Notion and History (Origin) of Horary Astrology
The Notion of Horary Astrology
Horary astrology is a branch of astrology where an astrologer gives
answers to concrete questions constructing an astrological (horary)
chart for the time and the date when he or she found out (heard or read
) the question and understood it as well as for the place where he or
she was at that moment. When we speak about the notion of the horary
astrology it is important to say that there is an important difference
between the horary and the natal astrology. The subject of the horary
astrology is limited to an analyse (giving an answer) of some specific
question which is given to an astrologer in order to some person gets a
concrete astrological answer. In distinction from the horary astrology,
the subject of the natal astrology is not so limited and it refers to
the most important aspects of someone’s life for whom the natal
horoscope is being constructed (temperament, behaviour and character,
health, different life predispositions- especially those referring to
schooling, a choice of profession and professional improving, emotional
life and tendency to a specific type of partner, family and marriage,
offspring and relationships with children, possibility for going and
living abroad, etc.). Different subjects of the horary and the natal
astrology have a practical consequence - the horary astrology, that is
the horary horoscopes are more suitable astrological devices for giving
precise answers to some clear and concrete question, while the natal
horoscopes are more suitable for a wide, but at the same time, more
common analyse of the whole natus life, that is the most important life
aspects.
The History (Origin) of Horary Astrology
Chronologically watched, horary astrology is the youngest branch of
astrology, so, the statements, that it is the oldest, which can
occasionally be found, are not true. No doubt, the oldest astrology is
the so-called proto-mundane astrology from the early Babylonian period.
Natal astrology developed after this first Babylonian astrology between
the 8th and the 5th century BC. horary astrology developed after natal
astrology from the group of Old Greek astrological methods known as
katarche (beginnings). Katarche are comperative, predictive and
diagnostic astrological techniques for chart analyses made for the
moments of different beginnings which were usually compared with the
radix charts (more often with the natal ones). Katarche charts are
divided into comparative charts of beginnings (elections), predictive
charts of beginnings (questions) and diagnostic charts (horary
decumbiture or iatromathematics decumbitura). Katarche are all charts
made for the moment of the news announcement connected to any event. As
you can see from the previous division of katarche charts, the horary
astrology developed from katarche predictive charts of beginnings,
diagnostic katarche charts and katarche charts of the news announcement.
The earliest rules of the katarche astrology, from which horary
astrology developed, differs from the later Arabic and European rules
established during the period when the horary astrology experienced its
expansion and was formed as a particular branch from the 8th to the 17th
century. Ptolemy didn’t mention katarche methods as well as many other
antique astrologers such as Paulus Alexandrinus, Heliodorus, Firmicus
Maternus, etc. Those rules (from which the horary astrology was
developed) were often used by Nigidius Figulus, Antiochus of Athens and
Dorotheus of Sidon. When we speak about katarche, it is important to add
that it is believed that first katarche methods originate from the
Babylonian magic. These methods are divided into magic (intervened) and
prognostic (diagnostic) katarche astrology by some authors. The magic
katarche astrology concerns the electional interventions as well as the
interventions on the basis of horary advisory questions and
interpretations. The prognostic katarche astrology is based on all
horary charts and charts of beginnings from which, without any
intervention, an astrologer is searching for the prediction of future
events or illumination of some completed situation. In their earliest
form, katarche are mostly based on the positions of horoscope angles and
Moon where you can see the link with the Babylonian lunar houses
(mansions). For example, Dorotheus emphasizes the kinds of signs. He
especially insists on using the division of signs into “the straight”
and “the bowed”, actually, on the short-rising and the long-rising ones,
that is, on those that go out in more or less than two equinoctial
hours. The occurrence is commented in the context of each question. He
discusses this material in the fifth book of “Carmen
Astrologicum”. Dodecatemoria of signs as well as the obliged comparison
of katarche charts with the original radix charts are the main
characteristics of his work. This link disappears because of the
development of horary astrology later.
The famous astrologers, who lived and created between the 8th and the
17th century, are especially meritorious for the creation of the horary
astrology as a special astrological branch, the development of its
specific rules and the great recognition of the horary astrology
(Mashallah, Bonatti, Saunders, Lilly, Culpeper and others). They created
the horary astrology we have known nowadays and which, among few real
experts, has been studied and practised as a branch of astrology called
the traditional astrology. Those, who try to study it and who follow the
so-called modern (popular) astrology contriving some new rules that,
especially in relation to the time and the place which are relevant for
constructing a horary chart, have no base in a theory of horary
astrology (contained in the works of the famous astrologers), damage
this ancient skill.
Author: Natasa Karalic Koprivica
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