Lunar Mansion Report, August 17, 2026 to August 23, 2026

  This is an entry in an ongoing 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 me 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 am not considering aspects with other planets. 

Lunar Mansion Report, August 17th, 2026 to August 23rd, 2026.

Monday, August 17th, 2026. The Moon is in Azubene, the Horns of the Scorpion, when August 17th begins. At 6:35am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Alichlil, the Crown of the Scorpion. The phase is Waxing Crescent, which is beneficial and supports works of breaking through and a change of scenery.

The Moon will travel through Azubene for 23 hours and 58 minutes. This is slow and it is 30 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A slow Moon may delay the effects of magic but may also prolong those effects. 

The beneficial powers of Azubene include releasing captives (Ghayat al Hakim), making money [through commerce] (Latin Picatrix), to gain much merchandise (Agrippa), liberate bound energies (Celestial Magic). 

Azubene is the first half of the Via Combusta, the Fiery Way which is detrimental to the Moon and tempers the beneficial aspects.

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 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.

The beneficial powers of Alichlil include expelling thieves (Ibn Hatim), improvement and increasing of livestock, the safety of a traveler at sea, to make unbreakable friendships (Ghayat al Hakim), to improve deception, to make buildings more firm and stable, for lasting love, so that thieves may not enter a house (Latin Picatirx), for the improvement of unjust fortune, useful for sailing (Agrippa), to help those laboring under delusions and aid those who have been deceived (Celestial Magic).

Alichlil is the second half of the Via Combusta, the Fiery Way, which is detrimental to the Moon and diminishes its beneficial aspects.

The image of Aliklil in the Latin Picatrix is a monkey holding its hands up above its shoulders. I imagine this gesture to resemble a criminal putting their hands up at being apprehended. The monkey and its ability to imitate is a symbol for deception. 

The Moon is in Alichlil at the end of August 17th.

Tuesday, August 18th, 2026. The Moon is in Alichlil, the Crown of the Scorpion, when Agust 17th begins. At 6:35am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Alcalb, the Heart of the Scorpion. The phase is Waxing Crescent, which is beneficial and supports works of birth and renewal. 

The Moon will travel through Alichlil for 24 hours and 39 minutes. This is slow and it is 41 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A slow Moon can delay the effects of magic but may also prolong those effects. 

 The beneficial powers of Alichlil include expelling thieves (Ibn Hatim), improvement and increased of livestock, the safety of a traveler at sea, to make unbreakable friendships (Ghayat al Hakim), to improve deception, to make buildings more firm and stable, for lasting love, so that thieves may not enter a house (Latin Picatirx), for the improvement of unjust fortune, useful for sailing (Agrippa), to help those laboring under delusions and aid those who have been deceived (Celestial Magic).

Alichlil is the second half of the Via Combusta, the Fiery Way, which is detrimental to the Moon and diminishes its beneficial aspects.

The image of Aliklil in the Latin Picatrix is a monkey holding its hands up above its shoulders. I imagine this gesture to resemble a criminal putting their hands up at being apprehended. The monkey and its ability to imitate is a symbol for deception. 

The beneficial powers of Alcalb include for pledging loyalty to kings to help them overcome their enemies, for stabilizing buildings, for marrying a widow, for the growth of newly planted trees, for the safety of a voyager (Ghayat al Hakim), taking away fevers and infirmities of the belly, and that no serpent or hurtful beast may enter a house (Latin Picatrix).

The image for Alcalb in the Latin Picatrix is an adder with its tail above its head. A venomous snake is dangerous enough but with its tail above its head it takes on the defensive qualities of a scorpion and so cannot be attacked from in front or in the rear.

The Moon is in Alcalb at the end of August 17th.

Wednesday, August 19th, 2026. The Moon is in Alcalb, the Heart of the Scorpion, when August 19th begins. At 8:25am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Axaula, the Sting of the Scorpion. The phase at the beginning of the day is Waxing Crescent, which is beneficial and supports works of opening and realization. Then, at 7:44pm the Moon makes a square aspect with the Sun and the phase changes to Waxing Gibbous, which is also beneficial and supports works of understanding and expansion. 

The Moon will travel through Alcalb for 25 hours and 11 minutes. This is slow and it is 32 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A slow Moon may delay the effects of Magic but may also prolong those effects. 

