Merging different Zodiac systems...?

[frac_ture]

Hi, All--

I have an astrology question, and I'm not really sure how to search for previous threads that might address it, as all the words I can think of to search are so very common, and they seem to yield up a flood of hits that are largely off-target (I had no luck, anyway, with the searches I attempted). Anyway, with apologies if this is a common question, and if I bungle astrology terminology:

Does anyone have any recommendations for books or websites that do a good job of lining up different Zodiac systems to come up with more inclusive astrological summaries of a person?

What I mean is, could I find a source for learning about a single individual's Western Zodiac attribution, their Chinese Zodiac attribution, and maybe a few others (Native American, Celtic, etc.)? I know I could do some legwork in assembling a multiple-Zodiac profile myself by surfing the internet, but I'm extremely beginner-ish with even the Western Zodiac that holds sway here in the States where I grew up, and I'm pretty clueless about the others, so I'd have no way of knowing if the sites I'd be looking at would be accurate or not. I'd love to find a solid source that's aimed at compiling all of the major Zodiac information across multiple systems if such thing exists...?

My main reason for asking is that I'd love to be able to provide a really in-depth astrological report as a present for an upcoming birthday. Any help would be very much appreciated!

 

[dadsnook2000]

Mixing zodiacs ?

frac_ture, I practice astrology using Tropical, precession-corrected Tropical, and Sidereal frameworks. The key to your question is the word "framework." A zodiac is a measuring tool first of all. Think of the zodiac as a circular ruler. It can display planetary positions in inches, in centimeters, or in hand-spans. Whatever. It helps us position and measure relative positions.

Using one or using a mixture (by some means) of zodiacs does not change the measuring and positional process.

What can change is the interpretive model that one applies to the measuring circle. Myth in some cases, cultural meanings in other cases, any of several astrological sets of sign meanings ---- all of that is actually a human conception or model used to understand or speculate about what we see. Mixing zodiac meanings will more easily bring confusion and will less likely bring clarity.

Or, you can do like I do --- not use signs as an interpretive model. Throw them out and just use the measuring tool for chart calculation. Dave

 

[frac_ture]

Hi, Dave -- thanks so much for replying to my query. I have to again apologize for knowing so little about astrology. I feel like I'm trying to ask a question in a language I don't know...

I think I do get what you mean about thinking of the Zodiac as a circular ruler, and if I understand you, you're saying that using, say, the Western Zodiac versus using the Chinese Zodiac would be like using two different rulers, but would still amount measuring the same thing? Would the following analogy hold: using the two Zodiacs would be akin to measuring a fixed distance with a ruler marked in inches and then again with a ruler marked in centimeters...? The "number" yielded by each would seem different, but the distances they describe are identical...?

I think I understand in general what you mean when you say that you'd just throw out the interpretive baggage and simply measure and calculate, but I'd have no idea how to do that!

Maybe I can more specifically say what I was thinking of doing... Someone close to me has a birthday looming and is also pregnant. I was thinking it might be fun and enlightening to put together some astrological data as a gift, and I was considering doing so with both the Western system and the Chinese system. She's both American (so, "Western") and of Chinese descent, which is why I was primarily looking at those two systems (if "system" is even the right word here...?). Her chart would be obtainable, although I realize that until the baby is born, that chart couldn't be derived in complete and specific fashion (I figured that based on the timing forecast for the birth, though, it should at least be possible to come up with something based on projected Sun Sign for the Western system, and arriving at the sign under the Chinese system shouldn't be difficult, as each one covers a full year...I think...? unless that's a misconception or oversimplification...). But my thought was to generate a sort of write-up for both, and then also plot out some basic relationship/compatibility readings. That was the overall concept, anyway.

I think you're saying, though, that trying to meld the two (or more) systems would most likely confuse and hinder a reaching of the main goal here, rather than aiding and illuminating? I'm not arguing with that conclusion, either -- I don't know enough about the subject matter to argue! -- I'm just asking if I'm reading your post correctly? If so, I can maybe drop back and just pick one system...or come up with a different idea entirely! Either way, though, thank you for your help!

 

[Minderwiz]

I've just read your 'clarification' and I'd like to add something to Dave's comments

If your're just trying to create a nice 'birthday gift' for the newborn, then I don't think there's any real issue in a collection of brief interpretations based on more than one system - as long as you don't try to carry out any indepth synthesis - in which case you will run into the problems that Dave mentions.

Chinese Astrology doesn't use a zodiac in the western or the Vedic senses, it's based on a 12 year cycle and is in someways more akin to the ancient systems of Time Lords, as used in Hellenistic an Persian Astrology So trying to marry it with a modern Western approach is like trying to synthesise the distance between New York and London in miles with the distance between where you are sitting now and your front door in terms of the time it takes you to move to your front door. - Total chalk and cheese! However there is some common ground and providing you keep it simple it will actually serve the purpose you intend - to give a possible impression of what the child will be like.

Celtic Astrology is very much a modern manufactured New Age system , I don't place any faith in it but if you want to use it for this purpose you might try hunting out a webssite.

However you will not find it easy to located one that does what you asked in your question, you'll really have to go hunting for ones

As a last thought, you might possibly consider simply choosing one of the Astrological systems and getting a depth reading on that basis. That would avoid confusion and still be a lovely gift. If you want someting unsual you might consider having a Vedic reading done using the system of Astrology used in India. It does have connections to the West in that it uses a similar zodiac but it's not simply another regurgitation of New Age Sun Signs

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[frac_ture]

Minderwiz, thanks very much for your thoughts on this! It does help.

You're right that I was really only looking for a rather basic and maybe surface-level analysis here. To use an even more concrete example, I myself am a Fire Horse in the Chinese system, and a Scorpio (just talking Sun Sign for the moment) in the Western system...so what I was considering would be sort of like saying, "Okay, the major traits ascribed to a Fire Horse would be A, B, and C, and the major traits of a Scorpio are D, E, and F...meanwhile, you're a Metal Tiger, which means you're characterized by G, H, and I, and you're a Leo, which says you're probably J, K, and L...and then the relationship between us could therefore very likely be X, Y, and Z." I was planning to do something like that for Mother and unborn daughter that I had mentioned.

I don't know, maybe something like that isn't even "true astrology" if there is such a thing, but as an ultra-beginner, I was thinking maybe using different systems in conjunction could actually result in a symbiotic/mutually enriching effect. I gather from what you and Dave have said that this isn't likely to happen, though. And I understand that this might be the answer -- I just wanted to ask people who know a lot more about this field than I do! I very much appreciate hearing from both of you on this! I may indeed just drop back, pick one system, and have a go at it in that way.

And I had no idea the Celtic system was so modern and manufactured! I only read about it for the first time ever a few weeks ago and assumed it was some ancient system I simply hadn't yet encountered. How about that...

I know there's also a Native American system one can dig up online, although I have no idea how authentic it really is.

And thanks for the tip on the Vedic system! I'd heard of it, but knew nothing about it -- I might try to research it now, though...