The election for this week's talismans uses the
seventeenth 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 sixth mansion as Al-Iklil "the Crown".
Book of Instructions Section 164 (Wright trans.) page 83.
Here are the instructions for the image of the
Seventeenth Lunar Mansion from Picatrix,
"The seventeenth Mansion is Alichil, and it
is [for workings] that thieves
may not enter into the house and to drive away similar types of people.
When the Moon has entered this Mansion, fashion the figure of a monkey in
an iron seal, holding his hands above his shoulders . Cense it with the
hair of a monkey and the hair of a female mouse, and wrap it in a monkey
skin. It should then be buried in your house, while saying: You, Adrieb,
guard all my things and everything that exists within this house, nor let
it be entered by thieves. When the aforesaid [procedure] has been done,
thieves will flee from your house. And know that Adrieb 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 seventeenth Mansion is called
Alichil. It begins in the 25th degree, 42nd minute and 52nd second of Libra,
and is ended in the 8th degree, 36th minute and 2nd second of Scorpio."
Picatrix Excerpt IV, page xli (translation by Robert Thomas).
The use of the skin of a monkey or ape in this talisman
is interesting. While there are magical confections that call for the brain or blood
of monkey or ape, this appears to be the only use of a monkey skin in Picatrix.
We would note that Picatrix says that monkeys are under the rule of Saturn
and Mercury. Picatrix Bk. III, Chapter 0ne,
pages 91, 94.
This gives us some clue to the association of monkeys and
theft. Certainly monkey are renowned as thieves. Their natural ruler Mercury is the
ruler of thieves. William Lilly, Christian Astrology,
page 78. The astrologer William Salmon says that the square or opposition of Saturn and
Mercury makes for one, "...wholly intent on mischief, wickedness, deceit, cheating, and
thieving." The Soul of Astrology [1679] Bk. I, Chapter 25, page 80.
The time chosen for
the election is March 2, 2002 at 10:23 pm EST in Washington,
D.C. 38 N 55, 77 W 03. At this time the Moon is at 5
degrees of Scorpio. Thus at our elected date and time the Moon
is in her seventhteenth Mansion.
Here is further information on
Astrological Talismans
and Astrological Magic. If you
wish to delve even deeper into this fascinating area I offer an
Astrological Magic Web Course
as well as a traditional astrology and astrological magic discussion
group Spiritus Mundi.
