Dear EoT,
As far as I can tell, it is not so much a difference in the western and eastern astrological thoughts, but the societal milieu or ambience that separates or colours the approaches! Eastern astrology (Jyotish) has for a very long time had been the territory of priests and hence we see a very strong religious rituals and approaches that form a framework of application. Over the last hundred years or so, jyotish has attracted to it a wider circle of backgrounds from which jyotishis have come. Now we have engineers, doctors, chartered accountants, professional teachers, public servants, businessmen ya-di-ya-da-yada. And some professional psychologists too as also spiritual healers! Jyotish, without losing its crux has reshaped itself somewhat, though the hard core of techniques and fundamentals remains the same! Add the factor of Indian societies and Indian psyche and cultural ethos and pathos and we have the somewhat eclectic modern jyotishis, a few examples of which you must have observed here as well! Additionally, in the past, it had been a 'in the family through generations' kind of practice too; now upstarts like me have some hope of entering the field too, a field that is gaining more transparency (like most other educational endeavours and disciplines) and through books and articles and message board sharings etc -- access to what was once a jealously and zealously guarded vault has cracked a bit open! We should be thankful for some of that to the modern doyens like Professor B.V. Raman and more recently Shri K.N. Rao (and students) and Pandit Sanjay Rath who shared researched or family paramparas and laid bare the soul of Jyotish as they learned and saw. There are many others as well, including a few voices from what is known as the Kerala Tradition and its well-kept secrets.
Western astrology has had a similar path too, and in past two centuries we have seen the likes of Alan Leo, Sepharial (a pen-name), and why should I leave Good Lady Linda Goodman and Sidney Omarr who have made western sun-sign astrology more accessible to the common Joe and Sally and Harish and Prashanti who can dip their noses into astro-forecasts while they wait in the grocery cashier line! Western Astrology has also attracted the attention of famous psychologists such as Carl Jung, Eysenck and Nias, and people with clinical psychology backgrounds like Boney and Manley and a few more who moved from Western Tropical to Jyotish and are today well-known teachers and leaders in the field of Jyotish in North America. The lists are not exhaustive by any means. With Alice Bailey and then the humanists and at least one dedicated Buddhist (Erlewine), the western school has had its strong spiritual, mysticism essence too!
Once, long ago, a few writers tried to oversimplify the differences between Eastern and Western astrologies! My shared comments, if the forum allows, appeared at:
http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Cont ... cleID=1060
I liked the last para there, even if I say so myself
"The most difficult myths to dispel are those that are contemporary, for they speak to us using the language and metaphors of contemporary times! However, the fact remains that astrology of any kind that is capable of describing the 'human experience' is like a Swiss army knife. While some may choose to use a Swiss army knife only for opening cans, but does that limit a Swiss army knife to being merely a can-opener?"
I have a few articles there on fate and free-will, and how astrology works and blah, blah, blah!
The western psyche is too strongly sold-on this efficiency thing! Afterall, we are all products of the Age of Technology, modern science and in a sense suffering from the 'white rabbit syndrome' as depicted in that Master Writer (and schizophrenic!) who conjured up Alice in Wonderland
Those who believe in reincarnation and so does the illustrious Dr. Brian Weiss -- cannot help but notice that the journey of the soul is not about efficiency, or guaranteed successes in each and every lifetime! Failures teach us more than successes!!
Lose the watch and grab the camera...!
Love, Light, Reality...!
Rohiniranjan
And nice questions!