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Mutual, Multiple & Mandatory Receptions - Derek Appleby

I first became aware of Horary Astrology through an article by Joan Rodgers in 'Prediction Magazine' many years ago. It was not long after I had started to teach myself Astrology through books, which seemed to appear at the 'right time'. The article excited me and I began to experiment at once, only to receive what I considered to be stunning confirmation of the magic of Horary by correctly locating a missing ring of a work colleague. I remember I was so overwhelmed by the success of my first Horary chart that I sent it to Joan Rodgers who replied kindly. It is a matter of deep regret to me that I lost that first horary chart years ago and it has never turned up. Shortly afterwards I found. Ivy Goldstein-Jacobson's 'Horary Astrology' on the Lodge Bookstall, and from that book learned the basic rules.

I was well into horary practice before I heard of Lilly through Zadkiel's 'An Introduction to Astrology' by William Lilly, and I have never read the classical astrologers on Horary. The importance of Mutual Reception came to me, as these things tend to do, while struggling with a particularly difficult chart. Before then I had not really taken it on board. My first Horary (re my colleague's ring), must have been judged in 1971, my first recorded judgement was in 1973. The chart which convinced me of the importance of mutual reception was asked on March 19th 1976: Will I get married this year? It was while I was wrestling with this question that I referred back to Goldstein-Jacobsen, and applied what she had to say about Mutual Reception. To the case:

When a significator and another planet (which is not a significator) are in each other's natural sign such as Venus in Mercury's sign Virgo and Mercury in Venus's sign Libra, they are in mutual relationship which we call Mutual Reception. It means that the significator gains an advantage thereby through an outside person and can get out of what he got into if he wishes. He may obtain his release, escape a penalty, complete a deal, regain his former standing, and get back to normal'.

The significator may also be read as through back in its own sign. Still keeping the same degree, show the planet where it would thus fall in the chart to reveal the department where the person signified would better himself if he chose to go there. But if retrograde he may not really want to make any change at the time.

When both significators are in each other's sign. It gives exchange status by mutual consent as through each says 'My house is yours.' The matter is brought to conclusion acceptable to both due to mutual influence.

From this moment I identified every case of mutual reception in a Horary chart and through experience widened its application. I soon discovered that 'Mutual Reception by Degree' was valid if the exchange involved planets moving into each other's ruling signs, signs of exaltation, or a combination of both.

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