About Magicians

This page is about English magicians and their contemporaries. Perhaps a more international selection would  make for a more universal illustration but the English Example is illuminating. The presentation also demonstrates the fusion approach to astrology : using traditional principles with modern discoveries. It explores what we might look for as the signature of a magician, what factors might dispose one to sympathy but not practice, and what might dispose one to patronage of magicians.  In the process we will look at the charts and well documented lives of four magicians, an astrologer, and a queen. 

The notes point out salient factors in aspects and placements. The commentary includes mention of biographical bits in connection with directions and profections. Some expansion and editing will take place as the page develops, and corrections of any errors that may have arisen. Please contact us if you spot any errors.        

To complete the presentation links to one or two sites discussing these personalities and a book or two on them is also included. If you know of a particularly good link or biography, please contact us to request its inclusion.    

Contents

Return to Le Rose Blanche - Home Page

The Houses of the Magicians

Indicated houses 

Contrasting houses    

Practitioners of the healing arts, foreigners, and paid advisors and representatives such as doctors and lawyers are associated with the 9th corresponding to Jupiter and Sagittarius, partners and adversaries by the 7th corresponding to Libra ruled by Venus with Saturn exalted there.  Modern astrologers give Pluto to Scorpio and Neptune to Pisces, and while traditional astrologers do not entirely ignore the outer planets, they would never give rulerships. From a fusion perspective, the outer planets do not rule in the traditional sense but are corulers of these signs with dignity equivalent to the visible ruler but only taking it's place under rare circumstances.  

A note on the via 

It has been noted that the Moon in the via combusta and Venus and Moon when poorly dignified are yet strong and magically potent although one does need to take care. The via has been likened to the cosmic menses of the lunar cycle, analogous to pms. This appears reasonable yet the Moon in the via in question charts suggests an airy influence that is also to be noted with the Moon in other Air signs but to a lesser extent. It is probably safe to adopt the cosmic menstrual cycle view but to also place it in the perspective of dignity (which is also a cyclical context). The via extends from mid Libra to mid Scorpio and the Moon here is Peregrine in the sign of Saturn's exaltation and then in Fall in the dark sign of Mars after entering Scorpio. The Moon normally watery is prickly in the Air signs and of the waters does poorly only in Scorpio. She does very well in Taurus (exalted), Cancer (rule), Sagittarius (perhaps due to Jupiter's exaltation in Cancer), and Pisces (very watery and Jupiter ruled again as well as holding the exaltation of Venus). 

The phases of Venus and the Moon with the Sun are also of importance. These short cycles are instances of longer cycles giving linkages to longer term, higher order phenomena. The Moon's 28 day cycle is the second hand to Saturn's 28 year cycle, the Eclipse cycle of about 20 years suggests the Jupiter/Saturn cycle, Venus forms the pentagram with her solar conjunctions about every 40 months and gives a pair of complete rising and setting pentagram about every 8 years.  In the tree of life cosmological design, Venus is the foundation of the pillar of Mercy and given the number 7 while the Moon is placed between the Earth and Sun at number 9. Added these values give 16 which is the number of alchemical combinations obtained by pairs of the 4 elements - apt for the feminine principle of generation, and for the feminine nature of these planets.

This digression on salient points of the feminine planets is for perspective.  There are modern schools and some old school practitioners that use the feminine planets in their debilities and with the resurgence of religious veneration of the goddess or feminine aspect of deity one should be clear about the fact that there are two sides to the energy. This is particularly important in considering the nature and magical employment of the feminine energies and for appropriate perspective in worship of the goddess.  It is emphasized due to the mundanely unfortunate nature of the houses connected with magic and mysticism. Note that Venus and Moon have debility in the 6th and 8th and tend to have excessive tendencies in the 12th. This is all the more a consideration with sex magic, neopaganism, and tantra. It may also indicate that magicians may make beneficial use of these 'debilities' if they proceed with requisite caution and understanding.

