Timing Using Natal Charts

Modern astrologers tend to just use transits to the natal chart and attempt to predict based on that. Traditional astrologers would have looked at primary directions, then added solar revolutions and then used transits as the triggering points if a primary direction and/or solar revolution was in effect.

Even then I have to wonder about the accuracy of this timing! At the moment, we have not gotten the software implemented for primary directions, plus we haven't used them enough to actually predict in advance without knowing the outcome.

Personally, I am more and more taken with horary as my main technique for accurate and precise prediction and timing. Natal charts, of necessity are loose and vague. You have the same natal chart when you are 3 as when you are 90, but of course there are huge differences in you and your life. Every single relationship you have is in your natal chart, so think how difficult it is going to be untie the knot and find the single strand that relates to whether or not you will marry Jane X?

Trying to take the vague and imprecise natal chart and get precise timing out of it by applying various techniques is like taking a messed up, sideways scan at lo-res and clean it up with Photoshop. No matter what you do to it, the original lacks detail.

No, the absolute completion and total insistence on using natal comes, IMHO, not from its efficacy and accuracy, but just because modern astrologers have no awareness that any other method exists.

Let me mention another problem. I had client recently with a horary regarding a court case. It was clear to me that the chart was very negative and I said that they would lose their case. They came back to me and told me, yes they lost their case, but that a psychic and 2 other astrologers had said they would win!

The vagueness of natal astrology and the overwhelming positive and upbeat stance of modern astrology all tend toward giving universally positive results to clients. But an even more powerful influence is the fact that many clients, whatever they might say, are unconsciously looking, not for an accurate prediction, but for a prediction that things will go their way.

The great advantage of using natal timing techniques, in particular, for marriage and relationships, is that you can tell the client that yes, in March of 2014 you will find the love of your life. The client is happy, you get your fee and when March 2014 runs around and no marriage ensues the client will likely have forgotten the inaccurate prediction. In addition, the astrologer need never be confronted with the failure of their methodology.

When I do a Soul Mate Reading, I do a horary, looking at romance in general for the next 6-12 months and then general trends, without timing, looking at the natal chart.

Frankly I get a good amount of @#$& from clients when I say that I can't accurately predict timing other than through a horary. Even horary timing is about 50-50 or 60-40 accurate.

Personally and this will not make me very popular, I have not seen consistent, accurate and precise results from timing using the natal chart, when the outcome is unknown. Timing using Hitler's chart or other celebrities, doesn't count. Getting it right once or twice when the outcome is unknown, doesn't count either. I've done about 2500 horary charts for clients. I've kept a written record of each one. I record any feedback I get regarding accuracy. I can say that horary works! Unless we can get that large a sample of accurate natal timing, I think the jury is still out, as much as we or our clients might want to believe in it.

I'm not saying that we will never be able to do natal timing, but we aren't there yet.

2 Riffs on Retrogradation & Single Planet Mundane Prediction

Riff #212-B "What is the Obsession with Retrogradation?"

From a traditional perspective the complete and total modern obsession with retrogradation as the APOCALYPTIC END OF ALL CIVILIZATION!!!! is rather odd.

Granted retrogradation is an affliction, but combustion is probably worse, as are being in detriment and fall. Plus we have about 20 other things that can go wrong with a planet.

Yet, I never have clients calling me up saying, "Oh, dear, Mercury is in Pisces and is both in detriment and fall, help, help, HELP!" or "I could really feel the effects when Venus went into combustion this time, it was awful"

So what's up here? First of all, everybody does modern psychological astrology, particularly if they have no idea they are doing it. Ask an astrologer what type of astrology they practice and if they say, "astrology" rather than Vedic, traditional, etc., then they are a modern astrologer.

Modern astrology is psychological and has social work and therapy as its template. You don't go into a therapist and have them say, "Oh man, only 30% of my patients recover" The therapist is upbeat and gives you a chance to benefit from the therapy, even if statistically the chances are against you.

In addition, modern astrology is very New Age, in other words, set up to always put on a happy face. After all there is no fate, we can have anything we want and all we have to do is think good thoughts and all our dreams and desires will be fulfilled.

So, for a modern astrologer nothing in the chart is bad, Venus in Pisces, means sensitive and loving, Venus in Aries, straightforward in love. Whereas a traditional astrologer is going to say Venus in Pisces is exalted and very strong and positive, while Venus in Aries is afflicted by being in detriment and negative.

