astrological geomancy | Moderately Quick Silver

Name of the Figure: Fortuna Major (Greater Fortune); sometimes called Arriving or Incoming Help
Element: Earth
Planet: Sun (rising)
Sign: Aquarius
Quality: Entering
Fortune: Good

Fortuna Major is the Greater Fortune of the geomantic figures. It has a plethora of symbolic attributes that may be useful to someone looking to use geomancy as a framework for magic, but as far as divination goes, it is relatively straightforward in its meaning. From a strictly symbolic standpoint, it may be said to represent a river flowing between two mountains while the Sun rises. Whether this is the case or not, it represents a peculiar form of fortune that is not blind luck.

Illustration of the geomantic figure Fortuna Major, Greater Fortune

If we accept preliminarily the symbolic depiction and also the common view that one point means the element in the figure is active, then Fortuna Major is formed by activating the passive elements (Earth and Water) and by keeping the active elements (Fire and Air) passive. Metaphorically, the water flowing and cutting its own path through life by moisturizing the earth can be taken to show the type of fortune that Fortuna Major indicates: the hard-won one.

All, or at least most traditional sources agree that Fortuna Major is a slow figure, promising success but also delay. This can be good or bad depending on what the querent needs. For instance, it can be slightly worrying for illness, and someone in prison is probably looking at a longer sentence, but the figure remains broadly good. It is a symbol of fortitude. In good things, while it may show delay, it also promises stability.

In general, Fortuna Major promises success through effort, Nothing will be handed to the querent for free, but at the same time, the fact that this figure shows up indicates that the querent has the potential to achieve what he wants. It also has the general attributions of the Sun, signifying gold, renewal and similar.

Common Keywords: success through effort, perseverance, constancy, stability for good or ill, renewal, gold, some delay, great satisfaction, triumph

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

House	Possible Meanings
First	Of great stature, resilient, kingly, a nobleman, steadfast, long life, health, honorable, well-known, accomplished
Second	Wealth, accumulation, riches, fortune
Third	Well-being of siblings, good for short trips, True rumors
Fourth	Good in stable things, inheritance, good for parents and for the father
Fifth	Friendship, good grace, talent, success of a mediator
Sixth	Gain through small animals and servants, slow recovery
Seventh	lasting union, honorable partner
Eighth	Wealth through partners of all kinds, long life, honorable death,
Ninth	Good science or skill, Long travel, Honor and success through travel, Piety, Faith
Tenth	Kings, honorable people, achieving honors, promotion
Eleventh	Good friends, Achievement of hope, help from government
Twelfth	Long prison sentence, freedom from occult enemies, gain through large animals
Thirteenth	Success in the past or present, stamina, power, ability to achieve what one wishes
Fourteenth	Success in the future, Still need for a lot of work
Fifteenth	Success, Accomplishment of most things through effort

Possible meanings of Fortuna Major in the various Geomantic Houses. Note that this is not meant to be exhaustive, and it only serves to jog your interpretive muscles

MQS

nec sequar nec ducam

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.

Illustration of the Geomantic figure Via, the Way

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

Possible meanings of Via in the various Geomantic Houses. Note that this is not meant to be exhaustive, and it only serves to jog your interpretive muscles

MQS

Moderately Quick Silver

Tag Archives: astrological geomancy

Fortuna Major / Greater Fortune (Geomancy Figures)

Via / The Way (Geomancy Figures)

Divination, Magick, Devotion