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astrology, Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy, I Ching / Yi Jing, Occultism and Esoterism, Philosophy, Playing Cards, Spirituality and Psychology, Tarot, Vera Sibilla

Do You Need To Believe In It For It To Work?

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One of the questions that occupy way too many people in the esoteric community is whether divination or even magic require the person to believe in it in order for it to work. If you’ve ever watched the movie The Skeleton Key, you’ll know that this concept has seeped into the collective consciousness enough for it to find its way into mainstream products (I will not spoil the movie here, since it is actually a fun watch, but it depends heavily on its twist).

If you open most premodern books on magic, you’ll be stunned to discover that their content bears very little resemblance to the post-Golden Dawn landscape. This, by the way, is neither good nor bad. Things change. But we need to be aware of the change to avoid being unconsciously ruled by it. One clear difference is that the magician’s will1 or his imagining/manifesting faculties are barely taken into consideration in older sources, at least outwardly.

This is not to say that there aren’t sources that encourage the practitioner to be of firm mind and clear intent (after all, you’d want your doctor to focus, too, even though their focus is not what make their science work), but even those old sources do not consider, generally speaking, the magician’s mind to be the cause of the change. Broadly speaking, when dealing with sources that date back to before the invention of modern psychoanalysis and psychology, we must be extremely careful when interpreting their concept of mind, soul, psyche, etc.

An example will suffice. In his De Vita, Neoplatonic Renaissance philosopher and magus Marsilio Ficino encourages us, among other things, to “think solar thoughts”, or jovial, or venusian, depending on the aim. Similar remarks are found, in various form, in many old sources. A contemporary practitioner might be tempted to interpret Ficino’s invitation as saying that we must envision solar things in order for them to manifest. But neither the language nor the substance of this interpretation belong to his worldview.

Ficino’s view of the cosmos is essentially the same as Agrippa’s and that of many other premodern magi: we are surrounded by chains of sympathy and antipathy between universal powers (typified by the planets). When we think “solar thoughts” we are doing essentially nothing except stepping inside a current of power that has its own metaphysical reality regardless of our attitude toward it. This is because in Renaissance naturalism, the mind is essentially like the body, i.e., a part of the cosmos, and a movement of the mind is like a movement of the body, and just like the body can create a talisman or a concoction, so can the mind shape images that allow it to shower in certain currents of universal power.

Thus, the invitation to think certain thoughts found in Ficino (and others) is not a precursor to manifestation, attraction and other modern concepts, but a natural consequence of the old view of the mind and the world.

On the other hand, from a postmodern standpoint, reality is for us to create at will. Yes, I am exaggerating, but not too much. Therefore, there is the widespread idea, or at least the widespread implication, that what happens happens because we believe in it.

Let us leave magic alone for now and concentrate on divination. Does divination work because we believe in it? Well, no. Certainly divination doesn’t require the querent to believe in it in order for it to work. In fact, it is my belief that, considering how many frauds there are in this field, a querent should be borderline psychotic to blindly believe in divination without a healthy dose of scepticism.

What about diviners? Do they need to believe in divination in order for it to work? That’s complicated, in my view. On the surface of it I would argue that, again, no, we don’t need to believe in divination for it to work. Divination systems work because they have their own internal consistency. The most obvious is Natal Astrology, which presents us with an objective set of symbols that have nothing to do with the manipulation of counters on the part of the diviner.

On the other hand, we need to allow for the fact that divination is not a mechanic set of behaviors, especially with the overwhelming majority of divination systems that do require manipulation (cartomancy, geomancy, dice, etc.) As I often repeat on this blog, divination is and remains something extraordinary. The honest desire for an answer, or at least for a picture of the future, tends to guarantee a crisp and clear answer. This is because the honest desire for an answer allows us to honestly connect with the symbols in a way that makes them fall in the appropriate order.

The querent doesn’t need to be honest in his or her desire, unless they are also the diviner. But if the diviner does not have at least a degree of confidence in what he or she is doing, then the question they put to the system is not the surface question (e.g., “Does X love Y?”) but “Do you really work?” which is an impossible question for the system to answer (if the answer is no, then the system does work).

Even then, I would be cautious in overexaggerating the importance of the diviner’s attitude. As I believe I have mentioned, one of the ways my teacher trained me was by asking me to discover secrets about her past. Clearly, the exercise was not meant to discover something new that might benefit my querent or me, but rather to build my confidence and skill. Yet it worked, and it worked well. Maybe the diviner doesn’t need to believe in divination (I know I am always skeptical until proven right), but they do need to at least be open to the idea that this is a legitimate way of receiving information, just enough to enter into the system rather than operating it from the outside as a scientist would manipulate a bunch of molecules.

My general belief at this point is that the esoteric arts do not require our consent in order to work, but they are also not the product of the mechanistic application of abstract principles. It is indeed a fine balance.

MQS

  1. Let’s leave aside the fact that the concept of Will found in modern magic is actually more complex than what it appears to be on the surface ↩︎
Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book III Pt. 2

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Abano starts a discussion on the meaning of the various figures in each of the houses, beginning with Acquisitio and Amissio.

I have already discussed how every figure has two properties, one by virtue of its essence, and one by virtue of its accidental placement in the chart. What follows is the meaning of each figure in each of the fifteen houses.1

Acquisitio

Acquisitio in the first house means gain through partnerships,2 obtaining what one wishes, acquisition, gain, honor, good life, health, property.
In the second house it means gain, merchandise, money, good outcome, usefulness.
In the third house it means good luck for one’s siblings and relatives or neighbors, and in science, and the dream is true,3 good outcome through journey.

