Name of the Figure: Via (The Way); some give it as Candela (Candle)
Element: Water
Planet: Moon (waning)
Sign: Leo
Quality: Common
Fortune: Mixed

When interpreting Via, there’s a couple of notions to keep in mind. First, its interesting geomantic property of turning every figure into its opposite: If you add Via to Conjunctio, meaning connectivity, you get Carcer, isolation; if you add Via to Puella, innocence and balance, you get Rubeus, vice and lying; if you add Via to Caput Draconis, the beginning of something, you get Laetitia, its peak, etc. This is because Via has one point in each elemental row: one point in the Fire row, one in the Air row, one in the Water row, one in the Earth row. One point, when added to another single point, turns it into an even double point, while when added to a double point it turns it into an odd number again.

This property of Via connects well with its meaning of change, travel, etc. It is an active, transformative figure, indicating that the situation will not stay as it is. Something that began one way will finish as something different.

Another interesting and often mentioned property of Via is that it has the least amount of points of any figure in Geomancy, four. This can mean that Via stands for a small amount of something, whether for good or ill. This, however, is usually only in questions of quantity (“Will I get back the money?” “Yes, but only a small part.”)

Finally, because it is in contrast with the other figure of the Moon, Populus, which is the crowd, Via can represent aloneness, not necessarily in a bad sense. It can show someone doing something alone, following their own path. It may indicate independence. However, if you dabble in the old manuscripts, you will see that depending on the author Via is attributed better or worse qualities depending on that author’s own ideas. I personally find it a neutral figure, if an unstable one.

Common Keywords: Travel, path, journey, going, moving, acting, making inroads, change, transformation, one, only, lonely, small, little, small amount

Via in the Geomantic Houses (these are only examples. Use context to guide your interpretation)

House	Possible Meanings
First	A traveler, wayfarer, piligrim, small stature, phlegmatic temperament, changeable, A short life
Second	Traveling merchant, Little money, change in the economic situation, poverty
Third	Short trip, visit, younger siblings, arrival of news, partly true rumors, the garden or neighborhood
Fourth	mixed end results, instability at the end, a trip to see one’s parents of father, little inheritance
Fifth	Few children (possibly one), going to a party, little pleasure
Sixth	short illness, change in the health, servants are arriving or fleeing (traditionally), small animals, small gain from animals
Seventh	Unstable partner, highwaymen, little company, gain or loss of support (depending on how one is at the present moment)
Eighth	Fleeing danger or fearful situation, little money from other people
Ninth	Long travel, little faith, unworthy knowledge or teacher, a process of transformation, inner journey
Tenth	Unstable government, Unstable profession, change of job, traveling for work, authority figures are not to be trusted
Eleventh	vain hope, little hope, little help, changeable friends, few of them
Twelfth	Release from prison, Freedom from addiction, Few enemies
Thirteenth	Unstable past, ability to change, good for traveling, positive journey or path
Fourteenth	quick solution, the situation will evolve or change, issues while traveling
Fifteenth	There will be travel or change for good or ill, Quick solution

MQS