“the sky will grow dark, cold rain will fall and all trace of the right way will be blotted out. you will be all alone. and still you will have to go on.
there will be ghosts in the dark and voices in the air, disgusting prophecies coming true i wouldn’t wonder and absent faces present on every side. and still you will have to go on.” - richard adams, shardik
In many traditions, circles are used to delineate magical space, and provide a closed, but somewhat portable, working environment for the magical practitioner. Circles are “cast” through ritualistic action, by which a physical space is created, to suit the circle-casters’ needs. These circles have multiple uses: To keep lesser curious spirits from coming in and mucking about the proceedings, to create a sense of practical ritual space where the circle is elevated from the mundane plane, to protect the magic-worker when they are at their most vulnerable, and, of course, to provide the appropriate ritual environment for certain workings or spells.
Circles can be as elaborate or as simple as you like, and are often adjusted to accomodate different levels of workings.
Most formal circles in most Western traditions, however, follow a similar rubric:
1. Setup and Cleansing.
The space is typically cleansed (but not yet consecrated), often with a besom or other sweeping tool, both literally and metaphysically. This is to prepare the space for the circle so you have a clean slate with which to start. Many practitioners find it of import to cleanse themselves before rituals, as well, either literally with a bath, or via smoke cleansing. For newcomers: Your altar goes inside the circle, often in the center unless instructed otherwise, and often facing a specific cardinal direction depending on your intentions or traditions.
2. Signal to Begin.
A bell is rung, or other statement proclaimed, to indicate the circle-casting is now begun.
3. Calling of the Spirits (including Calling the Quarters).
The beings, or spirits, with which you’ll be working, are called upon to assist with the circle-casting. Some traditions require the beings to be invoked much later in the process.
“Calling the Quarters” here means calling (aka asking to arrive, or petitioning the help of by inviting them to the circle) the four elemental directions - North/Earth, East/Air, South/Fire, and West/Water. These elements are typically called clockwise.
Each tradition will, of course, have a set of different rules and regulations on how and who to call.
4. Drawing the Delineation.
Here, the actual circle-drawing begins. One uses a wand, or lights candles, or casts with their finger, or with their athame, etc, a literal circular boundary shape, frequently cast clockwise, to delineate the boundary of the circle. This is the physical boundary of the circle: One the circle is drawn, a wall is put up, and a door must be cut to invite other practitioners or spirits in. You can draw the circle quite literally, e.g. with a stick in sand, or visualize it using a wand; there’s a ton of ways to go about it.
5. Consecration.
At this time, the circle is “blessed”, or consecrated, to the practitioner’s use. This essentially means dedicating or blessing the space to your deities, spirits, powers, purposes, or higher-ups (for the non-theist witches in the mix, this means blessing the space for work or giving it the old champagne-bottle-on-a-ship). This can be done, for instance, by sprinkling salt water to consecrate (NEVER outdoors; salt will kill your plants!), then follow-up with walking clockwise around the circle with incense to welcome the spirits. Again, each tradition and circle-per-purpose will vary on the actual consecration actions and what, exactly, you are consecrating to.
6. Signal to Begin the Work.
The bell is rung, or signal given, to begin the actual workings within the circle - whether it’s a Full Moon Esbat or ritual, a spell, meditiation, or anything else. Offerings can be given at this juncture to spirits that have been called.
7. Thanks for the Work.
Once the work is complete, another signal can be rung; offerings and thanks can be given to the beings of the circle at this time. Meditation and writing in one’s notebook or Book of Shadows is also appropriate.
8. Cakes and Wine.
Typically an entirely Wiccan tradition, this is where cakes and wine (literally - a food offering and a beverage offering) are shared with the deities/powers, and also eaten by practitioners. More practically, for non-Wiccans, this is the offering-and-feasting portion of the circle. (“Cakes and Wine” as a phrase originates within Wicca, so please replace with your verbiage of choice as applicable here).
9. Closing the Circle.
We close out the circle by politely dismissing the spirits, politely farewelling the Quarters, farewelling anything we’ve called, saying goodbye to the Powers, and, finally, physically closing our circle by un-drawing, counterclockwise (or, if you drew the circle counterclockwise, reverse to clockwise). If you used a wand to delineate, draw your circle back up into/through it. (Visualization can be very helpful here to new practitioners.)
10. Benediction.
The circle is cast, and closed - this is where you say Thank You and, if you like, thank and send well-wishes to the other actual, physical participants in the ritual. If you’re going it solo, a neat little Thank-You, My Work Here Is Done wrap up speech is particularly nice here.
And there you have it - you’ll find lots of traditions have circle castings that use some, or all, of these segments in order; hopefully you’ll find this breakdown useful when piloting your own circles, as well!
Ash
Reblogging for the night crowd / because I’m proud of it :>
Anatomy of a Circle-Casting: Circle Casting Structures
In many traditions, circles are used to delineate magical space, and provide a closed, but somewhat portable, working environment for the magical practitioner. Circles are “cast” through ritualistic action, by which a physical space is created, to suit the circle-casters’ needs. These circles have multiple uses: To keep lesser curious spirits from coming in and mucking about the proceedings, to create a sense of practical ritual space where the circle is elevated from the mundane plane, to protect the magic-worker when they are at their most vulnerable, and, of course, to provide the appropriate ritual environment for certain workings or spells.
Circles can be as elaborate or as simple as you like, and are often adjusted to accomodate different levels of workings.
Most formal circles in most Western traditions, however, follow a similar rubric:
1. Setup and Cleansing.
The space is typically cleansed (but not yet consecrated), often with a besom or other sweeping tool, both literally and metaphysically. This is to prepare the space for the circle so you have a clean slate with which to start. Many practitioners find it of import to cleanse themselves before rituals, as well, either literally with a bath, or via smoke cleansing. For newcomers: Your altar goes inside the circle, often in the center unless instructed otherwise, and often facing a specific cardinal direction depending on your intentions or traditions.
2. Signal to Begin.
A bell is rung, or other statement proclaimed, to indicate the circle-casting is now begun.
3. Calling of the Spirits (including Calling the Quarters).
The beings, or spirits, with which you’ll be working, are called upon to assist with the circle-casting. Some traditions require the beings to be invoked much later in the process.
“Calling the Quarters” here means calling (aka asking to arrive, or petitioning the help of by inviting them to the circle) the four elemental directions - North/Earth, East/Air, South/Fire, and West/Water. These elements are typically called clockwise.
Each tradition will, of course, have a set of different rules and regulations on how and who to call.
4. Drawing the Delineation.
Here, the actual circle-drawing begins. One uses a wand, or lights candles, or casts with their finger, or with their athame, etc, a literal circular boundary shape, frequently cast clockwise, to delineate the boundary of the circle. This is the physical boundary of the circle: One the circle is drawn, a wall is put up, and a door must be cut to invite other practitioners or spirits in. You can draw the circle quite literally, e.g. with a stick in sand, or visualize it using a wand; there’s a ton of ways to go about it.
5. Consecration.
At this time, the circle is “blessed”, or consecrated, to the practitioner’s use. This essentially means dedicating or blessing the space to your deities, spirits, powers, purposes, or higher-ups (for the non-theist witches in the mix, this means blessing the space for work or giving it the old champagne-bottle-on-a-ship). This can be done, for instance, by sprinkling salt water to consecrate (NEVER outdoors; salt will kill your plants!), then follow-up with walking clockwise around the circle with incense to welcome the spirits. Again, each tradition and circle-per-purpose will vary on the actual consecration actions and what, exactly, you are consecrating to.
6. Signal to Begin the Work.
The bell is rung, or signal given, to begin the actual workings within the circle - whether it’s a Full Moon Esbat or ritual, a spell, meditiation, or anything else. Offerings can be given at this juncture to spirits that have been called.
7. Thanks for the Work.
Once the work is complete, another signal can be rung; offerings and thanks can be given to the beings of the circle at this time. Meditation and writing in one’s notebook or Book of Shadows is also appropriate.
8. Cakes and Wine.
Typically an entirely Wiccan tradition, this is where cakes and wine (literally - a food offering and a beverage offering) are shared with the deities/powers, and also eaten by practitioners. More practically, for non-Wiccans, this is the offering-and-feasting portion of the circle. (“Cakes and Wine” as a phrase originates within Wicca, so please replace with your verbiage of choice as applicable here).
9. Closing the Circle.
We close out the circle by politely dismissing the spirits, politely farewelling the Quarters, farewelling anything we’ve called, saying goodbye to the Powers, and, finally, physically closing our circle by un-drawing, counterclockwise (or, if you drew the circle counterclockwise, reverse to clockwise). If you used a wand to delineate, draw your circle back up into/through it. (Visualization can be very helpful here to new practitioners.)
10. Benediction.
The circle is cast, and closed - this is where you say Thank You and, if you like, thank and send well-wishes to the other actual, physical participants in the ritual. If you’re going it solo, a neat little Thank-You, My Work Here Is Done wrap up speech is particularly nice here.
And there you have it - you’ll find lots of traditions have circle castings that use some, or all, of these segments in order; hopefully you’ll find this breakdown useful when piloting your own circles, as well!
This post is intended to give you a list of all of our asks and standalone posts. It serves a few purposes, like making our less-categorized information easy to find, and making sure that if you have a question, it hasn’t already been answered here. This post will be edited and updated on a regular basis, and probably reorganized to make navigation easier as our number of posts and asks grows. If the information you need isn’t here or in any of our series, feel free to ask us, and we’ll ensure that you get a good answer by checking our large private libraries and many other informational resources available to us.
We hope this post will be a useful navigation tool for you to find any information we’ve posted that doesn’t fit into any of our series. Once again, thank you for reading our work. We will reblog this post occasionally in order to ensure that it stays easy to find as it gets revised and updated.
This is a standalone post about modalities in astrology. Each sign of the classical Western zodiac is assigned an element (sometimes also called a triplicity1) and a modality (sometimes called a quality or quadruplicity2), two traits that, when taken together, describe the most basic characteristics of that sign. The intersection of the four elements and three modalities creates twelve iterations of substance (element) and motion (modality) that give each sign a unique expression.
The four elements– Earth, Air, Fire, and Water– are normally well understood, and information about their symbolism and energy is abundant and accessible.3 But most popular texts on astrology tend to gloss over modality, giving it only a perfunctory explanation, if any is offered at all. We are told that the cardinal signs are the leaders, the fixed signs are organizers, and the mutable signs are the communicators. This is a gross oversimplification of a concept that can lend us a greater understanding of the signs of the zodiac if we take the time to understand it. Throughout this and future posts, I’ll be describing the signs as conscious archetypes, so when I say “Gemini likes such-and-such” or “Virgo wants ___”, keep in mind that I’m referring to the sign itself, not natives of that sign (although certainly, as a native of a sign, those traits are expressed to some degree and in some manner or other).
The word “modality” refers to the way in which a sign’s essence (whose most basic descriptor is its element) is expressed; its energy patterns and the way they flow. The basic concept is this:
Cardinal energy moves from inside out
Fixed energy moves from outside in
Mutable energy goes back and forth
To illustrate this, you can imagine that you’re about to throw a punch. The force explodes outwards in the fist (cardinal) but it is supported and driven and initiated through the shoulder (fixed), and this energy is transferred between them by the elbow (mutable).
Cardinal signs can and certainly do make excellent leaders, but to describe them as the “leadership signs” is a bit misleading; the characteristic of cardinal energy is that it is expressed from the inside out. It is a driving force that explodes forward, initiates things, and pushes its way outward into the world. In Aries, fire is channeled outward. Cardinally directed fire energy is explosive, aggressive, and loud; it is no wonder that Aries is ruled by Mars, the god of war. But, as an Aries myself, I can assure you that these qualities do not automatically a great leader make; the cardinal mode initiates energy in a directed way, a very “me first!” way, and so cardinal energy can just as often be put to use on the front lines as in the captain’s chair; in fact, many natives of cardinal signs prefer it that way. Observe Cancer and its cardinally directed water; the medium of the emotions, when expressed outwardly, becomes a nurturing rather than a bold, directing force. Likewise, Libra directs air to create social networks and connections…something we might associate with mutable air Gemini. But Libra weaves the social fabric together, and its cardinal energy is expressed in directing social flow and relationship dynamics in a way that generally doesn’t interest Gemini. Capricorn’s cardinal earth is especially well-suited to bringing about its traditional associations with career and success; Capricorn excels at directing earth, the element of the real, the material, the tangible, into lasting structures. When you think of cardinal energy, remember that the element of the sign will be expressed outward into the world in a direct, often forceful manner. The progression of cardinal energy through the elements takes us from the most wild and fleeting to the most durable and lasting; the cardinal signs are initiators in the sense that they are the first to experience each element.4
Fixed signs are traditionally coded as “organizers,” and yet I find fixed energy has many properties about it that lends itself well to leadership; fixed signs often excel at causing others to act around them, and can thus be very comfortable (and very effective) in positions of power. Fixed signs draw outward energy in and center it. If cardinal signs are out doing things, fixed signs are often creating the places where things happen. They are excellent at conserving and allocating this energy to effect change in their surroundings, often via directing and delegating others. Taurus’s fixed earth pulls in the material comforts of life to create a stable security characterized by luxury and sensual pleasure. Leo’s fixed fire draws the passionate, creative energy of those around it into a circle that resembles a royal court more than Tauran den of hedonism. Scorpio draws water energy around itself to create a vortex of secrecy and power, a whirlpool of deep emotional experience. Aquarius’s fixed air gathers information and fashions it into a new understanding of the human condition; its “circle” is really a lens. So you see that the progression of fixed energy through the signs and their respective elements goes from most concrete to most abstract. So you can see that describing fixed signs as “organizers” is the truth, but not the whole or most useful truth. They fix things into a new organization of reality, based on the material (the element) in which they work.5
The mutable signs are AC/DC. They go both ways, transferring energy between cardinal and fixed points of reference, and are therefore traditionally designated as the communicators of the zodiac. Certainly, they excel at communication in all its forms, but again, this is not the whole story; who could accuse Libra of being uncommunicative? Mutable energy, as I mentioned, comprises both cardinal and fixed, and it switches back and forth based on the circumstances. Gemini’s mutable air is certainly communicative, and Gemini as a sign deals with the transference of air-energy; thoughts, words, telecommunications, etc. Observe that at times, Gemini energy is outwardly expressed as if it were cardinal (in a Gemini native or a person with strong Gemini in their chart, this can manifest as chattiness, writing a lot, etc.). But other times, it can withdraw and absorb information from outside itself, processing it internally. Hence, Gemini is not always talkative. Mutable Earth Virgo is certainly intellectual (being co-ruled by Mercury6) but concerns itself mostly with transferring its energy to where it’s most needed in order to effect the most good; certainly it is not a fixed sign, and yet no one could accuse Virgo of not being an organizer; when Earth moves, it tends to move in an orderly fashion. Sagittarius’s mutable fire concerns itself with zipping back and forth between ideals and reality, bringing humanity to the stars and the stars to humanity. And finally, Pisces’ mutable water flows wherever it is needed to heal and provide spiritual sustenance.7
It can be extremely helpful, when conceptualizing how the elements express themselves through the modalities within the chart, to describe how these forces might interact; a Libra friend of mine with a heavy Scorpio influence to his chart described himself as “a hurricane,”– a very good description of Libra’s cardinally directed air when blended with Scorpio’s fixed, watery cyclone!
I hope that this article has been helpful in shedding some light on a subject that is central to the understanding of astrology, but which is often overlooked or underexplored in popular texts. Getting to know modality and element is an excellent way for a beginner to gain a greater understanding of the signs, as well as illuminating to the more advanced student the spiritual progression that occurs through the twelve signs of the zodiac. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us.
-Benefica
Notes (by the Admin)8:
1. The name “triplicity” comes from the fact that there are three signs bearing each element. In a standard circular chart, if you draw a line from the 1st degree of a fire sign to the 1st degree of the next fire sign, and from there to the next, the result is an equilateral triangle. The same is true with any other element.
2. The term “quadruplicity” is similar in implication to “triplicity.” There are four signs of each modality, and if you draw a line from the 1st degree or a mutable sign to the 1st degree of the next, and repeat this until your line connects, you will draw a perfect square.
3. I would venture to say that even this information is often rudimentary in most cases. The elements are a small building block in a fairly complex symbolic hierarchy of constituents of nature, but even then, there are smaller building blocks which build the elements, and they have a close symbolic relationship with the four humors in particular, and if you study them well enough, you’ll also start to understand how elements and other things interact and react without having to put much thought into it.
4. There are further associations with each quality in astrological magic, astrological prediction, and mundane astrology. In those contexts, the cardinal quality generally represents overcoming obstacles, obtaining things, or fulfilling goals.
5. In the contexts of astrological magic, prediction, and mundane astrology, the fixed quality represents an event, work, or trait which will be rigid and have lasting effects. It can also represent endurance or stubbornness in any school of astrology.
6. Some astrologers consider Gemini to be the primary sign which Mercury rules over, and Virgo to be its secondary domain. This appears to be a relatively recent concept, as older sources (especially when there were only seven planets used) give each non-luminary planet two signs which are equally under its rulership. Virgo is not only under Mercury’s rulership, but is also the sign where Mercury is exalted. This means Virgo is Mercury’s highest dignity (where its influence as a planet is most powerful), but not that either sign is more or less “of Mercury” than the other.
7. In the non-natal astrological practices mentioned in notes 4 and 5, the mutable quality represents intangible achievements, mysticism, spiritual revelation, mass enlightenment (especially in mundane astrology), and miracles. It also represents the working of the will of Tetragrammaton (the unpronounceable four-letter name of God). It would also be accurate to say that in addition to adaptability, mutable signs represent things which work effectively with no demonstrable or logical reason why.
8. Benefica requested that I edit this post and add any additional information on this subject that I thought might be useful before it goes up, so aside from some very minor edits in the main body of the text, I did most of this in the form of footnotes to avoid altering her work too severely. I agree with everything she has said about the quadruplicities, but I also have a much more classical approach to nearly all occult practice, so she and I agreed that we would both have some different useful thoughts to contribute to the subject.
This is a standalone post, and an abridgement of an original study of a particular kind of psychic energy field. If you find yourself or another person to be naturally capable of many of the things described here, please act as ethically as possible in everything you do. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us.
To preface my description of this kind of energy and its effects, it is important for me to discuss something which has been widely accepted by occultists and theologians for a long time. There are people alive on Earth who are born under the right celestial conditions (or to the right parents, or in other appropriate conditions) to gain permanent magical properties for their entire lives. This is not to say that each and every person subconsciously exerts magical influence over the world around them (I would argue that some people are born completely devoid of special magical affinities, though this does not mean they can’t effectively use magic), but rather, that some people are born under the right conditions, or to the right parents (incubi and succubi, for example) to manifest as human forms of non-human entities. This can easily be construed as one meaning of many mythological representations of intelligent creatures such as the Fae, Satyrs, Fauns, Imps, Goblins, and many others.
Aside from human manifestations of lesser immaterial beings such as those elementals mentioned above (which generally have very specific and small fields of influence), there are arguably some people who are demigods (a word which we will use to mean mortal half-gods). Demigods tend to be particularly capable of magic without necessarily having the need to consciously focus their energy (one might say that some order of reality voluntarily warps itself to suit a demigod’s needs), but some gain different benefits from their divine condition of being (for example, Heracles was not particularly magically-inclined, but his godlike strength did still afford him a lot of protection from magical and supernatural enemies). These are probably the same people who are called “Nephilim” in Judaism, as the gods of most pagan pantheons are the very same beings who are fallen Jewish angels, those who took human wives (beginning with the Martial Archangel Samael, the Satan who descended and took Lilith as his wife, ultimately causing them both to become demons).
And then, there are finally those people who are manifestations of gods themselves. These people are very uncommon, but we could consider Jesus Christ a good example of this who is widely acknowledged as such in modern western society. Jesus is specifically a manifestation of a Sun-god (it’s irrelevant which one, as we shouldn’t make too much effort to distinguish one Sun-god from another, in my opinion). Hermes Trismegistus (who, like Jesus Christ, is probably a highly-mythologized figure based on a much less-impressive real person) could be reasonably considered to be a human incarnation of Thoth or Mercury. Certainly, I could provide several more examples, but I feel like these are sufficient. One could say of these gods-incarnate that there are versions of them who manifest even to exert their influence in very small (even seemingly inconsequential) contexts, and exerting their influences only there. There is no reason why two different people in different locations and situations at the same time can’t be manifestations of the same god, but it is important to think very critically in your analysis if you suspect someone is of this particular nature. It’s probably never a good idea to tell a person they are or might be a god incarnate.
All of the aforementioned types of people are born with some degree of a radiant energy which surrounds them, and which profoundly affects most of the people who come into proximity with it. Although this energy doesn’t effect all people the same way (some people will react to it with hostility, others will consciously try not to be affected by it, and a few are simply unaffected by it), its most common tendency is to cause all those affected to adore the person who radiates this energy which for our purposes, will be dubbed “the Glamour.”
As opposed to archetypes (which are usually represented by the “normal human” characters in mythology), which a person can switch between as necessary in their lives, incarnations are much more absolute, meaning they must constitute the purest essence of a person, rather than just a situational role. People may take on charisma at various points depending on their archetypal role in a given situation, but those with the Glamour will have their magnetism before, during, and after.
People who have the Glamour often don’t have any idea why they’re so adored, and this adoration can be a source of irritation, annoyance, or even grave danger. They will find themselves badgered by others who want to be seen with them, want to learn the secrets to their “coolness,” want to be validated by them, or even who want to destroy them (this last kind of person being a power-hungry predator). Often, people with the Glamour will be subject to unwanted conversation from people who basically amount to “adoring fans” at nearly every turn, making many parts of life a game of social avoidance. Now I will speak at a little more length about the three aforementioned subdivisions of incarnate supernatural being, and I’ll discuss some of the difficulties their Glamours are likely to bring. As you read this, it’s important to keep in mind that none of these experiences define a person as one of these incarnations, and that there are many more factors that should be considered when trying to identify human forms as manifestations of such (which is not really the subject of this article).
It is especially true that elementals and genii are targeted by malicious magic-users (usually misaligned folk-magicians, high-magic sorcerers who completely lack morality, or witches of a particularly deranged lineage) very often. In this case, the assailant will often take the form of a sexual predator, especially if the elemental is here in the form of a young human, though this does not exempt adults of this nature from that danger. The reason elementals are so often targeted is unclear, but it seems to me like the assailants consciously or subconsciously know that people have forcibly manipulated and harnessed these kinds of powers since the dawn of human history, and they believe it will get them some significant material gain, social status, or at least a microcosmic sense of power. Unfortunately for the elemental, this story does not usually end well. However, it is possible for the elemental to survive and continue, and when they do, they often rise to magnificent social status (in human terms), while their adversaries are usually condemned by their own actions to a life of insignificance or misery.
Demigods are usually subject more to tests of direct violence, especially those involving grossly unfair odds. Those who are physically strong will usually survive by those means, while others will be forced to survive by whichever magical means they are given. Once again, though, we face the issue of knowledge. I can’t emphasize enough that the vast majority of the people we’re talking about have no idea that they’re using magical power, nor do they often know how to focus or control their own magical energy. This doesn’t mean they usually fall in the face of the obstacles that they face, but that they survive and overcome by what seem more like miracles than magic. We could argue that they are either, but because the demigod can learn to harness whatever powers they are born with, I consider those means to be magic.
Gods incarnate can take many, many forms, and the tests they face in human life are almost impossible to accurately quantify. Sun-gods usually have lives which contain many parallels to the life of Jesus Christ, or of Ra (the tragic but necessary surrender to death is vital, even if it is a metaphor). Someone who is Mercury incarnate could have any of a great many different life stories and still be accurately regarded as the same being, so identification of this kind of being takes careful analysis, and if you are trying to identify one, you should never jump to conclusions which you can’t support.
Now, we should further discuss the nature and potential of the Glamour itself. For several years now, I’ve observed and researched this type of psychic energy field. It’s one which is almost always acknowledged by occult scholars, though I have never seen it formally named, or addressed at length. I’ll introduce this idea with a related and slightly more well-known topic. Henry Cornelius Agrippa wrote of something witches can do to a person which he called “fascination.” This magical binding is described as something that effects people through their eyes. In particular, he speaks of the witch affecting men with this (of course, being assumed that the witch is a woman in this case, despite our modern understanding that this is certainly not the only case). Now, knowing that witches are not limited to one gender or another, we can assume that anyone who is attracted to the gender of the witch in question might be susceptible to this type of magic. It is important to keep in mind that witchcraft is a particular category of magic. I will eventually make a post which helps to draw a distinction between various types of magic, and that might give some of you some useful insight.
