Thanks to the trend of publishing daily horoscopes in newspapers and magazines, every person in America knows about astrology. The general idea is that astrology calculates the position of the sun, moon, stars, and other celestial objects to determine the impact that can have on our everyday lives.

However, most people are not aware of the origin of astrology. Each of the early civilizations that developed in the world practiced their own form of astrology for centuries. In modern days astrology has been developed into three major forms. 

Although several other specializations have branched out within each form, we are going to talk about the three major ones in this article. If you wish to know more about every branch of astrology, you can read Mysticmag.com’s blog for more detailed posts. 

Western Astrology

Modern-day Western astrology is based on the concept conceived in Greece and Babylonia approximately 3000 years ago. It was developed on the fact that the sun is at the center of the solar system, and the distance between the sun and Earth is the most important aspect to calculate the astrological factors. To be more specific, it was the distance between the sun, the tropic of Cancer, and the tropic of Capricorn, which determined their astrological science.

There are twelve signs in western astrology.

• The Ram or Aries
• The Bull or Taurus
• The Twins or Gemini
• The Crab or Cancer
• The Lion or Leo
• The Virgin or Virgo
• The Scales or Libra
• The Scorpion or Scorpio
• The Centaur or Sagittarius
• The Sea-Goat or Capricorn
• The Water-Bearer or Aquarius
• The Fish or Pisces

The names of astrological signs that you know them by are actually the names of the constellations according to Greek mythology. The Greek civilization followed a different calendar, where the year started with the Vernal Equinox (March 22), when the day and night are equal. That is why every astrological horoscope begins with Aries.

The Greek astrologers believed that people who are born in one particular month would have similar psychological and behavioral traits. The Greek astrologers also emphasized the position of the planets in relation to the sun and Earth. They believed that the planets affect certain rudimentary behavioral traits of the human psyche.

Western astrology also introduced the concept of spirit animals. According to this belief, each person is assigned a spirit animal based on their date of birth, which reflects their inner personality and can guide them through life’s challenges. For example, those born under the sign of Aries are associated with the spirit animal of the ram, representing strength, determination, and leadership. On the other hand, the rabbit is a famous Virgo spirit animal that signifies intelligence, agility, and a keen eye for detail. It also symbolizes fertility and new beginnings, making it a perfect match for those born under the sign of Virgo.

Even though the lunar nodes play essential roles in western astrology, the planets are still considered to be more influential. Western astrology has also segregated the signs into four elements (Earth, water, air, fire) and assigned behavioral traits with each element.

Chinese Astrology

Chinese astrology is similar to the system of Western astrology, but there are some key differences. There are twelve signs in Chinese astrology. However, the astrological signs are named after different animals. The names are:

• Rat
• Ox
• Tiger
• Rabbit
• Dragon
• Snake
• Horse
• Goat
• Monkey
• Rooster
• Dog
• Pig

The names of the twelve signs originate from a legend. The legend says that while creating the calendar, God invited all the creatures of Earth to a race. The twelve creatures that finished first were assigned a zodiac sign.

While Western astrology states that people born in the same month share traits, the Chinese astrological system says the characteristics of people depend on the year that they were born in. Chinese astrology places emphasis on the year, month, date, and time of birth to determine a person’s fortune.

They also give a lot of importance to the four lunar phases and their effects on human traits. The elements of Chinese astrological signs are also different from Western astrology (fire, earth, metal, water, and wood). 

Vedic Astrology

Vedic astrology is one of the oldest astrological sciences on Earth that date back to around 2000 BCE. Vedic astrology is quite different from Western or Chinese astrology. It states that the effects of all the celestial objects on human lives are determined by the person’s karma. Humans can utilize the movement of these planetary bodies to balance the karmic forces.

There are several other ways to affect the influence of celestial bodies on their lives, such as by performing yoga, using gemstones, chanting mantras, so on and so forth. Vedic astrology also depends on astronomical calculations and natal charts.

For example, natal charts can reveal a person’s traits in detail by calculating their position at the time of birth. Vedic astrology uses the same signs as Greek astrology, but their applications are more diverse than getting assigned to a month. 

Each astrological system might be different in forms and practices, but their objectives are similar. Their calculations differ from each other, but the results are the same. When you choose to get astrological readings, ensure that the source is authentic and well-reviewed.