Descriptive notes from the houses

Now let us return to the houses of the magicians. The 6th is the house of the practical magician, the artisan and technician but being also the house of illness and mutable, it is unfortunate generally. This is the house of chronic illness; slaves, servants, or employees; small animals, especially those kept for gain; prison, lies, and slander.  According to Ibn Ezra, the first triplicity (the planet ruling the first triplicity of the sign on the cusp of that house) shows the illness and defects of the native; the second, his slaves, servants or employees; and the third whether these servitors be useful or harmful.  This second triplicity remark could also be applied to spirits, agents, and tools; and by moderns is extended even to the employment of the native and his moods. It remains in horaries, the house of servants and employees and of small animals kept for gain as well as illness; but also of aunts and uncles on the father's side, and is useful in vocational and labor questions. . As noted above it is also connected with Virgo and Mercury and is a cadent house. Thus we expect the practical aspects of magic to require study and the application of labor and to be of benefit as a service, though not likely a free one, to others. We also expect the practical magician to have to deal with illness and to be educated and detail oriented but not particularly or necessarily fortunate or wealthy except insofar as magic has been applied. We also expect his projects to progress by fits and starts and that not all of them reach completion though few are abandoned. We would expect the practical magician to be somewhat interested in herbs and healing for Virgo and to be well read and rather pedantic with perhaps a few secret pleasures and possibly a conventional or perhaps academic appearance. 

The 8th is the house of the sorcerer and the psychic. According to Ibn Ezra this is the house of death, inheritance, loans, separation, fear, grief, and loss. The first triplicity shows death, the second shows the wisdom and property of the ancestors and anything ancient, the third shows inheritance.  Note the connection to ancient wisdom and antiquities.  In horaries this is the house of privy or secret counselors, death, taxes, credit, and inheritance, dowry of the spouse, the adversary's second in a duel, the defendant's friends in lawsuits, dreams and anxiety and poisons. It also is connected with the personal cycles of sexual and psychic energy. It's natural sign is Scorpio with Saturn consignificator. The planets Mars and Pluto also relate. Note that there are now also connections with research and work with the statistical sciences - chemistry, as well as with psychism; all these concepts are directly linked to Pluto.   It is a succeedant house so it's influence is lasting and takes time to accumulate, and traditionally is considered unfortunate. This is partly why sorcerers practice daily ritual - they need to 'build up a charge' for their work.  Thus we expect both the sorcerer and the psychic to be variable in their intensity and in their personal energy and to have great curiosity, perhaps a fascination, with sex and death. They are usually secretive, sometimes even with their intimates, and may have familiar spirits. Often one finds that they benefit from the misfortune or demise of others and rarely can maintain their good fortune. Their schemes, for good or ill are usually long term and subtle acting like an advanced and cumulative form of poison. They tend not to be fortunate except due to their use of power or the misfortune of others and to seek power first and foremost. If they work for others it is usually in secret and with a great measure of independence. They live by their own principles rather than convention and their ethics are their own. They are intensely loyal but vindictive if betrayed (betrayal is based on their assessment alone) and exhibit either superhuman control of their emotions and powers or are highly volatile and sometimes by turns. Frequently they fall prey to hubris or arrogance, typical strong Scorpio difficulties. 

The 12th house is the home of the mystic. This is also a cadent house and mutable with Pisces and Venus as consignificators. According to Ibn Ezra this is the house of grief, poverty, jealousy, hatred, fear, fraud, vigilance, prison, captivity, all disgrace and affliction, and of animals used for riding or to pull vehicles.  Later astrologers generalized some what to include large animals period and the reactive emotions to apply to self undoing and affliction generally.  Through the emotions of hatred and jealousy it now also applies to those who maliciously undermine others or secretly inform against them, and it has come to apply to large institutions generally such as hospitals, prisons and government agencies. The first triplicity shows grief and malicious gossips, the second shows prisons and other confinements as well as temporary workers, and the third shows enemies as well as large beasts and cattle. Although Saturn delights here as the author of mischief, the factors associated are Pisces, Neptune and Jupiter, so we get divines and mystics as well as confidence tricksters, betrayers, neurotics, and the afflicted. . We would then expect the mystic and shaman and witch, all of whom have a share in the nature of this house, to be somewhat unstable and to have come to their path by the Buddhist conviction that existence is suffering. Though some will also exhibit a more transcendent opposite Jovian attitude.  They can be expected to intrigue against their peers and to be their own worst enemies. They are not always inclined to honesty and often have dealings with or have themselves been inmates of prisons, hospitals, and asylums. They also tend to have addictions or, the reverse, to be fastidious purists. The public record shows that prominent mystics and divines often experience scandal and sometimes legal action and include a broad spectrum stretching from the sublime to the tawdry, fraudulent and pathetic. The Neptune influence connects them with celebrity and quite often they have high visibility, despite their numerous detractors.  It is also to be noted that they are often highly critical or dismissive of more established and reliable sources of advice and have a marked tendency to socialism and sedition.

