How did you learn astrology?

I have this chart, created by my wonderful astrologer, that is compelling and unreadable. How did YOU learn astrology? What are you favorite books? Is there a class you'd recommend. 'Cause I mean it: I'm going to learn to read my transits....I'm tired of living in the dark.

It seems like such powerful knowledge.

It seems to me that Spirit is speaking to us through the movement of the stars and planets, in a lovely language that I just don't understand. It'll be like learning Chinese, I think....

If you are truly just starting, books by Steven Forrest are usually recommended. He writes clearly and helps you put things together. You can also read up on basics at certain web sites. AstrologyZone.com by Susan Miller is a good one. You might also want to go to astro.com and do your chart on line. It will also show you your transits. Play around in that site and you'll see what I'm talking about.

These things will give you a foundation but nothing more. There are pros on this board and what they write just goes over my head. I hope at least one of them answers and tells us how they acquired their vast knowledge.

Thank you for the direction. I'm hoping the experts will provide roadmaps we can follow, too!

This will help you understand the language a bit better: http://www.astrocenter.com/us/AstroGlossary.aspx?Af=0

I'm off to bed now, but I'll answer in depth tomorrow. I would start by buying some of Robert Hand's books, if you're interested in psychological Astrology. What particular field of Astrology are you most interested in? Spiritual/Esoteric? Psychological?
I have lots of links, if your interested.

Also Bill Herbst's "Houses" book. I don't know enough to know which Astrological field most interests me. I'm primarily familiar with psychological astrology, but am intrigued by the mention of Spiritual/Esoteric astrology. I know Cassiepriam studies Karmic astrology. I tend to be a synthesist, and wonder if it would work to study it all (motivation for a long life, I'd say). So, any links you like would be greatly appreciated.

But in hindsight I perhaps should have taken some more formal training.

I would suggest you get some of the good basic astrology books suggested and start there. Try to read your own chart at first. Then go on to family members just to give you something to work on.

And read about the various branches of astrology and different kinds and see what resonates with you. The first time I read a karmic astrology book I was hooked.

But I am really more interested in spiritual/humanistic astrology but there is not much out there about that. So I have had to create my own study program. And again I do not consider myself an astrologer. I am someone interested in soul purpose, soul counseling and the natal chart is the way to get the info to do that. And it is written in highly symbolic esoteric code. I had to learn the language to get the info.

So you have to learn the language first and how to read the data. Once you learn that you can go in many directions.

"The Inner Sky" is an excellent first book. Did you order "Horoscope Symbols" by Hand?

What not to do: I started with "Astrology: A Cosmic Science" by Isabel Hickey. Hickey is an old-school, somewhat fatalistic astrologer and I scared myself by starting with her book (she tends to interpret dynamic aspects as negative).

Some authors I've learned from: Forrest, Hand, Stephen Arroyo, Bernadette Brady, Bil Tierney



I am a student of astrology also ( and also decided to learn when confronted with a chart that was "Greek" to me)- have fun studying!

:)

Of course, having names to NOT focus on is even more important. Thank you for the advice!

but I got a lot from the "pop" astrology books, like Linda Goodman. My favorite is "Secrets From a Stargazers Notebook" by Debbie Kempton-Smith. She explains all about the different parts of a chart, and she's really funny and readable.

With the book learning as a base, I studied people with their charts. That's where the real learning is.

Bill

Real people, of course, are our living laboratory. So now my family will become my lab rats....heh=heh..

My elder brother did my chart when I was eleven and wouldn't explain it to me.

Twenty and a half years later after years of study I had a client with unbelievably though strangely familiar bright blue eyes. When I told her that about my brother she sat awestruck. She said, " My father did my chart when I was first born and he wouldn't tell me about it."

A week later she came back and said my father taught your brother first about astrology. I said, " so we're both graduates of the have your chart done and learn nothing about it school of astrology. I remembered him well. He had the same bright blue eyes.

I agree with Chemical Bill, it's an experiential art.

You can learn more from doing the charts of those you know than you can ever learn from textbooks. I learned more from the astrology conferences I attended in the 80's than I did from the textbooks.

To each their own though really.

Just bare in mind it's an experiential art. Truly.

It's such a wholistic way of moving forward. And I like the idea of not telling people what I know about their charts. It's funny: my husband has stunning, bright blue eyes that he's passed on to our children.

I've seen some interesting-sounding astrology conferences. One in Bali. I've always wanted to go to Bali. Hmm.

>I like the idea of not telling people what I know about their charts.

Of course my favorite joke is to ask about somebody's chart, and then go "hmmmm" or "no kidding" without elaborating. I never keep it up though, as I have to share what I have learned.

Bill

I expect this will lead to some fascinating conversations with my family. I've settled on my first victi--I mean, client. It'll be my husband. I've always wanted to know what makes the dear man tick.