The beneficial powers of Alcalb include for pledging loyalty to kings to help them overcome their enemies, for stabilizing buildings, for marrying a widow, for the growth of newly planted trees, for the safety of a voyager (Ghayat al Hakim), taking away fevers and infirmities of the belly, and that no serpent or hurtful beast may enter a house (Latin Picatrix).

The image for Alcalb in the Latin Picatrix is an adder with its tail above its head. A venomous snake is dangerous enough but with its tail above its head it takes on the defensive qualities of a scorpion and so cannot be attacked from in front or in the rear.

The beneficial powers of Axaula are fullfilling wishes, for the welfare of a traveler, for the growth of crops, for releasing a slave and enabling him to escape his master (Ghayat al Hakim), and to improve the lot of men traveling by wagon through the countryside (Latin Picatrix).

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Axaula is a woman with her hands covering her face. The special power of Axaula is as a purgative, especially to bring on menstrual bleeding. Repulsion, expulsion, and forceful pushing are all under the influence of Axaula. 

The Moon is in Axaula at the end of August 19th. 

Thursday, August 20th, 2026. The Moon is in Axaula, the Sting of the Scorpion when August 20th begins. At 10:04am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Alnaym, the Beam or the Ostriches. The phase is Waxing Gibbous, which is beneficial and supports works of augmentation and strengthening. 

The Moon will travel through Axaula for 25 hours and 39 minutes. This is slow and it is 28 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A slow Moon may delay the effects of magic but may also prolong those effects. 

The beneficial powers of Axaula are fullfilling wishes, for the welfare of a traveler, for the growth of crops, for releasing a slave and enabling him to escape his master (Ghayat al Hakim), and to improve the lot of men traveling by wagon through the countryside (Latin Picatrix).

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Axaula is a woman with her hands covering her face. The special power of Axaula is as a purgative, especially to bring on menstrual bleeding. Repulsion, expulsion, and forceful pushing are all under the influence of Axaula. 

The beneficial powers of Alnaym include the discipline of riding animals that are hard to tame, speedy travel and making the distance shorter, bring a concerned person home, promoting friendship (Ghayat al Hakim), to tame wild and disobedient beasts, to bring those traveling in wagons swiftly back again, for men to come wherever you wish, for good people to be joined together, fortune in hunting (Latin Picatrix), and the arousal of peace, love, and friendship (Liber Lunae).

The image of Alnaym in the Latin Picatrix is a centaur shooting a bow. The power ascribed to it is for finding and taking whatever you hunt. It is also for taming wild beasts. 

The Moon is in Alnaym at the end of August 20th. 

Friday, August 21st, 2026. The Moon is in Alnaym, the Beam or the Ostriches. At 11:58am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Albelda, the Wasteland. The phase is Waxing Gibbous, which is beneficial and supports works of addition and multiplication. 

The Moon will travel through Alnaym for 25 hours and 54 minutes, which is slow and is 15 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A slow Moon may delay the effects of magic but may also prolong those effects. 

The beneficial powers of Alnaym include the discipline of riding animals that are hard to tame, speedy travel and making the distance shorter, bring a concerned person home, promoting friendship (Ghayat al Hakim), to tame wild and disobedient beasts, to bring those traveling in wagons swiftly back again, for men to come wherever you wish, for good people to be joined together, fortune in hunting (Latin Picatrix), and the arousal of peace, love, and friendship (Liber Lunae).

The image of Alnaym in the Latin Picatrix is a centaur shooting a bow. The power ascribed to it is for finding and taking whatever you hunt. It is also for taming wild beasts. 

The beneficial powers of Albelda are stabilizing buildings, increasing crops, retaining assets and live stock, ensuring the safety of travelers (Ghayat al Hakim), to increase harvests, make a profit and firmly keep money, to go safely through the countryside (Latin Picatrix), safeguard travelers, and house-protection (Celestial Magic), and works of cooperation and silence (Liber Lunae).

The image for Albelda in the Latin Picatrix is a man with a head like Janus, with one face on the front and another face on the back of the head. Janus was the Roman god of the threshold, the place in between, and marked passages. In my experience Albelda is a Mansion of waiting, holding, and immobility.

