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Are Astrological Talismans Safe? Part I: Technique & Sturdy Relationships
Fear of magic reverberates down through history in the so-called West. From early on, ‘magic’ connoted perceptions of the sinister practices of mysterious foreigners, witch trials and the Inquisition loom large in the cultural imagination, and shows and movies reliably paint magic as chaotic, volatile, and often mixed up in tragedies involving greed and the lust for power.
While the ‘teen witch’ archetype is slowly changing, most of us still grew up with stories of young women’s magical explorations coinciding with harsh and punitive consequences. We know those stories aren’t merely metaphors.
Given how magic has been (and in some places still is) historically linked with danger and persecution, it’s natural to wonder: how safe is astrological magic? Are astrological talismans safe?
In this first post of our series on safety in astrological talismans, we explore the question whether astrological talismans are safe from a technical astrological perspective and a relational perspective. In Part II, we’ll provide some individual considerations when choosing and relating to talismans and insight into the safeguards we take at Idola Stellarum to ensure quality control.
Risk from a Technical Perspective
Astrological magic rests on the foundational assumption that time has quality: certain times are good for some things and not others. To quote Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Ideally, a mage crafts astrological talismans during the most auspicious times—times so good you would want to set them in stone and preserve them forever.
Not every moment promises such good fortune, as we all know. Indeed, some times are downright harmful. Many ancient sources focus not just on good times, but also on inauspicious, unfortunate times. For example, some grimoires provide delineations for the planetary hours on a given day. The Sun of Knowledge by Al-Buni, in the listing for the planetary hours for Sunday, notes:
“The twelfth hour is ruled by Saturn. Do nothing, for this hour is unfortunate. It is good for nothing except inflicting harm.”
—Shams Al-Ma’arif, Ahmad Ibn ‘Ali Al-Buni, tr. Amanda Inloes, p. 79
Similarly, the Moon’s monthly journey through the 28 Lunar Mansions takes Luna through fortunate and unfortunate stations. The Lunar Mansions therefore serve not merely as a system for keeping time, but as a system for keeping fortune. Another example of a time period that would not be generally desirable comes again from The Sun of Knowledge:
“[The eighth Lunar Mansion Al-Nathrah] is cold, of mixed fortune. When the Moon alights in it, an angry spirit descends to the earth provoking enmity, hatred, ruptures, and similar things.”
—Shams Al-Ma’arif, Ahmad Ibn ‘Ali Al-Buni, tr. Amanda Inloes, p. 99
From a bird’s eye perspective, electing an auspicious astrological talisman involves selecting a chart that (1) meets certain necessary requirements; (2) minimizes negative factors (aka afflictions); and (3) maximizes positive factors (that is, features of the chart that are either good in themselves or that mitigate afflictions).
It should be obvious that if an astrological talisman can be constructed that maximizes auspicious magical influences, ones could be made that maximize inauspicious ones. Just so, plenty of examples of curse talismans exist in the tradition: these reverse conditions (2) and (3) above, maximizing negative factors and minimizing positive and mitigating factors.
Talismanic Accidents & Safety Precautions
If we consider all of this for a moment, it should become obvious that if one can use an astrological talisman to curse by design, one could also do so by accident.
For example, an otherwise positively elected talisman might contain an affliction that results in a talisman that might (a) backfire completely; (b) provide a mix of positive and negative effects; or (c) work positively for a while before eventually fizzling out or manifesting negative effects. Since mages have only recently revitalized the tradition, our ability to predict such things with any precision remains limited.
For these reasons, our best practices at Idola Stellarum for astrological mages include but are not limited to: checking our work both rationally (e.g., verifying the chart and its properties) and spiritually (e.g., divining on the working), testing our talismans, and remaining true to our values and purpose, lest we accidentally cause harm or put others at risk.
For customers of astrological magic who lack the technical knowledge to evaluate magical electional charts, it can be helpful to get a trusted and adept friend to evaluate the chart. Alternatively, one can notice and explore whether and to what extent a given purveyor of talismans provides transparent information about their election. At the very least, a timed chart should be provided to customers for every talisman. Beyond this, mages can provide a studious evaluation of the electional chart that highlights the positive while also honestly pointing out any negative or experimental aspects of the election.
To sum up: from a technical perspective, not all times are created equal. No astrological timing is perfect, and balancing factors in a chart is to a large extent an artform. Badly or carelessly elected talismans can not only be inert: they can indeed potentially be harmful.
Risk from a Relational Perspective
Since we understand astrological talismans not simply as magical, powerful, inanimate objects but as sentient, agentic spirits, we acknowledge that being in relationship to talismanic spirits carries certain risks. Spirit relationships are in many ways like human relationships: they can be immensely rewarding, gratifying, and healing, and the vulnerability inherent to relatedness means that the possibility for hurt, harm, and adjustment always coexists with more beneficial potentials.
Real and consequential magic is alive and astrological talismans are sentient beings. Therefore, astrological talismans are always to some extent unpredictable because they operate under their own agency and authority.
As in any real relationship, we must contend with the otherness of the other. We do not get to simply control others, extracting rewarding parts of the relationship and restricting bad ones. We must always take other beings on their own terms in real relationships.
There is an analogy, however imprecise, with animals (bearing in mind that we hold animals in high respect and esteem). We act unfairly when we call a wild animal safe or dangerous per se. Every animal has its own nature, its own agenda, and its own worldview. We can come into safer relationship with a given animal to the extent that we acknowledge its nature, understand its boundaries and capabilities, and respect its agency and worldview. Our understanding and respect will always be incomplete, however, and we may make mistakes, as in any relationship, whether human or not. And no relationship with an animal, wild or not, can ever be 100% safe.
Similarly, to some degree, our safety in relationship to astrological talismans has to do with how we interact with them. If we treat them poorly, objectify them, or berate or abuse them, we should not be surprised if they reciprocate in some way, whether by leaving or by curtailing their gifts. If we treat them with respect, appreciate them, and make offerings (even if only of gratitude) to them, we can foster, maintain, and deepen our positive relationship with them. But again, since we cannot have and should not seek ultimate dominion over any being, no relationship with a talisman can ever be 100% safe.
What’s next
All we have said so far has been quite general. However, any person’s relationship with a given talisman will necessarily be highly individual. One person will relate to a given talisman differently than another person, because each has a different natal chart, different magical experience, different spirit allies, and different relationships with the celestial hierarchy.
For our next post in this series, we’ll be looking at some individual considerations for choosing and relating to talismans and illuminate in detail how we practice safety and quality control at Idola Stellarum.
Our first collection releases March 22nd and we are committed to transparency and integrity in our practice so your relationships with talismanic spirits and the celestial hierarchy can root deeper and blossom more fully.
To learn more about our approach and ask us questions, consider attending our presentation Saturday, March 4th, 2023 (and recorded for registrants), Relational Astromagic: An Ecological Spirit Model. We’ll be delving into some barriers to practice, such as perfectionism, and offering remedy to them in the form of more relational and ecological approach to astrological magic. For our blog readers, use the promo code IDOLA for 20% off registration price.
As stewards of the tradition of astrological magic, it is our privilege to bring the wonder of astrological talismans to others. Sign up to our mailing list for word of our upcoming talismanic collections and workings:
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