If you’re like me and just getting started with astrology, you probably want to know right up-front what kind of investment you’re looking at. The good news is, getting started is free! Armed with your birth certificate and the internet, there are any number of sites that will create a free birth chart for you to let you know which signs are where for you, and there are plenty of free resources online to begin to make sense of it all.
If you’re thinking of one day taking astrology from a hobby to career, however, I’ve seen a number of tools mentioned by seasoned professionals as being “essential”. Don’t feel like you have to rush out to get all of these, but if you’re itching to spend make sure it’s on item #3! If you’re like most witches and Pagans I know, chances are you already have plenty of that one on hand!
- Solar Fire software: Sure, you could make charts by hand, or even rely on a free online site to generate them for you. But if you want your charts to look consistent and don’t want to find one day that your favorite resources has disappeared off the internet, you’re going to want to invest in a chart/graph generator. Solar Fire is consistently mentioned by professionals online, but be prepared to spend just over $350 to get a copy of your own.
- A digital telescope: Which kind you buy isn’t really important, and newer, flashier models come out all the time. This won’t help you learn anything about positions that software or online sources won’t, but this will help you get familiarized with the night sky. And really, if you don’t love the stars and want to immerse yourself in them, why are you even interested in astrology?
- A journal: As you progress in your studies, you’re going to have questions or theories that come up. DO NOT TRUST YOURSELF TO REMEMBER THEM. Write down anything that occurs to you so that you know to do a deep dive on that subject later. Your future self will thank you for it.
[Written by Ashley Nicole Hunter.]