Modern book on traditional natal astrology?

1
Can somebody recommend a contemporary book on traditional analysis of natal charts (preferably in German)? I own and know William Lilly’s “Christian Astrology??? (also book 3) and Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos also Morin’s book XXI of his “Astrologia Gallica??? but I am looking for something else written in about the last 50 years.

I am no beginner but I have no really firm grasp of natal astrology and want to structure my knowledge better.

Thanks for recommendations!

2
I forgot: I also know the books by John Frawley, Deborah Houlding, Rafael Gil Brands textbook of traditional astrology and others and all helped a lot. What is missing in my head is an ordered procedure. Sometimes I don’t see the forest because of all the trees.

4
I have recommended Brennan's book myself in other contexts, but its strength lies in presenting historical and (some) conceptual overviews for the beginner. I don't think it can be used as a step-by-step guide to traditional natal interpretation. In fact, I can't think, offhand, of a single book written over the past half-century that would serve that purpose. A few people have offered courses (the late Robert Zoller, for instance, and currently Ben Dykes), but not written manuals. Zoller's course was based largely on Bonatti, and Dykes's is based on Sahl.

Personally, I would advise just giving up the 'contemporary' criterion and studying Sahl and others at first hand (keeping in mind that some of these authors were using charts calculated in a sidereal zodiac). As C.S. Lewis wrote some 80 years ago:
There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books. Thus I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about "isms" and influences and only once in twelve pages telling him what Plato actually said. The error is rather an amiable one, for it springs from humility. The student is half afraid to meet one of the great philosophers face to face. He feels himself inadequate and thinks he will not understand him. But if he only knew, the great man, just because of his greatness, is much more intelligible than his modern commentator. The simplest student will be able to understand, if not all, yet a very great deal of what Plato said; but hardly anyone can understand some modern books on Platonism. It has always therefore been one of my main endeavours as a teacher to persuade the young that firsthand knowledge is not only more worth acquiring than secondhand knowledge, but is usually much easier and more delightful to acquire.
https://astrology.martingansten.com/

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Hi Georgius,

Most of the traditional books I've read focus on the various techniques with one or two examples of how they can be applied. Often the chart delineation focus is on re-listing the techniques with a suggestion as to the order they are to be applied in and possibly one or two delineated charts but often they just cover a few specific areas of life i.e. marriage or finances or character, etc.

If you just want a basic approach using houses, signs,the 10 planets and standard aspects you can try scanning C.C. Zain's Book 10-1 Natal Astrology and see if it helps.

Or you might want to look for Friedrich "Sindbad" Schwickert ad Adolf Weiss's text Cornerstones of Astrology; they summarize Morin's method with some practical examples. The book was originally written in German so you might be able to find a copy in that language.

But if you want a book with the majority of techniques covered you could try Traditional Astrology Course: Essential Concepts & Interpretation Basics by Helena Avelar & Luis Ribeiro.

Or, for a purely Hellenistic approach, Demetra George's Ancient Astrology Vol 1 & II

I know you said you'd prefer modern texts but if you have Rhetorius the Egyptian by James Holden check out section 54 Topical Examination [Of the Horoscope] which lays out 7 basic "considerations" that should be taken into account.

Edit: Just remembered, if you don’t have Rhetorius check out Levente László’s translation.

Hope that's of some help.

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Excellent recommendations Janegca and Martin.
Another tool I have found most valuable over the years is the study of midpoints (Cosmobiology and Uranian Astrology).
I personally rank them on top of my list.
Blessings!

7
I think the plan or structure of a book is essential in defining what your step-by-step approach will be. All the different techniques used in astrology can then be incorporated within your structure.
In this regard, the book of Brennan is more like a dictionary or compendium of all these techniques.
One approach, from a book I read in recent years by Danièle Jay, is centered on some of the major themes of life.
- Family
- Career
- Happiness
- Love
- Diseases
- Death
To which we can add, based on the 12th Houses
- Money
- Brothers and sisters
- Short and long trips
- Sexuality
- Friends

Another approach could be centered around the planets and what kind of energy they bring in our life.

Most of astrology books are like pieces of a puzzle that you need to assemble in order to go from the general to the particular.
And also, looking at transits, progressions, directions etc, a person will come to see you with a concern that will need to be discussed. Like a photo in time, a snapshot. You can be technically skilled and yet not being able to address the need of the person in front of you.
You need to love the people to be an astrologer. It's a people business!
Blessings!

8
Many thanks for all the diverse recommendations and tips! I will see what I can get here in Austria and choose from this.
Ouranos wrote:You can be technically skilled and yet not being able to address the need of the person in front of you.
You need to love the people to be an astrologer. It's a people business!
That rings very true.

Books

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Hi there - for medieval, early modern techniques, I value the work by Helena
Avelar and Luis Ribeiro - On the Heavenly Spheres. There is an accompanying workbook which is helpful too.

I have put many of these techniques into Jean Cremer's Planetdance Freeware. See www.jcremers.com for more details including a download link.

J Lee Lehman's books are also helpful in translating traditional practice into a modern context.
"...the motions that are akin to the divine in us are the thoughts and revolutions of the universe."

Plato, Timaeus, 90.