Happy New Moon in Taurus! I’m running a sale on all readings through 5/9 (tomorrow!) Use code GOODBREAD for 15% off gift cards and GOODBUTTER for 20% off readings :)
I’ve always been ambitious, but for a few years now, I’ve been god awful at planning. I was born a month premature and a few days before a Solar Eclipse. I’ve let fate take the wheel since the womb. Why meticulously plan an entrance when you can just burst onto the scene?
In astrology terms, to simply let something happen is an inception, but to do something with intent is an election. One begins, and the other chooses the beginning. To choose an election is to practice Electional astrology.
Everything has a chart. A natal chart is a chart cast for the moment someone is born (birth=nativity). An inception chart is a chart cast for the moment something begins. When astrologers are talking about the “chart of Twitter” or the “chart of New York City” or the “chart of the Chernobyl disaster,” they’re talking about an inception chart. These charts speak to how something unfolds in the moment as well as how it plays out over time. An election, on the other hand, is an inception chart that’s planned in advance. Electional astrology is the practice of finding the best times and working with them. An inception happens, but an election happens with intent.
Initiating something under an auspicious election is like having a nepo baby. It has an automatic leg up. That being said, you can’t force fate. A good chart won’t yield good results if something just isn’t meant to be, and sometimes wonderful things occur under super gnarly skies.
With all the hype around the super positive astrology of May, I’ve noticed an uptick in people asking “when’s a good day to do xyz?” And is a day really enough? How specific do you have to be to take advantage of an auspicious time? I’m going to walk you through examples of (1) something I launched willy-nilly, (2) something I launched with intent—albeit without much planning, and (3) something I initiated on what I knew was a good day without paying the astro clock any mind . Let’s examine the charts and the results.
First up: the unplanned - the first ever moon missives email (2016)
(Side note:Beyond the fact that I had no clue about Electional astrology, why was I sending an email at 1 am on a Saturday night???)
What’s going on in this chart:
Neptune is rising which gives the project a certain je ne sais quoi (+1!), but also makes its intentions a bit murky (-1)
The ascendant (Pisces) is ruled by a debilitated Jupiter in Virgo which is not ideal for an electional chart; It does however suggest a willingness to think outside the box. (-1 by astrologer standards, but +1 by queer failure standards)
The moon is brand spanking new which isn’t advised for Electional charts, usually suggests something will be slow to grow. (-1)
Venus is cazimi in Gemini which is cute for sharing ideas and a good aesthetic (+1)
There’s a mutable grand cross (planets in all 4 mutable signs) which is, to put it lightly, utter chaos. Launching something with this much mutability guarantees constant pivots and transformations (chaotic neutral).
That being said, all the Gemini and Virgo planets are ruled by Mercury in Taurus (in the third house of email!) which brings some stubborn commitment. Without that Mercury in Taurus, this project probably would have ended before it began. (again, chaotic neutral)
Results? Despite this chart being a hot mess, moon missives was (and still is) pretty successful. It was launched on a whim and it’s still going 8(!) years later. One could argue that it changed my life (mutable grand crosses will do that to you). It’s also not been easy. But I love my difficult child.
Next, let’s look at something I “elected” - the launch of this Substack (2021)
What’s going on in this chart?
The ascendant (Sagittarius) is ruled by Jupiter in Aquarius, which is located in the third house of communication (email!!!) (+1)
The moon is almost full. Though this is better than the dark new moon of the OG moon missives, launching something this close to a full moon also isn’t advised. The moon is technically getting burned up by the Sun and not operating at max effectiveness (-1). This is doubly a problem because the moon rules the 8th house of shared resources and the point of making a Substack was to build patronage (whoops! -1)
The Sun is at home in Leo in the 9th house of astrology. Cute! (+1)
Mercury (writing) is in the 10th house of public image (+1) but it’s conjunct the out-of-sect malefic Mars (-1)
Venus is on the Midheaven (and both are near the degree of my ascendant!) - Very cute! (+1)
Results? Overall, this chart isn’t the worst, but it’s nowhere close to the best. It activates my own natal chart quite a bit, which is something one must keep in mind when doing Electional astrology. I think this chart speaks more to what I was personally going through at the time than to the project itself. And was what I was going through good? No, but it was necessary (as was making this Substack). The Moon, Jupiter and Saturn all in Aquarius. The endeavor has endured. Growth is slow.
Finally, let’s look at something I started without real intention on a “good day” - picking up running again after a 12 year break
To note: I have a chart for this day saved as “Re-launch astro business.” “Everyone” was talking about this day as something special. I’m sure it was the featured election on The Astrology Podcast. I did not re-launch my business on this day. Despite all the buzz on astro social media, I don’t think I was conscious of this being the day when I woke up that morning. All I knew was that I finally had a new pair of sneakers and some AirPods and was ready to give running a good college try.
What’s going on in this chart?
The ascendant is in Cancer ruled by a happy, fertile little moon at home in Cancer (+1)
The sun is exalted in Aries at the top of the chart! (+1 for visibility)
Chiron on the midheaven is good for health stuff (+1)
The Moon has finished her aspects to Venus and Jupiter, and is applying to Mercury. The girlies who used this day intentionally were all using elections from 1 or 2 hours earlier with the Moon still applying to Jupiter (and Jupiter with Neptune on the Midheaven) for their haircuts and product launches on this day. Moon-Mercury aspects are good for mind-body connection, but also can be overstimulating (chaotic neutral).
Results? I didn’t get a cute haircut or re-launch my business, but I did start the first exercise I’ve stuck to for more than a few months in my adult life. I wonder what would’ve happened if I’d actually prepared and used this day to do something for my career.
Overall results:
More research needs to be done. But I think it’s safe to say timing does matter. Good days (when supported by fate) yield good results. Bad days (when supported by fate) yield impactful results. Astrology puts words to the quality of time, so good, bad or ugly, no matter what the result, we can make sense of how it’s all playing out in the present.