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This article puts some light on the traditions of Astrology. Read on to know about Astrological traditions.

Astrology Traditions

Numerous traditions have prospered in the field of astrology. Out of these, some are quite similar to one another owing to the diffusion of astrological dogmas between different cultures. Then, there are some others that, even though share some common features, have completely different doctrines developed in isolation. However, all the traditions of astrology draw on the same pool of astronomical foundations.

Current Traditions
The modern astrologers basically make use of three different astrological traditions, namely Indian astrology, Western astrology and Chinese astrology. Indian and Western astrology are quite similar in nature as well as content. Both of them lay emphasis on drawing of an astrological chart (horoscope), which helps in the prediction of events on the basis of the position of the Sun, the Moon and the planets.

The basic difference between the Indian and Western traditions of astrology is that the former uses the sidereal zodiac, while the latter uses the tropical zodiac. The sidereal zodiac links the zodiac signs with their original constellations. However, in the tropical zodiac, the twelve zodiacal signs do not always belong to the same part of the sky as their original constellations. Thus, the link between sign and constellation appears to have been broken.

The tradition of Chinese astrology is entirely different from that of the Western and Indian astrology. Rather than the sky, the twelve signs of the Chinese astrology divide the celestial equator. Each symbol seems to represents one of twelve 'double-hours' that govern the day and one of the twelve months. Even though the name Chinese astrology seems to be representative of China only, the tradition is also prevalent in Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian countries.

Historical Traditions
Numerous astrological traditions that were believed to be significant in the past have become out of use in the present times. However, most of the astrologers still maintain an interest in these traditions and consider them as an important source of knowledge. The main historical traditions of astrology are:
Esoteric Traditions
Astrology has many times been related to the esoteric or the mystic traditions. In the cases like Kabala, astrologers integrate the elements of astrology into their own traditions. However, in other cases, like those of divinatory tarot, astrologers integrate their own traditions into astrology. Esoteric traditions include: