Cosmic Tortoise Diagram
The Wheel of the Twelve Signs:Century Birth Animal Table; Sign Polarity; Tri-
angles (Thun-Sun); Opposites (Phung-Sun, Dun-Zur); Shi-Sey; Brief Sign
Descriptions; Sign Power
The Five Elements:Relationship Table; Good, Friends, Filial, Antagonistic
Major Life Factors:Life Force; Power; Bodily Health; Luck; Soul
Tibetan Yearly Calendar:Months of the Year; Days of the Month; Hour of the
Day
The Eight Parkhas:Four Good Directions; Four Bad Directions; Month’s Direc-
tion; Descending Parkhas; Birth Parkha; Gu-Mik (9th Spot); Dur-Mik (Death
Spot)
The Nine Mewas:The Magic Square; Birth Mewa; Descending Mewa; Daily
Mewa; Nine Mewas Described
Log-Men (not turning back)
Deu
Day of the Week Cycles
Lunar Related Data:Lunar Day of the Month; Lunar Days for Travel; Losar
Dar-Ghe
Lo-Khak
Shi-Shey
The Seven Obstacles
The Four Mewa ObstaclesTurtle’s Head
Diagrams like the Turtle’s Head are common in writings on Tibetan astrology.
Often this diagram is shown drawn on the underside of what is called the Celestial
Tortoise. This tortoise represents the universe of both China and Tibet. The upper
shell is the dome of heaven, while on the underside is inscribed the essential elements
of the astrological mandala. This diagram contains the wheel of animal signs, the ele-
ments, and directions/colors.
Yellow South South Yellow
Earth Fire Red Earth
Dragon Snake Hare Sheep
East Wood Hare Monkey Iron West
East Green Tiger Bird White West
Ox Mouse Pig Dog
Earth Water Blue Earth
Yellow North North YellowThe Wheel of the 12 Signs
The wheel of the animal zodiac is ancient, arising somewhere in central Asia,
and later incorporated by the Chinese. The calendar used by the Chinese is said to
THEASTROLOGYBOOK [663]
Tibetan Astrology