In contrast to this the 9th house shows professional representatives of more established and conventional wisdom. The philosophers, astrologers, clerics, doctors, lawyers, scientists, and purveyors of financial services. According to Ibn Ezra this is the house of travel and the distant road; of those removed from high office (as the house 'falling away' from the 10th), and of philosophy, religion, and spiritual attitude; of emissaries (traditional horary astrologers more often assign agents and emissaries to the 5th), rumors and dreams; oaths, divination, laws, and judgment.  The roots of later traditional and the modern associations with lawyers, doctors and other professionals and with foreigners and the exotic should be obvious. The first triplicity shows travel, the second shows faith, and the third shows wisdom and education.    During Neptune's transit of Sagittarius and when Jupiter is debilitated, the professional classes and large businesses share many of the difficulties of the mystic. According to Lilly, this house shows overseas travel, professional representation of faith and wisdom, dreams, visions, (therefore also prophecy) and foreign contacts, as well as corporations and other large private enterprise. It also shows the kindred of the spouse. This house has Jupiter, Mars, and Sagittarius as consignificators. Note that Ebertin has found that Mars/Jupiter combinations often indicate the founders of large enterprises. Infortunes here incline to skepticism or fanaticism and to difficulties with foreigners, overseas travel, and large scale business and investment ventures. Fortunes here incline to a strong but temperate faith, success in large scale business, and successful overseas journeys and contacts. Yet, it is to be noted that the house is cadent and mutable so matters are likely to proceed by fits and starts and not all projects will be completed. There will also likely be many turns of fortune along the road - consider that many of the most wealthy experienced bankruptcy more than once on the path to riches.

Note that there are also powerful fixed stars that incline to these paths and though the indicative house may not show it, the presence of one of these stars conjunct the ruler of the house or on one of the angles can be an equivalent indication. 

A personal application 

As an example, in my own chart, Mars conjuncts a star inclining to interests in astrology and magic in the same sign as the 9th but lying in the 8th. Mars rules my ascendant making it a major influence and placed in the 8th might incline to sorcery. Yet, the philosophical (and sometimes biting sense of humor) of Sagittarius have led to a theoretical, philosophical, and practical (I also have more than my share of Virgo and that situated in the 6th) study of astrology. There are elements of magic and sorcery but astrology is the dominant interest. I have also not been known to be very fortunate if you were wondering, shall likely die of fever or violence, and have to fight for my inheritance though there may be ameliorating factors there. 

My 6th house is loaded containing Sun, Mercury, Saturn and Venus.  Mercury is final dispositor and Venus the Almutem Figuris with only the Sun in Libra.    

An example of an apparent exception would be that of a person with no planets in the 6th, 8th or 12th but with the ruler of one of those houses conjunct an appropriate fixed star, and that preferably on an angle. 

Conclusion

In conclusion it would appear that magicians are produced by a forge of adversity, and overcome it, when they do, by using their abilities. It reminds me strongly of the Tibetan Buddhist list of "The Ten Things Not To Be Avoided". Obviously from a purely mundane point of view, the path of the magician or mystic is not chosen for it's ease or stability although these may be achieved by transcendence (usually shown by a fortunate direction) or application of the knowledge (usually shown by a series of potentially constructive transits and directions) or now and then by dumb luck (usually a fortunate comet or nova or very well placed Jupiter). Though there is such a thing as luck, few magicians possess it and usually learn not to count on it.  

