Saju and Western astrology:What's the difference?
Both look at the moment you were born, but with different raw material
The core difference
Saju doesn't look at the sky directly. It turns the year, month, day and hour into symbols called stems and branches, then weighs how those symbols relate. The positions of the stars never enter the calculation.
Western astrology looks at the actual sky. It calculates, in degrees, where the Sun and Moon were at that moment and what was rising over the eastern horizon.
That's why Western astrology needs your place of birth and Saju doesn't. The horizon differs from place to place, but the stems and branches are the same wherever you're born.
At a glance
| Saju | Western astrology | |
|---|---|---|
| What it calculates from | Stem and branch symbols | Actual positions of the planets |
| Place of birth | Not used | Needed for the rising sign |
| How it divides things | Splits money, career and relationships | Splits temperament and attitude into layers |
| Timing | Ten-year cycles | Hard to do with this calculation alone |
| Familiarity | Widely used in Korea | Widely known through star signs |
When to use which
Saju
When you want to look at each area of life separately. It can tell things apart, like money going well while relationships get stuck.
More about SajuWestern astrology
When you want to separate how you come across from how you feel inside. The Sun, Moon and rising sign each cover a different layer.
More about Western astrologyLooking at both
Saju divides you by area of life, and Western astrology divides you into layers. Since they slice in different directions, looking at both scans a person both across and down.
Other comparisons
Saju vs Thai astrology
Both are Asian traditions, but they start from different places
Thai astrology vs Western astrology
Both look to the stars, but in different ways
Saju vs Numerology
The difference between an involved calculation and a simple one
Thai astrology vs Numerology
Both work from the date alone, but they cover different ground
Western astrology vs Numerology
Both are Western traditions, but the math couldn't be more different