So everything is positive in the modern system, but clearly negative stuff happens out in reality, so there was a hole in modern astrology. A hole filled by two imports from traditional astrology, the void of course Moon and retrograde Mercury. Since these are the only negative things in all of modern astrology, they have to carry the weight of all existing negativity and now in common parlance have become catastrophically disastrous and the END OF ALL EXISTENCE!!!!

Retrogradation has begun a relentless creep as well. We now have "shadow" periods before and after retrogradation that are VERY, VERY BAD! Where originally retrograde Mercury meant "don't sign any contracts" it now means "DON'T DO A BLESSED THING!" Where only retrograde Mercury was of concern, now any planet retrograde is EXTREMELY WORRISOME.

Which brings us to the second point

Riff #446-C/77 "The Affliction or Fortunation of the Natural Planetary Ruler Has an Unpredictable Effect on the Things Ruled"

Ok, so what if Mercury (or another planet) is retrograde or otherwise afflicted, what does this mean?

The standard modern answer is "RUN FOR THE FRIGGIN HILLS!!"

A more nuanced modern response would be that since Mercury rules contracts or travel or all the other stuff he rules then you should avoid doing them when Mercury is retrograde. Logically this would apply to all afflictions of Mercury, but modern astrologers aren't aware of any other afflictions.

Now let's think about this. Mercury rules communications, for example. Does this mean when Mercury is retrograde that the whole Internet shuts down? No, I guess not!

"But my car, computer, travel plans, always have problems with Mercury retrograde!"

Ok, anecdotal evidence, fine. But what specifically is going to go wrong when Mercury is retrograde?

"I don't know"

Hmmmm, that's odd, since when I do a horary I can predict pretty clearly what's going to happen.

Bottom line, if you can't predict with it, you don't know what's really going on.

And to oppose that anecdotal evidence, plenty of the 6 billion people in the world have no communication, travel, contract problems with Mercury retrograde. Plenty have the best contracts, travel, communications of their lives when Mercury is retrograde.

Traditional astrology has to take a more nuanced view because we are focused on accurate prediction. Certainly if Mercury rules a significant area of your chart, or ends up in a horary or other chart, when he is afflicted, then yes, that will affect you personally, but there has to be more than simply being afflicted since that's the same for all 6 billion people on the planet!

Another Great Astrology Job?

Currently I earn my living as an astrologer and astrological magician. While I am still in the bar, much of the legal advice that I give is in the context of working with astrological clients.

Having graduated from a top ten law school and worked for the Bush family law firm in Washington, DC and for the Chief Counsel/International Tax for the IRS also in DC, I think I have some knowledge of how things work at the higher echelons of business and government. These people are pretty dyed in the wool atheistic/materialists. Plus after Nancy Reagan got absolutely lambasted for consulting an astrologer, politicians simply don't dare. I was in DC as an astrologer for 10 years and never got any inquiries from any senators or congressmen, etc., despite the fact that as an attorney everything would have
been totally confidential.

Yes, the powers that be in the US could be massively into the black arts, but there is as much evidence of this as there is that they are all reptilian uber lords, ie purely speculative.

On the other hand I know from a friend and member of Spiritus that politicians and powerful government figures in Puerto Rico are, in fact, doing tons of magic and using astrology. He's been hired by some of the top government figures there! Different environment.

In terms of employment as a magician/astrologer this reminds me of my post on my blog about getting "A GREAT ASTROLOGY JOB!!!"

Personally I've been fired or laid off from every job I ever had so I have no desire to be "employed". As much of a security freak as I am, I really prefer to be on my own. I'm my own boss and I'm in complete control of my working hours, conditions, what work I do, prices, etc.

I also like calling a spade a spade. I flat out say that I am an astrologer and magician. I don't have disclaimers saying "this is for entertainment purposes" because the @#$@#% is real! I have no problem putting my real name and contact info right on my website because I believe strongly in what I am doing.

Now we are lucky to live in a time where we are not persecuted. I was reading a book about rootworkers and they were routinely prosecuted by the Postal inspectors and local authorities because magic was per se fraudulent. Since we don't have to hide, I'm not going to!

My template for what I am doing is my previous work as an attorney. I have expert knowledge and practical experience I use to assist my clients. I like horary questions because like a legal problem, they are focused and discrete and I am not expected, like a social worker, to solve all my client's problems.

