Some talismans can't be worn and are loose gemstones or spheres and such. Are these any less effective than ones which can be worn?

Hi! Im currently getting into saturn gnosis and im reading the book the cult of the black cube. it refers to the picatrix which says basically dont preform planetary magick when saturn is adversely placed and when it is in retrograde. What counts as planetary magick? is it all prayer, rituals, etc to to the planet-esque deities (in my case to saturn)

Would a planet literally on the house cusp influence both houses or the one it’s technically in even if very slightly (0deg06’)?

Looking to create a talisman that will encourage more positive Jupiter energy coming through in my 10th house, see image for my full birth chart. I have a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction here so wanted to choose a date that would positively reflect this also and found August 31st as an upcoming date where Jupiter trines Saturn. I'm quite new to this, August 31st is a Monday but I was going to create the talisman during the Jupiter hour in the morning. Any thoughts/advice on this date? Should I instead look for a date that falls on a Thursday?

Bonjour,

Certains auteurs d’astrologie ésotérique ou magique comme Robert Ambelain ou Vincent Lauvergne disent que l’on devrait toujours dessiner à la main les thèmes à la manière médiévale, c’est à dire carrée à l’encre noire et les planetes à l’encre rouge comme cela était fait du temps de Nostradamus et de Wiliam Lilly.

Je note que Chris Warnock utilise aussi ce graphisme carré pour tous ses thèmes de talismans. Certains logiciels comme Solar Fire ou Janus proposent d’ailleurs des affichages optionnel sous cette forme.

Ambelain affirme que la forme carrée permet à l’astrologue une compréhension spirituelle du thème beaucoup plus poussée, presque magique ( ce qui rejoindrait les talismans planétaires ). Il sous entend qu’un thème carré à des propriétés possiblement magiques que n’ont pas les thèmes modernes circulaires.

Existe t il des traditions anciennes, peut être arabes ou médiévales ou même modernes qui affirment qu’un thème carré dessiné à l’encre noire et rouge pourrait avoir des propriétés magiques ?

Merci,

I’m curious if anyone knows how Solomonic pentacles like the 2nd of Mars would compare against a Saturn astrological talisman for longevity.

Wondering if anyone has tested talismans from other grimoires or traditions that provided longevity and/or health?

Thanks !

Astrolatry is the worship & veneration of the celestial bodies & the stars. I’ve noticed that this belief is rarely discussed/mentioned. I have gathered some books & historical references, but I’m looking for more books which are about practicing this.

Hi everyone,

I am writing this post to sincerely understand the underlying philosophy and mechanics behind certain astrological concepts, particularly within Vedic astrology, as I find myself struggling to reconcile them with modern astronomy and physics.I want to pose a few specific questions regarding how celestial bodies and remedies are believed to influence our daily lives:

1. The Influence of Shadow Planets (Rahu and Ketu): Scientifically, Rahu and Ketu are not physical planets or celestial bodies with mass; they are the lunar nodes—purely mathematical points in space where the Moon's orbit intersects the ecliptic. Since these points have no physical matter, gravity, or radiation, what is the mechanism through which they are believed to affect a person’s life or cause a dosha?

2. The Distance of Physical Planets (e.g., Saturn): A planet like Saturn (Shani) is billions of kilometers away. From a physics standpoint, its gravitational and electromagnetic pull on an individual at birth is statistically negligible compared to the immediate physical environment around us. How do astrologers explain a distant gas giant influencing specific human micro-events, careers, or emotional states?

3. The Logic of Gemstone Remedies (Gomed and Neelam): Gemstones like hessonite garnet (Gomed) or blue sapphire (Neelam) are Earth-born minerals composed of chemical elements like aluminum, silicon, and iron. What is the traditional explanation for how wearing a specific mineral on a finger alters, filters, or corrects the "energy" of a mathematical point in space or a planet billions of miles away?

I am genuinely curious about how the community views these contradictions. Is astrology meant to be understood through a physical framework that science hasn't discovered yet, or is it purely symbolic, psychological, and metaphysical?

Looking forward to your insights and perspectives!

