Moon.
• Yoga – Union of planetary energies creates Yoga. There are 27 Yogas when specific beneficial energies are created.
• Weekday – The time between one sun rise and another is called a day. The days are symbolic of the ruling planetary energies.
• Karana – Karana is one-half of a Moon Phase, for eg: the first 12 hours of New Moon, the final 12 Hours of New Moon, etc.

Nadi Astrology: Nadi Astrology sheds light on the story of a Soul's journey. It relates about a person’s past, present and future. Nadi astrology emerged out of the prophecies of the enlightened sages in India, thousands of years ago. These prophecies were in the form of poetic songs written in Ancient Tamil script. These sages had foreseen the lives of individuals and had predicted about their past, present and future at a time when these individuals happened to have sought for the Nadi leaf. Based on the reading of the Nadi leaf, astrologers will draw the birth-chart of the person for analysis and study of the planetary influences in the person’s life. Interrogatory Astrology or Prasna: It is a branch of astrology in which an astrologer has to study birth-chart of an individual based on the question of the individual. So the astrologer has to predict about an event for a particular time. An individual may approach an astrologer to find out which is the right time to work on a new project or what is the right time to celebrate the wedding ceremony of their daughter, or when problems between her and her husband will diffuse. In Interrogatory Astrology prediction is sought only for a limited time for specific incidents and events. Natal Astrology: It is a branch of astrology that studies birth-charts of individuals to know how the planets influence the nature of the person and how planets will rule his/her destiny. Through assessment of the chart astrologers can enlighten a person about the incidents that will take place in his/her life and what are the best ways to avoid bad planetary influences and enjoy the good ones. The astrologer will be able to give a complete picture of all aspects of the person’s life like career, family, wealth, health and so on. Divine Astrology or Vishnu Maya: Vishnu Maya or Angel Reading is an esoteric science practiced by enlightened masters who have been blessed by the sages or siddhas of Palani, a district in the state of Tamil Nadu. These masters acquire the divine power to communicate with the angels and seek their guidance to ease others from sufferings. The Siddhas of Palini undergo 12 years rigorous training to become the perfect messenger of the divine. Through Vishnu Maya, a person not only understands what is going to happen in future, but also understands the reasons for certain events that had happened in one's life earlier.