Frequently Asked Questions

I had a free reading done and I'm wondering why my chart doesn't match up with previous readings I've had?

Those having a Vedic Astrology reading for the first time may wonder why their horoscope is different, the planets can be in different houses, and will usually even be in different signs. Vedic Astrologers use the sidereal zodiac, which is a zodiac based on the stars in the heavens. For a Vedic Astrologer a particular point in space in reference to the fixed stars marks the beginning of Aries. Western astrologers use the tropical zodiac, which is based on the equinoxes.

For a Western astrologer, the position of the Sun when it crosses the equator on the first day of spring is the beginning of Aries. Every year, however, the position of the Sun as it crosses the equator is in a slightly different place in reference to the fixed stars and galactic center. After several hundred years this creates a sizable difference from the Vedic Zodiac. Right now this difference is almost 24 degrees, which means that most of the time all the planets in the Vedic horoscope will be in a different sign then in the Western horoscope; they will be in the previous sign. So if you Sun is in Taurus in Western astrology, chances are it will be in Aries in Vedic Astrology. After about 25,600 years the position of the Sun on the first day of spring will have moved backwards a full 360 degrees to return to where it was about 25,600 years ago. In about 12,000 years the difference between the Vedic (sidereal) zodiac and the Western (tropical) zodiac will be 180 degrees!

Vedic astrologers usually divide the zodiac into the houses in a slightly different way then do Western astrologer. In fact, Western astrologers also divide the zodiac into the houses differently, so if you go to a different astrologer there is always a chance that one or a few planets may actually be in a different house then you are used to. The best thing to do is to not be to concerned about that, let the astrologer do his job, whatever system he is using is the one that he is used to and will do the best job with.

Different astrologers recommend gemstones along different lines. Your Astrogems Gem Analysis lists your gems in order of importance from the one that will reduce the suffering and difficulty in your life the most, to the one that will reduce the suffering and difficulty in your life the least. The planets that are doing well in your horoscope will indicate the good things in your life that are already a source of happiness. The planets that are not doing well will indicate the things in your life that are a source of trouble or misery, so by wearing the stones for those planets, the things that are a source of unhappiness can improve.

Some astrologers like to recommend gems primarily for the good planets in your horoscope, in order to augment the good in you life. But we think that happiness is primarily the absence of misery, more then having more of what you already have, so recommend gems that will heal the troubled planets. If you find a stone in your gem analysis that that the gem analysis says will support something that you want to augment, then you can make that gem a priority.

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