Branches of Astrology

Western astrology has traditionally been divided into four major branches since the early Middle Ages.  It is from these four branches that all other applications and subsets of western astrology are derived.

The four major branches of western astrology are:

  1. Mundane astrology
  2. Electional astrology
  3. Natal astrology
  4. Horary astrology

These branches are listed above in roughly the same chronological order in which they were developed or introduced into the astrological tradition, with mundane astrology being the earliest type that was developed, and horary astrology being the latest branch that was developed.

Each branch has a number of different subsets and applications within it.  For example, mundane astrology includes such subsets as the study Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions or political events for cities and nations, whereas natal astrology has subsets such as synastry and medical astrology.