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Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy, Occultism and Esoterism, Philosophy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book I Pt. 1

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Back to Index / Part 2

Here Abano introduces the subject matter and the names and main qualities of the sixteen figures.

Geomancy is a simple science to master. It employs the same methods of astrology to answer any question the person might have—whether what one wants to undertake will meet with success or not, according to natural virtue and celestial influence.1

This method of judging [questions] and receiving information avails itself of four figures made of ink points on a piece of paper by the Geomancer’s hand, which is moved by the heavenly influence of God’s eternal grace.2 As such, one must ask one’s question with sincerity and a pure soul.

From the initial four figures, sixteen are derived (and no more than sixteen) to answer any question the person might desire to know [the answer to]. However, not all the figures are necessary in answering a specific question. Only fifteen are, and they are enough to answer any question.3
These fifteen figures don’t always come up in the same way, but only as Heaven influences them to come up.4

These are the sixteen figures and their names:

Abano’s illustration of the sixteen figures with their latin name

Four figures are assigned to each quadrant of the Heaven (North, South, East, West) and to the four elements (Fire, Air, Water, Earth) as will become clear shortly. They are called fortunate or unfortunate.

Rubeus, Amissio, Fortuna Minor and Cauda are Fiery, that is, hot and dry, and of choleric complexion,5 southern, diurnal, masculine, strongly malicious, haughty and furious.6

Acquisitio, Laetitia, Conjunctio and Puer are airy, that is, hot and wet, of sanguine complexion, eastern, masculine and diurnal, very good and temperate, and good wherever they fall in the chart.7

Puella, Populus, Via and Albus are cold and wet, of phlegmatic complexion, northern, feminine and nocturnal. Generally fortunate and good where they fall in the chart.

Caput, Fortuna Maior, Tristitia and Carcer are earthy, that is, cold and dry, and of melancholic complexion, western, feminine, nocturnal. Two are good, Caput and Fortuna Maior, while two are bad, Tristitia and Carcer. They are slow and slothful in their meanings, but they cause what they promise nonetheless.

All the above is to be noted when a figure represents a person and another figure a different person, that we may know their character and how well they may get along.

The sixteen figures have yet another cycle of attributes that renders them positive or negative. Depending on whether they are mobile or fixed, we may know how soon or how late the effect will manifest, and how the situation shall be resolved according that they are entering or exiting or mixed.

Acquisitio, Fortuna Maior, Albus, Caput, Puella and Tristitia are entering, fixed, good and fortunate, except Tristitia, which is always bad.

Amissio, Fortuna Minor, Rubeus, Cauda, Puer and Laetitia are exiting, mobile, bad and malicious, except Letitia, which is always good.

Populus, Via, Conjunctio and Carcer are said to be common, that is, neither very quick nor very slow, and they are also neither too good nor too bad, though they tend to err on the side of goodness, except for Carcer, which is always evil.8

And yet another meaning must be added, which shows whether the people signified by the figures conform to one another in terms of will and soul, according that the figures are mobile, quick or slow, and according that they are single-bodied or accompanied [double-bodied].9

Acquisitio, Fortuna Maior, Puella, Caput, Tristitia and Albus are fixed, single-bodied and regular.

Amissio, Puer, Cauda, Letitia and Rubeus are mobile, half-bodied and diminished.10

Fortuna Minor, Carcer, Conjunctio, Via and Populus are common, that is, between mobile and fixed, and they are neither too quick nor too slow, and are double-bodied and accompanied, except for Via.

And in order that one may easily know the virtue and influence of the Heavens through the sixteen figures, we must also note their correlation with the twelve zodiac signs. Similarly, they are attributed to the seven heavenly planets, according to their influence on the twelve signs.

Abano’s illustration of the astrological attributes of the geomantic figures

However, each figure does not mean the same as the other [assigned to the same planet]. Each has a separate meaning. As such, Carcer is Saturn direct, Tristitia is Saturn retrograde; Acquisitio is Jupiter direct; Letitia is Jupiter retrograde; Rubeus is Mars direct, Puer is Mars retrograde;11 Fortuna Maior is the Sun when elevated, Fortuna Minor is the Sun when depressed and obscured; Puella is Venus direct, Amissio is Venus retrograde; Albus is Mercury direct, Conjunctio is Mercury retrograde; Populus is the waxing Moon, Via the waning Moon. Consequently, the direct signs are better than the retrograde. Furthermore, Caput is attributed to Jupiter and Venus, Cauda to Saturn and Mars.12 But this is not always the case, but rather depends on the question asked.

