ASTROLOGICAL ELECTIONS
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1
1. Introducing astrological elections
- 2.1 Warning
- 2.2 Activities that can be timed astrologically
- 2.3 Refused elections
- 2.4 How to ask for an election
1. Introducing astrological elections
1.1 What is an “Election”?
Electional astrology is the art of choosing the best moment to act. The name comes from the Latin word electus which means "chosen" or "picked out."
At any given time, the arrangement of the stars and planets will be suitable for some activities and unsuitable for others. When making an “election” an astrologer chooses a time when the stars and planets are in the best possible positions to suit a given activity.
Astrological elections are rare today, but the art was very popular during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, particularly amongst the rich and powerful. A number of important historical events commenced at times chosen by astrologers, including the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I (1559 AD), the foundation of Baghdad (762 AD), and the Battle of Montaperti (1260 AD) to name a few.
1.2 How do astrological elections work?
When making an election, the first thing I do is figure out which planets and Zodiac signs are relevant. This is done in two ways:
1. By examining the positions of the signs and planets at the time of the client's birth. For example, the sign that is setting in the West when a person is born signifies that person's relationships with the opposite sex. In an election for a wedding, this sign would be very important.
2. By the natural signification of the planets. Each of the planets is said to “govern” the various things which conform to their nature. Some of these are fairly obvious to the modern person; for example, Venus governs women, love, and beauty, while Mars signifies brothers, and warfare.
Once I know which Zodiac signs and planets are important, I use a book of Tables (called an “Ephemeris”) along with my computer software to narrow down a time when the relevant signs and planets will be in the best possible configuration for the client's purpose.
2. Asking for an election
If you want to ask for an election, please read this section carefully.
2.1 Warning
Ancient astrology is a serious matter, and there are significant risks involved. There are two very important warnings I need to give to all my clients:
1. If you use astrological elections too often, you run the risk of becoming very superstitious, afraid to leave the house when Moon is in the wrong position. So use elections sparingly and only for important events.
2. People of faith should be aware that electional astrology can lead you away from trusting in God's plan, by giving you a false sense of control over the outcome of your actions. You must remember that God is the master of fate, and that if you trust in God, you will have nothing to fear.
2.2 Activities that can be timed astrologically
In truth, we can make an election for almost any human activity. However, because making a good election takes a long time, we tend to use elections only for rare and special occasions.
The following is a list of suitable topics for elections. Some are from my clients, while others are examples from textbooks and from history. Feel free to request elections not covered here.
- What's the best time for our wedding ceremony?
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When should I quit smoking?
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When should I quit drinking?
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At what time should we launch our new business?
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What is the best time for me to leave the family business?
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When should I go shopping for new clothes?
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When should I build my house?
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When should I ask this person out for a date?
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When should I plant this tree?
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When should I seek reconciliation with an enemy?
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When should I launch my website?
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When should I enter a business partnership?
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What's the safest time for me to travel?
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When should I approach a powerful person with a request?
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What is the best time to “make a move” on my new partner?
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When should I hold a party?
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What's the best day to sell this item?
To see examples of real elections I have made for my clients, check out my Example Charts page.
2.3 Refused elections
There are three types of election which I will never perform:
1. Elections for committing a crime, or any act which I consider to be morally questionable;
2. Elections for buying lottery tickets (other types of gambling may be considered);
3. Elections for activities that are unimportant, or any request which I consider to be frivolous.
Ultimately, I reserve the right to refuse election requests at my own discretion, without need for an explanation. If you are rude or harassing, I will cease all correspondence with you.
2.4 How to ask for an election
To request an astrological election for an activity, send me an email with four pieces of information:
1. The activity you want an election for (wedding, business launch, travel time, etc.).
2. The location you expect to be when you take action. In most cases this will be the same city or town where you are right now, but you may be traveling to another location before taking action.
3. The time-frame within which you are constrained. Let me know how long you can wait at most before taking action, and also let me know if you have a preference for certain months, etc.
4. The exact date, time and location of your birth. Note that this information is not essential, but it helps to produce a more effective election. With it, I can tailor the election to you personally and avoid any stars and planets which were in unfortunate positions when you were born.
Send your email to robertbailey@archaicastrology.org with the subject “Election request.”
There is no payment required; I work for free.
3. Your election
3.1 Response time
I always try to respond to election requests within 14 days. I acknowledge that this is a long time – but an election takes a long time to prepare, much longer than it takes to answer a horary question.
Remember that I am not a professional astrologer. If you have an election request that requires an urgent response, see a professional astrologer (I recommend Christopher Warnock).
3.2 What you get
My response to your election request will arrive in a Adobe Acrobat “PDF” file that contains an image of the astrological chart that I cast, along with my written comments on the chart.
The chart itself will be in the ancient square form, and will be set for the elected time and location.
The written section is set out under two headings:
1. The Election is simply the elected time, the time that I have chosen for your activity.
2. The Deliberation is a written explanation of my reasons for choosing the elected time.
Some clients wonder why I bother to include the Deliberation section. The reason is that it proves I am following the rules of traditional astrology. Trained astrologers will be able to follow my logic, and will also be able to spot any errors that I may have made.
To see exactly what you will get back from me, take a look at the Example Charts page. It contains a selection of full written elections that I have made for my clients over the years.
3.3 Please provide feedback!
I do not ask for any payment, but I do ask for your feedback. Please let me know whether my election was helpful or not, whenever that becomes apparent. Feedback helps me learn from my mistakes, and is really the only reason I practice astrology for the public at all.