Cornelius Agrippa specifies that this fascination is brought about by a combination of two things. The first thing is the intent of the witch to so affect anyone susceptible. The second is a sanguine kind of “spiritual vapor” (which I believe he means metaphorically). So then, blood is the humor witches use to fascinate their targets. Ancient occultists acknowledged the fact that the humors weren’t intended to serve as the sole basis of medicine, but rather, as a symbolic guide for physicians (who were often astrologers, too). While we know that the metaphorical association for fascination is blood, and therefore a hot-moist quality, and the Air element, we see that this implies that fascination itself is a somewhat limited magical art.
Fascination is not exactly like the Glamour we’re talking about, and there are a few reasons why. Unlike the Glamour, the art of fascination requires intent in order to work correctly. It is specifically addressed in the Books of Occult Philosophy that in addition to this, direct eye contact between the witch and the target of this magic is essential. He goes on to say that witches are so powerful in this kind of act that even the gaze of the victim can become under their control (the Glamour appears to be capable of this, as well). Finally, he mentions a few additional supplements to this, which are various scents and perfumes to create different effects (again, all of which can be easily achieved by people with the Glamour). Finally, Cornelius Agrippa’s description of fascination strongly implies that it only works on people who are attracted to the witch’s gender. All of this distinguishes fascination from the type of energy field I’m researching, though the two are otherwise very similar in effect.
Because of what we’ve discussed above, we know that if a person has the Glamour, they are extremely well-equipped to gain great things in life, and to be recognized for their achievements. However, one’s equipment does not determine one’s profession. If you were to give a peasant a sword, could he help you much in battle? But if you were to take the time to teach the peasant all the subtleties and skills necessary in combat, and to strengthen his mind and soul, would he perhaps be of more help than before? In this sense, those with the Glamour don’t necessarily have the amount of control over others that they could. They may subconsciously exert some influence over everyone nearby, but the effects they have might be completely unintentional (and therefore unpredictable). However, we know that witches can fascinate a person with little more than eye-contact with intent, so why couldn’t a person gifted with a sort of divine charisma have an even more effective influence over others?
Here, it seems fitting for me to briefly discuss two people whose Glamours I have studied to a small extent. They are of Air and Earth elements, respectively, and I had noted that both of them have a fair level of conscious control over the effects they exert. I have researched numerous others, too, but this article will not be so exhaustive.
The first person whom I recognized to have the Glamour has described it to me as originating from behind her eyes. As per Cornelius Agrippa’s description of fascination, hers was certainly corresponding to the element of Air, meaning that is is likely a sanguine Glamour as well. It was described to me not as a consciously-learned skill, but a slowly acquired mastery over that field of energy which she has always produced. To simplify what she said, I would say that I believe her Glamour functions as a “psychological climate control” to those around her.
A second person whom I studied spoke of a Glamour of the Earth element, which is therefore cold-dry, and melancholic. He said his Glamour largely influences the spatial-cognitive conditions around him, and the force originates in his abdomen. For an example of his influence, he said he has a significant level of control over the gazes of those around him, and that he can usually consciously influence people to look a certain direction or vice-versa. In addition, he said he regularly exerts some influence over people and their physical positions, consistently compelling them to reposition themselves according to his desires. He also reports that in certain situations, using his eyes in the same way as a witch does in the practice of fascination is an extremely helpful skill for augmenting and directing the Glamour.
It is relevant to speak of people who are immune to the Glamour (or at least, who react to it differently than someone with Glamour might intend). Some people have learned their immunity to it, and generally, these people are also bitter and without imagination, though perhaps more intelligent than average (intelligence more often manifests as self-control and self-awareness than it does as analytical skills or logic). Unfortunately, many of those who have learned immunity to it can still recognize it, and react with hostility to those who do have the Glamour. More often than not, a person will have learned immunity to one form of the Glamour (often because a former lover of theirs had a particular Glamour, and they despise it when they recognize it in others), and not others.
There are also those who have complete natural immunity to the Glamour. These people are often completely oblivious to it, and are unable to identify it directly. If this kind of person learns to identify the Glamour, it’s usually because they have determined how other people react to it, rather than how to perceive Glamour itself.
The last thing I should discuss is a trend I’ve noted among some particularly novice magic-users who don’t seem interested enough in their pursuit of these arts to learn how to cast anything of use. Instead of taking the time to learn fascination or similar arts (which are completely within the reach of anyone who takes the time and effort to study and practice them), they will often attempt to manufacture for themselves a Glamour. While humorous to observe from a distance, it isn’t something worth attempting. If you don’t have a Glamour to sharpen, you probably don’t need one. I’d like to reiterate here that all the people I’ve studied who do have Glamours were plagued by that trait for decades. Most people I’ve seen try to artificially create Glamours for themselves have just ended up making mockeries of themselves, but one other has brought a plague of unwanted company into his life through the act, ultimately resulting in fairly extreme misfortunes involving the police (I admit his magic was significantly more effective, but it was clearly not worthwhile). If anyone ever safely succeeds at this, I would love to know more, so I can study and experiment with it, myself. Admittedly, the only ever people I’ve seen believe this pursuit is worthwhile were people I would describe as horrible magic-users (again, perhaps because serious students of the occult know the art of fascination and its purpose).
To summarize, human incarnations of immortal beings are naturally capable of a form of mind-control which I refer to as “the Glamour.” If someone so-gifted becomes skilled enough with their Glamour, it can be used to influence nearly anyone in a consistent and fairly-controlled manner. There are different specific manifestations of this mind-control energy, and the people gifted with it influence people in close proximity to them whether they are aware of their Glamour or not. Some people are immune to it, others react aggressively toward it. Some people (myself included) have learned to observe it, and try not to interact with it one way or another. Hopefully this post has given you some insight into the mechanics of this characteristic of some mythical beings, and will allow you to more readily recognize it and other energies when they affect you. If you can learn to protect yourself from such subtle psychic influences as these, you can gain a much greater level of control over your life. As always, thank you for reading.
This is a standalone post about holy water and some of the history and potential of its use in magical practice. There are several religions and sects which make use of water which has been consecrated by its clergy, and I am certain that these variants of holy water are not all the same. For now, I will be talking about Catholic and Orthodox holy water in particular. In Catholic and Orthodox traditions, it is traditionally used to spiritually cleanse places, people, and objects from evil, and as an aid in the consecration of many places and things for specifically holy purposes. The magical functions of holy water don’t usually differ greatly from traditional uses, though most Christian clergy members would certainly discourage this kind of application for non-Christian purposes. I hope this post can give you some insight into its practical applications. You are always welcome to ask us if you have questions.
In the future, I also intend to do some research and experiments to determine the difference between the effects of Christian holy water from different sects. So far, I’ve only had access to that of the Catholics, Anglicans (Church of England, who do not refer to their consecrated water as “holy water,” but otherwise employ it for similar ceremonial purposes), and Episcopalians (who differ from the Church of England in numerous ways). I have not collected holy water from the few other Christian denominations whom I understand to use it (such as the Eastern Orthodox Church, whose inclusion in my experiments is essential), but when I do, I intend to begin these experiments, and I may document the results here when my tests are complete.
The history of holy water’s usage in magic goes back at least as far as the dawn of its usage in Christianity. This was so common that by the 15th century, many witch-hunting manuals made mention of this. In addition, some of them mentioned uses of holy water to counteract witchcraft and demonic influence, though they acknowledged that in that context, one would often need to accompany such a blessing with prayers such as the Angelic Salutation (Hail Mary), Lord’s Prayer, or the seven Penitential Psalms. Despite the aversion toward magic the authors of these books had, we could reasonably consider these uses to be high magic of the Roman Catholic Church, which has many practices in that category. To begin, I will discuss some of this high magic advocated by inquisitors involving holy water.
In the Malleus Maleficarum, it is stated that men who perform Catholic exorcism rituals such as the aspersion of holy water are impervious to the works of witches. They were to sprinkle holy water in any place where people or animals lived in order to protect them from harm. They were also expected to say the Lord’s Prayer, ten repetitions of the Angelic Salutation, and the Glory be to the Father during this ritual. In addition to sprinkling the rooms or houses, exorcists would sometimes further bless a home by consecrating candles by sprinkling them before lighting them and burning some consecrated herbs in the dwelling.
There is also great emphasis on the belief that holy water is very useful for cleansing livestock and cattle who have been harmed or tainted by witches. It provides many methods for this, the simplest (and probably most reliable) being the act of crossing one’s cattle with holy water.
The same book also mentions that in many cases of demonic possession or influence, it is possible to drive the demon or evil spirit away by using holy water and making the sign of the cross. However, it details one case involving an incubus where this method was completely ineffective, and later says that the same victim tried this again, and it appeared effective at first, but was later shown to have failed. The book specifies that incubi and succubi can’t always be driven away with holy water, while it is sufficient for driving away many other forms of harassing or malicious spirits.
The last use of holy water detailed in the Maleficarum is an exorcism ritual intended to expel demons from a human host. I won’t recount the details of the ritual, here, but I will discuss the role of the holy water. In this ritual, for the duration of a great deal of theatrical ritual movements, prayers, and incantations, an exorcist is expected to continually sprinkle holy water onto the possessed person. According to the authors, this is the most recommended method of exorcism, and the holy water appears to play a very important role in its effectiveness.
Compendium Maleficarum contains an entire section describing the use of holy water as a method of counteracting or preventing witchcraft. In particular, it contains the story of a Catholic priest whose house was gravely haunted by a poltergeist. This spirit would extinguish lights, smash things, and move furniture very suddenly and violently. Apparently, he requested that the Church appoint another priest to protect him from this evil spirit, and the appointed priest ultimately succeeded by sprinkling the home with holy water and saying the appropriate rites (probably the same prayers mentioned in the Malleus Maleficarum, though the particular prayers used are not specified in the Compendium). There is a similar case mentioned later in the same section which details another haunted house in which doors are ripped from their hinges, and people sustained serious head injuries. Again, a priest sprinkling holy water and saying the appropriate prayers successfully solved the problem.
TheCompendiumalso refers to cases when people have been transmuted into animals by witches. In that case, it says sprinkling their foreheads with holy water is usually sufficient to reverse this kind of curse.
Marcellus, the Bishop of Apamea around the 5th century used holy water to destroy a temple of Jupiter. According to the accounts of this event, a demon was preventing the wooden parts of the temple from catching fire, and he threw holy water on the demon, which caused the flames to erupt and consume the temple as if an accelerant had been poured on it.
There is mention of a St. Theodore who cured all manner of sicknesses with his holy water, and who could drive away demons. I believe this to be the same St. Theodore who was the Archbishop of Rostov.
There is a story of a man who made holy water and used it to cure an epidemic of tainted meat and livestock, and prevent disease from unclean food.
St. Hubertus had his home invaded by armies of demons. He called on one of his men to get him holy water with consecrated salt, and holy anointing oil (probably of the kind described in Exodus 30) blessed by a priest. These appear to have been extremely effective tools for him to use to get rid of the invading devils.
TheCompendiumalso speaks of an indigenous Mexican child who was gravely afflicted with a fever which had similar symptoms to malaria. Apparently, his mother brought him to the church, and the holy water and prayers the clergy used cured his illness entirely.
There are brief mentions of some other cases of holy water treating demonic possession, magical poisonings, and other afflictions. Most of these cases are so briefly described that it isn’t worth detailing them here.
In addition to the use of holy water by the church, there is some record of medieval witches making use of it in various situations. Not all of these have documented purposes, but I will try to discern them based on what I do know. In particular, I have found one mention (in Nicolas Remy’s Demonolatry, another witch-hunting manual) of soothsayers writing the names of thieves on parchment and submerging it in holy water. The purpose of this practice isn’t specified, but it might be to cause thieves to return with their stolen goods and confess, or to “drown” them in their guilt.
TheMalleus Maleficarum does not seem to detail any malefic uses for holy water (probably to prevent people from learning of such uses), but there is mention of a man being tempted into the service of demons, and it is relevant that this happens on a Sunday, before church services start, and specifically “before the holy water is consecrated.” Here, he has to renounce his faith in front of God and everyone, and this is the primary part of his initiation into witchcraft.
Aside from inquisitors describing witchcraft involving holy water, there are a few well-respected magicians who mention the use of holy water. For example, Pietro D'Abano advocates the use of holy water to aid in consecrating a magic circle of protection.
Henry Cornelius Agrippa writes about a Rabbi named Hama, and says this Rabbi recommends using holy water as an ingredient of a special ink, which is made after undergoing many acts of purification (in addition to making an animal sacrifice). This ink is for making talismans and sigils against disease. I believe it is unlikely that this Hama was truly a Rabbi, but his ritual cleansing and symbol-making method appears to be theoretically sound (though demanding) and extremely thorough.
In addition to the above, Cornelius Agrippa says that it is proper to sanctify corpses of the dead with holy water, in addition to several completing several other steps in order to cleanse it, and ensure that it properly returns to the earth in order to protect the flesh from devils, and properly deliver it back into the hands of God (Cornelius Agrippa often had to disguise his practices as monotheistic and Christian, due to the attitudes of people in power during his time). Consistent with accepted uses, he also recommends sprinkling holy water to cleanse the mind, and to bring tranquility to other types of places and things.
TheThree Books on Occult Philosophy also mention that holy water can be sprinkled to give reverence to “the gods,” which clearly implies that its power isn’t limited to monotheistic situations, though it is also sure in this writing that the holy water in question is that of the Catholic Church.
InOf Magical Ceremonies, Cornelius Agrippa says that all tools used in your magic can effectively be consecrated with holy water, incense, the anointing oil described in Exodus 30 (he simply says “holy Oyl,” but this is the most likely meaning), the proper symbols, prayers, and mentions of relevant verses from scriptures. He also recommends, in addition to particularly strict adherence to religious (probably Jewish) morals for many days in advance, confession, and kindness, that we should wash ourselves with holy water before performing certain kinds of (non-Christian) high magic. In addition, he says the place (particularly, I believe he is suggesting rooms as the type of place you should work) in which you perform your work should be sprinkled with holy water after you enter.
In a more folk-magic context, we can use holy water in very simple miniature rituals simply to drive out everyday negative forces from our homes, or if we are to make a bit more of an ordeal of it, to consecrate our altars, saying as thorough and powerful of a blessing as we can muster (the consecration of a home altar should probably be given a lot more energy than many people will afford it). Here, it is again worthwhile to note that holy water’s function is not at all lost when dealing with non-monotheistic systems. Its usefulness is extremely durable, and our intentions can play a significant role in the nature of its effects. Aside from the fact that this is not a Christian application, there is very little about this use which would actually be frowned upon by clergy.
Finally, it’s important to note that in situations of devil-worship (which we should note is not limited to Satan-worship), there are such ceremonies as Black Mass, which are often designed as deliberate and direct parodies of the Catholic Mass, and these often employ Catholic holy water (among other stolen implements of the Catholic Church, if possible) in order to have a greater psychic impact on the world (the theory behind this is completely sound, as a parody of an important Catholic ritual which employs actual Catholic ritual instruments will, at the very least, affect the immaterial nature of the concepts it parodies through these physical connections).
I hope this post has been helpful and informative to you. Remember that the “acceptable” uses of holy water are completely capable of being adapted for similar or identical uses by non-Christian magic users, and that none of these practices are intended to replace proper medical treatment (though they may still be beneficial to the process of recovery from ailments). As always, thank you for reading.
If any of you followers found my master post of things ruled by the planets and other celestial powers useful or interesting, you might like to know that I have thoroughly revised it. Now it contains quite a bit more information, and the information that was already there has been organized in a far more consistent manner. Hopefully this will make it easier to navigate.
My series on astrological magic is now complete. There are thirteen posts total, each of them thoroughly discussing different concepts which are important to the effective practice of these arts. They don’t proceed in exactly the order you’ll need the information in, and I apologize for that, but I also don’t think it will be a problem. You should really make sure to carefully read the information in each of these posts before attempting to carry out this kind of work, in order to be sure that you’ve covered your bases and taken the appropriate precautions. Below is a list of all the posts in the series. I hope they are helpful to you. You’re welcome to ask us if you have any questions at all.
Thank you very much for reading. If you found this series interesting, please consider checking out Benefica’s series on the court cards in Tarot, and if you’re interested, check back soon for our upcoming series on the creation and use of talismans (which will be a collaboration between Benefica and myself).
This will be the thirteenth and final post in my series on astrological magic. Since I’ve gone over most of the basic knowledge you need in order to successfully use astrological magic, this post will contain some additional tips and little bits of information that didn’t fit neatly into any of the other posts. Remember that none of the individual posts in this series contain enough information to give you complete results. Please be careful, and feel free to ask us if you have any questions.
The Ruler of the Chart:
I haven’t clearly explained the concept of a chart’s ruling planet yet, but it is fairly simple. Most astrologers just consider the planet which rules over the ascendant to be the ruler of the chart as a whole. It’s important to consider that when a planet rules over a chart, its power is augmented. This means you should think of the planet as dignified when it is in any normal location, and that when it’s in its detriment, it is reduced to its normal power, rather than below it. Naturally, then, when the planet ruling over the chart is exalted, it is particularly powerful, even more so than its exaltation usually allows.
The Chaldean Order:
I’ve talked about the Chaldean order a little bit before, but here I’ll give you a brief explanation as to what it is exactly, and then I’ll list the planets in that order for an easy reference. The Chaldean people ranked the seven traditional planets based on their apparent speed of motion in the sky. They considered the slower moving planets to be more powerful, and the faster planets to have less power, but more adaptability. Over time, they adapted a very complex system of symbolism based on their ranking of the planets. By incorporating the Chaldean order into sacred geometry and other systems of symbolism, they were able to determine how the planets rule over the days of the week, the hours of the day, various parts of the world, various religious practices, types of clothing, metals, plants, and animals. This system (which has steadily expanded since it was created) is still important in Hermeticism and many other occult traditions today.
The Chaldean order of the planets is as follows:
Saturn
Jupiter
Mars
The Sun
Venus
Mercury
The Moon
Rising and Descending Planets (and the Effects of their Hierarchies):
There is a fairly important concept which is rarely discussed in astrological texts, but which is very useful to understand in astrological magic. When a planet is rising, it’s useful to note that it has effects which are in accord with the planet above it in the Chaldean order. This means Saturn in particular carries the influence of the fixed stars when it’s rising. When a planet is descending, its influence is more in accord with the planet below it in the Chaldean order. For example, Saturn descending is very beneficial to Jupiter’s influence. The Moon is a fairly unique case, then, since while rising it is concurrent with Mercury, but while descending, it works in accord with some of the more earthly forces below it. In astrological magic, the Moon can usually be thought of as the focusing lens through which the powers of the other celestial bodies are projected down to Earth (this is why its position is considered particularly important in many magical traditions).
Reception:
I feel like should explain the concept of reception, since I mentioned it fairly often in some of the earlier posts in this series. In the simplest terms I can use, a reception occurs when a planet is at a favorable aspect with the planet which rules over (or is exalted in) the sign where it sits. It also occurs when a planet is at a favorable aspect to the ruler(s) of two of the following (which are considered lesser dignities): the term, triplicity, face, or decan where it sits.
For example, if Mercury sits in Leo while at a trine aspect to the Sun, then Mercury is being received by the Sun. This is the most basic kind of reception, and it’s called reception by sign. When a planet is received by another planet, it is given power and protection in accord to the powers of planet which is receiving it. In this hypothetical case, Mercury is given a much greater affinity for intellectual communications between the common people and those in positions of power, and it might also take on a much more financially adept nature than normal, allowing Mercurial energy to be directed in a way that allows it to help a person generate great profits (especially since Mercury rules over commerce, and Leo rules over wealth and riches).
There are also situations where two planets are in mutual reception to each other. This kind of astrological condition usually represents the mutual benefit of both of the celestial bodies involved.
A good example of two planets which are in mutual reception to each other is a chart where Venus is in Leo while at a square aspect with the Sun, which sits in Taurus. Despite the fact that a square is generally considered an unfavorable aspect, when both of the planets involved in the aspect are also in each other’s greater dignities, any aspect they share will usually become favorable, no matter how hostile or difficult the aspect is usually considered to be.
A slightly different example of mutual reception is a chart where the Moon sits in Pisces at a sextile aspect to Jupiter, which sits in Taurus. The primary difference here is that the Moon doesn’t actually rule over Taurus, but is just in its exaltation there. There aren’t any notable differences in the overall effects of a reception by exaltation as opposed to a reception by rulership, but it’s important to always be aware of the exaltations of the planets, and the effects they can have on a chart. Forgetting something which seems like a minor detail, like the fact that a planet is exalted or in reception, can lead to significant errors when you’re calculating a chart. When you’re looking at the astrological conditions of future days in order to determine the best time to work, it’s very important to look over the charts thoroughly, so you can use their powers efficiently, effectively, and accordingly.
The aspects are a fairly difficult area of astrology for many people to get comfortable with, although when you become familiar with them, they will prove to be very useful.
I’ll be using the word “perfect” fairly often in this section, and I want to clarify what I mean. In this context, as a verb, “to perfect an aspect” is to have two planets which are applying to an aspect with each other reach the point where they are in their aspect exactly, with 0ºdeviance from the exact distance of that aspect. For example, if two planets are applying to a trine aspect with each other, and they are about to perfect the trine, this means the two planets are arriving at the point where they are exactly 120º apart.
As an adjective, the meaning of a “perfect aspect” follows along the same reasoning. When an aspect is perfect, it is exact. A perfect trine aspect occurs when the two planets involved are exactly 120º apart. A perfect conjunction occurs when the two planets involved are exactly 0º apart.
To familiarize you with the basic properties of the various types of aspect, I’ll go into some detail about how they work, below.
Applying and Separating:
When two planets are at an approximate aspect with each other (most astrologers consider an approximate aspect to be anything within 10º of the perfect aspect), and they are moving closer to perfecting their aspect, it is usually said that the faster planet is applying to the slower one at whatever aspect is occurring. For example, if Venus and Mercury are 118º apart, and they are getting closer to a perfect trine aspect with each other, you could say that Mercury is applying to Venus at a trine aspect, since Mercury is the faster planet of the two, and it is “gaining ground” on Venus (there are also some contexts where it doesn’t matter which planet is moving faster, and they would both be said to be applying to the aspect).
When two planets have completed their perfect aspect, and are now starting to move away from the aspect they shared, it is usually said that the faster planet is separating from the slower one at whatever aspect is occurring. For example, if Mercury and Venus had just completed their perfect trine aspect as I described in the example above, and Mercury is now moving past the perfect trine so the two planets are now 122º apart, you could say that Mercury is separating from a trine aspect with Venus. Since Mercury is the faster planet of the two, it is the planet which is increasing the distance between Venus and Mercury’s trine aspect. This is why Mercury is said to be separating (though as above, there are some contexts where it doesn’t matter which planet is moving faster, and you would simply say that both planets are separating from the aspect).
Conjunction:
A conjunction is probably the most influential aspect which can occur in a chart. When two planets are conjunct, their energy is blended, and the conjunction is considered a single source of energy, rather than two separate planets exerting their influence. Depending on the planets involved, this can be good or bad. It’s also important to understand that some planets are more powerful than others, meaning a conjunction isn’t necessarily an equal blend of two planets. Some texts on astrological magic say that conjunctions can have three basic properties. These properties are increases, decreases, and balances. In astrological magic, it’s generally accepted that the power of a planet in conjunction is usually determined by its place in the Chaldean order. This means Saturn’s influence is generally the most powerful, while Jupiter’s power is almost always equal to it (except in a few cases). To help illustrate the way a conjunction works, I’ll briefly describe some conjunctions involving Saturn.
Saturn and Jupiter are almost always equal in power when they are conjunct. If both planets are somehow dignified, then Jupiter will be more powerful than Saturn in the conjunction. If Jupiter is dignified, but Saturn is direct and exalted, Saturn will usually be equal. If Jupiter is weakened or in its detriment, and Saturn is not, then Saturn’s power will be dominant in the conjunction, especially if Saturn is dignified or exalted.
Saturn and Mars are an interesting conjunction, because although Saturn is the most powerful planet involved, the martial influence will almost always be prominent and noticeable here. This is because Mars and Saturn are generally “friendly” toward each other. If Saturn is direct and dignified or exalted, you may not see as much influence from Mars in this kind of conjunction. If Mars is in a similarly powerful position, and Saturn is weakened, you may see Mars dominate this conjunction, though Saturn’s influence is never obscured by Mars.
When Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun, this is generally considered a difficult position, unless they are in a sign ruled by Saturn, in which case they can be very powerful and agreeable to each other. As with any planet besides the Moon, if Saturn is close enough to the Sun to be in combustion, its effects are completely negated or obscured, and it you might not be able to find any Saturnine effects whatsoever in the chart.
Saturn conjunct Venus generally favors Saturn. If Saturn is weakened or in its detriment, while Venus is exalted or in a sign where it rules, you may see their influences manifest fairly equally. In nearly any other situation, though, Saturn is easily the most powerful influence of the two, taking very little influence from Venus.
Saturn conjunct Mercury is an easy situation for Saturn. It is extremely rare for Mercury’s influence to be prominent in this situation. Usually, you’ll see Mercury’s effects severely inhibited in this position. For any work involving language, communication, travel, math, trickery, or intelligence, this conjunction will cause great difficulty. If Mercury is exalted and Saturn is weakened significantly, you might see some more influence from Mercury here, but Saturn will invariably remain dominant, since Mercury’s role in a conjunction almost always serves to further intellectually articulate the influence of the planet it is conjunct with. This basically makes a conjunction between Mercury and Saturn function just like Saturn, but with a greater affinity for situations concerning intelligent thought, communication, and logic. When this conjunction is taking place, the things people say might generally tend toward the emotionally heavy.
Saturn and the Moon are an important conjunction to understand. Clearly, since Saturn’s effects are more powerful, it is by far the most dominant force in this conjunction, though the Moon’s influence is still present to some extent. However, there are times when the Moon’s influence is not so obscured. If Saturn is in a weakened position or its detriment, and the Moon is dignified, then the Moon’s influence will be greater than that of Saturn. If the Moon is not dignified, though, Saturn’s influence will almost always outweigh that of the Moon, even if Saturn is weakened. If Saturn is dignified, and the Moon is in a weakened position or its detriment, then the effects of the Moon in a conjunction will be nearly impossible to identify, and the conjunction will work almost as if it were just an augmented Saturn. In some rare cases, the Moon is slower than usual in its motion. If the Moon happens to be moving at a similar speed to Saturn, their effects will be fairly evenly balanced. In conjunctions between Saturn and the Moon, it’s important to note that the Moon’s most powerful position is when it is rising, and Saturn’s most powerful position is when it is descending.
Stellium:
When more than two planets are conjunct to each other, and they are all in the same sign, this is called a stellium. When this occurs, you should think of all three of them as one combined energy, and you should be especially aware of the nature of the celestial bodies involved, since a stellium will almost always be one of the most powerful forces in a chart. If a particularly favorable stellium is occurring, it is probably a good idea to carry out certain things while you can (perhaps charge some talismans), so you’ll be able to harness the power of such an event before it’s over. Even if you don’t necessarily need a specific power when a potentially useful stellium occurs, I highly recommend that you try to store it for future use. Foresight is an extremely useful tool in any magical art.
Good aspects:
The “good” or “favorable” aspects in astrology are the trine and sextile aspects. A trine aspect occurs when two planets are approximately 120° apart from each other, and it is considered the most favorable aspect possible. A sextile aspect occurs when two planets are approximately 60° apart from each other, and though not as good as a trine, is considered to be a favorable aspect.
A trine aspect is the most naturally manifested positive aspect. When two planets are at a trine aspect with each other, they are each lending beneficial energy to the other. Consider that in most cases, this is even considered positive if one of the planets involved is considered unfortunate. For example, Venus at a trine to Saturn does not harm the influence of either planet, but rather, Venus is strengthened and given greater emotional depth and responsibility, while Saturn benefits by gaining more expressly benevolent properties, and becomes generally more cheerful. Keep in mind that there are still plenty of situations where any two given planets are better off without any aspects at all, regardless of whether they are good aspects such as trine (this is briefly discussed in some of the earlier postsof this series,where I discussthe placementof the planetsand other influences).
A sextile aspect is the lesser of the good aspects. When two planets share a sextile aspect, they are only beneficial to each other if we go to the effort to cultivate the connection between them, and to consciously work toward fulfilling the potential of their aspect. Otherwise, we should consider the nature of this aspect basically the same as a trine, but altogether capable of being less powerful.
Bad aspects:
The “bad” or “hostile” aspects are the opposition and square. An opposition occurs when two planets are approximately 180° apart from each other (hence the name, implying they are opposite to each other in the chart), and is considered the most hostile aspect which can occur. A square aspect occurs when two planets are about 90° apart from each other, and is not as dire as opposition, but is still considered unfavorable and difficult.
An opposition is the most universally unfavorable aspect which can occur. Any two planets opposing each other causes a severe affliction to them both. Other factors are important, including whether either of the planets involved are at all dignified or in their detriments, and how powerful the concerned planets are on their own (based on the Chaldean order, as discussed above). Generally, it is considered extremely difficult (if not impossible) to reconcile an opposition between two planets, and when there is an opposition occurring, you should probably avoid trying to use the power of any of the planets involved.
A square is considered the lesser unfavorable aspect. The name is fairly indicative of the nature of this aspect. You could say that the planets involved are “squaring off,” or preparing to fight each other. Generally, this means that the relationship between the two celestial bodies involved is very volatile, and that making the wrong decision or move can cause major problems. Despite the volatility of the square, it can also be reconciled a lot more easily than an opposition. Think of it like a tense situation that you can defuse if you deal with it properly (as if you were mediating between two people who were about to fight).
Prohibition:
At some earlier point in this series, I have briefly mentioned a condition called prohibition which can afflict a planet. There are two kinds of prohibition. The first kind is called a bodily prohibition, or a conjunctive prohibition. A bodily prohibition occurs when two planets are applying to a conjunction, when a third planet swiftly overtakes both of the others, and completes a conjunction with the second planet (after also perfecting and separating from a conjunction with the first one in the process of overtaking it, of course) before the first two planets have had time to perfect their conjunction with each other. When this happens, the prohibiting planet is effectively stealing the prize of conjunction from the planet which gets left out, or prohibited. I’ve heard a bodily prohibition be described as a “planetary cock-block,” and I thought this was a fairly accurate way to simply and clearly express the nature and mood of this type of astrological condition. To be sure I’ve effectively explained how a bodily prohibition works, I’ll describe an example below.
When two planets are in the process of applying to a conjunction which, if perfected, promises the favorable or ideal ending of a thing (such as a magical work, a difficult time, or an event of any kind), all appears to be won. Consider, for example, that if the planets applying to their conjunction are, say, Mars at the 7º of Aries, and Saturn at the 12º of Aries, and they are ready and moving toward becoming perfectly conjunct (0º apart from each other, which we will say is the ideal astrological resolution to whatever hypothetical work we are carrying out). Now, just for the purpose of demonstration, let’s say that we hadn’t been paying attention when we were planning out the astrological conditions of the present time, and it just so happens that the Sun is very close behind Mars, currently at the 6º of Aries. Since the Sun moves significantly faster than both Mars and Saturn, we can predict that it will catch up to Mars, and form a perfect conjunction (which, when involving the Sun, is called combustion, and is considered a particularly unfortunate conjunction for whichever planet the Sun is incinerating) with it long before the desired Mars/Saturn conjunction can come about. But we also know that the Sun won’t just stop at that. It will completely overtake Mars, separating from it, and applying to a conjunction with Saturn, reaching full combustion of Saturn at 0º conjunct before Mars has a chance to do anything at all. When the Sun reaches Saturn after fully overtaking Mars, it is prohibiting Mars from uniting its energy with Saturn as planned, and it is prohibiting Saturn from exerting any power at all. When a prohibition of this kind occurs, you should basically consider the prohibited planet’s power negated for the duration of the prohibition, meaning the planet basically “loses a turn,” and does not get to express any power until it is free from the other celestial bodies involved in the prohibition.
The second type of prohibition is called prohibition by aspect, and it occurs when two planets are applying to a conjunction, and a third, faster planet located elsewhere in the chart overtakes any aspect (meaning this kind of prohibition is possible with trine, sextile, square, and opposing aspects) of one of the planets (perfecting the aspect in the process, and continuing on to separate from it, while beginning to apply to the same aspect of the next planet in the potential conjunction), and then proceeds to perfect the same type of aspect with the other planet, effectively prohibiting the two from achieving the power of their perfect conjunction. Below, I will describe an example of a prohibition by aspect, just to be sure I’m being articulate in my explanation.
Let’s imagine that Mars is at the 7º of Aries again, while Saturn is found at the 15º of Aries. As you can see, the two are applying toward a conjunction, just as in the example above. Remember that in our hypothetical work, we’re hoping for Mars and Saturn to perfect their conjunction, because that conjunction will bring about the ideal astrological conditions for the exact resolution (of whatever hypothetical event or work you wish to imagine here) we are praying for. But again, we failed to pay proper attention to the chart. This time, it’s a little less obvious of a mistake. Now, we may know not to plan for this conjunction when the Sun is so closely rapidly approaching the planets involved, but the problem here isn’t an actual celestial body prohibiting the conjunction. You see, the Sun is at the 5º of Gemini, which is a seemingly harmless location, right? Unfortunately not. Since the Sun moves faster than both Mars and Saturn, and it is approaching a sextile of Mars, it will perfect a sextile aspect with Mars, and then separate from it, long before the Mars/Saturn conjunction has even come close to completion. But of course, just like the example I described before, that isn’t all it takes for a prohibition to occur. Now, the Sun will overtake Saturn’s sextile as well, perfecting it before Mars and Saturn manage to complete their conjunction at all. Once again, this prohibition negates the potential power of the conjunction between the two planets involved, in addition to temporarily voiding their individual energies. Neither of the prohibited planets are able to exert any influence until they are each free from the other’s sphere of influence, and they have separated from the influence of the planet which prohibited them.
Now that I’ve spoken about those loose ends and tips, I can give you a basic step-by-step walkthrough of how to approach astrological magic if you’re using the methods I’ve discussed in this series.
First, you need to know exactly what your intentions are. If you don’t have a clear and thorough understanding of your goals in a work of magic, you might not get very good results. If you are precise enough in engineering the symbolism you use in a work, you will be able to get very precise control of your results.
Once you know exactly what your intentions are, you should decide which planets or signs you need to draw power from. Do this based on the things which each planet and sign rules over. Whichever planets or signs most influence the things your goals are concerned with are the ones you should use. It’s not necessarily a bad idea to combine the influence of more than one celestial body or sign, so long as you can elegantly represent the two of them together as a magical image, and provided you can also get them both in favorable positions at one time. It’s important to take care in choosing the ascendant, because that decision also determines which planet rules over the chart.
Now, you should be sure to derive an effective image from the stars,signs, or planets you’re using in order to create an effective visual representation of your desired effect. This doesn’t have to be based on any rigid symbolic foundation, but we should take special care to make our images properly represent the powers they are designed to conduct.
Once we’re actually about to perform our ritual, we need to draw our circle. After that, we need to consecrate it and carry out our ritual, saying all the necessary prayers. Then, we can safely conclude our work. Many people choose to include a banishing ritual or dismissal of the spirits at the end of their work (if any of us writes a post about these practices, I will edit this post and add a link to it at that time).
This concludes my series on astrological magic. I hope it has been helpful to you. If you have any questions for us, feel free to drop us an ask. If there’s any important information which seems to be missing from this series, please don’t hesitate to request it. Thank you for reading. If this is the first post you’ve come across in the series, and you found it interesting, useful, or enjoyable, please check out the rest. If you’ve finished this series and you’d like to see more of our work, you should check out Benefica’s series about the court cards in the Tarot. Very soon, she and I will begin to collaborate on a new series on the creation and use of talismans. Thank you for reading. We hope you will continue to enjoy our work.
This will be the twelfth post in my series on astrological magic. The intention of this post is to familiarize you with the basic theory you’ll need to know in order to consecrate a magic circle, and to make your orations, prayers, and petitions effectively. There are an infinite number of variations you can reasonably apply to the examples I’ll give, but you should make sure the overall formula is sound enough. Please take appropriate care if you choose to alter or improvise any of the methods here. If you have any questions, you’re welcome to ask us.
One of the original sciences of the quadrivium (Pythagoras’s teachings) was rhetoric. Today, this skill is still very useful. Without it, you may have difficulty communicating or articulating your ideas, thoughts, feelings, and desires. This is why it is important to use the most accurate phrasing possible while casting any kind of magic. If you fail to effectively or clearly communicate your consecration, orations, what your intentions are, to whom you wish to speak, or what sort of power you wish to draw from, it is unlikely that you will succeed in your work. There are many classic stories about magic and dealings with supernatural beings where the hero says what they want, but their wish is worded carelessly, and might have multiple meanings, so instead of their goal, they are granted whichever meaning of the request they did not actually desire. This is the kind of natural punishment you will be likely to receive if you speak ineffectively or carelessly while using magic, so you need to be very careful when speaking with these forces.
Another thing you should take note of is that consecration is always done from inside the circle. Once a circle is consecrated, you should not enter or exit from it until your work is properly finished. Because of that, you should always take extreme care in remembering to bring everything you need into the circle with you. If you exit the circle after it has been consecrated and before your work is complete, many things can go wrong, and your work will probably not go well.
Consecration of circles:
Pietro D'Abano recommends reciting Psalm 51:7 after the magic circle has been constructed. Brief as it may be, this prayer is definitely sufficient for the heavy function of astrological magic. While saying this prayer, it is also necessary to sprinkle the circle with holy water, or another form of skilfully blessed purging water (if you’d like to deal with benevolent forces, this practice can never hurt). This is my preferred method for several reasons.
A slightly more thorough variant of D'Abano’s method is to sprinkle your circle with holy water while you recite the seven penitential Psalms (Psalm 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142. In the KJV, they are Psalm 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143).
Dion Fortune’s method is comparably simple and effective. Start by turning toward the east quarter. Touch your brow and say “Yours, O God,” and then touch your solar plexus and say “is the Kingdom,” and touch your right shoulder before continuing “and the Power,” and touch your left shoulder before adding “and the Glory,” and bring your hands together in front of you, clasping them together, saying “for ever and ever, Amen.” Now you should visualize a sword in your hand, and hold it in front of you, with its point toward the sky. Now, you should say “In God’s name, I accept the Sword of Power for defense against evil and aggression.” Visualize yourself doubling in height, making sure to render the image of yourself as formidable, powerful, and protected as possible. Now with the point of your sword, trace the outer boundary of your circle, and with your mind’s eye, watch it light up in bright yellow flame. Now face east again, and clasp your hands together over your head before saying “May the archangel Raphael protect me to the east.” Do the same in each direction, but instead of Raphael, invoke Michael from the south, Gabriel from the west, and Uriel from the north. After this, your consecration is complete.
Henry Cornelius Agrippa recommends the following things be kept in mind as you consecrate the place where you’ll be working. In consecrating your space, he says it is good to reference the Sanctum Sanctorum. Mount Sinai, the Tabernacle of the Covenant, Solomon’s temple, the hill of Golgotha, and Mount Tabor. You should call on names of God which pertain to the house of God, the throne of God, the Tabernacle, the Heaven of God, and names with similar symbolism.
TheClavicula Solomonis contains an extremely lengthy and demanding method of consecration. It looks to me like it would be reasonably effective, but I think it’s clear that most of the extremely specific needs it calls for are completely unnecessary. If you want to know about this method, just look at a copy of the Key of Solomon, and see for yourself.
Abraham von Worms and Abramelin the Mage make it clear that there is no exact prayer that you must say, though they recommend praying to Adonai, rather than any other name (a sound recommendation, since that name is a respectful title given to the Tetragrammaton, which is used out of reverence, because one should not attempt to speak the true name of God). They insist that a prayer from the heart which follows the right formula is the most effective kind of consecration. Of the methods mentioned above, D'Abano and Cornelius Agrippa’s methods are the most useful to me, because they are accessible and very effective. You can easily substitute your symbolism or imagery if you prefer something less Judaic, and you’re also able to combine these methods with each other, or with other methods you’re comfortable or familiar with. I hope this section has given you a general understanding of the consecration of magical circles, and of the things that go into the process of doing so.
Now, I will talk about some methods of speaking with the consciousnesses and intelligences of the planets. Keep in mind that there are many other ways to pray to the planetary intelligences, but that I’m using these particular approaches as examples. Keep in mind when dealing with the planets that it is generally considered necessary to stroke their egos and compliment them as much as possible, doing as much as you can to emphasize the greatness of all the things that planet is responsible for. These are derived from ancient Sabian methods, and it’s important to warn you that some of the methods involved here require animal sacrifices, and that these are often illegal, not to mention cruel. I also want to make it clear that they are very effective. Remember, if you carry out any animal sacrifices, you’re doing it at your own risk. I wouldn’t have you break the laws where you live, and there are definitely other reasonably effective offerings you can make to the planets (you can see some of the things the planets rule over here, if you want some other ideas of things you might be able to effectively offer to the planets).
To make a request of Saturn, you should consider that it should be in a favorable position in the sky, and you should do this on Saturday, in Saturn’s hour. Libra is the most agreeable place, Aquarius and Capricorn are also good places for it. If this can’t be done, wait until Saturn is in the midheaven, in one of its triplicities, or a term it rules over. It can be in one of the other angles or succeedent houses in addition to the midheaven, and preferably in an oriental house (in the eastern sky). Make sure Saturn is not in retrograde, and that it is in a masculine position. Make sure there are no detriments, falls, or negative aspects affecting Saturn. Especially avoid a square aspect with Mars. If it is in a cadent house or retrograde, Saturn will not fulfill your requests. Other tips about placement of Saturn are here.
Make sure to wear all black clothing, with black shoes, and a black hat on your head. Make your request in a secluded place, preferably where people are humble and pensive. Carry an iron ring and an iron censer with you. Begin burning the incense of Saturn (the incenses of planets can be found here). Turn toward Saturn’s location in the sky, and say a prayer like the following:
“O exalted celestial with the great name who sits in the highest heaven, whom God made subtle and powerful! You are the lord Saturn, cold and dry, dark, the one who writes the good, the one who is always a faithful friend, hardy and adaptable in love and hate, whose knowledge is expansive and penetrative, honest and trustworthy in your promises and utterances, isolated in your operations, solitary, separate from others, familiar to suffering and sorrow, distant from joy and festivity, you are ancient and wise, and you erase the knowledge of those things which are good. You are the one who writes the good and evil. Miserable and tortured are those who are affected by your malice, and very fortunate are those who are in your favor. God has placed powers and virtues in you, and a spirit which does good and evil works. I ask you , lord, by your exalted names and your wonderful works, that you fulfill my request.”
Now you should make your request, and throw yourself low to the ground, while always making sure you are facing Saturn. This shows your humble spirit, and your sorrow. After this, you should be able to conclude your work appropriately.
If you want to make a request of Jupiter, you should make sure it’s in a good position (especially concerning Saturn, but other tips are here), and safe from its detriments and fall. Wear yellow and white, with a belt around your waist. Go to a humble and gentle place, like a hermitage used in Christianity, and bring a censer made of tin. In the censer, burn the incense of Jupiter, and turn toward its location in the sky. Now you can say the following prayer.
“God bless you, lord Jupiter. You are the warm and humid Greater Fortune, impartial, and fair in your workings, benevolent, beautiful, honest, and wise. You rule the truth, and equality. You are merciful, and separate from evil. You smile upon the faithful and loyal worshipers, reward those who take joy from their religions and who are not hedonistic. You are of honorable mind, and you carry out works of good freely and naturally. You are honorable in your heaven, your promises are law, and your loyalties true. I call upon you in the name of Adonai, who has given you the power and spirit you have, and by your benevolent and generous nature, that you fulfill this request.”
Now, you should ask for what you request from Jupiter, and say:
“For all good things come from you, and the very nature of goodness comes from you. This is why you will listen to all good-natured requests.”
When you have a request for Mars, you should make sure it is well placed, and safe from its detriments and fall (more tips about the placement of Mars are here). Wear red clothing, and a red silk or linen hat with a red skullcap, with as much warlike apparel as you can wear. Hang a sword from your neck, and carry as many weapons with you as possible. You will also need to bring a mouse. Wear a copper or bronze ring on one of your fingers, and burn the incense of Mars in a copper or bronze censer. Make sure to do this in a remote place you have previously chosen. Face south, and speak the following style of prayer without hesitation or fear.
“Mars, you are an honored lord of a dry heat. You are powerful and heavy, your heart can’t be moved, and you spill the blood and cause the illness of humans. You have great strength, you are hardy, fast, brave, and agile. You rule over fighters, warriors, pain, misery, injury, incarceration, sorrow, and things which are blended or dismembered. You are not afraid of anything, nor do you contemplate. Your works are yours alone, and your precision is strong and effective, as is your drive for conquest and challenges. Your bring harm to the weak and the strong, and you smile upon the warriors who love their battles. You validate the wicked and the cruel. I call on you by your names, qualities, killings, and challenges against the Lord God who gave you your power and spirit, stockpiling them and keeping them from the other planets in order for you to gain strength. Mirrih, Mars, Bahram, Ares, Angara! I summon you in the name of Adonai, so that you will hear and fulfill my request, and that you will see my humbleness before you and see fit to help me.”
Now you should make your request from Mars, and say:
“I call on you by the power of the archangel Uriel, who has been sent by Adonai to complete your works.”
Now, you should behead your mouse, throw it into the incense fire, and eat its liver.
To make a request to the Sun, you should work on Sunday, and in the hour of the Sun. You should make sure the Sun is well-placed in relation to other planets and the signs, and safe from detriments and its fall. It is also usually good to have the Sun ascending. Wear yellow and gold clothing (preferably made of silk), a gold crown, and a golden ring. You should do this work in a small building you’ve reserved for this purpose. Bring a golden censer, and a beautiful rooster with you. Around the rooster’s neck, hang a piece of wood about 4 inches in width and length with a small burning candle on it. Start burning the incense of the Sun just before sunrise. Turn the rooster toward the Sun as it rises, and say a prayer like the following:
“You are the center of our heaven, and you are honored and exalted above all celestial bodies. I ask that you, the revered and holy Sun listen to my request, and give me the friendship and good grace of the leader in question. I call upon you in the name of Adonai, who is the source of your life. You are the one who gives light to the world, and I am calling on you by many of your names. Shams, Sol, Mihr, Helios, Aras, you are at the center of the planets, and you give light and clarity to the world. Life and creation on Earth are gifts from you, your perfect placement, and your heat. I request your aid in granting me the respect and good will of the powerful people I’m dealing with, so that I may have power over places and people, just like you have power over all the planets. I ask for your pity and mercy, that I might have success in my endeavors.”
The Sun in particular is responsive to a great many methods of prayer from nearly all the religions of the world. For example, Jesus Christ can be equated to the Sun (there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Christianity is a form of Sun-worship, and many scholars agree), so saying a traditional Christian prayer to Jesus Christ could probably just as easily give you the results you need. It is very useful and important to note that it is rarely or never necessary to make any kind of blood sacrifice to the Sun.
To request something from Venus, make sure that it is not in its detriments, fall, or retrograde, and that it isn’t affected negatively by an aspect of Saturn or Mars (and be sure to look at the other guidelines I’ve given for the placement of Venus here). Traditionally, there are two ways you can dress when dealing with Venus. One way is to dress in traditional Arabic garb, all white in color (Venus rules over the religion of Islam). The other option is to dress in the most feminine attire you can manage, and to exalt the feminine energy in you to the fullest extent of your abilities through that aesthetic endeavor. Silk and pearls should ideally be included in your outfit, along with golden wristbands and a golden crown or tiara. Carry a mirror in your right hand, and a comb in your left. Wear perfumes which smell like spices or nutmeg, and have a bottle of wine in front of you. Burn the incense of Venus in a censer made of gold and silver, or an alloy of the two. You will also need to bring a pigeon and a turtledove. Now, you should pray to Venus in a similar manner to the following:
“Venus, may you be blessed by Adonai. You are the queen of the planets, the Lesser Fortune, fair and beautiful, and pleasantly aromatic. You are the lady who rules over ornate adornments and jewelry. You smile on lovers, joyous people, pageantry and decorations, elegance, beautiful singing and music, comforting things, recreation, and love. You love wine, relaxation, leisure, and sex, because these are of your nature. I call on you by your names in many languages. Zuhara, Venus, Anahid, Aphrodite, Tijanija, Surfa, I call you by the Lord Adonai, ruler of the highest order, and by your loyalty to Him, I ask that you hear my request.”
Now, you should ask Venus for what you seek, and continue to say:
“I call on you by the great archangel Anael, who is the angel of the Lord who mediates you and carries out your work.”
