How to Choose a Professional Astrologer

In episode 125 of the podcast astrologers Cassandra Tyndall and Tony Howard join the show to discuss some tips that clients can take into consideration when trying to choose an astrologer to get an astrological consultation from.

During the course of the discussion we focus in particular on some strategies for trying to find an astrologer that is right for you when getting a consultation.

You can find out more about Cassandra at CassandraTyndall.com

You can find out about Tony at AstroRaven.com

Below you will find an extensive set of show notes, which contain most of the points that we touched on in the discussion, followed by links to download or stream the recording of this episode of the podcast at the bottom of the page.

Show Notes

Here is most of our outline for this episode:

Getting a Consultation with an Astrologer

• The primary job of most astrologers is seeing clients.
• They act as consultants, and you can pay for their time, in order to use their knowledge of astrology in a way that is useful for your needs.
• Times vary, but generally a consultation can last an hour or more.
• Prices vary depending on things like how notable the astrologer is, how long they have been practicing, what they specialize in, what area they live in, etc.

Possible Issues with Choosing an Astrologer

• If you don’t know much about astrology, it can be difficult to know who to consult with.
• There are a lot of different options available.
• If you don’t know what is available, it might be difficult to identify the astrologer who would be the most well-suited for your needs.
• There is also a lack of standardization in the field, that makes it like the wild west sometimes.
• Also have to be careful since there can be some pitfalls.
  • You might expect or assume certain things, but the astrologer you consult with me not actually offer those things.
  • In some rare instances you might end up with someone who isn’t really using astrology.
    • Could be a psychic/intuitive, tarot card reader, or maybe even someone who is putting on a front of some sort or pretending to have expertise.
    • This is rare, but a possibility to be aware of.

What Type of Astrologer Are You Looking For?

• The first thing to be aware of is that there are different types AND traditions of astrology.
• Different types of astrology are different applications of the subject to different endeavors and human affairs.
• Different traditions of astrology are often specific types of astrology that come from certain geographical eras and time periods, and they often have unique technical and philosophical approaches.
• It is difficult to know what tradition to go with if you are new to the subject, but it is definitely good to be aware of the different types and applications of astrology, that way you know what is offered.
• Some different types or applications of astrology:
  • Natal Astrology
  • Relationship Astrology
  • Predictive Astrology / Forecasting
  • Electional Astrology
  • Horary Astrology Questions
  • Medical Astrology
  • Financial Astrology
• Different traditions of astrology
  • Modern western astrology
  • Traditional astrology
  • Psychological astrology
  • Vedic astrology
  • Chinese astrology
  • etc.
• Are you looking for something local or is long distance ok?
  • Although local is possible, you will have more options with long distance.
  • There very well may be some good astrologers in your area though, so make sure you do a search to see what is available.

Defining Expectations

• An important thing to do is establish what you are expecting to get from the consultation early on.
• What is your main concern or motivation for getting a consultation?
• Is there a specific result or outcome that you are looking for?
• Do you have something specific you want to address?
• Or are you just curious to see what the astrologer may be able to tell you?
• Make sure you communicate this clearly to the astrologer at the start, that way there are no misunderstandings, and so they can establish if they can help you with what you want.
• Establish what your own level of astrological understanding or background in astrology is, and what level of astrological jargon or terms you can understand versus not.
  • If you have some background in astrology then maybe you are ok with jargon.
  • If you don’t have much background, maybe you need there to be less.
  • Some level of jargon is probably unavoidable, but it can be moderated.

How do you know if an astrologer is legitimate?  

