Astro Q&A ep 2:

Q: What’s more accurate, Vedic or Western Astrology?

The are both, essentially, the same. The main difference is that Vedic astrology retained a classical approach, while Western astrology constantly develops newer and newer theories and techniques.

That is why I personally prefer Vedic astrology – I think the ancient knowledge of astrology was beautifully complete, balanced, and perfect, and that modern theories most of the time add smoke and fog obscuring the simple, accurate, wonderful fundamental basics of astrology.

Vedic astrology also elaborates on the classical system, but without abandoning it. Specifically the great astrologers of classical India developed amazing mathematical systems for determining the positivity and relative strength of each planet in the horoscope – which is essential for confident and accurate interpretation.

The main downside of Vedic astrology is that, for several centuries now, they insist on using Sidereal coordinates for the 12 zodiac signs, even though their Sanskrit sourcebooks like Sūrya-Siddhānta definitely describe a tropical zodiac anchored to equinoxes and solstices.

So, the astrology I personally like best is classical Vedic astrology which leverages all the great math and eloquent symbolic foundations – but sticks with the classical sources and calculates the zodiac tropically.

Q: How come I can’t stand Geminis?

I would suggest looking carefully at Mercury in your birth chart. I bet there is something about your Mercury which makes you uncomfortable with Mercury’s traits – which come through Gemini.

You might also look at the air signs in your chart and see if they are occupied or strongly aspected by planets that are in a very negative condition (“debilitation” is a simplified example of a “negative condition”).

Q [“A Scorpio”]: What is the general dynamic between Leo and Aquarius.

They are on opposite sides of the zodiac, this means that the one has what the other needs – even though neither of them really likes the fact that they need one another. Leo, for example, is a fire sign. Aquarius (despite the watery name) is an air sign. Fire needs air, otherwise it goes out. Air also needs fire, because without the variation in temperature that fire cases, wind does not blow, air cannot move.

Leo represents personal strength; Aquarius represents service to society. The two need each other, even though they seem opposite. Personal strength is a vice unless its used to help others, and helping others is impossible unless we have personal strength.

Leo represents the king, government; Aquarius represents the masses. Again, the two need each other, even though they seem totally different. Government is corrupt unless it exists for the benefit of the masses, and the masses become corrupt without a benefic government to regulate them.

Q: I have no planets in my 12th house, so how do I interpret my 12th house.

First, look at the ruler of the 12th house. For example if the 12th lord in the 11th house it symbolizes  “expense” dwelling in profit. Now, to figure out if this vague symbolism is positive or negative, we need to assess the positivity or negativity of 12th lord. If the 12th lord is very positive – the interpretation is that you will spend your money and energy on things that really bring you happiness and have good financial returns. If the 12th lord is very negative – the interpretation is that you waste a lot of money and exhaust yourself to have fun and make profit.

Another thing to do is consider the aspects to the cusp of the house. If there are strong aspects from a planet, its almost as if the planet was “in” the house.

Vedic astrology, in a Sanskrit book called Phaladīpika, gives a really good method for evaluating every house using a combination of both these methods.

Q [“cloverskies77”]: They say Sun & Saturn BOTH represent the father in a natal chart… what is that all about?

The Sun is the primary symbol of the Father, because the Sun is the anchor of the whole solar system, and the father is supposed to be the anchor providing stability and structure to the family.

In the family Saturn primarily represents elders. He can also represent some aspect of the father (Sanskrit texts say its particularly true for people born after the Sun has set). Saturn also provides stability and structure because it limits and reduces everything. So it is like the father setting limits and so on.

Personally, I have thus far stuck with the Sun, not Saturn, representing the father – and blending it with other symbols of the father: the 10th house representing the father in practical ways, the 9th representing him as a moral role model, and the 12th harmonic chart representing both parents.

Q: Is Saturn the laziest planet?

Any planet could symbolize laziness if they are in bad circumstances. Mars in bad circumstances, for example, symbolizes lack of ambition and courage (= laziness). Mercury in bad circumstances symbolizes never growing up (lazy). Venus in certain bad circumstances could symbolize being too indulgent (lazy). Jupiter in bad circumstances might indicate expecting everything to happen by luck (lazy). Saturn in bad circumstances indicates pessimism and negativity (which can translate into seeming lazy).

Saturn by nature is not lazy, it is very tenacious and enduring – hard working and able to do things no one else wants to do.