Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Lunar Mansion Report, December 30, 2024 to January 5, 2025

 Join me in an experiment, dear readers, in which I break the ice on an idea I’ve had for a while and try to organize my thoughts on the Mansions of the Moon by producing a report of the flavor of each Mansion as the Moon transits across them. All times will be given for my locale, the west coast of the United States. Aspects with planets other than the Sun are not considered for the purposes of this experiment. Feedback and criticisms gladly accepted. I may get some of this wrong and we'll see how long I can keep it up. 

Let's talk about the Moon.

Lunar Mansion Report for Monday, December 30th, 2024 to Sunday January 5th, 2025. 


 Monday, December 30th, 2024, sees the Moon in the 22nd Mansion, Sadahaca, The Lucky Star of the Slaughterers, which it entered the day before at 8:37PM. The New Moon will occur while the Moon is in this Mansion with the cazimi aspect happening at 2:27pm on December 30th.  Outside of this brief period the Moon will be combust for almost the entire time she is in Sadahaca.  

The Moon will be in this Mansion for a period of 23 hours and 29 minutes. This is 37 minutes less than the Moon's time in the previous Mansion which means it is accelerating. This suggests that talismans made during the Moon's transit across this Mansion will have results that come quickly but will dissipate quickly. 

Because of the combust condition of the Moon, this day will be best for harnessing the wrathful qualities of the Mansion. These include separating a wazir from his lord (Ibn Hatim), for a woman to be raped and discord between partners (Gayat al Hakim), to bind tongues against slander (Latin Picatrix), evil (Liber Luneae), and to agitate rulers into wrath and to hide secrets (Shams al Marif). 

At the moment of the cazimi the most positive qualities of the Mansion are at their strongest and grant the liberation of any restrictions, enhance health, and extract hidden things. This period is very brief, on the order of 60 seconds, in which the talisman must be constructed and consecrated. 

The image for this Mansion in the Latin Picatrix is "the figure of a man with winged feet wearing a helmet", a very Mercurial image. Considered together with the title of this Mansion, The Lucky Star of the Slaughterers, this Mansion has connotations of spiritual communication. The slaughterers are those who make the animal sacrifice to the gods. During this Mansion making entreaties to heaven and making offerings to seek favors and boons are greatly enhanced as are devotional acts of giving. 

The Moon leaves Sadahaca at 8:06PM on December 30th and enters Zadebola, The Lucky Star of the Devourers. The conditions of the Moon's speed and relation to the Sun are still present, fast and combust, which gives the Mansion strength to its wrathful qualities. These include destroy an enemies house (as in family and station) and impose ruin and disease upon whomever you wish (Ibn Hatim), damaging assets (Gayat al Hakim), divide husbands from wives and destruction and devastation (Latin Picatrix), and destruction and wasting (Agrippa). 

Tuesday, December 31st, 2024 opens with the Moon in the 23rd Mansion, Zaabedola, the Lucky Star of the Devourers, which began at 8:07PM the day before. The Moon begins her time in this Mansion combust the Sun until 5:06AM. At that point she begins her Waxing Crescent phase in which beginnings and foundations are accentuated. During the combust period her wrathful qualities are predominant but she becomes beneficial after 5:06AM.

The Moon will be in Zaadebola until December 31st at 7:11PM, a period of 23 hours and 5 minutes which is 24 minutes less than the last Mansion so the Moon is still accelerating. Talismans will be quick to take effect but their effects may dissipate quickly. 

Once the beneficial qualities of the Mansion take effect they include recovery from disease (Gayat al Hakim), join friends together (Latin Picatrix), liberty of captives (Agrippa), and evil's antidote (Shams al Marif). 

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Zaadebola is a "cat with a dog's head" an image that suggests the head is the enemy of the body. This image lends itself to the wrathful qualities of this Mansion. On the beneficial side, when the cat and the dog get along, it is the alchemical blending of opposites into a harmonious whole. 

The Moon leaves Zaadebola on December 31st at 7:11PM. She then moves into Caadezod, the Lucky Star of the Lucky. The Moon is still moving quickly and she is still Waxing Crescent. The beneficial qualities of Caadezod include improvement of cattle and herds (Ibn Hatim, Agrippa, and Latin Picatrix), increase merchandise and make a profit (Latin Picatrix), and victories to armies (Gayat al Hakim). 

