Learning Astrology Tips for Beginners

A great many students of astrology learn informally - by casting and reading the charts of people they know. This informality can make it difficult to succeed in your studies and advance as much as you would like to. Yet astrology is a serious subject, and it demands serious study. (Don't let the casual interest of millions of people deceive you.) Develop a clear and systematic approach to your studies. Your hard work will pay off.

The charts of celebrities, famous people and news-makers are a valuable resource for the astrologer. But for beginners they can prove to be more of a distraction than anything else. Unless you really know these people, there is no way you can investigate your case studies first-hand. You would have to rely on newspaper, stories and biographies which are so often unreliable and incomplete.

Resist the temptation to do the charts of celebrities especially if you are merely curious. Instead, do the natal charts of people you know. Your family, friends, spouse and colleagues will give you plenty of material to study. Unlike movie stars and athletes, you see their private as well as their public sides. You can talk with them about their charts (if they are open-minded about astrology) and get their feedback.

Every natal chart you study has the potential to teach you something new. Take it seriously and pick the right subject each time. Do not offer to do a reading for just anyone who might be interested. Look for someone who is interested in astrology and - this is key - willing to discuss their chart with you after you have given them your first analysis.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to get feedback from your subject or "client." Nothing is worse than laboring over a natal chart report, handing to the subject and then never hearing from them again except for a "Thank you." People like this do not make good subjects for the novice. They are not eager to learn about themselves, or they just aren't into astrology, or both. You, on the other hand, need to ask questions so you will know if you are right or wrong. It is only by talking with real people and examining real lives that you can understand how astrology works. Books can't give you that kind of insight.

To hone your interpretation skills, find someone whom you can interview about their chart. Someone who is comfortable with you and who does not mind answering questions about their life and character. Your best friend, or any good friend would be a fine choice. Just make sure they are comfortable with the whole idea of astrology first.

Because astrology is so fascinating, new students are eager to do the charts of everyone they know. You probably want to jump into reading multiple charts at once. Don't fall into this trap. Going from one chart to another will prevent you from gaining real insight into any of them. Do your best to understand each natal chart you do before moving on to a new one. Again, get feedback from the subject if possible. Make notes. Write or record your interpretations. save the charts to a computer program. Only when you have extracted as much relevant information as you can out of each chart should you look elsewhere, unless you are comparing charts as with synastry.

That does not mean you should try to squeeze out all kinds of petty details from a chart. Don't try to "explain" everything through a person's birth chart. That is impossible and even if it were, it would be a waste of time. Instead, focus on matters that are important to your subject, or relevant to whatever it is you are studying, such as career, health, love potential and so on.

Astrology has a reputation for being ridiculous. Given the limitations and flaws of modern astrology, this is not surprising. So it is quite likely that at least some people you know will not take kindly to your interest in horoscopes. Do not draw attention to yourself. Avoid mentioning astrology to them and do not even try to start a debate.

Do not advertise yourself either to people who seem too interested in astrology. People like that might expect too much of the budding astrologer in you. Don't let yourself get pushed into the role of soul-mate finder or fortune-teller. Look for a friend or two who are earnest and serious, but not desperate for answers.

There is more to learning astrology than chart interpretation. Natal astrology is the study of people. You have to know how to deal with people to get the most out of your studies. Keep this in mind so both you and the people you do charts for will benefit from your talents.