MQS

Footnotes
  1. The concept of natural virtue underpins the Western magical worldview. The word ‘virtue’ must not be understood in a moral sense, but rather in the sense of ‘property’ or ‘power’. It forms part of the Hermetic doctrine of Signatures. The virtues of the things under the Heavens are generally seen as corresponding to certain celestial factors. ↩︎
  2. This is a rather typical phrasing found in various premodern handbooks. It is connected with the Christian Aristotelean worldview prevalent at the time, whereby God, the unmoved mover, ruled the world not directly, but through a series of concentric spheres, each one corresponding to a planet, except the sphere of the fixed stars and that of the primum mobile. ↩︎
  3. The sixteenth figure is what is commonly referred to as the Judge of the Judge, formed by the Judge plus the first Mother. ↩︎
  4. In other words, they are ‘random’. ↩︎
  5. The word ‘complexion’ is used in a slightly different way from today. It refers to the theory of the four humors (black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm). These humors influenced not just the character, but also, up to a point, the appearance of the subject as well as their being prone to this or that illness. ↩︎
  6. Abano seems to include Fortuna Minor among the malicious figures, though later in the text he treats it as generally positive. ↩︎
  7. Abano however does not always treat Puer as a positive figure. ↩︎
  8. In all this section Abano seems to be painting with a very broad brush, talking of the figures as “always good” or “always bad”. Of course things get more complicated. ↩︎
  9. This is borrowed, as so much in geomancy, from astrological practice, where the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Pisces and Sagittarius) are also called double-bodied. Double-bodied signs, and therefore geomantic figures, can indicate the involvement of more than one person. ↩︎
  10. The concept of half-bodied does not, to the best of my current knowledge, come from astrology, but I may be wrong. ↩︎
  11. This seems prima facie counterintuitive, as a retrograde planet is generally considered worse than a direct one, and Puer is generally not considered worse than Rubeus. ↩︎
  12. This is in accordance with the relatively standard Medieval practice of attributing the North Node of the Moon to the two benefics, Jupiter and Venus, and the South Node to the two malefics, Saturn and Mars. This practice developed over time and does not seem to originate in older astrology of the Hellenistic period, when both nodes appear to have been considered more or less malefic, when considered at all. ↩︎
astrology, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy, Uncategorized

The Shield Chart is the Only Chart

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One of the things newcomers to Geomancy learn first is the distinction between shield chart and astrological chart. This distinction has been popularized by Greer in his two books on Geomancy, but it doesn’t originate with him, though he is, to my limited knowledge, the first to insinuate that the shield chart is a beginner’s tool and the astrological chart a more advanced one (his attitude changes in his Golden Dawn writings, where he tries to purge astrology from geomancy and render the shield chart autonomous).

Agrippa (followed centuries later by the Golden Dawn) clearly has the astrological chart in mind, since he advocates putting the four Mothers in the four angles, the four Daughters in the four succedent houses and the four Nieces in the four cadent houses. This idea can only come to mind to someone who primarily uses the astrological square chart, or at least pictures the geomantic reading in those terms.

There are other authors, however, like Cattan, Abano and Alfakini (note that some attribute Alfakini’s work, found in the Fasciculus Geomanticus, to Gerard of Cremona) who clearly think of geomantic practice in terms of the shield chart alone. Not because they are unaware of the possible correspondence with the astrological houses, which all employ, nor because they never attempt to draw the square astrological chart (Christopher Cattan does it in the first part of his book), but because it is clear to them that the twelve astrological houses are meant as a technique to be used to draw meaning out of the shield chart and not as a new or different way of doing geomancy.

This can be seen from the fact that both Abano and Alfakini (and possibly also Cattan, but I have to study his text more closely) clearly consider the twelfth house NOT to be contiguous to the first, as it would be in the square chart. On the other hand, both consider the ninth house, which in an astrological square chart would have no relation to the first, to be contiguous to the first, just because in a shield chart it belongs to the same triplicity as the first and is close to it (see below)

Shield chart in Geomancy, with first and ninth house connected. App used: Simple Geomancy

In this chart, Puer in the first is close to Cauda in the ninth, but not to Puella in the twelfth.

