GEOMANCY FOR DIVINERS Techniques for becoming a better reader
Bibliography and History
(Post)Modern WMT Renaissance
John Michael Greer, The Art & Practice of Geomancy; Earth Divination, Earth Magic; Geomancer’s Handbook Christopher Warnock & John Michael Greer, The Picatrix Stephen Skinner, Oracle of Geomancy; Terrestrial Astrology The “Western Magical Blogging Tradition,” by diverse hands
Golden Dawn, Crowley, & Feng Shui/Vaastu
Israel Regardie, The Golden Dawn; Practical Guide to Geomancy Chic & Tabatha Cicero, Golden Dawn Journal, Book 1
Early Modern “Terrestrial Astrology”
Islamic folk magic & commerce
Agrippa (pseudo.), Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy Pietro d’Abano, Modo Judicandi Questiones… Christopher Cattan, The Geomancy of Master Cattan Marsillio Ficino, Three Books on Life Robert Fludd, De Geomantia Picatrix, Terrestrial Astrology
African Roots – Ifa & Sikidy
Terrestrial Astrology
How it works
Preparation - Meditation/Automatism Generate 16 “random” digits Divide into “Mother” Figures Derive “Daughter” Figures Calculate “Niece” Figures Read the Chart Create actionable interpretations
Meditation v. Automatism
Accident v. Pre-existing condition DO NOT focus on the question! The Diviner’s Worldview: “Where do these answers come from?” Meditation:
clarity of vision Spiritualism: being an open vessel Animism: various spiritual technologies
Randomness!
Irrelevance of Tools/Tool Fetishism Meditation:
dice, coins, cards Spiritualism: tapping out dots, automatism (writing/drawing) Animism: “the world answers itself in various ways”
Binary precision: even or odd? 16 possible Figures 65536 possible unique charts in 256 combinations with 8 possible "summaries“ (Judges)
Anatomy of the Figures
Active/Passive :: Projecting/Receptive Binary: on/off,1/0, 0-15 Grimoiric: Head (Fire), Neck (Air), Body (Water), Feet (Earth) Tetragrammaton: Fire, Water, Air, Earth Various elemental systems Energy states & material properties Standard Model force interactions (E, Ns, Nw, G) Traditional Chinese Medicine model: Metal, Wood, Fire, Water
Latin catalogue of imagery {handouts A&B}
Building the Chart
Generate 4 “Mother” Figures from data Line-by-line: “Daughter” Figures Add by pairs: “Niece” Figures 12 Figures, in 4 groups of 3 Decision: Shield or Wheel Chart? “Simple”
– Shield Nuanced/Complex – Wheel Most flexible – Shield, then map onto Wheel
Shield Chart
Add pairs of Nieces together to produce “Witnesses” Add Witnesses to create “Judge” Only 8 possible Judge figures, all with even number of points 4 Triplicities Reading the Triplicities The Way of Points (active & passive) Festina Lente
Shield Chart Example
Astrological Wheel Chart
Figures go where? (ASC, clockwise for demo) Horary (v. Natal) Astrology 1st House: the person asking (the querent) Cauda
Draconis as “asking after the fact” Rubeus as possible (self-)deception
What’s being asked = chart house (quesited) Other information from the Chart
Astrological Wheel Chart
Modes of Perfection: “Yes, but…”
Occupation – matching figures (+5) Conjunction – in the next house (+4) Mutation – BOTH pass to neighboring houses (+4) Translation – same figure in both “next house” Favorable Aspect (+/- 3)
Sinister v. Dexter
Company– related figures in paired houses (-1) Company Simple – same figure Company Demi-Simple – figures of same Planet Company Compound – opposite figures Company Capitular – same top-line
Modes of Imperfection: “No, and…”
Impedition – nothing at all. (-5) Absolutely,
positively NO. Go back to Shield Chart and examine Way of Points No Way? Fundamental error in reasoning behind question…
Unfavorable Aspects (-/+ 3) Company (+1)
Additional Methods
Cardines: 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th Houses
Combination of Figures
ALL aspects to the significators Read as influential factors
Projection of Points
Use when using Company for Perfection “The Reconciler” = Judge + 1st
Aspects to Significators
East, North, West, South Beginning 1st – Middle 10th – End 7th – After 4th
Add the single points in Figures in houses Divide by 12 to find house that holds Index (hidden factors of question)
Part of Fortune
Add the total number of points in all the Figures Divide by 12 and find house which acts as ally
Advanced Interpretive Methods
3rd Party Questions Asking for other people’s benefit Indirect actions Complex relationships (that “father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate” thing)
Multiple Significators & Special Questions Daily/Monthly/Seasonal/Yearly Charts Life Readings Finding Directions, Locations, Lost Objects Timing (compare point totals to 96)
Medical Readings
1st – the Patient 7th – the Physician/Practitioner 6th – the Illness 10th – Medication & treatment plan 12th – “Secret downfall” (i.e. Could I die from this?) 4th – Final outcome of the illness Mobile = Acute/short-term, Stable = Chronic, long-term Caput = (sudden) improvement, Cauda = (sudden) decline Figure in 6th passing to another house = where in the body Seriousness = “score” of Perfections Psychosomatic/Mental
Carcer, Tristitia, Puer, Rubeus, Conjunctio, Albus in 1st square or opposition to figure in 6th in Chart implies psychosomatic nature
Will a specific treatment help? = perfection between 6th & 7th
Agriculture & Farming
1st– Querent/Farmer 4th – The land/soil/mineral & water assets on land 5th – Perennial & biennial crops 6th – Small animals (and pets) 10th – The Weather (with 5th) 11th – Annual crops 12th – Large animals (& wild animals) Weather symbolism by element 2nd and Total of Points – payment for crops/work
Buying & Selling Stuff
1st – Buyer (always Buyer, not Querent) 7th – Seller (always Seller) 2nd – Movable, personal property 3rd – Cars & personal vehicles 4th – Land & Real Estate 10th – The sale itself (price, contract, PO) Part of Fortune – overall happiness with transaction Total of Points – final sale price/“reasonable” Auctions – 5th House (as speculation)
Lost Objects & People
Simpler: House
= Description of object Figure = Location of object
More in-depth: Perfected
House = direction relative to Querent Mobility = relative distance from Querent
Missing persons Missing:
House by relationship to Querent Unknown: Name by letters in 7th, 10th, 1st, 4th House Parity check: figure of Quesited as physical description
Legal Issues
1st – Querent 2nd – Property’s origin (stolen, to be recovered) 4th – Property’s current location 5th – Children (i.e. custody issues) 7th – Person taking the Property 10th – Courts & Law Enforcement 12th – Incarceration/penalties/fines
