Resources

When it comes to free resources, these are immensely useful: 

•  Cafe Astrology: The yearly overview has astrological information (transits, ingresses, retrogrades) situated within the context of the year, which may help some concepts stick more than they would otherwise. 

• The Astrology Podcast: For audio/visual learners, there's the constantly updated YouTube channel by Chris Brennan. 

• SkyScript: Created by Deborah Houlding, this website has information on all the signs, planets, and houses, with plenty of history and background.

If you're a fan of Chani Nicholas's approach to affirmational astrology, there is You Were Born for This (2021). It is good if you want something that walks you through your "big three" (Sun, Moon, Rising sign, and its ruler), but you don't need to get into the weeds of all the planets and techniques of astrology.  

Get it at Bookshop

For a deeper dive, I often turn to Demetra George, Chani Nicholas's primary teacher. Astrology and the Authentic Self (2008) covers a lot of ground, as it is geared toward people who will be providing readings. That being said, it is useful for getting an overview of important astrological frameworks and techniques. For a very in-depth take on Hellenistic astrology, there is her two-volume tome, Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice: A Manual of Traditional Techniques (2019, 2022). 

Astrology and the Authentic Self - Get it at Bookshop

Astrology in Theory and Practice, Vol. 1 - Get it at Bookshop

Astrology in Theory and Practice, Vol. 2 - Get it at Bookshop

This is as old-school as you can get, but there's the trusty Old Farmer's Almanac. Besides being "useful, with a pleasant degree of humor" and in publication since 1792, it has a month-by-month calendar of what's going on in the night sky. It's helpful for keeping track of the moon, and is a good quick reference for basic astronomical concepts (plus tides, planting times, etc). 

Get it at Bookshop

For a look at the outer planets (from Jupiter onward) and what their transits mean on a global, cultural, and societal scale, definitely read Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View (2007) by Richard Tarnas. 

Get it at Bookshop

And for a look at the development and mechanics of astrology from the perspective of a data scientist, I loved A Scheme of Heaven: The History of Astrology and the Search for Our Destiny in Data (2020), by Alexander Boxer. He is a skeptic, but he is also respectful, thorough, and has a background in Classics.

Get it at Bookshop

⁂

Every month, I introduce the readers of my newsletter to the astrology of a "Saint for Our Times" — people like Freddie Mercury, Octavia Butler, Maya Angelou and Willie Nelson. If you want to read any of the books that helped me in my studies of these beloved icons, you can check out my "Saint for Our Times" Reading List on Bookshop.com.