This new way of looking at the chart is also making me reevaluate the doctrine of the company of houses, which I have somewhat disparaged in a previous article, and it might even shed light on the strange doctrine of the triplicities, which Greer makes much of but which is barely present in the old texts except in an apparently purely decorative sense. I will need to read the texts more closely and experiment.

What seems clear to me though is that there was never meant to be an astrological square chart, for many authors of the Medieval tradition, but rather merely an astrological lens in looking at the shield chart.

MQS

astrology, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

Astrological Aspects in Geomancy

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In Medieval and early modern times, Astrology was everything. Being a natural consequence of the philosophical worldview tolerated by the church (that is, Aristoteleanism), Astrology was not seen, strictly speaking, as a Bible-prohibited practice, but merely as an extension of the science of the day. Though it always had its detractors, it was generally accepted. Therefore it was normal to try to astrologize everything.

We’ve already discussed geomantic perfection. This takes place thanks to something resembling aspects. But some old books go a step further and seek to introduce the actual astrological aspects of the time into geomantic practice.

In Astrology, an aspect happens when two planets occupy the same degree in different signs: a sextile happens to planets that are 60 degrees apart (e.g., Venus at 10 Aries and Jupiter at 10 Gemini); a square is between planets that are 90 degrees apart (e.g. Venus at 10 Aries and Jupiter at 10 Cancer); a trine is between planets that are 120 degrees apart (e.g., Venus at 10 Aries and Jupiter at 10 Leo); an opposition is between planets that are 180 degrees apart (e.g., Venus at 10 Aries and Jupiter at 10 Libra)

Aspects are key to astrological perfection. They show the things signified by the planets coming together, with sextile and trine indicating good contact on one hand and square and opposition showing bad or difficult contact. For instance, if in a love question my significator aspects my love interest’s significator, it shows us coming together. If by trine, we get along, if by square we argue.

In geomancy, astrological aspects have been adapted to the chart as follows:

Astrological aspects in Geomancy (App used: Simple Geomancy)

If we take the figure in the first house (marked in yellow) as a reference point, then the figures in blue sextile it, because they are separated from it by a single sign; the figures in purple square it, because they are separated from it by two houses; the figures in green trine it because they are separated from it by three houses, and the figure in red opposes it, since it occupies the houses directly opposite.

This is supposed to shed some light on the relationship between the figures: two figures that fall into a square pattern have a difficult relationship, two figures in a trine a good one, etc.

The problem with using astrological aspects in Geomancy is that aspects work in a fundamentally different way: in Astrology, an aspect requires a planet to move in order to apply to another planet. After perfection, then, the aspect separates and its effect wanes.

Geomancy, though, is a static system with no real movement. Sure, we can say a figure moves from one house to another, but in reality that figure is already present in both houses. The only way to conceptualize movement in a geomantic chart is when we take a significator’s house to be the original position of the figure in it, and every other instance of that figure as a successive movement (e.g., in a career reading, if Laetitia is in the tenth house and in the seventh, we take it to move from the tenth to the seventh and not vice versa).

I am honestly not convinced that astrological aspects can find a meaningful place in geomancy. They certainly cannot bring matters to perfection, otherwise everyone would always be separating from their partner since the figure in the seventh house always opposes the figure in the first. Similarly, everyone would always get along with their siblings since the third house always sextiles the first.

One possibility which has been suggested is that of applying aspects only to figures that move. In a love reading, for instance, if the seventh figure moves to the tenth, it moves to square the querent, since the tenth house squares the first.

I personally find this application also problematic, because the tenth house represents the job, among other things, so that would mean that everytime the querent’s job is involved in their love life it causes trouble, which is a false assumption.

At most, I would take an aspect into consideration only if BOTH significators move. In the hypothetical love reading, for instance, if the first figure (querent) moves to the fourth house and the seventh (significant other) moves to the tenth, then they are in opposition to one another. Maybe they will argue. Or, if the first moves to the fourth and the seventh to the second, they sextile each other, which is good.

