***QSP ELECTIONAL CHART***

Electional Astrological Chart

Startup of the "Quiller Scholar Pages"

Electional astrology is the reverse of horary astrology. In horary astrology, a questioner (known as the "querent") asks a question, the moment and location of which are considered the same as they would be for a person born at that time and place. In electional astrology, the optimum time is chosen for the start of an important enterprise or activity such that it would have been a good time to have asked a horary question. The time chosen for the startup of the QSP is 11:29:00 a.m., CST [17:29 GMT], Western Springs, IL (41N48, 87W53). Below the chart are links, first to a legend to help you with the symbols, and then (within the interpretation text), to individual terms on a glossary page.

Symbol Legend

Interpretation

To begin with, it was decided that the venture would function best, and achieve quickest results if the angles were in CARDINAL SIGNS. However, because MARS (ruler of the FIRST HOUSE, and hence of the chart) is found in the FIXED SIGN AQUARI US, denoting a more sure and steady but slower development (as does its placement in the SUCCEEDENT ELEVENTH HOUSE), some mitigating adjustment was needed. This is found in the conflation of fast and slow timing, due to the fact that MARS (energetic exploration) and SATURN (slow planning) are in MUTUAL RECEPTION BY SIGN and MUTUAL RECEPTION BY HOUSE. Such placement invariably offers avenues whereby the two planets' advantageous and disadvantageous characteristics may be played off against each other, and their relative strength increased thereby.

Ordinarily, one would avoid having SATURN in any ANGULAR HOUSE (here, the FIRST HOUSE). However, we are dealing with an enterprise that needs good repute and administrative ability, both matters ruled by the TENTH HOUSE. Thus, the fact that SATURN rules the TENTH HOUSE both naturally and in this particular chart (since its sign CAPRICORN is on the TENTH HOUSE CUSP) brings these qualities to the forefront (FIRST HOUSE) of the planned enterprise. One should remember, too, that the two mutual receptions (sign and house) SATURN has with the FIRST HOUSE RULER MARS guarantees that SATURN's normally deleterious effects can be dealt with productively through courage and energetic action.

The PART OF FORTUNE also resides in the FIRST HOUSE. This imaginary point is of great importance in horary and electional charts, signifying where one is likely to find increase and favorable conditions. The PART OF FORTUNE is superbly placed, free of negative aspects (several bodies, such as the MOON, URANUS, MARS, and even the RETROGRADE VENUS, are in separating SQUARE aspects, signifying that the conflict attending these stressful aspects is in the past, not the future). Moreover, the PART OF FORTUNE is almost exactly TRINE the MIDHEAVEN, the highest point of the chart, promising a good reputation for the project, particularly since the Part is in TAURUS, traditionally considered to be its strongest sign.

Apart from SATURN, a great deal of care has been taken to keep the other malefic planets (MARS, URANUS, NEPTUNE, and PLUTO) out of any ANGULAR HOUSE. NEPTUNE has crossed over into the ELEVENTH HOUSE, but at least is out of the TENTH HOUSE, where its defrauding and hallucinatory influence can damage the public perception of the enterprise and cause misapprehension of its goals and potentialities.

An interesting placement is that of PLUTO, normally associated with powerful, though largely hidden, forces that penetrate to the core of questions, yet often unleash violently upsetting elements. PLUTO's superbly aspected here, due immediately to receive the beneficial opportunity-making SEXTILE aspect from the MOON, and forming a close, even more beneficial, TRINE aspect to the ASCENDANT. Moreover, PLUTO is placed in the EIGHTH house of research, thus confirming the importance that activity to this enterprise.

The chief trouble should come from the placement of MARS and URANUS in the ELEVENTH HOUSE. Some steps, though, have been taken to lessen the impact of the soon-to-be-experienced CONJUNCTION aspects of the MOON to these two malefic planets. First, MARS is in MUTUAL RECEPTION BY SIGN and MUTUAL RECEPTION BY HOUSE, an element of the chart already discussed. This means that the combative influence of MARS can be alleviated by exchange with the more sobering influence of its exchange partner, SATURN. Second, URANUS is about as strong as it can be, resting in its own sign, AQUARIUS, and the house it naturally rules, the ELEVENTH HOUSE.

It will be noticed that the focus of this chart is on the ELEVENTH HOUSE, with more than half of the bodies residing in that house. The meanings of the ELEVENTH HOUSE, accentuated by the influence of its associated sign, AQUARIUS (where five of the six ELEVENTH HOUSE planets rest), suggest innovation, computers, large-scale enterprises (such as the Internet), the hybriding of the old (scholarly analysis) with the new (websites), and so on. It is interesting to note that Elleston Trevor (Adam Hall) was born on February 17, under the sign AQUARIUS.

In electional charts, one must also attend to the APPLYING ASPECTS of the MOON. Originally, it was thought beneficial to let the day "age" a bit to bring the MOON past its upcoming conflictual CONJUNCTION aspects to, first, URANUS, and then, MARS. However, to have done this would have been to have placed most of the bodies in the lower half of the chart (the nocturnal, or night, half). Ordinarily, for an enterprise to succeed, it is preferable for at least the SUN, VENUS, JUPITER, and the MOON to be in the diurnal (top) half of the chart.

What it came down to was a tradeoff between a more pacific, but lesser-known enterprise (nocturnal concentration), and a more conflictual (at least initially) but better-known enterprise. In thinking the matter over, I was reminded of one of my friend's favorite quotations, by Humphrey Bogart: "I don't mind a reasonable amount of trouble." The initial trouble has to be gone through in order that the better outcome can be actualized (promised by the MOON's SEXTILE aspect to SATURN, and then later to MERCURY, as well as its very favorable PARALLEL and CONJUNCTION [the final] aspect to the highly benefic JUPITER).

As we say here in America: "If you want to make an omelette, you've got break a few eggs."

Disclaimer: all opinions not expressly attributed to other contributors are solely my own.