Tibetan Astrology and Making Talismans

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2025-1/282-293

Abstract

Daily life for Tibetans is closely connected with astrology and predictions. Astrologers calculate favorable dates for weddings and funerals, sowing and harvesting, and also create amulets and talismans to ward off misfortune and promise good luck to their owners. Despite the influence of globalization, Tibetans are not only in no hurry to abandon traditional ideas about astrology and its influence on human life, but also strongly support the transfer of ancient knowledge to new generations. This became especially relevant in the 1960s after the annexation of Tibet by the PRC, the flight of the 14th Dalai Lama to India and the emergence of a large Tibetan diaspora in Asia, Europe and the Americas. The Tibetan government in exile is developing numerous social and economic programs aimed at preserving and transmitting traditional knowledge, arts and crafts within the diaspora. Traditional astrological practices are no exception. The preservation and transmission of astrological knowledge contributes to the continuity of generations and the transmission of "Tibetanness" to generations of refugees born outside of Tibet, and the popularity of Eastern astrological systems in the West has made Tibetan astrology one of the ways to attract tourists and, consequently, finance to Dharamsala. The article examines the traditional Tibetan ideas about astrology, identifies the systems that influenced its formation, and also describes the symbols, talismans and amulets most commonly used in everyday life.