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My Favourite Books For Learning Astrology

When beginning our Astrology journey it can be difficult to know where to start, Astrology is such a big topic and it can take years (and really a lifetime!) to get a grip on. Thankfully, there are a plethora of wonderful books out there to help us along the way (and I would like to preface this with the fact that I’m solely talking about Western Astrology here).

Below, I’ve listed my 10 favourite Astrology books for learning the basics and going in a little bit deeper:

Best Books For Learning Astrology

I once heard a veteran Astrologer say that you shouldn’t read anything written after the 2000s, I don’t know if I would go that far but with so many new Astrology books coming out each year as the field gains in popularity, I think there is definitely value in reading the tried and true “classics”, as well as expanding with newer ones. Having said that, because some are decades old, there is also the need for discernment within them for what has now become outdated concepts or terms.

I believe the best foundation comes from studying a variety of basics and broader topics, and then diving into the niche and specific areas. Here are my 9 favourite books for learning Astrology overall:

1. The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need, by Joanna Martine Woolfolk

While the title pretty much says it all- this book does cover pretty much all of it- it is, of course, also tongue-in-cheek and you will likely need to read a few other books before it all starts to sink in, but there’s a lot of information to take and it’s good place to start! I would say this comes more under pop Astrology for lack of a better word in the sense that it will appear on many website and magazine, or Amazon, top-seller lists. It covers everything from the Zodiac Signs to the Houses and in between.

2. Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune, by Chris Brennan

OK I’m not gonna lie, this book is DENSE, and it’s certainly more intermediate-advanced, but it’s SO valuable for learning really effective Astrology techniques, starting with the classics and basics, and then moving up to more advanced forecasting techniques. At 700 pages long, you may not ever need another Astrology book after this one! As a traditional Astrologer (with a modern slant), Chris Brennan’s work has been absolutely invaluable to the development of my own practice, and I highly recommend listening to his extremely informative podcast as well! With ancient and traditional Astrology becoming more and more popular, this is a really good book to have as a solid foundation.

3. Saturn, A New Take on An Old Devil, by Liz Greene

I love this book because it really shows the value that Saturn can bring, and indeed, is necessary for the full integration of our Natal Charts. Liz Greene does a wonderful job of portraying Saturn in all its facets, including the more constructive and not so- especially useful for a Planet that is often demonised or feared! This is also one of those books where it’s important to bear in mind that it was written in the 80s and so we have move beyond certain social constructs (as were many of the books in this list), but it’s really good for going in a little more in depth once you’ve started to get a good grasp on things.

4. The Twelve Houses: Exploring the Houses of the Horoscope, by Howard Sasportas

To get a really good understanding of the Houses and what they delineate, this is also a good basic book for beginner to intermediate students. It’s nice to have something focussed solely on one aspect of Astrology that you can easily refer back it to when you need.

Similarly, Aspects in Astrology: A Guide to Understanding Planetary Relationships in the Horoscope, by Sue Tompkins, is really good for an understanding of what the different aspects represent in your own birth chart and that of others.

5. Planets in Transit: Live Cycles for Living, by Robert Hand

Another must-read for any budding Astrologer, Rob Hand has been extremely influential in the field for many years! This is a great book for understanding the transits in a digestible way and what they mean in reference to your own Natal Chart, daily interpretations, and beyond.

6. Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View, by Richard Tarnas

Another dense one, this is an institutional book and really another must-read for every practicing Astrologer (or at least something by Richard Tarnas), that focusses on the archetypes of the Planets. Richard Tarnas also created an amazing 10-part documentary, Changing of the Gods, following his teachings of Cosmos and Psyche, and in particular the startlingly influential and observable Uranus-Pluto cycles.

7. You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance, by Chani Nicholas

I love this book because it’s by the amazing Chani Nicholas, beloved New York Times bestseller, who also has a great app, and it focusses namely on the Sun, Moon, and Rising Sign as a way to really integrate our core aspects of ourselves. It makes a wonderful complement to other more technical books to be able to ground the story and symbolism into real life with tangible examples.

Another really good modern option by an incredible Astrologer who has an amazing weekly podcast, is Jessica Lanyadoo’s Astrology for Real Relationships, a queer and inclusive take on interpretations!

8. Healing Pluto Problems by Donna Cunningham

I love this book because, as mentioned, I believe it’s important to delve into each topic individually, but also especially the “darker” ones that are often misunderstood or overly feared. This book helps show us how we can work with Pluto (we wouldn’t have it if it wasn’t necessary after all).

Another great option in this respect I believe is The Twelfth House by Karen Hamaker-Zondag. This is a good book for understanding this maligned House more in detail and the opportunities it can bring (hello 12th House stellium here)! I love delving into specifics such as this one, and indeed recommend it for all specific areas because there really is so much to learn in every facet of Astrology it all requires its own book!

9. Post-Colonial Astrology: Reading the Planets through Capital, Power, and Labor, by Alice Sparkly Kat

This is a great book for bringing everything you’ve learnt about Astrology into the inclusive modern age! It helps us to reframe our mindset and how we look at certain concepts and etymologies in a really grounding, beneficial way so that we can move forward with awareness in how we communicate. Although Astrology is sometimes described as a secret language in which to describe our cosmic blueprint, it’s important we use terminology that can reflect a Universal experience that grows with the times. Understanding the background of where descriptions and concepts have come from is really useful and informative for a conscious, responsible practice.

10. Astrology for the Soul, by Jan Spiller

This is a really lovely book for looking at psychological and Evolutionary Astrology through the lens of the North Node and the soul lessons it can teach us. Again, just like going beyond Sun Signs is important, integrating aspects such as the Nodes is essential for progression and growth, and require their own book.

11. Predictive Astrology: The Eagle and the Lark, by Bernadette Brady

I absolutely adore this book and if you would like to start making forecasts one day, it’s a must-read! She details how to use transits and other forecasting techniques in a really easy-to-understand and functional way. This is certainly more advance and can only come after you have a solid foundational understanding, but it is quite a transformative way to begin engaging with your practice in an empowering way!

Other notable options include The Inner Sky by Steven Forrest which is a founding book for Evolutionary Astrology, and any number of books by Demetra George, particularly Astrology and the Authentic Self, and she also has great work on the effects of the asteroids if you would like to start looking into those too at some point!

Finally, as a budding Astrologer, it is also essential to get comfortable using an ephemeris to chart the Astrological alignments and positions of the Planets and stars, The American Ephemeris is usually one of the most popular options.

So those are my top favourite books to learn Astrology with, of course I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our own Complete Guide to Beginner’s Astrology! If you would like to take a deeper dive into Astrology we also have our Cosmic Guidance: Traditional Astrology 101 Course. What others would you add? Let me know in the comments section below.

If you would like me to interpret your Chart for you personally instead, you can book Astrology Readings here :)

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