What is Horary

Astrology?
 What is Horary Astrology?
“Horary is the branch of astrology in which we set up a
chart for the time that a question takes shape, either
seriously in the mind or put into words. The position of the
planets at that moment will reveal the problem, its
background, and also its final outcome or answer.”

Ivy M. Goldstein-Jacobson “Simplified Horary Astrology “ 1960

“Quite simply, horary astrology is the art of astrological

divination. A question is posed; the astrologer erects a
chart for the moment of the question, and then makes a
judgement as to the likely outcome of the matter enquired
about.”

Derek Appleby “Horary Astrology: the Art of Astrological Divination” 1985

 What is Horary Astrology?
With the development of horoscopic astrology in about
the 4th century BCE, the notion of casting a chart for the
start of an event or inception of an idea was born.

•  This spawned a branch of astrology the Greeks called

Katarchic astrology meaning: “related to beginnings” or more
specifically to the creation of a beginning.

•  This led to the use of many different types of charts most of

which could be understood to have their root in a specific
moment in time. This being a birth or “seed” moment.

The horary chart is the only astrological chart

that does not have an identifiable beginning or
birth point.
 What is Horary Astrology?
•  Natal chart: set for the birth of a child.
•  Event chart: set for the time when an event occurs or begins.
•  Decumbiture chart: set for when an individual first takes to
their bed with the illness and used to diagnose, treat and trace
the development of the disease.
•  Electional chart: a chart for an event still in the future. It is
set for an astrologically chosen moment most suited to begin
an event or enterprise.
•  Ingress chart: set for the ingress of the Sun into a cardinal
sign, generally the Aries ingress. Used to make mundane
predictions.
•  Consultation chart: a chart set for the beginning of an
astrological consultation used to help unravel what is on a
client’s mind.

These are examples of charts that use the

notion of a “seed” moment from which future
events can be seen to unfold.
 What is Horary Astrology?
Horary astrology need to be understood within
the context of astrological history.

•  The earliest evidence we have of the practice of

horary astrology is from Dorotheus’s “Carmen
Astrologicum”: 5th book, On Interrogations, written in
75 CE.
•  Vettius Valens (2nd century CE) makes some mention
of horary charts in book VIII and IX of his Anthology.
•  Neither Ptolemy or Firmicus Maternus mention horary.
•  Horary was in common use by the Arabs as they
followed Dorotheus more than Ptolemy or Firmicus.
•  The Arabs developed and refined the Hellenistic
techniques and rules of astrology including those for
horary.
 What is Horary Astrology?
With the reintroduced of Arabic astrology into
Europe in the 12th Century, came horary which
proved very popular from the 12th through the 17th
centuries.

•  The principle and rules of horary come from the

work of 9th century Arab astrologer Sahl bin Bishr.
He was the source for most medieval horary
astrologers.
•  Guido Bonatti in the 13th Century wrote “The Book
of Astronomy” which has an extensive section on
Horary.
•  The high point for Horary astrology occurred in
17th century England when William Lilly wrote his
classic “Christian Astrology”.
 What is Horary Astrology?
The 18th , 19th and 20th Centuries were not so kind to
Horary, though it did continue to survive despite the
negative backlash against it.

•  Horary does not figure in either of the two major astrological

developments of the 20th century: cosmobiology and humanistic
or archetypal astrology.

•  Ivy Goldstein-Jacobson wrote “Simplified Horary Astrology” in

1960. She used the outer planets giving them co-rulership of
Scorpio, Aquarius and Pisces.

•  In 1990 Olivia Barclay wrote “Horary Astrology Rediscovered” a

work inspired by her discovery of William Lilly’s work. She is
responsible for the revival of horary astrology.
 What is Horary Astrology?
Horary astrology has often been denigrated by
astrologers of the day and even today it is
dismissed, ridiculed and scorned by many.

•  Ptolemy in his attempt to defend astrology from criticism,

gave it a scientific and theoretical structure that removed
any divinatory elements from the astrology he presents
in his Tetrabiblos.
•  Jean-Baptiste Morin a contemporary of William Lilly
wrote a book on Interrogation in which he spent 9 out of
11 chapters “proving” the falseness of this Arabic
invention.
•  AJ Pearce said that it was: "The absurd and
unwarrantable use made of the horary branch of
astrology, in the Middle ages.” which was the blame for
astrology’s reduced status by the 19th century
 What is Horary Astrology?
“Horary astrology, as practiced today, is the vilest rubbish
imaginable, and not worthy of the name. Indeed, it is not
astrology at all, but simply divination, for which purpose
geomancy or card laying would answer just as well… IT IS
THE CURSE OF THE SCIENCE AND THE RUIN OF THE
ASTROLOGER.”

“It requires very little skill to become a successful Horary

Astrologer, and it will very often happen that those who
shrink from the more abstruse study of natal Astrology may
become experts in divination by the aid of horary figures.”
Alan Leo, one of the most influential astrologers of the early 20th century.
 What is Horary Astrology?
Modern astrology was birthed out of Theosophical ideas
and Jung psychology; it was synthesised and presented as
a totally new type of astrology, which was different to
traditional astrology and had left the old and archaic
concepts behind.

