OF
HORARY ASTROLOGY
HORARY ASTROLOGY?
Near and far
Hiddenly
To each other linked are"
- Francis Thompson
Horary astrology is concerned with finding specific answers to specific questions. Will I get the job? Shall I buy the house? Should I sell my car? Will my new business venture succeed? These are all questions which horary astrology can answer - providing the questions are asked sincerely.
The very name 'Traditional Astrology' implies that some of us are using a method which is way out of step with modern times. Not so. We are merely basing our findings upon a system established over 2,000 years ago - one which has managed to stand the test of time.
At the time of in the 17th century, only five planets were known, plus, of course, the two luminaries. In horary astrology, which seeks replies to specific questions, the headline answer can often be deduced from these alone. This is not to say that the outer planets are not considered. Of course they are. They can be useful in supplying additional information. If you lost your credit card, for instance, a prominent Neptune could show that you had a fit of absent-mindedness. Neptune is also the modern significator of drugs and anaesthetics. We do not however assign the outer planets as sign rulers, or even as joint rulers of signs. To do so would conflict with the system of planetary dignitaries handed down to us by Ptolemy.
Traditional astrology has been criticised on the grounds that it is used for predictive purposes. But modern astrology is also predictive - otherwise why take any notice of next month's progressions and transits? Why bother with solar returns? If a weather forecaster predicts rain it makes sense to go out armed with an umbrella. Likewise, if astrology shows us that we are in for a few difficult patches, it might make sense to be prepared and maybe go along with them and adapt, rather than wear ourselves out with the strain and tension of battling against the odds.
Another great advantage to be gained from the study of traditional astrology is that once you have fully studied the origin of the houses, the signs and the planetary rulerships and dignities, your astrological thinking will have gained a new dimension.
Two examples of horary charts follow in the next section.
What other planets circle other suns.
- Alexander Pope
Here are two examples of questions that I have asked - not particularly world -shaking in content, but important to me at the time.
Chart No.1.
Ann and I have been close friends for many years, but due to shifting circumstances have had little communication except by telephone. She and her husband have cancelled two recent dinner engagements with us and a third arrangement was made for Friday 28th. February 1997. Ann’s husband had gone to America for a couple of months so she was coming alone and seemed very definite about it. But I was anxious to know if she would actually come on this occasion.
My significator is the Ascendant ruler, the Moon. It’s position in the 5th house shows that I was hoping for a pleasantly convivial evening. As a close friend, Ann’s significator is the 11th house ruler, Mars, also in the 5th house. The radical 5th though, is Ann’s 7th and the position of Mars there shows her concern about her absent husband.
My significator, the Moon is separating from a conjunction with Ann’s significator Mars which is in detriment, peregrine and retrograde, making me think that previous broken arrangements had been due to adverse circumstances in her own life rather than to my notorious lack of culinary skills. The Moon is also peregrine, and the lack of any applying aspect between Ann’s significator and mine, told me that we were not likely to get together this time either. Also, Saturn and the South Node of the Moon are both in the eleventh house of friends which did not bode well.
The Moon’s next applying application will be to trine Mercury, the planet of communication, also peregrine. I knew that I should get yet another telephone call from Ann cancelling her visit. Sure enough she telephoned me on Thursday the 27th of February to say she would not be coming because she was expecting a visitor. However, the trine aspect to Mercury lived up to its promise because we had a very pleasant and satisfying conversation.
Chart No.2.
I had lost my glasses. After spending half a day looking for them and dragging my husband into the search, we both became desperate and I decided to do a horary chart.
My significator is the Ascendant ruler, the Moon which is in detriment in Capricorn in the 6th house. The glasses are represented by the second house ruler, the Sun, which is appropriate because the glasses had gold upper rims and because the Sun rules sight. The Moon separating from square Saturn shows that the loss was caused by ‘forgetfulness of the owner who knows not where he laid it, or it is forgotten by reason of some cold or sickness which afflicted the loser’. (Christian Astrology by William Lilly p. 321.) This was absolutely true because the last time I had the glasses was on the previous night when I was feeling exhausted and shivery after a long evening’s work. Neither Sun nor Moon was angular so it did not seem that the glasses were in the house. Yet the Part of Fortune in the 2nd house (within 5 degrees of cusp) seemed to say that they were with my own possessions.
The Sun, symbol of the glasses was aptly placed in the 5th house of entertainment. I say aptly, because I am a violinist and use glasses for concerts having had to abandon my beautiful but painful contact lenses! In a succedent house, it seemed that they were not too far away, but the sign of Saggitarius indicates high ground and there is no high ground near our house. Fire signs also indicate that a lost object could be near the walls of a house. (Christian Astrology p, 203) The Moon, which can also represent a lost object is in Capricorn, an earth sign, indicating that the glasses were in a low place, on or near the ground and to the South. Sagittarius indicates East by South. I was puzzled until I looked at the Moon’s first application which was to conjunct Mercury. Mercury rules the 3rd. house of short journeys - and cars. I told my husband I now knew exactly where the glasses were. He immediately went to scour the car which was standing in the driveway to the East of the house, close to the wall. He found my glasses on the car floor (a low place!) very close to the car radiator (Sagittarius). My husband is represented by the 7th. house ruler, Saturn, and the Moon translates light from Saturn to Mercury, significator of the car. Also, the antiscion of the Sun (glasses) falls on Mercury (the car). Peace was restored!
© RUTH BAKER, D.T.Astrol, Q.H.P.
Member of the Association of Professional Astrologers U.K.
Telephone: +44 (0)1255 423312. Fax: +44 (0)1255 222160 E-mail: rubaker@aol.com
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RUTH BAKER, D.T.Astrol, Q.H.P.
Ruth Baker was born in Paignton, Devon, with the Sun in Scorpio and Ascendant in Gemini.
She studied astrology with the Faculty of Astrological Studies and then went on to specialise in traditional astrology, studying with the late
Olivia Barclay. Ruth has also completed extensive studies with Sue Ward and also with John Frawley.
Ruth writes for leading astrological journals,
has just completed a book on astrology and is currently researching another. As well as being an astrologer she is also a professional violinist.
She is happily married with one grown up daughter
and her interests include 19th century English and continental literature and The Times daily crossword puzzle.
Ruth has recently been appointed as a tutor to the Traditional Horary Course, Principal Sue Ward, DTAstrol. QHP. Full details of this course can be found by clicking on the 'Tuition' button in the menu.
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11 Common Lane
Thundersley
Essex SS7 3TB
UK
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1268 745171
E-mail: sueward@easynet.co.uk
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