As you’ve discovered in the last few chapters, there’s a lot more to astrology than knowing your sun sign. While there’s many resources out there to help you learn more about astrology (see Chapter 10), once you really dig into the subject, there may be times when you need to consult a professional astrologer. Think of it as you would any personal growth or home improvement project: you can do a lot on your own by watching how-to videos and reading books and websites, but in those moments when you just can’t figure out a key step, or you feel you’ve hit a plateau, an objective, trained professional can get you moving forward.

Finding a Professional Astrologer

Like many spiritually based practices and areas of study, it can be very easy for students and teachers of astrology to hang out their shingle as a professional astrologer. Unfortunately, there are many scam artists who will apply basic astrological knowledge to “psychic readings” to swindle money out of customers. For this reason, many cities and municipalities have legal restrictions on who can sell their services as an astrologer.

So how do you find a reputable, ethical astrologer? Look for one who’s certified. There are two organizations offering certification to professional astrologers:

American Federation of Astrologers (AFA) - This organization was founded in 1938 to “encourage and promote” astrology and to establish ethical standards for professional astrologers. The AFA certifies professional astrologers through a rigorous testing process and provides lists of active AFA members on its website.

National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR) - Founded in 1971, this nonprofit focuses on “raising the standards of astrological education and research.” NCGR offers a four-level certification program and certifies astrologers in consulting, research and education. The NCGR website lists area chapters which can help you find NCGR certified professional astrologers.

What Professional Astrologers Do

While the focus of this Snippet has been on understanding and learning the basics of a birth chart, there are many other kinds of astrological charts that can be created and interpreted by a professional astrologer. The two most popular categories of charts are relationship and predictive.

Relationships

• Synastry - comparison of two or more birth charts to help understand how the individuals relate to each other. Synastry looks at compatibility and possible areas of conflict.
• Composite charts - the chart of a relationship. It treats the relationship as a separate entity.

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An example of a synastry chart for singer Britney Spears and her ex-husband Kevin Federline.

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Predictive

• Solar returns - a chart based on the moment that the Sun returns to the same position it was in when you were born. Solar return charts are like a movie trailer or summary for the year ahead, providing information on what’s possible in career, love, finances, etc. A solar return chart interpretation and/or professional consultation makes a great birthday gift for yourself or someone else.
• Transits and progressions - a chart that illustrates transits and progressions can provide insight into how your personality and life changes and evolves over time. Transits look at where the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) are currently located and progressions show where personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars) and the rising sign move forward over a period of time. A chart showing transits and progressions is usually compared to your birth chart to give you a complete picture of your past, present, and potential future.

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Linda Kaye shares what she does as a professional astrologer.

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Other Areas of Expertise

A professional astrologer can also help with birth time rectification. Because not everyone knows the exact time they were born—a key element in calculating an accurate birth chart—a professional astrologer can do birth time rectification, which involves asking a client about life events and when they occurred. Based on the astrologer’s skill level, this process can narrow down the birth time to a possible 1-2 hour time frame.

Horary astrology focuses on answering a specific question. A professional astrologer with experience in horary astrology creates a chart based on the exact time they received the question and provides a yes or no answer based on their interpretation of the chart. Types of questions can be anything from “where can I find my wallet” to “will I get married this year.”

Hungry for more astrology knowledge? There’s so much more for you to discover!