The Moon is in Albelda at the end of August 21st. 

Saturday, August 22nd, 2026. The Moon is in Albelda, the Wasteland, when August 22nd begins. At 1:59pm the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Sadahaca, the Lucky Star of the Slaughterers. The phase is Waxing Gibbous, which is beneficial and supports works of ripening and good luck.

The Moon will travel through Albelda for 26 hours and 1 minute. This is quite slow and it is the slowest Mansion this cycle. It is also 7 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon has slowed to this point. A slow Moon can delay the effects of magic but may also prolong those effects. 

The beneficial powers of Albelda include stabilizing buildings, increasing crops, retaining assets and live stock, ensuring the safety of travelers (Ghayat al Hakim), to increase harvests, make a profit and firmly keep money, to go safely through the countryside (Latin Picatrix), safeguard travelers, house protection (Celestial Magic), and works of cooperation and silence (Liber Lunae).

The image for Albelda in the Latin Picatrix is a man with a head like Janus, with one face on the front and another face on the back of the head. Janus was the Roman god of the threshold, the place in between, and marked passages. In my experience Albelda is a Mansion of waiting, holding, and immobility. 

The beneficial powers of Sadahaca include the treatment and recovery from disease, the release of captives (Ghayat al Hakim), cure illness, to cause goodwill between allies, to escape safely from enemies, secure against slander (Latin Picatrix), and liberation from restrictions or limits (Celestial Magic).

The image for Sadahaca 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 the 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 devotional acts of giving, entreaties to heaven, and offerings for boons and favors are greatly enhanced. 

The Moon is in Sadahaca at the end of August 22nd. 

Sunday, August 23rd, 2026. The Moon is in Sadahaca, The Luck Star of the Slaughterers. At 3:52pm the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Zaadebola, the Lucky Star of the Devourers. The phase is Waxing Gibbous, which is beneficial and supports works of elaboration and deepening. 

The Moon will travel through Sadahaca for 25 hours and 53 minutes. This is slow but it is 8 minutes less than the previous Mansion so the Moon has now begun to speed up. A slow Moon may delay the effects of magic but may also prolong those effects. 

The beneficial powers of Sadahaca include the treatment and recovery from disease, the release of captives (Ghayat al Hakim), cure illness, to cause goodwill between allies, to escape safely from enemies, secure against slander (Latin Picatrix), and liberation from restrictions or limits. (Celestial Magic).

The image for Sadahaca 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 devotional acts of giving, entreaties to heaven, and offerings for boons and favors are greatly enhanced. 

The beneficial qualities of the Zaadebola 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 for Zaadebola in the Latin Picatrix is a cat with a dog’s head. The head and the body are at odds, each wanting to do violence to the other. Ultimately, neither is left the winner. Pitting a group against its leaders for the purpose of destroying the entire group would be a wrathful work that is strengthened in this Mansion.

The Moon is in Zaadebola at the end of August 23rd. 

Lunar Mansion Report, August 10, 2026 to August 16, 2026

  This is an entry in an ongoing 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 me 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 am not considering aspects with other planets. 

Lunar Mansion Report, August 10th, 2026 to August 16th, 2026.

Monday, August 10th, 2026. The Moon is in Atarfa, the Glance of the Lion, when August 10th begins. At 6:37pm the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Algebha, the Brow of the Lion. The phase is Waning Crescent, which is wrathful and supports works of death and destruction. 

The Moon will travel through Atarfa for 20 hours and 55 minutes. This is fast, in fact it is the fastest Mansion this cycle, and it is 2 minutes less than the previous Mansion so the Moon has sped up to this point. A fast Moon may make magic happen quickly but may make magic fade quickly. 

The wrathful powers of Atarfa are to destroy crops, to make unfortunate those who travel, to do evil to all men,  to cause division and hatred between allies, to cause infirmity (Latin Picatrix), and to inflict failure and weakness (Celestial Magic). 

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Atarfa is a eunuch covering his eyes with his hands. The wrathful Atarfa promotes jealousy and works similar to the Evil Eye. 

The wrathful qualities enhanced in Algebha include harming an enemy or traveler, to matters worse for captives (Gayat al Hakim), extracting a fetus (Ibn Hatim), and the destruction of enemies (Latin Picatrix). 

