Back to timing and the movement of planets applied to horary.
I did a Mr Right horary for myself this morning (
) - actually, I cast a horary about myself and my Beloved from whom I am (by choice) presently separated. He's going through some pretty heavy changes and we both felt he needed space to achieve them. This is made easy by a vast geographical distance between us, though we keep in touch by internet off and on. Anyway, that wasn't the subject of the horary, but rather, I wanted to look at developments between the two of us, with the possibility of a romantic renewal between us.
In the chart, the ruler of the Ascendant (me) is the Sun, placed in the 10th house. I don't know if the fact that he and I met through work has anything to do with that. We no longer work for the same organisation (I have moved on, again by choice). But I am very concerned with all things work/career at the moment. The Sun is at Taurus 7° 18'. The ruler of the 7th house cusp (him) is therefore Saturn (ruler of Aquarius), presently retrograde at Virgo 15° 14' in the 2nd house. He seems concerned about money and his resources.
That means there is an applying trine between the two - Saturn going backwards, and the Sun moving forwards.
Now, the Sun is in an angular house and a fixed sign - that means slowness according to what Minderwiz explained above. Saturn, on the other hand, is in a medium-speed (cadent) house and a medium-speed (mutable) sign. But Saturn itself is a slow planet. Furthermore, it will take the Sun to catch up with Saturn, because although Saturn is going backwards at the moment, it will start going forwards when it hits Virgo 14° 55' in May. However, the Sun will have reached Taurus 14° 55' long before that.
Which would apply in terms of timing? The medium speed or the slow speed? Or do we take an approximation between both?
Another question: if the quesited in a horary is signified by a retrograde planet, what does that means in terms of interpretation - both meaning and timing - if it is linked in an applying aspect to a much faster planet?
From what I can see, this will take time to work itself out - we are talking months, rather than weeks. But the detente and bond signalled by the trine presumably starts to have effect before it perfects, given that the Sun has a very large orb (15-17), and Saturn still a sizeable one (9-10) - in this case there is 7° 56' between them, and the gap is closing.
As well as this the between our two significators, there is an applying square between my significator and the 7th house cusp of the chart (which is at 8° 41' Aquarius). This is a tense aspect, which probably shows the tenseness of the relationship itself (shown by the 7th house cusp) - officially broken up, with continued love and care. Here, presumably, the timing is slow because both signs and houses involved are slow.
This is what Skyscript writes of traditional squares:
The square, known as the quartile or quadrate, was not an altogether undesirable aspect. While unable to offer the easy agreement of the trine, the fact that the signs have a strong 'sight' of each other means there is recognition and a flow of power between them. Manilius explains that the trigon's power is greater than the quadrate's, but speaks favourably of them both when he says:
And whatever points joined in a series of four the angle favours, and whatever point the straight line marks in its threefold track . . . upon these has nature bestowed federation and common law, mutual goodwill and rights of friendship with each of her.
The square was only taken as unquestionably damaging when a malefic or unfortunate planet was involved, though many texts speak of the need for reception or some other form of familiarity for there to be a positive influence.
At the same time, there are two applying sextiles between the Mars (at 3° 56' Aries) and Venus (in an applying conjunction to Mars at 00° 54' Aries) with the 7th house cusp. It is at the edge of both these planetary orbs, but it's applying. Mars and Venus are in a fast sign and the medium-speed 9th house. Presumably, therefore, these two sextiles will apply fairly soon? Mars is obviously a dynamic but aggressive force, and here it is in its sign of rulership, so strong; Venus is gentle, but weakened by being in an sign that is far too hot and fiery for her. Not sure what that says for a sextile to the 7th house cusp
I would also say that Venus and Mars being in the 9th house shows that "love and passion" are in a foreign country - which is true for both of us! - and also the potential for conflict.
Interestingly, the ruler of the 10th House - in which my significator finds itself - is none other than Mars itself. The 10th House, from all I've read in Classical astrology, not only rules work, career and the mother, but also the institution of marriage (as opposed to the partnership/emotional/opposition-attraction and open conflict, elements of the 7th house). So here Mars, ruler of the 10th House, is in an applying sextile to the 7th house cusp, 5 degrees apart.
The Moon is at 8° 11' Gemini in the 11th house - so it trines (within 30') the 7th House cusp (it's a busy cusp!
). It's also in an applying square to his significator, 7 degrees apart. In a medium-speed house and medium-speed, it will take - presumably - medium time to perfect??
Do I take the moon as my second significator? How do I work it in here? How do I give it weight when compared to the significator? Which would perfect first - the square between moon and quesited's significator, or trine between my significator and his? Which would be most important?
Incidentally, there is a planet in the 7th house: it is Jupiter, at 23° 26' Aquarius, which sextiles within 18' the 10th House cusp. Jupiter is also the ruler of the 9th house in this chart, which is where I saw Mars and Venus.
Am I seeing a continued period of tenseness coupled with love, followed by a coming together in understanding and an overall detente, with a possibility of officialising our relationship? Is he Mr Right after all, even though he might not be Mr Right Now?
. And what of the timings involved in the above-mentioned features? Am I missing something?