Now, lower yourself to a vulnerable position on the ground, and repeat your prayer. After that, stand back up, behead your pigeon and turtledove, and eat their livers. Burn their bodies in the incense fire, and your prayer to Venus will be complete.
To make a request of Mercury, it is best to dress like a journalist or writer (however you think best resembles the way they might dress). Make sure Mercury is safe from its detriments and fall. It is ideal to have Mercury and the Moon in conjunction with each other in any work pertaining to Mercury (other tips about the placement of Mercury are here). Wear a ring made of solidified mercury, if you can find one. Bring a rooster with a large comb. Burn the incense of Mercury, and turn toward Mercury’s location in the sky holding a notepad or piece of paper as if you’re about to write on it. Now, say a prayer to Mercury in a similar manner to the following:
“May you be blessed by Adonai, Mercury. You are honest, aware, and knowledgeable. You can teach all science, written language,and mathematical art. You are subtle and even-tempered. You understand commerce, finance, and economics. You speak through prophets and diviners. You teach logic, philosophy, geometry, and astronomy. You teach biology, rhetoric, and computer science. You teach complete cognitive awareness, and quickness of thought. You can change things from one state of being to another. You teach cleanliness, solidarity, and existential wholeness. You bring peace, and prevent people from crossing paths with evil. You also bring out the more beneficial traits of religion and law. You are helpful with Jupiter and Venus, and harmful with Saturn and Mars. You are neither male or female, but can be either in various situations. You are nocturnal sometimes, and diurnal others. You are harmonious, and you work well with whichever forces you coincide with. I call on you by many of your names. Utarid, Mercurius, Hermes, Thoth, Budha, Enki, Tir, I call you in the name of Adonai, the lord who rules over the highest order, and I ask that you hear my request, and that you bestow upon me your knowledge and wisdom.”
Here, you should ask Mercury for the thing you request. Then, you should continue:
“I call you by Raphael, the archangel of the Lord who carries out and regulates your work, so that you will hear and fulfill my request to you.”
Now, lower yourself to the ground and repeat your prayer. Now lift your head up, and behead your rooster, burn it in the incense fire, and eat its liver. Your request to Mercury should be fulfilled.
To make a request of the Moon, you should wear childish clothing, and bring good-smelling things with you. The Moon should be in a good position, safe from detriments and its fall, and at a good aspect with one of the Fortunes (more tips on the placement of the Moon are here) Wear or carry a silver ring, and move quickly. Make sure you speak with elegance and punctuality. You should bring a censer made of silver to burn the incense of the Moon, and a calf or an ewe for sacrifice. Wash your face and turn toward the Moon to pray.
“May Adonai bless you, wonderful Moon. You are kind, cool, and humid. You are fair and pleasant. You are the key to the planets, and you move quickly to shine your light on the Earth. You are the lady who rules over joy, contentment, and kind words. You love the law, and you subtly contemplate all worldly things. Cheerful songs and revelry bring you joy. Messengers, ambassadors, and hidden things are under your protection. You are uninhibited, closer to us than the other planets, you are the largest celestial body in the sky, and you are very bright in your light. You can aid good or evil, and all the planets can be joined through you. All things on Earth are either blessed by your grace or afflicted by your curses. You are the beginning and ending of all worldly things. I call you by Gabriel, the archangel of the Lord who carries out your work, and who helps to regulate your power, so that you might hear my request and grant me my wish. I call you by many names. Qamar, Luna, Meh, Selenê, Suma, Sin, Chandra. By your humility before Adonai I ask that you hear my request.”
Lower yourself to the ground, and repeat your prayer. When you have done this, behead your calf or your ewe. If it is an ewe, eat her liver to seal the ritual. Burn the body of your sacrificial animal in a fire, as usual.
I hope this post has given you some insight into the methods of consecrating circles and praying to the planets in astrological magic. Keep in mind that these methods aren’t the only effective ways to do this, and that there is plenty of information available about dealing with the planets from many cultures who have their own approaches. If you’d like us to check our libraries for information of that kind, let us know.The next post in this series will be its conclusion.
This will be the eleventh post in my series on astrological magic. In the last post, I talked about the planetary hours and days, as well as some of the spirits ruling over certain times. That information will all be necessary to understand in order to do all the things I’ll be explaining in this post, which will discuss magical circles and their geometric construction. Be careful when you’re doing these things. You’re always welcome to ask us if you have any questions.
To consecrate your working space before you carry out any magic is one of the most important parts of nearly all forms of ritual magic. There are a great many methods for preparing a circle, and I will readily admit that I believe certain methods are more effective than others, and that I feel as if some methods are just as good as not casting a circle at all (but I won’t get into that right now). For the type of magic I’m talking about now, I like D'Abano’s method of casting a circle, because it reflects planetary rulership, and it also calls upon the power and protection of some relevant ruling spirits for aiding in your work. It’s important to note that there is room for variation in this method if you want to work with a different system of spirits, but the basic geometric features of this type of circle are vital to its function, and to make sure you call on the power and protection of appropriately powerful and benevolent spirits is also essential. If you’d like to substitute something, and you want to double-check something with us, you’re welcome to get our opinion or advice by asking. The traditional ruling spirits and D'Abano’s are here, in the previous post.
The first thing you should do in this method is make a circle which is 9 feet in diameter. Inside it, make a circle with a diameter of 7 feet (meaning its edge will be 1 foot in from the larger one), and be sure it is concentric with the larger one as precisely as possible. Make a third concentric circle with its edge one foot in from the second (meaning it will be 5 feet in diameter). These are the basis for your circle.
Next, you want to find the point in the innermost circle which is farthest north. Draw a straight line from there through the center of the circle until you reach its southern edge. Then do the same from east to west. Now you can make the last circle one foot in from the innermost so far. The lines you already made will cross this circle’s boundaries. Finally, make four pentagrams outside your circle. One at the southeast, one at the southwest, one at the northwest, and one at the northeast. The points of each of these should be directed toward the center of your circle. Now you have most of the geometric basis for your circle of protection, and you can start on writing in the names and symbols which should be included.
Inside the edge of the second circle (if the outermost is the first), you should start at the farthest point east. Beginning there, write the name of the hour you’re working in. Next, write the name of the angel who rules the hour. Following the angel’s name, you will add its sigil (the sigils of these angels are easily found by using Google, and entering something like “sigil of the archangel Raphael,” for example). Next, you will write the names of the ruling angel of the day, as well as its sub-ruling angels or spirits. Now you should write the name of the season. Then, you should write the names of the spirits ruling over that season (and keep them in the order that I have listed them here). After that, you should add the name of the spirit ruling the sign of the season. Next, you should add the names of the Earth, Sun, and Moon according to the season. This completes the writing in the space between the second and third circle.
Inside the edge of the first (outermost) circle, start again at the farthest point east. Here, you will write the name of the aerial king who rules the day you’re working in. At the south, west, and north, you’ll write the names of the aerial spirits under his command (in the same order I gave them to you here, excluding the spirit Flaef on Friday, but adding him in on Wednesday).
Between the third and fourth circles (outside the edge of the innermost circle), there will be four parts divided up by the lines you’ve made. In each of these parts (starting with the southeast, and proceeding clockwise as before), you should draw a cross (not a Christian cross, but one where the lines are of equal length), followed by an appropriate name of God for your purpose, followed by another cross (employing a total of four different names of God).
The last step in building your circle is to write “Alpha” on the eastern part of the innermost circle, allowing the line through the center to divide it, so it appears like “Al|pha” and then to write “Omega” on the western part, allowing it to be divided by the line so it appears like “Om|ega”.
This is all the geometric knowledge you need in order to build an effective circle based on the time. From here, you should proceed to consecrate your circle. I’ll speak about methods of doing that in my next post. I hope this post has been useful to you. Thank you for reading.
This will be the tenth post in our series on astrological magic. Here I will briefly discuss some of the things you should know about the Lunar Nodes (Caput Draconis and Cauda Draconis). I also intend to introduce the concept of planetary days and hours, and the spirits which rule over them. We will also talk about some of the various other things you’ll need to know about if you want to build an effective magical circle to work from based on the astrological conditions you’re working with (mostly from Pietro D'Abano’s methods, but discussing some other relevant things, as well). This way, you’ll be prepared for a later post I’ll make about the ritual theory of astrological magic, and then this series can conclude, and serve as a foundation for some of the ideas in our upcoming series devoted to making talismans. Please be careful, and feel free to ask us if you have any questions.
The Lunar Nodes are a fairly important concept to know about in astrological magic. They influence the Moon in particular, and in fact, they are sometimes collectively called “the Dragon of the Moon.” Its image is that of a serpent with a hawk’s head. Caput Draconis (the “head of the Dragon,” or North Lunar Node) has different effects on the celestial bodies in different positions, but is considered the more positive influence of the Lunar Nodes. Here are a few of the specific effects Caput Draconis has on a chart:
-In the 1stHouse, it improves the quality of life and success.
-In the 2ndHouse, it helps one make more money, and it can help protect and hide thieves. It can also help you to effectively hide valuable things.
-In the 3rdHouse, it can help you make good friends, and gain the trust of others. It can also help you embark on a journey.
-In the 4thHouse, Caput Draconis can help you inherit large sums of money, and it encourages longevity of paternal figures.
-In the 5thHouse, it aids fertility, and especially helps people conceive daughters or twins. It also aids good reputation, and signifies a time when rumors can be trusted.
-In the 6thHouse, diseases are more severe. It can also aid in selecting a good doctor, though. It is a time to hire servants and help.
-In the 7thHouse, Caput Draconis can be used to cause people to go through many marriages in their lives. It can also bring forth numerous enemies.
-In the 8thHouse, it represents certain impending death. It does augment inheritances, though, and leaves widows or widowers well provided-for.
-In the 9thHouse, it helps travelers return safely, and it is good for the pursuit of science and religion.
-In the 10thHouse, it emphasizes the workings of people in powerful positions.
-In the 11thHouse, it can aid in gaining friends and good will.
-In the 12thHouse, it will help you cause people to have many enemies, and many lovers. It can also be used to cause incarcerated people to stay firmly held, and often to be mistreated.
Consider that Cauda Draconis (“the Dragon’s tail,” or South Lunar Node) doesn’t function much differently than the head. The only distinction is that rather than augment the things each house represents, it reduces them and weakens them. It’s also useful to know the two properties of the Lunar Nodes listed here:
-When Jupiter and Caput Draconis are together in the midheaven, this is a particularly good time to work.
-When the Moon is with Cauda Draconis, and is eclipsed or in an unfavorable aspect of Saturn or Mars, this is a good time to cause pain, illness, or upset.
Planetary days and hours are another concept you need to understand if you want to effectively cast astrological magic. Since there are seven days of the week and seven classical planets, it follows that each planet rules over one day of the week. There is a way to map out the days of the week and their ruling planets by placing the glyphs of the planets around a circle in Chaldean order (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon), and drawing a unicursal septagram starting at Saturn (which rules Saturday). As your line proceeds to each planet, that is the order of the planetary days. I’m not going to illustrate that here, since it isn’t horribly important for this purpose, but if requested, I might do a series on the foundations of Hermetic symbolism which will detail that sort of thing. Instead of detailing it here, I’ll just list the days and their rulers (which can be found in a different format here, along with a lot of other information about the planets):
Saturday – Saturn
Sunday – The Sun
Monday – The Moon
Tuesday – Mars
Wednesday – Mercury
Thursday – Jupiter
Friday – Venus
Each day is also ruled by an angel (nearly every pantheon contains equivalent deities to each of these angels, so it is possible to work with different imagery if you wish). The days each have an archangel and a sub-ruling angel, according to the Clavicula Solomonis. I will briefly go over these here.
Saturday’s archangel is Tzaphquiel. Its sub-ruling angel is Cassiel.
Sunday’s archangel is Raphael. Its sub-ruling angel is Michael.
Monday’s archangel is Gabriel. Its sub-ruling angel is the same.
Tuesday’s archangel is Khaniael. Its sub-ruling angel is Samael (also spelled Sammael or Zamael)
Wednesday’s archangel is Michael. Its sub-ruling angel is Raphael.
Thursday’s archangel is Tzadquiel. Its sub-ruling angel is Sachiel.
Friday’s archangel is Haniel. Its sub-ruling angel is Anael.
Pietro D'Abano identifies a (mostly) different set of spirits as the rulers of the days. I will give you those as well, in case you find them necessary. Be aware that he refers to some spirits as angels which almost certainly are not. I’ll be sure to differentiate between those as clearly as I can.
Saturday’s ruling angels are Cassiel and Uriel. D'Abano identifies a third angel who rules over Saturday, called Machatan. I don’t think this third spirit is really an angel.
The aerial spirit ruling over Saturday is Maymon, and the spirits who minister to him are identified as Abumalith, Assaibi, and Balidet. These spirits are subject to the Southwest Wind.
Sunday is ruled by the angels Michael and Dardiel. A spirit probably mistaken for an angel is Huratapal, who also rules over Sunday.
The aerial spirit who rules over Sunday is King Varcan. His subservient spirits are Tus, Andas, and Cynabal. These aerial spirits are subject to the North Wind.
Monday’s ruling angels are Gabriel, Michael, and Samael (sometimes spelled Sammael).
The aerial spirit ruling on Monday is King Arcan. He commands the spirits Bilet, Missabu, and Abuzaha. These aerial spirits are all subject to the West Wind.
Tuesday’s ruling angels are Samael (or Sammael), Satael, and Amabiel.
The aerial spirit ruling over Tuesday is King Samax. He commands Carmax, Ismoli, and Paffran. These aerial spirits are subject to the East Wind.
Wednesday’s ruling angels are Raphael, Miel, and Seraphiel.
The aerial spirit ruling over Wednesday is King Mediat (also spelled Modiat). He commands Suquinos and Sallales. These aerial spirits are subject to the Southwest Wind.
Thursday’s ruling Angels are Sachiel, Castiel, and Asasiel.
The aerial lord of Thursday is King Suth. He commands Maguth and Gutrix. These aerial spirits are subject to the South Wind.
Friday’s ruling angels are Anael, Rachiel, and Sachiel.
The aerial spirit ruling Friday is King Sarabotes. He commands Amabiel (who is probably a fallen angel), Aba, Abalidoth, and Flaef. These aerial spirits are all subject to the West Wind.
We already know that a day has 24 hours in it, and the same remains true when we’re talking about the planetary hours, though the way they’re divided up is different from the normal system of hours. To determine the length of a planetary hour, you should take the amount of time from sunrise to sunset on the day in question, and divide it by twelve, and the quotient will be the length of a planetary hour during the day. Do the same from sunset to sunrise, and that is the length of the nocturnal planetary hours. If you want to double-check your calculations, you can always add a diurnal hour to a nocturnal hour of the same day, and see if it adds up to a perfect 120 minutes. Now, to determine which planet rules the current hour, you should just remember that the first hour of each day is ruled by the same planet which rules over the day. Then, the planets ruling the hours proceed in Chaldean order for the next 24 hours. If you look closely at this, you’ll notice that the next planet in sequence after 24 hours is naturally the planet which rules over the next day. So, we can conclude that following the planetary hours in the Chaldean order is equally viable for determining the rulers of the days of the week.
The hours of the day also have names. These names are the same every day of the week, and they are divided up the same way as the planetary hours. I will list the names of the hours of the day here.
Day:
1st Hour – Yayn
2nd Hour – Yanor or Janor
3rd Hour – Nasnia or Nasmia
4th Hour – Salla
5th Hour – Sadedali or Sadedalia
6th Hour – Thamur
7th Hour – Ourer
8th Hour – Thainé or Thamic
9th Hour – Neron
10th Hour – Yayon or Jayon
11th Hour – Abai
12th Hour – Natalon or Nathalon
Night:
1st Hour – Beron
2nd Hour – Barol
3rd Hour – Thanu or Thami
4th Hour – Athor or Athar
5th Hour – Mathon or Methon
6th Hour – Rana
7th Hour – Netos
8th Hour – Tafrac or Infrac
9th Hour – Sassur
10th Hour – Agla or Aglo
11th Hour – Calerva or Cäerra
12th Hour – Salam
It’s not only important to know which planetary hour you’re working in, but also which spirits rule over it. The angels ruling over the hours correspond to the planets, so I will just give you a list showing which angel rules over the hour of each planet.
Saturn’s hours are ruled by Cassiel.
Jupiter’s hours are ruled by Sachiel.
Mars’s hours are ruled by Samael.
The Sun’s hours are ruled by Michael.
Venus’s hours are ruled by Anael.
Mercury’s hours are ruled by Raphael.
The Moon’s hours are ruled by Gabriel.
Be aware that there are many other spirits who are of certain times which I have not included here, including spirits of the air (spirits who are not angels or demons, but who wander), and demons. If I write at all about magic and information regarding demons and aerial spirits in the future, I might include this kind of information in those posts.
ThePicatrix identifies specific names of the planets which should be used for magical purposes, as well, and they are very similar to the Arabic names of the planets (they are quite possibly just regional variants of the Arabic names of the planets, pronounced slightly differently than in standard Arabic, and therefore also spelled differently in old European translations). I will list these below.
Saturn – Zohal
Jupiter – Musteri
Mars – Marrech
The Sun – Xemz
Venus – Zohara
Mercury – Hotarid
The Moon – Alchamar
The names of the seasons (that is, the names used for them in some magical traditions) are also important to know for some methods. Pietro D'Abano identifies them as follows.
Spring – Talvi
Summer – Casmaran
Autumn – Ardarael
Winter – Farlas
He says the Earth, Sun, and Moon should be referred to by different names depending on the season. Here are the names for the Earth.
Spring – Amadai
Summer – Festativi
Autumn – Rabianara
Winter – Geremiah
Now the names for the Sun.
Spring – Abraym
Summer – Athemay
Autumn – Abragini
Winter – Commutaff
And the names for the Moon.
Spring – Agusita
Summer – Armatus
Autumn – Matasignais
Winter – Affaterim
There are also particular spirits D'Abano identifies who rule during each season, and he calls them angels, but I disagree with him about most of these, because their names are not angelic. It is possible that he mistranslated or misspelled their names, but their complete obscurity from the basic characteristics of angelic names makes me doubt it. This doesn’t mean his methods shouldn’t be used, or that they are invalid, but just that I think he miscategorized the majority of the spirits he was dealing with. Still, I will list them, because they’re important if you want to make a circle in his method. I’ll be sure to note when I think these spirits are angels.
The spirits who rule in the spring are Caratasa, Core, Amatiel (who is an angel), and Commisoros. Spugliguel is the (correctly identified) angel who rules over the sign of spring.
The spirits who rule in the summer are Gargatel, Tariel, and Gaviel (who are all angels). Tubiel rules over the sign of summer (and is also an angel).
The spirits who rule over autumn are Tarquam, and Guabarel (who is an angel). The spirit ruling the sign of autumn is Tarquaret.
The spirits who rule over winter are Amabael (who is an angel), and Ctarari. The spirit ruling the sign of winter is Altarib.
This will be the ninth post in our series on astrological magic. Now I’m going to expand on the planets, signs, and fixed stars, and give you some information about the particular perfumes, plants, and materials which are influenced by specific celestial bodies. This will be a fairly extensive post, detailing many things which are under the influence of the various celestial powers, or which otherwise correspond to them. I will start with the planets, going in Chaldean order, which means I’ll be starting with Saturn. This post intends to be very useful, but in order to successfully draw power from the heavenly bodies and have their energy directed effectively to carry out your will, you should not use this post as the only reference for your methods. Be safe, and feel free to ask us if you have any questions.
Saturn is sometimes called the Greater Infortune. It is usually associated with the more weighty matters in life, including responsibility and morbidity. Most of the things associated with Saturn are fairly intuitive, since like Saturn, they are often associated with morbidity, death, and the grotesque.
Below is an extensive and organized list of things which are under Saturn’s influence.
Name of the Intelligence of Saturn:
Agiel
Name of the Spirit of Saturn:
Zazel
Familiar Form of the Spirit of Saturn:
An angry-looking tall, slender man with four faces on his head (so that there is one each on the front, back, left, and right side of his head). Each of his knees has an additional face, as well.
Common Visible Forms of the Spirit of Saturn:
A bearded King on the back of a dragon
A bearded old man
An old woman leaning on a walking staff
A hog or boar
A dragon
An owl
A black robe
A sickle
A juniper tree
Elements:
Earth and Water
Humor:
Melancholy
Numbers:
3 and 9
Flavors:
Sour or tart
Bitterness
Elemental Quality:
Cold-Dry
Day of the Week:
Saturday
Language:
Hebrew
Religion:
Judaism
Clothing:
Simple black clothing, especially black robes
Occupations:
Mining
Construction
Architecture
Places:
Rivers with dark waters
Dark mountains
Deep wells
The edges of deserts or desolate lands
Anatomy:
The right ear
The spleen
Incense:
Saturn’s incense is made of opium poppy seeds, stinking nightshade, mandrake root, lodestone, and myrrh. Mix them with bat’s blood, or with a cat’s brain. Alternately, Saturn’s incense can be made from pepperwort or frankincense.
Zodiac Rulership:
Saturn rules over the signs of Capricorn and Aquarius, and is exalted in Libra. Its detriments are Cancer and Leo, and it it in its fall while in Aries.
Drugs:
All of the opiates (drugs like morphine, heroin, codeine, and many others)
All of the hypnotics (also known as soporifics)
Saturn is associated with many noteworthy spirits. I’ll identify some of them below, organizing them by the types of spirits in question.
Angels:
Cassiel is the angel who is most strongly associated with Saturn. This association is definitely appropriate, since Cassiel is the angel of tears and solitude.
The archangel Tzaphquiel rules over Saturday (which is Saturn’s day), and is also considered one of the highest ranking angels in Heaven. His name means “God’s Knowledge.”
A King of the Djinn:
Maymon is the proper name of the King of the Djinn associated with Saturn, and it seems to mean “Prosperous.”
Abba Nuch is his informal name, and it appears to roughly mean “Father of Rest.”
Demons:
Furcas, the 50th demon in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 2nd Decan of Leo is the only Goetic demon associated with Saturn. He looks like an evil old man with a long beard and a pale gray head riding on a pale horse, and armed with a very sharp weapon of some sort. Of the demons in the Goetia, Furcas is the only Knight in all of their ranks. He commands 20 legions of infernal spirits. He can teach applied philosophy, astrology, rhetoric, palmistry, and pyromancy.
And finally, we can go over the things in nature which are under the influence of Saturn.
Plants:
White Daffodils
Dragonwort (probably Dracunculus Vulgaris)
Rue (Ruta Graveolens)
Cumin
Black False Hellebore
Styrax Benzoin
Mandrake
Opium Poppies (and Opium itself)
Black Fig Trees
Pines
Cypress Trees and Shrubs
Hemlock
Yew
Aloe
Creatures:
Moles
Donkeys
Mules
Wolves
Rabbits
Goats
Cats
Camels
Bears
Hogs
Apes
Dragons
Mice
Rats
Cranes
Herons
Ostriches
Peacocks
Screech Owls
Horned Owls
Bats
Lapwings
Crows
Quails
Basilisks
Toads
Serpents
Insects
Scorpions
Ants
Maggots and Grubs
Bugs found in Corpses
Termites
Tortoises
Oysters
Cockles
Sea Sponges
Eels
Lampreys
Materials:
Iron
Gold
Diamond
Onyx
Cameo
Iron Ore
Periclase
Yellow Marcasite
Hematite
Rubies
Jupiter is often called the Greater Fortune. It is a planet associated primarily with financial and career success, as well as high social status and favorable treatment from the divine. It rules over vitality, or the life energy of a person, as well as abundance in the form of food, luxuries, and necessities.
Below is an extensive and organized list of things which are under the influence of Jupiter.
Name of the Intelligence of Jupiter:
Yophiel
Name of the Spirit of Jupiter:
Chismael
Familiar Form of the Spirit of Jupiter:
It usually manifests as man of medium stature with a healthy and energetic glow, but who moves nervously, seems moderately timid, and speaks very gently.