Wednesday, January 1st, 2025. The new year begins with the Moon in Caadezod, The Lucky Star of the Lucky. Caadezod began at 7:11PM the day before. The Moon is near the beginning of the Waxing Crescent phase which is amenable to new beginnings and fresh starts. 

The Moon will be in Caadezod until 5:40PM on January 1st, only spending 22 hours and 29 minutes there. This is an acceleration of 24 minutes. The effects of its talismans may take manifest very quickly but may also pass just as quickly. 

The beneficial powers of Caadezod are improvement of cattle and herds (Ibn Hatim, Agrippa, and Latin Picatrix), increase merchandise and make a profit (Latin Picatrix), and victories to armies (Gayat al Hakim). 

The image for Caadezod given in the Latin Picatrix is of a mother suckling a child. In my nmind this is Amalthea, the goat nymph who hid and nursed a baby Zeus from Kronos until he was grown. I attribute strong protective, maternal qualities to this Mansion. 

The Moon leaves Caadezod on January 1st at 5:40PM and then begins to transit across Zaadalahbia, The Lucky Star of Hidden Things. She remains fast and Waxing Crescent. The beneficial qualities of Zaadalahbia include protection from blights and calamities from heaven (Ibn Hatim), dispatching successful messengers and spies and establishing and stabilizing buildings (Gayat al Hakim), protection of orchards and crops (Latin Picatrix), house protection (Celestial Magic), and companionship, love, and being kind (Shams al Marif).

Thursday, January 2nd, 2025 begins with the Moon in Zaadalahbia, The Lucky Star of Hidden Things, which she entered at 5:40PM the day before. The Moon is Waxing Crescent and we will list the beneficial aspects of the Mansion. 

The Moon resides in Zaadelahbia until January 2nd, 2025 at 4:27PM. According to my math that’s 22 hours and 47 minutes which would make it slower than the last Mansion. This strikes me as odd because it would be a little slow period in the middle of several days of slowing. At 22 hours and 47 minutes, however, the Moon is still moving pretty swiftly which suggests effects of magic done in this Mansion will happen quickly but may also dissipate quickly. 

The beneficial qualities of Zaadalahbia include protection from blights and calamities from heaven (Ibn Hatim), dispatching successful messengers and spies and establishing and stabilizing buildings (Gayat al Hakim), protection of orchards and crops (Latin Picatrix), house protection (Celestial Magic), and companionship, love, and being kind (Shams al Marif).

The image for this Mansion is a person planting seeds or planting a tree in the earth. As the Lucky Star of Hidden Things it rules the buried seed on the verge of germinating and the root feeding the plant. This Mansion also empowers metaphoric seeds, ideas and actions that bear fruit later.

The Moon transits Zaadelahbia until 4:27PM, January 2nd, 2025. She then moves into Al Fargh al Awwal, the Upper Waterspout. The beneficial aspects of Al Fargh al Awwal include love and lust (Ibn Hatim); all sorts of good things, restoring love and friendship, fulfilling the wishes of travelers, stabilizing buildings (Gayat al Hakim); bind people in mutual love, protect travelers in wagons, strengthen buildings (Latin Picatrix); and creating loving relationships, increasing libido, and cheering up souls with friendships (Shams al Marif). 

Friday, January 3rd, 2025 dawns with the Moon in Al Fargh al Awwal, the Upper Waterspout, the Mansion she entered at 4:27PM the day before. The phase is Waxing Crescent.

The Moon’s journey through Al Fargh al Awwal concludes at 2:46PM on January 3rd, 2025. This will be a journey of 22 hours and 19 minutes. The Moon is still moving fast so talismans may take effect quickly and their powers may pass quickly. 

The beneficial powers of Al Fargh al Awwal include love and lust (Ibn Hatim); all sorts of good things, restoring love and friendship, fulfilling the wishes of travelers, stabilizing buildings (Gayat al Hakim); bind people in mutual love, protect travelers in wagons, strengthen buildings (Latin Picatrix); and creating loving relationships, increasing libido, and cheering up souls with friendships (Shams al Marif).

