Arijana
Well-known member
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]I found this online and thought I'd might share 
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]How to Read a Horary Chart: seven simple rules for beginners[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Horary astrology is the most elegant of astrological studies. It can appear mind-bogglingly difficult to beginners. However, there are a few easy ‘rules’, which, once you understand them thoroughly, will enable you to read almost any chart in less than ten minutes. Most horary charts can be read almost instantly for an answer, but like an onion, there are layers to a chart which reveal themselves, the more you study them.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]But here are some basics to get you started:[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number One: Know who is who[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Figure out ‘who is who’ in a chart, before you try to read it! If you are asking a question about something involving you, you get the Ascendant as your ruler. If you are asking about someone else, you need to figure out ‘who’ they are in the chart: [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your lost keys? 2nd house[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your sister, brother, or noisy neighbour? 3rd house[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your child? 5th house [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your cat? 6th house[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your boyfriend? Girlfriend? Ex-spouse? Worst enemy? The hot guy you saw in the supermarket? 7th house. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Do not, I repeat, do NOT use the 5th house to represent a person in love questions! The 5th house can describe sexual activity, but it rarely describes the person with whom you are active! A significator in the 5th shows an interest in sexual matters or light ‘fun’, rather than a serious relationship.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Sometimes using the house rulers doesn’t give you a very good description of the person you are asking about. In this case, use traditional rulers instead, and see if they ‘fit’ better:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Sun: men in the prime of their lives (say, late 20s – mid 40s); husbands[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Saturn: older men; father figures; older people in general[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]The Moon: women; wives; young people[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Venus: girlfriends, usually; wives, sometimes; lovers[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Two (the most important rule): Keep it simple at first.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]In horary it can be very tempting to examine the relationships between every single planet in the chart, to see what they’re ‘doing’ and what they ‘mean’ in the chart. Don’t! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]All you really need in most charts is:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]The 1st house ruling planet
The planet ruling the house of the quesited
The Moon[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]What are these three things ‘doing’ with one another? Applying? Separating? Are they ‘friendly’ to one another (Sun in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Leo, for example)? Do they ‘dislike’ one another?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]The extras: Forget about asteroids, Arabic Parts, and outer planets (and quincunxes, sesquiquadrates, and semisextiles), until you get really good at understanding how the rest of a chart works using the traditional seven planets and the basic aspects: conjunction, sextile, trine, square, and opposition. These extra things make a chart ‘messy’ and don’t do much other than support what is already in the chart somewhere. Don’t base your reading around what outer planets are doing![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Know when to stop: If a planet needs to make an aspect to several other planets before reaching the planet you want it to reach, this is interference. Don’t read a chart as: ‘First the Moon conjuncts Mars and then it sextiles Jupiter and then it squares Saturn and then it trines my planet!’. The answer will usually stop at Mars.[/FONT]
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Rule Number Three (Part One): Action equals answer.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Unlike natal astrology, the action of the planets in a horary chart is vital to understanding what the answer is. An aspect isn’t standing still in a horary chart; it is either applying (moving toward an aspect) or separating (moving away from an aspect). Very rarely will an aspect be ‘perfected’ in a chart.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Three (Part Two): Horary is symbolic.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Are the planets separating from an aspect? This shows something that is ending or going away. Are the planets applying? This shows something (or someone) moving toward one another. Do the planets not aspect one another at all? No aspect = no relationship. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]In relationship questions, the quesited’s significator in conjunction with another planet (often Venus) means, literally, that the quesited is with someone else. Venus in the 7th house often shows this, too (if you or the quesited is not Venus in the chart).[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]In lost object horaries, which house is the 2nd house ruler in? This will often show you right away where your lost object is. Is the 2nd house ruler placed in the 9th house? Try the upstairs study. Is it in the 10th? You might have left the object at work. In the 6th? Check under your washing machine or out in the tool shed![/FONT]
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Rule Number Four: The Moon is very important![/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Many beginners overlook how important the Moon is in horary. The Moon is often thought of as a ‘co-significator’ for the person asking the question, but the Moon really should be thought of as the engine in the ‘car’ of the chart: the Moon drives the action of the chart (or not).[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]What is the Moon doing? What house is she in? Is she in a strong house (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th)? Is she in a weak house (6th, 8th, 12th)? Is she in a strong sign (Cancer or Taurus)? Is she weak (Capricorn or Scorpio)? Is she applying to one of the significators, or to an important angle? Is she separating from a significator? Is she Void of Course?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]A comment on the Void of Course Moon:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]There are a lot of arguments about what makes the Moon void, but here is a simple way to think about it: if the Moon has left an aspect to an inner planet, and does not make another aspect until it changes signs, it is probably void. If it will make an aspect to another planet immediately after changing signs, it is not void (but you will need to think about what ‘changing signs’ means to your question). If the Moon has just entered a sign, and does not make an aspect to another planet for several degrees (say 10 degrees at the least), it is void...for now. This implies a waiting period for the ‘engine’ to start. There are more accurate orbs for each planet, so this is just a rough estimate. The point is, for the Moon to be the most effective an aspect needs to happen soon.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Five: You can’t ask twice just because you didn’t like the first answer.[/FONT]
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[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Well, you can, but you shouldn’t. This is self-explanatory. Many people like to give a ‘you can ask again after three months’ answer to this, but this is an erroneous time-period. You can ask again when the situation changes and most situations don’t change in a matter of hours or days or even months. Asking, “Does he love me?” over and over (often in different forms of the question) will not give you a different answer, if he doesn’t love you!