September 25th, 2002

Jonathan Flanery

 Return to top of page

John Dee, A Renaissance Mage

The chart for Dee is based on an entry in his notebooks which gives 4:02 pm on 7/13/1527. the date for the chart below is the NS equivalent with the day of the week from astrodienst ephemeris. There are variants with 4:04 Sagittarius rising and one with Capricorn.

Born on a Saturday in the hour of Mercury.  Szygy is Full Moon at 29 Cancer (checked). The Great Comet of 1577 and other comets, Tycho's Nova of 1572, and an appearance of Halley's in 1607, the year before his death, punctuate Dee's long life. He lived to the age of 81.

Lord of the Ascendant : Jupiter in Cancer in the 7th.

Almutem Figuris : Saturn in Taurus in the 5th 

Final Dispositor : Mercury in Cancer (7th) cycling with Venus in Virgo (9th). Mars in Scorpio (12th) as an independent  singleton. 

Sun in Cancer, Moon in Aquarius, Sagittarius rising. 

Notes :  His three marriages and wealthy patrons are shown by the planets in the 7th, Jupiter in Cancer particularly shows some gain by marriage and high powered friends. His occult interests are shown by Sun in the 8th trine Mars in the 12th.  His travels by Neptune in the 3rd and Venus in the 9th though he never strayed more than a few hundred miles from London.  That Venus in the 9th also shows his rather tolerant and Hermetic views on religion and his practical bent in philosophy.  Mars in the 12th : of course he had enemies and detractors. With Saturn as his AF in the 5th, solitude and study were his chief joys and few of his children survived him though they appear rather late in his life.    

Links :  Compressed bio  Writings  The John Dee Society

Biographic references :

The Queen's Conjuror by Benjamin Wooley

Comment :  Note Virgo and Pisces as included signs in the 3rd and 9th indicating constraints in connection with education and travel, though these constraints did not prevent either. 

The comet of 1533 falls near his Sun in trine with his Mars.  The comet of 1582 falls on his descendant which is about when Edward Kelley appeared in his life, and the comet of 1607, the year before his death,  falls on his ascendant. 

As might be expected for such a multifaceted and colorful individual, there are some strong fixed stars.  For 1527 his horizon line is the Antares/Aldebaran axis both very bright and powerful stars.  Jupiter is on Canopus and Mercury on Propus.  His share of misfortune is hinted at by Prasaepae with the Sun and Yed Prior with Mars.  Positions adjusted for precession. 

John Dee 1527 - 1608, toward an astrological biography

Dees's life is so rich and well documented that I decided to confine myself to thee areas : his family life - marriages, children, residences; his travels, and his work with what he called angel magic and is now known as Enochian magic.  I know this doesn't cover all the areas of interest.  He was also an author, inventor, consultant in navigation, and of course astrologer and magician to Queen Elizabeth I.  There are also indications that he was an intriguer and worked closely with Elizabeth's spymaster Walsingham.    

By limiting the discussion, I avoid writing a full astrological annotation to his rather lengthy biography and deal with these few areas in some depth.  I have also noticed that few references discuss his domestic life in much detail.  The following three sections attempt to show the astrological connections with the events in these areas of his life. 

Family and Domestic Life  

Dee married three times during his life. The first marriage was in the mid 1560's when he was in his late 30's or around 40.  This marriage probably took place in 1567 when Dee was 40.  At that time his profected ascendant was the cusp of his 5th house ruled by Mars and Uranus is directed to his Sun in the 8th.  Since there were no children and Dee later demonstrates his fertility, we have to assume that Catherine, his first wife, was sterile. It is likely that Dee knew this and entered this marriage mainly for sex and appearances.  Catherine died in 1575 ending 8 years of domesticity. In the same year that Catherine died, Dee married a second time.  His profected ascendant at 49 was the cusp of his 2nd ruled by Saturn, so we assume there was some financial motivation.  Jupiter, by direction, was squaring his 7th cusp at 49.  Not much is mentioned about this second wife except that she died the next year in 1576, also suggesting the Saturn influence..  There are about 3 degrees between Jupiter and Mercury and we find, about 3 years later, that Dee married his 3rd wife in 1579 while his profected ascendant was still that of his 4th house ruled by Jupiter showing it to be fruitful and suggesting a domestic settling in.   The 3rd wife, one Jean Fromond, bore him 8 children in the course of their 27 years of marriage dying of plague 3 years before Dee along with several of the children. At the time of this last marriage Mercury squared the 7th cusp by direction and Dee was 51. So, for his marriages we have some fairly strong astrological testimony as to timing, nature, and motivation, as well as a first confirmation of the time of the chart.  

