Christopher Warnock - Fixed Star, Sign and Constellation Magic

Fixed Star, Sign & Constellation Magic

Kindle Edition

By Christopher Warnock

Illustrated by Nigel Jackson & Robert M. Place

Copyright 2019 Christopher Warnock

All Rights Reserved

Algol, Pleiades, Procyon, Regulus, Wing of Corvus, Spica, Alkaid, Arcturus, Alphecca, Vega, Deneb Algedi illustrations by Nigel Jackson

Aldebaran, Capella, Sirius, Antares illustrations by Robert M. Place

2019

For Kathleen

CONTENTS

Chapter I Introduction

A strology literally means the language or wisdom of the stars. Originating in Babylonia and Chaldea, Western astrology is over 2,000 years old. By observing the cycles of the Heavens, astrologers and magicians could predict events and even cause spiritual and material effects here on Earth. Astrology flourished during periods of high civilization: among the Greeks and Romans, the advanced Islamic civilization of the Middle East, and in Europe in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The astrology practiced in Europe during these last periods, approximately A.D. 1100-1700, is known as traditional astrology. Unlike the predominately psychologically oriented modern astrology, traditional astrology emphasizes prediction and providing definitive answers to specific questions, and traditional astrological magic focuses on the use of astrology for talismanic magic.

Among the most important celestial factors used in traditional astrology are the fixed stars, signs and constellations. The planets and signs of the Zodiac are much more familiar, even to astrologers, than the fixed stars and constellations. The word planet comes from the Greek planetes, meaning wanderer, reflecting the ancients observation that over time the planets move significantly relative to each other and to the fixed stars. Renaissance astrology used a geocentric (Earth-centered) astronomy based on the concept of celestial spheres. The fastest planet, the Moon, had the sphere closest to Earth, followed by Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and the slowest and thus highest of the planetary spheres, Saturn. Above the spheres of the planets was the sphere of the fixed stars and the Zodiac, the highest of the celestial spheres.

The fixed stars are called fixed because they do not appear to move in relation to each other; their relative positions appear to be fixed. However, as ancient astrologers observed, the stars do move slowly, about one degree every 72 years due to the precession of the equinoxes. Traditional astrologers and astronomers recognized about 1,000 visible stars, which were organized in patterns called constellations. Each of the fixed stars was part of one of the 12 Zodiacal constellations or 36 extra-Zodiacal constellations. The fixed stars of the Zodiacal constellations were especially important as they comprised the 12 Signs, an essential component of astrology.

Each constellation and often individual fixed stars in the constellation were classified in traditional sources for predictive purposes as being similar to one or more planets. For example, the fixed star Aldebaran was considered to be of the nature of Mars. This classification is a convenient way to understand the character of the fixed stars and constellations for purposes of astrological prediction, but it has been misinterpreted as meaning that somehow the planets rule or control the fixed stars or constellations. But as noted, the sphere of the fixed stars is above the planetary spheres and so, in traditional astrology, the fixed stars rule the planets.

For Renaissance philosophers and astrologers, the fixed stars were a key part of the Celestial World, which itself was the essential link between the Divine World of Ideas and Angels and the Material World. In the Hermetic philosophy that underpinned and explained traditional astrology and astrological magic, all things in the Cosmos were connected by chains of spiritual sympathy and correspondence. The wise man and mage traced out these patterns and connections and could use them for prediction and magic. Each of these connections was seen as a chain within the Great Chain of Being that encompassed all things in the Cosmos. Each fixed star was at the top of many individual chains in the Great Chain of Being. The Renaissance philosopher and astrologer Marsilio Ficino explains:

I have said elsewhere that down from every single star (so to speak Platonically) there hangs its own series of things down to the lowest...Under the celestial Serpent or the entire constellation of the Serpent-bearer, they place Saturn and sometimes Jupiter, afterwards daemons who often take on serpents form, in addition men of this kind, serpents (the animals), the snake-weed, the stone draconite which originates in the head of a dragon, and the stone commonly called serpentine...By a similar system they think a chain of beings descends by levels from any star of the firmament through any planet under its dominion. If, therefore, as I said, you combine at the right time all the Solar things through any level of that order, i.e., men of Solar nature or something belonging to such a man, likewise animals, plants, metals, gems and whatever pertains to these, you will drink in unconditionally the power of the Sun and to some extent the natural powers of the Solar daemons.

Thus each of the things ruled by a particular planet or star share certain qualities, powers and virtues embodied in a celestial form exemplified by their planetary or stellar ruler. The planet or star, in turn, is the instantiation of one or more Divine Forms or Ideas. Thus, according to the Hermetic philosophy used by Renaissance astrologers, everything in the Material World has its origin in the Divine World through the mediation of the celestials.

The astrological mage traces these chains of sympathy and correspondence and uses them to create spiritual and material effects. Astrological magic is a combination of astrology and ceremonial magic: ritual is performed at a precisely chosen time to create a magical talisman. The astrological timing is an essential component. By creating a talisman at an auspicious time, known as an election, using the proper astrological considerations, the mage can then invoke the spirit of the planet, star, etc., and ask it to fill the talisman with its particular power, to inhabit or ensoul the talisman, a process known as consecration. To increase the attractiveness of the talisman to the spirit, it is also helpful to make it out of appropriate materials and to incorporate appropriate images, sigils and other symbols upon the talisman.

The proper astrological timing for the creation of the talisman, invocation of the celestial spirit and appropriate talisman design and images are the most important factors in the creation of talismans. The material of the talisman, appropriate ritual clothing, colors of candles, the altar, and music are also useful, but not as vital. They should not be inappropriate, but are not as important as the timing and invocation.

Chapter II The Fixed Stars and the Zodiac

A s noted above, the over 1,000 visible stars used by ancient astrologers and astronomers were grouped into constellations and divided into the Zodiacal and extra-Zodiacal constellations. The word Zodiac comes from the Greek zodiakos kuklos or circle of animals, referring to the various animals and other symbols that make up the Zodiac. If we watch the path of the Sun against the sky, known as the ecliptic, it crosses 12 constellations. These are the origins of the 12 signs that make up the Zodiac, a 360 degree circle through which the planets orbit. The choice of Zodiac has become controversial among modern astrologers, and this seemingly esoteric debate has penetrated to the general public under the guise of the so-called 13th sign, Ophiuchus. We need to understand the Zodiac in order to precisely find the location of the fixed stars and constellations, and to create talismans of the 12 signs of the Zodiac.