How to use the thithi

How to use the thithi

For most followers of Jyotisha, the day is reckoned by the auspicities of the daily thithi. Unfortunately, while this is a major part of the angas of classical astrology, its general use is oversimplified and almost useless for personal application. Truly, to use the auspicities of the thithi across the board for a whole population is a shame.  This reminds me of the same argument astrologers argue over the personally significant natal chart and general sun sign readings for the masses.

The auspicities implied by any thithi must be measured against the subject’s own natal thithi. The personal nativity is the crucial backdrop that all other astrological dynamics must be measured against. This is the essence that determines the personal significance of that moment for the native.

For instance, an auspicious thithi for a day may produce average results for one native, while it may bring optimum results for another; or, an inauspicious thithi might produce disastrous results for one, while it might produce mild disappointment to another. There is not just a type of experience, but also the texture of the experience. Where one subject might experience a loss, he might be psychologically relieved that it happened. Another subject might experience a similar loss, but his inner pain is many times more than the first subject.  And the “good” or “bad” interpretation of the experience of the day can happen in a combination of ways.

The thithi is a dynamic soli-lunar return for the individual. Unlike a solar return that is determined when the sun returns to the exact degree occupied during the birth of a native, the thithi is measured not just by the moon’s return to a certain spot, but particularly to the same exact spot away from the sun; which is always moving (relative to earth). I am amazed at how the ancients took the trouble to track and tabulate this meticulous soli-lunar relationship because the knowledge to do this requires precise algorithms.

Strange as it may seem, there is not much written on the precise applications of the thithi in spite of the fact that great importance is given to it as a major factor to determine daily auspicities for personal undertakings. For instance, a noted scholar produced a major 300-page work on jyotisha but devoted a tiny footnote to describing how to determine the thithi but hardly two sentences on its application. The general idea apparently, is that the soli-lunar relationship for any given date determines whether that particular day is auspiciousness or not, for that day, for everyone.

To determine the thithi of any individual, take the geocentric longitudes of the sun and the moon. Determine how far the moon has moved away from the sun in longitudes, and see how many blocks of twelve degrees that would have made since one thithi is 12 degrees of zodiacal arc. Imagining the sun to be the starting point for your measurement, the formula would therefore be simply:

(MN – SN) / 12 = x.R

where,

MN = the Moon’s geocentric longitude

SN = the Sun’s geocentric longitude

x = how many thithis have passed

R = the current thithi

For example, Sun is at Aquarius 12dg 57mns, or 312.57, and Moon is at Mithuna 6dg 44mns or 66.44. Using the formula, this would be:

((66.44 (+360.00)) – 312.57) / 12 = x.R

The native was therefore born in R thithi.

The onset of the native’s personal thithi is a dynamic day to consider every month. It is a period when the system prepares itself for a new cycle; a point of change. The individual system recoups, repairs, re-integrates, and prepares for a new becoming. It is a period of rest before the next surge. For the coming of age of a young lady, this is initiated by one or more planets (such as Mars) that act as a catalyst or anchor that work/s with this soli-lunar relationship. During such moments of change, one should avoid expending energies in order to allow for better internal maintenance. It is a period of rest and reflection. These moments are crucial moments for more effective meditation for the individual, just as the solar ingresses are fertile moments for the earth’s own recuperation and meditation.

Each thithi is 12 degrees in duration. Don’t forget, that this thithi is no more just the moon, but it represents the resulting sun-moon relationship. These lunar days are at the heart of lunar astrology, and it is extremely relevant here to revisit some lunar basics. In the horoscope, when the moon is in conjunction with the sun, it is called the New Moon. When it moves away from the sun and about 14 days later, sits across the sun in the zodiac, it is called the Full Moon. Then about that same amount of time after that, it goes back to meet with the sun, and makes the New Moon again. And so the relationship cycle continues. The waxing phase is when the moon is moving away in front of the sun, before the full moon. The waning phase is when the moon is coming behind and towards the sun, after the full moon.

The waxing phase is when nature’s currents are on the rise. They’re maturing towards completion. During such cycles, you want to get proactive with opportunities and plans. It’s time to exert your will and put together resources towards making things happen. Deliberating in this manner during such a phase would allow you to get best results with just sufficient effort, and it would appear as if everything is made easier for you.

The waning phase is when the currents are winding down. This moon cycle has just peaked away, and the powers are receding. It would be time to slow down, to reflect on recent efforts, and to allow things to gestate before one gets into action for the next phase. Deliberating in this manner during such a phase would make it easier to remove the things you don’t need, with less pain. There would be less of a shock, and you would find better strength to prepare for a renewal.

Classical astrology suggests that based on the moon cycle you were born in, your life would take on the properties of the phases. Being born in the waxing cycle, your personality would be rising towards things and your intrinsic style or philosophy would be more proactive. If waning, you would have an intrinsic preference to take things more easily and your philosophy can be more laid back. You would have more things to contend with. However, don’t sum up a person’s life by just the natal lunar phases. One thing I have learnt today, is not to make judgment without a full study of the whole natal chart.

The following are the classic and general auspicities of the thithis:

Waxing phase		Waning phase
1		1/16
2		2/17
3		3/18
4		4/19
5		5/20
6		6/21
7		7/22
8		8/23
9		9/24
10		10/25
11		11/26
12		12/27
13		13/28
14		14/29
15		15/30

The above red thithis, in both phases are inauspicious, and they are not recommended for any important undertakings. The earth is subject to this, and you are a small part of this earth. Your individuality is impacted by this, and your personal cycles have this as the backdrop to its expressions.

To begin with, the following is how you want to use your knowledge of thithis:

Know your personal thithi

if yours is among the black thithis above, then you are a +

if yours is among the red thithis above, then you are a –

To know the potency or personal auspicity of any future given day, do the following:

Determine the thithi for that day

if it is among the black thithis above, then it is a + day

if it is among the red thithis above, then it is a – day

Your weight for your judgment of the day will be as follows:

You are	Future day	Texture of currents for you	Comments
+	+	++	Strong likelihood that the currents will be on your side. Be proactive, and things will work with you, and for you.
	-	-+	You path will be set with challenges first, but things will work to your advantage.
-	-	--	Let things happen. Do not intervene. The currents are too strong against you.
	+	+-	Things look like opportunities to begin with, but would complicate matters.

There is more to be said about the thithis, but to practice good scholarship, you want to do the following:

open a fresh diary to track your daily events for the next 30 lunar days based on the above and make a faithful documentation with no bias.

Don’t worry about whether you’re psychologically charged to make things happen or not.

Just describe the events of the day, how you reacted to the situations (major or not), and finally, at the end of the day, how you assess the day to be a good day or not, and why you think so.

While this exercise should be solely based on the lunar day alone, you may want to make a note of any significant transits on any particular day for subsequent study.

Try very hard to do this for twelve months.

This single piece of work will give you years of pleasurable study and observation. You will find that there is so much more to observe, and yet there is more than sufficient material to reveal patterns in your life. I would be extremely happy if you would send me your own writings and observation on this astrological exercise. If you feel you need guidance on this, kindly email me, and I’ll see how I can help you the best way I can.