Page 8 - Talented Astrologer • Volume 1 Number 2 • October 2016

Let’s say you want to build a chair.
If you take the academic path, you begin with a history of chairs, exploring their origins and uses
e Real Astrology Academy’s Talented Astrologer Certi cation Program is one of a very few programs that emphasizes practical astrology. Virtually every
throughout the ages. You analyze di erent chairs, comparing and contrasting how the art of chair building evolved. You accumulate every tool that has ever been used to build a chair. And you study examples of the most signi cant chairs ever constructed.
If you take the practical path, you get some lumber, a blueprint,
a hammer and a saw, and you build the chair.
“Practical astrologers other astrology school follows the traditional, academic path.
need an appreciation You mark your progress on of the history and the academic path by picking context of astrology. up souvenirs along the way: Knowing how a tool astrological tips, tools, and
was used in the past can improve how you use it in the present.”
techniques.
e longer you’ve been
studying astrology, the more likely it is that you’ve got a garage full of shiny tools that you don’t know how to use.
From the academic standpoint, the chair you built is crude and inelegant. But from the practical standpoint,
you can actually sit in it.
Take the scenic route (but limit your souvenirs).
If you stick to only one path—academic or practical — you get less than optimal results. e two paths compliment each other, and it’s important to explore both. You’ll probably be drawn more to one path than the other, and that’s ne. But balance is important.
Academic astrologers need to test theories with practical, real-world applications. Some techniques withstand the test of time, while others were forgotten for good reason.
Practical astrologers need an appreciation of the history and context of astrology. Knowing how a tool was used in the past can improve how you use it in the
present.
Remember that tools are a means to an end; they’re not the end itself.
Choose the right tools for the project.
Each type of astrology requires its own set of tools. For example, natal astrology uses di erent tools than predictiveastrology.Ifyouplantocreateanastrological portrait and interpret a natal chart, you won’t use transits, progressions, directions, or returns. And when you interpret the symbols in the chart, you will choose from the personal expressions: the Tenth House will relate to
career, reputation, and professional advancement rather than to the government or the head of state.
But selecting a general set of tools is only the rst step. You still won’t use every tool in the set.
You need to get speci c about your intentions. What kind of astrological portrait do you want to create? Begin by choosing a time period as a context. A contemporary natal chart interpretation uses di erent tools than a classical natal chart interpretation. If you plan to interpret
8 Talented Astrologer
HOW TO BECOME A TALENTED ASTROLOGER