Common Visible Forms of the Spirit of Jupiter:
A King riding on the back of a stag with his sword in hand
A man wearing a bishop’s hat and long robe
A maid wearing a crown of laurels with flowers on it
A bull
A stag
A peacock
A brilliant blue robe
A sword
A boxwood tree
Element:
Air
Humor:
Blood
Numbers:
4 and 16
Flavors:
Sweet
Elemental Quality:
Warm-Moist
Day of the Week:
Thursday
Language:
Part of the Latin language (which is co-ruled by Mars)
Part of the Greek language (which is co-ruled by three planets, the other two of which are the Sun and Mercury)
Religion:
Zoroastrianism
Any religions which have strong universalistic undertones
Clothing:
Expensive and finely made clothing, especially if it is bright white
Occupations:
Lawyers
Business owners
Debt collectors
Places:
Meeting places of noble or privileged people
Schools (particularly if they are pretty and well-maintained)
High-quality gymnasiums (especially if they’re aesthetically pleasing)
Any aesthetically appealing place which is always kept clean and pleasant
Anatomy:
The left ear
The liver
Incense:
Jupiter’s incense can be made from ash seeds, agar, styrax balsam, benzoin resin, lapis lazuli, the tops of peacock feathers, and a stork or swallow’s blood, or a male deer’s brain. Alternately, you can use nutmeg or clove.
Zodiac Rulership:
Jupiter rules over the signs of Sagittarius and Pisces, and is exalted in Cancer. Its detriments are Gemini and Virgo, and it falls when it is in Capricorn.
Drugs:
Cocaine
Jupiter is associated with many spirits of different types. I will list some of them below, subcategorizing them based on what type of spirits they are.
Angels:
Sachiel is the angel who watches over Jupiter. He is a Cherub, and his name means “Cover of God” or something to that effect.
Tzadquiel is the archangel who rules over Thursday, which means he is definitely associated with Jupiter.
A King of the Djinn:
Shem Huresh is this King’s name. It seems to mean “the name of Huresh.”
Abbu Al-Waleed is this King’s informal name, and it means something like “The Newborn’s Father.”
Demons:
All 6 of the demon Princes in the Goetia are associated with Jupiter, so I will list them below, only specifying their rank if you shouldn’t assume that the demon in question is simply a Prince.
Vassago is the 3rd demon in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Aries. He commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, and looks like a well-to-do young man. He can accurately tell you about the past and future, and he can uncover lost or hidden things.
Sitri is the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Cancer, and the 12th demon described in the Goetia. He commands 60 legions of infernal spirits. When he first manifests, he has the face of a leopard and the wings of a gryphon, but then he assumes the form of a very beautiful young man. This demon ignites men and women in love, and can make women go naked.
Ipos is a Prince just like the two aforementioned demons, but he is also an Earl. He is the 22nd demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 1st Decan of Scorpio. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like an angel with the head of a lion, the feet of a goose, and the tail of a rabbit. Ipos knows of all things past and future, and he can make people verbally witty and embolden them in a social context.
Gaap is a Prince, but he is also a President. He is the 33rd demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Aquarius. He commands 66 legions of infernal spirits, and he sometimes appears as a man leading four powerful Kings, while at other times he might take the form of a doctor. Gaap can give people an extensive knowledge of philosophy, social sciences, and the liberal arts. He can easily manipulate the human emotions of love and hate, and he likes to steal familiars from occultists. He can accurately tell you about anything past, present, or future, and he has been known to mischievously transport people from one country to another while they are intoxicated or otherwise unaware.
Stolus is the 36th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Pisces. He commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like a raven at first, but then takes the form of a man. He can teach us about astrology, and the magical properties of the herbs and stones.
Orobas is the 55th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 1st Decan of Libra. He commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like a horse at first, but soon takes the form of a man. He can reveal things past, present, and future, and he can also help a person become honored. He is especially fond of helping people become well-respected and high-ranking clergy members. He can generate good will between friends or enemies, and he will give honest answers to questions about the nature of divinity. He is generally very pleasant to work with.
Now we can proceed to a list of things in nature which are under Jupiter’s influence.
Plants:
Sengreen (Sempervivum Tectorum)
Basil
Viper’s Bugloss (Echium Vulgare)
Mint of any kind
Nutmeg Husk
French Lavender
Mastic Tree
Horseheal
Violets
Darnel (Lolium Temulentum)
Black Henbane
Poplar Trees
Oaks
Chestnut Oaks
Holly Trees
Holm Oaks
Beech Trees
Hazel Trees
Service Trees
White Fig Trees
Pear Trees
Apple Trees
Plum Trees
Ash Trees
Dogwood Trees
Olive Trees (and Olive Oil)
Corn
Barley
Wheat
Raisins
Licorice
Sugar and Sugar Cane
Nuts
Almonds
Pineapples
Rhubarb
Manna Ash Resin
Storax
Creatures:
Hens
Chicken Egg-Yolks
Partridges
Pheasants
Swallows
Pelicans
Cuckoos
Storks
Eagles
Dolphins
Anthiinae
Wels Catfish
Materials:
Lead
Gold
White Precious Stones
Golden Precious Stones
Tin
Silver
Sapphire
Beryl
Emerald
Green Jasper
Quartz
Carnelian
Mars is sometimes called the Lesser Infortune. It is commonly associated with war, sexual aggression, anger, general conflict, and physical energy. Mars also presides over surgery, animal taming, bloodletting, and circumcision.
Below is an extensive and organized list of things which are under the influence of Mars.
Name of the Intelligence of Mars:
Graphiel
Name of the Spirit of Mars:
Bartzabel
Familiar Form of the Spirit of Mars:
He will appear in a tall, mostly-humanoid body, but with bright red skin (resembling many depictions of the devil in pop culture), the horns of a deer, and the claws of a gryphon. He will carry himself with compelling confidence, but a revoltingly aggressive disposition. He might also make loud, angry noises which sound like the bellow of an angry bull.
Common Visible Forms of the Spirit of Mars:
An armed king riding on a wolf
An armed man
A woman holding a wooden shield on her thigh
A male goat
A horse
A stag
A red robe
A pile of wool
A hog-louse
Element:
Fire
Humor:
Choler
Numbers:
5 and 25
Flavors:
Spicy
Bitter
Elemental Quality:
Hot-Dry
Day of the Week:
Tuesday
Language:
Part of the Latin language (which is co-ruled by Jupiter)
Persian
Religion:
The faith of those who constantly change their religious beliefs
Clothing:
Military uniforms, especially armor, weapons, and combat gear
Occupations:
Soldiers
Surgeons
Animal trainers
Lawyers
Places:
Slaughterhouses
Furnaces
Armories
Pawn shops
Anatomy:
The right nostril
The gall bladder
Incense:
Mars’s incense can be made by mixing euphorbia resin, doom palm resin, ammoniacum, black and common hellebore, lodestone, sulfur, and human blood, cat blood, and a male deer’s blood. Alternately, you can use sandalwood, cypress, balsamic resin, or agar.
Zodiac Rulership:
Mars rules over the signs of Aries and Scorpio, and it is exalted in Capricorn. Its detriments are Taurus and Libra, and it falls when it is in Cancer.
Drugs:
Absinthe (note: If you’re purchasing absinthe anywhere in the United States, take extra care in choosing it, because there are some U.S. brands of green liquor which are deceptively labeled “absinthe” despite having absolutely no wormwood in them.)
Wormwood
Fly Amanita
PCP
Mars is associated with a variety of noteworthy spirits, some of which I will list below, organizing them based on what kind of spirits they are.
Angels:
Samael is the angel who is most closely affiliated with Mars. According to many legends, Samael is the angel who was cast out of Heaven and given the title of “Satan.” There are many legends and mythological stories about the fall of Samael, including stories about his romantic involvement with Adam’s first wife Lilith (God removed her from Eden, and cursed her, turning her into the demon of dead babies), whom he impregnated. According to some versions of the story, this human-angel hybrid baby was the first member of the race known as the Nephilim (a word which is often translated to “giants” in English versions of Biblical texts), and when many other angels fell from their heavenly places to take human wives, many more of these Nephilim were born. God considered these children to be abominations, and some texts cite this as the reason why He caused the Great Deluge (the flood in the story of Noah’s Ark in Genesis).
Khaniael is the archangel who rules over Tuesday, and because of this, he is also closely associated with Mars.
A King of the Djinn:
Al-Ahmar is the King of the Djinn who is associated with Mars. His name seems to roughly mean “the One who is Red.”
Abbu Mohrez is this King’s informal name. It seems to roughly translate to “the Father of the Achiever,” or something along similar rhetorical lines.
Demons:
Mars is associated with the 7 infernal Earls in the Goetic hierarchy. I will discuss these below, only specifying their ranks in cases where the demon in question is not simply an Earl.
Marax is the 21st demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Libra. In addition to an Earl, he is also a President among the demons. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits (which are separated into 3 divisions of 10 legions), and he looks like a bull with a human face. He can effectively teach you all about astrology and the liberal arts, as well as the magical properties of every kind of herb and stone. He can also provide the occultist with a wise and reliable familiar.
Ipos is an Earl, but he is also a Prince. He is the 22nd demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 1st Decan of Scorpio. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like an angel with the head of a lion, the feet of a goose, and the tail of a rabbit. Ipos knows of all things past and future, and he can make people verbally witty and embolden them in social situations.
Furfur is the 34th demon described in the Goetia, and also the Day Demon of the 1st Decan of Pisces. He commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, and he usually looks like a deer with a tail of fire. He will never tell the truth unless you have him within a Goetic triangle (which I will discuss whenever I get around to discussing demonology and its related arts), in which case he will look like a beautiful angel rather than a deer. If you use a Goetic triangle to compel him, he will honestly answer any questions you ask him about secrets and the divine.
Malthas is the 38th demon described in the Goetia, and he is also the Night Demon of the 2nd Decan of Aries. He commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, looks like a stork dove, and speaks in a hoarse voice. He can build very well fortified watchtowers and defensive structures, and is a very skilled military strategist who can help someone command and coordinate the forces of a military.
Raum is the 40th demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 1st Decan of Taurus. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like a crow at first, but takes the form of a man soon after. Raum’s pastimes are particularly interesting. He steals treasures from kings, destroys cities, and shatters the honor of the men who rule over the aforesaid cities. He can accurately tell you about any events past, present, of future, and he creates love between friends and enemies.
Vinea is the 45th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 3rd Decan of Gemini. In addition to his position as an Earl, he is also an infernal King. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like a man with a lion’s head riding on a black horse, and carrying a venomous snake in one hand. Vinea can discover any manner of hidden thing, and has a reputation for revealing witches (which usually results in their downfall). He can help to build towers, but is especially helpful in offensive military operations, especially when your soldiers are trying to overtake some kind of wall or other barrier. He can also give you accurate information about any events past, present, or future.
Bifrons is the 46th demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 1st Decan of Cancer. He commands up to 60 legions of infernal spirits, and he first appears in the form of a monster, but he assumes the form of a man soon after. Bifrons can give you a complete familiarity with astrology, as well as all the other sciences of the Quadrivium. He can also teach you about the magical properties of the different types of wood and stone. Sometimes, he changes the bodies of the dead, or perhaps takes them to a different place, and then he lights magical candles on their graves.
Murmur is the 54th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 3rd Decan of Virgo. In addition to his position as an Earl, he is also an infernal Duke. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits, and he appears in the form of a soldier in a duke’s crown riding on the back of a gryphon, with a host of trumpeters preceding him. Murmur can give you an extensive knowledge of rhetoric and philosophy. He can also compel spirits of the dead to come forth and appear before the occultist, allowing us to ask them whatever questions we like. Some of my books also say that Murmur was originally a member of the Order of Thrones before he took his current place.
Andromalius is the 72nd and final demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 3rd Decan of Pisces. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and he manifests in the form of a man holding a serpent. Andromalius has the power to compel thieves to come return with the spoils of their plunder in hand. He can also discover hidden treasures, underhanded dealings, and covertly wicked intentions. Punishing thieves and wicked people is the main activity he participates in when he is not working to carry out a specific task.
Now that we’ve discussed some of the more complex things which Mars rules over, we can continue on to our more straightforward listing of things in nature which are under the influence of Mars.
Plants:
Hellebores
Garlic
Euphorbia Resin
Ammoniacum
Radish
Laurels
Wolfsbane
Scammony
Thistles
Nettles
Buttercups
Onions
Scallions
Leeks
Mustard Seeds
Dogwoods
Peppers (especially those which are extremely hot)
Creatures:
Horses
Mules
Goats
Wolves
Leopards
Wild Donkeys
Snakes
Dragons
Flies
Gnats
Baboons
Eagles
Vultures
Hawks
Falcons
Horned Owls
Screech Owls
Kestrels
Kites
Crows
Daws
Magpies
Pike Fish
Barbel Fish
Orca Whales
Sturgeons
Materials:
Copper
Red Brass
Diamonds
Lodestones
Agate
Opals
Heliotropes
Carnelian
Glass
Premonada
The Sun is the brightest luminary in the heavens. It represents rulership, nobility, power, and light. It rules the wealthy, and those with high social status. In addition (and contrast) to its associations with power and privilege, the Sun represents generosity, forgiveness, mercy, and salvation.
Below is an extensive and organized list of things which are under the influence of the Sun.
Name of the Intelligence of the Sun:
Nakhiel
Name of the Spirit of the Sun:
Sorath
Familiar Form of the Spirit of the Sun:
A large, full-bodied man who radiates a kind of intense power and warmth which can accurately be described as “cardiovascular.” He will probably be accompanied by a golden or yellow light, and his arrival usually causes the person who called upon him to sweat.
Common Visible Forms of the Spirit of the Sun:
A king riding on a lion’s back with a scepter in his hand.
A king wearing his crown
A queen holding her scepter
A bird
A lion
A rooster
A yellow or golden robe
A scepter
Caudatus (the kinds of young leaves or grains used to make cereal)
Name of the Sun in Spring:
Abraym
Name of the Sun in Summer:
Athemay
Name of the Sun in Autumn:
Abragini
Name of the Sun in Winter:
Commutaff
Element:
Fire
Humor:
Pure blood
Numbers:
6 and 36
Flavors:
Savory
Sweet
Elemental Quality:
Hot-Dry
Day of the Week:
Sunday
Language:
French
Part of the Greek Language (rulership of which is also shared with Jupiter and Mercury)
Religion:
The religion of the ancient Sabians (who many people say worshiped the celestial bodies)
Christianity
Clothing:
Noble and fine clothing, especially when it’s golden or yellow in color, and made of very fine fabric, such as silk
Occupations:
The Pope, and Christian clergy in general
Chief executive officers of large corporations
The President of the United States
Community organizers (because Jesus Christ was a major community organizer and activist)
Carpenters (because Jesus Christ was a carpenter)
Places:
Places which are naturally serene and well-lit
The palaces of kings (a category which figuratively includes places such as the White House in the United States)
The offices of less-powerful politicians such as legislators
Pulpits
Theaters
Any man-made structure which can be described as magnificent
Anatomy:
The eyes
The heart
Incense:
To make the Sun’s incense, you should mix saffron, ambergris, musk, agar, balsamic resin, laurel berries, cloves, myrrh, frankincense, and the brain of an eagle or the blood of a white rooster with a mortar and pestle. Alternately, you can use mastic, gum benzoin, or gum laudanum.
Zodiac Rulership:
The Sun rules over the sign of Leo, and its exaltation is Aries. It’s detriment is Aquarius, and it falls when it is in Libra.
Drugs:
Beer
White wine
The Sun is associated with numerous spirits of various types which might be useful to understand or be aware of in certain situations. I will list some of them them below, organized according to the respective type of each spirit.
Angels:
The Archangel Michael is the angel who is by far the most strongly associated with the Sun. He is the highest-ranked and most powerful angel, effectively serving as Heaven’s second-in-command. He was also directly involved in the events of many important Biblical stories. In the Old Testament, Michael is mentioned on numerous occasions. Perhaps the most important of these in in Daniel 10, where Daniel learns that Michael is the protector of Israel. In Christian scripture, he is identified as the archangel who will lead God’s army into the final battle against the forces of Hell. His name seems to mean something along the lines of “He Who is Like God.”
The Archangel Raphael rules over Sunday, and is associated with the Sun as a result of this. Although Michael is definitely the most powerful archangel, it is very important to note that Raphael is one of the only two other angels who even come close to Michael in their importance and capabilities (Gabriel being the other one of these angels). His name seems to mean something along the lines of “God is the Source of Healing.”
A King of the Djinn:
Al-Mazhab is name of the King of the Djinn who is associated with the Sun. His name roughly means “Golden One.”
Abba Deebaj is this King’s informal name. This name means something like “The Silk Brocade’s Father.”
Demons:
The Sun is associated with 12 of the demons described in the Goetia (and I consider Astaroth a King as well, making a total of 13). These demons are the Infernal Kings, and when I describe them below, I will be sure to point out when any of these Kings has another rank in addition to their kingship.
Bael is the 1st demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 1st Decan of Aries. He commands 66 legions of infernal spirits, and he either appears as a beast with three heads, one of a toad, one of a man, and one of a cat, or as those three animals as separate bodies, but all going forth together. Bael can grant you invisibility.
Paimon is the 9th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Gemini. He commands 200 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like a crowned man riding on a dromedary camel, with a host of musicians going ahead of him. When he first speaks, he is usually difficult to understand. He can give you a complete understanding of all of the arts and sciences, as well as secret divine or occult knowledge. He can also present you with honors, blessing you with a good reputation in society. He can provide familiars of a good quality. Last, but definitely not least, Paimon can easily magically bind other people so that they will have to do your bidding.
Beleth is the 13th demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 1st Decan of Leo. He commands 85 legions of infernal spirits, and he arrives on a pale horse, attended by brass players and other musicians. He is usually fairly hostile when he first arrives. If you manage to calm his irritation, though, he can create love between a man and woman. Some of my sources say he was originally an angel in the Order of Powers, and that he hopes to ascend back to his throne before the end of days.
Purson is the 20th demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Libra. He commands 22 legions of infernal spirits, and he appears in the form of a man with the face of a lion, holding a venomous snake in one hand, while approaching on the back of a bear whose path is preceded by a host of ministering trumpeters. Purson can accurately tell you about any events in the past, present, or future, in addition to being able to discover any manner of hidden things. He is also able to provide the occultist with a good familiar spirit.
Astaroth is the 29th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Capricorn. The Goetia doesn’t specify that he is a King, designating only his position as Duke, but I thought it necessary to classify him as such, considering that in sources besides the Goetia, he is fairly uniformly referred to as a King. He commands 40 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a beautiful angel with terrible and dangerous breath riding on the back of an infernal dragon, and carrying a viper. He can give you a thorough understanding of all the liberal arts, and will always answer your questions truthfully. He is also able to give you accurate understanding of all the events of the past, present, and future, and of all secrets. In particular, Astaroth will tell you the stories of how the various angels fell.
Asmodai is the 32nd demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Aquarius. Asmodai is one of the highest-ranked demons (sometimes referred to as a chief lord of Hell), though he only directly commands 72 legions of infernal spirits. When he appears, he looks like a man with three heads (one of a bull, one of a man, and one of a ram). He has the tail of a serpent and the feet of a goose, and he rides in on a dragon, carrying a flag and lance. He is capable of giving us a complete understanding of the magical uses of all the different herbs and stones. He can also give us a complete knowledge of arithmetic, geometry, and astrology. He is good at finding treasures which have been lost or hidden, and he can make us invisible, or help us to be verbally witty and eloquent. He is also capable of giving us a longer life-span.
Vinea is the 45th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 3rd Decan of Gemini. In addition to his position as a mighty King, he is also an Earl. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like a man with a lion’s head riding on a black horse, and carrying a venomous snake in one hand. Vinea can discover any manner of hidden thing, and has a reputation for uncovering witches (which usually results in their downfall). He can help to build defensive towers, but is particularly helpful in offensive military operations, especially when your soldiers are trying to overtake a wall or some other kind of barrier. He can also give you accurate information about any events past, present, or future.
Balam is the 51st demon to be described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 3rd Decan of Leo. He commands 40 legions of infernal spirits. When he manifests, he looks like a man with three heads (one of a bull, one of a man, and one of a ram) and the tail of a serpent. His eyes will be flaming, and he will ride forth on a bear, bringing a goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) with him. He has a hoarse voice, and will truthfully tell you about anything past, present, or future. He can also make us invisible and increase our wit.
Zagan is the 61st demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 1st Decan of Capricorn. In addition to his position as a mighty King, he also holds the title of President. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and he initially looks like a bull with the wings of a gryphon, but then assumes the form of a man. Zagan is capable of making us more witty and clever, turning wine into water, and water back into wine. He can easily change any metal into the currency of whichever nation he is working in. He also turns fools wise.
Belial is the 68th demon to be described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 2nd Decan of Aquarius. He is easily one of the most powerful demons in Hell, and he also commands 80 legions of infernal spirits. As he approaches, you will notice that his appearance is that of a beautiful angel, and he will ride in on a chariot of fire. Belial is a particularly powerful spirit, and he regularly interferes with the people of much of the world by using some of his powers to magically appoint a lot of extremely underqualified or overall unfavorable people to legislative positions in as many governments as possible. He finds this amusing, and wants to cause as much human pain and frustration as he possibly can by doing this sort of thing. When dealing with Belial, it’s important to know that he can help us in several ways. In addition to his ability to appoint whoever he chooses to a legislative office, we should remember that he can also cause favor between friends and enemies, and that he can provide us with extremely high quality familiar spirits. However, unlike most other spirits (demonic or otherwise), Belial will not help us if we don’t make a good offering to him.
Now, we can proceed to a list of things the Sunrules over in nature.
Plants:
Marigolds
Lotus Trees
Peonies
Celandine
Balm
Ginger
Great Felwort
Stonemint
Vervain
Bay Trees
Cedars
Palms
Ash Trees
Ivy
Mint
Mastic
White Turmeric
Saffron
Balsam
Amber
Yellow Honey
Agar
Clove
Cinnamon
Pepper
Frankincense
Marjoram
Rosemary
Creatures:
Lions
Crocodiles
Lynxes
Rams
Boars
Oxen
Phoenixes
Eagles
Vultures
Swans
Roosters
Crows
Hawks
Glow Worms
Scarabs
Seals
Shellfish
Jellyfish
Starfish
Mollusks with spiral shells
Oysters
Materials:
Gold
Egyptian Glass
Cupric Oxide
Diamonds
Red Pearls
Hematite
Rubies
Gold Marcasite
Heliotropes
Blue Sapphires
Topaz
Chrysoprase
Venus is a planet which is most readily associated with ideas of love, friendship, and positive emotions between people. It is often known as the Lesser Fortune. Venus rules over beautiful singing, and all manner of pleasant sounds. It also represents an emotionally intimate kind of sexuality and pleasure.
Below is an extensive and organized list of things which are under the influence of Venus.
Name of the Intelligence of Venus:
Hagiel
Name of the Spirit of Venus:
Qedemel
Familiar Form of the Spirit of Venus:
It will usually manifest in the form of a fair-bodied woman of about average height, with a pleasant disposition, dressed in white or green, with some golden accents near the topmost parts of the outfit. If Venus is in one of her greater dignities, the forms of two young maids might accompany her (these servant forms are not actually separate entities from spirit of Venus), and the three might interact with each other playfully with the intent of drawing a lustful gaze or two.
Common Visible Forms of the Spirit of Venus:
A King riding on a camel with a scepter in his hand
A young woman dressed in very beautiful clothing
A naked young woman
A female goat
A camel
A dove
A green or white garment or outfit
A bouquet of flowers
Juniper savin
Elements:
Air and Water
Humors:
Phlegm and Blood
Numbers:
7 and 49
Flavors:
Sweetness
Decadent flavors
Delicate tastes
Elemental Quality:
Warm-Moist
Day of the Week:
Friday
Language:
Arabic
Religion:
Islam
Clothing:
Garments decorated with bright colors and geometric shapes
Traditional Arabic apparel, especially when all white in color (in a desert, white clothing will be more comfortable to wear, because it does not absorb as much heat as other colors)
Extravagant accessories and jewelry
Clothing which was designed with a lot of unnecessary ornamentation
For a man, managing to tastefully dress in women’s clothing and make-up
For a woman, dressing in her most attractive clothing (according to her own opinion, of course) which is also unnecessarily extravagant
Occupations:
Visual artists
Musicians
Bakers
Classical singers
Dancers
Places:
Cheerful places
Bars
Beaches
Music and performance art venues
Green meadows in the spring
Fountains
Anatomy:
The right nostril
The stomach
The genitalia
Incense:
The incense of Venus can be made by mixing musk, ambergris, agar, red roses, red coral, sparrow’s brain, and pigeon’s blood. Alternately, you can use violets or saffron.
Zodiac Rulership:
Venus rules over the signs of Taurus and Libra, and is exalted in Pisces. Its detriments are Aries and Scorpio, and it falls when it is in Virgo.
