There can be murky waters being an astrologer. When you’re consulting with people about their lives, and getting intimate knowledge about their lives, murky waters are always close by. What kind of ethics should you abide by? Confidentiality is an absolute must.
First and foremost, confidentiality is an absolute must. People need to know they can trust that you won’t spill the beans about their lives (unless, of course, you’re made aware of illegal activity that can harm people, especially minors, or any kind terrorist activity - that would be common sense, I think!).
The NGCR-PAA has a decent code of ethics that you should read here (it only applies to members, but is a good basic outline for all astrologers): http://www.astrologersalliance.org/about-us/ethics-statement.html The one thing I don’t quite go with in that code is not confusing or being offensive to others. Yes, you should try not to confuse people or offend them, but the problem is, there are people who are confused or offended by everything, and you can’t control what people understand or will accept 100%. So you do your best, but know you can’t please or reach everyone. Some people just wanna be mad and take stuff out on you. Keep your laws in mind
Legally, you shouldn’t perform readings for anyone under 18, and you’re required in some places to say that it’s for “entertainment purposes only” and that a reading “isn’t a substitute for legal, medical or other professional advice.” There may be other legal requirements of you depending on where you're located, so look into it where you are.
Medical astrologers tend to be the ones who have to be the most careful. With medical astrology, you have to make sure that you’re clear about this not being a substitute for seeing a doctor, taking medications, receiving treatments, etc., and that you’re not a medical professional (unless, of course, you actually are, so it might be a good idea to have a medical background). If you practice medical astrology, financial astrology, or legal astrology, it's actually required in many places you have the educational background for that (so an actual medical, finance, or legal degree) and that you're licensed (this is also true for psychological astrologers in many places, so do check). Disclose your rules
Disclose your rules about your readings/consultations to someone beforehand, if you have any (including what you will/won’t cover, follow-up question policies, and refund policies).
It’s usually a good idea to say that you have the right to refuse to perform any reading at any time for any reason. This covers you when you stumble upon someone you want to run away from as far as you can. Yes, those nut jobs are going to come, so don’t be afraid to walk away. If you find they have a mental health issue they’re not addressing, a substance abuse problem, engage in harassing or abusive behavior, you can and should terminate the consult immediately, give a refund, and move on. When you cut it off, be quick and as least-offensive as you can be, but they probably won’t take it well, so be prepared for some anger. For some comfort, most people in that position will be too concerned about other people knowing their problems, so they won’t air their grievances publicly. It’s also a good idea to make clear that you’re not responsible for outcomes, and that everyone has their own free will. Keep in mind your statements too
Generally, you shouldn’t address anything definitively, making statements like, “You’ll never get married,” or “You’ll never have children.” "Never" is a long time!
Death is also a dicey subject that’s usually best steered away from; if you see strong death energy in a reading with someone, approach it delicately, and always offer the other ways the energy can manifest. So, that concludes this series of posts on how to become an astrologer! In case you missed the first 3, here they are: Part 1: Study and Practice Part 2: Specialize Part 3: It's a Business 
It’s easy to forget this part, but if you want astrology to be your job, astrology is a business. Most astrologers are like musicians, lost in the art and don’t want to concern themselves with the business side of things, but if you want this to work, you kinda have to. When you’re an astrologer, you’re working for yourself, and should approach this just like any other entrepreneur approaches their business. You need to be professional and act accordingly. If you want to be an astrologer, you need to be the kind of person who can work for themselves and not spend all day searching cat videos (maybe just like an hour, ha!). Some points to keep in mind if you want to be an online astrologer:
Being an astrologer, you quickly find that you have to deal with all sorts of things that have nothing to do with astrology. In the modern world, you need to have an internet presence, which first and foremost means a website and/or blog where people can find info on you, your services, and flesh you out for themselves.