Frankly, there are plenty of traditional role models for magicians and astrologers. You learn, you set up shop, you charge! Perfectly normal in classical Rome, 17th century England or even early 20th century Southern America (ala rootworkers).

The last thing I would want to see personally, is corporate magicians, with degrees, certifications and licensing, working for the 401(k) and year end bonus for Megacorp. Must every friggin' thing be chewed, masticated and devoured by corporate post-capitalism?

I, mean sheesh! Here we are doing magic, which is utterly and totally nuts when judged by science. Science, since the 17th century, has had as one of its primary missions, the destruction of "superstition" ie any recognition of the spiritual and the advancement of "reason" ie atheistic/materialism. Why put one foot in the water by doing magic and then buy into the rest of the atheistic/materialist agenda?

Free your mind and the rest will, sure as #@%@# follow!

Talismans and the Guardian Angel/Daimon

I had an interesting question recently on my discussion group Spiritus Mundi regarding the use of astrological talismans and your guardian angel/daimon.

The 4th Century Neoplatonic philosopher Iamblichus says, "...the invocation of daemons is made in the name of the single god who is their ruler, who from the beginning has apportioned a personal daimon to each individual and who in the theurgic rite reveals...their personal daimon to each...in the case of daimons, the single common leader of the cosmocraters [planetary gods] in the realm of generation sends down to the individual recipients their personal daimon."

De Mysteriis, Bk X, sec, 9.

That individual guardian angel/daimons are under the rulership of various planets is a fairly common formulation in later Neoplatonic and Hermetic thought, though Iamblichus makes the point that the entire cosmos is present in each individual and that simply identifying the almuten of the chart doesn't tell the whole story.

Picatrix discusses our individual Perfect Nature which functions similarly to the guardian angel/daimon,

"Aristotle said furthermore that each sage had his proper virtue infused into him by exalted spirits, by whose powers their senses were closed, their intellects opened, and sciences were revealed to them. This virtue was conjoined with the virtue of the planet ruling the radix of the nativity, so that the virtue thus co-created in them strengthened them and gave intelligence to them."

Picatrix Bk III, ch 6.

Thus it does appear that the guardian angel/daimon/Perfect Nature can be identified in each person with a particular planet. Robert Zoller used Ibn Ezra's almuten figuris calculation for this purpose and identified the almuten figuris as the planet linking each person to the divine. Almuten Figuris Calculation Method

I provide the almuten figuris as part of all of my natal readings
Astrological Checkup
Spiritual Path Reading
Full Natal Reading

Once identified it certainly would make sense to work with the planet that is your almuten figuris. This can be done through ritual, meditation and the use of talismans since these are ways to contact and connect to your guardian angel/daimon/Perfect Nature

"Socrates said that the perfect nature is the Sun of the wise one and his root is that of the Light. One interrogated the sage Hermes and asked him "With what are joined science and philosophy?" He replied "With the perfect nature." He was asked again "What is the root of science and philosophy?" "The perfect nature," he said. He was asked them more precisely "What is the key work of science and philosophy?" "The perfect nature" he answered. He was asked again "What is the perfect nature?" He answered "The perfect nature is the spirit of the philosopher or of the wise one bound to the planet that governs him. It is he that opens the doors of apprehension, and it is by he that one understands what cannot be understood otherwise, and it is from him that proceeds the workings of nature, directly, as much in dreams as in the state of wakefulness."

Picatrix Bk III, ch 6.

Review of Roos 'Magic Coins' and 'Magic Squares'

Review of ‘MAGIC COINS’AND‘MAGIC SQUARES’:The Discovery of Astrological Sigils in the Oldenburg Letters, ANNA MARIE ROOS, Notes Rec. R. Soc. 20 September 2008 vol. 62 no. 3 271-288

Roos Article in pdf

Dr Roos is a scholar specializing in English astrological magic and talismans in their terminal phase, the late 17th century. Her article, "Magic Coins and Magic Squares" contains an interesting series of drawings of astrological talismans from a late 17th century letter. It is always useful to see actual examples of talismanic design.

The result of this ultra-specialization in such a late period of astrological magic and a focus on printed works, clear from the article's footnotes, are some significant errors. Firstly most works on astrological magic circulated only in manuscript. Frank Klassen lists several hundred manuscripts of astrological magic, while only a few books on astrological magic were ever printed before the modern era. A focus on printed material misses most of the extant corpus on astrological magic.

