How to start studying Astrology

One of my favorite things about writing about astrology on here and on my tumblr is probably getting other people interested in and excited about it.
I get quite a few questions asking how to start studying it, which books I recommend, how I got into it etc so I'll be answering all these questions today.

First things first

Everybody starts out only caring about their own sign and the signs of people close to them, about how accurate their descirptions are, whether they get along with each other.. and that's perfectly fine! That's the most accessible thing about it and there's nothing wrong with pop astrology :)

My first astrology book was the sun sign guide from Mystic Medusa. I bought the german version, but you can also get the english (original) version; Mystic Medusa's Sun Signs and Soul Mating: What Your Friends Won't Tell You, Your Sun Sign Will.
I thought it was a great book to get me started, because it was funny and relatable and not a heavy read at all. It tackles all topics including the sign's strenghts and weaknesses, compatiblity, career, etc.

If you already want to go a bit further, I recommend the book Sun Sign, Moon Sign which describes each of the 144 Sun/Moon combinations elaborately and scarily accurate!

One that I haven't read but that is widely popular and an absolute classic is Linda Goodman's Sun Signs

Don't get one of those

I'm not really a fan of "Astrology textbooks" that introduce you to all the basic principles, including signs, planets, houses and aspects.
As a beginner, it's hard to tell which ones are worth it and there's probably some good ones as well but the two that I got were really disappointing and I advise you to use free resources from the internet instead.

If you still want to get one, the one I have heard the best reviews about was The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need (which apparently is exactly that. Give it a try.)

I personally recommend googling websites that offer free astrology lessons. My favorite ones are Bob Marks Astrology Lessons and A Tutorial in Western Astrology.

Take Notes!

If you do use online resources or if you like to learn new interesting things through observations and tumblr blogs, I recommend getting a notebook to write everything down.
This is optional, of course.

This is my favorite tool

When you first get into astrology, you probably wouldn't think about getting a keyword directory but I have found it to be really helpful in getting familar with the archetypes and principles behind the signs, planets, houses and apsects.

My all time favorite astrology book that I keep using and picking up is definetly Key Words for Astrology from Hajo Banzhaf (again, I have the german version).
It's the best tool ever and so intersting to just flip through - it has tables for each sign, planet and house and basically everything you need to know when you first get into astrology.

The Rulership Book is a sort of dictionary of all the things each sign, planet and house is associated with, including cities, mental and physical illnesses, mythological creatures, etc. This really helps you see the archetypes everywhere in life!

Further reading

Depending on which field you would like to delve into after getting a first overview of astrology, there's tons of books and resources.
I personally love psychological astrology the most so I also read about topics like jungian psychology, mythology, etc.
You will decide. Don't hurry it, don't force yourself to study, make it fun and follow your interests and passions!!

- Marina