Books by Bruce Scofield
Bruce Scofield began studying astrology in 1967 and maintained a private practice as an astrological consultant, writer and conference speaker for over 45 years. He has professional astrological certification from AFA and NCGR, is the author of eight books and numerous articles on astrology and has also written on other subjects including science, archaeology, history and hiking. Since 1979 he has served on the education committee of the National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR) as a member and director and is currently president of the Professional Astrologers Alliance (PAA), an astrological certifying body. Bruce holds an M.A. in history and a Ph.D. in geosciences and has taught evolution and the science of Gaia at the University of Massachusetts and astrology and astronomy online for Kepler College. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. Information on his work and writings can be found at onereed.com and naturalastrology.com.
A selection of Bruce’s books are shared below. All are available on Amazon.com.
The Nature of Astrology: History, Philosophy, and the Science of Self-Organizing Systems (2023) by Bruce Scofield
An in-depth examination of how astrology is a form of systems science.
• Shares modern biological studies offering evidence that our solar system neighbors profoundly affect and shape life on our planet
• Explores the early practice of astrometeorology, revealing the links between the solar system, weather, and climate over large spans of time
• Looks at the history, philosophy, and methodologies of astrology, as well as its potential future applications in medicine and the social sciences
Our ancient ancestors recorded the rhythms of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, correlating these rhythms with weather, plant growth, and animal and human behaviors. From these early geocosmic recordings were born calendars, astronomy, and astrology. While astrology is now mostly viewed as subjective fortune-telling, Bruce Scofield argues that astrology is not only a practice but also a science, specifically a form of systems science--a set of techniques for mapping and analyzing self-organizing systems.
Bruce discusse his book on The Astrology Podcast.
Astrological Chart Calculations: An Outline of Conventions and Methodology (2022) by Bruce Scofield
Astrological Chart Calculations' preserves and teaches the methods of the most basic astrological chart calculations and tells the story of its history. It addresses the disconnection between the actual process of mapping the sky and the arithmetic that is required to calculate a horoscope, a process required by some astrological certification exams. It presents the key concepts behind the celestial sphere, the keeping of time, the development of trigonometry and the nature of house systems. It is a general reference useful to any student of astrology, and anyone who has a reasonable grasp of algebra and geometry should be able to follow the explanations and worked calculations. It is hoped that a deeper knowledge of this traditional art of astrology, that is the challenge of mapping the sky and the mathematics of preparing a chart, will allow students to glean not only deeper insights into the subject, but also a unique contact with astrology's long history.
What Astrology is and How to Use it (2021) by Bruce Scofield
If you're looking for a no frills introduction to astrology, you've come to the right place. But this book isn't just the theory; Bruce Scofield brings a wide-angled-lens approach to this rich and diverse subject, so that by the end of the book you will have a good grounding in a variety of astrological techniques and be able to interpret your own chart to a reasonable level; you will also have benefited from a mountain-top view, overlooking astrology's fascinating and complicated past, and gain insight into how the different branches of the art developed and the battles with religion that ensued as they did so. For those who want to push further into the number-crunching a detailed Appendix teaches chart calculation from the ground up. This book was originally published by One Reed Publications as 'User's Guide to Astrology'.
How to Practice Mayan Astrology: The Tzolkin Calendar and Your Life Path (2006) by Bruce Scofield
A contemporary and practical guide to Mayan astrological techniques
• Discusses the logic and meaning of the 20 day-signs of the Mayan calendar
• Explains the many cycles of Mayan astrology, such as the 9-day cycle of the Night Lords and the 13-day trecena
• Contains extensive tables of Mayan astrological data, allowing readers to cast their own Mayan horoscopes
How to Practice Mayan Astrology presents a contemporary guide to one of the most sophisticated astrological systems ever developed. Like other ancient peoples, the Maya looked to the cycles of the planets as markers of time and designators of order. The predictable cycles they observed became codified in the Mayan calendar and astrological system as a way of organizing the seeming chaos of human life.