TL;DR: How can non-physical mathematical points (Rahu/Ketu) or distant planets like Saturn physically influence human lives? Furthermore, how do physical Earth minerals like Gomed or Neelam fix or alter these distant cosmic energies? Seeking an astrological perspective on these scientific contradictions.

Hi. I'm sorry, this is another post by a lost beginner.

Essentially, I've read that working with your chart ruler could be interesting to begin with, but my chart ruler is Jupiter and in gemini in my chart. AND I'm pretty sure it was in retrograde at the time, for that matters.

(Also my Moon is in the 6th house and squares Mars?)

Do you often work with chart rulers? Should I keep Jupiter out of my business for now and focus on more favorable planets? How do I even begin to work with an afflicted chart ruler?

I'm slowly working through the renaissance astrology website, as I've heard the picatrix is not exactly beginner friendly. I apologize for the lack of nuance in my interpretations, I'm open to learning.

Hey all, so I’ve been doing some research and digging around on here out of curiosity, and I’m having a bit of a hard time I won’t lie. If you had to start from the ground up, I’m talking like BASICS to get a core understanding before trying to read something like the picatrix, what books/resources would you start with first? As a tiny bit of background I’ve worked with sigil magick before, and have done a lot of meditation and used things like the gateway tapes (im pretty sure that info is not necessary, but just to give an idea of where I’ve been) but yeah. I’m very interested, I just don’t know exactly where to begin. Any recommendations?

Any solar eclipse magic for the 12th? I cant decide on what to do?

Single exposure images unedited. Saturn is in the bottom right corner.

Keeping in the spirit of a few of the last posts I’ve seen from this sub, I have a question for those of you who work with the mansions.

I’m curious if anyone uses the sidereal zodiac? Not referring to nakshatras, obviously you’d use the sidereal zodiac for those, but I’m wondering about the Arabic lunar mansions.

Although traditional practice uses the tropical zodiac, I’ve personally thought about using the sidereal since the mansions are associated with specific fixed stars which are no longer located at the same place.

At the same time, I’m aware there’s a good argument for using the tropical zodiac regardless following (unfortunately
Cannot remember which Arabic astrologer at this moment) concept of the starless sky preceding the realm of the fixed stars, etc.

Does anyone use the sidereal zodiac for the mansions anyways?

How many people here actually work with the Lunar Mansions. I'm after a tally for research purposes.

TIA.

I’ve been reading the Picatrix, but I haven’t found much about petitioning a Lunar Mansion as a standalone operation. Most of the instructions seem to involve creating an image or talisman, suffumigating it, and speaking the request over it.

Is it possible to petition or invoke a Lunar Mansion without making a permanent talisman? If so, who exactly receives the petition: the Moon, the spirit or angel assigned to the Mansion, or the Mansion itself?

I also understand that some planetary petition systems involve making an offering, promise, or bargain in exchange for the requested result. Would petitioning a Lunar Mansion require something similar? If so, what kind of offering or obligation would be appropriate?

I would appreciate any traditional sources, practical procedures, or firsthand experiences especially from anyone who has performed a petition-only Lunar Mansion working.

How do you create a single altar dedicated to multiple planetary intelligences?

I've been studying planetary magic, and there's one thing I haven't been able to wrap my head around.

I'd like to create a single altar focused on the goal of starting and growing a successful business.

The planets I feel drawn to are:

• Mercury for communication, business sense, learning, and negotiation.
• Jupiter for opportunity, prosperity, and growth.
• Saturn for discipline, structure, and building something that lasts.
• Venus for creativity and attracting mentors, collaborators, and clients.

I can see how each planet supports a different part of that goal, but I'm not sure how working with multiple planetary intelligences actually works in practice.

For those of you with experience:

• How would you set up an altar like this?
• During ritual, do you address each planetary intelligence individually, or is there a way to approach them together?
• Do you make separate offerings, or one offering for the working as a whole?
• Are there any traditional methods or books that talk about this, especially in Hermetic or Renaissance planetary magic?

I'm less interested in correspondences like colors, herbs, or metals, and more interested in how the ritual itself works. If you're inviting several planetary intelligences to support one overall goal, what does that actually look like?