In the fourth house it means inheritance, goods from the deceased, increase of wealth and of stable things, abundance.
In the fifth house it means good luck with children, or through them, recognition, happiness, what one wishes to gain, following one’s lords.
In the sixth house it means sickness, falling ill, relapsing,4 gain through animals and servants and subjects.

In the seventh it means good change of place, good friendship, good partnership, usefulness, properties.
In the eighth it means gaining back the money you loaned, gain through dead people, mediocre outcome in all things, except for sickness, where it lengthens the process.
In the ninth it means gain through travel, honorable travel, especially if of elevated people and people who have fear of God.

In the tenth it means exaltation, lordship, lords, honor, dignity, gaining through one’s masters, kings, emperors.
In the eleventh it means good luck in every question, gain, good friends, happiness and friendship and offspring.
In the twelfth it means prison, loss, toil, problems, fear, gain through serfs, subjects, animals.

In the thirteenth it means honorable journey or journeying with great people or in their stead, or with one’s mother. Gain.5
In the fourteenth it means obtaining what one wishes but with trouble, problems, difficulties.6
In the fifteenth it means good outcome in everything, good brother, good things from brothers and relatives.7

Amissio

Amissio means damage, loss, especially in movable things, coins, in wealth, theft, gossip, evil in everything, except for sickness or prison or travel.8
In the second it means loss of wealth, damage through merchandise, and in everything where gain is hoped for.
In the third it means enmity with siblings and relatives or through them, wrath, discord, malice, good outcome for journeys.

In the fourth it means damage, loss, misfortune in secret things, loss of inheritance, destruction of the city, of the home, of the land, of the fortress.
In the fifth it means problems and misfortune with children, loss of wealth, famine.9
In the sixth it means healing of sickness, liberation of the fled servant, loss due to animals, and when one is sick, depending on the other houses, there might still be doubts [about his health].10

In the seventh it means fraud, treachery from women and enemies, loss through marriage and partnership and friendship.
In the eighth it means loss of inheritance, loss of money and wealth, death of the sick person.
In the ninth it means long but good journey. Late journey in a distant land, problems on the road, with changes, harlots.11

In the tenth it means loss and problems in all you wish to gain, and if Rubeus is born from it it means being harmed, if Tristitia it means prison.12
In the eleventh it means misfortune in everything you wish to get, discord, enmity with friends, bad for prisoners.
In the twelfth it means bad journey, loss through animals and loss of wealth, toil, loss of merchanidse, and you’ll collect a debt at a loss, freedom from prison and sickness.

In the thirteenth it means loss of wealth, damage through one’s lords, change of country, misfortune.
In the fourteenth it means loss of friends, toil, great problems.
In the fifteenth it means bad outcome, flight, not retreiveing what you wish to retrieve, misfortune in all.

MQS

Footnotes
  1. This way of proceeding is rather typical of medieval handbooks of geomancy and even of astrology. It generally aims at allowing the reader to form an idea of the abstract properties of each figure by showing its concrete manifestation. ↩︎
  2. It is unclear why Acquisitio in the First House should indicate gain through partnerships. In most medieval handbooks of astrology, for instance, a planet showing gain in the First House usually indicates the querent’s industriousness. ↩︎
  3. Dreams and science are usually Ninth House matters, although the distinction is not as rigid as some modern traditional astrologers make it out to be. ↩︎
  4. This is a typical example of a broadly positive figure having a negative meaning: people usually don’t want to ‘gain’ an illness. ↩︎
  5. Why Abano characterizes the Thirteenth Figure, i.e., the Right Witness, as meaning all these things is obscure, until we remember that, for Abano, the Right Witness is in connection with the Ninth and Tenth houses, from which it is formed. ↩︎
  6. Probably from the mixing of Eleventh and Twelfth House meanings. ↩︎
  7. The connection to relatives and brothers escapes me. ↩︎
  8. Abano does not say “Amissio in the first house means…” but “Amissio means…” I suspect though that it is just a mistake. ↩︎
  9. Because it shows loss of the products (second from) of the earth (Fourth House) ↩︎
  10. Amissio is generally favorable in case of illness, but what Abano is saying is that we should always look at the picture as a whole, without focusing on a single testimony. ↩︎
  11. This escapes me. ↩︎
  12. That is, if Rubeus or Tristitia are the Right Witness, which is the one born from the Tenth House. ↩︎

astrology, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling

Italy vs Switzerland (Reading Example)

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To be clear, I have the same interest in soccer that a koala has in space exploration. Two days ago I didn’t even know that Italy was playing Switzerland, and I would have kept not knowing it if I hadn’t been at a friend’s birthday party, where I met a fellow Italian, one who does care about soccer. Since she knows of my interest in occultism and divination, she asked if Italy would win. I used horary astrology to answer.

Note that the match had already started when she asked me the question, though I knew nothing of how it was going and I asked her not to tell me to avoid influencing my judgment. Furthermore, I forgot to screenshot the chart, so this is a recreation that I believe to be close to the original.

Will Italy win? App used: Astro Charts

Since the querent is Italian and wants Italy to win, Italy takes the First house. Switzerland is given the seventh house of the enemy. The first, and decisive, clue is given by the position of Jupiter, significator of the First house. It is stuck inside the Seventh house, in the grips of the opposing team.

Once we see this, pretty much nothing else matters. The opposing team, signified by Mercury, is in the Eighth house, which is not great, but by antiscion it is right inside the Seventh, which is bad for Jupiter but again good for Mercury. The Moon is moving to square Mercury with reception. Bonatti says that a square with reception is like a sextile without reception, so it is generally smooth. At any rate, Switzerland should win. And indeed they won 2 to 0.

Important note: Horary astrology requires the querent to have some kind of emotional involvement in the question. Since I couldn’t care less about soccer, despite being Italian, if I had asked the question I would have regarded the chart with some suspicion. It is only because the querent is a soccer fan that the chart was accurate.

