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, April 28, 2025 to May 4, 2025.
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.
The Moon is in Almices when April 28th ends.
Tuesday, April 29th, 2025. The first several hours of April 29th has the Moon in Almices, The Brilliant One, until 6:24am, at which point she moves into the next Mansion, Alhana, The Mark. The Moon's phase is Waxing Crescent which supports works of revelation, opening, and renewal.
The Moon transits across Alhana from 6:24am on April 29th to 3:07am on April 30th. At 20 hours and 43 minutes, this is fast. The Moon is slowing down, however, spending 17 minutes longer in this Mansion than in the previous one. A fast Moon can make magic come about quickly but also make it pass quickly.
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.
The Moon is in Alhana when April 29th ends.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025. The Moon is in Alhana, The Mark, when April 30th begins. At 3:07am the Moon makes ingress into the next Mansion, Aldira, The Forearm, and continues through this Mansion for the rest of the day. The phase is Waxing Crescent, which is best for works of new beginnings and clear sight.
It will take the Moon 21 hours and 15 minutes to go through Aldira between 3:07am on April 30th until 12:22am on May 1st. This is fast for the Moon but it is 22 minutes longer than the previous Mansion so she is decelerating. A fast Moon can make the effects of magic happen quickly but may also make them dissipate quickly.
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 ends April 30th in Aldira.
Thursday, May 1st, 2025. May 1st will see the Moon in three Mansions over the course of 24 hours. When the clock strikes midnight the Moon is in Aldira, The Forearm, but only for 22 minutes. Then at 12:22am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Annathra, The Gap and transits across Annathra until 10:13pm before entering the third Mansion of the day, Atarfa, The Glance of the Lion. The phase is Waxing Crescent which is best for works of initiation and awakening.
The Moon will take only 21 hours and 51 minutes to cross Annathra. This is 36 minutes longer than the previous Mansion and it means the Moon is fast and decelerating. A fast Moon can make things happen quickly but also make them end quickly.
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 ends the day in Atarfa.
Friday May 2nd, 2025. The Moon is in Atarfa, the Glance of the Lion, when May 2nd begins. At 8:46pm she then moves into Algebha, the Brow of the Lion. The phase is Waxing Crescent which supports magic of renewal, foundation, and insight.
The Moon will be in Atarfa from 10:13pm on May 1st until 8:46pm on May 2nd. This is a period of 22 hours and 22 minutes. This is faster than average for the Moon but is 31 minutes longer than. the last Mansion so she is fast but slowing down. A fast Moon can make magical effects pass quickly but may also make them manifest 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 ends May 2nd in Algebha.
Saturday, May 3rd, 2025. The Moon begins May 3rd in Algebha, The Brow of the Lion, and continues through that Mansion until 8:07pm, at which point she enters Azobra, the Lion's Mane. The phase is still Waxing Crescent but is close to changing. Waxing Crescent is best for works of opening and revealing.
The Moon will be in Algebha from 8:46pm on May 2nd until 8:07pm on May 3rd. This is 23 hours and 21 minutes which is still on the last side but nearly the average speed of 23 hours and 36 minutes. The Moon will spend 59 minutes longer in Algebha than the previous Mansion so she continues to slow down.
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 ends May 3rd in Azobra.
Sunday May 4th, 2025. The Moon is in Azobra, The Lion's Mane, when May 4th begins. Then, at 8:11pm she moves into the next Mansion, Azarfa, the Tail of the Lion. At 6:51am on May 4th the Moon makes a square aspect with the Sun and thus begins the Waxing Gibbous phase. A Waxing Gibbous Moon is best for works of strengthening and building upon an established foundation.
The Moon will travel across Azobra from 8:07pm on May 3rd until 8:11pm on May 4th. This is 24 hours and 4 minutes which is on the slow side of her average speed. It is also 33 minutes longer than the previous Mansion and so she is slowing down. A slow Moon may delay the effects of magic but may also prolong those 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 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).
In the Latin Picatrix the image for this Mansion is a dragon fighting a man made in black lead. It is described as an image of breaking and separating. In its beneficial form this image could be used to break from addiction or unhealthy situations or relationships.
The Moon ends May 4th in Azarfa.
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