The Power of Asteria: Applied Astrology for Magic is a much-needed book for practical magicians. I am cheating with this review as I helped edit the book, but my reason for doing so is that this book is important. While astrology and magic went together for centuries, modern magic’s relationship with astrology has been problematic and poorly defined. A magician who is lucky to have a teacher or training might be told that they must work on a waning moon for banishing, or a waxing for something they might want to gain something. If they are very lucky they might be told to do a ritual during one of the planetary days or hours. However, the actual astrological information has been
Storm Constantine is dead
Storm Constantine a sci-fi writer who was a huge influence on my writing has died, she was 64. Her death is a shock to me as I had no idea she was sick and spoke to her on Facebook a few weeks ago about my book Helios Unbound which she edited and published through her own company, Immanion Press. Constantine was a huge influence on her fans particularly for her Wraeththu series and there has been an outpouring of grief from them, but while I did read her stuff, that was not Storm’s influence over me. I met Storm while trying to find a home for my book Gathering the Magic which was not getting any interest from the main publishers. It was
Acquisitio — the laws of Acquisition
Acquisitio is generally a good geomantic figure to get, unless you want to get rid of something from your life. Elemental structure: Fire is Declining; Air is awakening; Water is Declining; Earth is Awakening Astrological Jupiter in Aries Good and Bad: Good for medicine, beginning a journey, purchasing livestock, creating discord and imprisonment. Not suitable for marriage, partnerships, or the foundation of a meaningful friendship or alliance as one individual usually tries to overpower the other. It can be good though if someone is trying to obtain a relationship It was good for Curses, black magic, crimes of violence, overcoming depression or a lack of motivation, finishing projects, protection from abuse and during travel. He can break up couples and set friends and
Asking the right question
Over recent months I have been doing a lot of oracle work using geomancy, and one of the central problems has been asking the right question. Most of what I am saying will apply to geomancy, but it does apply to divination by Tarot and other methods. Before going to war with the Persians, Croesus turned to the Delphic oracle and asked if he should attack the Persians. The oracles answered that if Croesus attacked the Persians, he would destroy a great empire (ἢν στρατεύηται ἐπὶ Πέρσας, μεγάλην ἀρχὴν μιν καταλύσειν). He attacked and lost his great empire. While seen as a cautionary tale about trusting oracles, Croesus made two mistakes he asked the wrong question and asked in such a
Path of the magician
Here is part one of a voice interview with me
Geomancy Nodes – much depends on the question
One of the things I have been puzzling over his been the use of the Moon’s Nodes in Geomancy. In modern Geomancy Cauda Draconis is seen as being an ending while Caput Draconis is seen as a beginning. Cauda is always seen as bad, while Caput is always positive. In Ancient Astrology, which was the main influence on the Arabic developers of Geomancy, Cauda was seen more as a decrease while Caput was an increase. The nodes were said to either decrease or increase the power of any planets (or houses they sat in). Many geomancers will claim that increase and decrease are expressed by Admissio and Aquistio but when we look at the original Arabic meanings of these Geomantic symbols (catch
Rubeus as libido – What do you desire?
Rubeus is the devil of traditional Geomancy, but that might be due to ancient fear of sexuality and what we now call the libido. Elemental structure: Air new/awakening fire, water and earth elements full/waning Element: Air Mobile and Exiting Judge: biased/impossible Day or Night: Night Mansions of the Moon When a symbol covers more than one mansion it potentially covers all of them and the goal is to see them as a synthesis. The symbol might potentially bring them out. However, if (as in the case of Rubeus) there is some contradiction it means that the power can be both good or bad depending on the circumstances. Rubeus covers three mansions of the moon 6 Athaya 7 Aldirah 8 Annathra 6th Mansion is form, wisdom, attraction, friendship, and love.
Robert Fludd: How Geomancy works
Robert Fludd was an important 16th Century Rosicrucian and magician. This article shows his theory of geomancy divination which was based on a neo-platonic idea of Plato’s Chariot, which I mentioned in my book Helios Unbound. Robert Fludd considered divination was communication between part of a human soul which was responsible for conscious thought and its unconscious High Genius. The language of this communication was imagination – the chariot drawn by the senses. Generally, the Intellect or the imagination does not know what the Higher Self wants (although it could guess), if the Intellect does make contact, it may find out the divine truths which not only apply to it but also to others. In divination, and Fludd mostly focused on
The meaning of Populus – community
Populus – community Elemental structure: Full power elements waning Element: Water Stable: Entering and Exiting Judge: Impartial Day or Night: Day Mansions of the Moon When a symbol covers more than one mansion it potentially covers all of them and the goal is to see them as a synthesis. The symbol might potentially bring them out. However, if (as in the case of Populus) there is some contradiction it means that the power can be both good or bad depending on the circumstances. Populus covers three mansions of the moon -- 22 Caadaldeba; 23 Caadebolach; 24 Caadacohot. 22nd Mansion is a Mansion of speed, escape, and personal power. It sometimes means that we will soon receive a message or the answer to our queries. It signifies the end of
Freeing Carcer
Poor Carcer has a bad press among geomancers due to its association with “prisons” and constriction. The older books are no better because they associate carcer with Saturn (which was often an astrological malefic). But actually, like many of the negative associations we get from traditional astrology (and geomancy) these are simplistic and might blind us to the true meanings. While the meaning of the Latin carcer does mean “prison” it is a later meaning. Romans did not have prisons to them the word meant the starting barriers at racecourse, traps and sometimes a beginning. If you see the cages at the start of a modern horse race, you get the idea. They were something which temporarily held the horse with