Lunar Mansion Report, March 3rd, 2025 to March 9th, 2025

    This is an entry in a continuing series of posts looking at the Moon's position and condition in the week ahead with an eye to the Mansions of the Moon. This is an exercise to help track the speed of the Moon, organize my thoughts on the Mansions, and think about the practical applications. 

All times are for me locally, United States Pacific Time. I will be making note of the Moon's phase, speed, and Mansion position in my assessment. Currently, I'm not considering aspects with other planets.

Lunar Mansion Report, March 3rd, 2025 to March 9th, 2025.

Monday, March 3rd, 2025. When Monday begins at midnight on March 3rd the Moon is in Azoraye, the Many Little Ones, a very beneficial Mansion. Then, at 4:41PM the Moon moves into Aldebaran, the Bull's Eye and finishes March 3rd in that Mansion. The phase is Waxing Crescent, which is good for works of beginning and establishment. 

The Moon will spend 21 hours and 6 minutes in Azoraye and the 21 hours and 21 minutes in Aldebaran. This is a fast period for the Moon but she is slowing down. A fast Moon may make magical works happen quickly but may also make those effects dissipate quickly. 

The beneficial powers of Azoraye are for the safety of those who travel by sea, the beneficial use of chemistry and fire, for hunting, for promoting friendship and love between spouses, good luck (Gayat al Hakim), for the love of man and woman (Ibn Hatim), the acquisition of all good things (Latin Picatrix), happy fortune, attract well being, contain negative forces, protection in dangerous environments, and for potent love spells (Celestial Magic), making talismans suitable for women, and making curative medicines (Shams al Marif).   

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Azoraye is a seated woman with her right hand above her head. Given the overwhelming positivity associated with this Mansion this is most likely a gesture of blessing. The traditional indicator stars for this Mansion are the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters, a grouping of stars with a long and legendary past. The Pleiades are one of the 15 Behenian stars whose powers include, according to Agrippa, "brings an increase to light of the eyes, collects daemons, promotes winds, and reveals secrets and hidden things." And the image is "a virgin girl or the figure of a torch".

The beneficial powers of Aldebaran are to kill and bind reptiles and venomous animals (Latin Picatrix), to make infatuated one who you wish (Ibn Hatim), attract honor and riches, promote irresistible endurance (Celestial Magic). 

The image of Aldebaran in the Latin Picatrix is a knight on horseback holding a viper in his hand. This image is very similar to more than a few poetic spirits from the Lemegeton. In its beneficial face I look more to the approximate Nakshatra, Rohini, the Red Goddess, who has connotations of love, beauty, luxury, romance, and sensual eroticism. 

From 4:41PM until the end of March 3rd at midnight, the Moon is in Aldebaran.

Tuesday, March 4th, 2025. March 4th begins with the Moon in Aldebaran, the Bull's Eye. She will transit through Aldebaran until 2:02PM and then make ingress into Almices, the Bright One. The phase continues to be Waxing Crescent and supports work of beginning and establishment.

The Moon will travel through Aldebaran from 4:41PM on March 3rd until 2:02PM on March 4th. That is a period of 21 hours and 21 minutes, which is fast. The Moon will be in Almices from 2:02PM on March 4th until 11:46AM on March 5th, 21 hours and 44 minutes. Since this is 23 minutes longer than Aldebaran the Moon is slowing down. A fast Moon may make magical works take effect quickly but also may help them to dissipate quickly. 

The beneficial powers of Almices are for the welfare of children, for advancing education, for the safety of travelers, for the safe structure of buildings, promoting the reconciliation between spouses (Gayat al Hakim), your desires will be satisfied by kings and nobles (Ibn Hatim), for youths to learn arts, salvation of travelers, for sailors to travel safely, improve buildings, for favor between husband and wife, to receive good from kings and officials, to see things in sleep (Latin Picatrix), potent for lamp oracles and divinations, aids all memory, mental powers, and intellectual endeavors, protection from harm, and social success and favor (Celestial Magic).