Secondly, errors detectable by a careful perusal of even printed sources have crept into the article. For example on page 276 figure 3(b) Roos states, "On the reverse we see the Verchiel angelic symbol, followed by the sign for Regulus,and the cabala symbol for Leo."

In fact, what Roos describes as the sign of Regulus is the standard symbol for Leo, a fact which is made obvious by examining figure 5, also described as the sign of Regulus, again clearly the standard Leo symbol. What Roos describes as the "cabala symbol of Leo" is, in fact, the standard symbol of Regulus. See Agrippa, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, Bk II, ch 52.

The symbol of Regulus is also not a symbol derived from cabala or planetary squares. Agrippa's source was the manuscript Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars which circulated widely in the Middle Ages and Renaissance and thus is Hermetic, not Cabbalistic in origin. See the Latin critical edition of Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy (Brill, 1992) at 377 for Agrippa's source and on my website for a translation of Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars.

In fact the origin of the fixed star symbols is most likely in Greek and Latin charakteres used on defixiones, standard classical magical objects consisting of writing on lead tablets. See eg, Gager, Curse Tablets and Binding Spells, (Oxford, 1992) at 8, specifically citing Picatrix.

But the most egregious error is the statement that, "the concept of having astrological images on sigils is exclusive to the Christian Latin West." Roos at 274. This is simply wrong. Roos even cites Picatrix, the leading astrological text in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, see footnote 29, but apparently has little idea of its significance or provenance. Picatrix, known in Arabic as the Ghayat al Hikam, the Goal of the Wise, was composed in Arabic circa AD 1000 and represents one of many scientific, philosophical, astrological and magical works translated into Latin so that the developing European civilization of the Middle Ages could learn from the advanced Islamic civilization of the Middle East.

The Islamic civilization in turn drew on many sources for astrological magic in particular from the Sabians of Harran, who were renowned as scientists, astrologers, magicians, mathematicians and makers of precision instruments. The most famous work of astrological magic of the Harranian Sabians was De Imaginibus "On Images" written by Thabit Ibn Qurra. Both Picatrix and De Imaginibus while widely circulated in Europe were never published. It is clear from a careful review of all sources that European astrological magic and astrology was almost exclusively externally derived.

Not Just Good/Bad: The Nodes & Retrogradation

One of the trends that is very clear in traditional astrology and Western astrology, which incidentally is contrary to the myth of "progress" is the tendency towards loss of nuance and loss of technique beginning in the Middle Ages, accelerating into the Renaissance and reaching almost catastrophic proportions with modern astrology.

One way in which this loss of nuance expresses itself is in the tendency to use the simple classification of every astrological factor as simply "good" or "bad". One of the canards flung at traditional astrology by modern is that it calls certain planets, fixed stars, etc., malefic. Perish the thought! Yet despite this criticism modern astrology regards void of course Moon or retrograde Mercury in the starkest and wholly negative terms.

Even when it comes to the malefics, traditional astrology has a more nuanced view. As the Centiloquium, the 100 Aphorisms attributed to Ptolemy says,

"In election of days and hours, make use of the two malevolent planets Saturn and Mars; for even so doth the expert physician use poison moderately for cure of man."

Aphorism 10.

Thus even the malefics have their uses. Being too close to the Sun, known as combustion, for example, is considered in general to be a severe affliction. However, the medieval Italian astrologer Guido Bonatti says,

"And when [the Moon] is under the rays of the Sun she signified secrets and things that have been hidden, and also she signifies matters that must be hidden; wherefore, at that time it is good to manage things that must be hidden and do those things which we wish to conceal from people before the Moon should be separated from the the Sun, but to be sure, at the time after she is separated from the Sun, [we must do] those things which we want to be hidden before she goes out from the Sun's rays."

Liber Astronomiae, Book III (Arhat ed.) page 38.

So even dealing with malefic/benefic qualities, traditional astrology uses a nuanced approach. But this simple good/bad distinction is only one tool in the fully stocked traditional kit.

