Planetary Posts: Myanmar’s Blend of Astrology, Ritual, and Mental Well-Being
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By Hsu (NP News) - Sep 19
At almost every pagoda across Myanmar, visitors will find a striking and somewhat mysterious sight: the planetary posts. Standing at eight compass points around the sacred grounds, these symbolic markers embody both ancient astrological beliefs and deeply rooted Buddhist practices. To the casual observer, they may appear as simple posts adorned with mythical figures. But for Myanmar Buddhists, they represent a spiritual lifeline — a way to seek protection, earn merit, and find peace of mind in an uncertain world.
For generations, planetary posts have played a central role in the religious life of the people. In a country where mental health clinics remain scarce and professional counseling is often viewed as unnecessary, these posts provide something uniquely Myanmar: a spiritual therapy rooted in faith and ritual.
Astrology and Everyday Belief
Belief in astrology is not confined to Myanmar. Across the world, people have long looked to the stars for guidance. Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy were known to consult astrologers regularly. In Paris, astrologers abound, and in many Western countries, horoscopes remain among the most read sections of newspapers. Famous names like Nostradamus, the palm-reader Cheiro, and clairvoyant Jeanne Dixon remind us that astrology has always fascinated humankind, regardless of culture.
Yet in Myanmar, astrology is not just a curiosity. It is deeply woven into daily life and religious practice. Myanmar astrology counts both the sun and the moon among its planets, bringing the number to eight. Each is assigned a specific direction on the compass, and each post is crowned with a mythical guardian symbol.
Mapping the Eight
Planetary Posts
Walking clockwise around a pagoda, keeping the stupa to one’s right as tradition dictates, visitors encounter the planetary posts in sequence. Each represents a day of the week — though in a uniquely Myanmar twist, Wednesday is split into morning and evening, to make the cycle complete:
Northeast (Sunday): The Sun, represented by the mythical Garuda bird.
East (Monday): The Moon, symbolized by the tiger.
Southeast (Tuesday): Mars, represented by the lion.
South (Wednesday morning): Mercury, with the tusked elephant as its guardian.
Southwest (Saturday): Saturn, symbolized by the fire-breathing dragon.
West (Thursday): Jupiter, with the rat as its emblem.
Northwest (Wednesday evening): Rahu, the shadow planet associated with eclipses, represented by the tuskless elephant.
North (Friday): Venus, symbolized by the guinea pig.
The posts of Saturday's Saturn and Wednesday evening's Rahu are often the busiest, drawing anxious devotees who fear the misfortunes linked with these “evil planets.”
Rituals at the Birthday Corner
Every pagoda visit serves dual purposes: to accumulate merit through good deeds and to shield oneself from misfortune. Devotees earn merit by offering flowers, lighting candles, feeding pigeons, donating to monks, meditating, or striking bells so that merits may be shared with all beings across the thirty-one planes of existence.
But no visit feels complete without a stop at the birthday corner — the planetary post linked to one’s day of birth. Here, devotees pour cups of water over the post, each cup equal to their age, while reciting prayers or supplications. Some bring sprigs of eugenia, a plant symbolizing victory, as an added safeguard.
The ritual is simple but powerful. For those troubled by fear or uncertainty, it brings a sense of cleansing and renewal. After completing the offerings, worshippers often leave with lighter hearts, convinced they have shielded themselves against looming misfortune.
Pagodas as Sanctuaries of
Mental Well-Being
In Myanmar, psychiatrists and mental health counselors remain few and far between. Yet, many Buddhists feel no pressing need for professional therapy. Instead, they find comfort in their religious traditions. A visit to the pagoda, they believe, can calm fears and heal anxieties more effectively than sitting in a doctor’s office.
The comparison is striking: just as a Western patient might feel relief after confiding in a psychiatrist, a Myanmar Buddhist experiences renewal after pouring water over a planetary post. Both involve the release of worries and the restoration of hope. The difference lies in cultural context.
A Yangon-based devotee put it simply: “When I leave the Saturn post after my offering, I feel as though a heavy weight has been lifted. I believe the danger has passed.”
A Belief That Shapes Attitudes
The rituals also influence how many Myanmar people interpret success and failure. Rather than internalizing blame or guilt when life goes wrong, devotees attribute setbacks to the workings of karma and planetary alignments. This outlook helps prevent the guilt complex that, in the West, often spirals into anxiety or depression.
“Whether superstition or not, it brings comfort,” said a monk at Shwedagon Pagoda. “People believe that by making offerings, their destiny can be softened. That belief itself creates peace of mind.”
This cultural resilience highlights how spiritual traditions can function as a form of community-based mental health support — long before the concept of counseling became widespread in the West.
Astrology: Science,
Superstition, or Something in Between?
Not every Myanmar citizen accepts astrology at face value. Many openly admit that astrologers often rely on educated guesses, and predictions can miss the mark. Some even dismiss fortune-tellers as bluffers. Yet, others believe that in the hands of gifted masters, astrology holds the potential to be an exact science.
Despite skepticism, the practice endures because of its psychological value. The ritual itself, and the optimism it inspires, can transform how people face life’s uncertainties.
A Cultural Bridge Between
Past and Present
Planetary posts may seem like relics of an older world, yet they continue to hold relevance today. In a rapidly changing Myanmar, where urbanization and globalization often challenge traditional values, these rituals remain steadfast. At pagodas across the country — from the bustling Shwedagon in Yangon to quiet village stupas — devotees still crowd the posts, clutching cups of water while whispering prayers into Myanmar's timeless spiritual rhythm.
For many, the posts serve as a bridge: connecting ancient astrology with modern spiritual needs, linking cultural tradition with personal well-being.
More Than Just Posts
To the untrained eye, planetary posts are mere structures standing quietly at pagodas. But to Myanmar Buddhists, they represent hope, healing, and a dialogue with unseen forces. They are reminders that, even in uncertain times, rituals can bring comfort and restore balance.
Whether astrology is science or superstition may remain open to debate. But what is clear is this: for countless devotees, the planetary posts are not just markers of myth — they are beacons of mental and spiritual resilience.
As long as devotees continue to circle the pagodas, keeping the golden spire to their right, the planetary posts will remain alive, binding heaven and earth through belief, ritual, and the enduring search for peace. –
Reference:
Presenting Myanmar by Maung Kyaa Nyo