Horary astrology is an ancient branch of

horoscopic astrology Horoscopic astrology is a form of astrology that uses a horoscope, a visual representation of the heavens, for a specific moment in time in order to interpret the inherent meaning underlying the alignment of the planets at that moment. The idea ...

in which an astrologer attempts to answer a question by constructing a

horoscope A horoscope (or other commonly used names for the horoscope in English include natal chart, astrological chart, astro-chart, celestial map, sky-map, star-chart, cosmogram, vitasphere, radical chart, radix, chart wheel or simply chart) is an as ...

for the exact time at which the question was received and understood by the astrologer. The answer to the horary question might be a simple yes or no, but is generally more complex with insights into, for example, the motives of the questioners, the motives of others involved in the matter, and the options available to them.

Approach

Horary as a system of divination relies on principles and applications of astrological principles sometimes unique to the branch, though coherent in approach with broader astrological claims. The position of and aspects to the

moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

are of prime importance. The person asking the question, or "querent," is represented by the

ruler A ruler, sometimes called a rule, line gauge, or scale, is a device used in geometry and technical drawing, as well as the engineering and construction industries, to measure distances or draw straight lines. Variants Rulers have long ...

of the

sign A sign is an object, quality, event, or entity whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else. A natural sign bears a causal relation to its object—for instance, thunder is a sign of storm, or ...

the first

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...

cusp falls on in the horoscope. Planetary aspects to the house cusps are considered more important than in other branches of astrology (although it is the planetary rulers of the houses in question that take precedence in analysis). Other key elements used in horary astrology include the

lunar node A lunar node is either of the two orbital nodes of the Moon, that is, the two points at which the orbit of the Moon intersects the ecliptic. The ''ascending'' (or ''north'') node is where the Moon moves into the northern ecliptic hemisphere ...

s, the planetary antiscia, the

fixed stars In astronomy, fixed stars ( la, stellae fixae) is a term to name the full set of glowing points, astronomical objects actually and mainly stars, that appear not to move relative to one another against the darkness of the night sky in the backgro ...

and the Arabic parts. Typically, a horary chart is read by first assigning the thing asked about, the "quesited," to a particular house in the chart. For instance, asking "Where is my lost dog?" would be represented by the sixth house, as it is the house that governs small animals (traditionally, smaller than a goat). The house cusp of the sixth house will be in a particular sign, for example Libra. Libra is ruled by

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...

, so Venus is considered the "significator" of the lost dog. Venus's state in the horoscope will give clues to the animal's wellbeing, and its placement will give indications related to its location.

Assigning houses

Any house system preferred by the astrologer may be used, but commonly horary astrologers choose to divide the chart using the

Regiomontanus Johannes Müller von Königsberg (6 June 1436 – 6 July 1476), better known as Regiomontanus (), was a mathematician, astrologer and astronomer of the German Renaissance, active in Vienna, Buda and Nuremberg. His contributions were instrument ...

house system as a space-based, quadrant system. Understanding the correct house for the context of the question is pivotal to the correct interpretation of a horary question. Everything can be assigned to a house and it is to that house, and its ruler, that the assignation of the quesited is derived. Whatever planet is ruling the sign on the cusp of the house is taken to signify the quesited. The context of the horary will often determine the house. For example, if the horary is about matters pertaining to career, the ruler of the 10th House, natural house for careers and jobs, will be indicate the quesited. A short, non-exhaustive, list of possible associations with houses follows: :The First House ::The querent (person asking the question). The querent's physical appearance (hair color and body type for example) or temperament, so mental state. :The Second House ::The querent's finance, wealth and general material and financial possessions. Moveable possessions as opposed to immovable possessions. Allies or supports for the querent, such as your lawyer in court cases. Any personal (moveable) goods and belongings, immovable possessions such as houses are fourth house. Questions about the value of any of your possessions. :The Third House ::Siblings and neighbors. Any general concern about relatives may be considered third house. Communications and contracts. General comings and goings and short journeys and travels. Letters, emails and paperwork. (Cars may be second or third depending on the context of the question- in matters of travel, the third may be used, in matters pertaining to the value of the car, or of buying or selling a car, then the second may be used.) Lower education such as elementary, junior high/middle and high school. :The Fourth House ::Parents. Immovable possessions as opposed to movable possessions, e.g. your houses, garden, orchard. Mines, oil, buried treasure and anything which comes from the 'bowels of the earth'. :The Fifth House ::Children, love affairs, romance, sex (pleasure and procreation). Gambling, speculation, arguments, games and pleasure. Any venue that caters to our pleasures or provide entertainment including restaurants, clubs, bars and music venues, basically any place you go and have fun. :The Sixth House ::Illness and disease or sickness. Also servants, or anyone who works for you, such as a plumber, electrician or anyone in your employ. Pets and small animals, traditionally considered smaller than a goat (larger animals are twelfth house). Work & work environment. People with whom you work together in some kind of agreement. :The Seventh House ::Marriage, partners and partnerships - both business and personal. Competitors and opponents of all kinds. It is the house of open enemies, by which it is meant enemies that you are aware of. Hidden enemies are the twelfth house. If no other house suffices, use the seventh house to represent 'any old person'. :The Eighth House ::Death, fears, anxiety. It is also commonly used to "the house of other people's money" . (see 'Turning the chart' below). :The Ninth House ::Long distance travel, or, travel to unknown or 'exotic' locations. Foreigners and foreign lands. Universities and students of any subject of higher education such as doctors, lawyers, priests and astrologers. Visions, dreams and religion, as well as churches and philosophies. Books. Pilgrimages or journeys for spiritual or religious reasons. :The Tenth House ::Career and persons of authority. Heads of state, the government generally, judges and royalty. It is also commonly used to indicate the property belonging to the partner or opponent (see 'Turning the chart' below). :The Eleventh House ::Friendships or groups. Wishes, hopes and aspirations. It is considered the house of 'Good Fortune'. Most people know this as the house of friends and acquaintances. (see 'Turning the chart' below). :The Twelfth House ::Secrets, hidden motives and enemies, captivity, imprisonment and self-undoing. Things not yet known to the querent. Any form of non-voluntary bondage or captivity, monasteries, being voluntary and religious are ninth house. Magick, Witchcraft or any manner of secretly undermining the querent.

