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Page 1: Astrology - download.e-bookshelf.de fileby Rae Orion Astrology FOR DUMmIES‰ 2ND EDITION 01_098400 ffirs.qxp 2/23/07 11:37 PM Page iii

by Rae Orion

AstrologyFOR

DUMmIES‰

2ND EDITION

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AstrologyFOR

DUMmIES‰

2ND EDITION

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by Rae Orion

AstrologyFOR

DUMmIES‰

2ND EDITION

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Astrology For Dummies®, 2nd EditionPublished byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as per-mitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior writtenpermission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to theCopyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600.Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing,Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317-572-3447, fax 317-572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for theRest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com and related tradedress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the UnitedStates and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are theproperty of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendormentioned in this book.

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REP-RESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THECONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUTLIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CRE-ATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CON-TAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THEUNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OROTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF ACOMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THEAUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATIONOR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FUR-THER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THEINFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAYMAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORKMAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN ITIS READ.

For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer CareDepartment within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print maynot be available in electronic books.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2007920015

ISBN: 978-0-470-09840-0

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the AuthorRae Orion has been casting horoscopes since the Ford Administration, whenshe became the court astrologer for a metaphysical bookstore on the WestCoast and began to prognosticate for strangers. She has taught astrology to high school students, social service professionals, friends, and relatives,and has written monthly horoscope columns and articles about astrology(among other topics) for New Woman and other magazines. She lives in New York City.

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DedicationFor George, always

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Author’s AcknowledgmentsTwo Capricorns deserve extravagant praise: my husband, George, and myeditor, Chrissy Guthrie. Both are thoughtful, serious, organized, kind, and alot more fun than is generally advertised for that sign. I also want to thankTracy Boggier, who reintroduced me to the For Dummies way of life; EthelWinslow, who is a fine astrologer as well as an editor; and others at Wiley,including Jessica Smith, David Lutton, the people in Composition Services,and Christy Beck, whose behind-the-scenes presence was always a comfort.Without Reid Boates, this book would not exist.

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Publisher’s AcknowledgmentsWe’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registrationform located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Senior Project Editor: Christina Guthrie

(Previous Edition: Christine Meloy Beck)

Acquisitions Editor: Tracy Boggier

Copy Editor: Jessica Smith

Technical Editor: Ethel Winslow

Editorial Manager: Christine Meloy Beck

Editorial Assistants: Erin Calligan Mooney, Joe Niesen, David Lutton

Cover Photo: © Mary Evans Picture Library /Alamy

Cartoons: Rich Tennant(www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Heather Kolter

Layout and Graphics: Carl Byers, Brooke Graczyk, Joyce Haughey, Stephanie D. Jumper

Anniversary Logo Design: Richard Pacifico

Proofreaders: Aptara, David Faust

Indexer: Aptara

Special Help

David Lutton

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies

Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel

Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

Publishing for Technology Dummies

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User

Composition Services

Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

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Contents at a GlanceIntroduction .................................................................1

Part I: Mapping Your Place in the Cosmos ......................7Chapter 1: An Astrological Overview: The Horoscope in Brief ....................................9Chapter 2: Getting Your Precise Horoscope: The Old Way versus the Easy Way ....21Chapter 3: Estimating Your Horoscope Using the Tables in This Book ....................29

Part II: Here Comes the Sun ........................................39Chapter 4: Fire Signs: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.........................................................41Chapter 5: Earth Signs: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn.................................................53Chapter 6: Air Signs: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.......................................................65Chapter 7: Water Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces...................................................77

Part III: Everything Else in the Cosmic Cookbook ..........89Chapter 8: Moon Signs: The Lunacy Factor ..................................................................91Chapter 9: The Personal Planets ..................................................................................101Chapter 10: The Outer Planets (Plus One Amazing Asteroid)..................................119Chapter 11: What You See versus What You Get: The Rising Sign (And More)......135Chapter 12: The Sun, the Moon, and the Planets in the Houses ..............................149Chapter 13: Amazing Aspects: The Secrets of Cosmic Geometry............................171Chapter 14: A Guide to Interpreting Your Birth Chart...............................................197

Part IV: Using Astrology Right Now...........................213Chapter 15: The Sun Sign Combinations .....................................................................215Chapter 16: The Times of Our Lives: Transits ............................................................231Chapter 17: The Lunar Advantage: Using Astrology in Daily Life ............................253Chapter 18: Retrograde Hell? The Truth Revealed ....................................................261