Al Fargh al Awwal is the Upper Waterspout. These are the subtle waters, the lustral waters, the sanctifying waters.  The image of this Mansion in the Latin Picatrix is a woman washing her hair in a basin. This Mansion excels at creating holy water and spiritual cleansing. 

The Moon remains in Al Fargh al Awwal until 2:46PM on January 3rd, 2025 and then passes into Al Fargh Al Thani, the Lower Waterspout. The beneficial effects of Al Fargh al Thani are to increase merchandise and profit, unite allies, increase harvests, and heal illness (Gayat al Hakim, Latin Picatrix, and Agrippa). 

Saturday, January 4th, 2025. Al Fargh al Thani, the Lower Waterspout is where the Moon sits when this day begins. She entered this Mansion on January 3rd, at 2:46PM. The Moon is Waxing Crescent.

The Moon will spend 22 hours and 10 minutes in Al Fargh al Thani, continuing to move quickly, still accelerating, spending 9 minutes less in this Mansion than the last one. 

The beneficial effects of Al Fargh al Thani are to increase merchandise and profit, unite allies, increase harvests, and heal illness (Gayat al Hakim, Latin Picatrix, and Agrippa). 

In the Latin Picatrix the image is a winged man with a perforated dish and is used to poison wells. In its more beneficial aspect Al Fargh al Thani rules the lower waters, the vivifying waters, the waters that turn dust to flesh. Where the waters of Al Fargh al Awwal come from heaven, the waters of Al Fargh al Thani come from deep in the earth. This is reflected in the image of a well in the Latin Picatrix. 

At 12:56PM on January 4th the Moon moves into the 28th Mansion, Arrexe. The beneficial powers of Arrexhe include successful trade, productive crops, treatment of disease, traveler's safety, restoring relationships between spouses (Gayat al Hakim), increase harvests, travel safely, to gather fish in one place (Latin Picatrix), and create superior works and acts with excellent outcome (Shams al Marif). 

Sunday, January 5th, 2025 begins with the Moon in Arrexe, the last of the 28 Mansions. She entered Arrexe at 12:56PM the day before. The Moon's phase is still Waxing Crescent.

The Moon transits across Arrexe until January 5th at 11:01AM after spending 22 hours and 10 minutes in that Mansion. That is an acceleration by 5 minutes which means the Moon is still moving fast. Talismans consecrated under this Mansion may have their effects manifest quickly but also may quickly pass. 

The beneficial powers of Arrexhe include successful trade, productive crops, treatment of disease, traveler's safety, restoring relationships between spouses (Gayat al Hakim), increase harvests, travel safely, to gather fish in one place (Latin Picatrix), and create superior works and acts with excellent outcome (Shams al Marif). 

The image for this Mansion in the Latin Picatrix is a multicolored fish, which seems to reference a plurality coalescing into a singular whole. Its magic is best for gathering, be they things, opportunities, or ideas. 

On January 5th at 11:01AM the Moon moves into Alnath, the first of the Mansions. The beneficial qualities include guarding against demolition and crushing (Ibn Hatim), travel safely, and improve the efficacy of laxative medicines (Gayat al Hakim, Latin Picatrix, and Agrippa).  






Monday, August 19, 2024

When the Moon Talks Back

 Dear Readers, I thought I would check in and talk about something that happened to me this evening. I like to give myself a long walk from my place of work before I catch a bus to my neighborhood and home. The route I take is a somewhat wooded, winding road on a high hill. 

This evening I was walking the path when I spotted a person walking toward me. As they got closer I saw it was a rotund, older man with his shirt off. It wasn’t particularly hot out but he had climbed the hill. He was bald and white and looked all together lunar. Just as we were about to pass each other, I met his eye to give a greeting but before I could he said, “take care of yourself, you are valuable.” I was dumbstruck and barely mumbled out a greeting.

Did the Moon just tell me I was valuable? I have very little idea why this human man would say that, but was the Moon speaking through him? If I had been doing Martial work for years and a soldier or a cop in uniform were to tell me I was valuable, or any message really, I would think I would take it to heart. The Moon went Full earlier today, just a few hours ago, and here was a man with the figure of the Moon giving out messages. Talking directly to me. On a Monday, no less.

What does it mean to be valuable to the Moon? It certainly sounds like the Moon is not displeased with the work I’ve been doing and I am encouraged that my efforts are bearing fruit. 

