The Inner Sky

[CJN]

"The Inner Sky", by Steven Forrest

I have intended to discuss all my astrology books, and I feel that this one is a good one to start with.

I really like this book, it's written in a clear and easy to understand style. My favorite parts in the chapters about the signs and planets. I also like the way he does a step-by-step interpretation example.

For the not-so-good parts:
- He calls detriment "fall", which can cause confusion.
- Only one example discussed, a few more would allow readers to see how different charts needs different approaches.
- No discussion about midheaven.
- The Pluto discussion. I feel that the transformation part about Pluto got a bit drowned out.

Overall, I would give it a score of 9/10.

[waybread]

I like this book a lot. I was fortunate to have found it in a local metaphysical book store shortly after I decided to learn something about astrology. Forrest is a very wise and funny man.

What is most appealing about his book is that he looks at the nature of human beings in terms of their evolutionary goals, or end-points. He does this for planets, signs, and houses. So, for example, in his chapter on signs, Leo isn't just a list of character traits (proud, bossy, playful, generous, attention-seeking) but rather, he describes Leo's endpoint as authentic self-expression.

Then each sign and planet offers a kind of tool kit or skill set. With Virgo, for example, her skill set is a fine analytical mind and a genuine desire to be helpful to people.

Of course, there are positive and negative expressions of these end-points and skills sets. A mal-adjusted Leo becomes bossy or self-centered. A happily adjusted Leo is generous and playful. A poorly adjusted Virgo tries to "help" people by nagging them. A centered Virgo really does help people. Worse yet, according to Forrest, is that some people suppress their true nature in order to fit in with the crowd and avoid criticism. Then they have a terrible price to pay.

In Forrest's book there are no traditional malefics and benefics. Rather, each planet has a positive, "teacher" face, or a negative "trickster" face; and it is up to each person to gravitate toward the teacher.

Conventional cookbooks do have their place, but what The Inner Sky does is make the static character traits become understandable as part of a bigger picture.

This is an introductory book, and it does leave out a lot of "intermediate-level" chart delineations, but I would recommend it for an astrologer of any level.

[aquarius7000]

CJN,

Yes, I too recommend this book wholeheartedly. What is excellent about the book is that it is neither for absolute novices nor for advanced Astrology students; and the language is simple, too.
I'd say to anyone: Go for it.

:cool:AQ7