OCTOBER 2007
THE ASTROLOGER'S BOOKSHELF

by Sue Taylor

Astrology for Beginners: A Simple Way to Read Your Chart, by Joann Hampar. Llewellyn Publications, 240pp, November 2007.

This book is a primer for the beginning astrologer. It is a quick read and very easy to understand. Ms. Hampar has the ability to pack a lot of information in a very small space.

She goes through the usual signs, houses, elements, qualities, planets in houses, aspects, etc., and has a special space for the sign on the ascendant (also known as the rising sign). She goes through the sequence of the signs and the framework of the horoscope.

Even though this is a very basic beginning text, it is not boring even to a seasoned astrologer. She leads the student through a very complex study in a natural progression explaining the planets in the houses and signs and the meaning of aspects formed between planets.

The most interesting part of the book to me was the explanation of how to look for the patterns formed by the sequence of the planets around the chart and the seven basic chart patterns.

She points out the importance of knowing the meaning of the patterns such as the “splash” pattern, where each planet is in a different sign and house and has multiple aspects. She gives the key words for a quick read of this pattern i.e. versatility—universality.

The “bundle” pattern whose signature is planets all within 120 degrees of each other—keywords concentration and focus. She moves through all seven possibilities and then describes the hemispheres (North, South, East and West) and what they mean in terms of how the individual with this hemisphere emphasis experiences life, processes information, and behaves based on this particular focus and interpretation.