Horoscope Symbols

This is an exciting and challenging work. Hand, one of the leading astrologers of our era, goes back to the basics to try to discern the essence of each astrological symbol. His discussion of why the planets mean what they mean is amazing; his analysis of signs is equally revealing and fascinating. I really recommend this book whole-heartedly on the basis of those sections alone, but I knocked off a star because I thought that other parts were much less convincing. He roots his explanation of aspects in harmonics, which is essentially numerology, virtually ignoring the elemental basis of astrology which he lays out quite clearly when he deals with signs. And his treatment of houses seems almost willful in its claim that these symbols have nothing to do with the signs. Nonetheless, this is a great book, and one I would recommend to the non-believer: It gives a sense of the depth and complexity of astrological symbolism, which has a beauty and a spiritual meaning that is independent of the question of whether birth times correlate with personalities.

Robert Hand succeeds in distilling the essense of astrology in one master volume. Expect difficult subjects handled in such a manner as to make them learnable by even the layperson. Hand skillfully sweeps away the traditional confusing metaphorical language and lays bare the core of the primary astrological symbols. First class treatment is given to the planets, aspects, and signs, as well as a plethora of other subjects. Hand gives the reader insight into symbols based on a mixture of traditional teaching re-explored, and his own extensive experience.I have returned to this book again and again, never to be disappointed and always to come away with new insight. A must for the serious astrologer.

Hand's thorough discussion of the signs, planets, and aspects that make up modern astrology is second to none. It is a must for the serious astrologer and a good foundation for a novice. (Although this should not be the first book on astrology you read, or even the third- it can overwhelm a beginner). Hand describes his view of each astrological element in detail (each has several pages)and with a great deal of insight. What I really appreciated, though, is that along the way he explains how his approach developed over his decades of experience, and why his repeated observations led to his conclusions. Because of this, I was able to compare Hand's experience to my own, and that of other astrologers. (Hand's theories held up, although I'm still not sure about his orbs.) I think that this book sometimes is overlooked in favor of older astrological texts, which are seen as "classics" but are often just outdated. Buy this one, read it, I'm sure you'll get a lot out of it