The Horary Way: Is This Relationship Right For Me?

By Joanna Grant

Horary chart
Source: Chart provided by the author

This case study comes from one of my long-term clients.

Now in her thirties, she has had more than her fair share of relationship challenges over the years and has worked hard to understand her tendency to become entangled in relationships which do not meet her needs. As a result, she has been single for some time, choosing instead to focus on developing her career and has enjoyed a newfound sense of positivity and empowerment. Earlier this year, she got in touch with a question about a budding relationship; she writes:

I have met a guy with whom I have a lovely connection, we get on very well, but he is going off travelling in a few months, so our relationship has to be casual. Sometimes I'm fine with this idea, as I'm not looking for anything long-term and am happy to enjoy our time together, but I also worry about getting attached and having my head wrecked again. To continue seeing him or not is my question.

Cast on the day of Saturn and in the hour of Jupiter, the chart has a strong 12th house emphasis together with the Moon closely separating from Pluto, immediately suggesting that unconscious patterns were at work. My client is represented in the Horary by an Aries ascendant and its ruler Mars, which has a little dignity by face and is placed in Gemini on the cusp of the 3rd house. Unlike the other planets, Mars is moving slowly due to its recent return to direct motion and perfectly describes my client's combination of enthusiasm and caution which is not typical of Aries! Jupiter, angular in the first and by virtue of its position close to the ascendant, also adds description, attesting to her mood of buoyancy and optimism.

Her lover is described by the sign of Libra on the descendant and ruler Venus, exalted in the sign of Pisces and placed close to the ascendant but still in the 12th house. This position indicated that he had a strong interest in my client, but that the relationship may not be fully out in the open, whilst the application of his significator Venus to Jupiter confirming his impending departure whilst increasing the sense of romance and drama.

At the time of the consultation, the relationship had been active for about six weeks, as shown by the 6-degree separation by sextile of the Moon from Venus. The fact that my client was concerned about her lover's departure was reflected by her significators position on the cusp of his turned 9th house and the application of the Moon to Mercury, ruler of that house.

I advised my client that while I could see she had enthusiastic and warm feelings for the man, and these were likely to become stronger, I felt her emotional investment may be outpacing the situation. With Venus soon moving out of exaltation in Pisces into detriment in Aries, I had the image of a balloon being overinflated and then bursting, suggesting that the lover who currently enjoyed high esteem may soon lose some of his allure.

The Horary Moon rules Cancer on the 4th house of the father and applies to Mercury, ruler of the turned 9th house of her lover. The application of the Moon to Mercury seemed indicative of an emotional complex being triggered, as in my client's nativity, the significator for the father is Mercury, which applies to Neptune on the cusp of the 7th. The separation of her parents when she was young has strongly qualified my client’s adult relationships which have often constellated themes of disappointment and abandonment in one or other of the parties.

This present-day recreation of a departure theme and the early recognition of those familiar feelings of abandonment and loss which had led my client to question the situation were, in my opinion, a positive indication that she was becoming more aware of the pattern. With a natal chart naturally geared towards stability and loyalty in relationships, Neptune's presence on her natal descendant creates a "fog" around that idea, leaving her in some way "blind" to that need, so that relationships which initially seem beautiful and inspiring, quickly shift into something else.

The Horary configuration of Venus, Neptune and the ascendant, perfectly captures my client's tendency to get lost very quickly in relationships to the detriment of her welfare. By idealising her partner and putting him in an exalted position, he almost becomes a deity, leaving her feeling small and powerless, thus re-creating the feelings of helplessness and loss of agency she experienced as a child when her parents separated.

The exalted position and relative strength of Venus, together with the fact that it is the faster planet, led me to judge that he was the more active in the partnership and although my client viewed him very favourably at the time of the question, I advised her that her appraisal would be likely to change within a matter of weeks.

In my opinion, he would soon lose the exalted position he currently held in her eyes and she would come to look at the situation in a more realistic fashion.

I could tell that she was a little deflated by my judgement but understood my reasons although I could tell that she didn’t quite believe that she could be any less excited about the relationship in only a matter of weeks.

In less than two weeks, as the transiting Moon reached its opposition to the Horary Moon-Pluto conjunction, my client messaged me to say that she could now see what I was talking about. She said she now recognised the pattern I was talking about and had decided to end the affair before the inevitable hurt and loss, saying:

The reading helped me clear my head; I am finally beginning to gain more self-control in these situations and your words are a great reminder of things I am aware of but can forget when I get all floaty in a relationship situation. I feel I can enjoy the process now, whilst at the same time, keeping hold of my strength.

Whilst they are still in touch, my client knows this is not the right relationship for her at present and can value herself enough to recognise that and to honour her own needs.

Published in: Timelords Magazine, May 2023.

Author:
Joanna Grant is an astrologer of some 30 years and was awarded the Diploma at the Faculty of Astrological Studies in 2012. Weaving her knowledge of the stars together with intuitive tarot techniques, she crafts highly personalised guidance for clients who are often navigating difficult life transitions. She has lately been very excited to breathe new life into her astrological practice through her study of Horary. Joanna holds the STA’s Practitioners Level Certification in Horary and is currently completing the STA’s Advanced Level Horary Diploma. You can read more about her at www.joannakategrant.com

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