Why Sidereal Astrology is For Me
Star Struck in Arizona
Sidereal astrology became a focal point for me when I visited Lowell Observatory in Arizona in December of 2023. I looked up at the night sky and noticed Jupiter wasn’t in the constellation of Taurus as I’d assumed it was. It was actually in Aries!
On some level, I knew this, but when a person looks at an astrological chart on a computer every day instead of looking up at the real sky, one becomes desensitized to that fact. Upon this realization, I didn’t automatically jump over to sidereal astrology. It was a gradual process. Further derailed by the fact that I had Saturn transiting through my 12th house of loss, retreat, self-undoing, and letting go.
I Quit Tropical Astrology
At the time, I had a YouTube channel where I spoke about tropical astrology. Over time, I stopped posting because I found myself looking at the tropical chart but only wanting to talk about the transits in the sidereal sky. I recorded a video on May 7, 2024, titled “Why I’m quitting Tropical Astrology.” I thought I could keep going on that channel discussing sidereal astrology, but I couldn’t. Even though I made the decision to quit practicing tropical astrology, I had to go through the process of letting go.
I felt lost, and I had no one to talk to about it. All of my astrologer friends were in the tropical astrology camp. I didn’t know any Western astrologers practicing sidereal astrology. Looking back, I don’t think I was ready to find like-minded people. It’s not lost on me that once Saturn left my 12th house, I had no problem finding a group of people I could relate to.
Sidereal Astrology is Truer to the Tradition
At one point, I lived and breathed astrology, but after this sidereal revelation, I became numb to astrology. I felt so defeated, mainly because I felt like I’d lost a community of peers. Yes, I continued to observe, but I had to become indifferent in a way. I feel part of this was Saturn in my 12th house. I had to isolate myself to find the way on my own. Ultimately, it served my purpose. I feel my senses have been nearly scrubbed of the effects of the tropical view, but in doing so, I left behind the good bits of Hellenistic astrology.
During that time, I didn’t know how to practice Hellenistic astrology from a sidereal view. I didn’t understand that practicing from the sidereal view is truer to the tradition than the tropical view, and that is mainly because the astrologers who wrote the Hellenistic texts lived several thousand years ago, when the sky and chart placements were nearly equal. In my opinion, the observations they made back then have to be truer to the sidereal view.
Astrological Point of View
I’ve recently gone back and watched several videos from one of my classes to re-synthesize myself back into an astrological mind frame from a sidereal view. In one instance, the teacher was discussing how eclipses look in a chart, and how they look on Planetarium (a software similar to Stellarium that allows one to view the sky in real time). The teacher was jumping from one view to the other. On the chart, the eclipse was in Libra, and on Planetarium, the eclipse was clearly in the constellation of Virgo. I kept waiting for a student to say something about the difference, but no one said a word.
To be fair, the teacher had already discussed why tropicalists choose the view of the sky that they do. The focus is clearly on the seasons. They don’t consider where the planets are when looking up in the night sky. For me personally, it was another confirmation that I’m on the right path. I’m not going to lie and say I don’t feel bitter; mostly towards myself, because my intuition told me all along that sidereal was the best astrological view.
Sidereal Variances
I think the biggest hurdle for me in the transition from tropical to sidereal astrology has been thinking that I have to learn astrology all over again in order to read a chart, but that’s not true. It’s fundamentally akin to twisting the dials on binoculars to clarify and sharpen one’s view. That knowledge alone has been fundamental for me in continuing to practice astrology.
The only other hurdle I have had is in understanding the 13th sign, Ophiuchus, and how it plays a role in the celestial skies and in an individual’s birth chart. Nearly all astrological software shows 12 signs only. I couldn’t get past that difference for several weeks.
Sidereal Community
After joining the ISAA and bouncing my thoughts off of other sidereal astrologers, I’ve come to the conclusion that I can use the Fagan-Bradley ayanamsa as I have been. I don’t think the 13th sign needs to be distinguished separately, as it shares many traits with the constellation of Scorpio. From my perspective, variances in the bleed-through of constellations within the house systems have already been accounted for in the decans, terms, and 12th parts systems.
As my confusion about the differences in constellation size dwindled and I considered the house system I use, I realized, they’ve never been equal. As I’ve stated above, this is why these parts systems were created in the first place. It’s up to the astrologer to experiment and see what works for him or her. There are many house systems and Ayanamsas that can accommodate an astrologer’s preference.
With all of that being considered, I feel strongly that astrologers must not separate themselves from the true sky, but find a way to integrate it into the current model as Western Sidereal Astrology continues to evolve.
I’m so excited and grateful for this new ISAA community. I am eager to grow as a sidereal astrologer and through this community. I look forward to more people becoming aware of the ISAA and all it has to offer.
What’s Your Sidereal Awakening Story?
This is my sidereal awakening story. What’s your story? Write to me in the comments.
About The Author
Maria is an astrologer and writer who specializes in Western Sidereal Hellenistic Astrology. Drawn to the ancient wisdom of astrology, she offers a contemporary perspective, blending traditional techniques with intuitive understanding. By exploring the link between planetary cycles and human consciousness, she empowers readers with practical astrological insights. Her work demystifies astrology, offering tangible tools for self-discovery and navigating life’s flow from a sidereal viewpoint.
Email: siderealmommy@gmail.com