Electional astrology requires us to set aside neutral New Age interpretations of planets and aspects and to label certain planets and aspects as ancients did: “benefic” planets are good; “malefic” planets are bad.

The malefic planets are Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Any planet in any aspect to these planets is considered “afflicted”. This is bad.

The benefic planets are Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter. These planets can aspect each other positively with conjunctions but negatively with squares and oppositions, in which case they are considered “afflicted”.

The Moon is of critical importance in electional astrology. We look primarily to see what sign Moon is in and what aspects it makes before leaving sign.

The best signs for Moon are Taurus and Cancer. The worst sign for Moon is Scorpio. For a good ending to surgery, Moon should not be Void-of-Course (“nothing will come of it”) and it should make a good aspect before leaving its sign.

Jacobson introduced a “Part of Surgery”, similar to Arabic Parts (such as “Part of Fortune” with which most of us are familiar). The Part of Surgery is derived by adding cusp of first house to Saturn and then subtracting Mars. Look to see if resulting point in chart is positive and well aspected.

There are some definite NOs in electional interpretation:

1.the Sun and Moon cannot be in sign ruling part of body to be operated on (in this case Scorpio)

2.the Ruler of 1st, Patient, cannot be in bad aspect to Ruler of 8th, Surgeon, or surgeon cannot help patient and nothing will come of operation

3.the Moon cannot be in same sign as Mars or applying to a quincunx with Mars

4.the Ascendant, its ruler, a planet in 1st or 8th houses, Sun, Moon or Mars cannot be in conjunct with one of “evil” fixed stars.

If you’re not sure what evil fixed stars are, these are greatest offenders; Hamal, Death Wound, at 6 Taurus; Caput Algol or Medusa’s Head at 24 Taurus; Aldebaran at 8 Gemini; Serpentis, Cursed Degree, at 9 Scorpio; Antares, evil presages and danger of fatality, at 8 Sagittarius and Scheat, death by drowning (including pneumonia) at 29 Pisces.

Expect to see some affliction on angles of chart. After all, if Saturn, Neptune, Uranus or Pluto were not hovering at an angle, there would be no indication of serious surgery pending. However, more than one of these planets indicates a need to pick another time.

There are some further distinctions to this kind of electional medical chart interpretation, but these are basics.

After you have chart analyzed, you might do a few more for around same time period and see if you can get better results. There is no such thing as “perfect” time for an event.

Some astrologers are not willing to do electional astrology readings for fear of taking on responsibility. It is wise to prepare a potential client for fact that 85% or more of success of operation relies on intelligence and skill of doctor and odds given. The rest of process can be enhanced by timing and that is what a good electional chart can do.

What I’ve found with my clients is that their intuition is good and in most cases is already directing them to an appropriate date and time for success.