The Book of Water: Healing, Regeneration and Recovery

by Steven Forrest

In The Book of Water, award-winning astrologer Steven Forrest completes his epochal investigation of the four astrological elements. In this fourth volume of the series, he focuses on how people bounce back from hurt and tragedy. In the opening pages, he invokes the haunting image of an old woman dancing on a moonlit beach. He writes, “Every line on the dancer’s face tells a story. Many of those stories are sad ones . . . and yet we are confronted with an inexplicable the old woman still dances. Of all of life’s mysteries, is there a deeper one? Not that terrible things happen, but that we dance anyway. That we can recover. That spirit regenerates . . . Finding our way back to that dancer is what this book is about. Let’s meet the good medicine of the Water signs – the guardians of the sacred mysteries of healing, regeneration, and recovery.” In these pages, Forrest offers a detailed exploration of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, along with their planetary rulers and their associated astrological the fourth, the eighth, and the twelfth. Together, these powerful words in astrology’s magical vocabulary are the key to returning to joy and wholeness no matter what life throws at us.

Genres: Astrology, Spirituality, Occult, Witchcraft, Nonfiction

546 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2020

Reviews

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

The astrology is on point, but what I loved even more was the profound philosophical texts that Steven Forrest throws into this last book about the elements. I'll give one example so you get my meaning.

When discussing Neptune in Gemini (and someone practicing the lower vibration) Forrest says, "The Zen tradition teaches that religion is like a finger pointing at the moon. I stare at the finger."

There's so many sprinkles of deep wisdom from different branches of philosophy and spirituality in this book that really make it pop for me. I felt Forrest took his time with this book and the descriptions are tight, concise, but profound.

[Emmish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best best best!!!

-cancer (feel feelings) scorpio (face them honesty) pisces (integrate, perspective, transcend)
-I loved the portraits of the two people with different moons who’d followed their calls/lived out their genius
-need insight AND catharsis- emotional physical release for healing
-your soul doing its right truly meaningful work is immensely healing/life giving. Connecting students with this call/genius/their own voice is the role of the educator
-as Kristin said, I am not even remotely weird enough
-Astro has potential to describe and prescribe- in a way that’s hopeful and affirming of free will/inviting of personal responsibility
-luminous beings in a loving, responsive universe
-practicality is more dangerous than mere following appetites (464) fuck!!!!! P’s dangerous esp given aqua rising with Uranus in Aquarius conjunct ascendant in 12th house
-THAT is probably the depth of the Pluto square moon……….all that cap is preventing the aqua genius from coming through/blocking fate……Eek……
-neptunian need for stillness, away from ego things, receptivity for angel whispers
-the theme is really truth- and compassion, or is compassion just truth bc oneness…..how to be true to what is (acceptance, krishamurti quote), to who you are, to your lessons, your mistakes, your desires……
-FAITH
-synchronicity- creates outwards experiences that mirror the inner work we are needing to do (58)

[Luis González Serra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven's style leaves no one indifferent: some like it and others make it clear that they "will never read anything like it again". But there is a third class of readers, in my opinion: those to whom Steven's books have helped to reflect on their lives, as well as to make some important decisions once they have understood what was going on with them (or at least, an important part of them), which would be my case. Those who are "never going to read anything like it again" will always be left with the classics and their cataracts of gloomy prognoses: "If you have Saturn in the twelfth house, you will end up in jail or the madhouse".... "If you have Neptune in Scorpio, you'll dream of murderous ghosts"...."If Pluto forms an opposition with your Venus, you have all the numbers to become a rapist (or to be raped)," and the like. The rest of us will continue to pay attention to Steven's approach and use whichever part suits us best, thanking him for helping us to look deeper within.

[Aline · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good and actually helpful to navigate transits, progressions and understand natal energies/placements!

I understood and could get an even better feel for the water signs, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces + the water houses. Everything is thoroughly explained.

I especially found the chapter on the Lunar Return progressions in combination with the Saturn Returns very interesting, I hadn't heard about it before and because I have my first one upcoming, this helped a lot to understand how to operate through it.

This Elemental series is great for beginners as well as advanced people.
For beginners I would recommend to read them in publication order, because they seem to build up on each other.
I actually started with the last book. Now the previous three books are already on their way to me. I can't wait to dive into them too!

[Michelle McRitchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just amazing! Steven Forrest has helped me to work out how I want to practice astrology. His understanding of how people grow and evolve and how our encouragement and insights can help people on that journey. The four elements books are absolutely essential reading for anyone who wants to practice evolutionary astrology and help others heal and grow.

[KristenNakiaaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author seemed more concerned with cracking jokes to appease, as opposed to actually educating . I strongly disliked the many metaphors and anaologies disguised as weak joke attempts . I do not resonate with this authors writing style !

[Manuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of the serie! And the longest. It touches the soul at the most profound level. It is revealing and unsettling at times, but so authentic and healing!