Part V: The Part of Tens ............................................269Chapter 19: Ten Talents You Can Spot in a Chart.......................................................271Chapter 20: Ten (Plus One) Ways to Use Astrology in Your Life:

The Art of Timing.........................................................................................................281

Appendix: Planetary Tables .......................................289

Index .......................................................................361

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Table of ContentsIntroduction..................................................................1

About This Book...............................................................................................1Conventions Used in This Book .....................................................................1What You’re Not to Read.................................................................................2Foolish Assumptions .......................................................................................2How This Book Is Organized...........................................................................3

Part I: Mapping Your Place in the Cosmos ..........................................3Part II: Here Comes the Sun ..................................................................3Part III: Everything Else in the Cosmic Cookbook..............................3Part IV: Using Astrology Right Now......................................................4Part V: The Part of Tens.........................................................................4

Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................5Where to Go from Here....................................................................................5

Part I: Mapping Your Place in the Cosmos.......................7

Chapter 1: An Astrological Overview: The Horoscope in Brief . . . . . .9Looking at the Starry Sky ..............................................................................10Identifying the Signs of the Zodiac...............................................................11Understanding the Signs ...............................................................................12

Polarity: Dividing the zodiac by two..................................................13Modality: Dividing the zodiac by three .............................................13Elements: Dividing the zodiac by four...............................................13Putting the zodiac back together .......................................................14

Considering the Sun, the Moon, and the Planets.......................................16Who Rules? Discovering the Rulers of the Signs........................................17Assessing the Ascendant and the Houses ..................................................18

The Ascendant......................................................................................19Taking the House Tour.........................................................................20

Chapter 2: Getting Your Precise Horoscope: The Old Way versus the Easy Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Gathering the Information You Need...........................................................22Dealing with approximate birth times ...............................................22Coping with an absence of information.............................................23

What It Takes to Cast Your Chart the Old-Fashioned Way........................23Getting Your Horoscope in a Nanosecond..................................................25Investing in DIY Software ..............................................................................26

Maximizing the Mac .............................................................................26Playing with the PC ..............................................................................27Seeking out advice................................................................................28

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Chapter 3: Estimating Your Horoscope Using the Tables in This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Using the Tables in This Book to Identify Your Planets ............................30Figuring Out Your Ascendant or Rising Sign...............................................31

Finding your rising sign in three easy steps .....................................32Beware of the limitations.....................................................................34

Determining Your Houses .............................................................................34Creating a Horoscope ....................................................................................36

Part II: Here Comes the Sun .........................................39

Chapter 4: Fire Signs: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41Aries the Ram: March 20–April 18................................................................42

The sunny side......................................................................................42The sorry side.......................................................................................43Relationships ........................................................................................43Work .......................................................................................................44

Leo the Lion: July 23–August 22 ...................................................................45The sunny side......................................................................................46The sorry side.......................................................................................46Relationships ........................................................................................47Work .......................................................................................................48

Sagittarius the Archer: November 22–December 21..................................49The sunny side......................................................................................49The sorry side.......................................................................................50Relationships ........................................................................................50Work .......................................................................................................51

Chapter 5: Earth Signs: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53Taurus the Bull: April 19–May 20 .................................................................54

The sunny side......................................................................................54The sorry side.......................................................................................55Relationships ........................................................................................56Work .......................................................................................................56

Virgo the Virgin: August 23–September 22..................................................57The sunny side......................................................................................58The sorry side.......................................................................................58Relationships ........................................................................................59Work .......................................................................................................59

Capricorn the Goat: December 22–January 19...........................................61The sunny side......................................................................................61The sorry side.......................................................................................62Relationships ........................................................................................62Work .......................................................................................................63

Astrology For Dummies, 2nd Edition xiv

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Chapter 6: Air Signs: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65Gemini the Twins: May 21–June 20 ..............................................................66

The sunny side......................................................................................66The sorry side.......................................................................................67Relationships ........................................................................................68Work .......................................................................................................68

Libra the Scales: September 23–October 22...............................................69The sunny side......................................................................................69The sorry side.......................................................................................70Relationships ........................................................................................71Work .......................................................................................................71