This requires some knowledge of how to build a website or blog, design, coding, SEO, analytics, etc. You don’t need to be a tech genius for any of that, especially these days, and can find lots of tutorials online (Youtube is your BFF). If you have the money, you can always hire someone else to do this for you, but chances are, you don’t. So there’s so trial and error involved, and learning as you go along with this tech stuff. Social networking has become an important part of any company, and it’s even more important when your job hinges on networking with people, which is the case for astrologers. One thing you do need to remember when using spacial media is that you’re selling yourself and your services. These accounts should NOT be treated the same way as personal social networking accounts. Behave professionally, keep it focused on astrology, and don’t post too much personal stuff (no drunk tweeting, no photos of your dog in a tutu, etc.). Use them as a way to find new clients, and showcase your skills. You can use a lot of the same kind of ideas and methods other business owners use to enhance their social networking presence. Yes, some astrologers have accidentally found success by airing their dirty laundry and not acting professionally at all, but I would argue they're more social media influencers than actual astrologers (especially when they don't talk about astrology as often as their diet, dating life, or whoever wronged them). f you want to be a social media influencer, go for it (oh the money you can make now!), but if you want to be an astrologer (who is actually taken seriously and respected in the industry), don't do that. Some of you may want to consider starting an email list/newsletter. This can be a great way to find new clients, increase your audience, and again, showcase your skills. You can write astrological tidbits, offer exclusive deals on readings, give your consultation schedule, perform sample readings, and just help people get more comfortable with you (comfortable enough to get a reading from you). It's been thought that they would be dying out (and I still think that eventually SMS/text lists will take over), but given some of the ad and search engine changes, it seems an email list is still important for now. How much longer, who knows. BUT the upside with an email list is YOU OWN IT. You don't own your social media account, so if something happens with the algorithm and you're suddenly banned for no reason (that happened to me with one, welp), you're still in good shape with your email list. All of you have to work on getting your name out there. Social networking helps with this, but it can be slow. One of the best ways to get yourself out there is through writing. Find websites where you can submit guest articles and come up with ideas (they don’t even have to be astrology websites; if it’s for something else, find a way to write an article that ties astrology to their subject matter). You won’t be paid for this though, so it is free work. If you want to be paid for writing, peruse job boards that offer paid writing work. I worked as a freelance horoscope writer for several years, and wrote daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly horoscopes for various websites, apps, and books. It’s a great way to gain more experience, make connections, and make some extra money while you’re building your business. Most major astrologers write horoscopes somewhere, so this is a skill you may want to consider developing. And of course, blog! You can create just a blog, or a website with a blog, and write posts regularly. It doesn’t have to be daily, but it does have to be often at first. Again, this is free, but you get full credit (and helps with searches), and if you monetize your website/blog with ads, then you get a little pay. If you’re a good enough writer, you can submit to smaller publishers book ideas you have, or you can create your own ebooks and sell them online. The former gets you a wider audience, but the latter gives you full creative control and control over your message. For a more-pay version, you can also ghostwrite astrology books (something else I did), which helps give you some experience and connections, and pays better. If you’re not so good with writing and prefer speaking or video, consider making YouTube videos or podcasts that you post on your website/blog. A web series could be a great way to introduce yourself to new potential clients. Be disciplined, and be ready to dedicate yourself. Like any entrepreneur, you’ll be working a lot at the start. If this is going to be your job, your career, you have to be willing to put in the hours. This is not for those looking for a quick career! The rest of the series: Part 1: Study and Practice Part 2: Specialize Part 4: Ethics General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries February 2015 On February 18th, the Sun enters water sign Pisces, and you feel like spending more time in the background, Aries. You’d like to do your own thing without anyone getting in the way, and you feel most like yourself when you’re alone or out of the spotlight. You can begin projects that you’re excited about, but keep it to yourself, waiting for the right moment to let people know what you’re doing. You may come across as more imaginative, compassionate, and sweet. General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries The full moon on the 3rd occurs in your love sector, so your love is charged this month. You can share your love more freely, and are inspired by it. If single, you can meet someone you feel spiritually tied to; if in a relationship, you can grow closer with your partner. If in a casual relationship, this is the time where you decide if it should be taken to the next level or if it’s going nowhere. You’re not openly affectionate with loved ones during the first half of the month, and are much more open during the second half. General horoscopes are always meant for entertainment purposes only. For a more accurate view, read your Sun sign, Rising sign, and Moon sign.
