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Each system reflects the culture and world view from which it emerged, offering different perspectives on personality, destiny, and cosmic influence.
These alternative systems reveal how astrology isn’t just a single discipline but a global phenomenon, with each culture weaving its own beliefs about how the stars and planets shape human life, spirituality, and the natural world.
The list in a long way from being complete, and perhaps it never will be. Ancient, long forgotten astrologies will continue to be discovered, and new astrologies will be invented — and perhaps more so, as humans learn more about the cosmos.
Given the conflicting and contradicting interpretations of the the same celestial observations, it's impossible to trust any of them!
Aboriginal Australian Star Lore | |
| Origin: | Indigenous cultures of Australia, with astronomical traditions dating back tens of thousands of years. |
| Key features: | Uses constellations like the Emu in the Sky (formed by dark clouds of the Milky Way) rather than just star patterns. Integrates oral stories with celestial events. |
| Focus: | Seasonal changes, environmental signs, and ancestral teachings. |
Amazigh (Berber) | |
| Origin: | Indigenous Berber cultures of North Africa, blending pre-Islamic traditions with Islamic astrology. |
| Key features: | Uses lunar calendars, solar alignments, and local deities. Incorporates geomantic divination with astrological timing. |
| Focus: | Agricultural cycles, protection rituals, and personal guidance. |
Arabic (see Islamic, below) | |
| Origin: | Medieval Islamic world, blending Greek, Persian, and Indian influences. |
| Key features: | Focus on fixed stars, planetary lots, and astrological mathematics. |
| Focus: | Destiny, fortune-telling, and philosophical reflections on the cosmos. |
Assyrian | |
| Origin: | Ancient Assyria (Mesopotamia, circa 2500 BCE). |
| Key features: | Detailed records of planetary omens, especially concerning Venus (Ishtar) and eclipses. Divination through the Enuma Anu Enlil tablets. |
| Focus: | Predicting royal fates, political stability, and military outcomes. |
Aztec | |
| Origin: | Ancient Aztec civilisation (Mesoamerica). |
| Key features: | Based on the Tōnalpōhualli calendar (260 days), with 20 day signs and 13 numbers influencing fate. |
| Focus: | Spiritual guidance, life path, and cosmic energy cycles. |
Babylonian | |
| Origin: | Ancient Mesopotamia (circa 1800 BCE). |
| Key features: | One of the earliest systems, based on omen reading and tracking planetary movements like Venus, and celestial events like eclipses. |
| Focus: | Predicting major events such as wars, natural disasters, and royal destinies. |
Berber (Amazigh) | |
| Origin: | Indigenous Berber cultures of North Africa, blending pre-Islamic traditions with Islamic astrology. |
| Key features: | Uses lunar calendars, solar alignments, and local deities. Incorporates geomantic divination with astrological timing. |
| Focus: | Agricultural cycles, protection rituals, and personal guidance. |
Burmese (Myanmar) | |
| Origin: | Myanmar, influenced by Hindu astrology and indigenous traditions. |
| Key features: | The Mahabote system uses eight-day weeks (Wednesday split into two) linked to planetary deities. |
| Focus: | Personality analysis, destiny, and life planning. |
Celtic | |
| Origin: | Ancient Celtic tribes (Europe). |
| Key features: | Based on nature, using the Druidic Tree Calendar with 13 signs, each associated with a sacred tree. |
| Focus: | Spiritual growth, nature’s cycles, and inner wisdom. |
Chaldean | |
| Origin: | Chaldea, part of ancient Babylonia (circa 600 BCE). |
| Key features: | Masters of astronomical calculations and omen interpretation. Developed the Chaldean order of the planets, influencing Greek astrology. |
| Focus: | Cosmic fate, royal destinies, and natural phenomena. |
Chinese | |
| Origin: | Ancient China (over 2,000 years ago), rooted in Taoist philosophy and the lunisolar calendar. |
| Key features: | Based on a 12-year cycle, each year associated with an animal sign (Rat to Pig). Includes Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and yin-yang principles. Uses Ba Zi (Four Pillars of Destiny) and the Sexagenary Cycle for detailed readings. |
