What does Tropical mean in astrology?
The planets, stars, and the sun move around in certain paths called constellations. Ancient astronomers recorded these movements as the 12 Zodiac signs. The division of the Zodiac signs is what we call Tropical astrology.
Now let’s take those 12 Zodiac signs and group them according to the seasons that they coincide with.
The Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. They coincide with the beginnings of the seasons. This is right after the equinoxes and solstices. There is a particular change in the weather at that period and many things depend on these changes.
Then we have the fixed signs. These are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius signs. They reflect the stabilization of existing circumstances and activities. They correlate with the middle of the seasons. There is stability in the heat and temperature in this season.
Next are the mutable signs. Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces reflect situations in transitions. They occur at the end of the seasons. This is a time of transition from one season to the next, hence its influence on the mutable signs.
These associations are what we call tropical astrology. It is just one of the three reference systems. It also includes Sidereal Zodiac and Constellational Zodiac.
What is Tropical Astrology?
There are symbolic associations made between different seasons and circumstances. They share a similarity. It measures the zodiacs as it relates to seasons. That is why the Tropical system is also known as “The Moving Zodiac.”
The starting point is at the Vernal Equinox. The Vernal (Spring) Equinox is the point where the Sun crosses the equator as it makes its way North. It is our viewpoint from the Earth to the path of the Sun as the planets move about. The planets start from the vernal point, and then it moves through each of the twelve 30-degree signs. That is what you see when you look at the planets moving through the Tropical Zodiac over the course of a year.
Now, the term Tropical comes from the tropics. It lies above and below the Earth’s equator. It is the greatest angle that the Earth tilts during the solar year.
All these make it an orderly system. It considers the shared characteristics of the zodiac signs in a group. It also shows the correlation of how they move about through seasons.
Is Tropical Zodiac wrong?
There have been recent concerns on Tropical Astrology. NASA announced last 2016 that there is a change in the zodiac astrology because of the shift in the Earth’s axis. According to NASA, that 3000 years since the creation of the zodiac system the sky has shifted. The North Pole is now pointing at a different direction. They also claimed that constellation Ophiuchus is the 13th Zodiac sign.
But these claims by NASA do not change the horoscopes as we know it. It is because the Tropical system is about its alignment with the seasons. This is always fixed, and it does not change. Again, it is a stable reference system. It is not based on constellations. That is why processions and the Ophiuchus discovery is irrelevant.
It is also important to remember that Astrology and Astronomy are different. Even if there are new discoveries, Astrology must find out if it does make a difference to the Zodiac system.
Is Tropical Astrology Ancient or Western?
It is “Western” Astrology. The western world practices the Tropical system of the zodiac. Hence, we refer to it as the Western astrology. When we talk about the Western world, we mean to say America, Europe, Australia, and some parts of Africa.
Tropical zodiac system does have its origins in Ancient Greece. By the 1st Century BC, it had a system. The Modern system has its roots from 139 BC. It has ancient roots, but it is the standard astrology for the West in our modern society.
Is Tropical Astrology Accurate?
The discussion of its accuracy must be alongside with Side-real Astrology. Side-real or Vedic Astrology have their criticisms on the Tropical system. They criticize the seasonal movement of the Sun as the starting point to define the zodiac signs.
Side-real as we know only focused on the positions of the stars and constellations. But the Tropical system is valid because again it reflects the seasonal changes on Earth. That is why we can say that the Tropical zodiac system is more resonant to us. It includes the physical reality of life on Earth rather than from a distant star.
Vedic astrologers also highlight that Western astrology cannot give predictions. This is inaccurate. Clients in India demand more every day specific predictions. For instance, they want to know the number of children they have or can have.
These things are not that valued by the West, but it does not mean it cannot predict those things. Western astrology is much more concerned with psychological issues, life’s lessons, and opportunities. It is more of a culture difference than an inability to predict. There are Western astrologers who were able to predict mundane life predictions. This includes when their clients can get married, get a new job and so forth. So, this criticism again is inaccurate.
Both are unique systems. There are always going to be criticisms for Tropical and Side-real or Vedic Astrology.
What is my Tropical Zodiac sign?
We all know what our birth sign is. You may be an Aries like me or any other signs from the zodiac. What does it mean? The Tropical Zodiac Chart explains that at the time of a person’s birth, the sun was in 1 of 12 zones around the Earth.
The frame of reference for these zones is the sun’s positions relative to the Earth’s horizons. The sun moves through the seasons and with it the altitude changes. The compass bearings of its rising and setting also change. These are signs that we cannot see in the skies with our physical eyes.
If you want to know more about this, you can study the Tropical Astrology Chart. It is also known as the birth chart or the natal chart.
It is a wheel chart with twelve sections. Each section contains the name of the 12 Zodiac signs. They will sketch the planets of the person on the wheel to check on which symbol they drop into. The planet can see through a person’s character, pathways for growth and transformation.
To get a more accurate reading, one must provide accurate information. This includes the name, gender, date of birth, time of birth, place of birth. There is a Tropical Astrology Chart Calculator. It is available on the internet for those who cannot get a consultation with an astrologer.
The Zodiac Tropical Chart can be overwhelming for many beginners of astrology. Do not make it hard on yourself. Tropical Astrology Chart Calculator is accurate as it can be. It compiles explanations for each data on your chart. But if you want an in-depth reading of your Zodiac Tropical Chart, a visit to a trusted astrologer would be better.