Aquarius the Water Bearer: January 20–February 18................................73The sunny side......................................................................................73The sorry side.......................................................................................74Relationships ........................................................................................74Work .......................................................................................................75

Chapter 7: Water Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces . . . . . . . . . . . . .77Cancer the Crab: June 21–July 22.................................................................78

The sunny side......................................................................................78The sorry side.......................................................................................79Relationships ........................................................................................79Work .......................................................................................................80

Scorpio the Scorpion: October 23–November 21 ......................................81The sunny side......................................................................................82The sorry side.......................................................................................82Relationships ........................................................................................83Work .......................................................................................................83

Pisces the Fish: February 19–March 19.......................................................85The sunny side......................................................................................85The sorry side.......................................................................................86Relationships ........................................................................................86Work .......................................................................................................87

Part III: Everything Else in the Cosmic Cookbook ...........89

Chapter 8: Moon Signs: The Lunacy Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91The Moon in the Signs ...................................................................................92The Nodes of the Moon.................................................................................95The Nodes in the Signs..................................................................................97

Chapter 9: The Personal Planets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101Locating Your Planets..................................................................................101Mercury: Communicating with Style .........................................................103

xvTable of Contents

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Venus: Love Conquers All ...........................................................................105Mars: Road Warrior......................................................................................108Jupiter: More Is Better.................................................................................111Saturn: Lord of the Rings.............................................................................114

Chapter 10: The Outer Planets (Plus One Amazing Asteroid) . . . . . .119Uranus: The Rebel........................................................................................121

Understanding Uranus.......................................................................121Uranus in the signs.............................................................................122

Neptune: The Dreamer ................................................................................125Assessing Neptune’s influence .........................................................125Neptune in the signs ..........................................................................126

Pluto: The Power of Transformation .........................................................128Pinpointing Pluto’s influence ............................................................130Pluto in the signs ................................................................................130

Chiron: The Wounded Healer .....................................................................132Chiron’s influence...............................................................................132Chiron in the signs .............................................................................133

Chapter 11: What You See versus What You Get: The Rising Sign (And More) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Identifying Your Ascendant.........................................................................137What Your Ascendant Says about You ......................................................137Finding and Understanding Your Descendant..........................................142Looking Into Your Midheaven and I.C. ......................................................144

Chapter 12: The Sun, the Moon, and the Planets in the Houses . . . .149Taking the House Tour ................................................................................150The Sun in the Houses.................................................................................151The Moon in the Houses .............................................................................152The Nodes of the Moon in the Houses ......................................................154Mercury in the Houses ................................................................................155Venus in the Houses.....................................................................................157Mars in the Houses ......................................................................................158Jupiter in the Houses...................................................................................161Saturn in the Houses....................................................................................162Uranus in the Houses...................................................................................164Neptune in the Houses ................................................................................166Pluto in the Houses......................................................................................167Interpreting Empty Houses.........................................................................169

Chapter 13: Amazing Aspects: The Secrets of Cosmic Geometry . . .171Identifying the Major Aspects ....................................................................171Figuring Out Your Aspects ..........................................................................174

Astrology For Dummies, 2nd Edition xvi

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A Note about Minor Aspects.......................................................................176Interpreting the Aspects .............................................................................176

Aspects to the Sun .............................................................................177Aspects to the Moon..........................................................................181Aspects to Mercury............................................................................184Aspects to Venus ................................................................................186Aspects to Mars..................................................................................189Aspects to Jupiter ..............................................................................191Aspects to Saturn ...............................................................................193Aspects to Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto ..........................................194

Chapter 14: A Guide to Interpreting Your Birth Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . .197Step One: Finding Overall Patterns............................................................197

Hemisphere analysis ..........................................................................198Pattern analysis ..................................................................................199Considering the signs ........................................................................204Planets in houses: A minor point .....................................................205

Step Two: Five Main Components of a Birth Chart..................................207Step Three: Looking for Aspect Patterns ..................................................209Step Four: Putting the Puzzle Together.....................................................212

Part IV: Using Astrology Right Now............................213

Chapter 15: The Sun Sign Combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215Aries in Love .................................................................................................215Taurus in Love ..............................................................................................217Gemini in Love..............................................................................................218Cancer in Love..............................................................................................220Leo in Love....................................................................................................221Virgo in Love.................................................................................................223Libra in Love .................................................................................................224Scorpio in Love.............................................................................................225Sagittarius in Love........................................................................................226Capricorn in Love.........................................................................................227Aquarius in Love ..........................................................................................228Pisces in Love ...............................................................................................229Finding Other Planetary Ties......................................................................229

