What is Sidereal Astrology (vs Tropical Astrology) ?

photo : Photons on a roof-terrace at sunset.
Energetic architecture.
Beliefs, like walls with windows can block out and allow in, light.
We experience our walls to be real and learn to make a home within them.

Can we also be the architect?
Build some rooms with open-sky roofs?
And doorways that lead to the observable galaxy beyond?

sidereal    /sī-dîr′ē-əl/
of, relating to, or expressed in relation to stars or constellations : astral

.

Sidereal Astrology is astrology that is aligned with the stars and cosmos. It observes and interprets the REAL sky, the positions of the planets in the zodiac constellations as they are NOW.

Doesn’t all astrology? No.

Mainstream western astrology also known as  ‘Tropical Astrology’ (which you see in all the magazines and big astrology apps and websites) does not use the real position of the zodiac stars. It is not aligned with the cosmos. It is a system that is stuck to the sky as it was 2000 years ago around the beginning of the rise of the Roman empire. The sky has changed since then.

 

An Astrological LAnguage

Before we continue I would like to share an analogy for those who are new to astrology:

Astrology is both a science (technical) and an art (intuitive). It is comparable to a type of language. Language has rules and technicalities but can be used to express and describe less defined realms of the soul. Think of poetry, song, recounting dreams or describing feelings.

The language of astrology is used to express energy and a philosophical paradigm of connection with the cosmos. It uses symbols because symbols can convey a hundred words with one glyph.

In many ways the client work of an astrologer is to serve as an interpreter and translator of the astrological language and convey what it expresses without the client needing to learn all the glyphs and technicalities.

Personal Astrological readings are always tied back to the birth chart or natal chart. Which is a map of the sky at the moment of your first breath, It is seen as your cosmic blueprint.

A birth chart is usually made of 2 circles. One within the other. The inner circle represents earth, and the outer circle represents the sky path or zodiac belt. It is made up of all the constellations that are located on the ‘ecliptic’, the path the sun makes across the sky.

The composition of the outer circle is where sidereal and tropical astrology have the most technical differences. Because the sidereal outer circle is based on the observable real sky, and the tropical outer circle is not.

the sky changes

equinox  /ē′kwə-nŏks/″
either of the two times each year (as about March 21 and September 23) when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are everywhere on earth of approximately equal length.
The beginning of Spring. The beginning of Autumn.

The sky changes. Something known as the ‘precession of the equinox’ observes that the stars in the sky move 1 every 72 years from our perspective on earth.

2000 years ago on the first day of spring, the sun rose in the Aries constellation. Now, on the first day of spring the sun rises in the Pisces constellation.

the zodiac constellations have different sizes

When you look up at the night sky you will see that the real constellations vary in size. Nature did not divide the zodiac belt into 12 equal parts.

there is a 13th sign on the ‘zodiac belt’

Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer is the 13th sign of the zodiac.
He represents the Higher Self, the Healer, the knowledge of regeneration, rebirth and the element of Akasha (aether.)

The Galactic Center is directly behind the Ophiuchus zodiac sign.
Wikipedia says : “The Galactic Center is the barycenter of the Milky Way and a corresponding point on the rotational axis of the galaxy. Its central massive object is a supermassive black hole of about 4 million solar masses…”

Seems like a pretty significant and energetic part of the zodiac belt right?

Many ancient Astrologers including the Mayans recognized this point in our sky and the Egyptians recognized the Ophiuchus constellation. So do Sidereal Astrologers. Because wherever Ophiuchus is in your chart is your access to the Akashic records and deep cosmic wisdom.

Stars shine brightly too

The zodiac constellations are the constellations on the ‘ecliptic’, the path the Sun makes. There are more constellations outside of the ecliptic than on it. Some of our brightest stars that catch our eyes when we gaze into the night sky, like Sirius (Canis Major) and Vega (Lyra) are outside of the ecliptic.

Sidereal astrologer’s see the potential that the closer and brighter the star is the more energetic (light) impact it has on our earthly experience whether it’s on the ecliptic or not. So we keep an eye on their positions in a chart.

True story : I did a reading for my friend Maia (whose parents aren’t Sidereal Astrologers) In her chart her sun position was in conjunction (merged) with the Pleiades star cluster, one of the 7 seven stars of this cluster is called ‘Maia.’ Cosmic coincidence.

Starseeds are you listening?

sidereal Paradigm

1. Everything is energy and energetically connected.  We are connected to the real planets and stars. The latest science is talking about electric universe theory and plasma fields in space. Wouldn’t it be amazing if astrology and astronomy were once again sister sciences.

2. Evolution and change happen. Our sky changes and evolves, , our astrology must observe and take note of these changes, so that we can use astrology as a tool for our own growth, transformation and ascension.

3. The original astrologers were ancient stargazers. Astro means star. Astrology was originally and still should be rooted in observing the real sky.