Even in a situation like this I am generally cautious about applying this theory. There are certain aspects of Astrology (pun intended) that simply don’t translate well to other systems of divination. You are of course welcome to try this theory on for size, but personally I believe Geomancy already has its particular version of aspects, and throwing other stuff into the mix feels more like an attempt at complicating this “brief and simple science” to find something more to tell the querent.

MQS

Divination, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Company of Houses in Geomancy

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The more I delve into medieval geomancy manuscripts, the more I realize how different authors tended to put together different bundles of go-to techniques for interpreting the geomantic chart. There is always some overalap, yet not every author mentions every technique. The company of houses is one such technique. The book from Peter of Abano I am currently translating does not mention it: he tends to have a very trimmed down, minimalistic approach. However, the technique is found in other authors, so I’ll discuss it and leave it up to the reader to decide whether to experiment with it or not.

The Technique

The technique is quite simple. We start from the presupposition that the aim of a geomancy chart is to see whether the figure of the querent comes into contact with the figure of the quesited, as already discussed, because such contact, called perfection, signals the querent coming into possession of the thing quesited about (though there are exceptions, when the querent wishes to get rid of something, for instance.)

Usually, if at least one of the four modes of geomantic perfection discussed in my previous article does not show up in the chart, it’s game over. According to some authors, though, we can also see perfection in other ways, and this is where the Company of Houses comes in.

The twelve houses of a chart are said to be paired as follows: the first with the second; the third with the fourth; the fifth with the sixth; the seventh with the eighth; the ninth with the tenth; the eleventh with the twelfth. It is important to note that, although, say, the third house is next to the second, the second and the third house are not in company: only the first with the second and the third with the fourth.

Let us suppose I want to know whether I will meet with my sweetheart. In general, I would want the house of the querent (me, the first house) to perfect geomantically with the house of the quesited (my sweetheart, the seventh house). Let us furthermore suppose that this does not happen. According to the proponents of the Company of Houses, this negative testimony can be overruled.

We look at the house my house is accompanied with, in this case the second, or the house the quesited is accompanied with, i.e., the eighth. Let’s take the second house as an example. The first kind of company is if the figure in the second house is the same figure as that of the first; the second kind of company is if the figure in the second is ruled by the same planet as the figure in the first; the third kind of company is if the figure in the second is opposite the figure in the first; the final kind of company is if the figure in the second shares the same Fire line (e.g., Via and Puella, who both have a single fire line).

This figure is the oppositeOf this figure      
CaudaCaput
ConjunctioCarcer
PuellaPuer
AcquisitioAmissio
AlbusRubeus
TristitiaLaetitia
Fortuna MinorFortuna Major
PopulusVia
Opposite figures

When any of these four conditions is realized, the figure in the second house can act as a co-significator for the querent, and may perfect the chart in his stead.

Do you need this?

Frankly? No. You can do what you please, of course, but this reeks of “Methinks I saw mine lass turn into a dragon”, that is, how people used to come up with stuff to fill books with. Even worse, it reeks of last-ditch effort at wringing a “yes” out of a negative chart.

In some cases, what is called Company of Houses is already covered by the four regular modes of perfection. When it isn’t, it is, as far as I am concerned, at most a very, very, very weak testimony, so much so that I don’t take it into consideration. Of course one may come up with all sorts of philosophical excuses why this technique is important, but if you ask me, it feels like a useless complication of a simple divination system.

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Via Puncti (Way of the Point) in Geomancy

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I already said that I am not a big fan of complications in divination. Nor do I believe that the tendency to overcomplicate things is just modern: if we look in older Horary Astrology handbooks, for instance, they are filled to the brim with (often mutually contradictory) techniques that may be thrown at the chart in an attempt to smoke a positive judgement out of it.

Still, one technique that is relatively consistent in the tradition is that of the Via Puncti, or Way of the Point. Not all traditional sources talk about it, but I have found it to be occasionally helpful. As usual, techniques are not to be used blindly, but intelligently, like tools in the hand of a surgeon.