Aries During the second half of February, you want to get life started, and jump into a new project or idea. You’re enthusiastic, positive, and willing to do whatever it takes to get started. You’ve felt like you were on hold lately with your dreams, but that starts to lift, and you can hit the ground running. No one can stand in your way once you put your mind to starting something. Your only problem may be actually picking something for you to start, as you have plenty of ideas right now! 
Before you ever give any readings professionally, you’ll need to do something first: specialize. Every astrologer specializes. Why? There are too many branches of astrology to be enough of an expert in all of them to perform readings. When people come to you for a consultation, they want an expert, not a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. Look around various astrologer’s websites, and you’ll find that they have specialties. It’s usually between one and three specialties. When you see someone who has more than that, they either have 20+ years under their belt as a pro, or they’re not going to be any good. How do you find a specialty?
Look into the various branches of astrology and pick the ones that most interest you. Then study each branch extensively and make use of your “internship” (free readings) and practice each branch you’re interested in.
You should find you gravitate toward a couple more than others, or that you’re much better at a couple more than others. Once you’ve honed in on your specialty(ies), study it more and give more readings focused on it. Below is a list of some of the branches you can focus on: Branches of astrology and astrology specialties:
Natal astrology: Natal astrology is where we all begin, and pretty much all astrology falls under this branch or the predictive astrology branch. Natal astrology is the study of the natal chart, and its influence on our lives and personalities. Our natal chart is who we are, and natal astrologers help us figure that out.
Predictive astrology: Predictive astrology basically covers all predictive technique, anything that has to do with predicting the future. Astrologers who offer general predictive consultations/readings (like one year readings) are predictive astrologers. There are also various sub-branches within predictive astrology. Traditional/Classical astrology and Modern astrology: Traditional astrology is the astrology practiced before 1700. Traditional astrology is focused on predicting events. Traditional astrology is comprised of predictive astrology using the natal chart, horary astrology, electional astrology, and mundane astrology. Modern astrology is the newer form of astrology, utilizing the outer planets, and includes psychological and esoteric astrology. Traditional astrology is predictive, and modern astrology is natal. Vedic/Jyotish/Hindu/Indian astrology: Vedic astrology is mostly performed in Asia, and goes back thousands of years. It focuses on mundane astrology, electional astrology, and predictive astrology. It has different names for planets and aspects and such, and can be a little more dark. Vedic astrology is sidereal, calculated using the fixed stars, while traditional astrology is tropical, calculated based on Earth’s position relative to the Sun and planets (in essence, sidereal astrology changes, tropical astrology doesn’t). Synoptical astrology tries to merge both sidereal and tropical, interpreting sidereal as our soul, and tropical as our personality and destiny. Horary Astrology: Horary astrology constructs a chart for the moment a question is asked and finds the answer to that question in the chart. It’s a form of predictive astrology, but doesn’t use a natal chart for predictions, making it good for dealing with people who don’t have birth times. Midpoint/Uranian astrology/Cosmobiology: Midpoint astrology analyzes the midpoints of a chart, the exact middle of two points in a chart. Midpoints show how the energy of those two points come together in the natal chart, and aspects to them can be used predictively. Uranian astrology takes into consideration Trans-Neptunian objects, and cosmobiology can delve into medical astrology. Relationship astrology: Relationship astrology is just that, the astrology of relationships. Relationship astrology comprises of synastry, where the charts of two (or more) people are compared to one another to see compatibility, and composite charts, which are a merging of the charts of two people to analyze their relationship itself through a separate third chart. You can bring in some predictive astrology by using the composite charts to make predictions like you’d use natal charts. It can also be helpful to practice some electional astrology so you can counsel people on the best days for a date, proposals, marriage, break-ups, etc. Vocational astrology: Vocational astrology helps people figure out the work they should be doing using their natal chart. When someone wants to know the career they should have, they go to a vocational astrologer. Knowing some psychological and esoteric astrology can be helpful. Financial/Business/Economic astrology (or astro-economics): Financial astrology focuses on making