The basis of Vedic astrology, of course, is the Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra. I have a differenct perspective on the answer in the title, because, I was trained in Medicine and hold a doctorate in dentistry from Boston University. So, indeed, I had to pass some stringent tests. However, my life abruptly changed in my 36th year. I lost my entire world. From that point, I went to India after spending some time in Hare Krsna ashrams in the US.

After returning from receiving the undeserved blessings of my Gurudev. Faced with what seemed to be the "loss of a lifetime of material acquisitions": career, home, children, etc., I decided to study Astrology, sidereal astrology. You see, this system actually takes into account the "precession of the equinoxes", otherwise known as the retrograde movement of the earth's axis. Now the Mayans also knew about this and have been lauded as having some uncanny astronomical insights. So, this is very scientific.

Another point, is that the when calculating a person's chart, we have some very accurate imformation about the position of the planets. Now, most people at this point will ask:"so what?" There are two answers to this.

First, the planets are vibratory bodies. That is, they have certain frequencies, just like the Sun, for example, that is 93 million miles away. And yet no one will dispute the effect of the Sun on the inhabitants of the Earth planet or the planet itself.

Secondly, and this is where we cross over into the realm of the spirit, the planets are actually demigods who are acting to enforce your "karma." Each individual's path is determined by the positon of the planets at the time of his/her birth and the exact position of the Moon. Vedic astrology's forte is in being predictive. One of the most famous contemporary astrologers was the late B. V. Raman, who was the insightful and knowledgeable editor of the Indian publication Astrology Today. Although one can, of course, study the Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra, it is definitely much easier to read the modern dialect of B. V. Raman or James Braha who makes it even more digestible (he's American).

So, is it scientific? Of course. Can most people understand it? No, but neither can everyone uderstand Stephen Hawkings of Albert Einstein either.

According to the obituary Independent (London) "B. V. RAMAN was India's best-known astrologer. He popularised astrology and accurately foretold important events during the Second World War, the fate of Hitler and Mussolini, the Vietnam War and the assassination of the prime minister Indira Gandhi, and made hundreds of other successful predictions in his hugely popular English- language Astrological Magazine."

Some criticized him for not predicting his own son's birth in a tragic accident. This may be due the astrologer's own personal myopia when it involves his/her own emotions.