The long and short of this technique is as follows: some Judges have one point in their Fire line (the upmost one), while others have two. In fact, out of all eight possible Judges, four have one single Fire point (Carcer, Fortuna Minor, Via, Amissio), while the other four have two (Conjunctio, Fortuna Major, Populus, Acquisitio). Due to how Geomancy’s model works, whenever the Judge has one Fire line, it is possible to trace it back unequivocally to one of the four Mothers or Daughters (that is, to one of the eight figures at the top of the shield).

Geomantic Shield Reading, drawn with the Simple Geomancy app

In the above example, Fortuna Minor is the Judge. It has one point in its Fire line. This one point is found again in the Left Witness, Laetitia, and again in the third Niece, which is again Laetitia, and finally in the second Daughter Puella. No other path is possible. This is always so (if it isn’t so and you’ve calculated the chart by hand, you’ve made a mistake.)

Usually, the Via Puncti or Way of the Point can be looked at as a root cause for at least some aspects of the final answer. In the example above, for instance, a woman may be the cause (Puella). Or, if we take the House in consideration, since Puella is in the Sixth house, it may indicate that a sickness is the cause, or a servant/subordinate, or a pet, depending on the question.

I repeat: depending on the question. I make no effort to squeeze a consideration of the Via Puncti into my readings. If it is helpful, and if the question lends itself, I will consider it.

Geomantic Shield Reading, drawn with the Simple Geomancy app

In this second example, Acquisitio is the Judge. Immediately the Via Puncti branches off, as both Witnesses have two points in their Fire line. John Michael Greer says that this shows more complex causes, but he fails to mention that, in the old books, this is not considered a valid Via Puncti. I don’t know if I am unaware of some of the old material or if Greer gave in to his tendency to mix innovation (which is fine) with pretense that it is rooted in tradition. You can of course choose to experiment with Greer’s version of the Via Puncti. Personally, I don’t even always regard it when it is there (as in the first example) let alone when it is not there.

One thing that the existence of the technique shows, though, is that the Golden Dawn’s way of reading the astrological chart by placing the mothers in the angles is completely baseless, and is a typical example of the “let’s make up a secret” tendency of the occult community.

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

Geomancy – Reconciling the Judge and the Chart

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We’ve seen that the process reading a Geomancy chart divides into two phases: the assessment of the chart and the assessment of the court.

If the chart and the court seem to hint at the same result all is well and good. Problems start when they appear to diverge and say different things. One way the old geomancers faced this possibility was by throwing random techniques at the chart so as to tease out a straight answer. In this, they were similar to old horary astrologers (“the significators are moving away and are in detriment, but ah, look at that Part of Fortune!”)

I like to keep things simple. An understanding of the first principles is more effective, I believe, than an endless array of techniques designed to allow the reader to say whatever he feels like saying at the moment. Geomancy is a “simple and short science” to quote Abano.

Abano himself, in his book, often talks about the Judge as if it described an ultimate state of affairs beyond the immediate result. This is something that I have found in other old books as well.

We only have eight possible Judges, so the Judge won’t be able to offer much subtlety in its verdict. Even after we factor in the Witnesses we still have a limited oracle. But think about it: a real-life judge doesn’t usually have much to say except to either rule for or against someone. Sure, he can tweak this or that detail, but that’s about it.

The judge’s ruling usually determines who’s happy with the result and who isn’t, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes a judge may rule in your favor but empty your victory, or conversely he may rule against you but still grant you the one small thing you care about.

Therefore, in a Geomantic reading the Judge usually describes the general tone of the answer, especially how the matter ends (well, so so or not so well). The interrelationship of the figures in the chart, though, is much more specific as it describes in more detail what happens concretely.

This is not a matter of “perfection means yes”. Perfection doesn’t mean yes. Perfection means contact or connection. Usually, of course, contact with something or someone is a positive sign as we generally want to obtain something, but context is key. “Will I be able to leave this abusive relationship?” with the two significators perfecting is a clear no.

Suppose in this example that the significators perfect, showing continuance, but the Judge is Fortuna Major. Maybe the spouse starts taking their AA meetings seriously, or depending on the other signs in the chart it may show that the querent isn’t capable of leaving now but will at a later point (Fortuna Major shows long term success)

On the other hand, there’s plenty of situations where we get our wish but later regret it. “Will I get the job?” and the first and tenth connect, but Carcer is the Judge: yes, but you won’t like it one bit.

