study group introduction

Welcome to Aeclectic's study group for astrology beginners. In the following year we hope to cover the 12 signs, their ruling planets and associated houses. We will study each sign as the sun transits through it, which gives us approximatly a month/sign.

<edit> Group structure has changed to application threads/sign (and the associated planet(s) and house). Focus has shifted to natal chart interpretation. You are invited to post your natal chart on www.astro.com in our account. For more information on how to access this group's account, pls contact lunalafey. </edit>

The group will be structured by the following areas:
1) basic description
2) application (how to 'read' the planet/sign/house)
3) historical context
4) links to other systems (mythology, tarot, psychology, alchemy, agriculture etc)

These are just flexible guidelines, so if there are any suggestions, please post to the relevant thread.

Special thanks to Minderwiz for his support, and thanks to all who expressed their interest!

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Suggested sites:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?threadid=8270 [Minderwiz's great post connecting the natural year to astrology. I highly recommend reading this thread.]
http://www.stariq.com [up to date articles, searchable archive]
http://www.astro.com [calculates astrological charts w/lots of options. I check out my transits here]
http://www.bobmarksastrologer.com [a helpful beginner's site although tends to be essentialist at times]

Suggested books:
general~
Introducing Astrology (forgot the author; it's one of a whole serious of Introducing... Freud, Marx, Quantum Physics etc)

chart interpretation beginner~
Stephen Arroyo /Chart Interpretation Handbook
Frances Sakoian and Louis S. Acker/The Astrologer's Handbook

dispositors~
Alan Oken/Rulers of the Horoscope
Kevin Burk/ Astrology - Understanding The Birth Chart
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For those curious to know how the grp started, please refer to this thread: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?threadid=8121

That means I missed the study group on my sign?
Good suggestion though, I'm looking forward to see how it'll go.

~aeonx~

Big kisses to you, isthmus, for starting an Astrology Study Group EXACTLY when I was wondering to myself, "Hmmm, now where can I go to learn more about Astrology?"

What kind of discussions are you looking for in the individual Sign threads? If I have a beginner-type question regarding that Sign should I just post it as a new thread?

I shall read all the Astrology Study Group threads with great pleasure! Thanks again!

Peace,

Melvis

We just missed Libra!! But think of it this way; by the time we get to your sign, we'll have learned so much about astrology that the discussions will probably be really packed!

Isthmus, as Minderwiz told me when I asked the same question.....HE'S A MALE (and a happily married one too).

AG

Pls pardon me Minderwiz for refering to you as his/her. I know you've written about your wife, but I didn't want to make any assumptions!

Melvis> I missed your last post so I didn't mean to ignore ya! All questions would probably be best kept to the one thread just so we don't have all these little Scorpio threads scattered about the forum. Having said that, I think it would be better if we could wait for Minderwiz to post his introductory write-up before we ask any newbie questions.

Of course, Minderwiz if there's something you'd like me to cover b/c you don't have time, I can try to look it up myself.

As for discussion, anything goes ^_^ Other than getting a handle on newbie concerns, I've also mentioned psychology, alchemy, mythology, agriculture and of course, tarot.
Hopefully this knowledge will give us a solid and very *broad* basis to understanding astrology. To draw an analogy, it would be like getting to know each tarot card in *great* detail so that you can read spreads with familiarity and flexibility, to make connections w/i and w/o tarot with confidence and a multi leveled precision. Thankfully there's only 10 planets, 12 signs and 12 houses to study vs 78 individual cards!

AG> Thank you so much for encouraging the ambitious Capricorn in me ^_~

AG

Thanks for leaping in for me, I'm definitely male my wife is definitely female and we're definitely happy (well most of the time).

I think Isthmus' idea was great and I hope the group works well. I will try and answer questions rather than sticking in great tracts of stuff - however I have Mercury in Scorpio and that means that I like to know exactly why everything as it is and scour the hidden depths to make sure I'm sure. This can lead to longish posts but I claim the Scorpio defence this time around.

Minderwiz

Melvis, well I guess that answers your q: post away w/your newbie questions! ^_^

*lol* Minderwiz, we like your longish posts! w/Mercury in 12th, Jupiter in 8th I tend to get very very chatty about 'forbidden' issues ie. astrology so expect some longish posts from me too!

and... have a Happy Birthday!!

Hi all, I was wondering whether the interest in the astrology group has dropped b/c it's not going to be a chart interpretation group. While it is fun researching, I honestly don't have the time to pull off something of this magnitude by myself, even if Minderwiz has been gracious enough to answer all the newbie questions. I was going to get into tarot sometime next week when I've finished my final midterm and paper, but I was hoping that the group was going to generate more participation. If this isn't what you guys are interested participating in, or if you feel the level of discussion is too ambitious, please tell me!

I had thought of suggesting a chart reading section but I must admit that it would be quited demanding on readers, especially those of us who are in full time jobs and may have busy periods at work when they just can't deliver charts on time as well.

One way forward that I am seriously thinking of is offering some horary readings - say a maximum of two per week - these are similar to the sort of readings that are done in the tarot readings exchange, with a querent asking a question and the astrologer (me) having a go at answering it using horary techniques.

However at the moment I am in a very busy period at work - till around the middle of December or so. But if people are interested in the idea - I'll give it a go around Christmas and early January and see if it works out. Horary readings are usually quicker (if not easier) than natal readings so hopefully it will be less demanding in terms of time and also its an area that I am currently studying in my astrology course.

In terms of the wider stuff - lets give Sagittarius a go and see how we do but try in on a more basic level than Scorpio - its a lighter sign anyway.

Regards

Minderwiz