Drugs:
Every variety of aphrodisiac
Cannabis Sativa
MDMA
Venus is associated with a number of spirits of different types. Below, I will describe some of these spirits, organizing them based on what kind of spirit they are.
Angels:
Anael is the angel who is most strongly associated with Venus. It is possible that his name means roughly “the Pleasure of God.”
Haniel is the archangel who rules over Friday, and that means this spirit is associated with Venus as well. Some of my books suggest that Anael and Haniel are just alternate spellings of the same name.
A King of the Djinn:
Zawba'ah is the name of this King of the Djinn, who is associated with Venus. His name appears to mean something along the lines of “Storm.”
Abba Al-Hassan is the informal name of the same King who was just introduced. It appears to mean something like “the Father of the Handsome.”
Demons:
Venus is the planet which is associated with the 20 Goetic Dukes. I will list these Dukes below, and if any of them has another noble title in addition to their dukedom, I will make sure to point that out.
Agares is the 2nd demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Aries. He commands 31 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like an old man carrying a goshawk on his fist while riding a crocodile. He is capable of making people who always stand still run, while causing people who have fled to return. He can teach you any language you wish, and he takes pleasure in shattering personal dignities and causing earthquakes.
Valefar is the 6th demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Taurus. He commands 10 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like a lion with the head of a human thief. He is generally a good familiar, but he will try to tempt the occultist to steal, with the occultist’s death as a result of their their crimes as his goal in this act.
Barbatos is the 8th demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Gemini. He commands 300 legions of infernal spirits, and he appears in the company of four kings and their armies when the Sun is in Sagittarius. He can teach you how to verbally communicate with a variety of creatures, unlock hidden treasures that have been magically sealed, accurately describe any event past, present, or future, and reconcile friends with people in positions of power.
Gusoin is the 11th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Cancer. He commands 40 legions of infernal spirits, and he appears in the form of Xenophilus (a famous Pythagorean scholar). He is able to accurately tell you of the past, present, and future, answer every question you can ask him, reconcile friends, and give people honor and recognition by their peers and society.
Eligos is the 15th demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Leo. He commands 60 legions of infernal spirits, and he looks like a knight carrying a lance, his ensign, and a serpent. He knows the future, and in particular, he is very accurate in predicting the outcome of battles. He can discover hidden things, and he brings forth love from lords and other powerful people.
Zepar is the 16th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 1st Decan of Virgo. He commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, and he takes the form of an armed soldier dressed in red. He is able to make women love men, and to cause infertility in women.
Bathin is the 18th demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 3rd Decan of Virgo. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits, and looks like a muscular man with the tail of a serpent sitting on his pale horse. He can teach you about the properties of the herbs and precious stones, and he has been known to suddenly transport people very long distances.
Sallos is the 19th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 1st Decan of Libra. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a soldier wearing a Duke’s crown and riding on the back of a crocodile. He is able to make men and women love each other.
Aim is the 23rd demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Scorpio. He commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a three-headed man (with the head of a serpent, the head of a man with two stars on its forehead, and the head of a cat) riding on a fiery viper. He has been known to set great cities, castles, palaces, and other monumental places on fire. He can make people witty and clever, and he will truthfully answer any questions regarding a personal or private concern.
Bime is the 26th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Sagittarius. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a dragon with three heads (the head of a dog, of a gryphon, and of a man) who speaks in a high-pitched voice. He has been known to move the remains of the deceased around, and to assemble his spirits on top of graves and sepulchers. He can provide people with material wealth, wisdom, and the ability to speak eloquently. He will also answer your questions truthfully.
Berith is the 28th demon described in the Goetia, and the Day Demon of the 1st Decan of Capricorn. He commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a soldier wearing red clothing and a golden crown, and riding on a red horse. He can accurately reveal the past, present, or future. He is able to bring honor and recognition to a person, and to transmute any kind of metal to gold. He is known to lie often, and should never be considered trustworthy.
Astaroth is the 29th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Capricorn. In addition to his Dukedom, it seems necessary to think of him as a King, as well (the Goetia itself does not call him such, but other sources of information about him seem to fairly uniformly acknowledge him as a King). He commands 40 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a beautiful angel with terrible and dangerous breath riding on the back of an infernal dragon, and carrying a viper. He can give you a thorough understanding of all the liberal arts, and will always answer your questions truthfully. He is also able to give you accurate understanding of all the events of the past, present, and future, and of all secrets. In particular, Astaroth will tell you the stories of how the various angels fell.
Forcalor is the 41st demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 2nd Decan of Taurus. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a man with the wings of a gryphon. He is known to take pleasure in killing people, especially by drowning. He loves to capsize war ships, and has considerable power over the oceans and their winds.
Vepar is the 42nd demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 3rd Decan of Taurus. He commands 29 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a mermaid. He governs the seas in general, he specifically guides ships which transport weapons and munitions. He is responsible for most ocean storms and other unfavorable conditions for maritime travel. In addition, Vepar is known to enjoy killing people by giving them severe infestations of parasitic worms.
Vuall is the 47th demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 2nd Decan of Cancer. He commands 37 legions of infernal spirits, and he initially appears in the form of a dromedary, but then takes the form of a man who is unconvincingly trying to seem as if he’s from Egypt. He is able to accurately tell you about things in the past, present, and future. He can make enemies into friends, and very effectively cause women to especially love someone.
Crocell is the 49th demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 1st Decan of Leo. He commands 48 legions of infernal spirits, and he appears in the form of an angel. He tends to speak occultly about cryptic or hidden things, though he is also a very good teacher of geometry and the liberal arts. He makes the sounds of flowing water, and can give warmth to baths and other waters.
Alloces is the 52nd demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 1st Decan of Virgo. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a soldier wearing a Duke’s crown, riding on the back of a gryphon, and preceded by a host of trumpeters. He can give you an extensive understanding of philosophy and rhetoric, and he can bring souls of the dead before the occultist, where we can ask them whatever questions we see fit.
Murmur is the 54th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 3rd Decan of Virgo. In addition to his position as a Duke, he is also an infernal Earl. He commands 30 legions of infernal spirits, and he appears in the form of a soldier in a Duke’s crown riding on the back of a gryphon, with a host of trumpeters preceding him. Murmur can give you an extensive knowledge of rhetoric and philosophy. He can also compel spirits of the dead to come forth and appear before the occultist, allowing us to ask them whatever questions we like. Some of my books also say that Murmur was originally a member of the Order of Thrones before he took his current place.
Gemory is the 56th demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 2nd Decan of Libra. She commands 26 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a beautiful woman riding a camel, and wearing the crown of a Duchess around her waist. She is able to reveal all things past, present, and future, and to discover hidden treasures. She can also procure the love of women.
Napula is the 60th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 3rd Decan of Scorpio. In addition to his position as a Duke, he is also a President among the demons. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a lion with gryphon’s wings. He can teach you the skills and crafts of a handyman, and provide extremely specialized knowledge on many professions. He is a good teacher of philosophy in particular.
Haures is the 64th demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 1st Decan of Capricorn. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and he initially appears in the form of a leopard, then taking the form of a man with fire in his eyes and an extremely unpleasant face. He should not be trusted if he is not within a Goetic triangle, since he has been known to lie. When he is within the Goetic triangle, he can reveal all things past, present, and future. He can also provide the occultist with a thorough understanding of divinity, with the added bonus of telling us the stories about the falls of the spirits. He takes pleasure in destroying his enemies, and especially in burning them.
Amducias is the 67th demon described in the Goetia, as well as the Night Demon of the 1st Decan of Aquarius. He commands 29 legions of infernal spirits, and initially appears in the form of a unicorn, but then assumes the form of a man. He is able to make musical instruments heard, and to make trees bend. The familiar spirits he can provide for the occultist are of a very good quality.
Dantaylion is the 71st demon described in the Goetia, and the Night Demon of the 2nd Decan of Pisces. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a man with many faces (which can be of any gender) with a book in his right hand. He is able to teach absolutely any art or science to absolutely any person. He usually generates love, and can help people relate to each other and find things in common, no matter how foreign or hostile they initially appeared. Dantaylion is also known to call secret meetings, and to make people suddenly change their minds about any given issue.
Now that we’ve gone over some of the more complex correspondences of Venus, we can list some of the things in nature which are under Venus’s rulership.
Plants:
Verbena
Violets
Maidenhair Ferns
Valerian
Thyme
Gum Laudanum
Ambergris
Sandalwood
Coriander
Sweet Pears
Figs
Pomegranates
Hesperus
Creatures:
Dogs
Rabbits
Sheep
Goats
Bulls
Calves
Swans
Wagtails
Swallows
Pelicans
Burrow Ducks
Crows
Pigeons
Turtledoves
Sparrows
Dolphins
Merlangius
Sea Spurge
Sardines
Materials:
Silver
Glass
Ruby
Lodestone
Blue Stones
Coral
Malachite
Quartz
Brass
Carnelian
Lapis Lazuli
Beryl
Emeralds
Sapphires
Green Jasper
Mercury is commonly associated with intelligence, speed, wit, and communication. It is also associated with commonness and poverty.
Below is an extensive and organized list of things which are under the influence of Mercury.
Name of the Intelligence of Mercury:
Tiriel
Name of the Spirit of Mercury:
Taphthartharath
Familiar Form of the Spirit of Mercury:
Usually, it manifests as a transparent, slender humanoid form of about average height. Its movements will appear more fluid than those of a human, and this spirit will be cold to the touch. It will be very well-spoken and articulate with words. Usually, the first thing this form will do when you conjure it is try to thoroughly horrify you (if it is successful, you can take comfort in knowing that you’re dealing with a real form of Mercury).
Common Visible Forms of the Spirit of Mercury:
A King riding on the back of a bear
A fair young person
A woman with a distaff
A dog
A female bear
A magpie
An article of clothing that can vary in color
A shepherd’s rod
A small walking staff
Element:
Water
*It should be noted that Mercury can affect all elements nearly equally
Humors:
Any or all of the humors mixed together
Numbers:
8 and 64
Flavors:
Unusual flavors
Tastes which are completely alien to the tongue
Tastes which are familiar, but not at all distinctive
Plain or bland flavors in general (as in food which generally lacks flavor)
Elemental Quality:
Dry-Moist (both simultaneously)
Day of the Week:
Wednesday
Languages:
Turkish
Part of Greek (which is co-ruled by three planets, the other two of which are Jupiter and the Sun)
Religion:
Forbidden or secret practices (Freemasonry, for example)
Hermeticism
Theosophy
Comparative religion
Clothing:
Linens
Casual dress
Styles commonly associated with scholars
Occupations:
Poets
Novelists
Journalists
Teachers
Mathematicians
Couriers
Places:
Markets
Warehouses
Schools
Laboratories
Libraries
Anatomy:
The tongue
The brain
Mercury influences the heart, but does not rule over it
Incense:
To make Mercury’s incense, mix mastic, frankincense, cloves, potentilla, agate, magpie’s blood, and a fox or weasel’s brain. Alternately, you can use any tree barks or fruit skins, cinnamon, cassia bark, citron peels, or bayberries.
Zodiac Rulership:
Mercury rules over the signs of Gemini and Virgo, and it is also exalted in Virgo. Mercury’s detriment is Sagittarius, and it is in its fall when in Pisces.
Drugs:
Psychostimulants(which include the amphetamines, cathinones, and methylphenidate, in addition to many other drugs)
Coffee (espresso in particular, due to its increased stimulant effects)
Mercury is associated with numerous spirits of various kinds, which I will describe below, organized by the types of spirits I’ll be discussing.
Angels:
The Archangel Raphael is the angel who is most strongly associated with Mercury. Raphael is one of the most powerful and important archangels, outranked only by Gabriel and Michael. His name seems to mean something along the lines of “God is the Source of Healing.”
The Archangel Michael rules over Wednesday, which means he is also associated with Mercury to a lesser extent. Michael is the highest-ranked and most powerful of all the angels, effectively serving as Heaven’s second-in-command. In the Old Testament, Michael is mentioned on numerous occasions. Perhaps the most important of these in in Daniel 10, where Daniel learns that Michael is the protector of Israel. In Christian scripture, he is identified as the archangel who will lead God’s army into the final battle against the forces of Hell. His name seems to mean something along the lines of “He Who is Like God.”
A King of the Djinn:
Burqan is name of the King of the Djinn who is associated with Mercury. His name appears to mean “Two Thunders.”
Abbu Al-A'aja'eb is the informal name given to this King of the Djinn. This name seems to mean something along the lines of “Father of the Nomads.”
Demons:
Mercury is associated with the 12 Presidents of the Goetic demons. I will describe these Presidents below, making sure to point out those which hold other seats in addition to their presidency.
Marbas is the 5th demon desribed in the Goetia, as well as the Day Demon of the 2nd Decan of Taurus. He commands 36 legions of infernal spirits, and appears in the form of a powerful and majestic anthropomorphic lion. He can uncover hidden things, and make us wise. He can also teach us handicrafts an
This will be the eighth installment in our series on astrological magic. In this post, I’d like to delve a little deeper into image theory, so you can have a better idea of the power and function of zodiacal images in particular. This will further serve to help you learn about the usefulness of this practice, as well as provide some insight into some ways you can create them. Please keep in mind that this post is not a complete method in itself, and that it might not give you satisfactory results if it is your only source of information for a method. Please be safe, and always feel free to ask us if you have any questions.
Images of the zodiac signs and their faces (which are not usually visually represented the same way in different cultures around the world) are some of the most powerful images you can use. It’s possible to make extremely powerful images of other kinds, and it’s important to familiarize yourself with the way these images work in order to be able to create your own. These examples can give you a really useful look at the fundamental nature of images, and it should also give you a fairly broad understanding of the way the symbolism you use affects the energy you draw from the celestial bodies. Keep in mind that countless other images can be effectively made to draw power from celestial bodies and zodiac signs, and that if you come to understand the things which any given body is associated with, you’ll be able to devise your own unique magical images without issue. Now I will briefly explain the uses of some of the images from the zodiac. Here, it’s important to know that although the decans and faces are divided up the same way (ten degrees each), they are not always ruled by the same planets. This means that while the third decan of Aries might be ruled by Jupiter, the third face of Aries is actually ruled by Venus, although both are in the same place in the zodiac. These are both important to know in a given situation, because both ruling planets can have a measurable effect on the properties of the decan or face in question.
The Fire signs (which also represent the East) are good for helping fight against illnesses with symptoms similar to the flu or common cold. They are also good for fighting edema and gout. They can also held you speak concisely and gain respect and recognition from others. More specific uses of these images depend on which sign and decanisrising.
Leo’s image during the first degree ascending of the face and decan ruled by Jupiter (the 2nd Decan of Leo) is useful for fighting melancholia or morbid obsessions. It’s particularly helpful for resisting epidemics, healing most kinds of sicknesses, and preventing swelling, or inflammation. It’s also helpful for treating or preventing kidney stones, and for treating the injuries of animals. When Leo is in the midheaven, and the Sun is in its second decan, this is comparably effective for the same purposes.
The Air signs (which also represent the West) are good for sending diseases away. They can help foster friendship, treat melancholic illnesses, and generally promote good health. The image of Aquarius is particularly helpful against malaria.
Water signs (which also represent the North) are useful against tuberculosis, and other dry fevers. It is also good for reducing digestive problems like diarrhea (which makes sense, considering that darrhea causes dehydration, and vice-versa).
Any time the Sun is in Cancer, you may use the image of the crab to cause great distress to snakes and other serpentine reptiles or amphibians.
Earth signs (which are also associated with the South) are good for treating fevers which are long-lasting, and which are accompanied by inflammation. They are useful for helping people seem elegant and spiritual.
Capricorn in particular is a useful image for keeping people and places safe from harm, since Mars is exalted in this sign.
Consider that all these images act differently depending on the ruler of the decan and face they are in, but that they still have effects along the lines of their most straightforward symbolism. Since there are 36 decans in the zodiac, I’m probably not going to go over all of the images of the faces or what they do in this post (though I’ve already spoken briefly about the decans, and if necessary or requested, I might be able to make a post about them in the future). You can probably find a legitimate use for any sign’s image in nearly any part of the zodiac, if you consider the rulers and positioning of the celestial bodies carefully enough. Just remember to be careful, and thoroughly consider the potential downsides of any operation you formulate which you haven’t read about before. Always make sure to take every necessary precaution.
I hope this post has given you a little more insight into the basic properties of images, and how they interact with environmental and heavenly factors. The next post in this series will be a master post with a long list of things ruled by each planet, sign, and fixed star. If successful, it will be a very useful resource for many more purposes than just astrological magic, but it is definitely a very necessary resource for this art, as well. Thank you very much for reading.
This will be the seventh post in our series on astrological magic. Since we’ve already talked about how the planets and parts should be placed, we are ready to discuss some of the theoretical basis for creating images which draw the power of the celestial bodies for specific purposes. Here you will learn a little about images, their function, and how they are made. Since the theory behind making effective images is very extensive, I will probably make more posts with information about it in the future. Keep in mind that although this post contains vital information for the art of astrological magic, you’ll probably have very limited success if this post is the only source you derive your methods from. Make sure to be safe, and feel free to ask us if you have any questions.
Making effective and practical images which conduct the power of the heavens is a particularly important skill to have if you want your magic to be effective. To successfully do this, you’ll need to understand that everything made at a given time permanently takes on some of the properties of the heavens above it at that time. For that reason, when you’re making an image with the intention of conducting the power of specific celestial bodies, it’s important that you know about some of the symbols and images which are associated with the bodies whose power you’re using.
There are many types of images, and they can be based on any type of heavenly or earthly source, depending on their purpose. It’s possible to create an image for any purpose you could ever need. You should get to know some of the more basic images and what they can do if you want an idea of the connection between symbol and function. In the next post, I plan to go over some of the more basic images, such as those of the zodiac signs, their functions, and how they can be used. In this post, I will address some kinds of images which aren’t of the zodiac (some of which are heavenly, and others of which are derived from other sources).
Aside from the stars directly concerned with the zodiac and its workings, there are many other constellations and images in the sky, each with its own symbolism and mythological background. For example, Canis Major (the Dog) is good for casting images to help protect a person or place from plagues or epidemics, edema, and vicious animals. Another example is the constellation called Serpentarius (the Snake), which is good for curing poisons and snake bites (or other venemous bites). I’m certain that you could find an effective use for any constellation you wish, if you look for one which suits your purposes. Just keep in mind the particular image the constellation represents (for example, Pegasus pertains to horses, and this is obvious because its image is a winged horse), and if it represents a particular mythological figure with a story behind it, research the figure to learn more about its potential (for example, Hercules is a constellation, and he has a long mythological story which can help provide insight into many of the ways his constellation can be used).
There are also images which aren’t derived from anything in the heavens. These are perfectly effective in their own right, and I will briefly discuss their use here. Images of this kind include things like effigies. You could make an image in the likeness of two people you dislike fighting each other, for example. You could also make an image which looks like a mangled or maimed version of a person or thing which you want to see destroyed or suffering. Just remember that if your image represents a living thing, your desired effect should be written on its belly if your intentions are benevolent, or its back if your intentions are malevolent. Make sure the species of the thing the image depicts is written on its forehead (this particular concept of labeling is mentioned twice in Revelation, and probably in numerous other religious or biblical texts). On the chest of your image, you should write the name of the ascendant at the time of your casting the image, as well as its ruling planet and the angels (or other appropriate spirits, if you’d rather not deal with angels) who rule over it (and their seals or characters). These images are then treated accordingly.
After its creation, what should be done with an image depends on the purpose. They can be left hanging from a relevant place, or worn on the body somewhere, or buried. In the past, British folk magicians and witches would hang many different kinds of charms in their chimneys, some for positive effects or protection, and others for harming people (there is some debate as to why they decided to hang the charms there). They can he hanged from a tree to be exposed to the wind, while hanging them upside-down has different effects than hanging them normally. Sometimes these images are boiled in water. And of course, the best-known treatment (which is still practiced widely, even by people who don’t consider themselves magic users at all) is to burn the effigy in a fire, such as the British do every November. What you do with an image you’ve made, combined with the intent and emotion you put into your work continue to affect this particular kind of image and its subject as long as you continue to interact with it.
Even in the practices of making images that aren’t directly based on zodiacal imagery, it’s useful to use elective astrology in advance to decide on a good time to cast them and carry out your will on them. Some ancient Arabic astrologers actually claim it’s possible to actually infuse images you’ve created with a soul comparable in magnitude to that of a living thing if you properly perform these practices. Most historical astrological magicians I’ve researched seem to agree that images from the zodiac are usually far more powerful than other types of magical images, and are definitely capable of greater things than words are. They also, however, recommend that you use a prayer or clearly worded petition which asks for the thing you’re seeking. If you can refer to the specific astrological conditions which are present at the time, and to their effects which can help you, you should certainly make sure to do that in your prayer.
Algol’s image is a man’s head with a bloody neck. This image is useful for making a person more bold or noble. It can help protect from injury, and ward off malicious magic and witchcraft.
Pleiades has the image of a lamp or a virgin. These images can help you see at night, bring multiple spirits to a place, make the wind blow, and make hidden things seen.
Aldebaran has the image of a man flying, which some sources also say is the likeness of God. This image is useful for gaining wealth and social status.
Capella’s image is a man ready to play a musical instrument or dance. It’s useful to carry with you if you want to be respected and accepted by people in positions of power, and it can also be used to alleviate toothaches.
Sirius’s image is a virgin with her dog. This image brings kind intentions from others, and can put you in the favor of the aerial spirits (such as those in Ars Theurgia Goetia). It can also help you to calm people who are angry, including people in positions of power or authority.
Procyon’s image is a rooster, or alternately of three maids. It’s a useful image for gaining the favor of divine beings, spirits, and people. It also helps protect from witchcraft and health problems.
Regulus’s image can be a lion, cat, or a person deserving of respect sitting in a chair. It makes people more agreeable and reduces anger.
Alkaid’s image is a man in deep thought, or a bull or calf. It can protect a person from malicious magic, and helps safe travel.
Gienah’s image is a raven, a snake, or a black man (or perhaps a man of any ethnicity who has dark hair) in black clothes. It can make a person ambitious and charismatic. It can also cause wet dreams. It can help you get rid of malicious spirits, or draw them in. It’s also helpful protection against people who intend harm, and wind.
Spica’s image is a bird or a merchant carrying lots of wares. It can help you gain money and abundance, and protects against ill will and petty mischief.
Arcturus’s image is of a horse, wolf, or dancing man. It can help reduce fevers and promote blood health.
Alphecca’s image is a hen, or of a man wearing a crown. It can help you be pure and loved by other people.
Antares’s image is a man-at-arms in chain mail, or a scorpion. It can help you remember and comprehend things well. It helps you have a healthy complexion. It can also help you repel or control evil spirits.
Vega’s image is a vulture, hen, or traveler. It can help you be charitable and have good self-esteem. It gives you some control over demons and animals.
Delta Capricorni (also called Deneb Algedi) has the image of a goat or male deer, or an angry man. It can help you gain wealth or success, and can make people angrier.
This will be the sixth installment in our series on astrological magic. Before I get too far in explaining other workings of astrological magic, it’s really important for you to know a little about the Arabic Parts (or Lots) that I’ve mentioned in passing a few times in earlier posts. Here, I will provide a brief explanation of the symbolism and meaning of the Parts, a little about their history, how to calculate them, and how to apply them to your astrological magic. The information in this post is mostly derived from one source (and verified as much as possible by many others). This source is The Arabic Parts in Astrology by Robert Zoller. There are not many sources of extensive information on the Parts, but Zoller’s book is particularly useful if you want a thorough source on the matter. Remember that no single post in this series will give you everything you need in order to effectively carry out astrological magic. Please be safe. If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask us.
The best known Part in astrology is the Part of Fortune. In a natal chart, it represents your future financial and career success in a much more precise manner than does the planet Jupiter. In a chart for astrological magic, however, it can have a powerful effect on the overall outcome of your magic. Most modern astrologers only use the Part of Fortune, and rarely calculate or consider the other Parts. While many people consider this sufficient in any normal astrological practice, this is far from enough knowledge to properly apply the Parts to magic. Some Arabic and Hindu astrologers have traditionally used 97 different Parts in their astrological practices, and Hermetics usually use at least 7 of them (each pertaining to one of the planets, and which are demonstrative enough of the nature of Parts in general that I will include those here). European astrologers over time have also used a fairly wide variety of unique Parts which aren’t included in the aforementioned collections. Although I’m certainly not going to explain each individual Part here, I think it’s important for you to have a basic familiarity with the concept, and to know how to decide whether or not a specific Part is appropriate to designate as the one which represents your goals in a magical work.