Now with the ruler of the 5th that Mars in Scorpio in the 12th and Saturn sitting in the 5th in Taurus we might not expect children at all or at least not any that lived to reach adulthood. If one counts the occupants of the 7th considering Saturn as being 30 Gemini thus disposed by Mercury we find the eight children, few of whom survived, in the 7th, 12th, and 5th occupants and with indications from the factors in double bodied Gemini we find the possibility of 11 or more but then,  there may have been miscarriages or twins that died at birth. We know only of one daughter that survived him. An investigation of his chart at the times of the births of his children should be very enlightening but data is sparse.  All the children were from the last marriage after Dee had already turned 50 with dates given for 5 of them in 1579, 1581, 1588, 1590, and 1592.  One of these, Theodore, died in 1601 and most of the rest died of the plague with their mother in 1605. So we find that Saturn in the 5th, while it did not deny children, made most of them short lived and a source of sorrow for Dee. I have seen cases where the mother's 5th house holds malefics in which the births are very difficult and there are frequently other problems with the children.      

It would certainly have been Jean Fromond who accompanied him on his travels from 1583 to 1589 across Northern Europe.  From 1566 to 1583 Dee lived at Mortlake which was relinquished to him by his mother in 1579.  His mother died the next year in 1580.  At the time of his mother's death Dee was 53 with profected ascendant at the cusp of his 6th house at 12:55 Taurus ruled by Venus. 

Uranus in the 7th indicates separation from the spouse by death or divorce.  Here we see a classic example.  I'd bet that Henry VIII's 7th or the house of it's ruler was quite busy.   

Travels

1547-1550

1562-1564

1583-1589

Enochian Magic

Although his interest in angel magic began with the discovery of an old text in Antwerp in 1564, he did not begin practice until 1581 at the age of 54.  Most of the work was done overseas.  The comet of 1582 with perihelion at 1:18 Gemini trine his natal Moon likely indicates the appearance of Edward Kelley who was a critical element in the work.  

Summary

Return to top of page

Queen Elizabeth I, a patron of the Arte

The Queen's chart is rectified based on Ridley who gives 9/07/1533 between 3 and 4 in the afternoon.  It is rectified using directions for the death of her mother , her coronation, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Later fine tuning may improve this by plus or minus 8 minutes. 

Born on a Sunday in the hour of  Jupiter. Szygy is full Moon at 21 Pisces. Shortly before her birth a bright comet made its perihelion on June 16th, 1533. 1572, the year of Tycho's Nova and the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, marked the consolidation of her reign in the moves to eliminate Mary, Queen of Scots. Elizabeth lived to the age of  69.  

Lord of the Ascendant : Saturn in Cancer in the 7th  

Almutem Figuris : Venus in Libra in the 8th

Final Dispositor : Venus in Libra in the 8th with Jupiter independent in Sagittarius in the 12h.

Sun in Virgo, Moon in Taurus, Capricorn rising.

Notes : The Queen's Fortuna, Sun, and Venus all fall in the 8th marking her as a friend of the Arte, her Scorpio meridian ruled by Mars in the 5th highlights her difficulties due to infertility. Her tolerant attitudes toward religion and natural philosophy are shown by Mercury in the 9th. 

