Tips for Beginner Astrologers
A picture of the zodiacal wheel depicting each sign, their planetary ruler, modality, start of season and element.
It is a hell of a time to be a beginner in astrology. Back in the day when you wanted to learn about astrology all you had access to (if you were lucky) was a local magic shop with a few astrology books. Thanks to capitalism finding an opportunity to profit, we have astrology overwhelming the mainstream and social media. It can be information overload especially when you haven't developed the skills yet to navigate this centuries old tradition. When I began studying astrology in 2015 I would read any astrology blog I could find. I had no idea if what I was reading was substantiated. It took me a while to learn how to navigate the excess of information and to develop skills of discernment. Learn from my errors and experience and consider these suggestions. Take what works and leave the rest.
Online sources can't be your only knowledge building source
Nowadays many people begin astrology retrieving their knowledge from websites and social media. There are some very accurate online sources out there. However, there is also so much watered-down astrology on platforms like Astro Tiktok or Astro Youtube. It is important to be critical of online sources. Just because you see something online doesn't make it true even if it's repeated on several different platforms or websites. Books by credible sources are your friend! The majority of your astrological knowledge should come from books. Look for authors who have been practicing astrology for a long time and have good reputations. In addition to books listen to lectures or podcasts. AFAN Association for Astrological Networking has a big library of lectures members can access. There are many reputable podcasts to discover such as The Astrology Podcast by Chris Brennan and the Strology Podcast by Kirah Tabourn.
No information is completely objective
No information is completely objective. The book you read, the podcast you listen to, the astrology reading you get, they all are subjective. Every source has it’s own perspective, lived experience, values system and that is also embedded in the content you consume. This is important to remember as you encounter different astrologers all with their own worldviews and astrological practices. It is ok to disagree with an astrologer. You can still engage with their content even if you don't agree with them 100%. Take what works for you and leave the rest.
How to approach learning
The best thing you can do for your learning is expose yourself to a variety of different astrologers, branches of astrology, house systems, philosophies, podcasts and etc. You never know what you'll discover and there is magic in unveiling unknown passions. You might find you have a love for decolonizing Medical Astrology and you wouldn't have found that out without researching.
Finding community
Find people you can learn from or talk astrology with. For in-person connections, you can see if your city has a local astrology association or if your neighborhood magic store has astrological events. If you find your area lacking, you could create your own astrology events. You can find online communities through platforms like Patreon or Discord. Talking to people about astrology helps you synthesize the information you are collecting. Find mentors or teachers. Often times you will have to pay for mentorship, but sometimes you can find someone looking to teach an apprentice for trade.
Practice discernment
Be discerning with the info you read and people you encounter. As previously stated, there is a lot of inaccurate information out there. There are people out there who don't have good intentions and are looking to profit off your ignorance. Be pragmatic and trust your intuition.
Do not hero worship or idolize any practitioner
No one is perfect or knows everything about astrology. We are all flawed and have our limitations. Respect people's humanity and see them as a whole, flaws and all. Anytime you put someone on a pedestal they will fall and destroy your expectations. Elevating someone above you creates a power dynamic where you are less, and they are more. You are not less of a person because you know less about astrology. You are simply a beginner! And beginner is not a dirty word. We all must begin somewhere.
Where do you spend your money?
Like every other domain it is significantly easier for a white, “pretty”, able bodied, class privileged, cisgender, heterosexual, etc astrologer to gain a foothold or achieve credibility. Who are your teachers? Who do you patronize for readings? What podcasts do you listen to? How can you support queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, people of color, neurodivergent, disabled, leftist, sex worker, etc., people?
**This article is based off of a presentation I created called “Beginner Astrology: What I Wish I Knew”.