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Cornelius Agrippa Three Books of Occult Philosophy |
Introduction to Astrological Talismans
Sources for Astrological Talismans
Currently Available Talismans
Types of Astrological Talismans
Planetary Talismans
Saturn Talismans
Jupiter Talismans
Mars Talismans Sun Talismans
Venus Talismans
Mercury Talismans
Moon Talismans
Fixed Star Talismans
Talismans of the Mansions of the Moon
House Based Full Chart Talismans
Learning More About Astrological Talismans
Introduction to Astrological Talismans & Amulets
Talisman comes from the Greek telesma meaning consecrated or sacred object. Amulet comes from the Latin amuletum and refers more narrowly to objects with an apotropaic or protective function. The key to astrological talismans and amulets is the timing of their creation which is determined by electional astrology. Unless talismans are created at an astrologically auspicious time as well as being ritually consecrated they are nothing more than jewelry with astrological designs, lacking any magical or spiritual charge.
Talismans represent the logical extension of a spiritual world view and have been a part of Western culture for thousands of years. Renaissance Magi like Marsilio Ficino and Cornelius Agrippa saw the entire Cosmos as one great, interconnected Being, a system based on intricate harmony, sympathy and correspondence, both spiritual and material. Astrology, Alchemy and Magic were seen as the preparatory studies for Hermetic Gnosis, a practical way of experiencing the unity of the Cosmos.
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The Renaissance Astrology website provides resources for both students and practitioners of authentic medieval and Renaissance astrological magic. All of the information on the website has been carefully researched from authentic traditional sources and meticulously cited for further reading and study. Those who find their interest piqued and wish to go beyond simply studying this fascinating area, can obtain talismans created exactly according to the traditional sources or learn how to create talismans for themselves in accordance with the ancient Western esoteric system.
Sources for Astrological Talismans
For Renaissance astrological magic our key printed sources for the actual construction of talismans are Cornelius Agrippa's encyclopedic Three Books of Occult Philosophy and Marsilio Ficino's fascinating Three Books on Life. The association of astrology and astrological magic with evil spirits created a chill with regard to publication of texts on these subjects in the Renaissance. However, there are several other interesting printed sources including The Supreme Mysteries also known as the Archidoxes of Magic attributed to Paracelsus and Mysterium Sigillorum by Israel Hibner.
A considerable number of astrological magic texts circulated in the medieval and Renaissance period in manuscript. Frank Klassen provides an interesting list of library holdings of Manuscripts of Astrological Image Magic. One of the most important manuscripts of astrological magic was the Picatrix or Ghayat al Hikam, "the Aim of the Wise". This book, written circa AD 1000 and translated into Latin in 1256 at the court of Alphonso the Wise of Castile, was probably the most influential of all astrological magic texts. Both Agrippa and Ficino cite the Picatrix extensively. Another key text is De Imaginibus "On Images" by the Harranian Sabian sage Thabit Ibn Qurra. This text, newly translated and published by Renaissance Astrology, represents the most sophisticated astrological magic ever practiced, using as it does, the entire repertoire of traditional Electional Astrology.
Currently Available Talismans and Amulets
Types of Astrological Talismans & Amulets
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Once an appropriate time is chosen, the mage gathers the materials from which the talisman will be made. Each planet, for example, is associated with a certain metal. As the chosen time the mage creates the talisman. My talismans are all cast from precious metals, but talismans can also be stamped, inscribed or engraven and made in metal, gems, or even on paper or parchment. The effect of gemstone and metal talismans is longer lasting, for as the Renaissance philosopher Marsilio Ficino observes, "gems and metals, though they seem too hard for accepting a celestial influence, nevertheless retain it longer if they receive it." Three Books on Life, Book III, chapter 14. Once again the key is that the talisman must receive its form at the elected time if it is to be efficacious.
After making the talisman with the appropriate signs, sigils, characters, images and designs, as set forth at length in our traditional sources, the mage then consecrates the talisman in a magical ceremony. In one sense this can be seen as charging the talisman with the energy of the chosen astrological factor. At the same time, the consecration can also be seen as the invocation of the spirit ruling or animating the chosen astrological factor who then inhabits or infuses the talisman with its particular powers. The talisman is then worn by the user or placed in a location where the mage wishes the effects of the talisman to manifest.
Planetary Talismans
We first look at Saturn the Greater Malefic. Saturn, like Mars, the Lesser Malefic, has an energy that is necessary, but often difficult to deal with. He is associated with melancholy and death as well as agriculture, construction, occult studies, solidity and discipline. For much of 2004-2006 Saturn will be in an afflicted state that is inappropriate for talismans. Here is my sole example of a Saturn talisman from the encyclopedic book of astrological magic, Picatrix.
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Jupiter |
Jupiter Picatrix talisman for success w/judges & officials
Jupiter talisman for prosperity
Jupiter & fixed star Sirius talisman
Jupiter triplicity talisman
Jupiter cazimi talisman & banner
Jupiter talisman for prosperity
Jupiter talisman for prosperity
Next is Mars the Lesser Malefic, who is associated with courage, fortitude, strength, victory as well as war. Here are a number of examples of Mars talismans, with actual horoscopes for their creation.
Mars Picatrix talisman for fear & dread
Mars talisman
Mars Picatrix talisman to stop bleeding
Mars Picatrix talisman for power
Mars Picatrix talisman for achievement & great works
Next is the Sun, the Light of the Day, associated with healing, wealth, friendship, nobility, authority. Here are a number of examples of Sun talismans, with actual horoscopes for their creation.