Links : Luminarium bio   

Biographic references : Elizabeth I, The Shrewdness of Virtue - Jasper Ridley

Elizabeth : I, by Anne Somerset (checking for Amazon link)

Recommended movies : Elizabeth staring Cate Blanchet for a portrayal of her accession and the difficulties and intrigues surrounding it, and Queen Margot, a period piece set in 1572 at the time of the St. Bartholomew's day massacre for a flavor of the times and some insight into the dynastic problems involved with issues of faith at the time.  Both are available from Blockbuster but I don't think either is available for purchase at this time.  As realistic period pieces, both are excellent.  

Comment : Note Virgo and Pisces as included signs in the 2nd and 8th showing the fiscal constraints she operated under and their influence on her decisions. 

The comet of 1533 heralds her birth and falls in her 7th and should be considered as part of her natal chart, it also sextiles her Sun, conjuncts her Saturn. The comet of 1580 falls on the cusp of her 11th.  

Queen Elizabeth I, 1533 - 1603, highlights of an astrological biography

Elizabeth, being a monarch, has a high profile public and political life. John Dee, our previous subject, was her astrologer and magician.  Walsingham was her spymaster, and a host of other personages are connected with her life.  He reign marked the establishment of England as a world power rather than a merely European one and established England as a Protestant nation, James notwithstanding. It also marked the flowering of the English Renaissance marked by the works of Shakespeare.   

The Queen's Comets 

This set of comets applies equally to Elizabeth I (1533-1603) and John Dee (1527- 1608). All comets were naked eye visible, research remains to be done on magnitude and period.  Perihelions interpolated from Ramus data.   

Return to top of page

William Lilly, the astrologer of his age

Lilly's information is from Gadbury and included to show an excellent astrologer who shied away from astrological magic but was not entirely unsympathetic.  Gadbury gives 5/01/1602 at 2 am.

Born on a Wednesday in the night hour of  the Moon.  Szygy is full moon at 15 Scorpio. Lilly lived to the age of 78.

Lord of the Ascendant : Jupiter retrograde in Libra in the 8th

Almutem Figuris : Mars in Virgo in the 7th

Final Dispositor : Venus in Taurus in the 3rd 

Sun Taurus, Moon Capricorn, Pisces rising

Notes : Lilly's skepticism and partisan attitudes are highlighted by Saturn in the 9th opposed his Venus. His sympathy to the occult is shown by Jupiter and Fortuna in the 8th but the square from the Moon and Jupiter's retrograde seem to have put him off.  Likely he availed himself of another for this sort of aid and kept it to himself. His Mars in the 7th and also his AF shows his military and political involvements and that he developed spiritually thereby.   

Links : The English Merlin Page 

Biographic references :

Comment :  Note Lilly's stellium in Taurus and the alignment of the nodes with his meridian/nadir. 

The comet of 1607 squares his Mars and Ascendant, the comet of 1652 falls on his meridian, the comet of 1664 falls on is Jupiter in the 8th, the comet of 1665 falls on his Uranus in the 2nd, and the comet of 1677 falls on his Sun and Venus in the 4th.  

William Lilly, 1602 - 1681, highlights of an astrological biography

a

The Astrologer's Comets

This set of comets applies to William Lilly (1602 - 1681).  All comets were naked eye visible, research remains to be done on magnitude and period.  Perihelions interpolated from Ramus data.   

A comet in 1625 appeared but data is insufficient to say much about it and the 1607 comet overlaps the Queen's list. 

Return to top of page

Aleister Crowley, the great beast

Crowley's chart is from the Kepler archive. The preeminent occultist of the 20th century and the prophet of the Aeon.

Born on a Tuesday in the night hour of Mercury.   Szygy is a Solar eclipse at 5 Libra. Crowley lived to the age of 72.  

Lord of the Ascendant : Sun in Libra in the 4th  

Almutem Figuris : Mercury in Scorpio in the 4th 

Final Dispositor : Two independent chains - Venus in Libra in the 4th and Saturn in Aquarius in the 7th - so Venus/Saturn  

Sun Libra, Moon Pisces, Leo rising

Notes : For Crowley's public promotion of magic and the supernatural look to Neptune and Pluto in his 10th. Neptune also indicates the scandals that surrounded his career. His favored approach, sex magic, is indicated by the Moon in Pisces in his 8th, and his difficulties with matrimony to Uranus in the 1st opposed Saturn in the 7th.  Consider the ruler of his 8th, Jupiter in Scorpio in the 4th also, as in the end he founded the OTO and had some influence on Freemasonry. 

