Essential Astrology: Everything You Need to Know to Interpret Your Natal Chart

by Amy Herring

Your natal chart is a tool to help you build the life you want. It's a map to consult when you are feeling lost or when you want to explore the deepest parts of your true self.

Join expert astrologer Amy Herring as she shares simple, step-by-step instructions to reading your natal chart in a way that provides profound insight into your inner workings. Essential Astrology reveals the meanings of the signs, planets, houses, and aspects, showing you the vital details of interpreting natal charts with skill and ease.

Astrology is a symbolic language for the heart and soul. With this book, you will discover how to apply the deepest layers of astrological wisdom to questions about relationships, careers, and everything that's most important in your life.

This book will introduce the components of astrology with depth right from the start, with classic elements like keywords and positive and negative traits, but spending more time illustrating how to dig deeper to go beyond stereotypes into the heart of each planet, sign, house, and aspects. While this can be looked at as a beginning astrology book, it can serve for intermediate students as well, who have memorized keywords but struggle to draw the depth from each component and are ready for a deeper review.

Genres: Astrology, Nonfiction, Spirituality

408 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2016

Reviews

[Sara Jovanovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this was way too complex for a beginner (which maybe explains why I struggled during the certain parts...or maybe it's just my fault). However, I loved Amy's approach to the topic and the way stereotypes are shattered in this one. It was definitely an enjoyable experience reading this book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the back of the book, the summary states, "A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO THE WISDOM OF ASTROLOGY." This is a good book, yes, but I'm not sure it'd work well as someone's very first book on the topic. For one thing, there's a major visual component to astrology: the chart. Early on, the beginner is going to have to learn what charts look like and what the symbols mean. And yet at the point in the book where the author is explaining just that, there aren't any complete charts shown. There are some partial charts—an empty chart with just houses and signs, a chart with the Sun and Moon and some dots to indicate other planets—but there are only two "normal" astrological charts shown in the entire book, and they're towards the end of the book. Also, this book goes pretty thoroughly into what the planets, signs, houses, and aspects mean. This isn't a bad thing, but it seems like a lot to pour into a beginner's head as their very first exposure to the subject.

If you're familiar with Steven Forrest's work (especially The Inner Sky: How to Make Wiser Choices for a More Fulfilling Life) and you know you like it, you'll probably be interested in this book as well. Forrest and Herring have a similar approach to astrology, focusing on seeing the themes that lie behind the usual descriptions of the planets, signs, and houses, and then weaving them together into an interpretation of a chart. That last bit, chart interpretation techniques, is where this book shines. Many authors show one method of interpreting a chart, sometimes two. Herring describes at least six techniques, some general and others capable of extreme detail. She then devotes a chapter to demonstrating these techniques on the chart of Steve Martin (whose chart is the one on page 297).

I think this book would give an absolute beginner too much information to digest, and that beginner would do better to start with simpler books. But once that beginner has learned the basics of the planets, signs, and houses, this would be a fine book for them to read, and it probably has something for intermediate and advanced students as well.

[Mary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a good intro to astrology and this did the trick.

[Rosemary Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the mid-nineteenth century, hundreds of books on horoscope erection and interpretation have been written for students and practitioners in the West. Most have restated a mixture of traditional maxims, old wives’ tales, or attempts to mingle science, psychology, and experimental concepts that entertain, but mostly fail to deliver an accurate view of personality and future trends.
For the student, Herring offers a practical approach to learning astrology without the apologetics of science vs. art and other distractions. Good graphics and technical explanations on astronomical topics are offered in their proper place, setting the stage for the reader to delve into the myriad elements that comprise the birth map. Following this, chapters outline the meaning of planets, Signs, and Houses with enough detail to provide a good basis for horoscope interpretation. Of special interest is a chapter on the Moon’s Nodes (their Signs, Houses, and Aspects), which are not frequently delineated in standard compendiums. Essential Astrology offers more than a “cookbook” approach to reading the birth map, providing much more than the “essentials.”

[D. Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my introduction into the fundamentals of astrology, which I read 5 years ago. A half score later, I've devoured nearly 100 books, in conjunction with hundreds of articles and papers on the subject and still I find myself recomending this book over the lot and a long with the works of Ptolemey, Richard Tarnas, Jeffery green, etc. Essential Astrology remains one of the best written, easy to understand references on the subject, succeeding in making one of the most challenging disciplines feel almost effortless.

Amy Herring truelly is one of the unsung heros of the Astrological community, and Essential Astrology may very well be the best place to start for anyone beginning their life-long journey towards unraveling the many mysteries Astrology has to offer.

[Lili Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book for people beginning to get interested in natal charts and on how to start reading and going about interpreting their natal chart. It explains everything in plain terms that allows the reader to engage with their natal charts and what they could find instead of being pulled up in academia or hard to read writing for the sake of sounding educated. I feel this is a good first (or one of) book about astrology and natal charts for people.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was written in 2016 (7 years ago).
The book contains 3 main chapters and 18 subchapters.
The book contains 420 pages that you can read rapidly.
I did not find book very analytical but rather descriptive and I did not learn anything concrete.
Did Steve Martin gave his consent to analyze his birth chart in the book. I think it is not ok to analyze someone else birth chart without his approval.
I rather recommend the book Astrology Realized, by Nadiya Shah from 2015.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an astrologer for 40 years, I didn't learn anything new. But I did agree with some of the updated interpretations of the planets. Older astrology books tend to be full of doom and gloom regarding certain zodiac signs, planets, and aspects, and this was more accurate to the times we live in. I recommend it for new people who want to study astrology.

[Atheer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for those interested in learning how to interpret a natal chart , but of course I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners. I’ve been studying astrology for years ,and I think This book includes everything you need to know which will push you forward to start natal chart interpretation .

[Michelle Corder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read on astrology so my frame of reference is limited, but it was perfect for diving just a little bit deeper without being overwhelmed. I highly recommend it to anyone new to the subject.

[Justin T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great intro to astrology for people just starting out

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good primer on some of the more obscure aspects of astrology that I never understood (like aspects).

[Krissys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential Astrology: Everything You Need to Know to Interpret Your Natal Chart by Amy Herring Essential Astrology: Everything You Need to Know to Interpret Your Natal Chartby Amy Herring This book will introduce the components of astrology with depth right from the start, introducing classic elements like keywords and positive and negative traits, but spending more effort illustrating how to dig deeper to go beyond stereotypes into the heart of each planet, sign, house, and aspects. While this can be looked at as a beginning astrology book, it can serve for intermediate students as well, who have memorized keywords but still have no ability to sense the depth of each component and are ready for a deeper review.My Review: Each individual Astrology book will be different for every person. Some things readers will agree with some they won't. The book is easy to understand and follow and to make things personal for myself was a true interpretation of the kind of person I really am at heart which has been a first from all the others I've read in the past. I really liked this authors version. My Rating:4 StarsReviewed By: Krissy's Bookshelf Reviewshttp://kkmalott.booklikes.com/Note: I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Llewellyn and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.

I was pleased to see a new beginner's astrology book and think, with heavy editing, this book will be
a hit. The writer takes a modern approach to astrology and repeatedly points out that the
astrological chart reflects potential, not fate; it is a tool to be used to further one's personal growth.
The book takes one through planets, signs and houses, adhering mostly to time honored
keywords, but provides more in depth information about each. Many tools are provided
to assist the reader in chart interpretation.
I tried to revert to a beginner's mind to determine if this truly is a book for beginners.
I think it mostly is especially if better organization is achieved through editing.