Astrology is a belief that the positions of celestial bodies, like planets and stars, have a powerful connection with people’s lives. From ancient cultures to the modern day, humans have created many systems of looking to the sky for meaning and guidance in their lives. In Buddhist cultures, astrological traditions are frequently blended into rituals and daily life.

In the sutras, the Buddha taught that karma, not the stars, determines a person’s future, and he dissuaded his monks and nuns from relying on astrology for predictions of their fate. However, as Khentin Tai Situ Rinpoche explains, the way we exist truly reflects the way outer things exist. Thus, astrological patterns can illuminate our understanding of interdependent origination and the nature of our existence. Astrology is widely practiced in Buddhist countries, and sometimes monks even act as astrologers. While astrology is not a technique of mind training with the goal of reaching complete enlightenment, many Buddhists value its insights.

Different cultures have different ways of relating to the natural world. For instance, many cultures utilize the lunar calendar, which tracks the phases of the moon to measure time. Lunar New Year is celebrated on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and concludes with the first full moon, a holiday that is observed in many Buddhist countries. Theravada monks do the rainy season retreat, which is connected to the seasons and the rotation of Earth in relationship to the Sun and is an astrological observance

Chinese and Tibetan zodiacs use the same animals, which represent an entire year, but sometimes the start dates are different. Western astrology has a different set of 12, which are based on the 360-degree orbit of Earth around the Sun.

Our cultural biases can shape the way we see the world and interact with others. For example, people who rely primarily on the Western scientific model for understanding the world often dismiss astrology as superstition that lacks value, without knowing much about it. It is valuable to understand what others believe, to expand our own knowledge and to better relate with them.

Explore their personal astrological chart from one or more traditions and reflect on how this narrative impacts their self perception.

Reflect on the experience of directly relating with the night sky. Imagine what stories or information it could be transmitting.

• How do the various archetypes in the Chinese/Tibetan zodiac influence our self-perception?

Compare and contrast astrological systems used in Buddhist cultures (Chinese/Tibetan and Western zodiacs) with Buddhist teachings on karma and self-determination; analyze how cultural worldviews influence self-perception and understanding of reality; and evaluate the relationship between traditional astrological beliefs and core Buddhist principles such as dependent origination and personal responsibility.