Alexander - Magickal astrology: understanding your place in the cosmos

Praise for Magickal Astrology

Skye Alexander's Magickal Astrology bursts with historical knowledge, fascinating perspectives on modern-day magic-making, and tangible howtosall of which will help you create a life in tune with the celestial bodies. Whether you're simply a curious Capricorn or an experienced Aquarius astrologer, this book is a magical must-have.

Lisa Marie Basile, author of Light Magic for Dark Times: More than 100
Spells, Rituals, and Practices for Coping in a Crisis

Profound wisdom from a very wise woman. An excellent guide to magick, ancient and modern.

Judy Hall, author The Crystal Bible and The Astrology Bible

Packed with lots of fascinating information, tips, and tricks to keep you busy making magick in tune with the earth's and planets cycles!

Yasmin Boland, award-winning astrologer and bestselling author of Moonology

They say that timing is everything. Magickal Astrology teaches you how to use astrology to enhance your magickal workings with solar, lunar, and planetary energies; astrological symbols; and more. The results? Spells that actually work. If you desire an intentional, charmed life, this book will give you the gift of perfect timing.

Theresa Reed, author of The Tarot Coloring Book and coauthor of Tarot for Troubled Times

This edition first published in 2019 by Weiser Books, an imprint of

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

With offices at:

65 Parker Street, Suite 7

Newburyport, MA 01950

www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright 2019 by Skye Alexander

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

Previously published in 2000 by New Page Books, ISBN: 978-1-56414-479-9.

ISBN: 978-1-57863-658-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available upon request.

Cover and text design by Kathryn Sky-Peck

Typeset in Weiss

Printed in the United States of America

LB

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www.redwheelweiser.com/newsletter

To Zoe

Many thanks to Michael Kerber, Peter Turner, Christine LeBlond, Laurie Kelly-Pye, and the other great folks at Red Wheel/Weiser for making this book possible. I also owe a debt of gratitude to all the astrologers and magick workers who have taught and inspired me through the decades, and especially to Hugh Lockhart who got me interested in astrology.

Studying astrology can bring the higher perceptions that life requires.

ROBERT HAND

We live in a magickal universe of unlimited potential, a universe comprised of seen and unseen, physical and nonphysical worlds. Most of the time we are only aware of the physical realmand only a small part of that. Our vision is limited; so is our ability to shape our destinies. These worlds are infinitely complex, yet with the right tools and understanding, we can navigate them gracefully. With the knowledge of astrology and magick, we can erase the barriers that normally restrict us and walk between the worlds. We can expand our perception to understand our place in the cosmos. We can transcend time and look into the past and the future. Most importantly, we can create the lives we want for ourselves and help others to do the same.

No one knows how long humans have been using astrology and magick. Archaeologists have found Egyptian star charts dating back to 4200 BCE, although some studies suggest that our ancestors tracked lunar cycles as early as 32,000 years ago. Magickal practices are described in ancient texts and abound in the ageless myths of every culture. My guess is that this wisdom has always been with us, and we are just beginning to remove the shroud of fear and superstition that has kept it hidden for millennia.

Astrology and magick serve as links between universal forces and earthly experience. Like myth, meditation, and music, they provide windows through which we can glimpse the Divine and see its hand shaping the manifest world.

St. Thomas Aquinas believed that the celestial bodies are the cause of all that takes place in the sublunar world. Astrological forces exert a profound influence on the everyday impulses and activities of humans as well as the functioning of the natural world. Not surprisingly, magick, which utilizes the energies of the heavens, nature, and the human psyche, has woven astrology into its fabric.

Many schools of thought exist in both astrology and magick. None is right or wrongall are valid. They all work. Astrology and magick do not endorse nor reject any spiritual path, although some schools of thought have roots in specific cultural and/or religious traditions. The astrologers and magicians I know believe that all quests for truth lead to the same end. Although the first path you take may not be the one you continue on, as you learn more and put your knowledge into practice, you'll naturally gravitate toward the path that's most appropriate for you.

In the past, due largely to fear of persecution, access to secret societies and teachings was restricted. Today, occult knowledge is widely available in bookstores and online, enabling seekers to study astrology and magick and to pursue their own paths, solo or with a group of like-minded individuals. Online sites now make ancient texts available to those who wish to peruse them. We have greater opportunities for study and the exchange of ideas today than ever before. I urge you to experiment. Read all you can. Allow yourself to be led by your inner knowing.

The astrological information contained in this book is of the contemporary Western tropical variety. This does not mean I discount Chinese or Vedic or heliocentric astrology, only that I am a contemporary Western practitioner who, after more than four decades of work, finds this system to be the most effective for my purposes. Most of the magickal information I've included follows Wiccan and Neo-Pagan traditions because these are harmonious with my Celtic heritage, my feminist leanings, my Aquarian dislike of rigid hierarchy, and my love of nature. But I also use feng shui extensively, along with some Eastern yogic practices, some Native American wisdom teachings, and a few Golden Dawnstyle rituals. I share with you what works for me and encourage you to use what you like, reject what you don't, alter it, expand upon it, put your own individual stamp on it.

In essence, magick is the process of consciously creating circumstances by manipulating energy. From the magician's point of view, there's no such thing as luckwe make our own luck. Witchcraft, ceremonial or ritual magick, shamanism, ecstatic sex, and feng shui are all types of magick, and there are many others. Despite differences in their outer forms, all have one thing in common: they focus the magician's intent, strengthening his or her ability to direct natural energies in order to produce a desired effect. Will is the power behind magick; magick is willed action. Aleister Crowley, one of the most famous magicians in the modern era, said, Every intentional act is a Magical Act.