Some like to bring in a sixteenth figure, usually called the Reconciler or the Judge of the Judge. This figure is obtained by adding the Judge to the first house figure. This can show you how the end of the matter affects the querent, but it is not a substitute for working out the meaning of the chart. All in all, the sixteenth figure only gives details, never the answer.

Greer, in his book, offers a ton of suggestions on how to deal with an obstinate chart that resists interpretation, including using certain figures to derive a new set of Mothers. Frankly, if you are that desperate, you may just as well interrupt the divination and ask the question again the next day. In all honesty, though, it has never happened to me.

The key to interpreting any oracle is to be reminded that divination is a language and language describes the world. The oracle is always a mirror of real life situations, not an abstract set of simbols.

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomantic Court: Witnesses and Judge

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The process of interpreting a Geomancy chart almost seems to split between two phases: 1. assessing the significators and their relationship (as discussed here) 2. interpreting the geomantic court. Some would even object to the order in which I give them, as, technically speaking, it’s the Judge that gives the answer.

The Geomantic Court is copmosed of the two Witnesses and the Judge. The two Witnesses represent the culmination of the process of development of the two sides of the Geomantic Shield (as discussed here)

Example of a Geomancy Shield reading, with the App Simple Geomancy

The right and left Witnesses (the right one is Albus, the left one is Caput) are the last product of the right and left sides of the Shield respectively. The Judge represents the overcoming of this duality into a final unity that takes everything into consideration.

We can easily liken the two Witnesses to the two pans of a scale, where arguments in favor and against are weighed. The fact that, from a technical standpoint, the Judge can only be a figure with an even number of points speaks to the Judge’s consideration of both sides. Keep in mind that there’s a total of 65.536 possible shields when we allow for all possible permutations of the sixteen mothers. But only 8 Judge figures are possible. Obviously, the Judge’s sentence can only be a general bird-eye view of the situation from the throne of Heaven, as it were. This is very different from the concrete and specific interrelation of the geomantic figures on the Shield.

As for the two Witnesses, as said, they are the culmination of the process of discussion that is carried out on the two sides of the Shield, the right side belonging to the querent and the left side to the quesited, or, alternatively, the right side being what pleads for the querent and the left side what speaks against his or her success.

Peter de Abano, interestingly, likens the right Witness to the planet the Moon separates from in an astrology chart, and the left Witness to the planet she applies to. This is largely in keeping with the attempt of Medieval magi to reduce everything to astrology. If you follow this school of thought, since in traditional astrology the Moon represents the flow of the chart or the flow of action in the chart, then the right Witness is the past and the left Witness the future. Personally, I tend to see the two Witnesses as belonging to the same timeframe, of which they highlight the up and down sides.

Some rules have been passed down to us for assessing the relationship between the Witnesses and the Judge. For instance, it is said that if the Witnesses are positive and the Judge negative, it shows that the matter is easier at the beginning but doesn’t end well, and vice versa if the Witnesses are bad and the Judge good.

In general, if we accept that the Judge is nothing more than the sum of the two Witnesses, and that the two Witnesses are the ‘for’ and ‘against’, then in a way the Judge is nothing more than a recapitulation of the Witnesses’ discussion, seen from a higher, more general level.

If we take the example of the Geomantic court above, where Acquisitio is the Judge and it derives from Albus as the right Witness and Caput as the left Witness, and if we suppose the question is about a business deal, then the right Witness argues that the querent has good business sense or a good plan, while the left Witness adds that it’s going to be hard at the beginning, while the Judge surmises from the discussion that, in general, the deal is going to be profitable.

Alternatively, if we take the right Witness as a symbol of the querent and the left Witness as a symbol of the quesited, the querent is still shown as a competent businessperson, while the quesited, i.e., the deal, is shown as a promising new start, while the Judge still rules in favor of the deal being good.

In the next article I will talk about how to reconcile the Judge and court with the other aspects of the reading.