| Focus: | Personality traits, compatibility, career, and life fortune. Emphasis on destiny and balance with natural forces. |
Dogon (West African) | |
| Origin: | Dogon people of Mali. |
| Key features: | Advanced knowledge of the Sirius star system, with deep cosmological myths about the universe’s creation. |
| Focus: | Spiritual connection, cosmic origins, and ancestral wisdom. |
Draconic | |
| Origin: | A modern development within Western astrology. |
| Key features: | Focuses on the Moon's nodes (North and South), representing the soul’s purpose and past-life connections. |
| Focus: | Spiritual evolution, soul contracts, and karmic lessons. |
Egyptian | |
| Origin: | Ancient Egypt. |
| Key features: | Based on 12 deities (such as Thoth, Osiris, and Anubis), with each sign linked to specific gods influencing personality and destiny. |
| Focus: | Divine influence on personal destiny and spiritual life. |
Electional | |
| Origin: | Used in ancient Babylonian, Greek, and Vedic traditions. |
| Key features: | Determines the best time to start events like weddings, business ventures, or travel. |
| Focus: | Optimising success and outcomes based on planetary alignments. |
Esoteric | |
| Origin: | Rooted in Theosophy and modern mystical traditions. |
| Key features: | Shifts the focus from personality to the soul’s journey, using traditional Western astrology with a spiritual lens. |
| Focus: | Soul growth, spiritual awakening, and higher consciousness. |
Etruscan | |
| Origin: | Ancient Etruria (pre-Roman Italy, circa 800–300 BCE). |
| Key features: | Rituals based on augury (interpreting bird flights) and haruspicy (examining animal entrails), tied to celestial signs. Influenced early Roman astrology. |
| Focus: | State decisions, warfare, and communication with deities. |
Filipino (indigenous and folk traditions) | |
| Origin: | A mix of pre-colonial animistic beliefs, Malay influences, and later Spanish and Chinese elements. |
| Key features: | Focus on celestial bodies, nature, and ancestral spirits. Influenced by astrological folk practices like pamahiin (superstitions) and oracles. Some indigenous groups used star patterns for agricultural and navigational purposes. |
| Focus: | Fate, omens, and life guidance tied to nature and spiritual beliefs. Practical uses for agriculture, weather prediction, and personal fortune. |
Georgian (Kartvelian) | |
| Origin: | Ancient Georgia (Caucasus region), influenced by Persian and Hellenistic systems. |
| Key features: | Integrated solar deities, agricultural cycles, and star lore. Emphasis on seasonal festivals aligned with celestial events. |
| Focus: | Spiritual balance, harvest predictions, and personal destiny. |
Germanic (Norse) | |
| Origin: | Pre-Christian Norse and Germanic cultures of Scandinavia. |
| Key features: | Based on runes, cosmic trees (Yggdrasil), and the movement of celestial bodies. Strong ties to mythology, especially gods like Odin and Freyja. |
| Focus: | Fate (Wyrd), life cycles, and destiny within the context of Norse cosmology. |
Greenlandic (Kalaallit Traditions) | |
| Origin: | Indigenous Kalaallit people of Greenland. |
| Key features: | Combines celestial observation with mythology and nature-based wisdom. |
| Focus: | Survival guidance, environmental signs, and spiritual practices. |
Hamburg School (Uranian) | |
| Origin: | Early 20th-century Germany. |
| Key features: | Uses hypothetical planets (Trans-Neptunian objects), advanced midpoints, and mathematical techniques. |
| Focus: | Precise life predictions, psychological analysis, and futuristic insights. |
Hellenistic | |
| Origin: | Ancient Greece (circa 2nd century BCE). |
| Key features: | The foundation of modern Western astrology, focusing on planets, zodiac signs, houses, and aspects. |
| Focus: | Fate, character analysis, and predicting life events. |
Hittite | |
| Origin: | Ancient Hittite civilisation (circa 1600–1178 BCE, Anatolia). |
| Key features: | Combined sky omens with ritual practices. Focused on planetary events like eclipses and comet appearances. |
| Focus: | Predicting natural disasters, royal fate, and divine messages. |
Horary | |
| Origin: | Derived from ancient Hellenistic and medieval Islamic traditions. |
