Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education;
in the elder, a part of experience.
He that travelleth into a country before he hath
some entrance into the language,
goeth to school, and not to travel.
Francis Bacon
This week's charts are an example of
Electional Astrology, which allows us to pick the
most auspicious days and times to take action or begin an activity. The English
astrologer William Ramesey empasizes the importance of the natal chart of the
elector in an election.
Ramesey says, "In all Authors I that ever I yet met with,
I finde there can be no time elected (in this our Astrological way of electing)
advantageous to any one whose nativity or time of birth is not exactly known..."
Astrologia Restaurata (London, 1653) Bk. III, Section One, Chapter 1, page 122.
Ramesey qualifies this by noting that traditionally, if the time of birth was not known
that an election could be done from a radical horary question.
While traditional astrologers practicing today agree that
the natal chart is important there are two basic approaches to using it.
The first
bases itself on the nativity of the elector and focuses
on using as many natal factors in the election, fortifying the appropriate houses and
planets identified in the natal chart.
The second approach is more focused on obtaining
a positive electional chart and scrutinizes the natal chart mainly to avoid using
planets or houses afflicted in the natal chart, typically the rulers of the 8th, 12th and
6th, as significators in the election. The background of the traditional astrologer
often determines their electional approach.
Those trained in natal astrology favor the
first method and those trained in horary the second. Both can yield good results. The
key is to choose appropriate factors to emphasize, because the election that is completely
favorable in all respects has yet to be found.
I was asked by a client for an election for starting
a travel agency. I first took a look at her natal chart, which appears above to the
left as "Electional Natal".
We note that every planet in the natal chart is
weak with the exception of the Sun, which is dignified by sign and triplicity.
Interestingly, the Sun is also the ruler of the ninth of long distance travel
and in the ninth. This seemed fortuitous for a travel agency so we will base our
election on the Sun.
In our electional chart, Leo rises and the Sun is the
significator of the elector's business. The Sun is well dignified by sign and in the
first house, within 6 degrees of the Ascendant.
The Sun is also the
ruler of the second house of money. Finally the Sun is the almuten
of the 10th house of reputation and publicity.
The ruler of the 9th of long distance
travel is Jupiter, the Greater Benefic, who is exalted in Cancer,
albeit in the last degree, and closely conjunct the Ascendant. Jupiter
is also the natural significator of prosperity and good fortune.
The Moon, important in any election,
is in the 9th and applying to a trine of the Sun, with reception
by exaltation.
This time, since it is early in the
morning, would be a good time to send out a mass e-mail announcing
the start of business or even to do a
Sun Talisman.