Chapter 16: The Times of Our Lives: Transits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231Investigating Transits ..................................................................................232

Showing the importance of transits.................................................232Following your transits......................................................................234

Tracking Mars...............................................................................................235

xviiTable of Contents

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Activating Jupiter .........................................................................................237Coping with Saturn ......................................................................................240Unpredictable Uranus..................................................................................243Nebulous Neptune .......................................................................................246Power-Hungry Pluto.....................................................................................249Warning: The Astrologer’s Curse ...............................................................251

Chapter 17: The Lunar Advantage: Using Astrology in Daily Life . . .253Timing Your Actions by the Light of the Moon ........................................254Using the Moon in the Signs .......................................................................255Tracking the Moon in the Houses ..............................................................257Making the Most of Momentous Lunar Influences...................................259Avoiding the Void .........................................................................................260

Chapter 18: Retrograde Hell? The Truth Revealed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261Retrograde Revealed ...................................................................................261Successfully Handling Retrograde Mercury .............................................262

Making the best of it ..........................................................................262Knowing when the hullabaloo is coming ........................................264

Looking Out for Retrograde Venus.............................................................265Watching Out for Retrograde Mars............................................................266The Other Planets ........................................................................................267

Part V: The Part of Tens .............................................269

Chapter 19: Ten Talents You Can Spot in a Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .271Artistic Ability ..............................................................................................271Athletic Prowess ..........................................................................................273Beauty (Or the Power of Attraction) .........................................................273Celebrity Appeal...........................................................................................274Healing Hands...............................................................................................275Business Savvy .............................................................................................276Making Money ..............................................................................................277Psychic Ability..............................................................................................278Becoming an Astrologer ..............................................................................279Writing ...........................................................................................................280

Chapter 20: Ten (Plus One) Ways to Use Astrology in Your Life: The Art of Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281

Getting Married ............................................................................................281Going on a First Date ...................................................................................283Opening a Business......................................................................................283Scheduling a Meeting...................................................................................284

Astrology For Dummies, 2nd Edition xviii

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Throwing a Party..........................................................................................285Purchasing a Computer...............................................................................285Buying a House.............................................................................................286Having Surgery .............................................................................................286Starting a Diet or an Exercise Program .....................................................287Writing a Novel or Screenplay ....................................................................288Laying Low ....................................................................................................288

Appendix: Planetary Tables........................................289

Index........................................................................361

xixTable of Contents

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Astrology For Dummies, 2nd Edition xx

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Introduction

Astrology can change your life. It did mine. Astrology illuminates thesecret corners of the self, provides a key to understanding others,

contributes a useful method for scrutinizing relationships, and even offers a glimpse into the future. Beyond that, as with all great areas of knowledge,astrology has the power to alter perception. Once you know something aboutit, you never see the world in the same way again.

Using a vocabulary that’s both objective and poetic, astrology enlarges yourcuriosity (because after you absorb its principles, everyone you meet, nomatter how dull the person or how fleeting the encounter, becomes a mys-tery waiting to be solved); it expands your insight into behavior and motiva-tion; and most of all, it increases your compassion. Some people think thatastrology divides all human beings into 12 groups. How wrong they are!Astrology teaches that all human beings are subject to universal needs and desires — and that every individual is entirely and splendidly unique.

About This BookAstrology has many forms. In this book, I focus on natal astrology, the inter-pretation of a birth chart to gain insight into yourself and others. Using reallife examples, I show you how to construct your birth chart (or how to get iton the Internet), how to interpret its component parts, and how to use thatinformation to gain insight into yourself and others.

I consider astrology a tool — an objective tool — for understanding self,assessing relationships, examining your potential, and even making somebasic decisions. In this book, I show you how to use that tool.

Conventions Used in This BookOne of the most charming aspects of astrology, in my opinion, is that virtuallyall birth charts, calendars, and books on the subject are strewn with tiny,mysterious-looking symbols. Until you know those symbols by heart, theirpresence can be distracting and confusing. That’s why I usually spell out thenames of the signs, planets, and aspects. With actual birth charts, however,words are insufficient. I present those horoscopes just the way a professionalastrologer would — covered with symbols.