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Six: Context is EVERYTHING.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]People often mistakenly believe that ‘a square means “no” and a trine means “yes”’, but this isn’t always the case! You must understand the context of the question, and the reason they asked the question in the first place. A square can still mean a ‘yes’ if the planets are friendly to one another and are applying: this might mean ‘yes, but you’ll have to work hard for it’. Likewise, an applying trine in a question of divorce might mean that they won’t get divorced, but will reconcile instead. Be careful with this![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Don’t understand what the querent is asking? They probably don’t, either. Ask for clarification. If you don’t understand the question, you’ll get a wrong answer. Don’t make assumptions about what the querent is asking, either! Ask them whether they broke up already, or if they are actually looking for a job right now.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Seven: Considerations are not strictures![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]William Lilly’s ‘Considerations to better judge a horary chart’ are just that: considerations, or things to consider. Having one or more of the considerations present in a horary chart does not prevent you from reading the chart. What it does is send up a little red flag: be extra careful about reading the chart; go slowly and ask a lot of questions.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Late ascendant? The querent is either in despair and asks out of hopelessness, or, more likely, already knows what the answer is (and feels hopeless about it). This doesn’t stop you from reading the chart. However, it probably has an answer the querent doesn’t want to hear.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Early ascendant? To quote a former US President: “Not enough information. Wouldn’t be prudent.” The situation is developing; there is a LOT of room for things to change. Keep this in mind.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Moon in Via Combusta? This shows that the querent is stressed out and anxious, and may not be thinking clearly. The situation (or the querent, sometimes) is unstable.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Saturn in the 7th? The first thing to figure out is whether Saturn is one of the significators; if so, no problem. If the question is about a relationship (it often is) and Saturn isn’t a significator, take heed: Saturn rules blockages and obstacles, so the querent doesn’t have an easy ride ahead.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Horary has a vast and ancient body of knowledge behind it; it is a subtle art and takes years and years of reading and practice to really understand. But using these basic rules and some common sense will help you to read all but the most complicated of horary charts. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]How to Read a Horary Chart: seven simple rules for beginners[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Horary astrology is the most elegant of astrological studies. It can appear mind-bogglingly difficult to beginners. However, there are a few easy ‘rules’, which, once you understand them thoroughly, will enable you to read almost any chart in less than ten minutes. Most horary charts can be read almost instantly for an answer, but like an onion, there are layers to a chart which reveal themselves, the more you study them.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]But here are some basics to get you started:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number One: Know who is who[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana].[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Figure out ‘who is who’ in a chart, before you try to read it! If you are asking a question about something involving you, you get the Ascendant as your ruler. If you are asking about someone else, you need to figure out ‘who’ they are in the chart: [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your lost keys? 2nd house[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your sister, brother, or noisy neighbour? 3rd house[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your child? 5th house [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your cat? 6th house[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Your boyfriend? Girlfriend? Ex-spouse? Worst enemy? The hot guy you saw in the supermarket? 7th house. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Do not, I repeat, do NOT use the 5th house to represent a person in love questions! The 5th house can describe sexual activity, but it rarely describes the person with whom you are active! A significator in the 5th shows an interest in sexual matters or light ‘fun’, rather than a serious relationship.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Sometimes using the house rulers doesn’t give you a very good description of the person you are asking about. In this case, use traditional rulers instead, and see if they ‘fit’ better:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Sun: men in the prime of their lives (say, late 20s – mid 40s); husbands[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Saturn: older men; father figures; older people in general[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]The Moon: women; wives; young people[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Venus: girlfriends, usually; wives, sometimes; lovers[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Two (the most important rule): Keep it simple at first.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]In horary it can be very tempting to examine the relationships between every single planet in the chart, to see what they’re ‘doing’ and what they ‘mean’ in the chart. Don’t! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]All you really need in most charts is:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]The 1st house ruling planet
The planet ruling the house of the quesited
The Moon[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]What are these three things ‘doing’ with one another? Applying? Separating? Are they ‘friendly’ to one another (Sun in Sagittarius and Jupiter in Leo, for example)? Do they ‘dislike’ one another?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]The extras: Forget about asteroids, Arabic Parts, and outer planets (and quincunxes, sesquiquadrates, and semisextiles), until you get really good at understanding how the rest of a chart works using the traditional seven planets and the basic aspects: conjunction, sextile, trine, square, and opposition. These extra things make a chart ‘messy’ and don’t do much other than support what is already in the chart somewhere. Don’t base your reading around what outer planets are doing![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Know when to stop: If a planet needs to make an aspect to several other planets before reaching the planet you want it to reach, this is interference. Don’t read a chart as: ‘First the Moon conjuncts Mars and then it sextiles Jupiter and then it squares Saturn and then it trines my planet!’. The answer will usually stop at Mars.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
