TIBETAN ASTROLOGY

The Twelve Zodiac Signs

The twelve animals are used to designate years, months, days, and hours. Each animal is associated with an element, which represents its life force.

The inherent polarity of an animal corresponds to its symbolism and also bears upon the composition of its psychological character. The Rat for example is a nocturnal animal and a symbol of prosperity, it is therefore female, as is the Hare, which is associated with the Moon. The Dragon, by contrast, the symbol of thunder, is male.

The animal associated with a year gives it its specific character and influences the life and the personality of those born under its aegis. Each year of the cycle is designated by one of the symbolic animals. 

The connection between animals can be favorable or unfavorable. An understanding of their affinities is important when human relationships are under consideration for partnerships, marriages, friendships etc.

The Five Elements

The five Chinese elements are known in Tibetan as kham nga:

• Wood (thing)

• Fire (me)

• Earth (sa)

• Metal (cha)

• Water (chu)

They are natural forces of transformation, in constant interaction with each other. The term ‘element’ is to be understood as dynamic principle, a principle of energy. Certain authors prefer to speak of ‘agents’ rather than the more confusing ‘elements’. Their names are symbolic; they allow a description by analogy, but have little to do with the objects of the same name. None of the elements is positive or negative in itself. 

However, in contact with each other they react according to their affinities. There are therefore favorable, neutral, and harmful relations. An element can also become dangerous when there is too much or too little of it. Each of the elements embraces a number of meanings and correspondences; each has inherent characteristics, activity, direction, season, planet, organ, etc. These allow the nature of each element to be defined, but it must not be forgotten that the elements never exist in isolation - they are dynamic and in constant interaction. The essence of the five elements is said to be unique because they are all a manifestation of pure cosmic energy.

The Nine Mewa

Mewa means ‘mole’ or ‘birth mark’. The nine mewa stem from a system of numerology used for centuries by the Chinese. It indicates a karmic relation from life to life. There are nine mewa that are often arranged in a so-called magic square that equals 15, in whichever way they are totaled up.

Each of the nine mewa is associated with a color related to one of the five elements. The system of nine mewa is dynamic: each year, each month, and each day the mewa move. The nine magic mewa square numbers represent the nine categories of astrological spirits. Each number has an interpretation that includes karmic relations from past life to future lives. The square of mewa is also known in this tradition as ‘Magic Square of Saturn’.

These numbers cycle through the years, months and days and are the keys to past and future lives, experience in the bardo, certain personal characteristics, relationships with various earth spirits, health and life force, obstacles, favorable and unfavorable directions.

It is said that this magic square was engraved on the lower shell of the cosmic tortoise, from which (in legend) all Tibetan astrology springs. It has, aside from the numbers themselves, a distinct orientation is space, not to mention colors, elements and so on.

The Eight Parkha

The eight parkhas or trigrams are related to the Chinese ba qua, connected to Y Ching, the ‘Book of Change’, one of the oldest and most important writings in the history of the Chinese language. These eight trigrams represent the interdependent relation of the two great opposites, yang and yin.

Yang (‘sunny side of the hill’) is the male, positive, and active force, while yin (‘shaded side of the hill’) is female, receptive, and passive. Their interrelationship creates the eight trigrams, any two of which can be used to form the six-lined hexagram, used in the Y Ching.

The entire universe in all its varied manifestations arises from the interplay of these two forces. One is never found without the other. Without space, movement is impossible, The continual process of the transformation of energy is symbolized by the eigt trigrams and sixty-four hexagrams. Yang is represented by an unbroken line, yin by a broken line. When three lines are combined, we have eight types of trigram, which symbolize the eight principal modes of combination of energy.

Kalachakra

The chi dhue kyi khor lo, external Kalachakra, focuses on the creation of universe, it’s cosmology, the movements of the planets and stars.

The internal Kalachakra (nang dhue kyi khor lo), provides an understanding on the three fundamental interdependent components of our body, channels, energy, and essential drops, and the effect that external forces such as planets and stars have on our body. It explains that energy channels are like our home, essential drops as our property and energy the owner.

The secret Kalachakra astrology (sang wa dhue kyi khor lo) emphasizes the subject of meditation, spiritual exercises, initiations, power and visualization of one’s own personal deity.

The word Kalachakra means ‘Wheel of Time’, wich refers to the unique presentation of cycles of time within the Kalachakra Tantra. By understanding this vast subject one can used it for self-development, to lead a healthy life and can draw the life horoscope of self and others.