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, February 10th, 2025 to February 16th, 2025.
Monday February 10th, 2025. When Monday February 10th comes around, the Moon is in Atarfa for just over an hour and then moves into Algebha, the Face of the Lion, at 1:09AM. The Moon is in a Waxing Gibbous phase, which is beneficial and empowers works of strengthening and building. 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 Moon will spend 23 hours and 36 minutes in Algebha between February 10th, 2025, 1:09AM to 12:47AM, February 11th. In my notes the tipping point between a fast Moon and a slow Moon is 23 hours and 35 minutes. That means the Moon's speed in Algebha is basically average, neither fast nor slow, but she is slowing down, spending 23 minutes longer in this Mansion than the previous one. This could delay the effects of magic but make the effects longer lasting.
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 stays in Algebha when Monday ends at midnight.
Tuesday, February 11th, 2025. The Moon will spend only the first 47 minutes of Tuesday in Algebha and will then step into Azobra, the Lion’s Mane. The phase is nearing the end of Waxing Gibbous.
The Moon will be in Azobra from 12:47AM on February 11th to 12:48AM on February 12th, a period of 24 hours and one minute. This is 26 minutes longer than the previous Mansion and so the Moon is slowing down. That length of time is also longer than the average so the Moon is in a slow period. These factors could delay the effects of magical works but could also prolong the effects.
The beneficial powers of Azobra are to rescue captives, to organize trade and profit from it, for travelers on the road to travel safely and unharmed, to strengthen buildings, increase the wealth of allies, to be feared and receive good things (Latin Picatrix), for fear, reverence, and veneration (Agrippa), to regain lost affection, and to enjoy prosperity and an optimistic mindset (Celestial Magic).
The image for this Mansion in the Latin Picatrix is a man riding the back of a lion holding its ear in his hand. In its most beneficial aspect the lion is fully controlled by the figure on its back and adds its ferocity and strength to the figure’s bearing (despite the figure’s somewhat precarious position). This concept of being next to danger but safe from it is a big theme of Azobra.
The Moon continues to transit across Azobra to the end of February 11th.
Wednesday, February 12th, 2025. The Moon is in Azobra at the beginning of February 12th and moves into the next Mansion, Asarfa, The Tail of the Lion, at 12:48AM. The Moon goes Full while in Asarfa at 5:53AM. The opposing aspect tips the Moon from beneficial to wrathful.
The Moon will be in Asarfa from 12:48AM on February 12th to 1:20AM on February 13th. This is a period of 24 hours and 32 minutes which means she is in a slow period and continuing to slow down, taking 31 minutes longer to cross Asarfa than the last Mansion.
The first few hours of Asarfa see the Moon in a beneficial stance. The beneficial powers of Asarfa are increasing farms and newly planted trees, promoting the welfare of partners as well as for reconciling differences between them for improved work conditions and product, improving conditions for successful hunting (Gayat al Hakim), increase harvests, the improvement of allies, officials, captives, and servants that they will be steadfast and honest (Latin Picatrix), and brings help and benevolence (Celestial Magic).
After 5:53AM Asarfa will exhibit its wrathful qualities. These are inflicting harm on a person by making them lose their assets, breaking ships (Gayat al Hakim), to separate whatever kinfolk or enemies you wish, cause enmity between them, and destroy the place (Ibn Hatim), the destruction of riches and ships, and to separate lovers (Latin Picatrix).
The Moon will still be in Asarfa when February 12th ends at midnight.
Thursday, February 13th, 2025. This day opens with the Moon in Asarfa until 1:20AM. She will then begin to transit across Alawway, the Corner of the Kennel. The phase is now Waning Gibbous which supports works of diminishment and decline.
The Moon will be in Alawway for 24 hours and 58 minutes, which is slow and slowing. The Moon enters Alawway at 1:20AM on February 13th and then exits at 2:18AM on February 14th. This slowness may make effects of magical works take more time to manifest but it may also make them longer lasting.
The wrathful powers of Alawway are the binding of nobles to have good from them (Latin Picatrix), and destroying charms against copulation (Celestial Magic). It might be a stretch to describe these as wrathful powers but the vast majority of sources list largely beneficial attributes to Alawway.