• As in any field, you do have to be aware that sometimes there are frauds out there.
• In a fringe field like astrology this might be slightly more of an issue, since there isn’t really a lot of standardization.
• Still, there are a few things that you can consider or be aware of in order to narrow things down.
• How does the person present himself/herself?
• Do they identify as an astrologer? Or do they call themselves something else?
  • For example, do they primarily identify as a psychic or palm reader?
  • Controversial, but occasionally referring to oneself as an astrologist can be a sign that the person is either new to the field or doesn’t know much about it.
    • There are major exceptions to this rule, but it seems to hold true more often than not.
• Do they say how long they have been studying or practicing the subject, either directly or indirectly?
• Do they list any credentials or educational programs they have done?
  • Certifications like NCGR, ISAR, AFA, etc.
  • Educational programs are schools like Kepler College, International Academy of Astrology, Faculty of Astrological Studies, etc.
  • Are they a member of any astrological organizations? Organizations include the NCGR, ISAR, AFA, AA, FAA, etc.
  • Many astrologers are self-taught, so credentials or school affiliations are not always necessary, nor do they guarantee that the astrologer does good work, but it is a useful additional thing to take into account (the same can be said for pretty much all of these points).
• Referrals or endorsements by other astrologers.
• Do they have any testimonials or reviews?
  • This one is kind of iffy since testimonials are usually put up by the astrologer.
  • Sometimes if you find really bad reviews though that can be a red flag.
• Have they published articles in any notable astrological publications?
• Have they lectured at any conferences?
• Do they work or volunteer for any local or national astrology organizations?
• Do they exhibit a certain level of effort and professionalism in how they present themselves?
• Do they make extravagant claims about their abilities?
• Do they charge way too much compared to what other astrologers seem to be charging?

How do you determine if an astrologer is right for you?

• Establish if they offer the type of consultation you are looking for.
• Do a bunch of searches and create a list of possibilities based on the different criteria you are looking for.
  • Rank them in order to narrow down the list based on your priorities.
• Establish if they have a similar or amenable philosophy/religious views as you.
  • If you are really into New Age stuff, maybe you want an astrologer who is also into similar things.
  • If you are a Christian, maybe you want a Christian astrologer.
  • If you are secular, maybe you won’t necessarily jive with a spiritual astrologer, or vice versa.
• Read their articles, blog, videos, podcasts, twitter, or whatever, and see if the way they talk about astrology speaks to you.
• Try to establish if you have a good rapport with the astrologer.
  • This can be tough because sometimes you don’t know for sure until the consultation takes place, although sometimes you can get some sense through your initial communications and inquiries.
• Find out how they do their consultations:
  • Are they live or pre-recorded?
    • Most are live, but some will do recorded or written consultations.
    • Also depends on the type.
      • Natal astrology consultations are typically live, while electional and horary consultations are sometimes written.
  • If it is a long-distance consultation, will it be done over the phone or through a computer program like Skype?
    • Just audio or video as well?
  • Will they provide you with a recording afterward?
  • Etc.

Astrology Students Getting Consultations

• It is good for students of astrology to get consultations for research purposes.
• See different approaches in action.
• Research different schools of astrology.
• Learn the tricks of the trade.

Wildcard Factor

• Something worth mentioning is that there are wildcard factors that can throw things off.
• Even a good consultation or astrologer can go wrong from time to time.
• Sometimes the astrologer is having a bad day.
• Sometimes the client is having a bad day.
• Sometimes the two might have personalities that clash for whatever reason.
• Miscommunications can lead to unfulfilled expectations.
• Technological snafus happen from time to time.
  • Consultation recordings occasionally get lost.
  • You can volunteer to make a backup recording if you can.
• Make sure you give the astrologer the right birth data, ideally from your birth certificate.
  • If your birth time is a guess or rectified or unknown, make sure you state that.

Further Reading

Some other great articles on this topic:

• Jo Gleason, reddit post on How to Pick a Professional Astrologer
• Sam Reynolds, How do we decipher who qualifies as a real astrologer?
• Enid Newberg, How to Choose an Astrologer
• Theo Naicker, How To Choose A Personal Astrologer
• Wendy Guy, Why should you know how to pick an astrologer?

Listen to This Episode

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