•  Horary lacks any easily conceived “rational” or material

basis.
•  Horary threatens any claim that astrology may have to
being based in natural or psychological science and
therefore taken seriously by the public.
•  Horary challenges the accepted paradigm on which we
base most of our astrology; the idea of the birth or “seed”
moment.
•  Horary highlights astrology’s roots in astral divination
making it more akin to superstition than a serious study,
 What is Horary Astrology?
•  Astrology, including modern astrology, is based on
Ptolemy and his orthodox understanding of the cosmos
which has its roots in the Aristotelian concept of
Celestial Causation - that is the position and motion of
the planets and stars cause things to be and event to
happen.

•  Both the modern and the ancients had the notion that
planets influence us and unless we make a concerted
effort to use our reason, to become aware, or conscious
of this influence, we will stay under planetary influence.

This is basically a view of a Causal Universe, in which

the Soul with effort is capable of rising above the
causal influence of the star, but the body and Nature
are at their mercy.
 What is Horary Astrology?
In contrast there is the Platonic/Hermetic inspired notion of
Cosmic Sympathy – the position and motion of the planets
and stars mirror the external and internal qualities of the
moment.

•  This implies long chains of correspondences linking different

celestial planets with certain places, plants, minerals, animals,
human traits and moments in time.

•  The notion of a “Doctrine of Signature” comes out of the

principle of Cosmic Sympathy.

•  Hermeticism takes this notion one step further and proposes

that we can use or influence this cosmic sympathy in order to
create a desired outcome; this is the basis of astrological
magic.
 What is Horary Astrology?
The practice and success of horary interpretation
challenges the concept of Celestial Causation and
validates the idea of Cosmic Sympathy and astrological
signification.

•  Whatever rational justification we can make for natal,

mundane or event charts, falls apart when applied to horary
charts.
•  The success of horary charts reveals to us the mystery of
the connections of time, place, life and human soul in a way
that other forms of astrology doesn’t.
•  Horary is best understood from the perspective of an ancient
world view in which the mythic, scientific, spiritual, physical,
cosmic, animal and human were inseparable.

Horary Astrology reveals the sacred mystery of the

moment and allows entry into the realm of magic.
 What is Horary Astrology?
Differences between Horary and Natal
astrology
•  The astrologer is present in the horary chart: Generally a
horary chart is drawn, not for when the question is first
conceived, but for when the astrologer understands it.
•  The use and emphasis on accidental significators: In
contrast with modern natal astrology’s reliance on natural
significators.
•  The use of derived houses: signifying real people or
concrete objects.
•  Considerations before judgement: as they provide possible
clues to the matter in question. With time and experience we
come to witness the mysterious process which connects the
horary chart with the chart of the querent or some other
related to the query.
•  Horary is unforgiving; you either get it right or you have made
Adrian’s significator
is the Moon, who
applies to trine
Mars significator of
the property, with
reception.
He gets the house.
But will it profit
him?
 Adrian got the
house; but he did
not profited from
his acquisition.
Venus is also the
ruler of the 5th
house signifying my
daughter, which is
in Fall, in the 8th
house and
besieged between
two malefics.
The Moon’s sextile
to Uranus begins to
reveal itself
This chart connects
with both Adrian’s
and my daughter’s
natal charts:

His ASC aM
XaQ

HerMa the MC
PaQ
There are also
hidden
antiscia connection.
•  The North Node’s
antiscion degree
falls on Adrian’s
natal Uranus.
•  The antiscion of
Jupiter falls on my
daughter’s natal
Uranus.
•  The antiscion of
this chart’s
Uranus falls on
Adrian’s natal
Mars.
•  The Nodes are
conjunct Adrian
natal 2nd/8th
cusps, money
issues.
•  Communication
issues, Jupiter in
Fall in the 12th
and Uranus in 3rd
•  When they broke
up both Jupiter
and Uranus were
at 27 degrees of
Pisces opposite
Mars.
 Harry is Mars
exalted in the
house of death, on
the antiscion with
Jupiter, his allies,
who are strong…
Saturn also
signifies his allies,
is in detriment,
retrograde & in the
3rd house.
Professor Snape
at Hogwart’s
perhaps?
 Lord Voldemort
is signified by
Venus exalted
on the MC. His
allies are
Mercury and the
Moon, both in
bad shape.
Saturn is on the
antiscion of LV’s
12th house of
hidden enemies.
Moon’s last aspect
was a simultaneous
dR, cQ and bT
Showing the great
battle and death of
Dumbledore.

Moon is now VOC

Her next aspect
being in Libra, an
almost simultaneous
eR, dQ and cN.
 Death is signified by
the Lords of the 8th &
turned 8th houses:
Jupiter and
Mercury.
Neither make aspect
Mars or the Moon.
Harry does not die!
But the antiscion
between Mars and
Jupiter indicates that
Harry may appear to
come under the
shadow of death.
But the next aspect
Venus, Lord
Voldemort makes
is a square to
Jupiter, along with
her conjunction to
Uranus.
Death receives
him; the final blow
coming from one of
Harry’s allies.
 Fixed stars:
Ascella on Mars and
Bungula on 7th cusp.
Skat on Venus and
Alcyone, one of the
Pleiades, on the ASC.
The Pleiades were
the 7 daughters of
Atlas and Pleine, 6
are visible, but the 7th
is not. She is the lost
sister Merope, who
hid her face in shame
of having married a
mortal.