In the Latin Picatrix the image for this Mansion is a red man embracing a white woman. This is an image of combination of opposites into a harmonious whole.
The Moon remains in Alawway for the rest of February 13th.
Friday, February 14th, 2025. The Moon spends the first couple of hours in Alawway and then, at 2:18AM, moves into the next Mansion, Azimech, the Spike of Virgo. The phase is Waning Gibbous and so is best for works of diminishment and decline.
The Moon will be in Azimech from 2:18Am on February 14th until 3:44AM on February 15th, a period of 25 hours and 26 minutes. This is 28 minutes longer than the last Mansion which means the Moon is slowing down. Taking more than 25 hours to cross a Mansion means the Moon is in a slow period. All this can mean that magic may take longer to manifest but it may also have longer lasting effects.
The wrathful powers of Azimech are cutting off and enmity (Ibn Hatim), to destroy harvests and plants, to destroy lust, for the destruction of those who go by roads, to separate men from women (Latin Picatrix), to hindereth journeys by land (Agrippa), to disperse inappropriate sexual desire or cause a separation (Celestial Magic).
The image of this Mansion in the Latin Picatrix is a dog biting its own tail. Taken in its wrathful side this is a symbol of futility, as opposed to some kind of ouroboros. Nigel Jackson's Celestial Magic includes an ear of wheat in the image of this Mansion. Its connotations of fertility, growth, and bounty cannot be overstated. Jackson also contends this Mansion is conducive to works of scrying.
When February 14th ends at midnight, the Moon is still in Azimech.
Saturday, February 15th, 2025. Saturday begins with the Moon in Azimech. She will be in Azimech until 3:44AM and will then transit into Algafra, the Covering. The phase is Waning Gibbous which supports diminishment and decline.
The Moon will be in Algafra from 3:44AM on February 15th until 5:32AM on February 16th. This is 25 hours and 48 minutes and is 22 minutes longer than the last Mansion. This tells us the Moon continues to decelerate while she is in a slow period. This can make magical works more enduring but can also delay their effects.
The wrathful powers of Algafra are obstructing a traveler from making a trip, creating discord between spouses, spoiling friendships between friends, ruining partnerships, destruction of communities and towns (Gayat al Hakim), to scatter enemies from an area, and the destruction of the house of your enemies (Latin Picatrix).
The image for this Mansion in the Latin Picatrix is a man writing a letter. The specialty of this Mansion is agreements, pacts, and contracts. In its wrathful form it can mean the breaking of pacts.
The Moon is in Algafra from 3:44AM until the end of February 15th at midnight.
Sunday, February 16th, 2025. The first several hours of February 16th have the Moon in Algafra. After 5:32AM the moon makes ingress into Azubene, the Horns of the Scorpion. The Moon’s phase is Waning Gibbous which supports decline and diminishment.
The Moon will travel across Azubene for 26 hours and 2 minutes, 12 minutes longer than she took to travel the last Mansion. This means she is slow and still slowing down. This can delay the effects of magic but also make them last longer.
The wrathful powers of Azubene include destruction of merchandise, to put discord between friends, to debauch a woman you desire, to impede those who journey so that they never reach their destination, cause hatred between friends (Latin Picatrix), damage merchant shops, separating friends and spouses, the severe punishment of a wife if the husband so desires, harm a traveling adversary, create discord between partners (Gayat al Hakim), and hindereth journeys and wedlock, harvests and merchandise (Agrippa).
The image for Azubene in the Latin Picatrix is a man holding scales and weighing. The Horns of the Scorpion became the claws of the scorpion which became the cups of a scale. Discernment, judgement, and valuation are the keywords for Azubene. In its wrathful forms, it can obscure the value of things like relationships and ruin business deals. In Nigel Jackson's Celestial Magic this Mansion is given the power of enhancing sciomancy and necromantic operations to communicate with the shades of the dead.
Azubene is the first half of the Via Combusta, the Fiery Way which is detrimental to the Moon and enhances the wrathful aspects.
The Moon spends the rest of February 16th in Azubene.