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Algebha 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 is in Algebha at the end of August 10th.

Tuesday, August 11th, 2026. The Moon is in Algebha, the Brow of the Lion when August 11th begins. At 3:40pm the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Azobra, the Mane of the Lion. The phase at the beginning of the day is Waning Crescent, which is wrathful and supports works of failure and abandonment. At 8:26pm the Moon moves into within 8˚ of the Sun and becomes combust. This compounds the Moon's wrathfulness. 

The Moon will travel through Algebha for 21 hours and 3 minutes. This is fast but it is 8 minutes longer than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A fast Moon can make magic happen quickly but may also make magic fade quickly. 

The wrathful qualities enhanced in Algebha include harming an enemy or traveler, to matters worse for captives (Gayat al Hakim), extracting a fetus (Ibn Hatim), and the destruction of enemies (Latin Picatrix). 

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Algebha 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 wrathful powers of Azobra are to besiege cities, to be feared (Latin Picatrix), loss, destruction, binding, fornication, and separation (Liber Lunae).

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). In its wrathful form subjugation and manipulation are strengthened. The concept of being next to danger but safe from it is a big theme of Azobra.

The Moon is in Azobra at the end of August 11th. 

Wednesday, August 12th, 2026. The Moon is in Azobra, The Mane of the Lion, when August 12th begins. At 12:55pm the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Azarfa, the Tail of the Lion. The phase at the beginning of the day is Waning Crescent and combust, which is wrathful and supports works of oppression and suffering. At 10:36am the Moon makes a conjunction aspect with the Sun, becomes New, and for about a minute and a half the Moon is Cazimi and extremely beneficial. Then, around 10:37am or 10:38am the Moon becomes Waxing Crescent but is still combust and so wrathful for the rest of the day.   

The Moon will travel through Azobra for 21 hours and 15 minutes. This is fast but it is 12 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A fast Moon can make magic happen quickly but may also make magic fade quickly. 

The wrathful powers of Azobra are to besiege cities, to be feared (Latin Picatrix), loss, destruction, binding, fornication, and separation (Liber Lunae).

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). In its wrathful form subjugation and manipulation are strengthened. The concept of being next to danger but safe from it is a big theme of Azobra.

The wrathful powers of Azarfa are to inflict harm on a person by causing them to lose their assets, breaking ships (Gayat al Hakim), to cause separation, enmity, and hatred between kinsfolk, destroy a place (Ibn Hatim), destruction of riches and ships, separation of lovers (Latin Picatrix), and hindereth seamen (Agrippa). 

In the Latin Picatrix the image for Azarfa is a dragon fighting a man and the image should be made in black lead. It is described as an image of breaking and separating. In its wrathful form this image could be used to destroy the money of an enemy.

Thursday, August 13th, 2026. The Moon is in Azarfa, the Tail of the Lion, when August 13th begins. At 10:33am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Alawway, the Barker. The phase at the beginning of the day is Waxing Crescent but combust, which is wrathful and supports works of disappointment and bad luck. At 12:58am the Moon moves away from the orb of the Sun and out of the combust condition, becoming beneficial. 

The Moon will travel through Azarfa for 21 hours and 36 minutes. This is fast but it is 23 minutes longer than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A fast Moon can make magic happen quickly but may also make magic fade quickly. 

The wrathful powers of Azarfa are to inflict harm on a person by causing them to lose their assets, breaking ships (Gayat al Hakim), to cause separation, enmity, and hatred between kinsfolk, destroy a place (Ibn Hatim), destruction of riches and ships, separation of lovers (Latin Picatrix), and hindereth seamen (Agrippa). 

The beneficial powers of Azarfa 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 Azarfa is a dragon fighting a man and the image should be 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 harmful influences.

The beneficial powers of Alawway include promoting trade and farms, enhancing the welfare of a traveler, the consummation of marriage between spouses, for releasing captives, to contact kings and dignitaries (Gayat al Hakim), for the excitation of sexual intercourse (Ibn Hatim), increase of trade and profit, increase of harvests, completion of buildings, for the liberation of men who are not able to come to women, to put love between a man and a woman, to dissolve binding that a man will be able to perform with a woman (Latin Picatrix), for benevolence, gain, voyages, harvests, and freedom of captives (Agrippa), for learning every kind of thing (Shams al Marif). 