The image in the Latin Picatrix for this Mansion is a disembodied head. I take this to be the head of the hunter Orion, whose constellation is nearby. Orion's name means the "dweller on the mountain" and he was a skilled hunter. The king Oenopion promised Orion that if he could rid the island of dangerous beasts that plagued it, he would promise his daughter to Orion. Orion rid the island of the beasts but when the time came for the marriage, the king refused. In a drunken rage Orion raped the princess. King Oenopion had Orion's eyes put out and dumped him on the seashore. An oracle declared that if Orion traveled to the east to the edge of the furthest ocean and turned his eye sockets to the sun when it first rose from the sea, his sight would be restored. Orion did this and when the sun rose, Eos, Goddess of the dawn, saw him, fell in love with him and restored his sight. Thus Almices has connotations of redemption and spiritual sight. 

From 2:02PM until midnight on March 4th the Moon remains in Almices

Wednesday March 5th, 2025. The Moon is in Almices, the Bright One, when March 5th begins. She continues in Almices until 11:46AM and then will step into Alhana, the Mark. The phase is Waxing Crescent and March 5th is the last full day of that phase. The Waxing Crescent phase strengthens works of establishment, renewal, and beginnings.

The Moon will spend 22 hours and 7 minutes in Alhana. This is 23 minutes longer than the previous Mansion and so she is slowing down, but it is still shorter than 23 hours and 35 minutes and so the Moon is in a fast period. A fast Moon tends to speed up the manifestation of magical effects as well as the duration of those effects. 

 The beneficial powers of Alhana are promoting the welfare of partners, improving the conditions for hunting (Gayat al Hakim), for love, for medical treatment (Ibn Htim), cause friendship between two people, improve hunting in the country, to put love between two people (Latin Picatrix), break resistance (Celestial Magic), and for gathering with those far away and separated (Shams al Marif).

The image for this Mansion in the Latin Picatrix is a white man embracing a white woman. The title The Mark refers to a mark signifying ownership, like a brand on livestock. This is a Mansion of declaring commitments. Another symbol for it might be a wedding ring. The white man and the white woman are twin halves of a whole and Alhana weds them together. 

From 11:46AM until the end of the day the Moon remains in Alhana.

Thursday, March 6th, 2025. The Moon is transiting across Alhana at the start of March 6th but will move to the next Mansion, Aldira, The Forearm, at 9:53AM. Shortly before that, at 8:31AM, the Moon makes a square aspect with the Sun and the phase becomes Waxing Gibbous. The Waxing Gibbous phase is best for works of ripening, fulfillment, and strengthening. 

The Moon travels through Aldira from 9:53AM on March 6th until 8:28AM on March 7th. This is a period of 22 hours and 35 minutes, 26 minutes longer than the previous Mansion. Thus she is fast and decelerating. A fast Moon can push works to take effect quickly but may also help them to pass quickly. 

The beneficial powers of Aldira are blessing trade and crops, safety of voyagers, reconciliation between partners and friends, preventing flies from entering a place of trade where they may spoil the product, the fulfillment of a wish by a ruler or dignitary (Gayat al Hakim), entering in the presence of the sultan, for binding spirits (Ibn Hatim), increase merchandise and profit, to travel safely, increase crops, to sail beneficially on the water, cause friendship, cause lords to be benevolent, for the acquisition of all good things (Latin Picatrix), for devotion and seeking truth, and spiritual cures (Shams al Marif). 

The image for this Mansion is a man raising his arms as if supplicating to heaven. The traditional indicator stars for this Mansion are Castor and Pollox, the twins from Greek myth. These stars have been equated with twins for a long, long time. One was a celestial twin the other was an underworld twin. The man with his hands raised is one twin calling to the other in the other world. This is a Mansion suited to creating spiritual alliances.  