MQS

Card Meanings, Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post

Playing Cards That Indicate Loss

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After discussing the playing cards that indicate gain, let’s take a look at the ones that represent loss. Keep in mind that loss can be indicated by any card of gain that is poorly placed in the spread, i.e., when surrounded by difficult cards. For instance, the 7♦, normally a card of money, followed by most Spades or even some Clubs, would represent either loss of money or a sum of money being withheld.

Six of Clubs

The Six of Clubs is a card of difficulties, toil and fatigue. It is not inherently a card of monetary loss. However, it represents a stagnand situation which, applied to money, can imply either loss or lack of gain, and especially lack of compensation for one’s toil.

Seven of Clubs

The Seven of Clubs is, again, not directly connected to loss, but it does show problems in all levels, and as such it can indicate loss or lack of gain when together with Diamonds or when summoned for a money reading. Keep in mind, though, that Clubs are not tremendously nefarious, so while they can create unsatisfactory situations, that are unlikely to cause dramatic loss.

Six of Diamonds

The Six of Diamonds is a card of worry and preoccupation, usually over money matters (but not necessarily). In general it shows situations of all kinds that stand on a shaky foundation, living paycheck to paycheck, businesses that don’t take off, etc. Again, it is not a dramatic card, but it can signify money problems or even, in general, not gaining something.

Ace of Spades and Nine of Spades

All Spades can signal loss. However, the way each of them causes loss is different. I will just highlight some of the differences. The Ace of Spades is a seriously bad card, which is often involved of configurations indicating bankruptcy, poverty and failure all around. The Nine of Spades is equally bad, and when they come up together they often prevent success in accumulating money for very long periods of time.

Two of Spades and Three of Spades

Less dramatic than most Spades, the Two of Spades indicates small losses, situations that cause headaches from a financial standpoint. The Three can also indicate small losses, and can also be found in sequences indicating scams.

Four of Spades, Five of Spades and Six of Spades

Much more dramatic, the Four and Five of Spades indicate serious loss, projects going awry and being abandoned. They can often represent difficult circumstances, but with the appropriate cards they can point to the querent being at fault (missteps, etc). The Six of Spades represents financial situations characterized as ‘sick’, that is, unhealthy, structurally unsound and therefore destined to failure.

Seven of Spades and Eight of Spades

These cards, especially the Seven, can indicate accidental loss, that is, loss not due to negligence (however, always remember to take the context into account).

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

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

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In a relatively straightforward passage, Abano gives the reader examples of what it may mean when a figure moves from one house to another.

To truly understand mutation and the variety of the figures, you need to consider the property of the figure, whether it be fortunate or not, entering or exiting, fixed or mobile, and judge according to its meaning the effect of the mutation, always keeping in mind the question, the quesited and the querent.
Another mutation1 to be kept in mind with its meaning in order understand better what has been said so far, is the one that happens to every figure as it changes from one house to another.

If the first figure changes to the second, and is good, fortunate, entering, it means gain, good luck for oneself, and when it is evil it means ill; if it moves to the third it bodes well for neighbors, relatives, traveling; when to the fourth, it means small losses, except if it is Cauda or if the question is about older relatives, friends and things fixed and immobile, endings, buildings and possessions; if to the fifth it’s excellent, except if it is Cauda; if to the sixth, it is very bad, except if it is Via or Cauda, or if the question is about sixth house matters; if to the seventh it has a very bad meaning, unless it is for seventh house matters, as said above, or unless it is Via or Cauda; if to the eighth it means ill luck, accident, loss, death, fear, except if you are asking about your enemy’s wealth or of the wealth of another person; if to the ninth it is good, unless it is Cauda or Rubeus, and if the question is about travel it won’t be made as scheduled; if to the tenth, it is very good, except if it is Via or Cauda; if to the eleventh it is also excellent; if to the twelfth, it is the worst of all, unless it is Cauda and in twelfth house questions.2

If the second figure moves to the third house, it means good luck and gain through siblings and relatives, or due to them, but if the figure is bad it shows the opposite; if it moves to the fourth it shows good outcomes in stable things, and through one’s older relatives; if to the fifth, it means well through messengers, letters, etc; when to the sixth it means infirmity, even of the family, and loss in moble things, and of servants. If it moves to the seventh, if it is good it means well, but if it is bad it shows loss through enemies or women, or games of chance,3 or thieves; if it moves to the eighth it shows that the absent party comes back with good news, and maybe the death of some relative, or loss depending on the angles of the chart; when it moves to the ninth it shows gain or loss from the church or through travel; if to the tenth it means gain from the profession or from one’s lords and good luck; if to the eleventh it shows good luck and good friends, and good luck from the community; if to the twelfth, it means one of his relatives will fall ill or be imprisoned, or shall lose wealth, but if the figure is good it shows buying animals, and things unthought of.

The third figure, when it moves to the fourth, shows gain or loss through relatives; when to the fifth, it shows happiness and new things, and messengers, clothes, etc. When to the sixth, it shows sickness, servitude, toil, small animals; to the seventh, it means copulation,4 change of place, fights, separation; when to the eighth it means gain or loss, death, fear; when to the ninth it means long travel, churches, religious people; when to the tenth it shows the army, profession, dominion, lordship, honor; when to the eleventh it means good luck, noble servants; when to the twelfth, prison, long sickness, retrieving lost animals or buying them.