The Nodes of the Moon and retrogradation provide another interesting comparison using the increase/decrease comparison. The 10th century Arabic astrologer Al-Qabisi, known to Europeans as Alcabitius, writes in his Introduction to Astrology that the North Node of the Moon, known as the Head of the Dragon, is considered benefic, but that some say it has the nature of increase, so it increased the positive qualities of benefics and the negative qualities of malefics.

Similarly he says that the South Node or Tail of the Dragon is a malefic, but that some say it has the quality of decrease, decreasing the positive qualities of benefics, but also decreasing the negative qualities of malefics,

"Thus it is said that the Head is a benefic with the benefics and malefic with the malefics; the Tail is a malefic with the benefics and a benefic with the malefics."

Introduction to Astrology, (Warburg 2004) ch 2, sections 45-48, p 88-9.

Similarly with retrogradation, normally considered an affliction, but the astrological magic grimoire the Picatrix says,

"When [Saturn] is retrograde, however, he signifies misfortune, debilities or infirmities, prisons and evils suffered in all things, and if he enters into aspect with any other planet, he weakens it and damages all the qualities of the other planet. If he is retrograde and you ask him for something, what you seek will come about with delays and miseries and great labor. If he is retrograde in any of his dignities, his maledictions are augmented and increased; while if he rises in his powers and dignities, then he will be easier and gentler."

Picatrix, Bk III, ch. 7, quoted in Secrets of Planetary Ritual

So following the logic of Picatrix, being retrograde and afflicted would lessen the severity of the affliction. Interesting!

Traditional astrology ultimately is about synthesis, using all of the chart factors in relation to each other to see through the chart and find the unified pattern of the situation that the Heavens reveal. Just as reality is complex and nuanced, so too must be any system that attempts to make accurate and precise prediction.

Talismans for Planets Afflicted in the Natal Chart

I wanted to talk about the issue of using planetary talismans when the chosen planet is seriously afflicted in your natal chart. Seriously afflicted means basically being in fall or detriment, or combust or retrograde without significant dignity.

Picatrix says that if planet is strong in your natal chart that you will have a stronger effect if you invoke it or make its talisman.
Picatrix Bk I ch 5, page 42 Greer & Warnock translation

Similarly Picatrix indicates that if a planet is strong in the chart of the creation of a talisman,

The most important point (of which you should take diligent care) is that you should see that the planet is in good condition and quality, and remote from infortunes, because when he is like this, he is like a man of good will and a lively heart and a great and ample mind, and if another person seeks something from him, he cannot find it in himself to deny the petitioner. When the same planet is retrograde in his course or cadent from the angles, he is like a man full of anger and ill will, who is most ready to deny a petition.

Picatrix, Bk III ch 7, from Secrets of Planetary Ritual, page 12

Looking at general electional practice in traditional astrology, the dignity or debility of planets in the natal chart affects elections. William Ramesey in Astrology Restored/Astrologia Restaurata says,

But note (as aforesayd) that if a malevolent Planet be significator in any thing in the Radix [literally root, ie natal chart], you must fortify it, and not think the making a fortune: viz. Jupiter or Venus (which are but generally so) significators, will be beneficial: for it will often prove contrary : for all men are not ruled by Jupiter and Venus; neither (as I say) are they always fortunes: for accidentally they may be infortunes: and when they are Lords of the eighth, twelfth and sixth, they are occasions of sickness, poverty, imprisonment, mischief and death as effectually as Saturn or Mars;

For every Planet must doe the office whereunto it is ordained: and so by the same rule may Saturn and Mars be fortunes, and so they are to those they chiefly rule, and to such things as are properly under their dominion either naturally or accidentally;

Astrology Restored 123-4.

On the other hand, I have seen people with afflicted planets in their natal charts get good results from the talismans of these planets. So what I would say is that if a planet is afflicted in your natal chart, that this is a red flag. You need to do some additional divination and perhaps experiment with a paper talisman before trying anything more powerful. This is even more important with Saturn & Mars talismans since the energy of the malefics can be hard to take even when dignified.

However, just because you decide not to work with the talismans of the planets doesn't mean you can't work with their energy. You can do meditation and invocation at astrologically appropriate times and you can do planetary charity. Planetary charity involves making an oath to a planet to give their charity and then giving a person or charity ruled by the planet a donation on the planetary hour and day of the planet. For Saturn, give a homeless person a donation on Saturday at Saturn hour. Whatever you do however, make the oath your first priority. Don't vow and then blow off the charity!

More on Astrological Talismans