Basic Concept:
The first, and perhaps most important thing to understand about Parts is their root in the triangular model of existence popular in most Theosophical traditions, and many religions. Personally, I prefer to use the Theosophical model of this triangle, which puts God (as in the absolute or Tetragrammaton, rather than any other form of god or divinity) at the top of the triangle, humanity on the lower left corner, and nature on the lower right. This is representative of the fact that these three concepts are actually unified, and can’t be fully understood if they are thought of as separate. I may make an in depth post about this at some other time, but it would be tangential to explain it in full here (it would qualify more as introductory Hermetic philosophy and symbolism than as theory of astrological magic). To frame it as simply as possible, the concept is a threefold representation of the fractal nature of existence, and is one of many expressions of the Hermetic principle which states “as above, so below.” Consider this as you choose a Part to represent your work. Does its symbolism reflect your intentions? If it does, then your “above” will be much more favorable to the “below” you wish to affect. The fact that a Part consists of two tangible points and one intangible is still more indicative of this threefold property they carry, though (since God is intangible, and humans and nature are both tangible).
Symbolism:
Every Part in an astrological chart has its own symbolic meaning, and pertains to specific things in both the personal life and the world as a whole. In astrological magic, this means that each spell you are casting should be assigned to a specific Part which best exemplifies your goals. There are many, many Parts, and if you become familiar with the symbolism of the various tangible points (things like planets, houses, angles, the ascendant, descendant, midheaven, cusps, nodes, etc.) which make up an astrological chart, you’ll be able to discern the meaning of any Part you can calculate. I’ll provide a basic explanation of the seven Parts commonly used in Hermeticism to help give you an introductory understanding. The method of calculating these seven Parts will be discussed later in this post.
The Part of the Moon is also known as the Part of Fortune. It represents prosperity and material success, and therefore is always important to know about in the context of astrological magic. It affects diurnal charts more than nocturnal ones, but it is of extreme importance to both. The location of the Part of Fortune is so important that ancient sources on astrological magic usually specifically account for how it should be positioned when you are carrying out a ritual. I will discuss where it should be positioned later in this post.
The Part of the Sun is also called the Part of Future. It represents intent, and also faith. It is also linked to religion, and especially the secret practices therein. If your work involves praise or good reputations, courtesy, or things which are hidden or not present, this Part may be a good representative for your petition. It is more powerful in nocturnal charts than in those which are diurnal.
The Part of Saturn is also called the Heavy Part. It is aptly named, because it deals with any matter which carries a lot of figurative weight. This includes memories, deep thought and introspect, old age, karma, incarceration, consistent fulfillment of responsibilities, and the passage of time. It can also represent the conditions of a person’s death. It can be tied to things which are lost in bodies of water. Finally, it can represent anything which has been lost or stolen. If your petition concerns any of these things, you might designate this as the Part to represent it.
The Part of Jupiter is also called the Part of Happiness, or the Jovial Part. It is tied to honor and material success. It is especially concerned with monetary success. It can be used to help a person become zealous or faithful, and it is connected to fairness. You may consider assigning your petition to this Part if these are some of the concerns of your magic.
The Part of Mars is also called the Part of Daring. This Part is tied to all things pertaining to military or war. It also represents the overall worth of one’s soul. This is also a useful Part to represent your petition if you intend to use seduction to commit an act of incest. If you actually work to perform the latter of these purposes, you’re disgusting and you shouldn’t be practicing these arts. Finally, this Part can represent final outcomes and anything you wish to carry out in a rush.
The Part of Venus is also known as the Part of Love. As the name implies, it is associated with all things which are considered sensual or sexual “both licit and illicit” as Zoller says. You may also find this Part useful for gaining any pleasurable experiences which you deeply desire.
The Part of Mercury is also called the Part of Poverty. Again, its name is very indicative of its meaning. In addition to poverty, it can represent the sharpness of your mind. It can also represent war and conflict, especially pertaining to fear and hate. In addition to this, it can be beneficial to any commerce or mercantile activity. Finally, it represents study and knowledge of arts and sciences, and intelligence pertaining to them.
Calculation and Placement:
To calculate the Parts usually involves a formula which requires you to find the distance between two tangible points on the chart (sometimes other Parts are used as these tangible points), and then adding that distance to the ascendant or some other tangible point. To further complicate this process, you usually go in the opposite direction from the ascendant if your chart is nocturnal. It’s extremely important to be careful and make sure you’re calculating your parts in the right direction from the tangible point they relate to if you want to be accurate in your work.
For the Part of Fortune, the first thing you need to know is if you’re using a chart which is nocturnal or diurnal. That is, whether it is day or night at the time the chart represents. If the chart is diurnal, you will calculate this Part by adding the degrees and minutes of the ascendant to those of the Moon, and then subtracting the degrees and minutes of the Sun from that. If it is a nocturnal chart, you should add the ascendant to the Sun, and subtract the Moon.
There are several things you should consider when you are deciding if the Part of Fortune is in a good place for you to work. These are not specific to any purpose, but should be considered in general.
-The Part of Fortune should not be cadent from the Moon or from any aspects of the Moon.
-It’s a good thing if the Part of Fortune is conjunct to the planet ruling the ascendant.
-The Moon should not be in the 3rd, 6th, 8th, or 12th House from the Part of Fortune.
For the Part of the Sun, take whichever method of calculating the Part of Fortune is not applicable to the time of day, and this is how you will find the Part of the Sun.
For the Part of Saturn, you should calculate the distance from Saturn forward to the Part of Fortune in a diurnal chart. In a nocturnal chart, take the distance from the Part of Fortune forward to Saturn. Add this distance to the ascendant, and the sum is the location of this Part.
For the Part of Jupiter, you should take the distance from the Part of Fortune forward to Jupiter in a diurnal chart. In a nocturnal chart, take the distance from Jupiter forward to the Part of Fortune. This distance should be added to the ascendant, and the sum is the location of this Part.
For the Part of Mars, calculate the distance from Mars forward to the Part of Fortune in a diurnal chart. In a nocturnal chart, you should calculate the distance from the Part of Fortune forward to Mars. Then, you should add this distance to the ascendant to locate this Part.
For the Part of Venus, you should calculate the distance from the Part of Fortune forward to the Part of the Sun in a diurnal chart, and in a nocturnal chart you will calculate from the Part of the Sun forward to the Part of fortune. Add this distance to the ascendant and you will be able to locate this Part.
For the Part of Mercury, you will use the method of calculation which is not applicable to the Part of Venus.
Hopefully this gives you a basic understanding of how Parts work, as well as how they are calculated. The Part which represents your work (or the conditions which necessitated your work) is called the Part of the Petition in astrological magic. The house where it sits represents the beginning of your work. The planet which rules over that house represents the ending of your work, or how it will be resolved. The ruler of house where that planet sits represents the total completion of the matter the work is pertaining to. Now for the last bit of this post, I’ll talk a little about how the Part of the Petition should be placed.
-Try to give the Part of the Petition good aspects with Jupiter or Venus, with Mars and Saturn cadent from the houses they rule.
-Never let the planet ruling over the Petition be in retrograde.
-The ruler of the Petition should be in conjunction or opposition with a luminary. If you can’t account for this, the ruler of the house where that planet sits can be in that position. One or both of these planets should also be in the same house as the ascendant, or the Part of the Petition.
I hope this post has been useful and informative, and gave you a basic understanding of the Parts and how they work. I will continue this series soon. Thank you for reading.
This will be the fifth post in our series on astrological magic. Now that we’ve gone over the placement of the planets, we can start to get into the theory behind magic which draws on the powers of the heavens (the ritual methodsandrelated theorywillfollow in a later post). Although this post will take us closer to a complete method of astrological magic, you should keep in mind that even with all the information in the series so far, you will probably get very limited results if these posts are all you’re deriving your methods from. Regarding the familiarity you need with the symbols involved in this process, this post really only scratches the surface. I will continue to compile information in this subject, and this series will continue to grow and serve as a reference you can access any time. Please be safe. Feel free to send us an ask if you have any questions.
There is a classical Hermetic method to creating talismans or images concerning any and every body part. I doubt that I will speak of these in detail, because it is such a lengthy subject (I may make a post about it in the future if some necessity arises), but there is some freely accessible information about it available from various online sources. There are also Arabic and Hindu beliefs about the use of different decans for creating talismans or images for countless other purposes, some personal, and others impersonal. I will discuss some of these here. Remember though, to properly use any of the correspondences I’m describing, you will need to have some understanding of the ritualtheory involved, and to properly use the ritual theory, you will need some understandingof thesymbolisminvolved. Given that both are equally necessary, I decided to start here.
Every sign in the Zodiac has three decans (they are also sometimes referred to as faces, though decans and faces are often given different ruling planets), which you should familiarize yourself with. Each decan has a subruler (which is usually a different planet than the primary ruler of the sign), and specific properties and symbolic associations, as well as a different visual representation than the sign itself. To find which planet rules each decan, you can think of it this way: Place the sign in question on the ascendant of a hypothetical chart. The first decan is ruled by the planet which rules over the ascendant. The second decan is ruled by the planet which rules over the 5th House. The third decan is ruled by the planet which rules over the 9th House. This is useful to know, especially if you can remember the rulers of each sign and which order they proceed in. To learn how each decan is visually depicted, you should do your own research, because that information is very easy to come by.
Now consider that each decan of the Zodiac can lend you specific beneficial energies for making talismans or other powerful objects, as well as other types of magical work. There are 36 decans total in the Zodiac, and I will briefly describe some of their properties here.
Aries (which is primarily ruled by Mars):
The 1st Decan of Aries is ruled by Mars, and generally lends you a great advantage in any type of battle, literal or figurative. Basically, this face is useful for becoming victorious in a conflict against an enemy.
The 2nd Decan of Aries is ruled by the Sun, and can greatly assist you in gaining the favor of people on powerful positions, or gaining their graces, if they are already short-tempered with you.
The 3rd Decan of Aries is ruled by Jupiter, and can help you bring peaceful resolutions to official conflict, conflict between politicians, and problems among high clergy (as if you’d really want to deal with clergy at all).
Taurus (which is primarily ruled by Venus):
The 1st Decan of Taurus is ruled by Venus, and you can use it to improve the relationship between spouses.
The 2nd Decan of Taurus is ruled by Mercury. This decan is useful if you want to cause conflict between women.
The 3rd Decan of Taurus is ruled by Saturn. This one is good for causing hatred. It’s also a useful sign if you wish to make a man impotent, or to make a woman become disgusted with physical intimacy. You can also use this sign to help destroy romantic relationships.
Gemini (which is primarily ruled by Mercury):
The 1st Decan of Gemini is ruled by Mercury. You can use it to damage the intelligence and cognition of a person.
The 2nd Decan of Gemini is ruled by Venus, which can help you cause missing people to return, or to bring fugitives back to a certain place.
The 3rd Decan of Gemini is ruled by Saturn. It allows you to cause a person’s reputation to be destroyed. People will say hateful things about the person of your choice, and they will likely become subject to some kind of ridicule.
Cancer (which is primarily ruled by the Moon):
The 1st Decan of Cancer is ruled by the Moon. This is a time to call for rain. It can also serve to bring back people who are missing, no matter how they are traveling.
The 2nd Decan of Cancer is ruled by Mars. In this decan, you can try to ward off snow or rain. It also helps you banish snakes and other wild animals, whether you are at sea or on land.
The 3rd Decan of Cancer is ruled by Jupiter. It appears to be best for helping seafaring travelers survive dangerous situations.
Leo (which is ruled by the Sun):
The 1st Decan of Leo is ruled by the Sun. It’s a good time to cast talismans to help you get in the good graces of a politician or another fairly powerful figure. It’s also effective for causing wild predators like bears to gather in the place of your choice (within reason).
The 2nd Decan of Leo is ruled by Jupiter, and it serves to ward off wild predators, which is particularly useful for protecting livestock, or domestic animals.
The 3rd Decan of Leo is ruled by Mars. This decan is used to bring wild predators to places populated by humans.
Virgo (which is Mercurial):
The 1st Decan of Virgo is ruled by Mercury, and you can use this decan to make talismans for assisting you in writing and business.
The 2nd Decan of Virgo is ruled by Saturn, and it’s useful if you’re trying to bring destruction to someone’s tools or writing utensils.
The 3rd Decan of Virgo is ruled by Venus. You can use this decan to make images which keep spouses on good terms with each other.
Libra (which is ruled by Venus):
The 1st Decan of Libra is ruled by Venus. You can use it to make talismans which can strengthen or weaken a woman’s love.
The 2nd Decan of Libra is ruled by Saturn, and can be used to weaken the love of people of any gender.
The 3rd Decan of Libra is ruled by Mercury. This one is useful for talismans which help fugitives return safely.
Scorpio (which is ruled by Mars):
The 1st Decan of Scorpio is ruled by Mars. It’s useful for attracting spiders, snakes, and other venomous creatures to the place of your choice.
The 2nd Decan of Scorpio is ruled by Jupiter, and is useful if you want to make a talisman to repel the aforementioned venomous creatures.
The 3rd Decan of Scorpio is ruled by the Moon. This decan is good for talismans reducing the severity of rainstorms, or redirecting them altogether. In general, this decan is useful for preventing water damage of all kinds.
Sagittarius (which is ruled by Jupiter):
The 1st Decan of Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, and here you can make talismans which assist love, friendship, and good will.
The 2nd Decan of Sagittarius is ruled by Mars. This is a good time to make talismans for causing health problems and illness in any person you choose.
The 3rd Decan of Sagittarius is ruled by the Sun, and talismans made in this decan can help you get into the good graces of bosses, and of people in positions of great power.
Capricorn (which is ruled by Saturn):
The 1st Decan of Capricorn is Saturn’s. Talismans from this decan can aid people who hunt for food, and can also help increase the yield and quality of milk from farm animals who lactate.
The 2nd Decan is ruled by Venus. This decan supports talismans which help goats yield more milk (which will be of great interest to one of our mods), and to aid the health and population of bees in the area of your choice. You can also use this decan to make talismans which draw birds to the place of your choice.
The 3rd Decan of Capricorn is ruled by Mercury. This decan is basically only useful for making talismans which intend to destroy the things which are aided by the first two decans of Capricorn. I really hope you don’t ever see fit to use this.
Aquarius (which is ruled by Saturn):
The 1st Decan of Aquarius is ruled by Saturn. It’s useful for creating talismans to aid friendship with elderly people regardless of whether they are powerful or in a lower social class. This is also a good time to make talismans which can help you find hidden treasures of any kind.
The 2nd Decan of Aquarius is ruled by Mercury. This decan is good for making talismans which help you make friends with young or youthful people.
The 3rd Decan of Aquarius is ruled by Venus. This decan is particularly useful if you want a talisman to help you make friends with women, or to gain the love of women.
Pisces (which is ruled by Jupiter):
The 1st Decan of Pisces is ruled by Jupiter. This decan is good for making talismans which aid one in fishing, and in safe seafaring.
The 2nd Decan of Pisces is ruled by the Moon. At this time you can make effective talismans for helping plants (especially plants which bear fruit). You can also make talismans to call the rain or cause fish to gather at the location of your choice (only in bodies of water, of course).
The 3rd Decan of Pisces is ruled by Mars. Talismans made at this time can be made for successful military ventures, as well as successful hunts.
It might also also important for you to learn the 7 groups of constituents of nature, each group consisting of 4 basic constituents. There are 28 such constituents of nature in all (according to this particular system of symbolism, of course). You can find information on these in almost any introductory volume on the occult, but in particular, I find Henry Cornelius Agrippa to be a good source for information of this kind. These 28 constituents correspond to the 28 Mansions of the Moon, and Pythagorean numerology also finds 28 to be a very important number, so it appears that this system has been thoroughly developed over a very long period of time, and you might benefit from doing some independent research on the numerological importance of the number 28 in various occult and philosophical traditions.
I will conclude this post here. I hope to further expand on this information and more of the necessary symbolism for astrological magic very soon. I hope this post has been helpful to you. Thank you very much for reading.
This is the fourth installment in my series on astrological magic. This post is meant to give you a basic understanding of the ascendant, as well as some amount of familiarity with the other houses. Keep in mind that no single post on this blog will give you a complete method for casting astrological magic. This is a series which provides several small pieces to the larger system of this art, and it’s probably a good idea to look over the series in its entirety before trying to do anything based on the methods I’m describing. Make sure to be safe, and please feel welcome to ask us if you have any questions.
In astrological magic, the ascendant is fundamental to the nature of your work. If your ascendant is not in the right sign for your work, this is probably one of the most irresponsible mistakes you could make. It is really important for you to choose an ascendant which is concordant with your intentions, and which is ruled by a planet which is favorable to your goals as well (especially since this planet is also considered the ruler of the entire chart). When you decide on an ascendant, this will determine where the other signs will be in the chart you calculate for your petition (you should probably use the whole sign system for your houses, in this context). This should give you a basic introduction to the concept of the ascendant as it applies to astrological magic.
Things you should consider when choosing an ascendant:
-Make sure the ascendant and midheaven are ruled by planets which are favorable to your petition. They should be free from the negative influence of Saturn and Mars.
-The ascendant can share a house with the planet ruling the house where the Moon sits, so long as the Moon is occidental (meaning it rises first, or appears to the west in the sky relative to the planet in question) to the ruler if the house where it sits.
-If Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, or Mars rule the ascendant, and are in one of the four angles (the 1st, 4th, 7th, or 10th House), and are otherwise favorable (the posts aboutthe planets can give you more information about this), this is a very good situation.
-If the ascendant is at a good aspect with Jupiter or Venus, or one of them is rising in the ascendant, this is an extremely good situation to get efficient and timely results.
-The ascendant should not be in the same house as the Moon unless your petition involves masters and servants, workers and employers, or similar concepts.
-Saturn and Mars should not rule the ascendant if they also rule the 2nd, 6th, 8th, or 12thHouse.
-The Part of Fortune and its ruler should not be cadent from the ascendant. Especially if they are at an unfavorable aspect with the ascendant or the Moon.
-If the ascendant’s ruler is in conjunction with the Part of Fortune’s ruler, this is a good time to work.
-The ascendant (as well as the Moon) should ideally be in a sign of direct ascension (the first six signs of the Zodiac are the signs of direct ascension).
-The properties of the ascendant and the 4th House of your chart will tell you how your work is predisposed.
Regarding the signs:
-In the daytime, the ascendant will be optimally effective if it is in Capricorn, Aquarius, or Pisces.
-At night, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini are the most effective ascendant signs.
-For a work to take effect quickly, affect people in positions of power, or set something in motion, the ascendant should be in a fire sign.
-If your petition is related to war or conflict, you should probably choose a sign ruled by Mars (Like Aries or Scorpio).
-Cardinal ascendants are good for helping you obtain things or overcome obstacles.
-Mutable ascendants are particularly useful for carrying out tasks like sorcery and miracle working, among numerous other mystical pursuits.
-Fixed ascendants are good for magical work which intends to endure over a long period of time.
I hope this post has given you an understanding of how to choose the right ascendant to work under when you are using astrological magic, as well as how it should be placed in relation to the rest of the chart. I also hope it gave you a very general idea of which houses are favorable and unfavorable, and how that relates to the ascendant. As always, thank you very much for reading.
This is the third installment in our series on astrological magic. This post will cover the three planets we haven’t dealt with yet. These are Fortunes (Jupiter and Venus) and Mercury. Remember, any single post in this series won’t be enough information for you to carry out a successful ritual. It’s probably a good idea to look over this entire series fairly thoroughly before you try and apply any of the methods I’m describing. Please be safe. If you have any questions, feel free to send us an ask.
The Fortunes are very important planets to understand in any astrological work, but especially in astrological magic. Jupiter is often called the Greater Fortune, while Venus is the Lesser Fortune. Jupiter’s purposes are usually related to money, material success, or people in positions of power, while Venus is more associated with love, friendship, and similarly intangible (yet still very desirable) things. The following information should help you decide if the Fortunes are in good positions to support your magical work.
Things to look for when deciding if the Fortunes are in good positions:
Regarding the houses and planets:
-It is usually a very good idea to have Jupiter or Venus ruling the ascendant house. Especially if the aforesaid ruler is in the ascendant house or another one of the angles.
-If Saturn or Mars rule the ascendant, it’s good to have Jupiter, Venus, or both rising or at a good aspect with the ascendant.
-If Jupiter or Venus are direct (as opposed to being stationary or in retrograde) and luminous (not moving toward the sun and losing light, similar to a waxing lunar phase), it greatly strengthens a work if either of the Fortunes is conjunct with the Moon, unless you’re trying to free captives or catch fugitives (this is discussed more in the post about the Moon).
-It’s good to have Jupiter or Venus in the 1st or 2nd Houses. If both houses contain a Fortune, this is ideal.
-It’s usually agreeable to have Jupiter or Venus applying to a good aspect with the Moon.
-If Jupiter or Venus is rising while the Moon is waxing, this should get you the fastest results.
For specific purposes:
-In any work concerning faithfulness, one of the Fortunes should be in the same house as the Part of the Petition (the Parts in general will be discussed in a later post). It’s even better to have Jupiter or Venus in the same house as the Part of Fortune. It’s also good to have the Part of Fortune’s ruling planet received by Jupiter or Venus.
-If you’re trying to appeal to people with great power, Jupiter should be received by the Moon.
-For miscellaneous purposes, Jupiter should be received by the planet which rules over the ascendant, or by the Moon. It is also agreeable if Jupiter is with the Part of Fortune, in the ascendant house, or with the Part of the Petition.
-In any work concerning high clergy, judges, or the generosity of wealthy or powerful people, you should let Jupiter be the planet which rules over the ascendant (and therefore, the planet which rules over the entire chart).
-In any work concerning women, joyful people, designers and decorators, visual artists, ornamentation, acting, or embroidery, you should choose a time when Venus rules over the ascendant (and therefore the whole chart).
-If the previous condition can’t be met, you can have one of the five lords of the Petition (the ruler of the sign, the ruler of its exaltation, the ruler of the Petition’s triplicity, the ruler of the Petition’s term, and the ruler of the face or decan the Petition is in).
-In any work concerning money, Jupiter should strengthen the Sun at a good aspect, with an otherwise favorable chart.
Mercury is a unique planet in any astrological context. It represents the swiftness of intelligence, communication, commerce, everyday thought processes, some properties of war, sciences, fear, hatred, injuries, and negotiations. In magic, it is normally used for work concerning the intellectual abilities, or safety and swiftness of travel. There does not appear to be a lot of information available about the ideal placement of Mercury, but if I find more information, I will certainly make another post to expand on this.
Things you should consider when placing Mercury:
-In any work dealing with numbers, writing, or study, Mercury should receive Mars.
-Mercury should be ruling the ascendant (and therefore the entire chart) in any work involving geometry, merchants, education, writing, or anything similar.
I hope this post has been useful and informative, and that it will be a good resource to help you to decide whether Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury are in favorable positions for you to work. All in all, the Fortunes and Mercury are probably the least difficult planets to deal with, so although you should take care to pick the best time you can, keep in mind that these are the planets which will almost never try to do you any harm, even if they might fail to help you if they’re unfavorably placed. Thank you for reading this. I hope you continue to find my posts useful and interesting.
This post will be the second installment in my series on astrological magic. The intent of this post is to provide a study on the planets Saturn and Mars, their uses and effects, and their ideal placement in the heavens. Remember, even if your magic draws primarily on Saturn or Mars’s influences, you probably won’t be successful if this post is all you use as a source of information. This is just one part of a series which gives you pieces of a fairly complex system. It would probably be a good idea to thoroughly read this entire series before you try to use any of the methods which are detailed here. As always, be safe. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask us.
Saturn is considered the most hostile planet in classical astrological magic. Sometimes it has been referred to as the Greater Infortune for that reason. Following that trend, Mars is called the Lesser Infortune. Most older sources seem to recommend avoiding their influences as much as possible, though they universally acknowledge that this can’t always be done. There also appear to be a few types of situation where they are of use, despite their generally unfavorable reputations. Below, I will detail specific considerations you should observe when deciding whether Saturn and Mars are in acceptable places for you to carry out a ritual.
Useful things to consider when dealing with Saturn and Mars:
Concerning houses and planets:
-You will not usually have good results when Saturn or Mars is in the same house as the Moon.
-You always want to avoid having Saturn or Mars at a square or opposition (especially if they are applying to it) with the Moon. A trine or sextile aspect is okay, but not always ideal (except in some specific cases which will be mentioned below).
