Election and Talisman of the Twenty Sixth
Mansion of the Moon for Love and Friendship from Picatrix
This week's talisman comes from David Pingree's Latin
version of Picatrix, an encyclopedic work
of medieval Arabic astrological magic.
The election for this week's talismans uses the
26th mansion of the Mansions of the Moon,
a 28 fold division of the monthly orbit of
the Moon. The tenth century Arabic astrologer Al-Biruni
gives the name of the thirteenth mansion as Al-Fargh Al-Awwa1 "The Fore Spout".
Book of Instructions Section 164 (Wright trans.) page 85.
You can make your own 26th mansion talisman following
the instructions given below or you can have me make an authentic
26th Mansion talisman for you. See an
example of a wax 26th Mansion talisman seal to right.
I also offer a
Mansions of the Moon Mini-Course which includes images for all 28 Mansions of the
Moon. For information on the Mansions Mini-Course or obtaining a single image
for your own talisman please Contact me.
Here are the instructions for the image of the
Twenty Sixth Lunar Mansion from Picatrix,
"The twenty-sixth Mansion is Alfarg Primus, and it is for the creation of love.
When the Moon has passed into it, take white wax and mastic and melt them
together; from these fashion the image of a woman with
her hair unbound and before her a vessel placed as if
to receive her hair. Cense it will sweet-smelling
odors, and say: You, Tagriel, bring me to the love and
friendship of such and such a woman."
"Place the image in a small bag, and place with it also some of
the most sweet-smelling of substances; carry it with
you, and it shall be completed as you have requested.
And know that Tagriel is the name of the lord of
this Mansion. "
Picatrix Book IV, Chapter 9 (translation by Robert Thomas).
Originally the lunar mansions were sidereal, that is
their boundaries were measured against the fixed stars. Later the boundaries of the
mansions were set at approximately 12 degrees and 51 minutes beginning with the
first degree of Aries.
Under this later system, "The twenty-sixth Mansion is
called Almisdam. It is begun in the 21st degree, 25th minute and 17th
second of Aquarius, and ends in the 4th degree, 17th minute and 10th second
of Pisces. In this Mansion may be made images for the goodwill of men."
Picatrix Excerpt IV, page xli (translation by Robert Thomas).
The time chosen for
the election is August 22, 2002 at 7:50 pm in Cleveland Park, a
neighborhood of Washington,
D.C. 38 N 55, 77 W 03. At this time the Moon is at 0
degrees of Pisces. Thus at our elected date and time the Moon
is in her 26th Mansion. She is on the Ascendant and is not combust (within 8 degrees
30 minutes of the Sun) or making an applying conjunction, square or opposition with
Saturn or Mars.
You can make this talisman for yourself by either following
the instructions given or using a black and white version of the image described for
the Mansion and coloring it in at the elected time.
One of the interesting things
about this talisman is how closely it conforms to contemporary hoodoo practice.
Hoodoo, rootwork or conjure is the folk magic of the American South, predominately
derived from African magical practice. See
Lucky Mojo for more information in hoodoo.
The use of sweet herbs, censing the talisman
and carrying it in a bag are almost identical to the production of a mojo or mojo hand,
classical hoodoo magic. Given that the Picatrix was probably written in about
A.D. 1000 in Spain it is my belief that the practices are similar because this is a
working, practical magical technique and not because of coincidence or diffusion.
Here is further information on
Astrological Talismans
and Astrological Magic. If you
wish to delve even deeper into this fascinating area I offer an
Mansions of the Moon Mini-Course
as well as a traditional astrology and astrological magic discussion
group Spiritus Mundi.