In this introduction to Tibetan Astrology, you'll find what your Not-So-Horrible-Scopes have in common with it and how Astrology can be a daily meditation.
There are several schools of Astrology in the East. Tibetan Astrology combines several of these traditions; those from India, China, Buddhism and incorporates them in Bon, a Tibetan religion.
The end result is, and is not as complicated as it might seem it would be on the surface. In Tibet, it is used for diviniation, as it is in the West but it is also applied on a larger scale.
Tibetan Astrology is part of the way they observe the passing of of time, daily and eternal; it is part of calendars, almanacs, and the vaster Tibetan philosophy of time cycles.
It also is used as a sort of waking meditation, as movements of the planets are studied so that every-day activities can move in accordance with them. A part of it is what I do at this site, observing weekly planetary movements in addition to specific movements relating to the time individuals were born.
An individuals personal horoscope, how the current position of planets relates to where the planets were whent they were born, is important in both Tibetan and Western Astrology. Tibetans, however, bring the importance of the position of the way the position of the planets reflect the cycles of the larger whole, somewhat more to the forefront than Western Astrology does.
Tibetan astrologers use their system to give people advice, to predict the weather, when good or bad luck is most likely to come in earthly endeavors. There are religious ceremonies monks conduct to remove negative influences related to the planets as well.
When children are born, Tibetan astrologers examine their charts and conduct rituals to remove negative influences that may result due to planetary positions at the time. Death charts are also prepared to determine how the persons funeral would be best conducted. It is believed that improper observance of these things can bring problems, in life and death, for individuals and their families.
Intriguingly, Tibet has an ancient, "nameless religion", and this is also found in their Astrology. It is a complex subject but basically relates to five fundamental forces: vitality, life potential, phyical health, personal power and a fifth called "wind horse", or energies within a person. They relate to the five elements, Wood, Wind, Earth, Fire, Water. Though it draws from other traditions, the resulting system is unique to Tibet.
It is believed that these move through our physical bodies in a monthly cycle, which can, of course, be seen in monthly planetary movements. On days when the force is weaker, ceremonies can be undertaken to strengthen them.
So, when you read your "Not-So-Horrible-Scope, you are not reading a daily Sun Sign horoscope but you are seeing part of what is described above. This can be taken in a number of ways.
One of these is that it enables us to approach Astrology as a sort of daily meditation, a way to pause and contemplate the actions we are about to undertake and how they relate to the actions of the planets around us.