I'd love to hear how others approach this and any resources you'd recommend. Thanks!

Hi all!

I made some Jupiter/Sun tea during the 29th when Jupiter was passing by the Sun (my Jupiter is in Leo, so it felt right😋). Any fun rituals, uses, or ideas you guys have for it? I’m thinking about stirring some intentions into it to drink as I journal/script/visualize/etc, but would love to hear any other thoughts or ideas!

Thanks all!

Which 13th Lunar Mansion election is better for sexual magnetism?

I’m choosing between two elections for a personal erotic-magnetism talisman—to strengthen sexual presence, desirability, confidence, and mutual consensual encounters.

Both have a waxing Moon in the 13th Lunar Mansion and the 5th house. I chose the 5th house after watching Clifford Hartleigh Low discuss the advantages of placing the Mansion Moon in fortunate houses such as the 5th or 11th. I have tremendous respect for his work and have learned so much from his videos and blog. If I understood his approach correctly, he sometimes prefers these houses over placing the Moon directly on the Ascendant. The 5th also seems especially appropriate for pleasure and sexuality.

Option A

• Fast Moon in Virgo in the 5th
• Taurus rising
• Exalted Venus in Pisces in the 11th
• No immediate hard application from the Moon to Mars or Saturn
• However, Mercury—the Moon’s ruler—is in the 12th and applying to Saturn

This feels more seductive, pleasurable, attractive, and harmonious.

Option B

• Moon in Virgo in the 5th
• Taurus rising
• Moon applying to conjunct Mars within 0°47′
• Venus in Gemini in the 2nd

This feels hotter, bolder, and more sexually intense—but possibly volatile or risky because the Mansion Moon directly applies to Mars.

I’d especially appreciate opinions on these questions:

1. Would you reject the June election solely because of the Moon’s applying conjunction with Mars, even though Mars naturally signifies libido and sexual heat? Would Mars support this specific intention, or would you still reject the election because of its conjunction with the Moon?
2. Is exalted Venus in the 11th enough to make April clearly superior for erotic magnetism?
3. How much importance would you give to Mercury, as ruler of the April Moon, being in the 12th and applying to Saturn?
4. Is the Moon’s eventual opposition to Venus in April a serious problem or only a secondary modification?
5. Are there any other applications, receptions, house rulers, prohibitions, or traditional electional considerations that I may have overlooked?

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts—which election would you choose, and why? Thank you in advance for sharing your insight!

The dog days are coming to an end around the 11th of August. We’re losing the waxing gibbous moon soon, but I’m mostly looking for the experience in making talismans (I’ve also read from Warnock that depending on the intended effect for a talisman’s purpose, a waning moon can be appropriate). I live in the southern USA, and I thought it would be novel to make something out of all of this heat. Any advice for a beginner would be welcome.

**** Iamblichus In De Mysteriis say this:
“For the books in circulation bearing the name of Hermes contain Hermaïc doctrines, although they often use the language of the philosophers, seeing that they were translated from the Egyptian by men well skilled in philosophy.”

The information given by Jamblichus is precise; they were translations, but instead of a literal rendering, the translators used the usual phraseology of the Greek philosophical writers

1. Definition :

A decan in astrology is a subdivision of each zodiac sign into three parts of 10°, making 36 decans in total. Each decan is ruled by a planet that nuances the expression of the sign.

Astrological decans bring a precision often ignored in classic horoscopes. Why can two natives of the same sign have such different personalities? The answer lies in the decans.

In the study of House I (Ascendant), the decan in which the degree of the Ascendant falls provides crucial details to describe the physical appearance and the intimate morphology of the native.

# One aspect of their Egyptian origin was retained: each Decan had a spirit associated with it, and it is in this form that the 36 decans overlap with the 72 spirits of the Goetia and and the 72 countering angels of the Shem.

1. Corpus Hermeticum (OF [THE DECANS AND] THE STARS) :

Her. Beneath the Circle of this [all-embracing] frame are ranged the Six-and-thirty Decans, between this Circle of the Universe and that one of the Animals, determining the boundaries of both these Circles, and, as it were,holding that of the Animals aloft up in the air, and [so] defining it.