When the fourth figure goes to the fifth it shows goods from one’s relatives or children, clothes, food, and other things of the home; when to the sixth, it means sickness in the family or animals, relatives, servants; when to the seventh it means getting married, a bandit coming back for you,5 the home becomes inimical; when to the eighth it shows inheritance, the absent party comes back; dying in one’s home country or home; to the ninth, it means death of a religious person, acquisition of church things; when to the tenth, honor of the house, lordship, honors, etc; when to the eleveth, it shows good luck in one’s home, family, congregation of friends, etc.; when to the twelfth, if good, it shows good things, but when bad it means sickness, long prison sentences, toil, difficulties in one’s home or country, or through one’s relatives.

When the fifth figure goes to the sixth house, it means sickness through being hexed6 or food, or issues with children, or messengers, or animals; when to the seventh, it means marrying off one’s child, merchandise, fights, enemies rejoicing, problems with children or a woman giving birth; to the eighth, problems and death of one’s child, or [acquiring] other people’s wealth, and the absent party is doing well; when to the ninth, a child entering the clergy, long travel, happiness and gain, a churchman having a child, gain from things of the church; to the tenth, it means a happy mother, lordship or [happiness] of one’s lord; when to the eleventh it means good news for the child, and a messenger resolving all kinds of issues, and friends are happy for or with the querent; to the twelfth it means sickness or imprisonment for the child, large animals and a prisoner or wayfarer who is doing well.

When the sixth moves to the seventh house, it means sickness, wrath, problems through small animals, servants or one’s wife or other people; when to the eighth, it means death of animals or servants, loss of wealth, sickness of the absent party, and servants helping one’s enemies; when to the ninth, it means a journey full of issues, and sickness during the journey, or a sick churchman, occupation, problems with the church; when to the tenth, it means sickness and problems, but also having good and faithful [servants?], obtaining a lordship; when to the eleventh it means sickness of self or of a friend, or contrarieties with friends; when to the twelfth it means sickness of great animals, loss through them, prison, pilgrimage.

When the seventh goes to the eighth house, if it is good, it means good things for the absent party, but if bad, death, loss and issues for those represented by the seventh; when to the ninth, it means the absent party will come back, the bandit goes away, the querent gets married, the enemy makes peace, long travel, religious people, or a churchman becomes your enemy; to the tenth, the lord gets married or becomes inimical, lordship, honors; when to the eleventh it means a friend becomes an enemy, and what’s good for him is bad for you, the partner won’t keep his promise, the thief is a false friend, the marriage or partnership is changeable; when to the twelfth loss of animals through enemies, or due to sickness of animals, and prison, and the prisoner gets married, problems during a pilgrimage, long pilgrimage, betrayal from hidden enemies.

The eighth figure, when it goes to the ninth house, means wealth, help from the church, death of a priest, travel full of fear and problems, the absent party is traveling; when to the tenth, it means death, occupation of stable things, the absent party comes back to the country; to the eleventh, it means death of a friend, gain through a dowry, inheritance, misfortune, loss through friends, good luck of the absent party if the figure is good; when to the twelfth, it means the prisoner or sick person is seriously sick, death of the same, and of the wayfarer, and being imprisoned due to enemies.

When the ninth goes to the tenth, it means ecclesiastical dignity, increase of church things, an honorable journey or for religious purposes; when to the eleventh it means good luck in travel, good company or partnership, luck with friends and things of the church, recognition within the church; when to the twelfth it means issues while traveling, danger through horses, being imprisoned, the prisoner may be released, the wayfarer comes back, the horse is found, and this causes more or less trouble to the querent depending on how good or bad the figure is.

When the tenth figure goes to the eleventh it means good in all things, and one’s lord or master is good and friendly, the year abundant; when to the twelfth it means prison, sickness, one’s enemies are not seen in a good light, and are hated by your friends and by your masters.

When the eleventh goes to the twelfth it means sickness, prison, adversities, problems, and one’s hidden enemies are lucky, and all is good for the querent.

MQS

Footnotes
  1. It is rather typical, in premodern occultism, to use the same word to signify different things depending on the context. ↩︎
  2. The general principle in judging the mutation of one figure to another house is whether it bodes well for the question at hand and whether the figure accords with the question and is fortunate. As such, in Abano’s example, a figure moving from the first to the seventh is unfortunate because it oppses itself, but the same movement is positive if the question is about Seventh House matters (marriage, alliances, etc.) ↩︎
  3. Gambling is often seen as a Fifth house matter, but in this case the relationship with the Seventh House is through the fact that we are playing against ‘other people’. ↩︎
  4. it is not clear why the conjunction of Third House and Seventh House matters should produce sex. ↩︎
  5. ‘Ritorna il bandito’. Bandito is an ambiguous word in Italian, as it can mean both bandit and banished. In this case it is probably the latter meaning which is relevant: someone who has been banished will come back. ↩︎
  6. ‘per fature’, similar to the current Italian word ‘fattura’, which in this context would mean a hex. It is possible the word has another meaning which escapes me. ↩︎
Card Meanings, Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Tarot

Tarot Encyclopedia – The Two of Wands

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(Note: this is a collection of the meanings attributed to the cards by some occultists in the past centuries. It does not reflect my own study or opinion of the cards. It is only meant as a quick comparative reference as I develop my own take.)

