Lanham, MD: Madison Books, 2001. 461 pp $18.95.

Woolfolk delivers what she promises. This publication lives up to its description on the back cover that states "this new edition is an indispensable sourcebook for unlocking the mysteries of the cosmos through the twenty-first century and beyond." Readers who are new to the topic of astrology or who are seasoned veterans will find information easy to understand and quickly accessible due to several charts and a detailed, cross-referenced index. Using former president Bill Clinton as her main example, the author shows how the sun, moon, and eight major planets reflect the lives of human beings.

Woolfolk is the monthly horoscope writer for magazines such as Marie Claire, Redbook and Nick Jr. and for special issues of Family Circle. She is a former astrology columnist for several other magazines and the author of Sexual Astrology and Astrology Source, an interactive CD-Rom. She writes and records weekly astrological forecasts for Marie Claire's astrology hotline and provides extended horoscope forecasts for StarScroll International. Woolfolk's experience with writing for popular magazines serves her well in her current work. For instance, the author engages the reader by asking direct questions in each chapter and gives examples of famous people with specific Sun Signs. She provides a glossary, an extensive bibliography, a list of recommended books for further chart casting and interpretation, and a list of computer services for computerized charts.

In the introduction, Woolfolk notes, "We all want to know about ourselves" (xvii). The reader immediately learns about Sun Signs, Moon Signs, Ascendents, Planets and Houses, and how these factors interact to shape human lives. Although Woolfolk points out in her Introduction that "Astrology cannot transform your life - only you can do this" (pxvii), she does emphasize that astrology can provide insight and guidance to readers wishing to understand or change their lives. The author devotes an entire chapter to health. For each of the twelve signs of the zodiac, there are diet and health tips and information on parts of body ruled by that particular sun sign. She leaves historical and general information about astrology until near the end of the book.

Each chapter proceeds in order from the most basic interpretation to the next level of teaching and understanding, until the author has provided sufficient information and illustrations for readers to develop and interpret their own charts. She explains the difference between a natal chart and a solar chart and provides instructions for readers to draw their solar charts if the exact birth time is not known. In several instances, the page reference for the appropriate astrological table is provided at the end of a chapter, so that readers can quickly locate personal information from the teachings in that chapter.

Chapter by chapter, Woolfolk provides simple yet detailed information on each sign of the zodiac in relation to the sun, the moon and the eight major planets. Besides the example of Bill Clinton, the author makes references to the astrological charts of severable public figures and personalizes the information by providing photographs of these people.

Woolfolk asserts that each sign is unique and each individual is unique. For instance, the Sun Sign Scorpio is described as: a feminine sign; a water sign; and a fixed sign. No other sign has those exact characteristics. The author contends that it would be 4,320,000 years before another individual has the same horoscope with the Sun, Moon and planets in that particular arrangement. (p. 191) There would still be differences between the individuals due to genetics and environment. Indeed, each individual is unique!

While the author provides detailed information regarding various aspects of astrology and its interpretation along with numerous tables for everyone born between 1900 and 2100, this information is not overwhelming due to the organization of the material. By following Woolfolk's instructions and selecting personal information, readers will indeed have tools to know themselves. By examining one's birth or solar chart and the alignment of the planets at that moment, and, subsequently, at any moment in time, readers can discover not only their history but receive guidance for the present moment. This kind of consultation provides the opportunity to live in harmony with the cosmos and fellow man. This is a great resource for anyone interested in learning about astrology. Often, books about astrology focus on one aspect of astrology. Woolfolk combines a great deal of information in reader-friendly language that teaches readers to cast their own astrological charts and learn about the cosmos at the same time.

Review by Lynn Wills, Graduate Student
Holos University Graduate Seminary www.HolosUniversity.org

References:

Bair, Puran. "Letters to Shared Transformation." http://members.aol.com/ckress/letters.html.
Collie, El. "Kundalini Signs and Symptoms." http://hometown.aol.com/ckress/symptoms.html.
Krishna, Gopi. Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man. Revised Edition. Shambala: Boston, Massachusetts, 1970.
Patanjali Kundalini Yoga Care. http://www.kundalinicare.com/aboutkundalini2.html.

We hope you enjoyed the article and welcome your comments and feedback in our new Forum.

If this article has spoken to you and has been helpful, we would appreciate your support by:

1. Making a donation to the IJHC
2. Forwarding this article to others who might be interested

The IJHC is supported through donations.

Thank you for your help in making it possible to publish the healing articles in the International Journal of Healing and Caring on line.

Blessings

Dan