How to be an Amateur Horary Astrologer

1. Read "a book" on horary astrology

Why waste your time taking a course or spending a lot of time studying, you can pick up everything you know to be an amateur horary astrologer with one book or even better just by hanging out for a week or so on a discussion group or surfing a few web sites. After all, you learned everything else you know about "astrology" (modern natal that is) that way.

2. Never be afraid to have an opinion

Even if you haven't read that book yet on horary, don't be afraid to speak up, express yourself and particularly to point out the mistakes of others. Everyone is equal, we all have something to say, so don't let even the complete lack of knowledge of or experience with horary stop you from making ex cathedra pronouncements or castigating even a leading astrologer like Lee Lehman or John Frawley. After all everyone is ultimately on the same amateur level that you are.


3. Mix and match systems, switch techniques frequently

Make sure that when you look at a chart that you use a combination of horary and natal techniques, plus modern, Vedic and traditional astrology. The more methods you can throw at a chart, the more amateur results you get. Also don't stick to one house system or one Zodiac, if you use a helicentric tropical Zodiac on one chart, use a geocentric sidereal on the other. The more information you can get from a chart, from a widely changing grab bag of methods, the more of an amateur astrologer you will be.


4. If a technique worked once, it works all the time

If you had, for example, a horary where the sixth house signified computers then feel free to use the sixth house for computers in any chart thereafter. Don't worry if some fuddy duddy old fools have been doing something differently for 2,000 years, your single example proves them wrong!


5. "Everything I need to know about astrology I learned at the kindergarten level"

Always stick closely to the first things you learned. Whatever you read first in a discussion group or had someone show you on your first chart should be permanently set in stone and should be followed religiously thereafter. Don't be confused or diverted from your initial methods by some smarty pants quoting Lilly!

6. Apply the considerations strictly, refuse to judge charts

Treat the Considerations before Judgment (these are set forth by William Lilly in Christian Astrology in Christian Astrology page 121-3, but an amateur astrologer either has never heard of Lilly or downloaded a free pdf of half of Christian Astrology but can't read it because it is in "Old English") as death sentences for horaries. If a chart is not radical, or has late or early degrees rising, void of course Moon in any sign (pay no attention to Lilly!) or any other consideration, drop it like a hot potato! This allows you to exhibit your mastery of the intricacies of horary and as an added bonus avoid having to judge negative charts or even judge the chart at all. Too much chance of getting it wrong anyhow!


7. Focus on hindsight

One of the best methods for staying an amateur astrologer and avoiding the risk of an inaccurate prediction is to never make predictions. Hindsight is always 20/20! Wait until the results are known before looking at the chart. Better yet lurk on discussion groups and pick apart other people's predictions with your uncanny insights after the fact. The foolish mistakes of others and your own brilliance become so much more obvious if you wait to judge the chart until after the result is known.


8. Stay abstract and focus on debate

Another excellent amateur astrologer method is to shy away from looking at actual charts entirely. You can argue about technique endlessly in the abstract without any fear of actual evidence to the contrary. "I think X" does perfectly well for discussion group debates and provides endless hours of amateur enjoyment.

9. Always look for a positive answer

Don't let a plethora of negative factors in the chart get you down, besides from your 5 minutes of study of modern astrology you know that nothing is really bad and everything is a challenge. Besides who wants bad news? If you look hard enough you can always find something positive. Relationship horary with rulers of the 1st and 7th in detriment separating from an opposition, Moon conjunct Algol, square Saturn? Yes, but look the Part of Fortune is in the 7th, hurrah all is well!

10. Spend most of your time judging your own questions

After all isn't this why you decided to become an amateur horary astrologer anyway? Your own questions are the most interesting after all, you really, really want to know if X is going to leave his wife of 25 years and 4 kids and marry you like he said he would. Besides all of this emotional involvement helps you judge the chart in a relentlessly positive and thus amateur way. For extra bonus points ask your own personal question several times in quick succession.

11. Never charge for astrology & condemn those that do

Once you do charge, you may be amateurish, but by definition, not an amateur. The amateur doesn't charge for a variety of reasons. To do so would besmirch the sacred art of astrology, which is necessary for life itself, unlike medicine, rent, utilities or food, which the amateur has no objection to anyone charging for. The amateur knows that it is far better to pursue astrology as a hobby and thus remain pure of commercial stain, while either being parasitic on their spouse or society at large or working as a telemarketer, subprime mortgage broker, Humvee salesman or other socially elevating profession. Besides being a professional astrologer would entail answering other people's questions, actually making predictions, and judging a large volume of real charts before the outcome was known all of which is antithetical to the true amateur spirit.