4 Common Mistakes when Learning Astrology

Astrology is a hugely expansive and complex subject, but that doesn’t mean it’s only available to an elite few to learn.

I believe that it’s possible for anyone who is interested to benefit from the wisdom of the planets.

When I first began learning astrology, I was so confused. I found it hard to get hold of the information I needed at the right level. I often found myself jumping ahead and struggling to see the whole picture.

In this article, I share 4 common mistake people make when learning astrology, and what to do about them.

If you love astrology and are doing any or all of these, please don’t give yourself a hard time, as I’ve been there too.

The great news is that from this point forward, you can learn astrology in a different way that’s supportive of your personal goals.

Mistake #1 - Learn from Too Many Sources

There is a lot of information out there to learn from, so we can be forgiven for getting over excited and trying to learn from any and every source that becomes available.

The Problem

• It’s overwhelming.
  • It’s impossible to digest astrology from every angle, through every expert, or by reading every blog, book or social media post.
• It’s confusing.
  • When working with multiple sources, you will soon notice that interpretations and guidance differ making it very confusing. This doesn’t mean any of the information is wrong. Instead, it's about understanding that each astrologer will interpret things differently or perhaps highlight a different cosmic event from a different perspective.

The Solution

• Select one or two astrologers and/or authors you admire and can easily relate to, and focus on their work
• Do your research and choose sources that are reliable and educational

My Recommendations

If you don’t know who to follow, then allow me to pass on a few suggestions.

• Read anything by Seven Forest starting with The Inner Sky
  
• Watch YouTube videos by Rick Levine and Stormie Grace
• Listen to Podcasts by April Kent of Big Sky Astrology and The Astrology Hub

Mistake #2 - Trusting Social Media Too Much

The Problem

There is a lot of astrology stuff on social media, and so much of it is amazing, but some of it isn’t great for learning astrology.

Whether a good astrologer hosts the account or not, social media only gives you a snap shot of information, and not the whole picture.

I love following some of my favourite astrologers on social media, and I use the information they share to support my daily life and astrology learning, but I don’t rely on this as a single source of information.

I am also careful about who I follow, as not all the information out there is accurate.

The Solution

• Follow well known astrologers who share reliable information
• Don’t use social media as a tool for learning, but instead to support your daily exploration of the astrological energies
• Always ask yourself “what does this mean for me” when looking at forecasts of transits and events.

My Recommendations

I recommend following the below accounts on Instagram.

• Follow me, Sarah Cornforth, The Magickal Creatrix for Moonscope forecasts and lunar astrology lessons
• Follow Astrology with Heather for astrology for astrologers
• Follow Shanna Cross for astrological forecasts
• Follow Astrology Hub for practical astrology lessons
• Follow Soulshine Astrology for astrology and your business or career
• Follow Yelena Crawford Astrology for astrology in your every day life

Mistake #3 - Unstructured Learning

The Problem

Unstructured learning creates gaps. Often the gaps are found in the foundations, which are important if you want to continue building your knowledge and understanding.

It’s also important not to be afraid of going back to the basics often. I do this all the time. In fact, I quite enjoy reading beginners astrology books just for a refresher or to see things from a different authors perspective.

The Solution

• Get your foundations in place.
  • Don’t be afraid to start from the beginning again. There is nothing wrong with covering old ground as you will always pick up something new.
• Create a learning structure
  • This could be the order you plan to read a series of books by the same author or the courses you plan to sign up for and complete.

My Recommendations

• Work through a quality astrology basics book to get a good understanding of the foundations, before moving onto niche topics and themes. I recommend:
  • The Secret Language of Astrology by Roy Gillet
  • The Only Astrology Book You Will Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk
  • Astrology Decoded by Sue Merlyn Farebrother
• Also create a structure of learning by topic, for example:
  • A History of Astrology
  • Astrological Symbols
  • The Lunar Cycle
  • The Planets
  • The Signs
  • The Houses
  • Planetary Aspects
  • Natal Chart Astrology

Mistake #4 - Try to Learn it All Alone

The Problem

Now, I’m a big fan of self-learning, but it’s almost impossible to learn everything alone. This doesn’t mean you have to join a live course, as there are plenty of online self-paced offerings to guide you on your journey. Online courses provide a great source of additional information between your personal exploration.

Learning it all alone is challenging because: 

• Motivating yourself to study based on your own curriculum and sources can be challenging.
• You will only ever see one perspective.
• If you get stuck, you will probably remain stuck and have to move or on give up.

The Solution

• Find an online or in person course solution that suits the way you like to learn.
• Join a community of like-minded astro-curious learners to help keep you on track.

My Recommendations

I’ve enjoyed many online courses, hosted by incredible astrologers, and it would be hard for me to name just a few.

• Find an astrologer whose work you really enjoy, and see what they have on offer in terms of courses, books and learning.
• Join The Moon Portal, my cosmic community of lunar lovers, where we explore the astrology of the lunar cycle through the lens of every new and full Moon.
  

Check out The Moon Portal Online Membership Club

• Grab one of my Cosmic Courses and explore a topic that appeals to you.
  

Check out Cosmic Courses Online Learning