The Two of Wands from the Builders of the Adytum (BOTA) Tarot deck

Paul Foster Case (and Ann Davies)

In Tarot divination the Two of Wands has these key meanings:
Well Dignified: it shows force, enterprise, boldness, resolution, some
combativeness, much originality.
lll Dignified: it signifies restlessness, fierceness, shamelessness, inordinate ambition, turbulence, obstinancy, revenge. A card of enthusiasm, but of strong self-interest.
Keyword: Dominion
(From the Oracle of Tarot course)

A. E. Waite

A tall man looks from a battlemented roof over sea and shore; he holds a globe in his right hand, while a staff in his left rests on the battlement; another is fixed in a ring. The Rose and Cross and Lily should be noticed on the left side. Divinatory Meanings: Between the alternative readings there is no marriage possible; on the one hand, riches, fortune, magnificence; on the other, physical suffering, disease, chagrin, sadness, mortification. The design gives one suggestion; here is a lord overlooking his dominion and alternately contemplating a globe; it looks like the malady, the mortification, the sadness of Alexander amidst the grandeur of this world’s wealth. Reversed: Surprise, wonder, enchantment, emotion, trouble, fear.
(From The Pictorial Key to the Tarot)

Aleister Crowley

The Two of Wands is called the Lord of Dominion, and represents the energy of fire; fire in its best and highest form.

[…]

This card, pertaining to Chokmah in the suit of Fire, represents the Will in its most exalted form. It is an ideal Will, independent of any given object.

“For pure will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.” AL. 1. 44.

The background of this card shows the power of the planet Mars in his own sign Aries, the first of the Signs. It there represents Energy initiating a Current of Force.

The pictorial representation is two Dorjes crossed. The Dorje is the Tibetan symbol of the thunderbolt, the emblem of celestial Power, but more in its destructive than its creative form.

More, that is, in its earlier rather than its later form. For destruction may be regarded as the first step in the creative process. The virgin ovum must be broken in order to fertilize it. Fear and repulsion are therefore the primary reaction to the assault. Then, with understanding of the complete plan, willing surrender rejoices to co-operate. Six flames issue from the centre. This indicates the influence of the Sun, who is exalted in Aries. This is the creative Will.

Mars in Aries is the attribution of the Geomantic Figure Puer. The meaning of these figures is to be studied in the Handbook of that science: “The Equinox” Vol. I, No.2. Remember that the Geomantic Intelligences (see Liber 777 Cols. XLIX and CLXXVIII) are all primarily Gnomes.
(From the Book of Thoth)

Weirdly religious AI-generated illustration of the Two of Wands

Golden Dawn’s Book T

A WHITE Radiating Angelic hand, issuing from clouds, and grasping two crossed wands. Flames issue from the point of junction. On two small wands above and below, with flames of five issuing therefrom, are the symbols of Mars and Aries for the Decan.
Strength, domination, harmony of rule and of justice. Boldness, courage,
fierceness, shamelessness, revenge, resolution, generous, proud, sensitive, ambitious, refined, restless, turbulent, sagacious withal, yet unforgiving and obstinate.
Chokmah of HB:Y (Influence over others, authority, power, dominion).
Therein the Angels HB:VHVAL and HB:DNYAL bear rule.

Etteilla

Sadness
Upright. This card, as far as the medicine of the spirit is concerned, signifies, in its natural position: Sadness, Misery, Melancholy, Affliction, Sorrow, Desolation, Mortification, Mood, Discontent, Vapors, Gloomy Ideas. – Bitterness, Anger, Spite.
Reversed. Surprise, Enchantment, Shock, Upset, Unexpected event, Unexpected fact, Excitement, Fear, Fright, Terror. – Consternation, Stunning, Domination, Abduction, Alarm. – Marvel, Phenomenon, Miracle.

MQS

Card Meanings, Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post, Everyday Oracle, Fortune-telling, Sibilla della Zingara, Uncategorized, Vera Sibilla

Vera Sibilla Cards That Indicate Positive Feelings

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In the Vera Sibilla, every card can indicate some type of feelings. I have singled out some of those that indicate positive feelings. As usual, the list is not meant to be exclusive.

Ace of Hearts (A♥️) – Conversation

This card is broadly connected with words and self-expression. However, when discussing someone’s feelings, they indicate someone who is capable of expressing their feelings to someone else and reaching some kind of communion with them. In general, it shows an attitude of openness toward others.

Two of Hearts (2♥️) – The House

Usually the Two is the card of the house and of places in general. However it is also connected with harmony between two people, and it shows a constructive attitude, especially, though not exclusively, in a love reading.

Four of Hearts (4♥️) – Love

The Love card is, wouldn’t you know, the card of love, but also of strong feelings of affection in all personal relationship. It is connected with the motions of our heart, and as such it shows emotions above and beyond reason. The caveat here is that this card is not stable, and it requires other more grounded cards to promise lasting happiness.

Five of Hearts (5♥️) – Happiness

The Happiness card indicates everything connected with joy and good intentions. Being the card of the bethrodal, it also shows a certain degree of commitment to someone, and is therefore also a symbol of fidelity.

Seven of Hearts (7♥️) – The Scholar

The Scholar is a rational card, one of planning and long term prospects. When not damaged by the presence of difficult cards it shows the desire to create something lasting, as well as a helpful attitude.

Eight of Hearts (8♥️) – Hope

Hope is the positive feeling par exccellence. It represents optimism, honesty, someone who takes the high road, is elevated, spiritual, reliable. The exception is when the Hope card is not supported by stronger cards, as in this case it tends to show flirts, due to its connection with ease and lack of trouble.

Nine of Hearts (9♥️) – Faithfulness

Contrary to popular belief, the Nine of Hearts (not the Four) is the best card when it comes to feelings. Not only does it show love, but unlike the Love card, it also represent a strong bond and commitment that goes beyond those feelings and is pursued systematically. It is the card of the diehard supporter, of the best friend, of the lifelong love commitment.

The Heart Court Cards

Court cards tend to be neutral. However, the Heart court cards, when upright, indicate a person who is in love or who has a positive attitude toward the question or the querent.

Four of Clubs (4♣️) – The Friend

Similar to the Nine of Hearts, the Friend can indicate friendship (when it doesn’t show a literal -female- friend). The difference is that the concept of friendship of the Four of Clubs is not as strong and it is often connected with practical matters. When reversed, the Friend card can indicate a helpful attitude that takes the form of tips, recommendations, etc.

