A Horary Reading for Locating a Missing Possession: Where are Marilyn's Keys?

Apr 30, 2025

Bal du moulin de la Galette (1876) Pierre-Auguste Renoir

The Missing Keys

Marilyn was beside herself. She was already in mourning over the loss of a loved one, and now she had lost the keys to her house! She had been searching for days. The last time she remembered having her keys was when she went out with a friend. She recalled going out of her house, locking the front door, and getting in her friend’s car to go shopping. Since then, Marilyn had searched the car and all the places they had gone to that day; the keys were nowhere to be found. Marilyn’s brother, Walter, wanted to help her find the keys; so he called me up and requested a horary reading.

The Main Significators

The querent, or person asking the question, is Walter. In a horary chart, that person is signified by the first house and the zodiac sign falling on the 1st house cusp. Therefore, Walter is described by the sign Libra; Venus the planetary ruler of Libra represents Walter in the horary chart (fig. 1).

Marilyn is signified by the 3rd house of siblings. Her planetary significator is the planet ruling the zodiac sign found on the 3rd house cusp. The sign Sagittarius describes Marilyn and Jupiter represents her in the chart. This is an appropriate significator for Marilyn as her sun sign is Sagittarius.

Next we identify the house and planetary ruler that represent the missing keys. In a horary chart reading, the 2nd house signifies all moveable possessions. Since Marilyn is signified by the 3rd house, we start counting from there to find her 2nd house. This makes the 4th house a stand in for Marilyn’s 2nd house. Capricorn is on the 4th house cusp making Saturn, the planetary ruler of Capricorn, the significator of the keys.

Once we have determined the main significators, we look to see what kind of aspect, if any, they are forming with each other. Jupiter (Marilyn) and Saturn (the keys) are, in fact, coming together to form a square with each other. They are approximately 7° away from perfecting the square at which time they will be exactly 90° apart. This perfection represents a future event. At first, this seems to be good new as it shows Marilyn and the keys coming together, but we must also look at the speed of the planets. Jupiter, the faster moving planet, is applying to Saturn. This would seem to show Marilyn returning to the keys. Unfortunately since Marilyn is not lost, she cannot return to the keys; the keys must return to her. If it were reversed, and Saturn was the planet applying to Jupiter, we would then have a testimony for recovery. However, this is not case and we may not say that recovery is likely.

Venus and Mars

Next we turn our attention to the angular houses of the chart. The angular houses are the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses “these are the most powerful houses where the influence of the planets is especially strong” (Houlding, 2006, p. xxiii). Planets located in these houses are provided the greatest opportunities to express their strongest qualities. The angular houses give us a snapshot of the overall situation and allow us to make an initial assessment of the likelihood for recovery of the keys.

The 1st, 4th, and 7th houses appear to be empty, but due to the 5° degree rule any planet within 5° of the next house casts its light forward and is considered to be in that house. This puts Venus into the 7th house. Venus, a benefic planet in an angular house gives a positive indication in favor of recovery. In addition, Venus is applying to Jupiter (Marilyn) in a friendly sextile. This is a strong testimony for recovery of the keys.

The only other planet in an angular house is Mars. Mars, a malefic, is located on the 10th house cusp; planets close to or on the cusp are especially strong. Further, Mars is in a close trine to Saturn (the keys). Mars is separating from Saturn; the aspect has recently perfected and represents a past event. Someone with malicious intent may have lately obtained the keys. Venus and Mars have provided us with a pair of contradictory indicators. We will have to dig deeper before a clearer picture can emerge.

The Moon

In any horary used in locating a possession, the Moon is a secondary co-significator for anything lost.

The Moon is separating from an opposition with Saturn. Previous aspects between the Moon and another planet can provide information about what was going on at the time the keys were lost. Saturn is indicative of forgetfulness or absent mindedness.

Saturn and the Moon, the two significators of the keys, are both in weak cadent houses. This indicates that the keys are far away and unlikely to be found. This gives a strong testimony against recovery. The outcome is starting to become clear, but the story is not yet over.

Turn the Chart

In this horary question, Marilyn is represented by the 3rd house. If Marilyn had asked the question herself she would have been represented by the 1st house. By turning the chart we can put Marilyn into the 1st house and read the chart from a new perspective. This new viewpoint may provide additional information as to the location and disposition of the keys.

