In my opinion, horary – the ancient technique used where a chart is drawn up to respond to a specific question or problem – is astrology’s best kept "secret." 

Horary astrology is an accessible, focused alternative to the comprehensive analysis a natal or timing consultation offers, where we’re going deep into the patterns and experiences playing out over the long term of a person’s life. A horary is best suited to help you get things done.

Of course, I’m all for using astrology to focus on personal growth and self-improvement – that’s what I do, after all. But the reality is sometimes you already know enough about who you are and how you feel. Other times you may just want to know how to take the next right step for yourself, when the overwhelm or decision fatigue takes hold.

In a horary reading, an astrologer assigns a planet to represent both the querent (the person asking the question) and the quesited (whatever it is they’re seeking) and provides an assessment of whether the querent’s desired outcome is likely to materialize based on several factors. Compared with natal astrology, reading a horary chart is like zooming in from a wide-angle shot to a close-up. Where a birth chart’s symbolism has to remain descriptive throughout a person's life, a horary only needs to speak to the specific context under consideration. The symbolism of the chart shows all the fine-grain details that a natal chart glosses over. Because the symbolism is applied to a concrete situation to apply the symbolism, astrologers can push their analysis to offer a profound amount of detail. 

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As helpful as I’ve found horary to be as a technique, most people I work with have never heard of it before and have no idea that astrology can be used in such a practical way. In popular media and culture, sun sign astrology reigns. And while I love that for us, it’s interesting that we’ve made that shift when horary was the primary vehicle for mass astrological consumption when you look at the history of the tradition. Before it was common practice to document birth times, people weren’t using natal charts to the extent we do now unless they were royalty or part of the wealthy elite. Horary allowed people in the middle class and working classes to use astrology to get their questions answered without reference to a birth chart.

Here are five horary questions you can ask if you really want to feel its impact:

[01] “Should I relocate to [desired city]?”

Relocation questions are some of my favorites to work on. As someone who’s moved house seven times in nine years and done multiple long-distance moves, I can tell you right now I’m never moving again without asking a horary about whether a new city is a good fit for me. I want to be forewarned of any opportunities and perils that await me before putting down first/last/security. 

Fun fact! A relocation horary not only describes the destination but what you’re likely to find once you get there. There is a wide range of desires that bring people to new places– a new job opportunity, to get closer to/away from your family of origin, a search for community, a big love, a lifelong dream– and these can raise the stakes and expectations. A horary chart can speak to the changes.

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[02] “Does my relationship with ______ have long-term potential?”

I know, I know. It’s Venus Retrograde. The dating apps are an abomination. You ran into your ex at the farmer’s market. The person you’ve been ambiguously “spending time with“ for the last five months took longer than usual to respond to your text and all of a sudden you’re bingeing hours of Sex and the City, spiraling about whether they’ll pop up engaged next time you see them like Natasha and Big. Trust me, I get it.

Jokes aside, we are imperfect humans trying to connect with other imperfect humans.  Relationships get messy and complex. And I don’t just mean our romantic lives. Friendships, family, and work relationships, too. Getting some support and a window into the overall dynamics of a relationship can make a huge difference in whether or not to move forward.

And look, I’ve had all manner of relationship questions and situations posed to me by clients from “Should I take on _____ as a business partner?” (Yes, go for it!) to “Will he leave her for me?” (Not likely.) I listen and I don’t judge! 

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[03] “Where is [insert missing pet or item]?”

Missing pet and objects charts are probably the most practical use of horary. Just a couple of months ago, I used one to help my friend find her missing passport so we wouldn’t miss out on the best meals of our lives in Mexico City. See? Extremely practical. 

It’s important to note that a missing pet/item horary should only be done when you’ve exhausted all your other options. For example, if your pet goes missing, you won’t want to lose any time finding them. By all means, send out a search party! But, if it’s been a while and you’ve looked everywhere and still no sign of them, a horary can give you some clues where to search next.