Six of Clubs (6♣️) – The Surprise

The Surprise card is connected broadly with things that come to us easily. As such, it indicates people who are similar, have similar interests and find it easy to grow together and pursue similar activities. Relationships tend to flourish with this card.

Seven of Clubs (7♣️) – The Realization

In general, this card speaks of ambitions in a positive sense, so it can show people having common goals and projects.

Eight of Clubs(8♣️)  – The Reunion

The reconciliation card of the deck, the Eight of Clubs is indicative of a willingness to compromise and to find common ground. Furthermore, it shows someone who is social and moves toward others with positive intents in mind.

Nine of Clubs (9♣️) – Merriment

In keeping with the energy of the suit, the Nine of Clubs indicate positive bonds, though not necessarily deep. It is a card of fun and of playing, drinking and having a good time together.

Ace of Diamonds (A♦️) – The Room

The Room has, among its meanings, that of intimacy. As such it represents someone who seeks closeness and contact. However it is not a card of love, as it is in the suit of Diamonds, not that of Hearts.

Seven of Diamonds (7♦️) – The Child

As the card of children, the Seven of Diamonds shows someone to be open, good-hearted and inoffensive, unless with cards that bring out the worst qualities of children (immaturity, etc.). It represents also someone who wants to start new things and is unprejudiced and innocent.

Eight of Diamonds (8♦️) – The Handmaid

This is the card of someone who is serviceable, dependable and hardworking. It is also a card of politeness and the desire of peace. It can show someone of a noble character who is helpful, friendly and improving himself to be better with others.

Two of Spades (2♠️) – The Old Lady

As pretty much the only card of this suit that is not outright negative, the Old Lady can indicate feelings of affection toward others, though these feelings tend to be tenuous and not very dynamic. It can also indicate someone who uses the wisdom and experience they gained in life to be of service to others in a detached, serene way

MQS

Card Meanings, Card Reading, Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post, Everyday Oracle, Fortune-telling, Sibilla della Zingara, Vera Sibilla

When Mothers Smother (Reading example)

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When we read for people and they only give us a broad question, I think it’s important to remain open to the twists of fate the cards are showing us, as well as to have an open dialogue with the querent  Sometimes querents lie, but more often they are either confused or fail to focus on the ‘real’ question. In the following case, the querent’s question wasn’t wrong, but it hid more than it showed. The querent is a woman of around 25. She asked me about her career without specifying anything.

A career reading using the Vera Sibilla

The querent is anagraphically covered by the Queen of Clubs, the young maiden, so we can initially assign this card to her. She is reversed, showing trouble.

The first line of the pyramid indicates the influence of a (probably older) woman. She is surrounded by the House and Love, but on the same line we find the Seven of Spades reversed. This is one of the worst cards in the deck, so whenever we see it we must tread carefully.

I asked the querent if an older female relative, possibly her mother, is involved in the issue, and at this point the querent tells me she works with her parents in the family business.

The Seven of Spades reversed represents tyranny and oppression, so I ask her if her mother is somewhat authoritarian, and she confirms. Note though that the mother is surrounded by two positive cards, hence the ‘somewhat’ in the statement. Furtermore, look at the angles of the spread: Good feelings, oppression, but not too much (Butterfly). I am aware that smothering mothers are how some serial killers get started, but this mother, while not positive, could be worse. She smothers the querent out of (real) love. She is oppressive, but not a sociopath.

Be it as it may, the querent clearly suffers from this situation (she is reversed) and therefore hopes to move away (Hope + Journey), as the Hope card can indicate the hopes of the querent or of the person preceding it, which in this case is again the querent. Probably the querent wants to find her sense of self and freedom. This would be understandable even under normal circumstances, let alone in this case. I asked her if she wanted to leave and again she confirmed.

But, woe and alas, look how the spread ends! Money is tight (Money + Sickness) so whatever job she is looking for is going to probably make her start at the very bottom. Thus we end with the Ten of Clubs, the Butterfly. This card indicates all those things that are fleeting and not rooted in the querent’s destiny. Thus her hopes are just fleeting, at least in the foreseeable future, due to the rotten (Sickness) money situation.

MQS

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book II Pt. 8

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In this chapter, Abano discusses what happens when a figure changes from one house to another, and also geomantic perfection.

It is very necessary that you know how figures change from one place to another, as shown above,1 for it is of great signification. We have three species of mutation: Mutation, Translation, Occupation and Conjunction. Mutation is when the first figure of the querent is found in other houses such as the third or ninth or other places, whether near to or far from the house that signifies the quesited.2 Similarly, Mutation is when the quesited does the same with the querent.

For instance, let there be a question about a sick person, who wants to know whether he shall heal. In this case the first is the querent and the sixth his being sick, and the eighth is death, and the tenth is the house of well-being and the twelfth the house of the graveyard. If the first goes to the third and also to the tenth or eleventh, this is a mutation of place; and similarly if the sixth goes to the ninth or eleventh house, this is also a mutation.

And Mutation has a double meaning, because depending on where it happens it changes its signification and virtue for good or ill depending on the house. If the said figures are in the tenth, which means well-being, or the eleventh which is next to the tenth, it means healing, especially if it is both in the tenth and the eleventh; but if the first or sixth goes to the eighth it means dying, or if to the twelfth also, because it means the graveyard, especially if the figures are earthy and unfortunate.