| Key features: | Answers specific questions based on the exact time the question is asked, rather than a birth chart. |
| Focus: | Immediate answers about decisions, outcomes, or situations. |
Illyrian | |
| Origin: | Ancient Illyria (Western Balkans, circa 4th century BCE). |
| Key features: | Star lore tied to warrior culture and nature deities. Influenced by Greek and Roman astrology post-contact. |
| Focus: | Military success, personal courage, and natural cycles. |
Incan | |
| Origin: | Incan Empire (Andean region). |
| Key features: | Strong connection to the Sun (Inti), with alignments to solstices, equinoxes, and sacred sites like Machu Picchu. |
| Focus: | Agricultural cycles, spiritual festivals, and cosmic harmony. |
Inuit Celestial Beliefs | |
| Origin: | Indigenous Inuit cultures of the Arctic. |
| Key features: | Focuses on moon phases, auroras, and seasonal star patterns, tied to survival and spirituality. |
| Focus: | Hunting guidance, weather predictions, and spiritual myths. |
Islamic (Arabic) | |
| Origin: | Emerged during the Islamic Golden Age (8th to 14th centuries CE), blending influences from Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic, and Indian astrology. Prominent centres of astrological study included Baghdad, Cairo, and Cordoba, where scholars preserved and expanded ancient astrological knowledge. |
| Key features: | Planets and Houses: Focuses on the seven classical planets: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Uses the 12 zodiac signs and 12 astrological houses similar to Hellenistic astrology. Arabic Parts (Lots): Unique to Islamic astrology, Arabic Parts (e.g., the Part of Fortune) are mathematical points calculated from planetary positions to reveal hidden aspects of fate. Fixed Stars: Strong emphasis on fixed stars (e.g., Aldebaran, Regulus) for their spiritual and predictive influence. Astrological Magic (Ilm al-Tanjim): Combined astrology with astral magic, talismans, and amulets, though these practices varied in acceptance due to Islamic theological views. Mathematical Precision: Advanced techniques in astronomical calculations and astrolabe usage for precise charting. |
| Focus: | Fate and Destiny: Used for personal horoscopes, predicting events, and understanding divine will. Medical astrology: Linking planetary positions to health and healing practices. Political and Mundane astrology: Advising rulers on wars, governance, and major events. Ethical Considerations: While astrology thrived in Islamic culture, scholars debated its compatibility with Islamic teachings. Some saw it as a tool to understand God's creation, while others rejected it as speculative. |
Japanese (Onmyōdō) | |
| Origin: | Influenced by Chinese astrology, mixed with native Shinto beliefs and Buddhist practices. |
| Key features: | Eto (Zodiac) system with 12 animal signs, similar to Chinese astrology. Onmyōdō (the Way of Yin and Yang) blends astrology with spiritual practices, divination, and geomancy. Focus on cosmic harmony and elemental balance. |
| Focus: | Fortune-telling, spiritual guidance, and personal destiny. Often used in annual predictions, festivals, and rituals. |
Jewish Mystical (Kabbalistic) | |
| Origin: | Rooted in Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, with influences from Babylonian and Hellenistic traditions. |
| Key features: | Uses the Tree of Life, Hebrew letters, and connections to planetary forces. Integrates the Hebrew calendar, lunar cycles, and numerology (Gematria). |
| Focus: | Understanding the soul’s journey, karmic lessons, and spiritual destiny. Emphasis on aligning with divine purpose and cosmic order. |
Jyotish (Verdic) | |
| Origin: | Ancient India, rooted in the Vedas (sacred Hindu texts) around 1500 BCE. |
| Key features: | Uses the Sidereal Zodiac, aligning with actual constellations. Focuses on nine planets (Navagrahas), 12 houses, and 27 lunar mansions (Nakshatras). Strong emphasis on karma, dharma, and planetary periods (Dashas). |
| Focus: | Predictive astrology (fate, life events, spiritual growth). Guidance on career, marriage, health, and spiritual evolution. |
Kabbalistic (Jewish Mystical) | |
| Origin: | Rooted in Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. |
| Key features: | Integrates the Tree of Life, Hebrew calendar, and planetary influences. |
