****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I was very excited to read his book because it takes on some intensely personal subject matter from a psychological perspective, which Noel is uniquely qualified to write about, since he is that rare combination (that I wish we had more of in the astrological world), a practicing psychologist and astrologer. His areas of expertise are Jungian and archetypal psychology, astrology, Tarot, and Taoist meditation, so he's well-versed in the realms of the psyche. My first impression, once I got started reading, is that this book is an ideal blend of serious subject matter handled with respect for the reader, with just enough astrologese for the basic-to-medium-advanced astrology student. Noel does not overwhelm you with the level of detail that is automatically off-putting for the beginner. You won't be scared picking up this book, in other words, if you aren't an astrology expert. This is book is for the person who (in my opinion) would be dissatisfied with the superficial or cookbook style astrology book and is looking for something that goes deeper, that explains the pieces of the self we don't usually discuss, even in the astrological world, but most people who want to understand their own (and others') psychology wish could be discussed with some depth and understanding of what's really going on in our psyches as expressed through our natal charts. Speaking as a professional astrologer, I personally got the most out of the very end of the book, where Noel discusses 'houses as psychological defenses.' If you read this book for nothing else, get it for the series of meditations Noel asks you to do; those on their own are very valuable (and I would suggest keeping a journal as you go, to capture your responses). A valuable book for the person looking for psychological self-awareness. You can see my full review [...]