As I continued walking I came across a discarded bit of paper, slightly folded in half and standing on its edge. I recognized it right away as a fortune cookie fortune and I picked it up. Did I ever tell you about my fortune cookie fortune collection? I have multiple jars of hundreds of discarded fortunes I've picked up outside Chinese restaurants over the past 20 years. I’ll tell you more about that later. Anyway, I picked up the fortune today and it read, “Commitment is what turns a promise into reality.”  



Keep working, keep believing, is what I hear there and again, I take it as directly from the Moon. I am now greatly encouraged about my spiritual and creative work. 

Let’s bring this back to the Moon. Today, the Moon went Full while it was in Al Fargh al Awwal, the Upper Water Spout. Al Fargh al Awwal rules water as a spiritual medium, the subtle waters, the lustral waters, the waters of light and absolution. Holy water and the waters we bless for spiritual cleansing are all part of Al Fargh al Awwal. Its image is a woman washing her hair in a basin. I like to imagine she is cleansing herself in an act of spiritual purity. To have these events happen to me on this day tells me I am awash in blessings. 


Sunday, July 21, 2024

What Are You Even Doing?

 Hello, loyal blog followers. It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. I hope you are well. I’ve been pretty good but I have neglected this blog. Life gets crazy with all the responsibilities that come up and take priority over other things in life. My magical and spiritual practice in some ways has taken a back seat to keeping up with my day job, my volunteer responsibilities, and family.  

Or, more accurately, ritual has taken backseat. Magic has not left the fore of my mind. I think and study and pray every day. Sometimes that can make me feel like I've lost a thread or that I'm not doing enough but we learn the lessons we are supposed to learn. I have not been doing nothing, I just don't have a list of mind-blowing, fireworks level magical results to report. Perhaps an apt metaphor would be the slow seeping of water from the ground to fill a valley to make a lake. At any one moment there is imperceptible movement but step back and the results are vast. 

What I have been doing is working on a practice that fits my everyday life. I don't have a ritual space and I don't have a ton of solitary time to dedicate to practice. The winter of 2023 into 2024 was a little difficult for me for a variety of reasons and a few projects got put down and have yet to be picked back up. I am going to get back to the original intent of this blog and use it as a way to stay motivated to do stuff so that I have something to report to you. I am feeling like I am getting back into a headspace in which long form writing is not a wholly daunting prospect. 

And, as I think about it all now and write about it I am coming to realize that I have a lot more to talk about than I thought. Making a practice part of everyday life tends to make the practice melt into the fabric of routine to the point it almost disappears. 

My study of the Mansions of the Moon has led me through new vistas with ideas that may or may not bear fruit. Here are some of the proverbial irons in the fire:

  • I am slightly more than 10% done with making a set of cards for the Mansions of the Moon similar to my Decans deck and tarot deck. My goal is to complete 56 images, a beneficial and a wrathful image for each Mansion. I have 6 done. At this rate, however, Lord only knows how long it will take to finish. 
  • The divination system, Zoroastor's Telescope, features the spirit names of the Mansions of the Moon very prominently and so I've been looking into it. I am most of the way through making a set of the tiles to be able to practice the system. 
  • Similarly, the Faustian grimoire Magia Naturalis et Innaturalis also features the Mansion spirits. Are these important to my study or were the names simply used without context? 
  • I have a bunch of incense ingredients gathered to make incenses specific to each of the Mansions but have not yet worked out the formulas. My goal is to make cones using make powder. 
  • I still want to develop "mini-rites" for each of the Mansions based on the rites in the Picatrix and my own divination. My experiments have not gone well so far but it remains a goal. Perhaps I will write about the failures and the developments as they happen.
  • I need to do more writing about the Mansions in general. I have years of research and practice churning to get out of me. That will be another important function of this blog; a place to practice and work out ideas that is easy and not so formal.  
  • For all my study of the Mansions and congress with their spirits I have precious few actual talismans. This is an areas ripe for experimentation. 
And this is just off the top of my head. Undoubtedly, more things will come up as my study progresses. I am excited that I am in a place again in which I am able to come back to it and talk about it.  
Just remember, fellow magician, magic is something you are, not something you do. Even in fallow times magic is within you and alive.