predictions about the financial markets. Financial astrologers are often employed by banks and work on Wall Street, though it’s quite hush-hush (they never want to admit it, aside of J.P. Morgan anyway). A background or degree in finance or economics is helpful. Political astrology: Political astrology focuses on predicting the outcomes of politic races. Political astrology can use natal astrology, focusing on the natal charts of candidates, predictive astrology for outcomes, and mundane astrology for general outcomes. Following politics is a must, and a degree in political science can be helpful. Psychological astrology: Psychological astrology focuses on the natal chart and its impact on us psychologically. Psychological astrologers have degrees in psychology, so if this is the branch you want to go into, you should study psychology. Psychological astrologers help people dealing with psychological problems, and should have the same education, training, and certifications as a regular psychologist. Esoteric astrology: Esoteric astrology is the astrology of the soul (sometimes called soul astrology), and focuses on your soul’s purpose, your soul’s journey, your soul’s baggage, and your soul’s potential. Esoteric astrology falls under natal astrology, as you find this in the natal chart. Within esoteric astrology is also karmic astrology, focused solely on your karma, and evolutionary astrology, showing your soul's evolution and giving understanding to soul motivations through emphasis on Pluto and the lunar nodes (created by Jeffrey Wolf Green; if you go into this specific branch, you'll want to take his DVD course HERE - I'm not affiliated, just informing y'all). Mundane/Geopolitical astrology: Mundane astrology focuses on astrological trends for countries, governments, and the world at large. Instead of focusing on one person and their chart, you study charts for events and countries, and instead of making predictions for one person, you make predictions for societies, countries, and the world. This branch is good if you’re the type of person who likes the big picture, and has an interest in history. Mundane astrology can also focus on weather and climate. Astrology of the weather is called meteorological astrology or astrometeorology. Electional Astrology: Electional astrology focuses on finding the right date for life events. If you want to know the right date to get married or ask for a raise, you go to an electional astrologer. Many predictive astrologers also practice electional astrology. Agricultural astrology, which shows the best times to deal with crops, is a form of electional astrology. Fixed star astrology: Fixed star astrology focuses on fixed stars, fixed points in our universe that correlate to various meanings. Fixed star astrologers find the fixed stars that are prominent in our charts, and what that means for us. Asteroid astrology: Asteroid astrology focuses on asteroids. There are tens of thousands of asteroids, all of which have their own energy and mythology. An asteroid astrologer figures out which asteroids are important in a natal chart and the influence of asteroids on a person. Studying mythology is extremely important for someone specializing in asteroids. Medical astrology: Medical astrology focuses on helping people with their health problems. You study the natal chart to find what they’re predisposed to, and how they can improve their health. A medical background can be helpful with this branch. Relocation/locational astrology: Relocation or locational astrology shows people how different places in the world impact them. You use a combination of relocation charts, which is a new natal chart that takes into consideration current location, and astrocartography, which finds your astrological lines through the Earth and what each means for you. Forensic astrology: Forensic astrology obviously deals with forensics. If forensics is something that interests you, this can be an interesting branch to specialize in. You do need to be able to deal with harsh reality; most forensic astrology deals with murders and kidnappings, so you can’t be squeamish or find these subjects too depressing. Forensic astrology melts together some natal, esoteric, psychological, medical, mundane, asteroid, and fixed star astrology, so this isn’t a branch you can jump into quickly, and will require more study and practice than others. A degree or background in some sort of forensic work or psychology can be helpful. Sports astrology: Sports astrology focuses on sports. You can use natal charts for athletes or coaches to make predictions using predictive astrology. You can also use mundane astrology and the charts of teams or events for predictions. Chinese astrology: Chinese astrology comes from China a couple thousand years ago, and is a different system than the rest covered here, consisting of a 60 year cycle, 12 animal signs that last about 1 year each (instead of 12 Sun signs lasting about 1 month each), and 5 elements instead of 4. Chinese astrology can be both natal and predictive. The rest of the series: Part 1: Study and Practice Part 3: It's a Business Part 4: Ethics |
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