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

Cauda Draconis / Dragon’s Tail (Geomancy Figures)

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Name of the Figure: Cauda Draconis (Dragon’s Tail); sometimes called Outward Threshold
Element: Fire
Planet: None, Moon’s South Node (some say also the malefics, Mars and Saturn)
Sign: Sagittarius
Quality: Exiting
Fortune: Bad

Cauda Draconis is the less lovable sibling of Caput Draconis. Like its counterpart, Cauda is not traditionally associated with any planet, although some classics say it belongs to the malefics of astrology, namely Mars and Saturn. However, in itself, Cauda is connected with the Moon’s South Node. Technically every planet has nodes, that is, points where they cross the Sun’s ecliptic. However, in traditional astrology, only the Moon’s nodes are considered, as the Moon’s connection with the journey of life is said to begin with the North and end with the South Node. Visually, the symbol of Cauda is said to show a series of steps leading away from a threshold, symbolizing the sense of ending.

Illustration of the geomantic figure Cauda Draconis, Dragon’s Tail

And ending is indeed one of the main meanings of Cauda. Ending is not necessarily bad. When you want to get rid of an illness, or really anything, Cauda can be positive, if not easy. It also shows quick, sharp change, so it can bring stagnant situations to an end.

Still, Cauda is mostly unwelcome in most readings. It can indicate the end of a relationship (or that a relationship won’t start). It can show unemployment and loss of money. It can announce difficult interpersonal relationships all around.

Due to its connection with the bad side of life, Cauda is one of the figures that, traditionally, prompted geomancers to break their figure and abandon divination if it shows up in the first house. Don’t do it. Just because Cauda is in the first house doesn’t mean your querent is a psychopath. Cauda is a challenging figure. It can simply mean the person is going through challenging times, that their life is changing dramatically and they have lost the plot.

Common Keywords: Ending, Loss, Abandonment, Evil, Quarrel, Evil intentions, Disruption, Letting go

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

HousePossible Meanings
FirstDangerous person, Person in danger, Person who is going through hell, Person who is ending something
SecondLoss of money or items
ThirdQuarrels among neighbors or siblings, Bad news, False rumors
FourthEnd of lineage, Death of father, Eviction, Loss of home
FifthDanger though excess, Loss of pregnancy, Questionable pastimes
SixthEnd of sickness (but if the chart is bad, it could end with death), stay way from your servants
SeventhDivorce, Quarrel, Theft, Untrustworthy individuals, Fraud
EighthDeath, Danger, Loss of money
NinthEvil religion or way, Inability to learn, Atheism, Materialism, Loss of faith
TenthBeing fired, Loss of employment, Revolution, Coup d’etat, Death of mother
EleventhEnd of a friendship, Fights, Quarrels, End of hope
TwelfthEscape, Freedom, Death of large animals
ThirteenthThere was upheaval, ending, disaster, the querent is capable of letting go
FourteenthThere will be upheaval, ending, disaster, the querent is unable to let go
FifteenthCauda cannot be Judge
Possible meanings of Cauda Draconis in the various Geomantic Houses. Note that this is not meant to be exhaustive, and it only serves to jog your interpretive muscles

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

Caput Draconis / Dragon’s Head (Geomancy Figures)

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Name of the Figure: Caput Draconis (Dragon’s Head), sometimes called Inner Threshold
Element: Earth
Planet: None; North Node (some say also the benefics, Venus and Juputer)
Sign: Virgo
Quality: Entering
Fortune: Good

Caput Draconis, like its counterpart Cauda, is a special figure in the geomantic family. These are the only two that are not canonically assigned to any traditional planet. Instead, they are given to the nodes of the Moon, i.e. the points where the Moon intersects the Sun’s ecliptic. These were held in exceptionally high regard in traditional astrology, at least from Arab astrology moving forward (but apparently also in Hellenistic astrology, though their function there is debated.) Caput Draconis, the North Node, is usually said to be expansive and broadly positive, or at least augmenting. The symbol of the geomantic figure is usually likened to a series of steps leading toward a threshold.

Illustration for the geomantic figure Caput Draconis, the Dragon’s Head

Some say that Caput is associated with the two benefics of traditional astrology, Venus and Jupiter. More specifically, though, Caput is not automatically a good figure. It often represents an onrush of new energy, indicating everything new or everything that starts afresh.

More generally, it is associated with everything that develops, grows, becomes more stable and certain. This, of course, is a double-edged sword, as not everything that is stable is good for us. Often, Caput shows the impossibility to get rid of something, even if it is bad for us. It shows long illnesses, for instance.

