Page 64 - Talented Astrologer • Volume 1 Number 2 • October 2016

an extensive work on the practice and profession of astrology, called Christian Astrology. Remarkably, Christian Astrology has never gone
out of print, and it’s considered to be, well, the Bible of horary astrology.
Horary astrology operates on the principle that the chart of the moment and location when a question is rst truly asked (i.e., the birth of the question), must also contain the answer to the question.
matters of personal importance. You could be con dent that you’d nd out about the next war in a timely manner. However, you had no easy way of knowing if, or when, your ship would come in, a question of particular importance to merchants and businessmen.
With the absence of instant, on-demand information, people in the 17th century had a lot of burning questions, and when they needed answers,
they would go to an astrologer like William Lilly. Lilly would sit in a tavern and draw up charts to answer people’s questions.
Strictures, Limitations, Terms, and Conditions
ere are a number of restrictions on horary astrology. It only works if you have the right to ask the question (i.e., it’s a matter that concerns you, personally); e rules of interpretation for youhavetohaveapressingneedtoknowtheanswer;andyouhavetoidentify
horary astrology are extensive and complicated; it’s one of the more di cult branches of astrology to master.
the speci c moment when you o cially asked the question for the rst time. You also have to be prepared to be disappointed. Most of the time, the
answertoahoraryquestiontendstobe“No.”
I wonder, though, if this was always the case. In the 17th century, when
“Horary astrology operates on the principle that the chart of the moment a question is asked must also contain the answer to the question.“
information was slow and di cult to come by, it was more common to have a “horary moment” when you genuinely asked a question that could then be answered with astrology. In today’s information age, however, “horary moments”
are rare.
Speaking from my own, personal experience,
I almost never have “horary moments.” When I do, it’s because I’m attached to a speci c outcome of a situation, and I already know on
To understand why horary anunconsciousandemotionallevelthatit’snotgoingtoworkoutthewayI
astrology was so popular, you have
to consider the context of the 17th century. ere was no Google, no Internet, no New York Times, and no CNN. News traveled at a
much slower pace, and people were far less informed, especially about
want it to. For me, “horary moments” only occur when I know I won’t like theoutcome,butI’mnotwillingtoacceptityet.Iignoremyinnerguidance (which, in my experience, is always a mistake), and look to the stars to give me a di erent answer.
Inevitably, when I look at the chart for my question, the interpretation can be summed up as either, “No,” or “Hell, no,” with the occasional, “What part of ‘No’ don’t you understand?”
64 Talented Astrologer