Best astrological books that focus on personality and psychology?

I like astrology that deals with the psychology and personality of people the most.

Does anyone share this same thought process? Are there any books you would recommend?

There's so much talk about traditional or vedic astrology or predicting events, which I find so boring.

I'm thinking about reading work by Alan Leo, Dane Rudhyar (and even Carl Jung) because I think they are closest when it comes to learning about the personalities of people with the help of astrology.

I would appreciate any book recommendations.

Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas would be right down your street, then.

Oddity said:

Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas would be right down your street, then.

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Oh okay, good to know.

What about Alan Leo and Dane Rudhyar though?

Leo is worth reading if you're into modern stuff, definitely. Rudhyar - not so much. Unless you like paragraphs of 'mumble mumble mumble hallmarks of objective consciousness'.

What does that even mean?

Rudyhar's obtuse. Half the time I think he was just putting it on.

Oddity said:

Leo is worth reading if you're into modern stuff, definitely. Rudhyar - not so much. Unless you like paragraphs of 'mumble mumble mumble hallmarks of objective consciousness'.

What does that even mean?

Rudyhar's obtuse. Half the time I think he was just putting it on.

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Really good to know, Oddity! I don't want to waste my time reading mumble jumble.

Carl Jung doesn't tackle astrology directly, so far as I know, but his works will provide you with a lot of the philosophical grounding that modern astrology hinges on. He does have some instances where he speaks about astrology, and even uses it with his patients. Based on how he treats with astrology, he could be classed as "traditional" (for instance, he treats the ascendant as the paramount indicator of personality, and not the Sun. No mention of ascendant as "persona" and Sun as "self" either - the self would be more characteristic of the entirety of the natal chart, which takes the shape of a mandala. No mere coincidence, if you give credence to his ideas). He mentioned Firmicus Maternus a lot in his mysterium coniunctionis.

I'd recommend reading him (directly, not his derivatives) if modern is your preference.

Check out Marc Edmund Jones "Guide to Horoscope Interpretation" and R. C Jansky's "Planetary Patterns". Both these works deal with the chart patterns - bundle, locomotive, splay, splash etc that are used with great effect in modern interpretations.

I have this book An Encyclopedia of Psychological Astrology by C.E.O Carter

A small example:

"Irritatibility arises generally from bad aspects between mars and uranus, esp if the asc moon or mercury is involved. It is most pronounced in the fire and water signs, although the airy ones are inclined to nervous irritation when exhausted. The cardinals inclined to angry outbursts, the fixed to repressed resentment with occasional volcanic fury, and the mutables to irritated outbursts, fuss and bickerings."

I think Psychlogical Astrology: A Synthesis of Jungian Psychology and Astrology by Karen Hamaker-Zondtag is the definitive work on personality and astrology.

And also as Odd mentions, Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas are also very informative and quite accessible. Greene has written books extensively on psychology and personality as it relates to the planets. She is a Jungian analyst as well as astrologer. Read more about her here:

http://www.astro.com/people/greene_e.htm

You might start with Greene and Sasportas and see what you think. It's very interesting! Good luck.