Links : Crowley Bio Project  Page 

Biographic references : Confessions 

Comment : Note Gemini and Sagittarius as included signs in the 11th and 5th indicating constraints  his associations and children. None of his children survived him and few, if any, of his associations were smooth or long term.  

Return to top of page

Austin Osman  Spare, the Victorian Sorcerer

Spare's chart is furnished from his own comment.  The sorcerer and perhaps the best example of the lot.  Initially there was some confusion - midnight of the 31st or midnight at the end of the 31st going into the 1st - but the record indicates midnight as the year is changing and the chart below reflects that.   

Born on a Monday in the night hour of  Mars.  Szygy is full moon at 27 Gemini.  

Lord of the Ascendant : Venus in Aquarius in the 5th 

Almutem Figuris : Mercury in Capricorn in the 4th 

Final Dispositor : Saturn retrograde in Leo in the 11th and Jupiter in Sagittarius in the 3rd 

Sun Capricorn, Moon Sagittarius, Libra rising

Notes : Spare also liked to use sex for magic which is shown by the ruler of his 8th, Venus conjunct Mars in his 5th.  His involvement with Spirits and sorcery in general is emphasized by Neptune/Pluto in his 8th.  

Links : Spare and his Works

Biographic references :

Comment :

The Magicians Comets

This set applies to A. Crowley (1875-1947) and Austin Spare (1888- 19   )All comets were naked eye visible, research remains to be done on magnitude and period.  Perihelions interpolated from Ramus data.   

Return to top of page

Peter Carrol, Psychonaut & entrepreneur

Peter Carrol, one of the fathers of chaos magic gives us his chart in one of his books.

Born on a Wednesday in the night hour of Mars.  Szygy is full moon at 10 Cancer. 

Lord of the Ascendant : Venus in Pisces in the 4th  

Almutem Figuris : Mars in Pisces in the 5th 

Final Dispositor : A bounce between Venus in Pisces in the 4th and Jupiter in Taurus in the 7th 

Sun Capricorn, Moon Libra, Libra rising 

Notes : Based on the chart alone, one might almost think that he is primarily an author who gets his income from the occult shown by Mercury lord of the 8th in the second in Capricorn, but there is much 12th house activity with the ruler Venus conjunct Mars in Pisces in the 4th and 5th houses suggesting a strong sex urge and the use of sex magic for visions.

Links :  Liber Kaos

Biographic references :

Comment :

Late 20th Century Comets

Return to top of page

Signatures

In a given natal chart there are signatures based on the primary significators.  The Lord of the Ascendant, the Almutem Figuris, and the final dispositor give a focus to the house and sign placements and are rounded out by aspects and the inclusion of fixed stars. These can give  very different signatures for superficially similar placements.  For example, the signature of  sorcerer has superficial, or as the traditional astrologers would say - accidental, similarities to those of murderers and their victims and with those of psychics and researchers.  This is shown by an 8th house emphasis which is then clarified by the placement of the Lord of that house and the dignities and fixed stars. Depending on the focus of the significators, placements in the 8th house could show any of these and a few other possibilities.  This might perhaps furnish a clue as to why psychopaths and sorcerers are sometimes mistaken for one another and why frauds and mystics are sometimes confused with one another.  

Signatures for appearance and condition of the body - coloring, moles, scars, build, etc - are shown by factors associated with the ascendant. These too have additional implications, so, while you can't quite judge a book by its cover, you can get a good idea by reading the back of the jacket.  

This idea extends to mundane signatures of places based on the idea that the nature of a place is reflected in the corresponding signs of it's apparent nature.  For example, in a place that has interest in religion, horses, and education we might expect some correspondence with Sagittarius and to find that it is sensitive to transits of that sign.  Mountain chains often have a resonance with Leo as for example the Carpathians, but mountainous areas such as Greece are more often Capricorn.  There are other considerations but this is a flavor of the notion. 

