Welcome! How to Be an Astrologer invites you to join a four-thousand-year-old tradition that has fascinated and guided people throughout time, helping them to understand themselves better, answer questions about their life, and find love and happiness. Studying the divine art of astrology is a rich and mystical pursuit that combines logic and intuition. The left brain calculates and traces the physical motion of the planets and the patterns that influence a birth chart, while the right brain, the seat of intuition, tunes in to the rich metaphors and energies of a person’s chart.
A birth chart is a mathematical fact: It states where the planets were on the date, time, and place of a person’s birth. You can also calculate a chart for other events, like a beloved pet’s birth date or the “birth” of an airline flight, and this book will teach you how to read your chart or someone else’s chart. However, that’s only part of the astrological puzzle. You have probably seen email newsletters, Instagram accounts, and Twitter feeds that offer astrological forecasts. Though they may be fun to read, these interpretations are generic and computer-generated. With the wisdom in this book, you’ll discover how to understand events and trends in your own life so you get a deeper and more personalized sense of what’s to come.
In ancient times, astrology was frequently used to protect leaders from ill-advised wars or subversive elements. Few of you will encounter dire situations such as those, but you can still use the astrological predictive techniques in this book to determine the best time to schedule a wedding, make financial investments, or consider a career change. How to Be an Astrologer offers guidance both for making decisions about your own life and for helping someone else with their choices.
Predictive astrology is fascinating but can be tricky. For example, you might want to use your astrological knowledge to determine whether or not you will get a job for which you’ve applied. Astrology can help you predict the likelihood of getting the job—but whether you enjoy the job, whether it will pay well, or whether it will be permanent are other matters. A more fruitful approach to predictive astrology is to learn to read the astrological currents. You can then understand the overall energy of a particular time without setting firm expectations.
Knowing more about astrology can also improve your relationships. How to Be an Astrologer will teach you techniques for quickly assessing the compatibility and pitfalls of any romance, friendship, or working relationship. Once you have learned these techniques, the later chapters of How to Be an Astrologer will introduce you to specialized interpretations for astrology, such as understanding karmic influences, critical degrees, and fixed and benevolent stars.
The planets and stars do not determine events; they simply offer you likely outcomes. However, you have free will and the power to change. Discerning which events or courses of action are meant to be—and which can be changed—takes wisdom, experience, and knowledge. The more you learn about astrology, the better equipped you will be to figure out whether fate is pointing a finger in a helpful direction or whether there are actions that you should be avoiding. After reading this book, you will have begun a lifelong dialogue between yourself and the planets that can clarify and grace your life.