Richard Swatton

Richard Swatton is a highly regarded British astrologer, psychotherapist, lecturer and jazz pianist whose exploration of astrology began in 1976. After five decades in astrology, Richard draws on a breadth of experience spanning several traditions, enriched by his knowledge of psychology and esoteric philosophy.

His early studies embraced magical practices and training - as well as traditional, horary and Theosophical astrology - studying from 1974 with the occultist W.E. Butler, who became a genuine source of inspiration, initiation, instruction and support.

This was followed in 1980 by Richard's discovery of humanistic astrology with Noel Tyl, whose fresh, psychological approach to astrology inspired a new wave of astrological exploration. After Tyl, Richard undertook the three-year diploma course at the Centre for Psychological Astrology in London (1985–88) under two of the field's most influential figures, Dr. Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas. In the last 15 years or so years Richard has come to highly respect and value the work of Dane Rudhyar, a truly transpersonal person and astrologer!

Richard's interest in the human psyche and the psychic led him to psychotherapy, first with the Westminster Pastoral Foundation (1982-86) and then to undertaking a fourteen-year personal Jungian analysis with its sustained exploration of dreams and the unconscious (1986 – 2002 with AJA). The Jungian approach to self-development was to eventually combine with meditational practices and various Western esoteric disciplines. His therapeutic career from 1994 onwards when he trained at CCPE (the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education), has included work at St. Thomas' Hospital, Islington Mind, South Gloucestershire Council’s therapy services, the Inner Way Consultancy and his own City Psychotherapy Service in London.

Now based in Bristol, where he maintains a private practice, Richard is a Head Tutor for Years 1–3 at the London School of Astrology. Richard encourages students to develop the confidence to interpret charts for themselves, combining technical understanding with imagination and intuitive judgement. His teaching brings together the precision of traditional and horary astrology with the psychological insights of Jung and other psychologists, exploring archetypes and myth, dreams, the process of personal transformation and the deeper path of individuation.

His published work includes "From Symbol to Substance: Training the Astrological Intuition" (2012), alongside contributions to The Astrological Journal and The Mountain Astrologer. He is currently co-authoring "The Horary Process" with Frank Clifford; a book that explores horary astrology both as a traditional discipline and as a true divinatory art. This book is scheduled for publication in early 2027. Furthermore, he has published many astrological videos on his own Youtube channel.

Whether teaching, writing or consulting, Richard Swatton continues to champion an approach to astrology that unites scholarship and imagination, psychological depth and divinatory insight, and the fascinating mysteries of the symbolic world.

Richard holds an MA in Transpersonal Psychotherapy (1999), Dip. Couns Psych (1998), Dip. Psych. Astrol. (1984), and the GCLCM degree in music. Beyond his professional life, his interests include mythology, music, chess and poker.

Swatton, Richard. "Horary Astrology Speaks for Itself." The Astrological Journal, vol. 39, no. 3, May 1997, p.15.

Swatton, Richard. "From Symbol to Substance: Training the Astrological Intuition". London: Flare Publications/London School of Astrology, 2012. ISBN 9781903353158. Second edition: CreateSpace, 2015.

Swatton, Richard. "Working with Transits: An In-Depth Psychological Approach." The Mountain Astrologer, no. 181, June/July 2015.

Swatton, Richard, and Frank Clifford. "The Horary Process". Due early 2027.