This article is the first part of a multi-part series on Astrological Rules. The reader is requested to approach my articles in sequence for a better understanding of how I connect the different dots of data science with astrology. Familiarity with the subject matter of statistics will be handy, however not mandatory. I will briefly touch upon some of the concepts at a top level. For in-depth information of statistical concepts, the reader is advised to refer standard texts or online learning communities on statistics.

Astrology is a simplified expression of the great mathematical prowess of our ancestors. A careful review of astrological constructs will reveal the underlying application data science concepts in its entirety by our forefathers. The modern data science concepts like segmentation, profiling, and predictive modeling and rules have been eloquently applied in all aspects of astrological constructs.

Though born at different times, our lifestyles and life events are identical over a period of time following the principle of normal distribution. Life itself is somewhat more generic for everyone and yet unique for individuals. If we approach Astrology statistically, we can infer that astrology is nothing but a system of knowledge that tries to understand and classify patterns and create generalized rules that rely on planetary positions as cause and corresponding life events as effects.

This article provides a very high-level overview of how different systems approach astrological rules. The rules of astrology are not 100% applicable all the time, as in physics. Let us look at the requirements for something to be called as a rule:

1. A rule should fit to majority of samples and need not necessarily fit to every case.
2. Rules should be minimum in number and their exceptions should be even fewer.
3. The rules should be independently consistent and collectively converging.
4. Individual rules should fit to a larger system of basic constructs and not challenging the larger system.
5. The rules should withstand test of time, and easy to understand and explain.
6. The rules must be open for testing and amenable for changes to suit different times.

Now, let us try to understand how different systems of astrology try to address a specific question, with an example. This is my perception on different astrological systems. See the picture below.

This picture is a good analogy to explain how different astrological systems will approach a question being asked. Based on outline provided for rules in this article, pause for a minute and ask yourself what you think about the rules and complexity involved in different methods of astrological predictions.

• You can observe that some astrological instruments are too over-simplified and doesn’t answer the question (like moon star based weekly and monthly predictions, which are too common these days).
• Methods like Rasi based transits of Saturn and Jupiter fall in the second category. They get closer to a question, however, still miss the larger picture.
• On the other extreme, methods like Vedic astrology try to provide too many details and overwhelming explanations making it too complex for a common man to comprehend and apply.
• Interestingly, we also have leaner methods in between like Brighu Nandi Nadi, which provide sufficient and satisfactory answer to question being asked. Please note that the reader is cautioned here not to jump to a conclusion that a particular method is superior to other based on this explanation alone.

To be continued…