What is prohibition in horary astrology?

A third planet reaching one of the two significators, by body or aspect, before the significators' own aspect perfects -- denying what it would otherwise have signified.

What's the difference between prohibition and refranation?

Prohibition involves a third planet interposing. Refranation is when the applying planet itself stations retrograde before its own aspect perfects -- no third planet involved.

Can a prohibited aspect still happen later?

Lilly reads a prohibited aspect as denied for the matter at hand, not simply delayed -- whatever it signified doesn't come to pass through that connection.

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Prohibition in Horary Astrology

Prohibition is when a third planet reaches one of the two significators, by conjunction or aspect, before the significators' own aspect can perfect -- cutting off whatever that aspect would otherwise have signified. It's one of the ways an apparently favorable chart can still be denied.

Horary astrology is a traditional, rule-based symbolic practice with no empirical scientific basis -- treat this page, and Querens itself, as entertainment and a genuinely interesting historical system, not fact.

What Lilly says

Christian Astrology, p.110-111 (1647 ed.)

Lilly's own worked example: Mars at 7° Aries applying to Saturn at 12° Aries, with the Sun at 6° Aries closing in faster than either. "The Sun is swifter in motion then Mars, he will overtake Mars, and come to Conjunction with Saturn before Mars, whereby whatever Mars or Saturn did formerly signifie, is now prohibited."

How Querens reads this

Querens checks whether any third planet will reach either significator, by body or by aspect, before the significators' own aspect perfects -- using real ephemeris motion rather than degree-counting, bounded by a time horizon tied to house angularity (angular matters get months to years, cadent matters get days, matching Lilly's own house-based timing framework). When a prohibition is found, it denies what would otherwise read as a favorable perfection, and the rule trace names exactly which planet does the prohibiting.

See it in a real chart

See it in Lilly's Library: “If the querent should ever have children” →

Frequently asked questions

What is prohibition in horary astrology?: A third planet reaching one of the two significators, by body or aspect, before the significators' own aspect perfects -- denying what it would otherwise have signified.
What's the difference between prohibition and refranation?: Prohibition involves a third planet interposing. Refranation is when the applying planet itself stations retrograde before its own aspect perfects -- no third planet involved.
Can a prohibited aspect still happen later?: Lilly reads a prohibited aspect as denied for the matter at hand, not simply delayed -- whatever it signified doesn't come to pass through that connection.

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