Agrippa Sun talisman for fame
Sun talisman for depression
Picatrix Sun talisman
Sun talisman
Mysterium Sigillorum Sun talisman
Sun talisman
Sun in Leo talisman
While these are called talismans of the signs, they are more appropriate termed Sun talismans, because they are prepared when the Sun is in their signs. They come from the The Supreme Mysteries also known as the Archidoxes of Magic attributed to Paracelsus.
Paracelsus' Sun in Libra talisman
Paracelsus' Sun in Scorpio talisman
Next is Venus, the Lesser Benefic, associated with love, friendship, travel, art, music, beauty. Here are a number of examples of Venus talismans, with actual horoscopes for their creation.
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Venus |
Venus/Moon talisman
Venus triplicity talisman
Venus/Moon talisman
Venus Picatrix bird-headed talisman
Venus Taurus talisman
Venus in Libra talisman
Venus & Spica talisman
Venus Picatrix love talisman
Venus in Taurus talisman
Venus love talisman
Venus talisman
Next is Mercury, associated with communication, business, memory, eloquence, learning. Here are a number of examples of Mercury talismans, with actual horoscopes for their creation.
Picatrix Mercury in Virgo talisman
Mercury in Aquarius talisman for occult knowledge
Picatrix Mercury talisman
Hermes Trismegistus election
Next is the Moon, the Light of the Night, associated with travel, messages, communications, divination, and the measured change of all things, their birth, life and death, in the Material World. Here are a number of examples of Moon talismans, with actual horoscopes for their creation.
Agrippa Moon talisman
Moon/Venus talisman
Moon/Venus talisman
Moon rise talisman
Fixed Star Talismans
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The Moon |
One of our most important traditional sources on the fixed stars in astrological magic was Hermes Trismegistus on the 15 fixed stars. This astrological text, which circulated in many manuscript versions in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, lists 15 important fixed stars, their sigil or character, the plants and gems ruled by the star and the effects created by its talisman. Cornelius Agrippa in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy also provides very useful Fixed Star Images for astrological talismans.
To make fixed star talismans Cornelius Agrippa advises the mage as follows,
"Now the manner of making these kinds of Rings, is this, viz. when any Star ascends fortunately, with the fortunate aspect, or conjunction of the Moon, we must take a stone, and Hearb that is under that Star, and make a Ring of the Metall that is suitable to this Star, and in it fasten the stone, putting the Hearb, or root under it; not omitting the inscriptions of images, names, and Characters, as also the proper suffumigations"
Three Books of Occult Philosophy, Book I, chapter 47.
Here are a number of examples of fixed star talismans, with actual horoscopes for their creation.
Talisman of the malefic fixed star Algol
Talisman of the Wing of Corvus for protection from spirits
Talisman of Sirius for honor & good will
Talisman of onyx & Kappa Bootes from
the Lapidary of King Alphonso
Talisman of Aldebaran for riches & honor
Talisman of Sirius
Talisman of Procyon for health
Talisman of Antares for Memory &
Protection from Evil Spirits
Talisman of the fixed star
Talisman of Spica for riches & peace
Talisman of Regulus for temperance & favor
Talisman of Regulus for temperance & favor
Talismans of the Mansions of the Moon
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Mars |
Our key source for information on the talismans of the Mansions of the Moon is Picatrix, an encyclopedic text of Arabic astrological magic. Here is a complete listing of the Picatrix Lunar Mansion talismans, with their images, incense, ritual, talismans and effects. I offer a Mansions of the Moon Mini-Course which teaches how to make traditional lunar mansions talismans. Below are examples of talismans of the Mansions of the Moon with actual horoscopes for their creation.
15th Mansion talisman for friendship
11th Mansion talisman for respect
6th Mansion talisman for love
13th Mansion talisman for love
17th Mansion anti-theft talisman
25th Mansion ecological talisman
3rd Mansion talisman for good things
5th Mansion talisman for favor from kings and divinatory dreams
16th Mansion talisman for prosperity
11th & 12th Mansion talismans for power & victory
House Based Full Chart Talismans
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Saturn |
The key texts for these complex house based talismans are Picatrix and De Imaginibus "On Images" by the Harranian Sabian sage Thabit Ibn Qurra. These texts represent the height of astrological magic technique and can include such subtleties as tuning the talisman election to the natal chart of the user or person whom the mage seeks to effect, tuning the election to a horary chart asked about the mage's objective and dual talismans whose elections have been adjusted to each other. Here are examples of talismans with actual charts for their creation.
Picatrix Double Love Talismans
Picatrix Talisman for Destruction
Picatrix City Improvement Talisman
Picatrix Trade & Wealth Talisman
Picatrix Power & Dignity Talisman
Picatrix Kingly Favor Talisman
Picatrix Sympathetic Master Talisman
Picatrix Double Marriage Talismans
Picatrix Business Talisman
De Imaginibus Pest Control Talisman
Picatrix Prisoner Release Talisman
De Imaginibus Wealth Talisman
De Imaginibus Personalized Talisman
Learning More About Talismans
If you are interested in discussing and learning about Renaissance Astrology, particulary Astrological Magic, the construction of talismans and the magical use of Electional Astrology , you may wish to subscribe to Spiritus Mundi my e-group devoted to traditional (pre-1700) astrology.
For those that desire to delve deeper into Astrology and magic 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, and Astrological Magic Course. Students must complete the Electional Course before taking the Astrological Magic Course and I recommend that students begin with the Planetary Magic Mini-Course before the Electional Course. Highly motivated students are welcome to being directly with the Accelerated Option of the Electional Course. Please Contact me with any questions.
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Specializing in Horary Astrology, Electional Astrology Astrological Magic and Astrological Talismans.
Copyright 2005, Christopher Warnock, All Rights Reserved.