Similarly in horary astrology where we attempt to answer questions, we use the signatures of things.  Depending on context, if the inquiry is about a woman, a piece of jewelry, or a purse; Venus would be the natural ruler.  If we are considering a location in a house, Mars would suggest a place in or near the furnace or fireplace or where sharp tools are kept.  This is again somewhat superficial, but it gives a flavor.  

Signatures are based on the notion of correspondence theory and the doctrine of similarity.                      

Return to top of page

Technica - Terms and Determinations

All charts use Porphyry Houses. For each chart the Almutem Figuris, Lord of the Ascendant, and final dispositor are noted. Information on the day of the week from timekeepers with planetary hours computed by magichours after determining Sunrise and set with Kepler. All pre 1700 dates are NS..  Szygys estimated at this time. Almutem Figuris computed after the method of Ibn Ezra ( thanks to Zoller for this).  As they are computed, the fixed stars both conjunct and promissor will be added and any portents of note. 

Terms 

Lord of the Ascendant - the planet ruling the rising sign or cusp of the 1st house by traditional determination.  This planet shows the personality and focus of the individual in a natal chart while the ascendant itself and planets in the 1st describe the body and further delineate the personality.   

House Ruler - the planet ruling the sign on the cusp of any house

Traditional sign rulerships : 

Fusion gives Uranus corule of Aquarius but rarely if ever, unlike modern astrology,  makes him the primary sign ruler, Neptune corule of Pisces, and Pluto corule of Scorpio again rarely if ever making them primary rulers of those signs. These planets have an effect that is qualitatively different from the visible planets and much longer periods of revolution making them factors in mass phenomena and universal issues, though these also manifest in the individual their action is unlike the more personal and localized visible planets.

Triplicity - signs of the same element : fire - Aries, Leo, Sagittarius; water - Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces; air - Libra, Gemini, Aquarius; earth - Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo.  When used with the delineation of the houses it means the rulers of those signs.  I tend to look at the sign on the cusp as first in this case rather than the cardinal sign of the triplicity.  

Dispositor - the planet ruling the sign another planet or point occupies.  Example - Mars in Gemini is disposed by Mercury, who, if not in one of his own signs, may in turn be disposed by another planet.  The end of the trail of these dispositions is the final dispositor. The pattern of disposition and whether or not there is a final dsipositor shows the mode of operation of the native.   

Almutem Figuris - Calculated by observing the dignities at the degree at which the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Fortuna, and the Szygy fall, the house placements of the planets and the day and hour of the native's birth. The szygy is the new or full moon before birth. The Almutem Figuris shows the link to the spirit and the means of spiritual development or vocation. 

Dignities - Each of the visible planets have a certain essential dignity or strength by position in the signs.  Traditionally, with their relative values, these are rule (5), exaltation (4), triplicity by day or night (3), term (2) and face or decan (1).  A planet may also be accidentally dignified by house placement with the following relative strengths according to Ibn Ezra : 

 Note that the angular houses are strongest, the succeedant less so, and cadent houses weak; and that houses above the horizon are generally stronger than houses below.      

Day and Hour rulers -  the ruler of the day adds 7 to its strength and the ruler of the hour 6. 

References in Abbreviated form 

The Beginning of Wisdom -  Ibn Ezra

The Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology - Vivian Robson

Ephermeris of the Great Comets 1402 - 1948 - Ramus 

Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning - R. H. Allen 

Essential Dignities - Lee Lehman  

The Stars - L. Edward Johndro 

Traditional Astrology websites, most notably Zoller and Warnock. 

Biographies of the principals.      

Return to top of page

Conclusions

At the beginning of the page, three issues concerning magicians were raised.  Signature, sympathy including sympathy without practice, and patronage.  While the issues have been explored, it's clear that we've only scratched the surface here and possibly raised more questions than we've answered..    

Return to top of page

Return to Le Rose Blanche - Home Page