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Alawway is a red man embracing a white woman. As a beneficial image it is the Alchemical Wedding and the harmonious combining of opposites. Works of love, sex, joy, and abundance are strengthened.

The Moon is in Alawway at the end of August 13th.

Friday, August 14th, 2026. The Moon is in Alawway, the Barker, at the beginning of August 14th. At 8:38am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Azimech, the Spike. The phase is Waxing Crescent, which is beneficial and supports works of birth and creation. 

The Moon will travel through Alawway for 22 hours and 5 minutes. This is fast but it is 27 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A fast Moon may make magic happen quickly but may also make magic fade quickly. 

The beneficial powers of Alawway include promoting trade and farms, enhancing the welfare of a traveler, the consummation of marriage between spouses, for releasing captives, to contact kings and dignitaries (Gayat al Hakim), for the excitation of sexual intercourse (Ibn Hatim), increase of trade and profit, increase of harvests, completion of buildings, for the liberation of men who are not able to come to women, to put love between a man and a woman, to dissolve binding that a man will be able to perform with a woman (Latin Picatrix), for benevolence, gain, voyages, harvests, and freedom of captives (Agrippa), for learning every kind of thing (Shams al Marif). 

The image in the Latin Picatrix for Alawway is a red man embracing a white woman. As a beneficial image it is the Alchemical Wedding and the harmonious combining of opposites. Works of love, sex, joy, and abundance are strengthened.

The beneficial powers of Azimech include reconciling differences between spouses, recovery from illness (Gayat al Hakim), for the love of man and wife, heal the sick, for the benefit of kings that they might ascend to their reign, the safety of sailors, the friendship of allies (Latin Picatrix), attract friendship, improve personal fortune, empowers bowl divination and scrying operations (Celestial Magic). 

The image of Azimech in the Latin Picatrix is a dog biting its own tail. This may be a symbol of futility but it may also be 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. The dog turns in its cycle, ever striving to its goal.

The Moon is in Azimech at the end of August 14th.

Saturday, August 15th, 2026. The Moon is in Azimech, the Spike, at the beginning of August 15th. At 7:19am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Algafra, the Covering. The phase is Waxing Crescent, which is beneficial and supports works of Renewal and initiation. 

The Moon will travel through Azimech for 22 hours and 41 minutes. This is fast but it is 36 minutes longer than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A fast Moon may make magic happen quickly but may also make magic fade quickly. 

The beneficial powers of Azimech include reconciling differences between spouses, recovery from illness (Gayat al Hakim), for the love of man and wife, heal the sick, for the benefit of kings that they might ascend to their reign, the safety of sailors, the friendship of allies (Latin Picatrix), attract friendship, improve personal fortune, empowers bowl divination and scrying operations (Celestial Magic). 

The image of Azimech in the Latin Picatrix is a dog biting its own tail. This may be a symbol of futility but it may also be 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. The dog turns in its cycle, ever striving to its goal.

The beneficial powers of Algafra include digging wells, retrieving buried treasure (Ghayat al Hakim), ending of enmity and hatred (Ibn Hatim), acquisition of friendship and goodwill, the joining of friends and lovers (Latin Picatrix), helpful for all activities in this world or the next, antidote to poison (Shams al Marif). 

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.

The Moon is in Algafra at the end of August 15th. 

Sunday, August 16th, 2026. The Moon is in Algafra, the Covering, at the beginning of August 16th. At 6:37am the Moon moves into the next Mansion, Azubene, the Horns of the Scorpion. The phase is Waxing Crescent, which is beneficial and supports works of opening and good luck. 

The Moon will travel through Algafra for 23 hours and 28 minutes. This is on the fast side of average. It is also 47 minutes more than the previous Mansion so the Moon is slowing down. A fast Moon can make magic happen quickly but may also make magic fade quickly. 

The beneficial powers of Algafra include digging wells, retrieving buried treasure (Ghayat al Hakim), the ending of enmity and hatred (Ibn Hatim), acquisition of friendship and goodwill, the joining of friends and lovers (Latin Picatrix), helpful for all activities in this world or the next, antidote to poison (Shams al Marif). 

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.