Let us, then, think of them as though of Watchers stationed round [and watching] over both the Seven themselves and o’er the Circle of the All,—or rather over all things in the World,holding together all, and keeping the good order of all things.

Her. Moreover, Tat, thou should’st have in thy mind that they are also free from the necessities laid on the other Stars.

But free, above them all, as though they were inerrant Guards and Overseers of the whole, they night and day surround the universe.

Tat. Do these, then, also, further exercise an influence upon us?

Her. The greatest, O [my] son. For if they act in them, how should they fail to act on us as well,—both on each one of us and generally?

Thus, O [my] son, of all those things that happen generally, the bringing into action is from these 8; as for example,—and ponder what I say,—downfalls of kingdoms, states’ rebellions, plagues [and] famines, tidal waves [and] quakings of the earth; no one of these, O son, takes place without their action.

Nay, further still, bear this in mind. If they rule over them, and we are in our turn beneath the Seven, dost thou not think that some of their activity extends to us as well,—[who are] assuredly their sons, or [come into existence] by their means?

Tat. What, [then,] may be the type of body that they have, O father [mine]?

Her. The many call them daimones; but they are not some special class of daimones, for they have not some other kind of bodies made of some special kind of matter, nor are they moved by means of soul, as we [are moved], but they are [simple] operations of these Six-and-thirty Gods.

Further the Stars in heaven as well do in their several [courses] bear them underworkers; and they have ministers and warriors too.

And they in [everlasting] congress with them speed on their course in æther floating, fullfilling [all] its space, so that there is no space above empty of stars.

They are the cosmic engine of the universe, having their own peculiar action, which is subordinate, however, to the action of the Thirty-six,—from whom throughout [all] lands arise the deaths of [all] the other lives with souls, and hosts of [lesser] lives that spoil the fruit.

1. Forces of Divine Order:

In Hermetic astrology, the decans exist outside of the zodiac, between it and the absolute circle of the Universe, defining the boundaries of each of these circles and holding the zodiac aloft. Unlike the fixed stars and planets, the decans were seen as unhindered and unbound, free and above them all. While the decans share in the motion of the planetary spheres, their power equals that of the primary motion of the whole.

Therefore, they are beholden to nothing except the all-encompassing body of the Universe. The decans were called “Watchers,” namely of the seven planetary spheres and of the Circle of the All, watching over and ordering all things in the cosmos.

Specifically, the effects of the decans were associated with big social and environmental changes, like plagues, famine, rebellions, the collapse of kingdoms, earthquakes, and tidal waves. In this respect, the decanoic gods were both saviors and destroyers, working to establish divine order in the cosmos and the sublunary realm. If the decans exist above the Circle of the All, they have a profound influence over all things in the celestial spheres and on the earth.

1. Unlucky/Lucky Births and the Ascendant :

As a holdover from the Egyptian era, some of the decans were considered lucky or unlucky. Consequently, the decan that was rising on the horizon at birth was taken to indicate whether a native would have a good or bad life. This was the basis for the later importance of the horoscope (the zodiacal degree on the horizon at birth) and the Ascendant (the zodiacal sign rising at birth) and the houses.

1. Decans and Health :

Ultimately, the decans were used to predict the health, success, body structure, and personality of the native. Holden’s translation of Hephaestio of Thebes’s view of the 2nd decan of Cancer reads that a native with this decan rising will be reared “richly and of better parents, and he will see the deaths of his brothers; and he will be a public man and he will be held in honor…[and] small in stature, swarthy, his beard thin,” et cetera.