The Moon finishes March 6th in Aldira. 

Friday, March 7th, 2025. From midnight on March 7th until 8:28AM that morning, the Moon is is Aldira, the Forearm. After that, she moves into Annathra, The Gap. The phase is Waxing Gibbous which is best for works of strengthening, ripening, and fulfillment. 

The Moon will be in Annathra from 8:28AM on March 7th until 7:30AM on March 8th. This is 22 hours and 58 minutes long which is 23 minutes longer than the previous Mansion. The Moon is moving fast but slowing down. A fast Moon can hasten magical effects but may also may hasten their end. 

The beneficial powers of Annathra are reconciling love and friendship to an estranged couple, the welfare of a traveler, repel mice and bedbugs (Gayat al Hakim), to excel in battles (Ibn Hatim), and for gaining victory (Latin Picatrix). 

The image for Annathra in the Latin Picatrix is an eagle with a man's face. The eagle is a frequent military image signifying fierceness, speed, and power. Annathra’s title, The Gap, was imagined to be the gap between the lion constellation’s jaws, or maybe under his chin. The essence of Annathra’s power to grant victory in battle is in being able to escape danger.

The Moon is in Annathra from 8:28AM until the day ends at midnight. 

Saturday, March 8th, 2025. The Moon spends the wee hours of March 8th in Annathra, the Gap, and then, at 7:30AM moves into Atarfa, the Glance of the Lion. The phase is Waxing Gibbous. The Waxing Gibbous phase favors works of fulfillment, strengthening, and ripening. 

 The Moon will spend 23 hours and 30 minutes in Atarfa, from 7:30AM on March 8th until 7:00AM on March 9th. This is nearly the average speed for the Moon to cross a Mansion, albeit slightly on the fast side. This is also 32 minutes longer than the last Mansion and so she is fast and slowing down. A fast Moon may help works to happen quickly but may also help to extinguish those effects quickly.  

The beneficial powers of Atarfa include removing diseases of the eyes (Ibn Hatim), help defend a man from being attacked (Latin Picatrix), protection against curses and slander (Celestial Magic).

The image in the Latin Picatrix for this Mansion is a eunuch covering his eyes with his hands. In multiple sources this Mansion has rather negative connotations so the list of beneficial powers is light. 

The Moon finishes March 8th in Atarfa.

Sunday March 9th, 2025. The first seven hours of March 9th see the Moon in Atarfa, The Glare of the Lion. After 7:00AM she makes ingress into Algebha, the Brow of the Lion. The phase is Waxing Gibbous and thus works of ripening, fulfillment, and strengthening.

The Moon spends exactly 24 hours in Algebha, from 7:00AM on March 9th to 7:00AM on March 10th. This is the beginning of a slow period for the Moon. Additionally, this is 30 minutes longer than the previous Mansion so she is continuing to slow down. A slow Moon may delay the effects of magical works but may also make them more enduring. 

The beneficial powers of Algebha are reconciling differences between spouses, strengthening the structure of a building, bringing partners together for their mutual benefit (Gayat al Hakim), curing diseases, to see wonders (Ibn Hatim), for love between husband and wife, the strengthening and completion of buildings, for the love of allies and fore their mutual help, cure infirmities, ease childbirth (Latin Picatrix), attract optimism and benevolence, and it is efficacious for all love magic (Celestial Magic). 

The image in the Latin Picatrix for this Mansion is a lion's head. The Mansion embodies the symbolic qualities of a lion; strength, power, and nobility. The traditional indicator star for this Mansion is Regulus, Cor Leonis, the Heart of the Lion, also called the King Star. Regulus is one of the 15 Behenian Stars. Agrippa writes, "Under Cor Leonis they made an image of a lion, cat, or the figure of a respected man sitting in a chair: these make a man temperate, keep anger away, and give grace."

The Moon transits across Algebha from 7:00AM until March 9th ends at midnight.