Firdars: what are planetary periods and how to read the table of life
The wisdom of medieval Persian astrology: the division of human life into large planetary epochs and sub-periods.
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Firdars (Arabic al-firdār, from Persian “period”) is a harmonious predictive system of planetary periods that came from Hellenistic and Persian-Arabic astrology (Abu Mashar, al-Biruni). The method divides human life into successive unequal periods of time, each of which is contro...
What are firdars (al-firdar)
Firdars (Arabic al-firdār, from Persian “period”) is a harmonious predictive system of planetary periods that came from Hellenistic and Persian-Arabic astrology (Abu Mashar, al-Biruni). The method divides human life into successive unequal periods of time, each of which is controlled by a specific chronocrator planet. The sequence of the planets strictly depends on the astronomical sect of the chart: in a day birth (Sun above the horizon), the first 10-year period belongs to the Sun, in a night birth (Sun below the horizon), the first 9-year period belongs to the Moon. Each large firdar is divided into 7 equal subperiods (subfirdars), which clarify the event picture of each year.
Order of major firdars for day and night
Birthday (Sun over Asc-Dsc)
Sun (10 years) → Venus (8 years) → Mercury (13 years) → Moon (9 years) → Saturn (11 years) → Jupiter (12 years) → Mars (7 years) → North. Knot (3 years) → South. Knot (2 years).
Night birth (Sun under Asc-Dsc)
Moon (9 years) → Saturn (11 years) → Jupiter (12 years) → Mars (7 years) → Sun (10 years) → Venus (8 years) → Mercury (13 years) → North. Knot (3 years) → South. Knot (2 years).
Evaluation of the planet-ruler of the period
The events of the period are colored by the nature of the planet and its position in the radix: strong Jupiter in exaltation brings prosperity, afflicted Saturn brings hardship and asceticism.
Interaction between period and subperiod managers
A tandem of two planets (for example, the period of Venus - a sub-period of Mars) activates the houses that these planets rule in the natal.
Calculation of firdars in Astroprognostic
Astroprognostic automatically determines the day or night sect of the chart based on exact geographic coordinates and horizon, builds an interactive chronological table of all firdars and subperiods from birth to old age, indicating the exact calendar dates and natal status of the ruling planets.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it necessary to know the time of birth down to seconds to calculate firdars? ▼
For firdars it is enough to know whether the birth was daytime or nighttime (the position of the Sun relative to the horizon). However, the exact time of birth down to the minute is necessary to correctly determine the houses ruled by the chronocrators of the period.
What happens during the firdars of the Lunar Nodes? ▼
The firdars of the North (3 years) and South (2 years) nodes are considered karmic turning points: events occur that change the environment, views and fate, regardless of a person’s will.