Turning the chart

In addition, houses may gain extra meaning by way of 'turning the chart'. If you know that the fourth house relates to the father, and that the third house relates to siblings, you can turn the chart to get the father's sibling by taking the third house (siblings) from the fourth house (father), in other words, by counting three houses from the fourth. In this manner the sixth house (third from the fourth), in addition to its natural meaning, may also be used for any brothers and sisters of the father. In a horary question about, for example, your aunt or uncle, it would make sense to turn the chart and use the sixth house if it is your father's brother or sister, or, alternatively, to use the twelfth house (third from tenth) if it is your mother's brother or sister. Turned houses are called ''derived'' houses, as opposed to the normal ''radical'' houses. If you doubt whether the fourth or the tenth house represents the father, you can ask a horary question: Which house represents the father in horary? Look closely at the moon (co-significator of You), first (You), fourth and tenth house rulers. This will give you an answer that will work for you.

Interpretation

Fundamental to horary astrology is the concept of planetary

dignity Dignity is the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically. It is of significance in morality, ethics, law and politics as an extension of the Enlightenment-era concepts of inherent, inaliena ...

and ''

reception Reception is a noun form of ''receiving'', or ''to receive'' something, such as art, experience, information, people, products, or vehicles. It may refer to: Astrology * Reception (astrology), when a planet is located in a sign ruled by another ...

''. Strength is found in two forms, '' essential'' and '' accidental''. ''Essential'' refers to the quality of a planet at a particular degree of the zodiac and its ability to express its inherent nature. Accidental fortitudes refer to the circumstances in which the planet "finds itself". That is, if the

planet A planet is a large, rounded astronomical body that is neither a star nor its remnant. The best available theory of planet formation is the nebular hypothesis, which posits that an interstellar cloud collapses out of a nebula to create a you ...

is in a traditionally bad house (6th, 8th, or 12th) in the chart, if it is retrograde, aspected by malefic planet (

Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius of about nine and a half times that of Earth. It has only one-eighth the average density of Earth; h ...

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...

), combust, etc., then it is considered an accidental debility and circumstantially hindered.

Reception Reception is a noun form of ''receiving'', or ''to receive'' something, such as art, experience, information, people, products, or vehicles. It may refer to: Astrology * Reception (astrology), when a planet is located in a sign ruled by another ...

refers to how each planet in a horary question chart "view" or "receive'" each other, either favourably, unfavourably, or somewhere in between. If Mars is in Taurus, and

is in Scorpio, then each of the planets is in the sign the other planet rules. (Venus is ruler of Taurus, Mars of Scorpio.) This is called

mutual reception In astrology, mutual reception is when two planets are in each other's signs of rulership. Mutual Reception Two planets are in mutual reception when they are in each other's signs (for example Mercury is in Aries and Mars is in Gemini). If the ...

by rulership, and although each planet is in its detriment, it nevertheless receives the other planet favourably. In some horary questions, a thorough understanding of receptions (and the above example skims the surface of this topic) is required to delineate the interplay of how the various significators view each other what sort of attitudes are taking place in the area of the question.

References

William Lilly William Lilly (9 June 1681) was a seventeenth century English astrologer. He is described as having been a genius at something "that modern mainstream opinion has since decided cannot be done at all" having developed his stature as the most imp ...

(1602-1681) ''

Christian Astrology ''Christian Astrology'', written in 1647 by the English astrologer William Lilly, is considered to be one of the most important seminal works of Western astrology. William Lilly successively treats the rules of western astrology, horary astrology ...

, An Introduction to Astrology'', 1647, Astrology Classics 2004 * Marc Edmund Jones: ''Problem Solving by Horary Astrology'', David Mc Kay, 1946 * Derek Appleby: ''Horary Astrology'' R. Reginald/Borgo Press, 1986 {{DEFAULTSORT:Horary Astrology Astrology by type

Approach

Assigning houses

Turning the chart

Interpretation

See also

References