| Focus: | Soul’s journey, spiritual growth, and karmic lessons. |
Kalaallit (Greenlandic) | |
| Origin: | Indigenous Kalaallit people of Greenland. |
| Key features: | Combines celestial observation with mythology and nature-based wisdom. |
| Focus: | Survival guidance, environmental signs, and spiritual practices. |
Korean (Saju or Four Pillars of Destiny) | |
| Origin: | Derived from Chinese astrology, adapted within Korean culture. |
| Key features: | Uses the Four Pillars of Destiny (Saju), based on a person’s birth year, month, day, and hour. Incorporates the Five Elements and yin-yang theory. Deeply tied to Korean traditions, especially for fortune-telling and matchmaking. |
| Focus: | Life path analysis, fate prediction, and relationship compatibility. Understanding personal strengths, weaknesses, and life cycles. |
Malagasy (Malagasy Antemoro) | |
| Origin: | Madagascar, influenced by Arab and African traditions. |
| Key features: | Known as "Sikidy", using astrological charts and geomancy for divination. |
| Focus: | Personal fate, life decisions, and spiritual protection. |
Manchu | |
| Origin: | Manchu culture of Northeast Asia, influenced by Tibetan and Chinese astrology. |
| Key features: | Combines animal zodiacs, shamanistic rituals, and elemental forces. Used in the Qing Dynasty for imperial astrology. |
| Focus: | Imperial decisions, personal fate, and spiritual rituals. |
Mayan | |
| Origin: | Ancient Maya civilisation (Mesoamerica). |
| Key features: | Based on the Tzolk'in calendar (260 days), using 20 day signs and 13 numbers to create 260 unique combinations. |
| Focus: | Personal traits, life purpose, and spiritual guidance. |
Mongolian | |
| Origin: | Mongolia, influenced by Tibetan and Chinese systems. |
| Key features: | Combines the lunar calendar, animal signs, and shamanistic beliefs. |
| Focus: | Life cycles, health, and spiritual protection. |
Myanmar (Burmese) | |
| Origin: | Myanmar, influenced by Hindu astrology and indigenous traditions. |
| Key features: | The Mahabote system uses eight-day weeks (Wednesday split into two) linked to planetary deities. |
| Focus: | Personality analysis, destiny, and life planning. |
Native American | |
| Origin: | Various Indigenous tribes of North America |
| Key features: | Based on animal totems and natural cycles, with 12 signs linked to specific animals. |
| Focus: | Connection with nature, spiritual identity, and life paths. |
Norse (Germanic) | |
| Origin: | Pre-Christian Norse and Germanic cultures of Scandinavia. |
| Key features: | Based on runes, cosmic trees (Yggdrasil), and the movement of celestial bodies. Strong ties to mythology, especially gods like Odin and Freyja. |
| Focus: | Fate (Wyrd), life cycles, and destiny within the context of Norse cosmology. |
Onmyōdō (Japanese) | |
| Origin: | Influenced by Chinese astrology, mixed with native Shinto beliefs and Buddhist practices. |
| Key features: | Eto (Zodiac) system with 12 animal signs, similar to Chinese astrology. Onmyōdō (the Way of Yin and Yang) blends astrology with spiritual practices, divination, and geomancy. Focus on cosmic harmony and elemental balance. |
| Focus: | Fortune-telling, spiritual guidance, and personal destiny. Often used in annual predictions, festivals, and rituals. |
Persian (Zoroastrian) | |
| Origin: | Ancient Persia, influenced by Zoroastrianism. |
| Key features: | Focus on the seven classical planets and their roles in shaping destiny, with an emphasis on ethical and cosmic balance. |
| Focus: | Spiritual balance, fate, and cosmic justice. |
Phoenician | |
| Origin: | Ancient Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon, circa 1500 BCE). |
| Key features: | Maritime-focused, using star navigation and planetary deities. Influenced by Mesopotamian and Egyptian astrology. |
| Focus: | Trade, navigation, and ritual timing for prosperity. |
Polynesian Navigation | |
| Origin: | Polynesian seafaring cultures. |
| Key features: | Uses stars, sun, moon, and ocean swells for celestial navigation, rather than traditional horoscopes. |
| Focus: | Voyaging, navigation, and connection to natural rhythms. |
Romani | |
| Origin: | Romani (Gypsy) culture, blending Indian, Persian, and European influences. |
| Key features: | Incorporates tarot, numerology, and astrological symbolism. |