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Memorizing those symbols is incredibly useful. But you don’t have to do it.Instead, you can turn to the Cheat Sheet at the beginning of this book, whereyou can find a neat list of every symbol you need to know. The Cheat Sheetenables you to translate the symbols back into English. That way, whenyou’re looking at a birth chart and you see something like this:

26 23

you’ll know that it means that the Moon ( ) is in Gemini ( ) at 26 degrees 23minutes.

In this book, whenever I refer to a planetary position such as the one in thepreceding example, I describe it as 26°23' Gemini. I usually don’t spell out thewords degree (°) and minute ('). I assume that you know them. On birthcharts, I go further and omit those two tiny symbols. Instead, the charts inthis book announce planetary positions by using boldface type for thedegrees and regular type for the minutes, as follows: 26 23.

What You’re Not to ReadI’d like you to read every word in this book, but you don’t have to. You cansafely ignore the paragraphs marked with the Technical Stuff icon, and youcan even skip the sidebars (the gray-shaded boxes that are scatteredthroughout the book). Although reading these sections will enhance yourunderstanding, you’ll get along fine without them.

Foolish AssumptionsDespite the title of this book, I assume that you’re no fool. I assume thatyou’re intrigued by the art of astrology because you’re seeking fresh ways ofunderstanding. I also assume that, whether you’re a newcomer or a longtimefollower, you’re primarily interested in your own horoscope.

I assume that you have access to a computer and can get on the Web, whereyou can easily obtain your birth chart. (You can also cobble one togetheryourself, using only the material in this book.) That horoscope combinedwith this book enables you to explore astrology in a multitude of ways.

My final assumption about you is simply that you have some sense; that youexpect insight from astrology, not winning lottery numbers; that you under-stand that astrology isn’t about fate or even about luck. It’s about possibility,propensity, and potential. An old maxim, taught to every generation ofastrologers, says it all: The stars impel, they do not compel.

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How This Book Is OrganizedAstrology For Dummies, 2nd Edition, follows a logical sequence. It starts withan overview, offers various methods for getting your chart, and then exploresthe Sun signs and the other components of the chart in detail. After that, itexpands into relationships, leaps into ways of using astrology on a dailybasis, and concludes with a section on talents and timing.

Part I: Mapping Your Place in the CosmosThese three chapters cover the basics. Chapter 1 briefly discusses the Sun,the Moon, the planets, the rising sign, and the 12 houses. Chapter 2 tells youhow to get your chart via the Internet or computer software. And Chapter 3tells you how to construct a rough copy of your chart using the tables in thisbook. After that, you’re ready to dive into the rest of the book.

Part II: Here Comes the SunAstrology is an interpretative art that can lead in many directions. It startshere with four chapters about the Sun signs organized according to element.Chapter 4 surveys the fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius); Chapter 5explores the earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn); Chapter 6 talksabout the air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius); and Chapter 7 considersthe water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces).

Part III: Everything Elsein the Cosmic CookbookSun Sign astrology, albeit fascinating, leaves many questions unanswered.The chapters in this part help fill in those blanks. Chapter 8 illuminates theMoon and the Nodes of the Moon in all 12 signs. Chapters 9 and 10 discussMercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto — plus theasteroid Chiron, which was discovered in 1977 and is now routinely includedin horoscopes by many astrologers. Chapter 11 talks about the Ascendant,and Chapter 12 describes the influence of the planets in each of the houses.Finally, Chapter 13 looks at the way the planets interact by analyzing theaspects, or geometrical relationships, that link them together.

After you’ve looked up your planetary placements, you may find yourself suf-fering from information overload. Never fear — Chapter 14 shows you how towinnow that data down to its most essential components by looking for pat-terns that characterize your chart as a whole.

3Introduction

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Part IV: Using Astrology Right NowGaining insight into your psyche is a worthy enterprise, but most peopleinterested in astrology have other topics on their minds: like relationships,which I discuss in Chapter 15. Included in that chapter is an assessment of all78 Sun sign combinations — plus tips on how to capture the heart of eachsign of the zodiac.