The chart looks the same except that the houses have all shifted by two positions as indicated by the numbers on the inner wheel. Jupiter (Marilyn) is now in the 7th house of partners, an appropriate place for someone grieving the loss of a lifelong companion. Venus (Walter) is now in the 4th house of the home; this shows him helping Marilyn to recover her keys. Mars, now in the 8th house of loss, portrays a thief attempting to benefit from the stolen keys. Mercury, the trickster, is now in the 3rd house and hidden by the rays of the Sun. This raises the prospect of an unwelcome visitor (Houlding, 2009, p. 67) who could be responsible for the lost keys.

Places to Look

In the turned chart, Saturn is located on the 4th house cusp of the home. The 4th house also represents the structure of the house itself. Saturn in the 4th house indicates the keys may have fallen into a low place on the property such as in the basement, somewhere dark or stinking, in the rubbish, or in decaying refuse (Lilly, 1647, p. 60). Saturn also signifies boundaries and accordingly indicates that the keys could be near a property line, fence, or wall.

Saturn is in the sign of Pisces, and the Moon is in the sign of Virgo. Pisces indicates locations such as a bathroom, kitchen, or other damp place (Lilly, 1647, p. 99). Places indicated by Virgo are study areas, offices, closets, storage areas, and drawers (Lilly, 1647, p. 96).

All three of the main significators are in mutable signs this suggest places that connect other places like a hallway or stairwell. Mutable signs are also descriptive of places within another place such as a closet or a box within a box.

Turn on the Light

Having Saturn as the significator for the keys is odd unless there's something Saturnian about the keys or keychain itself such as objects made from leather, old things, or dark, black, pale or colorless things. The most natural planetary significator for keys is Mercury the trickster, or thief, who gains access to forbidden places through his wiles and ingenuity. While researching which planet is the most natural significator for keys, I came across this:

“Keys allow for the lifting of restrictions or passage through limitations. Thus locks are affinitive to Saturn the planet of boundaries and limitations” (dr. farr, 2014).

This passage set off a light bulb in my head. Was it possible that, when Marilyn went out shopping, she had left the keys hanging in the lock? Could this explain why Saturn was the unlikely significator for the keys?

Later on, Walter reported to Marilyn my thoughts. She responded by stating that Amazon packages had recently been stolen from in front of her house on two separate occasions. Now we have confirmation of a thief who was also an unwelcome visitor to Marilyn’s house.

The Judgement

There is only one testimony for recovery:

A benefic (Venus) is applying to Jupiter (Marilyn) in a friendly sextile from a strong angular house.

Testimonies against recovery:

The second house ruler (Saturn) is aspecting an infortune (Mars). This indicates the keys have fallen into the hands of a dishonest person. Mars on the cusp of an angular house emphasizes Mars’ closeness to the center of activity.
The Moon and 2nd house ruler (Saturn) are both in weak cadent houses.
Jupiter as the dispositor of both Saturn and Mercury connects the keys to the thief.
Mercury, in the sign of its detriment and fall, is hidden by the Sun’s beams. Mercury, as dispositor of both Jupiter and the Moon, suggests an interloper absconding with Marilyn’s keys.
Saturn in a mutable sign on the cusp of the 4th house of the home can be seen as a key within the lock of a door.

Return of the keys is deemed to be highly unlikely. Further, there are indications the keys have fallen into the hands of a dishonest person. In order to insure Marilyn’s safety, it was suggested that she change the locks to her door and/or have an alarm system installed.

While the horary reading provided little hope for recovery of the keys, an important consideration was brought to light. Before the reading, everyone assumed that the only consequence of losing the keys was the inconvenience of having to have them replaced. Now, Marilyn had to consider not only the possibility that the keys had fallen into the hands of a thief but, more frighteningly, that they had fallen into the hands of a thief who knew the location of the house where the keys would allow for the lifting of restrictions.

Several weeks later, Walter reported back that Marilyn never did find her keys. She did, however, have an alarm system installed, and she changed the lock to her door. In the interim, there have been no further incidents of stolen packages or other signs of criminal activity.

Anteros Astrology

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