-It’s ideal to avoid having Saturn or Mars in the same house or at a bad aspect with a planet which rules either of the houses where the Sun or Moon sit.
-Neither Saturn nor Mars should be in the same house as the ascendant or the midheaven, nor should they be at any aspect with either.
-Saturn or Mars can be used as the ruler of the ascendant (and therefore the ruler of the entire chart) sometimes, but you must make sure it is otherwise well-placed.
-You should absolutely never work with Saturn at an aspect to the waxing Moon. This is the worst possible condition for work.
-If Mars is at an aspect with the waxing Moon, this is also very bad. Try to avoid working in these conditions, too.
-If the ascendant and the house where the Moon sits are both ruled by Infortunes, this is not favorable.
-If Saturn is in the 1st House, in Capricorn, or Aquarius, it should not be applying to an aspect with the Moon.
-If Mars is in the 1st House, in Aries, or Scorpio, it should not be applying to aspect with the Moon.
-It’s usually considered ideal to have Saturn and Mars be cadent from the houses where they rule.
-Saturn and Mars should not be in the ascendant house, or any of the other angles. Especially avoid this if they rule over the 2nd, 6th, 8th, or 12thHouses.
-For work involving soldiers, fire, iron or metalwork, or people at arms, you should use a chart where Mars rules over the ascendant (and therefore the entire chart).
-For any work you do which concerns elderly people, or land workers (such as agricultural workers), Saturn should be the planet ruling over the ascendant (and therefore the entire chart).
-In situations where you intend to have your magical works help you collect debts or anything else which you are owed, you should have Saturn receive Mars.
-If you’re casting magic dealing with numbers, writing, or any kind of research and study, Mars should be received by Mercury.
-In magic regarding lawsuits, as I mentioned in my post about the Moon, Mars should be received by the Moon, and also at a favorable aspect with it.
-Mars is a good ruler for the ascendant if you are dealing with military forces, or war in any literal or figurative sense.
I hope this post has helped to familiarize you with the basic concept of judging the positions of Saturn and Mars. If you’re unclear about anything, or you have any questions at all, remember that you’re always welcome to ask us. As always, thank you for reading.
Sorry we don’t post more regularly, yet. These studies aren’t always quick to compile. Currently, I’m working on an exhaustive and organized study of astrological magic in extreme detail (perhaps I won’t publish all of it here, but I can’t publish any of it anywhere until it’s well-organized).
I’m also planning to post some other studies I’ve already done, after some compiling and organization has been done. I might also post some small and simple rituals I’ve experimented with successfully, which would probably fall under the umbrella of folk magic or chaos magic.
One of the other mods has told me she’d like to post some information about making talismans, after she does some experiments. Hopefully this will be a series, and if so, I’ll probably provide some information as well. We’ve been talking about this, and there are many different methods and approaches to talismanic magic, so the two of us should be able to provide a diversity of information.
It is with great difficulty that I make this post. I had intended to take a year’s sabbatical from posting here on Skeptical Occultist as the past year has been rather an imposing figure on my health and life. But the situation is such that I must clarify what has been happening in my absence.
In late 2020, having anticipated the events of Brexit making things complicated with my then recent retirement from London to a small village in Portugal, I placed a flurry of printing orders with my longstanding UK printer. The printer was unfortunately beset with staff issues related to the ongoing Covid plague but promised to get things printed and off before the end of the year.
The printings did get done, but the timing wasn’t good enough. Having departed the UK they got stuck in a purgatory of shipping created by the closing of borders to all ground shipments and thus were held too long to make it to Portugal before the deadline of Brexit.
At that point, sometime in early 2021, the shipments went missing. According to our shipper they were all in the hands of Portuguese customs, although for many months customs claimed they did not have them. After a Kafkaesque mountain of paperwork, confusing phone calls and emails, we were informed that customs did in fact have the boxes of books and were “processing” them. We were told we would receive letters stating the import taxes due and that with those letters we could claim our shipments.
Those letters never arrived. Months of arguing with customs officials began to affect my health, and while I won’t go into the details I have been considerably overwhelmed with the situation as it has unfolded this past year.
Finally I hired a Portuguese lawyer who, after making some inquires herself, declared that a lengthy legal battle would cost much more than the cost of reprinting the volumes. It seems that courts in Portugal take many years to deal with even simple legal matters.
I retired to Portugal out of a love for the landscape that had developed over my years of field research here. Knowing that my pension would not sustain me in London, my partner and I decided that a small Portuguese village we now call home would suit us well in our age. We do love it here, but the postal and customs systems of this country are a crime racket on par with the mob.
I am not in a place where I have the financial means to cover these losses and have been in a mental funk for months trying to find a way to sort out things as the letters from our readers continue to politely inquire what has happened. We owe a huge thanks and appreciation for the patience of our readers over this past year.
A friend who helps us in design and publishing has suggested that we try to crowd source the funding to get Alkahest Press back on track. They have set up a Go Fund Me page where those who have the means and wish to help us get through this difficult impasse can donate. We are extremely sorry for the delays and want nothing more than to know our volumes are in the hands of the readers who have ordered them.
If you are inclined to help please visit the fundraising page. Any amount of help is much appreciated by this grumpy old wizard.
A farmer’s tool taken from the shed, its stones laid some century before. “Thrice bind the windswept wheat, thrice the bitter crow’s tail, thrice bind a widow’s tears, sweet as the death rattle’s frail.”
That sprig of Lavender from the crossroads it bloomed, its delicate nature an alluring perfume. “Thrash the threshold dearly, with that single lavender sprig. Its beaten bow the better for it, as quick as a black widow’s sting.”
A pinch of moss from the Bishop’s grave, to summon his spirit to confess & betray. “Spread its smoke about the space with a burning black censor, the form it gives to spirits haste a grime and true dispenser.”
Hold the slate inscribed of graphite means, a board on which we excise that most devilish of fiends. “The sigil holds the vector true, a keyhole in its place. A way beyond the form it takes, your enemy’s disgrace.”
A boar’s bone scavenged from a well worn path, to contain the spirit fierce its laughter of woven wrath. “Thrice bind the wind’s cold tail, thrice the shadow’s keep, thrice bind the serpents whisper, as pure as silver weeps.”
The master’s key taken and forgotten long ago, stolen from his nightshirt pocket, hung beside the bedside bowl. “Pour wax through its hole on new moon nights to see the spectre that confounds you, a spirit of unearthly deed, that black dog how it hound’s you.”
This spell is one of many in my book Gramarye, available from Allahest Press. Http://alkahest.press/shop
While out for an evening walk tonight I came on to a fox, a common enough resident of the neighborhoods. Unlike the regularly jaunty foxes that one tends to see, a youthful creature full of playfulness, this one had a darker aspect. A kind of sickness that hung like a shadow over it. Not as simple as a true disease, more a hex upon its life that has become palpable.
The fox is curious thing here in England. It is resident to the streets as well as the woods, common as a rat in terms of visibility. Yet it is not a mystery to the English as it is to the Japanese and other cultures.
The Japanese “kitsune” or “fox spirit” is an ancient being that is both shape shifter and trickster. It fulfills the role of Fairy as a child stealer, doppelganger, and boggart curser. Each century it gains a new tail to show its age, with as many as nine tails being noted in the literature.
In the north the Scandinavians believed that the Aurora Borealis was the result of foxes. The Finnish word for the Aurora Borealis “revontulet” is associated with the arctic fox. According to a legend an arctic fox is running far in the north and touching the mountains with its fur, so that sparks fly off into the sky as the northern lights. In another story the fox throws the northern lights up into the sky by sweeping snow upwards with its tail.
In England the fox was seen in the Middle Ages as a messenger of the Devil. Often decried as a Witch’s Familiar there were occasional scourges of foxes as a result. Today it is at most quaint and the worst a pest.
But the fox is a spirit that inhabits this place whether the people pay attention to it or not. It runs through the shadows of the night, sleeping throughout the day like some Robin Goodfellow. Over hedgerow and down alleyway, gnawing the remains of a chicken and chips or chasing a rabbit through a roadside leeway.
It is at once invisible and constantly among us. It dwells in the spaces between, in the discarded remains of our lives, unseen but for the hapless night wanderer or the morning milkman.
Whatever ghosts haunted my dark fox are the reflections of his urban lifestyle. Too easy a life of scrounging and little hunting. Not enough open fields and moonlit chases.
Their silent footsteps cross the morning darkness unnoticed. A familiar to those of us who keep the owl’s hours.
What has come to my mind recently is the nature of our historic understanding of witchcraft/cunning craft/etc as practiced in Europe over the course of the past 200 or so years. We base much of our knowledge, and further more most of the pages of the known literature, on the testimonies of parish priests, inquisitors and confessions often made under duress and torture. This body of knowledge has become, for the worse of history, the basis in which contemporary craft practice has been rooted. It is a framework of Christianity, a universe predicated on a savior, and a god who forbids such acts in law. An Abrahamic cult brought to the British Isles by the Roman in the 6th century. A patriarchy of knowledge control and subjugation.
Yet there exists, starting in the early 17th century, a profound body of knowledge that is not derived from tortures or confessions but on stories and knowledge freely given amongst locals in villages and towns. It is the body of what we now call ethnographic study, but is most commonly known as folklore. Starting in 1878 The Folk Lore Society in London began publishing a series of ethnographic studies, both in magazine and book format. But such folkloric study goes back several centuries before to men from the Brothers Grimm, Thomas Crofton Croker, Dalyell, Henderson, Kirk, Lady Wilde, and many others over a span of 300+ years. People who went into the pubs and gardens and talked to the real people of these places. Who listened and wrote down the stories of warding off beings and banishing dead souls. The instructions for curing illness and the nature of laying on hands and second sight.
This body of knowledge is a directly transmitted oral testimony, storytelling and folk beliefs handed down within families and gathered together by the folklorists and antiquarians from across regions of the British Isles and Europe. There are hundreds of books of these beliefs, many with detailed descriptions of spells to attack, to ward off spirits, to bind and banish and drive forth. Often listing exact components of charms and dances. Studies on the nature of folk magic in Scottish highlands, on horse magic in East Anglia, of the witch bottles and warding wands of Wales, and endless stream of valid information on the flowing tradition of folk magic as a living practice in the UK over the past half of a millennia. As well as documenting the exact pronunciation of regional words, curses, and spirits terminology, often with a glossary!
And yet this body of knowledge is almost completely overlooked in the contemporary literature on witchcraft practice. Which instead relies on the testament of Church torturers as to what was said, on the scant testimonies of victims of a system of abjuration pointed against herbal healers and common folk practitioners, more often than not elderly widows whose properties could be confiscated by the Church warden.
Its time for a rethink of our understanding of the nature of folk magic. How it is the very essence of true witch practice and is at its heart older and truer a practice that those tainted by the narrative of the Church over the past thousand years of attempted suppression. We must dig into this lost literature, much of which is available online for free as pdfs hidden on archive.org and in google books.
[I intend to post a list in the near future compiling links to some of the better documents of contemporary folk practice, particularly that from the UK.]
I have been increasingly considering the nature of pacts, that is, those agreements we make with the spirits with whom we traffic. Pacts are, on the face of it, a natural arrangement of dealing with any sort of being (material or immaterial) with whom no preexisting trust has developed. A contract that stipulates the services required and those that will in turn be rendered as payment.
Recently I have done a bit of work in the striking of a bargain and have found myself in a precarious position, one in which my dealings with regular humanity have chaffed against the more important, and considerably private, parts of my life. The terms of the pact having been well laid out there is little recourse I have been afforded by my own undertaking. The path ahead, though uncertain, is still well laid out before me.
Given the nature of our dealings with spirits, we must consider the way in which a pact is to be reinforced. The power of the spirit as a threat is ultimately the damocles sword that drives the need to fulfill our end of the bargain. Yet what recourse does the magician have in dealings with wayward spirits to whom no appeal or previous threat have been successful?
This depends in the main on the nature of the spirit itself. If it is of a goetic character, finding itself listed among the tables of the grimoires, it will likely have rulers to whom it answers, or kings to which you can apply to straighten out the wayward demon. An hierarchy is good to have, one to which you can appeal in particular.
If, on the other hand, the spirit is of the land, called sidhe or fae, mouros and many other names, the path of control is likely outlined in the historic character of the being. Folklore leads a path toward the dealings of each landscape spirit, the necessary tools and offerings that can implore a spirit to stick to its end of the deal found in the likely sources (such as Dalyell,Crofton Croker,Briggs, et al).
When the spirit is that of the ancestors, a horse rider, lwa, spectre, barrow wight or other deceased persons to whom the magician calls on for aide, the ability to have them keep their word is in the main the domain of one’s own trustworthiness. If the magician is honest, and sticks to their end of the deal, there is little chance of an ancestor spirit not doing as agreed. Failure of the spirt is invariably a failure of the conjuror in heart or intent.
The agreement itself, the pact, is more often than not actually written down on a virgin piece of paper. Though it can be simply an oral agreement I find those are about as solid in the spirit world as they are in the judiciary of mankind, i.e. not at all. In my opinion the best pact is one written and signed by all concerned parties, bound in sigil and seal and hermetically sealed into some container. Jars, boxes, bells, skulls, bones, gourds, all have been brought to this purpose the world over.
In the written pact one should be sure to include all of the demands of both sides, much in the way one would write a mundane contract. But like a music contract beware that the terms themselves limit the range or scope of the true intention of the magician. The pact should be simple and concise, the more words it contains the more likelihood of mistaken intention.
As in the regular world you would not sign a contract with a person you had just met. Take your time in developing a relationship with those spirits with whom a pact may eventually lead. Get to know them, their desires and whims, their moods and powers, before you come to any arrangement with them. A spirit is of a necessarily transient and shifting nature. What you bind is often not exactly what you wished to conjure.
There are those beings who linger on the edge of the Veil, waiting for you to poke a hole in its gossamer membrane, that they may slip into materialization on the back of your work. They will claim an identity, conforming to your desires in appearance and character. Seeming to perform the tasks you wish all while undermining your goals. Learn to know with whom you traffic, to recognize their true voice as you would an old friend. Be sure to cleanse one’s space of undesirable elements before and after any work is done. Always assign a license to depart.
Remember that a pact is binding in two directions. The spirit is bound to you, as you are to it. It helps if your goals and theirs are aligned, though it isn’t always necessary. Working with a spirit to ends other than its desires is a dangerous practice that can lead to madness and death. Remember to look both ways before you cross the threshold of the crossroads.
We tend to think of water spirits as existing in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Yet water itself exists within the earth throughout the globe. The “water table” under the land may be very deep, but it is there from tundra to rainforest under every bit of walkable landscape
As I sit on the mountain side listening to the crickets of the night air I think about the deep wells that surround this isolated cabin. The various springs and water mines that dot the mountainside portals to that underworld of the land’s water. Pockets of aqua that bring life to the land and its inhabitants and often represent gateways into the otherworld of folk belief.
Each of these water spaces traditionally contains a spirit, often one with a history of local social interaction. The spirits of the wells of England are long thought to possess healing powers that were often later appropriated by the Christian church. Pagan sites converted to shrines of the Virgin Mary and her various saintly retinue.
This phenomena of folk belief in a water spirit that exists within the boundaries of a source of water is a practically global concept, common throughout world cultures. Yet in Portugal, like in Britain, they have come to have a long evolved set of ideas associated with them.
The moura of Portugal are often thought of as the Portuguese equivalent of fairies of the British Isles, yet they have come through a historic past that has shaped them in ways unimaginable to the average celt. Legends of Moorish magic from the time of the Iberian Caliphates ingrained in centuries long folk magic practice, romantic notions of hidden treasures tracing their roots to that people driven so long ago from these lands by Christian Crusaders. Distilled into a corpus of Cyprian related magics seeking to reveal that which is said to have been hidden by Arabic magic.
Bubbling under the surface of this landscape is an ocean, even here in the high mountains of the Açor, where the namesake açor goshawk cries above me as I write. It flows from springs to form streams and creeks that merge downland into rivers, ultimately flowing toward the Atlantic.
While these aquatic protrusions into the land, river and well alike, are often believed to be the home of some spirit or another, the water inside the land stretches in all directions unseen and underfoot. THe well and the river are merely the gateways to that realm of water hidden by the landscape itself.
My investigations into the apotropaic markings on agricultural buildings has led to a number of interesting documents of markings on or near springs and water mines. These marks, scratched into the soft schist stones, resemble in some forms those markings found near agricultural buildings that housed goats and other livestock. Yet more prominent near water sources are circular patterns, not always closed or complete, that repeat.
Found deep inside the watermines these markings have led me to more exploration of their cause, though local inquiry turns up a blank among the people of these hills. None of my mostly reliable sources have been able to find even a whisper of a memory of what or why these markings came to be in the watermines. Contrary to those on buildings, who seem to have as many opinions about there purpose as there are locals to ask about them.
Yet as an occultist it is well apparent that these markings are set out in accordance with some spirit related activity, their occurrence being parallel to a field of sensitivity around certain locales. So far none of the markings I have found have had words or recognizable letters, mostly patterns. Though further investigations are afoot and I hope will yield higher resolution data.
The concept of giving something to invisible powers in order to curry favour, or placate them, is as old as mankind. When we look at the archeological evidence this practice is found in the earliest record of man’s beliefs. In temple and cave we find burnt and charred remains, idols and other objects and substances meant to be given as currency to those beings with which shaman, priest, and witch all traffic.
Sacrifice, that is, the taking of a life, has long been considered the pinnacle of spirit offerings. Blood spilt and breath taken, the life of a being is the most precious gift one could give from time immemorial.
More commonly it was not a sacrifice but a simple offering that was the bargain between people and spirits. Those bits that were deemed sufficient to please, to coax and to favour the beings whose aide and instruction one desired. The items were often personal, something that had acquired significant sentimental value or that was inherently rare for the time and place it was being given.
When we look at the folk practices of northern Europe, particularly in Scotland and Ireland, we see that common people regularly made offerings to appease the localized version of earth spirits (fae, fairies, sidhe, hillfolk, goblins, gnomes, etc). A saucer of milk, a plate of cakes, a bowl of cream could all curry favour with one’s local sprite. Even wine and mead were given on specific occasions. These offerings may seem trivial in an age of supermarkets and global produce but in an era of self sustenance farming even a saucer of milk was a considerable offering.
The witch, being that pinnacle of human superstitious practice, trafficked with such entities more so than the common person. Thus these exchanges developed and refined the practice of making offerings into an art. While the practitioner may have left regular offerings of milk and cream, much as their neighbor did, they would more intimately have dealt directly with these beings. Having given other more elaborate offerings in exchange for particular deeds and information.
Such passive offerings, preemptively enticing the spirit to favour, give way to active considerations and even requests from the spirit. A lock of one’s hair, the bones of some animal, the burning of particular herbs. At the edge of work in the shadows one may encounter beings who request even blood sacrifice for their services. Such work is not undertaken without due consideration even for the most experienced of practitioners. In general those spirits whom require the taking of life are not to be trafficked with lightly.
Yet it is much more common that one would make a binding agreement with a spirit through the giving of a gift. A simple and practical exchange that results in the barter for services. In Caribbean conjure work cigars and exceptional liquors are the preferred currency, in the Highlands of Scotland a brass button, lock of hair, or coloured thread is more likely to achieve practical results.
In the modern world we tend to forget that the spirits with whom we traffic are as old as the hills and forest in which they manifest. They have seen countless men and women come and go like fireflies on a summer night. Our lives are but a brief burning of a candle to them, our decades and centuries like hours and days, much in the way trees experience time, or mountains.
While approaching the building of a relationship with a spirit one should be sure to make offerings of those things thought precious in an earlier age. A saucer of milk, a silver spoon, an old brass button. These things were once the most precious gifts a spirit could be offered, and the old ones remember them well. A spirit who has seen men come and go for millennia remembers the taste of fresh milk and churned butter, may delight in the shimmer of a brass button or a particular stone, find comfort in coloured cloth, silk ribbons or hand spun thread.
We must learn in our dealings with earth spirits of all kinds that barter is a principal that is beyond human culture. The giving of gifts is an inherent part of living, practiced in one form or another by birds, reptiles, mammals, and fish alike. From mating rituals to the cessation of a conflict, countless forms of life barter. No less these entities whose world rubs against our own, whose manifestation lingers at the boundaries of what we call real.
The practitioner should remember that much like how your grandmother still likes “old fashioned” things, that may be long out of date, the spirits, be they sidhe, fae, wight, lwa, or boggart, often long for offerings we no longer consider rare, for gifts we overlook in our fast paced world of amazon deliveries. Make an offering with consideration, in keeping with the stature and age of the being with whom you are dealing. Learn to give them those things which they desire, those objects that fulfill the promise of the ancient pact. If not you may wake to find your milk spoiled and your windows cracked!
We are too sheltered from death, too pampered in our absolute obliviousness to the reality of death. To the putrid smell of vacant flesh, the buzzing of flies around the orifices of empty bodies, the sweet hot smell of a rotting eye on a summer day.
In our modern world we have cloistered death away. The service industries have bloomed in sweeping all remnants of our death from view. Clean white suits and black boxes all wrapped up nicely. Just as we have with our meat.
The way in which the modern person sees meat is as a pink slab under a shrink-wrap plastic. A smooth morsel of flesh with a total negation of its origin. Much like the industry of mortality that blooms in the wake of man’s denial of the reality of death, the agriculture industry has removed all trace of the horrible deed that once was done at the hand of our mothers and fathers.
We need to return to this pallor of death on our door. We need to know that death is there, invisible, behind every moment of our lives. We need to have the bodies of our families in our homes when they die, so that children may see them. We need to slaughter our own meat, to understand the pain and sacrifice that eating meat entails. Most of all we need to smell death, to know it in our nostrils so that when it comes we have forewarning. Then we will know death by the stench that precedes it.
We tend to think of water spirits as existing in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Yet water itself exists within the earth throughout the globe. The “water table” under the land may be very deep, but it is there from tundra to rainforest under every bit of walkable landscape
As I sit on the mountain side listening to the crickets of the night air I think about the deep wells that surround this isolated cabin. The various springs and water mines that dot the mountainside portals to that underworld of the land’s water. Pockets of aqua that bring life to the land and its inhabitants and often represent gateways into the otherworld of folk belief.
Each of these water spaces traditionally contains a spirit, often one with a history of local social interaction. The spirits of the wells of England are long thought to possess healing powers that were often later appropriated by the Christian church. Pagan sites converted to shrines of the Virgin Mary and her various saintly retinue.
This phenomena of folk belief in a water spirit that exists within the boundaries of a source of water is a practically global concept, common throughout world cultures. Yet in Portugal, like in Britain, they have come to have a long evolved set of ideas associated with them.
The moura of Portugal are often thought of as the Portuguese equivalent of fairies of the British Isles, yet they have come through a historic past that has shaped them in ways unimaginable to the average celt. Legends of Moorish magic from the time of the Iberian Caliphates ingrained in centuries long folk magic practice, romantic notions of hidden treasures tracing their roots to that people driven so long ago from these lands by Christian Crusaders. Distilled into a corpus of Cyprian related magics seeking to reveal that which is said to have been hidden by Arabic magic.
Bubbling under the surface of this landscape is an ocean, even here in the high mountains of the Açor, where the namesake açor goshawk cries above me as I write. It flows from springs to form streams and creeks that merge downland into rivers, ultimately flowing toward the Atlantic.
While these aquatic protrusions into the land, river and well alike, are often believed to be the home of some spirit or another, the water inside the land stretches in all directions unseen and underfoot. THe well and the river are merely the gateways to that realm of water hidden by the landscape itself.
My investigations into the apotropaic markings on agricultural buildings has led to a number of interesting documents of markings on or near springs and water mines. These marks, scratched into the soft schist stones, resemble in some forms those markings found near agricultural buildings that housed goats and other livestock. Yet more prominent near water sources are circular patterns, not always closed or complete, that repeat.
Found deep inside the watermines these markings have led me to more exploration of their cause, though local inquiry turns up a blank among the people of these hills. None of my mostly reliable sources have been able to find even a whisper of a memory of what or why these markings came to be in the watermines. Contrary to those on buildings, who seem to have as many opinions about there purpose as there are locals to ask about them.
Yet as an occultist it is well apparent that these markings are set out in accordance with some spirit related activity, their occurrence being parallel to a field of sensitivity around certain locales. So far none of the markings I have found have had words or recognizable letters, mostly patterns. Though further investigations are afoot and I hope will yield higher resolution data.
