Astrology for Beginners: An Easy Guide to Understanding & Interpreting Your Chart - Softcover

William W. Hewitt

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0875423078 ISBN 13: 9780875423074

Publisher: Llewellyn Publications, 1997

Synopsis

The Best Self-Teaching Guide
for Beginning Astrologers

Learn the basics of astrology in one easy-to-read book! This popular introductory guide starts with the philosophy of astrology, and simple definitions of its terms.  Next, it explains all of the essentials, including planets, houses, aspects, and chart construction and interpretation. With this book, you can learn:

·How to create and interpret your own birth chart
·The basics of timing and prediction techniques
·Simple methods to construct a rough chart in minutes without using math
·An easy method to calculate an accurate chart mathematically   

Astrology for Beginners includes a free birth chart offer to help you get started, and references to more detailed material for those who wish to go further with their studies.

About this title

About the Author

William W. Hewitt was a freelance writer, the author of eight books and several hypnosis audio tapes published by Llewellyn.  He spent more than thirty years as a professional writer and editor in the computer, nuclear power and mining industries.  He was a certified clinical hypnotheriapist and frequently lectured on hypnosis, mind power, self-improvement, metaphysics, and related subjects.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One
Introduction

Your birth chart, with its zodiac signs and planets, captures the precise
moment in time when you were born. In fact, horoscope literally means
hour watcher, an observation of the hour of birth. This snapshot of
the celestial bodies frozen in time is yours for life, and it will give you a
lifetime of information. Exploring your horoscope need not be complicated,
and in the following pages you will find all you need to simplify
the process. Ideally, this language of symbols describes your life’s fullest
potential--and that’s what this book is all about.

Each horoscope has a distinct blueprint, so we begin with a discussion
of your chart pattern, providing an immediate overview of the
driving force in your life. The signs of the zodiac and their placement
in your birth chart show how you manage things. The twelve houses--
each assigned a different topic--point to where you may achieve honors
and success. The resources you have at your disposal, as defined by
the planets, reveal family dynamics, personal and intimate relationships,
finances and financial prospects, professional and vocational aptitudes,
natural talents, creativity, and much more. If you have ever wondered
what would be the best career choice or life path, the section on aspects
will help identify your strongest career and vocational indicators.
When you first gaze at your horoscope, it’s like discovering a secret
map that will lead you on an exciting journey. And, like the circle that
has no beginning and no end, your journey of self-discovery is an ever-unfolding
adventure.


framework of the horoscope

The following outline describes the framework of the horoscope and
illustrates how to use this book. It lists the interpretive techniques that are
offered and explained in detail in the following chapters. These methods
will give you easy access to the meaning of your horoscope. You do not
need to understand complex theories or concepts. If you can identify the
symbols, then you can understand your horoscope. In these pages, you
will find everything you need, including lots of visual aids and charts to
help you define your birth chart. At the end of the book is a comprehensive
glossary.

It is best if you follow along with a copy of your horoscope. If you
have never had your birth chart done, there are a number of Internet
resources that provide free chart services. A few good ones are www
.alabe.com, www.astro.com, and www.astrology.com. For those of you
who do not have access to the Internet, you may complete the form
at the back of this book to obtain a free copy of your birth chart. If
you are not sure of your birth time, you may be able to obtain a time-stamped
copy of your birth certificate by going to the National Center
of Health Statistics website at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/
w2welcom.htm.

I. The Seven Chart Patterns
The first thing you notice when you look at your horoscope is a pattern
formed by the distribution of the planets. This chart pattern falls into
one of seven categories, each with a specific meaning. It offers a broad
view of the whole person, leading to a better understanding of the finer
details. The pattern type, like a first impression, gives you an immediate
picture of the driving force or motivational factors in your life.

A. The seven chart patterns: Splash, Bundle, Locomotive, Bowl,
Bucket, Seesaw, and Splay.
B. Hemispheres: The next feature to note is whether the planets
are mostly in the upper half or the lower half of the circle. Or
you may notice that most of the planets are on the right-hand or
left-hand side of the circle. This division of the circle into hemispheres
describes inner and outer behavior.
C. Quadrants: The circle can be further divided into four quadrants
that describe your developmental process and focus. Each of the
four quadrants shows a particular area of life experience. The first
quadrant is the realm of self-awareness; the second quadrant is
related to creativity and talent; the third emphasizes relationships
and interaction with others; and the fourth stresses profession/
occupation, friendships, and humanitarian concerns.

II. The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac
Around the edges of the wheel are the twelve signs of the zodiac. Each
of the twelve signs is unique in its expression and describes how you
approach things. The signs also can be grouped according to certain
similarities, such as element and quality.
A. Twelve zodiac signs
B. Four elements: fire, air, water, and earth--describe your basic
nature
C. Three qualities: cardinal, fixed, and mutable--describe how you
tend to act
D. Ascendant sign: describes your appearance and demeanor

III. The Twelve Houses
Each sign sits at the beginning of a house--on it’s cusp. Notice that the
houses are numbered in the middle of the wheel in a counterclockwise
direction. Each of the twelve houses describes a particular area of life
experience, and the sign on its cusp illustrates how you approach that
area of life.
A. Twelve houses
B. House position: angular, succedent, and cadent
C. Empty houses
D. Twelve signs through the twelve houses

IV. The Planets
The planets are dispersed around the wheel and reside in various
houses. Each planet describes function or, to put it another way, something
in particular about the way you carry out your life. The planet
describes what is going on, while the house describes where the action
occurs.
A. The ten planets: eight planets and two luminaries (the Sun and
Moon)
B. The planets in the houses
C. The planets in the signs

V. The Aspects
Aspects are the angles between two planets or between a planet and
any point on your horoscope. They are measured in degrees, and when
planets form these angles, they interact with and reflect the influence
of the other.
A. The five major aspects: conjunction, sextile, square, trine, and
opposition
B. The ten planets and their primary aspects
C. Aspects to the Ascendant and Midheaven
So let’s begin by examining the seven chart patterns to determine which
one is closest to your own. Like a first impression, your birth chart pattern
instantly reveals the essence of who you are. Then in the following
chapters, we will look at the finer details of your horoscope.

Edition details

• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0875423078
• ISBN 13: 9780875423074
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 278