Did you know that you can use astrology to time important events in your life? It’s called “electional astrology” — and no, it has nothing to do with voting. The word “elect” simply means “choose.” So when an astrologer elects a chart to do something significant, like open a business or get married, they choose the best possible moment, astrologically speaking.
This is an age-old practice. The earliest surviving book about electional astrology comes from the 1st century CE, but the tradition likely originated even earlier, in ancient Mesopotamia. Historically, world leaders consulted astrologers to determine when to embark on a sea voyage, go to battle, or establish a new city. (Fun fact: The founding of Baghdad in 762 CE was astrologically elected.) Today, the events we elect may be a little different, but the principles are the same.
Though nothing goes exactly according to plan 100% of the time — and no chart is perfect (more on that later) — electional astrology definitely gives you an advantage. That’s why we elect everything we do at CHANI — yes, every launch, update, and hire. It’s part of our special sauce, and we want to let you in on how we do it.
Disclaimer: Electional astrology is pretty advanced stuff. If you’re still learning the basics, you might want to start with our articles on the planets and points, the zodiac signs, the 12 houses, or the elements of a birth chart. And if you’re confused about any explanations below, check out our list of astrological key terms.
4 things astrologers consider when choosing a chart
If you’re planning something big, you might want to hire an astrologer to help you get the timing right. But if you’re curious to try it yourself, you’ll need a tool that lets you pull up an astrological chart and adjust the time to show how the planets shift.
Start with a chart that falls within the general date range you have in mind. If you have some flexibility, you can use one of our key dates for love, money, or success. Next, consider these factors to narrow down the timeframe.
1. How the 1st House and its ruler are doing
The 1st House and the planet that rules it (aka the chart ruler) are key, because they represent you (or your client, if you’re looking on behalf of someone else).
To start, try getting the chart ruler — again, that’s the ruler of the ascendant, which is always located in the 1st House — in a powerful sign. Ideally, it would be in its domicile or sign of exaltation, or at least not in its sign of detriment or fall.
Also steer clear of any aspects between the chart ruler and the malefic planets, Mars and Saturn — especially conjunctions, squares, and oppositions. They’re called “malefics” for a reason: Mars and Saturn can stir up trouble, especially if they’re in a tense aspect to another planet (i.e., a square or opposition). But if possible, you want aspects between the chart ruler and the two helper planets, Venus and Jupiter — especially conjunctions, sextiles, and trines, which are the most supportive aspects. Venus and Jupiter have the potential to bless your mission with luck and success, so you want them on your side.
Finally, put the chart ruler in a helpful house. The best are the 1st, 10th, 7th, 4th, 11th, 5th, or 9th House, roughly in that order, because these are the places where planets are most powerful. Avoid placing your chart ruler in the 6th, 8th, or 12th House, if you can. The ancients considered these the most challenging of the bunch, partly because the ascendant (which represents life) can’t “see” these houses (i.e., they don’t form a traditional aspect).
2. Who the Moon is talking to
While the chart ruler represents the main person (or people) involved in the event you’re planning, the Moon represents the event itself and indicates how things will go. To make sure it’s well-placed, go through the same process we used for the chart ruler, but with the Moon in mind. Here’s a checklist:
☐ Is the Moon in a helpful sign placement? (Tip: Aim for Cancer, the Moon’s home sign, or Taurus, its place of exaltation. Also avoid Scorpio, the sign of the Moon’s detriment, or Capricorn, its place of fall.) If so, the event will have the resources it needs to go smoothly.
☐ Is the Moon conjunct, squaring, or opposing Mars or Saturn? We don’t want this, as the malefic planets bring obstacles and friction.
☐ Is the Moon conjunct, sextiling, or trining Venus or Jupiter? We want this, as the benefic planets bring support and goodwill.
☐ Is the Moon in a powerful house? (Again, aim for the 1st, 10th, 7th, 4th, 11th, 5th, or 9th House, and avoid the 6th, 8th, or 12th, if you can.) If so, your project or event will have the oomph it needs to be successful — and it’ll be more likely to get attention, if that’s what you’re seeking.
3. Which planets are highlighted
The 1st, 10th, 7th, and 4th Houses are the most powerful areas for a planet to be in a chart. Being in one of these houses — especially the 1st or 10th — is like showing up at center stage.
You want the helper planets, Venus and Jupiter, to be in the spotlight, which will boost the potential for blessings and success. The same goes for the Moon and the chart ruler. But you don’t want a troublemaker planet like Mars or Saturn to be prominent, as it could make things more likely to go wrong.
You might be asking, “But what if Mars or Saturn is the chart ruler?” If you’re new to elections, we recommend avoiding malefic chart rulers for events. To change the chart ruler, adjust the time until the ascendant enters a different sign (which happens every two hours, since it cycles through the whole zodiac each day). But let’s say you’ve found a really good chart for something Mars-coded (like an athletic competition) or Saturn-coded (like a conversation about boundaries). In this case, you can treat a malefic planet like any other chart ruler. Just be careful, since these planets tend not to make things comfortable or easy.
4. What challenging transits are happening
Scan the chart for any iffy transits, such as squares or oppositions between Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, or Pluto. These planets can be disruptive or chaotic, and you don’t want them to distract from your goals or intentions.
Also avoid Mercury, Venus, or Mars retrograde periods, if possible, because these transits tend to bring slowdowns, delays, and reversals. Keep this in mind if you’re doing something that needs one of these planets to be in good shape, such as a destination wedding, when you probably wouldn’t want any hiccups related to travel (that’s Mercury) or love (hey, Venus). The one exception to this rule is Mercury or Venus cazimis — the brief moment in retrograde cycles when the planet is blessed by an exact conjunction with the Sun, and when your plans are blessed too.
Finally, we don’t recommend starting anything on or near an eclipse, since eclipses are famous for bringing volatile energy that can shake up your plans.
Just remember: There’s no such thing as a perfect chart
It’s easy to obsess over picking the right date, but there’s no such thing as a perfect chart. Take it from us — we’ve tried to find one, and it doesn’t exist.
Everything in the list above is “nice to have,” and sometimes you have to make do with what you’ve got. Even timing something for when the Moon is in Cancer or Taurus (which happens for a few days every month) will give things a helpful boost. (And this trick works for all kinds of plans, not just ones that are thematically related to Cancer or Taurus.)
If you’ve already scheduled your big day, and then you realize it’s happening during an eclipse, a retrograde period, or other tricky astrology, don’t freak out. Just get familiar with the challenges that could come up, such as travel delays for a Mercury retrograde or out-of-the-blue surprises for an eclipse. Then prepare accordingly. Allow some wiggle room, if you can. Make a plan B, C, and D. You can also set up an altar to a certain planet and ask it to go easy on you, light a candle for that planet, or contribute to a cause associated with it. (For example, if you notice that Saturn may get in the way, you could volunteer at a retirement home as an offering to the planet of maturity and aging. If you’re worried about Mars, the warrior planet, you could donate to a veterans’ fund.)
This is why making plans with astrology is so powerful. At its best, it helps you find a date and time that gives you an advantage, when an event is more likely to go smoothly — whether you’re hoping to pass your driving test, start a new job, or get married. Even if you don’t have much choice over the schedule, you can at least go in more prepared, ready for (almost) anything.
Now that you have access to a tool that the majority of the world probably doesn’t know about, have fun trying it out.
