The Tibetan Almanac or Lo-tho is published each year and is the Tibetan equivalent to the emphemeris. However there are many other features in the almanac which do not apear in a western ephemieris. Currently the official almanac is produced by astrologers at TMAI, but there are others produced by various monasteries. For example Sherab-ling has recently produced an almanac of very high standards under the direction of Tsipa Tsewang Namgyal-la. The almanac is the all important book in Tibetan astrology as it contains much useful information as well as the being the official source of the Tibetan calendar. The calculation of one full years lo-tho is the task of the Tibetan astrologer in training and may take four years to complete.
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This section includes a list of astro scholars
from the past and how many years since their works appeared.
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A general explantion of the year in
question which makes comments on the year with considerations such as the
position of the five planets, the (India) explanation of the starting positions
for the year, Yang-char wheels for Tortoise, Umbrella, Lions Mattress.
There is a section called rgya nag (China) in which three explantions are
given in three categories as well as the animal element of the year, its
Me-wa (sMeba) etc.
3. The Chinese Ox Calculation (rgya nag glang rtsis).
4. Bsod nam ‘khor lo.
5. Solar and Lunar eclipses. 'Zin:
Nyi ‘zin zla ‘zin.
This gives the dates and times and direction
of eclipses in the year. During these times deeds have manifold effects
more powerful than on other days.
6. The yearly calculation of Kek Tsee.. Keg rtsis.
This gives the Sol Lu etc white stones black
stones for easy reference in regard to amy birth year in the previous hundred.
describes the remedies for black stones occuring for each birth year to
be applied in that particular year.
7. Table of good and bad days for each animal
sign -
this remains the same for each animal sign.
8. The yangchar wheels for that year.
9. bzang bzhi, ngan bzhi. The table of directional geomantic influences for each yearly changeable parkha of any person. Each Pharka had four good and four bad energies and directions.
10. bdud rtsis mthun mtsham.
This table shows the auspicious and iauaspicious
for the setting of prayer flags, changing residence. each hour each
day has a specific infuence and there are some days at some hours specially
ausp and other that must be avoided.
11. Wheel of zing phung. This is used
to calculate the times of zing phung.
At these times one must avoid sending brides
etc.
12. The wheel of Accomplishment. don
‘grub ‘khor lo
This compares birth constellation of moon and
moving mons constellations and shows whether it is nang (inside) rtse (top)
or phyi (outside). this shows on which days you be successful in
work. [nang is best, chi will make one feel uncomfortable and rtse you
will face enemies regrets and offences.]
13. rgyal blon.
This gives the figures for the planets and constellations
for the first day of the year.
14. Lo sa bdag.
Shows the directions of the various classes of
spirits for the current and the follwoing year. Eg is used in death
claculation to find which directio to send the corpse for burial. [usually
a clear direction of harmless spirit direction is chosen.]
15. This tables show the position of planets of the solar day ie the position when the sun enters Aries.
16. Zla bai sa bdag.
The monthly spirit directions. [one page diagram
for each month]
17. zla bshad.
Explanation of the month. The god and bad
featuers fo each month and what will happen during that time. the
dates of summer and winter solstice etc.
18. The main body:
Provides the data of the planets etc for each
month on the 8th, 15th, 22nd and 30th days. For each from 1st to
30th the key figures, as well as the monthly position directions of the
spirits.
19. The remedies for the direction of the bad
spirits.
These diagrams are ancient forms that evoke or
banish the different type of sadak that may cause problems for one or another
during the course of the year.
The eleven types of remedy (sa bdag lto phye) [spirit foods] to be given to the directions.
mda’ dar - Da dar- like an folded prayer flags
with an arrow.
byang bu dgu mig- metsal of nine holes.
‘gron bu- cowries cowry shell.
rma byai’ sgro - peacokc feather.
melong - mirror
rus sbal snag brnyan - body of tortoise
mtshon gyi dru bu - ball of elemental threads
byi thur sgro - poprcupine quill
sba- lcag- whip
lug gi gyang gzhi- sheep skin with head
stag ral - tigers skin
gyag ngo- head of yak
