In the Lunar Mansion reports I talk frequently about the beneficial powers or the wrathful powers of the various Mansions but I haven’t really talked about what I think that means.
First let's examine what I mean by wrathful. When I speak about the Moon I describe its nature as either wrathful or beneficial, which is to say harmful or helpful. This is tied directly to the various factors that determine the Moon’s condition; the phase, the aspects with the other planets, and the Moon’s position along the ecliptic.
Put most simply, when the Moon is waxing, making trine aspects, or at the moment of cazimi, the most beneficial powers are strengthened. These beneficial powers are things like protection, luck, healing, and prosperity. Conversely, when the Moon is waning, making square aspects, or combust, the powers that are intended to hinder, afflict, damage, or destroy are accentuated.
This idea is supported by the Latin Picatrix, Book I, Chapter 4 (Warnock & Greer translation):
"I say to you that you should not do anything in this work unless the Moon stands in a degree convenient and appropriate for the work you intend to do, because the Moon has powers and manifest works in all things that are beneath her, and none of them are hidden from her."
And then a little later.
"I will reveal to you also the roots and foundations that ought to be observed in all good acts and works, that is, you should see that the Moon is well dignified and that it is safe from Saturn and Mars and from the combustion of the Sun. Do the contrary in every evil work, that is, see that the Moon is combust or conjunction Saturn and Mars, or that she applies to an aspect with one of the latter."
The terms "good" and "evil" can have shifting meanings depending on the person interpreting them and are certainly different in some parts for us now than they were when the Picatrix was being written. As judgements, I find the terms less than helpful. A knife can be a tool of pain, death, and destruction but it is not evil in itself. This is why I have chosen to describe these aspects of the Mansions as "wrathful" as opposed to "evil". I want to downplay the connotations of opposition that the word evil may imply. Just as medicine is full of material and treatments that, used irresponsibly, can be very destructive and deadly, but, when used skillfully, can be healing, so too the energy of the Mansions can be honed and utilized with skill.
I want to stress something about my thinking. The Mansion spirits can do anything in their power regardless of the condition of the Moon. In my philosophy, the spirits of the Mansions of the Moon can be called upon to do helpful or good things when the Moon is afflicted, and the spirits can do harmful or bad things when the Moon is dignified. The strength of such workings, however, may be stronger when the intent aligns with the condition of the Moon.
Another useful aspect of using beneficial and wrathful is that is relieves the Mansions themselves, and their attendant spirits, from being labeled good or evil in themselves. Even in a predominantly positive Mansion, like Azoraye, wrathful works can be done. It also absolves the magician from avoiding any performance of a working for half of every month. I feel like I have heard anecdotal evidence of the Moon's phase not being considered and works of all kinds turning out successfully.
In my Lunar Mansion Reports, when the beneficial or wrathful aspects of a Mansion are mentioned, these are the effects the Mansion may enact most readily, depending on the condition of the Moon, but they are not the only effects the Mansion may have. The listed wrathful and beneficial powers are used to find the "degree convenient and appropriate for the work you intend to do."
No comments:
Post a Comment