In Chapters 16, 17, and 18, I tell you how to squeeze the maximum benefit outof astrology. Chapter 16 explains how the current positions of Mars, Jupiter,Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto affect you — and what you can look for-ward to in the future.

Chapter 17, the most hands-on chapter in the book, focuses on only oneplanet (and I’m using that word loosely): the Moon. Its monthly swingthrough all of its phases and all 12 signs brings days when the cosmos is withyou — and days when it’s decidedly not. In this chapter, I tell you how theposition of the Moon can help you decide when to take the initiative, when tohang back, when to start projects, when to wait, and more.

Chapter 18 addresses a phenomenon that never fails to annoy people: retro-grade Mercury, which is famous for generating bouts of delay and aggrava-tion. I’m generally quite sanguine about this passing influence. After all, ithappens three times a year. What’s the big deal? Or so I used to think.Recently, though, retrograde Mercury put me on the wrong train twice in aweek, swallowed up a crucial e-mail, and lobotomized my iPod. In this chap-ter, I tell you how to cope better than I did.

Part V: The Part of TensAfter you understand the Sun, the Moon, and the planets, you have the basicsdown. In this part, I apply that information in two ways. In Chapter 19, Ireveal the planetary components of ten different talents. And in Chapter 20,which addresses the fine art of astrological timing, I tell you when to throw aparty, when to launch a business, when to buy a computer, even when to getmarried — by the stars.

You’ll also find the Appendix, which lists the positions of the Sun, the Moon,and the planets, including Chiron. This is the section of the book to turn towhen doing a birth chart. It tells you where the planets were (and will be)between 1930 and 2012.

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Icons Used in This BookFour icons sprinkled throughout this book serve as road signs. Here’s whatthe icons mean:

In an ideal world, every planetary placement, aspect, and transit discussed inthis book would be accompanied by an example from the life of a flesh-and-blood human being. In the real world, book space is limited, so I’m able touse only a few such examples. This icon highlights those examples. In manycases, real-life examples feature movie stars, politicians, and other public fig-ures. Occasionally, I focus on people I know personally. In those instances,the names are changed. The astrology remains the same.

Certain facts and principles are essential. I discuss most of them in the earlychapters. But when you need to recall a fact in order to understand anotheraspect of a birth chart, I try to remind you, gently, using this icon.

It’s impossible to talk about astrology without coming smack up againstastronomy and mathematics. Whenever I give a nuts-and-bolts scientificexplanation of an astrological phenomenon, I warn you upfront with this icon.Want to skip the explanation? Go ahead. Most of the time, you can ignore itand still be on track.

A paragraph marked with this icon may suggest an easier way of doing some-thing. It may point you to a book or a Web site that covers material similar tothat being discussed in the text, it may suggest a way to offset a problem thatarises with a particular configuration in a chart, or it may tell you how to, say,seduce a Capricorn. Never let it be said that astrology isn’t useful.

Where to Go from HereIf you’re a novice, you may as well know the truth: Astrology is a complicatedsystem. The only way to describe it is to begin at the beginning, which iswhat I do. But I’ve seen the way people leaf through astrology books, and Ihave written it with the understanding that you may open it anywhere.

So consider this book a reference. You don’t need to read the chapters in anyparticular order. You don’t even have to remember much from one chapter tothe next because this book is filled with cross-references and reminders. Ifyou know a little bit about the subject, you can jump in anywhere.

5Introduction

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Nonetheless, you may want to start at the beginning and read a chapter ortwo before you plunge into the rest of book. If you know your sign but noth-ing else, turn to Chapter 2, which tells you how to get an accurate horoscope.If you already have a copy of that essential document, you’re ready to begin.I invite you to take a random walk through the book.

I find the knowledge I’ve gained from astrology to be consistently fascinatingand helpful. It’s my hope that you, too, will rejoice in — and benefit from —the wisdom of the stars.

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Part IMapping YourPlace in the

Cosmos

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In this part . . .

“Know thyself,” the Delphic Oracle said. It’s stillgood advice. But suggestions like that are never

easy to implement . . . unless you know astrology. Anancient and evolving system, astrology illuminates thesecret corners of the psyche and points the way to self-knowledge. Astrology enables you to recognize yourstrengths, to acknowledge your weaknesses, to acceptyour needs, and to understand the otherwise incompre-hensible behavior of the people you know. But first, youneed a copy of your chart. This part tells you how to get one.

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