Books On Astrology Options

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Am taking an intrest in astrology and hae decided to buy this book, was wondering if anyone has heard of it and if they thought it was any good. the reveiws say its old but its not as though Astrology dates too much considering its been around for a good few thousand years. lol.

Was also thinking about....

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Let me throw my complete support behind The Astrologer's Handbook. It is an excellent book for someone beginning with Astrology, but it will continue to be a valuable resource long after one is quite fluent with the Stars.



Peace.



Neshamah

I like Astrology by Ronald C. Davison. It's a pretty decent beginner's book, nothing too fancy. I also like Astrology: The Divine Science by Marcia Moore and Mark Douglas. It goes into more of the esoteric stuff beyond just making charts and finding what planets mean in a birth chart. It's heavy reading at times, but worth it.

I'm not sure if these books are still in print. Both are also hardbacks, so they won't fall apart on you after a few months.
The Davison pops up used from time to time. The other one is worth finding if you can, I found a copy, grabbed it, and haven't seen another since. This tells me the people who have a copy aren't getting rid of it.

If you can get your hands on Marc Edmund Jones when you're a little more advanced you'll find his books can be quite a help as well.

Bought the Astrologers handbook a while ago and found it a bit confusing so I bought, 'Astrology for dummies' on Amazon the other day. Its rubbish, doesn't go into any / enough detail on how to make your own chart it assumes that the reader is too much of a dummy and recommends using a computer program while giving a half hearted means of making your own, someone on Amazon recommended, 'Parkers astrology' which is brilliant.. bit big to carry around more of a desktop book but it goes all out and includes all you need for making a fixed house chart (epidermis etc) as well as information on furthering it professionally.

Am lost on the whole aspects part at the moment, the book isn't too clear on it but its fun, a lot more interesting than I thought.

After a bit of brain wracking I'm finding Parkers book frustrating not sure why but in his example on constructing a chart he decides to complicate it and then gives another example which works fine but continues with his confused version so I went back to the Astrologers hand book which I had turned my back on but now seems refreshingly straightforward other than the fact that the references he gives are outdated.

Is there anywhere a budding astrologer can go to find all he needs to make a chart? A source thats not overly simplified or pointlessly confusing? Like the placidus system, just need the right books to cross reference and get it all right.

So far Astrology = ARGH!

This post has been edited by Mchawi: Aug 1 2008, 10:05 AM

Astro.com will make you any kind of chart you like for free. Pick your system, enter your info, and go from there. Interpreting it is up to you though.

I see no reason to draw charts by hand when a computer can do it in a split second. What computers CANNOT do, though, although they try, is interpret them. I've seen way too many so-called 'astrologers' just read the interpretations that programs like Kepler give them. Not cool.

Use a computer for the chart, use your head for the interpretation and you'll do fine.

I guess I'm old-fashioned, but I think that being able to construct a chart by hand is a very good exercise for any would-be occultist. It took be forever to learn how to do it, but it was completely worth the effort.

Light, Life, and Love.

Neshamah

I guess I'm old-fashioned, but I think that being able to construct a chart by hand is a very good exercise for any would-be occultist. It took be forever to learn how to do it, but it was completely worth the effort.

Light, Life, and Love.

Neshamah

Agree, its why I'm trying to learn it myself after I'm proficient at it I guess I'll use the computer programs everynow and then but otherwise I'd much rather be able to work it all out and learn along the way.

How long does it take to cast a chart? Some say it takes 20 - 30mins...?

Peace
m

The first couple you do will take you FOREVER (maybe a day or two). You so want to get everything so completely right . . .

After that wears off, you'll be "casting" a chart in 20 - 30 minutes (like you said). Still, you'll be going back over them and checking yourself for errors and the like (provided you have the time of course).

One thing, don't try to cram too many "readings" into one day. As with a Tarot reading you willl want to take the time to get everything said. Another word of caution: you will get to the point when you will begin to see patterns, cycles, House relationships, even Eclipses coming up for the Significators all at a glance. Remember, "Keep It Simple Stupid;" most of the people you will be talking to just want to know if tomorrow is a good day to ask for a raise. If you throw too much at them you are boiund to lose them in the fog of details. Sure, if you truly see something IMPORTANT on the horizon by all means tell them. Just don't allow yourself to become overwhelmed by the sheer weight of information that you will begin to see in *anyone's* stars.

Lightr, Life, and Love.

Neshamah

Cool. Thanks Nesh, might use the online readers to see if I'm getting them right or not, although alot of them don't factor in exact longitude / lattitude and would be slightly diffrent.

Must really be something being able to read into charts like that, got a way to go before I'm that proficient at it, hope to use it to time rituals and stuff rather than or perhaps in time with planetary hours. Hopefully I'll be able to get it down to 30mins and not stress myself over the math too much.

Can see myself buying a filing cabnet filled with friends charts in the near future .lol.

Peace
.M.

My 2 cents:
Recommend you read Dane Rudhyar's "Sign's of Life"
An unsurpassed exploration of astrological symbolism... (imho)