4 Nature is a direct expression of cosmic intelligence. The real sky is natural. Observing and directly connecting with the natural world is an act of meditation and contemplation that can inspire us to look beyond ourselves and limited mental perception.

5 The real sky unites us, connecting with it opens us to connecting with star lore and wisdom from the indigenous and original peoples across the world. We all share the same sky (but see it from different angles.)

6 We exist in a fractal universe. The alchemical wisdom saying goes “As a move so below. AS within so without, AS the universe so the soul” This universe is real , we just need to open our eyes and our minds, look within, and look up, at the real sky.

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about open anahata

Open Anahata is a dedication to the Anahata Tradition and lineage, past and future. The Anahata system of practices offers a holistic foundation to self-care and soul-evolution grounded in yoga ethics and trialed through many generations.

Our hope is to maintain an open, oral tradition connected to nature and to grow trauma-informed methods of practice, self-inquiry and community on the paths of radical self understanding, cosmic awakening and kundalini rising.

Teachings, philosophies and inspired stories are shared through journal posts on this website. Sign up for the newsletter to receive updates. See the calendar for classes, courses and events.

We explore mindful ways of connecting through digital technology and prefer to share posts via this website, newsletter and telegram.

5 elements

Like many ancient philosophical traditions Anahata yogis observed primal elements. Earth, fire, air, water and akasha (aether) are the five used in the Anahata Five Element Philosophy. They inform a nonverbal language that connects to nature and the subtle energies of reality, setting the foundation to grow and ground psychic perception.

In yoga experience is knowledge, so philosophy is practiced. It is not just an intellectual activity.

The Five Element Purification Practice or Tattwa Shuddhi Saddhana is a system of holistic moving and detoxifying meditations for shifting and balancing physical, energetic, conscious and unconscious mental patterns.  It is an integral part of the Anahata tradition. The movements and philosophy are woven into the classes and daily life. Tattwa Shuddhi Saddhana is often taught as a system on its own as it is suitable for all levels and all shapes of human. See the calendar for upcoming workshops or classes.

Anahata tradition

In the ancient Himalayan foothills of northern India, a lineage of yogis lovingly developed a holistic self care practice inspired by life immersed in mountain-scapes and nature.

Rocky crevices where one misstep meant death, formed ergonomic asanas to improve stamina, agility and stability. High altitudes shaped breath work for optimizing oxygen retention and reinvigorating energy. Night skies illuminated by stars and campfires invoked dream exploration and methods for navigating states of consciousness in trance. Living self-sufficiently nurtured healing techniques that harness the body’s regenerative processes. But above all, the yogis observed that by tuning into their heart intelligence ALL of their life sustaining qualities improved. They became more connected with their environment as well as with themselves. They called their system of practice, Anahata Yoga. Anahata, named after the energetic heart.

Without books or libraries, knowledge was shared through an oral tradition of experiential learning and body memory. Emphasis was placed on inner awareness and meditation filled movements referred to as the dances of Shiva and Shakti. The dances of duality. 

Unlike most hatha yoga traditions popular in the west, Anahata yoga evolved through a lineage outside of the higher priestly castes. Maintaining a tradition devoted to our unique Human Path and journey of individuation.

Your Subconscious

You have a deeper mind, called the subconscious. It is like a hard-drive that stores and connects all your experiences, associations, projections, emotional triggers and unquestioned beliefs. This information influences your behavior, how you think and what you feel. True inner change takes place at this deep and fundamental level of the psyche. Accessing it consciously requires openness to self-inquiry, body connection and a shift in awareness through practices such as meditation, trance, or self hypnosis.

Inner-processing and hypnotherapy sessions facilitate inner transformation and growth through accessing the subconscious mind.

Anahata practices based in yoga psychology offer a holistic system for processing and releasing subconscious patterns through meditation and movement.

astrology aligned with the stars

Sidereal means ‘determined by the stars’ or ‘star time’.

Sidereal Astrology aligns with the real sky, the location of the planets in the stars (zodiac) as they really are NOW.

This means that a Sidereal Astrology reading can include the
energetic influences of stars such as Sirius, the Pleiades and the
powerful 13th zodiac, Ophiuchus. In ancient times, these star energies have guided our connection to cosmic consciousness.

Doesn’t all Astrology align with the real sky? No, and here’s why:

2000 years ago the constellations in the sky matched the seasons. The Sun rose in Aries (the first sign of the zodiac) during the first day of spring. But since then, the stars have changed position due to something known as the ‘precession of the equinox’. Today when you look at the sky on the first day of spring, the Sun rises in a different zodiac sign : Pisces.

Most western astrology uses ‘tropical astrology’ which was developed 2000 years ago and is based on the seasons and Sun (spring starting with Aries) and NOT what is really happening in the stars and sky now (spring starting in Pisces). There is now a growing difference of one to two zodiac signs between tropical western astrology and the real, visible sky.

 

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