TM writes:

I am a bit confused since according to the Vedic Astrology (from India) the Saturn enters Leo only in the July of 2007 and that at present it is in Cancer for past two years which ends in July 2007.

I know the basics that the Vedic astrology depends on the moon signs while the changes that you mentioned above are based on sun signs. but what I don’t follow is that the planets and their movement through the signs shouldn’t that be the same according to both these systems?

TM,

ganesh

The difference between Vedic and Western astrology is bigger than you think! There are actually two zodiacs, tropical and sidereal. (say: “sigh DEER e-ul,” kinda rhymes with ethereal.) Western astrologers use the tropical zodiac. Vedic astrologers (and apparently biodynamic farmers, thanks Vassag) use the sidereal.

Rob Hand explains the difference in his book Horoscope Symbols:

“There are two ways of measuring the progress of a planet through the zodiac. One is to use the so-called sidereal zodiac, which is a measure of a planet’s relation to the background of the fixed stars. The other is to use the so-called tropical zodiac, which is a measure of a planet’s relation to the point in the sky where the Sun is on the first day of Spring. This point, known as the vernal equinox, or 0° Aries of the tropical zodiac, moves clockwise or backwards in the zodiac in relation to the fixed stars at the rate of about 1° every 72 years. About 2,000 years ago, the signs of the tropical zodiac lay in about the same part of the heavens as the constellations of the same name, but now 0° of tropical Aries has moved 24° to 25° back into the constellation of Pisces. This movement of the vernal point is called the precession of the equinoxes.”

Get it? The tropical zodiac’s “starting line” is now 25 degrees before the sidereal zodiac’s— almost an entire sign behind. This is why Saturn is still in Cancer according to Vedic astrology (using the sidereal zodiac), but has been in Leo for a while in Western astrology (using the tropical zodiac).

I have seen people try to interpret a Western chart using Vedic techniques, or vice versa. Doing so probably won’t get you anywhere. Your chart in Vedic is completely different, the methods used to read it are different. The two systems are apples and oranges.