| Focus: | Personal destiny, fortune-telling, and life choices. These astrology systems show the incredible diversity of human efforts to interpret the stars, planets, and cosmic forces, reflecting both scientific observation and spiritual meaning across cultures. |
Saju (Korean - Four Pillars of Destiny) | |
| Origin: | Derived from Chinese astrology, adapted within Korean culture. |
| Key features: | Uses the Four Pillars of Destiny (Saju), based on a person’s birth year, month, day, and hour. Incorporates the Five Elements and yin-yang theory. Deeply tied to Korean traditions, especially for fortune-telling and matchmaking. |
| Focus: | Life path analysis, fate prediction, and relationship compatibility. Understanding personal strengths, weaknesses, and life cycles. |
Sidereal | |
| Origin: | Used in various traditions, including Vedic astrology but also distinct in some modern practices. |
| Key features: | Aligns with actual position of constellations in the sky, unlike the tropical system used in Western astrology. |
| Focus: | Accurate celestial alignments for personality and life predictive readings. |
Slavic | |
| Origin: | Ancient Slavic pagan cultures. |
| Key features: | Based on nature cycles, solar deities, and seasonal festivals linked to astrological events. |
| Focus: | Fertility, protection, and harmony with natural forces. |
Sogdian | |
| Origin: | Sogdia, an ancient Iranian civilisation along the Silk Road. |
| Key features: | Blended Persian, Chinese, and Indian astrological principles. Depicted in Sogdian murals with celestial deities. |
| Focus: | Trade prosperity, personal fate, and cosmic harmony. |
Somali | |
| Origin: | Horn of Africa, blending Islamic, Arab, and indigenous traditions. |
| Key features: | Uses the lunar calendar for seasonal and ritual guidance. Strong ties to nomadic life, agriculture, and maritime activities. |
| Focus: | Weather prediction, personal fate, and clan-related omens. |
Tibetan | |
| Origin: | Tibet, blending Buddhist, Indian, and Chinese traditions. |
| Key features: | Combines elemental theory with lunar calendars and Buddhist cosmology. |
| Focus: | Health, karmic influences, and spiritual practices. |
Uranian (Hamburg School) | |
| Origin: | Early 20th-century Germany. |
| Key features: | Uses hypothetical planets (Trans-Neptunian objects), advanced midpoints, and mathematical techniques. |
| Focus: | Precise life predictions, psychological analysis, and futuristic insights. |
Vedic (Jyotish) | |
| Origin: | Ancient India, rooted in the Vedas (sacred Hindu texts) around 1500 BCE. |
| Key features: | Uses the Sidereal Zodiac, aligning with actual constellations. Focuses on nine planets (Navagrahas), 12 houses, and 27 lunar mansions (Nakshatras). Strong emphasis on karma, dharma, and planetary periods (Dashas). |
| Focus: | Predictive astrology (fate, life events, spiritual growth). Guidance on career, marriage, health, and spiritual evolution. |
Vietnamese | |
| Origin: | Influenced by Chinese astrology but adapted to Vietnamese culture. |
| Key features: | Uses the 12 animal signs with local variations, integrating lunar calendars and folk beliefs. |
| Focus: | Fate prediction, compatibility, and annual fortune. |
West African (Dogon) | |
| Origin: | Dogon people of Mali. |
| Key features: | Advanced knowledge of the Sirius star system, with deep cosmological myths about the universe’s creation. |
| Focus: | Spiritual connection, cosmic origins, and ancestral wisdom. |
Western | |
| Origin: | Ancient Greece and Mesopotamia (circa 2nd century BCE), influenced by Hellenistic traditions. |
| Key features: | Based on the Tropical Zodiac, using 12 zodiac signs aligned with the Sun’s path (Aries to Pisces). Emphasis on Sun signs, Moon signs, rising signs, planets, houses, and aspects. Focuses on planetary movements relative to Earth. |
| Focus: | Personality analysis, life events, and psychological tendencies. Predicting future events through transits and progressions. |
Zoroastrian (Persian) | |
| Origin: | Ancient Persia (linked to Zoroastrianism) |
| Key features: | Focus on the seven classical planets and their roles in shaping destiny, with an emphasis on ethical and cosmic balance. |
| Focus: | Fate, ethics, spiritual alignment, and cosmic justice.. |