When you’re looking for something you’ve lost, a horary can reveal:

• The likelihood of recovery
• The circumstances that caused something to go missing
• A description of the environment or objects near where the item sought after is currently located so you know where to focus your search
• Whether or not it is being damaged in its current location
• Whether it was stolen or misplaced

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[04] “Should I rent/buy this house? Is the price fair?“

I’m based in the U.S. of A., where housing has been in a crisis nationwide for as long as I can remember. The mortgage lenders are up to some egregious shit and the rent is too damn high. In this economy it helps to go into negotiations with as much information as possible. 

You can think about a buy/sell horary question as illuminating all sides of a deal for you. You’ll know your intentions are going in and probably how much you want to pay. What you don’t know is whether what you’re seeing is really what you’re getting once the deal is done.

Beyond explaining whether or not the deal will go through, the symbolism of a horary chart can point to additional factors you should know. Details like:

• whether or not the seller is likely to change the price
• past or impending structural issues with the property
• whether you’re dealing with a shady seller, landlord, or agent
• if there’s competition from another buyer and who is more likely to win
• if there are annoying neighbors or pests you need to worry about 

This kind of insight can be useful when it’s time to make all those pesky little decisions like “Should I spend the extra money on a sewer scope inspection?” or “Should I try to negotiate for new appliances with the landlord?”

Beyond housing, horary can actually handle all manner of buying/selling questions. I once had a client ask whether she’d be able to sell a book manuscript. Her horary chart revealed that not only would she find one but I also judged that a literary agent would reach out to help support her in getting published. Three weeks later she’d met and signed with an agent!

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[05] “If I pursue legal action, what are my chances of winning?”

This is another situation where a horary can help you strategize before you make a major investment of cash. These can be used when you’re deciding whether it’s worth it to  pursue a legal case and want to know whether or not it will be worth the money, time, and resources you put into it. It can suggest how long it will take for you to reach a resolution and whether or not you’ll be happy with the outcome, too. 

If you’re already in the middle of a legal battle, a horary can show things like which side a judge or jury favors or how well prepared a legal team is to advocate for you.

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A few guidelines for your next horary reading:

Ask and answer responsibly.

With power comes responsibility. The power to see or foresee requires that too. 

Going back to astrology’s medieval roots, horary was considered the “judicial” branch of astrology, where an astrologer casts a specific chart at the time of consultation to make a judgment about how to move.  As you can imagine, we have all sorts of wild examples in the astro archives of how this tool was used to uphold the power of a select few (Think: A grown man inquiring whether his betrothed was “chaste” or not). 

This history makes an important point about what the knowledge we get from divination –  assuming it’s from a reliable source –  makes possible today. When using the technique these days you should think carefully about what you ask and how you plan to use the information you receive. Your astrologer will need to consider what they’ll answer carefully.

Try not to pose an either-or question.

Either-or questions come up frequently but for the purposes of analyzing a chart, it’s better to get clear for yourself about what you really want and allow a chart to show you how that may or may not fit your life. In your heart, settle on an outcome you want first. Explore the chart with it in mind and the reading will be much more detailed.

Consultation means “with,” not for.

A consultation is an agreement between you and your astrologer. One of the agreements I request from my clients is a willingness to engage in a process of exchange. I make it clear to my clients that I work with them, not for them. A major key when receiving divination services is that your reader can’t do the work – to heal, to grow, to act – for you. And you shouldn’t want them to because it’s your life.

Whether you work with me or someone else, look for folks who are knowledgeable and make the values they uphold within the consultation space clear.

Don’t feel pressure to have a well-formed question.

Sometimes clients can feel intimated by posing a specific question. They may feel it’s too revealing to ask about what they actually want to know. But that’s an astrologer’s role: to take the details of the story you’re willing to give and help find the language that gets to the root of your problem.

Next time you’re dealing with one of these situations and you want a straight-to-the-point opinion to help you take action on a concrete problem, try out a horary reading.

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