Traditional Book List II
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 12:08 am
I'm going to try this again, but this time with a caveat. This is a thread concerning a suggested small library for beginning traditional astrologers. Pay particular attention to the last sentence. We're looking for suggestions regarding books, not suggestions of what doesn't belong here. Those remarks and remarks about particular authors will be deleted without explanation. I think this is a good topic and one that can be helpful.
This could go into the Books section, but I wish to limit it for the following reason. Traditional astrology, although expanding, is still a bit of a fringe element compared to the rest of the field. We've had an explosion of outstanding work done over the past 30 or so years and produced a group of outstanding astrologers, but we are still in the minority. That may always be so, but we can and should strive to improve our standing. I've been told that UAC is not planning on a traditional track next time around and last time they only had one, I believe. Traditional Astrology conferences are virtually unknown in the US. There is one going on in Australia right now, and I wish them well, but I wish we could do these things here, too.
The problem, as I see it is that we are made up of a group of largely self taught individuals. One needs a good deal of motivation to do that and without direction, the odds are long that the individual will succeed to any great extent. What I'm proposing is perhaps, step one.
We need a list of books for the beginning traditional astrologer. Let's posit the following: we have an astrologer at the advanced beginner or intermediate stage who has developed an interest in traditional astrology but needs direction. Let's limit ourselves to books that can be used to serve this purpose. Obviously some really important books won't make the list. That's OK this isn't a contest to see how many votes a particular old text receives. The purpose is education.
The books can be old or contemporary authors writing about the tradition. Mine is a mix. This is not a course curriculum so sequence is not all that important. If anyone wishes to put them in sequence that's fine, but it is not necessary. We're building a basic library.
My first list would include:
Tetrabiblos because it is the most influential astrology book ever written.
Something of Valens to see how it can be done and/or Paul of Alexander.
From there I'd move up to Hand's Night and Day, Planetary Sect in Astrology. This little booklet has a great deal of information in it - not just sect. I'd also toss in his pamphlet on Whole Sign Houses. Joe Crane's book, A Practical Guide to Traditional Astrology is also a worthy addition.
Back to the old guys I'd go to Ibn Ezra and maybe Al Biruni. Ibn Ezra might be the only medieval astrologer who could write well. He doesn't read like a modern, but he is sure easier to grasp than some of the others.
A "must" is The Astrologer's Guide which is a list of aphorisms from Bonatti and Cardan - translated by Coley and Edited by Lilly. This book is a gem and under-appreciated.
From here I'd jump to Lilly and Morin. Lilly of course gives us Christian Astrology. For Morin we can stick with Book 21 but I'd strongly urge adding Book 23 (Revolutions). Morin gives us some significant icon busting needed for a well rounded education.
So now astrology goes to sleep - wakes up and gives us: John Worsdale. There is a great deal of good astrology in Celestial Philosophy and a great deal of knowledge is needed to understand him, but he is worth the effort.
After Worsdale the best astrologer was A.J. Pearce and his Text Book of Astrology is very informative. From here on in there is a dearth of good traditional works. We become persona non grata in our own field until a few texts that are worth reading on their own merits and a couple of references:
Lee Lehman's Classical Astrology for Modern Living, Essential Dignities, and Book of Rulerships are excellent. Frawley's irreverent look at the state of our art in The Real Astrology, Patrick Curry' A Confusion of Prophets, and Robson's Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology are all good reading and/or reference.
Deb's book, The Houses, Temples of the Sky gives a strong overview of the origin of house meanings as well as provides a hand reference when the need arises.
Holden's History of Horoscopic Astrology is a good introduction to that topic. Campion's are much more detailed and might wait, but are excellent.
That should be enough to point the student in the right direction and he can add things as time goes on. I'm sure I left things out that I would put in, but for a first round this will do.
What would others list?
This could go into the Books section, but I wish to limit it for the following reason. Traditional astrology, although expanding, is still a bit of a fringe element compared to the rest of the field. We've had an explosion of outstanding work done over the past 30 or so years and produced a group of outstanding astrologers, but we are still in the minority. That may always be so, but we can and should strive to improve our standing. I've been told that UAC is not planning on a traditional track next time around and last time they only had one, I believe. Traditional Astrology conferences are virtually unknown in the US. There is one going on in Australia right now, and I wish them well, but I wish we could do these things here, too.
The problem, as I see it is that we are made up of a group of largely self taught individuals. One needs a good deal of motivation to do that and without direction, the odds are long that the individual will succeed to any great extent. What I'm proposing is perhaps, step one.
We need a list of books for the beginning traditional astrologer. Let's posit the following: we have an astrologer at the advanced beginner or intermediate stage who has developed an interest in traditional astrology but needs direction. Let's limit ourselves to books that can be used to serve this purpose. Obviously some really important books won't make the list. That's OK this isn't a contest to see how many votes a particular old text receives. The purpose is education.
The books can be old or contemporary authors writing about the tradition. Mine is a mix. This is not a course curriculum so sequence is not all that important. If anyone wishes to put them in sequence that's fine, but it is not necessary. We're building a basic library.
My first list would include:
Tetrabiblos because it is the most influential astrology book ever written.
Something of Valens to see how it can be done and/or Paul of Alexander.
From there I'd move up to Hand's Night and Day, Planetary Sect in Astrology. This little booklet has a great deal of information in it - not just sect. I'd also toss in his pamphlet on Whole Sign Houses. Joe Crane's book, A Practical Guide to Traditional Astrology is also a worthy addition.
Back to the old guys I'd go to Ibn Ezra and maybe Al Biruni. Ibn Ezra might be the only medieval astrologer who could write well. He doesn't read like a modern, but he is sure easier to grasp than some of the others.
A "must" is The Astrologer's Guide which is a list of aphorisms from Bonatti and Cardan - translated by Coley and Edited by Lilly. This book is a gem and under-appreciated.
From here I'd jump to Lilly and Morin. Lilly of course gives us Christian Astrology. For Morin we can stick with Book 21 but I'd strongly urge adding Book 23 (Revolutions). Morin gives us some significant icon busting needed for a well rounded education.
So now astrology goes to sleep - wakes up and gives us: John Worsdale. There is a great deal of good astrology in Celestial Philosophy and a great deal of knowledge is needed to understand him, but he is worth the effort.
After Worsdale the best astrologer was A.J. Pearce and his Text Book of Astrology is very informative. From here on in there is a dearth of good traditional works. We become persona non grata in our own field until a few texts that are worth reading on their own merits and a couple of references:
Lee Lehman's Classical Astrology for Modern Living, Essential Dignities, and Book of Rulerships are excellent. Frawley's irreverent look at the state of our art in The Real Astrology, Patrick Curry' A Confusion of Prophets, and Robson's Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology are all good reading and/or reference.
Deb's book, The Houses, Temples of the Sky gives a strong overview of the origin of house meanings as well as provides a hand reference when the need arises.
Holden's History of Horoscopic Astrology is a good introduction to that topic. Campion's are much more detailed and might wait, but are excellent.
That should be enough to point the student in the right direction and he can add things as time goes on. I'm sure I left things out that I would put in, but for a first round this will do.
What would others list?