Another example. Let there be a question about whether one shall have the woman he desires. The first is the querent and the seventh the quesited. If the first, being fortunate, moves to the fourth and the seventh, similarly fortunate, moves to the third, he shall have her, because both figures are fortunate and they are next to each other: they have mutated place. However, this shows that he shall not have her at his place or even at hers, but it will happen in the house of a neighbor or relative of his, and this because both figures are found in the first four houses, which represent the querent. If it had been on her side of the chart, i.e., in the following four figures, it would have happened in the house of someone she knows. And if it were in the ninth, tenth and eleventh, in a distant place. But if the figures are unfortunate, it shows contrarieties, partly due to him and partly due to the persons signified by the houses involved. But if the figure is fortunate but it changes to the twelfth, it means he shall not have her due to hidden enemies.

Translation is when the first figure or the second, which is associated to it, moves to the house of the quesited or next to it, or vice versa. And if the figures are good and accompanied by good figures,3 it shows a happy end, but if it is a mixed bag, the greater part wins4. However, it is better when the translation is made by the first figure and not by the second.5 It is also a translation when the figure of the quesited is found in the house next to the querent, that is, the second. It is also a translation when the first or second are not only in the house before the the quesited, but also in the house afterward.

Example. If the question is about marriage, whether it will happen or not, and through what means, and the first figure is Acquisitio and the second Laetitia, which are both good (and the first is better), and the seventh is Albus and the eighth Laetitia, which is better than Albus, this all shows that the marriage will happen easily and will happen through one’s relatives, especially if the fourth and tenth are close to one another and to the second, which is airy, and to the querent and the first figure is found in the Witnesses. For instance:

Example of Geomantic Shield by Peter of Abano

Occupation can happen in two ways: the first is when the figure of the querent occupies the house of the quesited. For instance, if the question is about a (contested) inheritance and whether one shall have it or will need to get it from an enemy, and if the first figure is Albus and the same figure is found in the fourth house, which indicates houses, fields, possessions, inheritance and stable goods, this is called Occupation, because the first figure occupies the fourth house, i.e., that of the quesited. It indicates obtaining what you wish, especially because Albus is a good figure. No geomantic configuration is better than occupation, but only, again, if the figure is good.

Example of Geomantic Shield by Peter of Abano, 2


Even more does it indicate obtaining the quesited because Acquisitio is in the second house, which means gain, and the ninth and tenth are fortunate, being houses assigned to the querent.
Another way of occupation is when the house of the quesited is found to hold the opposite figure of that of the querent. So, for instance, if with Albus in the first, one should find Rubeus in the fourth. This is also a form of occupation, but this is a worse kind, especially if the figure of the quesited thus obtained is unfortunate.6

Conjunction is also of two kinds. The first is when the first moves next to the house of the quesited, or vice versa when the quesited moves next to the house of the querent, that is, in the second house. The second type of conjunction is when not only one finds the two figures together as just said above, but one finds them together also far away, that is, in the ninth, tenth or eleventh.

Example. The question is if one shall get back a lost or stolen item or a fugitive servant. The first figure is Major, which moves to the fifth house next to the sixth of the lost thing or the runaway servant. Major is a good, entering figure. Furthermore the sixth figure is found in the second house next to the querent. The judgment is therefore that one shall get back the lost item. Furthermore, the figure of the quesited is conjunct to the first in the second, which shows the querent’s gain, and things are further facilitated by the fact that the sixth house has Populus in it, which means the waxing Moon. Finally, it is even more fortunate because Populus is found in the tenth and Major in the ninth and eleventh, and even more so because the first is found in the Witnesses, and the sixth as the Judge.

Example of Geomantic Shield by Peter of Abano, 3

All these configurations are called conjunction, whereby the ninth figure is said to be conjunct the first and the second because it is born from them,7 and the tenth is conjunct the third and fourth because it is born from them, and the eleventh is conjunct the fifth and the sixth because it is born from them, and the twelfth is cojunct the seventh and eighth, because it is born from them. And furthermore the Right Witness is conjunct to the ninth and tenth because it is born from them, and the Left Witness is conjunct to the eleventh and twelfth, because it is born from them.8

Let’s make the example of one asking about a lost item, and the first figure is Major, which however does not move to the house of the lost item, nor does it conjunct it, but moves to the third house, and similarly the sixth figure, which is Acquisitio, does not conjunct the first immediately, but moves to the tenth house, wherefore one shall judge that he shall soon get the lost item back, because the figure of the querent is found in the third house and Conjunctio is in the fourth, and the sixth figure is Acquisitio and is found in the tenth, which is born from Major in the third and Conjunctio in the fourth.9 Therefore, querent and quesited are said to be in Conjunction, especially when they are fixed and fortunate and entering, and the Witnesses are the Judge are exiting, and this means a change of place of the quesited to the place where the figure is found.

Example of Geomantic Shield by Peter of Abano, 4


The reason for all these methods of Mutation or Translation and Occupation and Conjunction is that every time a figure moves from its original house, it is always found in the place wherein it moves, and not in its original place, because no change happens without cause and without meaning something. Nevertheless, always it maintains the meaning of the person or thing inquired about in their original place, only changing its fortune or misfortune and its time-frame (past or future) in the way we have discussed above.

However it is not always the case that a good figure diminishes its good fortune or a bad figure its bad fortune; in fact, sometimes it increases them, depending that it is found in a better Mutation or Conjunction, so that if the first moves by Translation or Conjunction in another place, or if it occupies it, the figure still indicates the person of the querent, but it shows greater virtue of said figure in the question inquired about, and it means a more particular effect than if it were found only in the first house.

