The current astrological charts are talismans for
wealth from another from the Harranian Sabian mage
Thabit Ibn Qurra's treatise on
astrological magic entitled
De Imaginibus "On Images", the first English translation
of which is now available from Renaissance Astrology.
The Harranian Sabians continued their planetary religion
and Neoplatonic and Hermetic philosophy well into the medieval period. They were
renowned for their mastery of the Hermetic arts of astrology, alchemy and magic and
Thabit Ibn Qurra was their most famous sage. His masterwork,
De Imaginibus, contains some of the most sophisticated
astrological magic ever practiced and was a model for subsequent medieval and Renaissance
mages like Marsilio Ficino and
Cornelius Agrippa. De Imaginibus also figures prominently as a source in
Picatrix, an encyclopedic work famous as the
most authoritative exemplar of astrological magic.
In chapter III of De Imaginibus Thabit Ibn Qurra
explains how to create a set of talismans for receiving wealth from another. While
in this chapter Thabit Ibn Qurra says to begin under the Ascendant of a horary question,
as he makes clear in other chapters we can also use the Ascendant in the natal chart
of the person who wishes to receive wealth.
Our example is for a person who was born under Virgo rising.
We can further fine tune the election by using the exact degree rising, but if this
is not possible, we can simply use the appropriate sign rising.
Thabit Ibn Qurra then tells us to find a time when the
Ascendant and lord, here Mercury, are fortunate and not afflicted.
We are also to
find a time when the lord of the Ascendant is joined to the lord of the 2nd house
of wealth.
In our first election chart, for 4:12 am EDT, on
October 4, 2005 at Cleveland Park, a Washington, D.C. neighborhood, Virgo rises.
and its ruler Mercury is dignified by triplicity and term.
Mercury is the ruler of the
1st and 2nd, so this is a good method of joining these two houses, Mercury
is in the 2nd house further joining the Ascendant, i.e. the user of the talismans,
and his 2nd house of wealth.
Thabit Ibn Qurra then advises us to make a second
talisman, such that the Ascendant of the second talisman is the same sign that
was on the appropriate house of the first talisman. So if we wished wealth from
a king, we would use the sign on the 10th house of the first talisman as the sign
on the Ascendant of the second talisman.
In this case, we wish to receive money from clients and
customers (it would also work for spouses, partners and open enemies!) so we use the
sign on the 7th house, Pisces, as the sign on the Ascendant of the second talisman.
Thabit Ibn Qurra says that the lord of the Ascendant of
the second talisman should make a favorable aspect to the lord of the Ascendant of the
first talisman and should be unafflicted.
In our second election chart, for 5:12 pm EDT, on
October 4, 2005 at Cleveland Park, a Washington, D.C. neighborhood, Pisces rises
and its ruler Jupiter is dignified by face. Jupiter is well placed in the 8th house
of the money of clients and customers.
Mercury, ruler of the 1st in the first talisman
is applying to a conjunction of Jupiter, ruler of the 1st in the second talisman
in both elections.
These elections are much more complex and sophisticated
than simply doing planetary talismans. They are specifically tuned to the natal
charts of the person using them or that the mage seeks to affect. They make use
of the full range of technique available to the advanced Harranian Sabians.
I am pleased to have been able to make the first English translation of
De Imaginibus and to be able to make it available
in this new Hermetic Renaissance.
Here is further information on
Astrological Talismans
and Astrological Magic.
You might also be interested in my
Renaissance Astrology CD Library Series,
with 52 rare astrology and magic books as well as my Facsimile Editions of unique
Astrology and Magic Books and
my discussion group Spiritus Mundi.
If you
wish to delve even deeper into this fascinating area I offer my
Planetary Magic Mini-Course
and
Mansions of the Moon Mini-Course,
which allow students to immediately start making talismans and elections and are
a great introduction to my longer
Electional Astrology Course,
Horary Astrology Course
and
Astrological Magic Course.