Rule Number Three (Part One): Action equals answer.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Unlike natal astrology, the action of the planets in a horary chart is vital to understanding what the answer is. An aspect isn’t standing still in a horary chart; it is either applying (moving toward an aspect) or separating (moving away from an aspect). Very rarely will an aspect be ‘perfected’ in a chart.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Three (Part Two): Horary is symbolic.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Are the planets separating from an aspect? This shows something that is ending or going away. Are the planets applying? This shows something (or someone) moving toward one another. Do the planets not aspect one another at all? No aspect = no relationship. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]In relationship questions, the quesited’s significator in conjunction with another planet (often Venus) means, literally, that the quesited is with someone else. Venus in the 7th house often shows this, too (if you or the quesited is not Venus in the chart).[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]In lost object horaries, which house is the 2nd house ruler in? This will often show you right away where your lost object is. Is the 2nd house ruler placed in the 9th house? Try the upstairs study. Is it in the 10th? You might have left the object at work. In the 6th? Check under your washing machine or out in the tool shed![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
Rule Number Four: The Moon is very important![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Many beginners overlook how important the Moon is in horary. The Moon is often thought of as a ‘co-significator’ for the person asking the question, but the Moon really should be thought of as the engine in the ‘car’ of the chart: the Moon drives the action of the chart (or not).[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]What is the Moon doing? What house is she in? Is she in a strong house (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th)? Is she in a weak house (6th, 8th, 12th)? Is she in a strong sign (Cancer or Taurus)? Is she weak (Capricorn or Scorpio)? Is she applying to one of the significators, or to an important angle? Is she separating from a significator? Is she Void of Course?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]A comment on the Void of Course Moon:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]There are a lot of arguments about what makes the Moon void, but here is a simple way to think about it: if the Moon has left an aspect to an inner planet, and does not make another aspect until it changes signs, it is probably void. If it will make an aspect to another planet immediately after changing signs, it is not void (but you will need to think about what ‘changing signs’ means to your question). If the Moon has just entered a sign, and does not make an aspect to another planet for several degrees (say 10 degrees at the least), it is void...for now. This implies a waiting period for the ‘engine’ to start. There are more accurate orbs for each planet, so this is just a rough estimate. The point is, for the Moon to be the most effective an aspect needs to happen soon.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Five: You can’t ask twice just because you didn’t like the first answer.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Well, you can, but you shouldn’t. This is self-explanatory. Many people like to give a ‘you can ask again after three months’ answer to this, but this is an erroneous time-period. You can ask again when the situation changes and most situations don’t change in a matter of hours or days or even months. Asking, “Does he love me?” over and over (often in different forms of the question) will not give you a different answer, if he doesn’t love you!
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Six: Context is EVERYTHING.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]People often mistakenly believe that ‘a square means “no” and a trine means “yes”’, but this isn’t always the case! You must understand the context of the question, and the reason they asked the question in the first place. A square can still mean a ‘yes’ if the planets are friendly to one another and are applying: this might mean ‘yes, but you’ll have to work hard for it’. Likewise, an applying trine in a question of divorce might mean that they won’t get divorced, but will reconcile instead. Be careful with this![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Don’t understand what the querent is asking? They probably don’t, either. Ask for clarification. If you don’t understand the question, you’ll get a wrong answer. Don’t make assumptions about what the querent is asking, either! Ask them whether they broke up already, or if they are actually looking for a job right now.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Rule Number Seven: Considerations are not strictures![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]William Lilly’s ‘Considerations to better judge a horary chart’ are just that: considerations, or things to consider. Having one or more of the considerations present in a horary chart does not prevent you from reading the chart. What it does is send up a little red flag: be extra careful about reading the chart; go slowly and ask a lot of questions.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Late ascendant? The querent is either in despair and asks out of hopelessness, or, more likely, already knows what the answer is (and feels hopeless about it). This doesn’t stop you from reading the chart. However, it probably has an answer the querent doesn’t want to hear.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Early ascendant? To quote a former US President: “Not enough information. Wouldn’t be prudent.” The situation is developing; there is a LOT of room for things to change. Keep this in mind.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Moon in Via Combusta? This shows that the querent is stressed out and anxious, and may not be thinking clearly. The situation (or the querent, sometimes) is unstable.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Saturn in the 7th? The first thing to figure out is whether Saturn is one of the significators; if so, no problem. If the question is about a relationship (it often is) and Saturn isn’t a significator, take heed: Saturn rules blockages and obstacles, so the querent doesn’t have an easy ride ahead.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Sans, Verdana]Horary has a vast and ancient body of knowledge behind it; it is a subtle art and takes years and years of reading and practice to really understand. But using these basic rules and some common sense will help you to read all but the most complicated of horary charts. [/FONT]
The rest of us (especially me) struggle to understand even the basic methods. Perhaps you could author a book called "Horary for Dummies." A similar title from the Dummies series for basic Astrology is already available and is selling like hot cakes !
