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Astrology based on the point of Ascendant

Our thesis is that the formulators of astrological canons of different schools of astrology were knowingly or unknowingly following rhymes of geomagnetic variations. The Vedic astrologers/ astronomers took the 27-day solar energy cycle as the basis of their elective astrology. In the present day predictive Indian astrology, lunar -stellar conjunctions play a subordinate role to zodiacal house-ascendant based calculation introduced to India in 9th-8th century B. C. and became dominant by 6th century B.C.

The basic structure of the zodiacal -ascendant astrology is that the distant celestial space beyond the influence of the revolution of the Earth is divided into twelve equal 'houses', and each house is identified by the stellar design (constellations) observed 'within that house'. The twelve houses will cover all the 360° of space around the Earth within which the orbital planes of all solar planets fall. The immediate circumterrestrial space around the Earth including the part influenced by axial revolution of the Earth (the part which revolves along with the Earth) is also divided into twelve equal houses. These houses known as 'houses of significations' (Bhaba), Each occupy 30° of angular space. Among them the house of Ascendant play a pivotal role in predictive astrology.

Jeff Mayo, an eminent western astrologer wrote, "the Ascendant is determined by the degree of the Ecliptic which is rising on the eastern horizon at birth, that is at a given moment of time, viewed at a horizontal angle from the place of birth" (Astrology-Jeff Mayo. 1964. P.70). S.P. Learner, another western astrologer defined Ascendant as the "Sign in which the Sun was rising at the time of your birth" (Astrological Assistance).

In Indian astrology, 'the angular space of 30°' above the imagined straight line which runs parallel to the Earth's surface and touches the top of the rising Sun (Purbaxitiza) will constitute the house of ascendant or the first house, also known as the house of 'self', and the imaginary line will point towards the exact point of Ascendant.

As the Earth revolves from the west to east, the position of the house of Ascendant along with the eleven other houses will revolve along with the Earth and at the exact time of birth whatever zodiacal sign in the outer space the line of Ascendant was pointing towards will be taken as the first house of signification, and from that house anticlockwise the 2nd, 3rd, …. 12 houses will be delimited. In the western astrology, where the 'cusps' are given much importance, a house of signification may partially overlap two adjoining zodiacal houses, whereas in the mainstream Indian astrology the boundaries of zodiacal houses and the houses of significations are always made to co-incide.

The zenith (the highest point in the celestial sphere above the head of the observer) over the place of birth which is also known as the Midheaven or Medium Coeli, 'Gagan' in the Indian astrology will always form the central pont of the 10th house, and suppose to signify activities, career, success etc. The house located 90° from it (anti clockwise) will be the first house, singifying 'self', personality, up and down in the life etc., and the house located at 90° clockwise from the 10th house will form the 7th house, signifying spouse, partnership, trade etc. The house located at antipodal point from the 10th house indicates the Nadir, Imum Coeli or 'Patal' in the Indian astrology, which constitutes the 4th house. This house is supposed to signify material comfort and possessions.

As the Earth revolves on its own axis, the angular position of the place of birth in relation to the celestial bodies and the zodiacal houses will be constantly changing, whereas the angular relationship between the place of birth and the houses of significations will remain constant. Before the astrologers there is one more option, which is equally valid.

Whatever may be the angular position of the place of the birth during the time of birth in repect to celestial bodies and zodiacal houses, the 'Mid heaven' sky will signify the '10th house' and the rest of the houses of signification will get arranged according to their prearranged positions.

The houses of significations revolve along with the birth place at the same speed, hence no angular deviation ever takes place between the two.

These arguments may appear to be scholasticism, but the practical implication is that,if someone accepts the second option, at the same time believes that there must be some physical causality behind the 'fixing of fate' of an individual, the final arbitration and determination of fate must take place in the circumterrestrial, 'inner space' around the Earth which revolves along with the Earth.

In the zodiacal-predictive astrology, the role of Ascendant is supreme. The house of Ascendant or first house is also known as the house of 'self', represent personality, body, passage of life etc.,anticlockwise, the second house indicates relations, speech, wealth etc. ; the 3rd house-siblings, intelligence, power etc; the 4th, -mother, domestic bliss, material comforts etc, so on and so forth. Each house depending upon its sequential position in relation to the house of Ascendant is supposed to have aquired beneficial or harmful properties. The planets 'owing' the 'malefic' 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th and 12th houses are considered to be 'ominous' to the native. Whereas the planets owning the 4th, 7th, 10th and 1st houses will reverse their role in actual function etc. etc.

We have gone into this much detail to emphasize that in zodiacal predictive astrology, Ascendant is the only 'fixed'point. The houses, their significations, and the worth of planets, 'sitting' in them will be evaluated on the basis of their angular position in respect to point and house of Ascendant.While drawing the natal-chart, positions of the planets and houses of zodiac will be more or less 'fixed' during 24 hours, but the position of the point of Ascendant will be constantly changing with the time and place of birth.

In real term, the point of Ascendant is an astrological expression of the 'angle' at which the Sun was located on the 'Ecliptic' during the exact time of birth of the person in relation to the place of birth.Depending upon the annual revolution of the Earth, the Sun wil be visible 'in' a definit zodiacal house, but the position of Ascendant wil change depending upon the time and place of birth.

Informations required to determine the correct point of Ascendant in the birth-chart are:

1. The year of birth : In Indian astrology the boundary between the houses of Aries and Pisces, is taken as the zero degree, but due to shifting of the date of Vernal equinox and non rectification of the same in the orthodox almanac, it is neglected by most of the astrologers while calculating point of ascendant.

2. The month of birth : Time of sunrise and sunset, the apparent speed of the Sun against the Naksatra background will be changing due to annual revolution of the Earth and alteration of solstices (position of the ecliptic due to declination, angular distance north or south from the celestial equator measured along a great imaginary circle passing through the celestial poles).

3. The position of the Sun on the ecleptic, measured in east-west directional angle in relation to the place of birth, at exact time (local) of the birth.

In scientific language, Ascendant is determined on the basis of exact position of the place of birth during the time of birth in the background of annual cycle of geo-electromagnetic variatios, and the 24 hours long (day and night) frequency alteration brought in by the revolution of the Earth on its axis. The 'one day cycle' of frequency variation being much more prominent than the annual cycle of changes, the Ascendant based predictive astrology essentially rely upon the 24-hours cycle of energy variations.