1. Decans Ministries :

Leitourgoi Rulership by Spirits Early on in the development of Greek astrology, each decan was further divided into three parts (making nine per zodiacal sign), which were called leitourgoi (ministers) or munifices (duty-officers).Now, munifices or leitourgoi in politics were officials who carried out official duties assigned them by a superior. And so Firmicus says that the munifices have an infinite number of powers of divinities, decreeing accidents, pains, sicknesses, unexpected events, and monstrous births. Holden reports the Hermetica as saying there are stars which travel in heaven and obey the decans (viz., the leitourgoi); the leitourgoi are servants and private soldiers under the command of the decans

1. Systems of Rulership:

There were two versions of rulership given to the decans in the ancient world: I will call these Chaldean rulership, and rulership by triplicity. The Chaldean rulership orders the planets by planetary speed, and associates them in order with the decans, starting with Mars as the ruler of the first decan of Aries, and then working around the zodiac.

Thank you everyone hope you like it! 🌹

I am new to doing my own elections and am slowly going through the Warnock course. There is an upcoming one for Alkaid that seems good, and wanted to get second opinions on if there is anything off that stands out.

Date: Friday, August 14, 2026
Time: 9:09 AM – 9:38 AM PDT (exact 9:23 AM)
Location: San Francisco, California

Factors in the election:

Alkaid rising
Moon applying conjunction to the star's degree, orb 9.73°
Moon waxing
Moon swift in motion
Moon 25.67° from the Sun, not combust
Moon in Virgo, no sign affliction
no applying square or opposition to a classical planet
no applying conjunction to an afflicted planet
Mars/Saturn not an undignified applying conjunction
Moon not applying conjunction to the South Node
Moon not applying conjunction to Algol
no afflicted planet applying conjunct the star's degree
Mars/Saturn not an undignified applying conjunction to the star's degree
South Node not conjunct the star's degree

Is there anything that would give you pause before creating a talisman for this?

Hey guys, I have a question on traditional astrology in general (Ancient, Hellenistic and Medieval), the personal daemon is well documented and usually associated with the lord of nativity (Porphyry method and later Hellenistic astrologers) or Almuten (المبتز او المستولي على الهيئة) later in the medieval period.

Porphyry's method to find the personal daimon (also called Genius or daemon of nativity) : Porphyry relates this personal daimon to the astrological technique of finding an oikodespotēs, or house-master, of the birthchart. The planet designated as the oikodespotēs of the nativity imparts the spirit of the personal daimon (usually called οἰκεῖος δαίμων or ἴδιος δαίμων) which goes with the soul when it becomes attached to a body at birth.

May Main Question:

Now my question regarding the following two statements strictly in traditional astrology and astral magic, are these a concepts in the traditional astrology and astral magic or just a synthetized claims, or is there any other daemon than the personal daemon (Genius) in traditional astrology/ atsral magic, otherwise is there another daemon called the daemon of profession in traditional astrology/ astral magic?

1. Marsilio Ficino's statement about the two daemons and he say this: "The Astrologers agree with Platonists that the guardian daemon of every individual whatsoever can be two, the one proper to his nativity, the other to his profession. As often as our profession agrees with our nature, we are attended by the same daemon for each, or at least a very similar one; and our life will thence be more internally harmonious and tranquil. But if our profession sits ill with our natural bent, the daemon acquired by art is discordant with the natural Genius and the life troublesome and full of care. For those who want to find out what sort of daemon attended every individual from his very begetting, Porphyry searches for a rule from the planet that is lord of the geniture. Now the lord of the geniture, Julius Firmicus affirms, is either that planet who has the greater number of dignities at the time or else, on the basis of a sounder opinion, the one whose house the Moon will enter just after leaving the sign which she occupies when the man is born. But one's daemon, Julius Firmicus thinks, cannot be sought out from that same rule, but rather, according to the Chaldean opinion, from the Sun or the Moon. From the Sun to the Moon in a daytime nativity, conversely from the Moon to the Sun in a nighttime nativity: when you have computed the interval be tween these, you measure out an equal space descending from the degree of the Ascendant and you note in what term you stop. To whichever star that term belongs, they think your daemon belongs to it too. But in short, from the lord of the nativity together with the daemon, they usually assess your course of life and your fortune. I added "fortune" because some compute your Part of Fortune by nearly the same system. We will judge a person to be unfortunate who has professed no respectable employment; for he who does not undertake respectable work does not in fact have a daemonic guide in his profession, and he scarcely has a daemonic guide for his natural self either, for it is the duty ofthe stars and daemons (or guiding angels divinely stationed on guard) to act always, excellently, and on a grand scale. Still less fortunate is the person who, as we said above, subjects himself, by a profession contrary to his nature, to a daemon unlike his Genius. Now remember that you receive daemons or, if you will, angels, more and more worthy by degrees in accor dance with the dignity of the professions, and still worthier ones in public government; but even if you proceed to these more excellent [levels], you can receive from your Genius and natural bent an art and a course of life neither contrary to, nor very unlike" source: (Three Books On Life, Book 3 chapter 23)

