Astrology has a long and honorable tradition in India. The traditional Hindu form of astrology is known as Jyotisha (known in the West as "Vedic Astrology"), and stems from the Vedas (ancient Hindu religious texts).
As far as prediction is concerned, the key concept underlying Vedic astrology is the concept of fate. Vedic astrologers believe three key things about this:
1. The good and bad actions that a soul has performed in previous lives determine the fate (karma) of each individual in his or her present life.
2. Good and bad actions of individuals done now, will determine their fate (karma) in future.
3. Fate depends on the exact time and place in which a person is born, and is linked to the motions of celestial bodies.
From the above description, many people assume that Vedic astrologers would argue that the future is almost entirely predetermined. However, this is not generally what they say. Instead, Vedic astrologers usually claim that astrology provides a guide which can be used to help each soul develop towards its fullest potential - or, more prosaically, to help each person understand who they are, what their personal strengths and weaknesses are, and what possibilities the future might hold.
Furthermore, Vedic astrologers generally also say that astrology can provide information about what sort of career and spouse might suit a person, what pitfalls they may face in future, and perhaps remedial measures that they should adopt to avoid future problems. In short, fate determines the possibilities, astrology provides a tool to help the individual navigate the possibilities: but each person's final destiny remains in their own hands.