The beneficial powers of Azubene include releasing captives (Ghayat al Hakim), making money [through commerce] (Latin Picatrix), to gain much merchandise (Agrippa), liberate bound energies (Celestial Magic). 

Azubene is the first half of the Via Combusta, the Fiery Way which is detrimental to the Moon and tempers the beneficial aspects.

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 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.

The Moon is in Azubene at the end of August 16th. 

A Review of Annulorum Experimenta by Peter of Abano, translated by Regulus Hess

This is a review of the book Annulorum Experimenta or The Experiment of the Rings by Peter of Abano edited and translated by Regulus Hess. 

TL;DR, I like this book. It is delightfully enigmatic and has potential for exploration.  

One of the habits I've fallen into as I study the Mansions of the Moon is to encourage a tendency in myself to collect as much as possible about them. Whenever I hear that a book mentions the Mansions of the Moon I immediately try to acquire it. It is always a gamble in terms of quality. Some I have liked more than others, or, more accurately, some I have found more applicable to my tastes than others. A few I have found to be down right stinkers. But in my zeal to learn as much as I can I have justified collecting these volumes by saying that everything counts. Everything that exists about the Mansions exists by the grace of the spirits of the Mansions and therefore has a place in the lore about them. 

Annulorum Experimenta stands apart from other works that include the Mansions of the Moon. Other books, like Zoroastor’s Telescope and the Faustian grimoire Magia Naturalis et Innaturalis, seem to use Agrippa’s list of Mansion spirits without much context, as if a known spirit list was simply pasted into a system of magic to which it otherwise has no connection. 

Annulorum instead focuses on the Mansions by their number in sequence and attributes an idiosyncratic spirit list to each one.  

It is a slim volume at only 130 pages all together. This includes an introduction, a Latin version of the text followed by an English translation, three appendices, a bibliography, and an index. Essentially, the book consists of forty magical procedures attributed to the Mansions of the Moon (with more in the appendices). Some of the spells give the magician powers, like That Thou Shouldst Be Able Skillfully to Find Hidden Treasure, but a great many of them are to produce a vision, like That There Should Appear Manfully an Elephant Bearing a Castle.  

Most of the workings follow a pattern.

• creating a ring of a specific material; gold, silver, tin, etc.
• attaching written spirit name or names to it, often by stuffing a bit of parchment with the names written on it into a hollow space in the ring.
• suffumigating the ring in a specific setting with a specific incense, mistletoe in a meadow for instance.
• drawing out a symbol specific to the ring.
• praying to God to consecrate the ring.
• Store the ring in a specific material of a specific color. 

Then, when one wishes to employ the powers of the ring one does the following.

• bear the ring.
• touch the ring with spittle.
• redraw the symbol associated with the creation of the ring with the ring
• recite an invocation including the spirit names. 

Some of the spells give the magician powers, like That Thou Shouldst Be Able Skillfully to Find Hidden Treasure, but a great many of them are to produce a vision, like That There Should Appear Manfully an Elephant Bearing a Castle. Some of the spells seem to match what one might expect for the specific Mansion, like That There Should Appear A Great And Horrible Serpent for a working in the twelfth Mansion (Asarfa), but others seem to be unrelated to their Mansion, like That There Should Appear A River In The Air for the first Mansion (Al Sharatayn) which, to my knowledge, has strong fire connotations but not so much watery or airy. 

Some of them sound like complete nonsense but I contend that these spells and workings can be seen as clues and markers for deeper mysteries about each of the Mansions. The material, the setting, the suffumigation, the vision all point to elements of spirit working. Taken in this sense the nonsensical things become spirit symbols. A mouse dragging a millstone, for instance, is then a symbol of the spirits of Atarfa and can be used to produce talismanic images or as a basis for contemplative ways to work with that Mansion. 

The text itself seems to downplay the literal rites and the procedure by reducing all the oration and ritual action to essentially, "do the usual," as opposed to carefully laying out the specific words to say and actions to take. This suggests to me that those are of lesser importance than the material, the names, and the image/intent of the working. In sort, that improvisation is very possible.  

In a study of the Mansions of the Moon I think this work has a not insignificant place alongside other works even with as odd as it is. I suspect the real practical value will only come with prolonged exploration.