Lucy Looking Upward

This article is for teenagers who have decided to pursue advanced study of astrology (or for anyone who knows such a teenager). If you’ve made it this far, you probably already understand that there is much more to it than just “I’m a Leo and he’s a Pisces and that means we don’t get along because- oh, look, a new XKCD.” Is there ever!

Understanding astrology in-depth has so many benefits: you sharpen your intuition, you pay closer attention to cultural trends, and you learn to trust your inner voice in a way that most people don’t in their entire lifetime (let alone at one of the most stressful periods of their entire life, when it’s most needed). Not to mention that the astrological community has some sweeping generational gaps, and is always excited about new blood.

I don’t think there’s necessarily a “right” or “wrong” way to go about studying astrology. I do, however, think there’s a smart way. I first started studying astrology in 1998 at age fourteen. I didn’t really have a serious study plan; I just read whatever I could as I could, without doing a great many chart readings until I was well out of my teens, which could be smart depending on who you ask. Susan Miller, one of the most well known mainstream astrologers, writes that per her instructor, she didn’t read anyone’s chart until she had been studying for ten years. I do think that’s a bit much, but I agree that there are a few things you’ll want to be solid on before you dive into reading charts.

Astrology is continuous; since it operates on archetype, one planet or aspect could have many different meanings, and as you advance in your study you will set yourself apart from others on the strength of your ability to use your imagination. But for now, if you’re just starting out, you want to be solid on things like modalities, elements (my 7^th grade best friend insisted that Aquarius is a water sign because it has “aqua” in it, and as expected of an Aquarius, not even Linda Goodman’s book could change her mind- Rachel, if you’re reading this, Aquarius is still an air sign), houses, rulerships (traditional and modern), essential dignities, etc., and also on what a secondary progression is or what a transit is. Make yourself flashcards if you have to. It’s a lot like learning a foreign language, but it makes all the difference in how easily you’ll be able to absorb substantive information later on. The book that really got the ball rolling for me was The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk. For an introductory book, it’s very comprehensive and very easy to read, and Woolfolk’s definitions provide a really good framework for the basics.

I also suggest that you get yourself an ephemeris- actually, two of them. Even though you can look up most anything online, it’s still a good idea to have a 20^th century and 21^st century ephemeris (I like Michelsen’s American Ephemeris at midnight) to quickly eyeball progressions and transits and track all kinds of things like planetary stations and eclipses. (And trust me, until you can cough up the $300-400 for SolarFire, unless you are some kind of human computer or Nick Dagan Best, you WILL be eyeballing your progressions and transits.)

While we’re on the subject of the Internet, let me extol the virtues of using the Internet for studying astrology, and tell you how lucky you are to be able to take its efficiency for granted. When I began studying in 1998, the average person’s dial-up Internet (i.e. mine) was incredibly janky. My attempts to find legitimate astrological study aids were interrupted every time the phone would ring, and by the time most pages finished loading I would have already finished most of my homework. Thankfully, it is so not like that anymore. The Internet has become a lot faster and more user-friendly, and aside from the legendary astro.com, there are so many more resources that have become available in barely the last decade. You can accurately and readily calculate charts. You can search for and locate out-of-print books, or purchase e-books, or even peruse your library catalogue right from home. I highly recommend milking astro.com for all it’s worth, because there is a lot more to that site than meets the eye- and it’s one of the few astrology reference sites that is totally legit and is frequently updated. I also recommend the newly introduced planetwatcher.com, which was developed by my friend Kirk Kahn, to refine your ephemeris searches. It’s an up-to-the-minute, live layout of current transits that can be progressed backwards or forwards to the month, day, and even the hour.

Networking is pretty key in accelerating your study of astrology as well. In the past, teenagers interested in astrology (or any esoteric or taboo subject, for that matter) often had to go to extreme measures to make sure their study would be kept secret from well-meaning but unsophisticated parents or flat-out intolerant school officials, and often that meant it had to be a solitary practice. Personally, my astrological prowess literally exploded once I was able to engage with other astrologers and see a variety of different perspectives. I recently had the opportunity to attend my first astrological conference, and meeting some of my astrology heroes who I’d been reading for ages was pretty mind-blowing. (Most astrologers are really nice! And not intimidating at all!) Of course, you do have to keep your guard up a little as you’re starting to network, especially if you are still “illegal.” (Without naming any names, there are a few known fruitbats who are spreading misinformation or pushing an agenda in astrology, just as there would be in any other field, who love to feast on your teenage flesh.) But making friends with other quality astrologers of all ages will really set you on a good course, and having astrology friends close to your age is incredibly validating. I personally love everybody at the Association for Young Astrologers (AYA); becoming a member of AYA costs less than an iTunes gift card. I also like to peruse astrodispatch.com, which is an aggregator site of all the very best astrology blogs out there. Another site I can’t recommend enough is horoscopicastrologyblog.com, which is operated entirely by young astrologers (by young, I mean early 20’s-early 40’s tops).

As you continue to study and network, you’ll see that astrology doesn’t necessarily stop at just reading charts. It also includes events, blogs, cultural discussions, and a far deeper appreciation for subtext (not to mention mythology, literature, science, and pretty much anything else that could hold your interest). And with the upcoming Uranus ingress into Aries, you can probably think of tons more genius constructive uses for it, and the community wants to hear them! Best of luck with your studies- you’ll thank yourself for it later!

Lucy has been studying astrology since the tender age of fourteen and has been semi-pro for the past year and a half. She firmly believes that astrology imitates life and can be applied constructively not only to real people, but also to unpack long-standing cultural memes; she demonstrates this in her blog, Lucy Looking Upward, and in the advice she dispenses.

This article is featured in Uranus in Aries: Claiming a Self-Reliant Future published on Auntie Moon as Part of the 2010 International Astrology Day Blogathon. The purpose of this web-based event is to create a permanent library of articles about how to deal with the stresses of the Cardinal T-Square of Pluto, Saturn and Uranus. The main page for the Blogathon collections is at The Cardinal T-Square of 2010: Saturn, Uranus, Pluto.

Related links:
10 Tips for Learning Astrology