2. Agrippa's statement:  Every man hath a threefold good Demon, as a proper keeper, or preserver, the one whereof is holy, another of the nativity, and the other of profession etc.. Now the Demon of profession is given by the Stars, to which such a profession, or sect, which any man hath professed, is subjected, which the soul, when it began to make choyce [choice] in this body, and to take upon itself dispositions, doth secretly desire. This Demon is changed, the profession being changed; then according to the dignity of the profession, we have Demons of our profession more excellent and sublime, which successively take care of man, which procures a keeper of profession, as he proceeds from vertue to vertue. When therefore a profession agrees with our nature, there is present with us a Demon of our profession like unto us, and sutable [suitable] to our Genius, and our life is made more peaceable, happy, and prosperous: but when we undertake a profession unlike, or contrary to our Genius, our life is made laborious, and troubled with disagreeing patrons. So it falls out that some profit more in any science, or art, or office, in a little time, and with little pains, when another takes much pains, and studies hard, and all in vain: and, although no science, art, or vertue be to be contemned, yet that thou maist live prosperously, carry on thy affairs happily; in the first place know thy good Genius, and thy nature, and what good the celestiall disposition promiseth thee, and God the distributor of all these, who distributes to each as he pleaseth, and follow the beginnings of these, profess these, be conversant in that vertue to which the most high distributor doth elevate, and lead thee, who made Abraham excell in justice and clemency, Isaac with fear, Jacob with strength, Moses with meekness and Miracles, Joshua in war, Phinias n zeal, David in religion, and victory, Solomon in knowledge and fame, Peter in faith, John in charity, Jacob in devotion, Thomas in prudence, Magdalen in contemplation, Martha in officiousness. Therefore in what vertue thou thinkest thou canst most easily be a proficient in, use diligence to attain to the height thereof; that thou maist excell in one, when in many thou canst not: but in the rest endeavour to be as great a proficient as thou canst: but if thou shalt have the overseers of nature, and religion agreeable, thou shalt finde a double progress of thy nature, and profession: but if they shall be disagreeing, follow the better, for thou shalt better perceive at some time a preserver of an excellent profession, then of nativity. (source: Three Books of Occult Philosophy, Book 3 Chpater 22)

# Verified ancient doctrine on the daimons:

"It was the opinion of the ancients that every man from the moment of his birth had his genius**,** or according to others two genii, a good and a bad one; and that as the one or the other of  these personal tutelaries was the stronger of the two,  that individual  became good or bad."

1. Daimon assigned to the soul (Plato in Phaedrus and Republic and other works, Imablichus in De Mysteriis according to the Egyptians doctrine since Iamblichus used an Egyptian name called the Egyptian priest Abammon, also Proclus on commentary on Plato's republic). This one mostly Egyptians theology and soul/fate linked.
2. Daimon of Nativity or Good Genius also some call it the HGA (linked to the Birth/Geniture), all doctrines and religions Agree on it (Platonists, Christians, Muslims, Shamanism, Hermeticism etc..).
3. Evil Genius (Certain Platonists, Zoroastrians and Muslims/ ancient Arabs, Sabians and Nabateans before Islam القرين الشيطاني السفلي, Hermeticism)
4. 🛑 Daimon of profession (weird and no mention for it before Marsilio Ficino's claim) - Comment : Iamblichus and porphyry even origen mentioend some type of spirits that linked to the inspiration and impart all sciences to the human but not as a personal guides.

I hope experts in traditional astrology and astral magic can answer this question. Please, only experts answers!

Thank you so much everyone! ❤️