Often, however, Caput is in fact a positive figure. It represents things coming to us, and as most questions get a positive answer when something comes to us, Caput is mostly a welcome figure.

Common Keywords: Arrival of new situations, beginning, fresh air, new enterprises, dynamic energy, development, deepening, stabilizing, long-lasting

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

HousePossible Meanings
FirstPositive, taking initiative, going, doing, starting something, good luck
SecondIncome, new income stream
ThirdNews, important information, help from siblings
FourthBuying real estate, help from the father
FifthFun, pregnancy, conception
SixthLong illness, good servants
SeventhNew relationship, lasting bond
EighthBeing shielded from danger, gain from other people
NinthConversion, signing up for a course, good at learning, spiritual evolution
TenthNew job, lasting stability in one’s career
EleventhNew friends, realization of hopes
TwelfthLong prison sentence, safety from occult enemies
ThirteenthQuerent has initiative, something has already started
FourteenthQuerent lacks initiative or needs to exert it more, there will be a new beginning
FifteenthCaput cannot be Judge
Possible meanings of Caput Draconis in the various Geomantic Houses. Note that this is not meant to be exhaustive, and it only serves to jog your interpretive muscles

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

Carcer / Prison (Geomancy Figures)

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Name of the Figure: Carcer (Prison)
Element: Earth
Planet: Saturn (direct)
Sign: Pisces
Quality: Common
Fortune: Bad

Carcer is a figure of Saturn direct. Its symbol is said to represent an enclosure, pen or prison of some kind. If we choose to look at the single dots as active elements, then Carcer is the opposite of Conjunctio, in that its active elements have in common the quality of dryness, which indicates difficulty in integrating and mixing together. Furthermore, the two elements are spread apart (one at the top, one at the bottom) and the figure can also be seen as two arrows pointing in opposite directions.

Illustration for the geomantic figure Carcer, prison

Carcer’s association with Saturn is very telling, as it embodies many of its qualities. It indicates loneliness, and in personal relationships it is broadly bad in its import. Although with positive indications it can show long-term commitment, it is more likely to show feelings cooling off, if not outright separation, or more simply it can speak of not finding anyone to be with. Lack of communication and personal contact all belong to the figure’s array of meanings.

Carcer can show prison and negative sentences in general, but the symbol of a prison or enclosed place can be interpreted metaphorically as obstacles, blockages and restriction. It indicates situations where we are in difficulty and it is difficult for us to act. However, on a brighter note, the symbol of the enclosed space can be interpreted as a womb, and Carcer is said in some sources to be good for pregnancy.

Another field where Carcer is generally positive is for building and laying the foundations of buildings (or maybe, metaphorically, for laying the foundations of something) and for keeping things secrets and solo endeavors such as meditation, study, etc. In most mundane questions, though, Carcer is one of the worst figures you can obtain, especially since it can become Judge, unlike other negative figures.

Common Keywords: Loneliness, sadness, blockage, obstacles, stoppage, building, laying foundations, separation, obligations, debts, poverty, pregnancy, secrets, deep knowledge

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

HousePossible Meanings
FirstLonely person, blocked, in difficulties, Stingy, Difficult to relate to
SecondPoverty, Lack of means, Hardships, Debt, Financial obligations
ThirdLack of communication, Isolation from the community, Only child, Lack of relationship with the siblings
FourthCastle, Large building, Constructing, Building, City, City walls, Tombstones, Loss of the father
FifthDepression, lack of fun or excitement, restraint, pregnancy
Sixthlong convalescence, difficult illness, lack of mobility, animal pens, death of animals
Seventhloneliness, interpersonal difficulties, person is already committed, lack of relationships, separation
EighthCemetery, death, fear, lack of progress, lack of money from the partner
Ninthserious study, hidden knowledge, atheism, a priest or hermit,
Tenthunemployment, lack of upward mobility, dead end
Eleventhloneliness, lack of help or friends
Twelfthprison, black magic
Thirteenthpast loneliness or hardships, person is serious, solid
Fourteenthfuture difficulties, person needs to face serious challenges
Fifteenthlack of success except in building and keeping secrets or pregnancy
Possible meanings of Carcer in the various Geomantic Houses. Note that this is not meant to be exhaustive, and it only serves to jog your interpretive muscles

MQS