Posts: 278
From: ohio
Registered: Nov 2008

posted December 19, 2008 08:41 PM         

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How did you learn astrology?

My dad got an astrology book for Christmas when I was 10. And although it was a passing fancy for him, I taught myself at 14ish and the rest is history....

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Posts: 7580
From: New Brighton, MN, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted December 19, 2008 08:50 PM         

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In the mid-70's my best pal and I found and started frequenting an "occult" bookstore. I was intrigued by all those books on astrology, and Mars in the 1st never does anything halfway, so I bought Noel Tyl's 12-volume set "The Principles and Practice of Astrology." We used the Ephemeris, Tables of Houses, and Tables of Diurnal Planetary Motion and calculated BY HAND the position of every planet using the Sidereal time in the Ephemeris. Did charts for everyone I knew

Grant Lewi's "Heaven Knows What" followed, then Robert Pelletier and Robert Hand.....

Put astrology aside for a decade and came back to it in the 90's, then had a child and didn't come back again until 2003 or so.

Thank God for computers!! If I had to calculate all the charts I'm interested in by hand, I wouldn't have time to be gainfully employed

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Posts: 337
From: Portland, OR, USA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted December 19, 2008 08:58 PM         

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My Mom got me into astrology at a very young age, she loved to point out that I was Leo Sun, and this intrigued me by wondering what Sun signs were? The little researcher that I am, started reading astrology books at age twelve, my first astrology book was "The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need" by Woolfolk. The title of this book really doesn't do it justice, I knew I had to move on to more advanced books.

But I didn't become a uber Astrology fan till about three years ago, about the same time I joined this forum. But even back then, I barely knew anything about planetary aspects.

Now I own at least 20 astrology books, I have the classics like Stephen Arroyo, Robert Hand, Dane Rudyar, Martin Shulman, and Robert Pelletier. Books are really useful though, the internet and forums (like this one) really help, but sometimes just reading stuff first hand is the best approach to learning astrology, just remember to buy the classics, and you're good! I'm sure in 10 years I'll have an entire bookshelf dedicated to Astrology and have published my own astrology book, with illustrations!

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Posts: 278
From: ohio
Registered: Nov 2008

posted December 19, 2008 08:59 PM         

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Azalaksh:
I'm totally with you on the computer thing! Thank God! I used to do the charts by hand too--ugghh.

All those things to calculate; Asc, moon, progressions.....
......did I mention 'depositors'..LOL!!!

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Posts: 337
From: Portland, OR, USA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted December 19, 2008 09:01 PM         

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Azalaksh, that is impressive, casting charts by hand, I've thought about doing this for my friends, and adding illustrations to them as well! Noel Tyl is definitely another classic I forgot to mention!

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Posts: 588
From: ca, usa
Registered: Jan 2008

posted December 24, 2008 12:39 PM         

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where did my post go?? out with the old astrology forum i guess...

i first got into astrology in the 60's as a teen, (read "sun signs" then) though i forgot about it in the 70's, came back to it in about 79 mostly due to suzanne white and her chinese astrology book which got my interest back on line...

i also started with manual calculations and though i NEVER choose it over computers, for learning i think it was TOPS!! drawing the charts by hand is also fabulous and fun...

it helps get you in that meditative state (super concentration needed when the math is based on 30 instead of 100!! and drawing the charts is a little like drawing mandalas). calculating and charting friends and family blew me away because the repeating patterns were so obvious! been hooked ever since

to the list of books mentioned by others, i would have to add ALAN OKEN's complete astrology (3 books in 2), grant lewi (anything but especially "ast. for the millions" and "heaven knows what?"), charles carter and alan leo, and anything by liz greene, verbose though they may be these are great writers who really know the subject..

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