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Tag: Prayer
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Beings as Epithets: The Planetary Invocations of Giordano Bruno’s Cantus Circaeus – Part II
Having shared the context and content of Giordano Bruno’s planetary invocations from Cantus Circaeus in Part I of this post, we now proceed to explore some of the more magical implications of the invocations. First, we examine the condensed form of astrological magical ritual that Bruno shares and consider its implications, before then moving on…
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Beings as Epithets: The Planetary Invocations of Giordano Bruno’s Cantus Circaeus – Part I
Cantus Circaeus, or The Song of Circe, was a work on the art of memory published by Giordano Bruno in Paris in 1582, toward the beginning of his career as an author. Intended as a briefer introduction and application of the art of memory (a complex though practical mnemonic system involving the method of loci,…
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Stellar Devotion as a Practice
What is the purpose of stellar devotion? Some people question whether planetary prayers are effective or worthwhile. This Members-Only post for Inner Sanctum members offers an analogy with Zen meditation, drawing upon the Fukanzazengi of Eihei Dogen, to offer a radically different, non-utilitarian understanding of celestial prayer practices.
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Prayers to the Sun/Helios in the Greek Magical Papyri
Although little of the PGM material is explicitly astrological, the magico-religious syncretism of the texts leads to many mentions of Hellenistic deities. In particular, a significant amount of material on Helios including a number of hymns not so unlike the Orphic Hymn to Helios can be adapted to contemporary practices of stellar devotion. In this…
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Toward a Trauma-Informed Astrological Magic
(Note: This post has been translated into French by our colleague Azur! You can read it here: Vers une magie astrologique qui prend en compte les traumas, par Idola Stellarum) Astrological talismans are deep and consequential magic. Thus astrological talismans are not inherently safe. At Idola Stellarum, we consider it of vital importance to inform and…
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Prayer in Astrological Magic: Part VI – An Example Prayer from an Idola Stellarum Working
In Part I of this post series, we established the historical evidence for prayer playing an important role in astrological magic. In Part II, we deepened this point by using traditional sources to show that the theurgical, devotional aspects of astromagical ritual play a central operational function, and thus that prayer and invocation may play…
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Prayer in Astrological Magic: Part V – “Suitably and Seasonably Composed”: Best Practices for Astromagical Prayers
In these members-only posts for the Inner Sanctum, we will explore these questions, starting with an examination of some of our tradition’s most (in)famous prayers, the Orphic Hymns, and their somewhat lesser-known siblings, the Homeric Hymns. Thinking about these prayers will help us think through some tips for how to use these prayers in practice,…
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Astrological Magic and Eclipses: A Relational Perspective
Questions inevitably arise around eclipse season. Can one wear astrological talismans during eclipses? Should one do magic on eclipses? In this post, we explore some of the mundane, mythological, and magical significations of eclipses and the lunar nodes before offering our recommendations and thoughts from a relational perspective about working magically with eclipses. What are…
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Prayer in Astrological Magic: Part IV – “Nothing is More Effective in Natural Magic”: The Ancient Hymns as Astromagical Praxis
In Part I of this post series, we established the historical evidence for prayer playing an important role in astrological magic. In Part II, we deepened this point by using traditional sources to show that the theurgical, devotional aspects of astromagical ritual play a central operational function, and thus that prayer and invocation may play…
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Prayer in Astrological Magic: Part III – The Astromagical Functions of Prayer
Words have power: the power to communicate, to persuade, to command—and most importantly from the perspective of astrological magic, to enhance, augment, and direct the effects of talismanic workings. This post series explores the role of prayers in astrological magic. In Part I, we examine the overarching function of invocations and prayers in astrological magic,…