The same is to be observed if the second figure goes next to the house of the quesited or moves to its exact house, or next to the figure of said house, if they are good, and vice versa if they are bad the misfortune is greater [than if the figure hadn’t moved], always keeping in mind the limits of the question and of the figures it requires, and of the places and houses of the quesited. So that if the first goes to the seventh, which is a bad place, contrary to that which the querent seeks, being the house of the enemy, and it means fighting, anger, discord, then it means contrarieties surrounding the obtaining of what one wishes, unless if the question is about marriage, love, friendship, business, travel, lack of peace, and similar things, in which case finding the first in the seventh is excellent, if the figure is positive and fortunate.10

In other questions, if the first moves to the twelfth or sixth or seventh, if it is a good figure, it diminishes its goodness, but if it is a bad figure it augments its evil, except if the first figure is accompanied by a good figure in the second or ninth or eleventh.

And when the second, ninth and eleventh are fortunate and good and the questions are about an absent messenger, good news, money coming from afar and other similar things, and if you find in these houses the fifth or sixth figure or the seventh, twelfth, eleventh or thirteenth, it means good news, good messenger, a messenger coming from afar, money approaching. If the second or ninth and third or also the thirteenth move or translate to the seventh, eighth or twelfth it means good things from afar, especially if the Judge agrees.

If the seventh or eighth moves to the fourth they show good news and durable situations, if the figure is good, and the opposite if they are unfortunate.
The best houses are the first, fifth, tenth and eleventh.
The second, third, fourth and ninth houses follow.
The worst are the sixth, seventh, eighth and twelfth.

Every good figure that you find in a good place increases its virtue due to being in a good place, but if you find it in a bad place it diminishes it. Every bad figure you find in a bad place increases its malice, but if you find it in a good place it diminishes it, except in the first house, where it always keeps its own properties and meaning. And every figure you find accompanied or conjunct by others diminishes or increases its goodness or malice depending on the figure it is accompanied by.

Therefore, if the first is good and fortunate and the second good, and the ninth also good,11 it does not increase the goodness of the first, but if it is bad it decreases the goodness of the first or second, keeping also in mind the question and the querent’s desire and the houses involved in it and the meaning of the house of the querent. The same is valid for the tenth house with respect to the third and fourth house, of the eleventh with respect to the fifth and sixth, of the twelfth with respect to the seventh and eighth, of the Right Witness with respect to the ninth and tenth, of the Left Witness with respect to the eleventh and twelfth, as said above.

MQS

Footnotes
  1. Book II, Part 7 ↩︎
  2. In other words, mutation implies change of house, regardless of whether it brings the querent near the quesited, although in this case we have, of course, perfection. Note that usually we consider a Mutation to happen when two figures move to places that are next to each other, but Abano, as many other Medieval authorities, doesn’t seem to fixated on precise language. ↩︎
  3. “Accomagnate cun bone”. It is unclear if this refers to the company of houses. ↩︎
  4. That is, if the figures are mostly good, it is positive, and vice versa ↩︎
  5. This seems to imply that translation happens even if the querent’s figure causes it. This is in contrast with modern practice. ↩︎
  6. This technique has not survived in modern practice. However, it would be interesting to test it out. ↩︎
  7. This assertion made by Abano is of incredible interest for those trying to make more of the Geomantic Shield. Apparently, we do not consider figures to be next to each other just in the order of the Astrological houses, but also when they are next to each other ‘genealogically’, so to speak, on the Geomantic Shield. ↩︎
  8. As shown in other examples before, Abano seems to consider the Witnesses to be similar to the other houses, and therefore potentially in conjunction with them. ↩︎
  9. In other words, the two figures are conjunct by moving to houses that Abano consider to be next to each other, i.e., the third and the ninth. ↩︎
  10. Abano seems to be saying that when a house that is meaningful to the reading has its figure move to another house, it is always significant, but the good or bad import is decided by the kind of question. ↩︎
  11. The Ninth House is considered by Abano therefore to be in company with the first, in a way, or at least to be close to it, so that a figure in it influences the querent. ↩︎

Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Geomancy

The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book II Pt. 7

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In this short paragraph, Abano introduces several technical terms.

This is an example of a simple mutation, about the question whether one shall be with his girlfriend.1

Geomancy shield by Peter of Abano


The first figure is Conjunctio, the second Puer, the third Puella, the fourth Conjunctio. Look how the first moves to the fourth and the seventh is the same as the third, and thus it means being with her, especially since the first is in the fifth house of fun.2 Moreover, the first is found in both Witnesses.3 Also, this is an example of translation, because the first moves next to the house of the quesited,4 that is, in the eighth, which is associated to the seventh. Moreover it is an example of conjunction, because the first is conjunct to the ninth, and the eleventh with the fifth,5 and the thirteenth with the ninth, and the fourteenth with the eleventh.6

MQS

Footnotes
  1. “Se uno havera la sua amica”, literally, “if one shall have his (female) friend”. This passage warrants its own chapter as it is relatively strange when confronted with the modern doctrine, and it seems to contain odd mistakes, at least prima facie. ↩︎
  2. “Casa di gaudio della cosa quesita”, literally “the house of joy of the quesited”. It could be that Abano means the Fifth house is the joy of the question itself, because it signifies fun, and the question is about fun. ↩︎
  3. It is not clear whether this is good because the figure is Conjunctio or because it is found in the houses of the Witnesses, or both. ↩︎
  4. Abano seems to be using the word ‘translation’ in lieu of ‘conjunction’ here. There is a translation in the modern sense here, but this is effected by Puer, who is both in the Second and in the Sixth. ↩︎
  5. The Eleventh does not seem connected in any way with the Fifth, unless we take the Fifth to be moving to the Fourteenth (the Left Witness) or we count the translation effectuated by Puer ↩︎
  6. This is rather obscure, unless, again, we take the Thirteenth and Fourteenth as regular houses that can come into contact with the others. This would open up the Geomantic Shield to a whole different kind of interpretation. ↩︎